MAC announces Week Two POTW

The Mid-American Conference on Monday announced its Week Two MAC Football Players of the Week.

East Division

Offensive Player of the Week:  Buffalo QB Joe Licata

Buffalo junior quarterback Joe Licata (Williamsville, N.Y.) went 35-of-50 for 401 yards and five touchdowns in a 47-39 loss at Army on Saturday. The five touchdowns were the most by a Buffalo quarterback in the Bulls' FBS era and the 401 yards was the third-highest total. Licata nearly single-handedly brought the Bulls back from a large deficit in the second half as he went 27-of-35 for 320 yards and five scores in the second half alone. 

Defensive Player of the Week:  Ohio LB Quentin Poling

Ohio redshirt freshman linebacker Quentin Poling (Spencerville, Ohio) helped anchor a defensive unit that limited Kentucky to just 215 yards of total offense and six points over the final three quarters of play in a 20-3 loss at Kentucky. Poling also notched a career-high 10 tackles, two sacks and two and one-half tackles for loss. 

Special Teams Player of the Week:  Bowling Green PR Ryan Burbrink

Junior punt returner Ryan Burbrink (Shady Side, Md.) returned the second punt of his career for a touchdown in Saturday's 48-7 win over VMI.  Burbrink’s 75-yard punt return for a touchdown came late in the first quarter and gave the Falcons a 14-0 lead.  Burbrink's punt return for a touchdown marked the second consecutive season in which he has returned a punt for a TD in the Falcons' home opener.

West Division

Offensive Player of the Week:  Central Michigan RB Thomas Rawls

Senior running back Thomas Rawls (Flint, Mich.) led the Chippewas to a 38-17 victory at Purdue. Rawls finished with 155 yards on 31 carries and scored two touchdowns, and added 50 yards on three receptions. One of his catches was a second-quarter screen pass the he turned into a 40-yard gain to the Purdue 5-yard line, leading to a touchdown that put Central Michigan up, 21-7. Rawls churned out 134 yards of his rushing total in the second half, when he carried 24 times.

Defensive Player of the Week:  Northern Illinois LB Rasheen Lemon

Junior linebacker Rasheen Lemon (Chicago, Ill.) was all over the field Saturday in NIU’s 23-15 win at Northwestern.  The Huskie defense held Northwestern scoreless for the entire first half and limited the Wildcats to just a single touchdown through the first 57 minutes of the game.  Lemon led NIU with a career-high nine tackles and two quarterback sacks.  Lemon was part of a NIU defensive effort that held Northwestern to zero net yards rushing in the second half. 

Special Teams Player of the Week:  Toledo K Jeremiah Detmer

Senior kicker Jeremiah Detmer (Hilliard, Ohio) made 1-2 field goals and four of his five kickoffs went for touchbacks in a 49-24 loss to Missouri on Saturday. Detmer made a field goal was from 40 yards and his missed attempt for 44 yards that was blocked.