MAC announces POTW

The Mid-American Conference has announced it’s Week Three football Players of the Week.

East Division

Offensive Player of the Week:  Bowling Green QB James Knapke

Bowling Green sophomore quarterback James Knapke (Fort Wayne, Ind.) went 46-for-73 for a career-high 395 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-42 win over Indiana. His 46 completions and 73 passing attempts were both single-game school records. The Falcons took down a Power Five conference school for the first time since 2008 (at Pitt). It was Bowling Green's first victory over a Big Ten Conference opponent since 2007 (at Minnesota).

Defensive Player of the Week:  Miami DB Quinten Rollins

Miami senior defensive back Quinten Rollins (Wilmington, Ohio) had a career-high six tackles and an interception in a 34-10 loss at Michigan on Saturday. Rollins had four solo tackles, which was also a career-high.

Special Teams Player of the Week:  Bowling Green K Tyler Tate

Junior kicker Tyler Tate (Carroll, Ohio) set a career high with four made field goals in a 45-42 win over Indiana.  Tate made all four field goals in the first half on kicks from 28, 38, 45 and 47 yards. His 15 points responsible for were the second most in his career, and fourth-most all-time in school history for a single game.

West Division

Co-Offensive Player of the Week:  Toledo QB Logan Woodside

Sophomore quarterback Logan Woodside (Frankfort, Ky.) completed 27-of-40 passes for 322 yards, three touchdowns in a 58-34 loss at Cincinnati.  Woodside set career highs with his 27 completions, 40 attempts, 322 yards passing and three scores and also completed passes to eight different receivers.

Co-Offensive Player of the Week:  NIU QB Drew Hare

Sophomore quarterback Drew Hare (O’Fallon, Mo.) led NIU to a 48-34 win at UNLV in his first game as Huskies starting quarterback.  Hare completed 18-of-28 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 74 yards on 14 carries and a score.  Hare totaled 359 yards of total offense on 42 plays for an average of 8.5 yards per play.  After UNLV came back from a 23-point deficit to tie the score at 34 in the fourth quarter, Hare hit Da’Ron Brown with a 54-yard touchdown pass that gave the Huskies a 41-34 lead.  When the Huskies got the ball back with 5:22 to play, he directed a 10-play, 80-yard game-clinching drive to provide the final margin of victory.   

  

Defensive Player of the Week:  Western Michigan DT Cleveland Smith

Junior defensive tackle Cleveland Smith (Miami, Fla.) finished with a career-high three sacks in a 45-33 win at Idaho. Smith collected three tackles, three sacks and three tackles for loss in the road win.  The Broncos had not had a sack yet this season until Smith broke through to pick up one of his three on the night.

Special Teams Player of the Week:  NIU P/K Tyler Wedel

Senior kicker/punter Tyler Wedel (McFarland, Wis.) handled placekicking and punting chores in a 48-34 win at UNLV.  Wedel hit a pair of important field goals in the second half and made all of his place kicks on the day, including six PATs and the field goals of 45 and 33 yards.  Wedel also punted twice and averaged 36 yards per punt.  Wedel’s career-long 45-yard field goal came in the middle of UNLV’s comeback in the third quarter and extended the Huskies’ lead back to 19 points at the 7:06 mark of the third.  After UNLV pulled to within five points at the end of the third quarter, Wedel completed the Huskies’ first drive of the fourth period with a 33-yard three to extend the lead to 34-26.