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Gage Larvadain, Miami, WR
Junior, Donaldsonville, La. (Riverside Academy)
Gage Larvadain finished Saturday's contest with eight catches for 273 yards and three touchdowns, helping the RedHawks to a 41-28 win at Massachusetts. The 273 yards, which ranks second all-time in program history, was highlighted by a 99-yard touchdown pass from Brett Gabbert.
MAC Football East Division Defensive Player of the Week
CJ Nunnally, Akron, DL
Junior, Douglasville, Ga. (South Paulding)
CJ Nunnally provided a spark on the defensive line for Akron, helping them to a 24-21 win over Morgan State in their home opener at InfoCision Stadium on Saturday. With less than a minute to play, Nunnally forced a fumble to setup the game-winning touchdown. He forced the fumble at the Morgan State 13-yardline, stripping the Bears QB J.J. Davis of the ball, allowing teammate LB Bryan McCoy to recover the loose ball and score the game-winning touchdown. In addition, Nunnally opened the game with back-to-back sacks, recording two of the Zips four sacks on the game. His sacks totaled 10-yards of loss and posted a third tackle for an eight-yard loss. In all, Nunnally registered four tackles, three solo and one assisted, with three tackles for losses.
MAC Football East Division Special Teams Player of the Week
Graham Nicholson, Miami, Kicker
Junior, Cincinnati, Ohio (Summit Country Day)
Graham Nicholson was perfect in Saturday's 41-28 win at UMass. The junior drilled a pair of field goals (44 and 33 yards) and was 4-of-4 on extra points. He also had five touchbacks on eight attempts.
MAC Football West Division Offensive Player of the Week
Bert Emanuel, Jr., Central Michigan, Quarterback
Redshirt Freshman, Houston, Texas (Ridge Point H.S.)
Responsible for a career-best four touchdowns (two rushing, two passes) and finished with 294 total yards. On the day, he ran for two touchdowns and 101 yards on 21 carries and threw for a career-high 193 yards while completing seven of 19 passes. It marked his second career 100-yard rushing performance. Emanuel Jr.’s two rushing touchdowns came on a 66-yard touchdown on his second carry of the game and a 5-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The 66-yard TD run marked his fourth career run of 60 yards or more and his eighth career rushing touchdown. Emanuel, Jr.’s threw touchdown passes of 31 yards to Tyson Davis in the second quarter and 32 yards to Jesse Prewitt III in the fourth quarter. His long pass covered 56 yards to Chris Parker, the longest pass of his career.
MAC Football West Division Defensive Player of the Week
Judge Culpepper, Toledo, Defensive Tackle
Senior, Tampa, Fla. (Plant)
Senior defensive tackle Judge Culpepper had a career-high two sacks among his four tackles in Toledo's 71-3 win over Texas Southern. Culpepper added a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
MAC Football West Division Special Teams Player of the Week
Marion Lukes, Central Michigan, Kickoff Returner/Running Back
Junior, Charlestown, Ind. (Charlestown H.S.)
Registered his second career kickoff return for touchdown on an 86-yarder in the second quarter. He also returned a kickoff 100-yards for a touchdown vs. Eastern Michigan on Nov. 26, 2021. That was the last time CMU scored on a kickoff return. Led Central Michigan in all-purpose yards with 171 (9 rushing, 5 receiving, 157 kickoff returns). Finished with four kickoff returns for 157 yards and also rushed for nine yards on five carries.