by East Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Ohio QB Nathan Rourke
Ohio senior quarterback Nathan Rourke (Oakville, Ontario, Canada) posted a season-high 127 yards rushing and two touchdowns in a 34-21 win at Ball State. Rourke was part of an offense that had a season-high 316 rushing yards.
Rourke recorded his eighth career 100-yard rushing game and has now scored 44 career rushing touchdowns, which is good for third-most in program history.
He extended his school record for career touchdowns responsible for to 96. Rourke scored the Bobcats’ first touchdown from one yard out in the first quarter and their last from 12 yards out in fourth. On a tough day for passing the football, Rourke completed eight of his 16 attempts for 131 yards.
Defensive Player of the Week: Buffalo S Joey Banks
Buffalo senior safety Joey Banks (Sacramento, Calif.) had a game-high 10 tackles, one forced fumble and an interception to lead Buffalo to a 43-20 win over Central Michigan on Saturday. Banks forced a fumble early in the second quarter that teammate Kadofi Wright recovered at the Central Michigan 15-yard line.
The Bulls cashed in one play later to take a 17-7 lead. In the fourth quarter, Banks notched his second interception of the season. The Bulls were able to convert that interception into a
Special Teams Player of the Week: Miami K Sam Sloman
Miami senior kicker Sam Sloman (Roswell, Ga) connected on three field goals in a 23-16 win at Kent State in a constant downpour. Sloman drilled kicks of 36, 41 and 28 yards. He also had four touchbacks and allowed just 21 return yards in six kickoffs.
West Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Western Michigan RB LeVante Bellamy
Western Michigan senior running back LeVante Bellamy (Indianapolis, Ind.) rushed for a career-high four touchdowns and 178 yards rushing in a 49-10 win over Bowling Green. Bellamy became the first Bronco with four rushing touchdowns since Jamauri Bogan vs. Bowling Green on Oct. 13, 2018. Bellamy rushed for nine-yard, 36-yard, 75-yard and 18-yard touchdowns.
He has scored two or more touchdowns in five of nine games this year, including each of the last three contests. Bellamy has 15 career 100-yard rushing games, including six this season. His 178 yards are the second most in a game in his career, trailing only 213 against Ball State on November 13, 2018.
Defensive Player of the Week: Western Michigan LB Treshaun Hayward
Western Michigan junior linebacker Treshaun Hayward (Ypsilanti, Mich.) anchored a defense with 13 tackles and three tackles for loss in a 49-10 win over Bowling Green. Hayward has posted double-digit tackles in seven of the last eight games.
He leads the Broncos with 106 tackles, becoming the first Bronco with 100+ tackles in a season since Robert Spillane with 111 tackles in 2016. Hayward and the Broncos held the Falcons to 121 yards in the first half and just three total yards in the fourth quarter.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Toledo KR Ronnie Jones
Toledo senior kick returner Ronnie Jones (Pittsburgh, Pa.) returned a kickoff 48 yards in a 37-34 (OT) win over Eastern Michigan.
Jones had a 48-yard kickoff return to open the second half for the Rockets at the Eastern Michigan 44-yard line. Toledo scored three plays later to take a 16-10 lead.
