BIG Ten Announces Football Awards

Following Big Ten football games on Nov. 5, the co-offensive, defensive and special teams players of the week and freshman of the week in the Big Ten were announced this morning. Below are this week’s honorees:

Co-Offensive Players of the Week
Wilton Speight, Michigan
Jr., QB, Richmond, Va./The Collegiate School

• Set a career high with 362 passing yards and recorded his first career rushing touchdown in a victory over Maryland
• Broke the school record for most passing yards in the first half of a game, throwing for 292 yards
• Completed 19 of 24 passes, including two touchdown tosses
• Claims his second career Offensive Player of the Week award and second of the season
• Last Michigan Offensive Player of the Week: Wilton Speight (Sept. 12, 2016)

Curtis Samuel, Ohio State
Jr., HB, Brooklyn, N.Y./Erasmus

• Recorded 173 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in three quarters of play against Nebraska
• Tallied eight catches for 137 yards and added 41 rushing yards on five carries
• Registered two touchdown catches, including a 75-yard touchdown on the first offensive play of the third quarter
• Earns his first career Offensive Player of the Week award
• Last Ohio State Offensive Player of the Week: J.T. Barrett (Oct. 17, 2016)

Defensive Player of the Week
Tre Watson, Illinois
So., LB, Tampa, Fla./Tampa Catholic

• Tallied a career-high 16 tackles, including four solo stops, in Illinois’ victory over Michigan State
• Recorded 1.5 tackles for loss
• Added one pass break-up
• Claims his first career Defensive Player of the Week honor
• Last Illinois Defensive Player of the Week: Tavon Wilson (Oct. 10, 2011)

Special Teams Player of the Week
Emmit Carpenter, Minnesota
So., PK, Green Bay, Wis./Ashwaubenon

• Went 3-for-3 on field goals and 5-for-5 on extra points in Minnesota’s victory over Purdue, including a pair of field goals from more than 50 yards
• Converted field goals from 28, 52 and 53 yards, with the 53-yarder setting a new career high
• Improved to 16-for-18 on field goal attempts this season for a conversion rate of 88.9 percent
• Earns his second career Special Teams Player of the Week honor
• Last Minnesota Special Teams Player of the Week: Emmit Carpenter (Oct. 3, 2016)

Freshman of the Week
Connor McGovern, Penn State
OG, Larksville, Pa./Lake-Lehman

• Anchored an offensive line that paved the way for 599 yards of total offense against Iowa
• Helped the Penn State offense record 359 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, as well as 240 yards and two touchdowns through the air
• Leads an offensive line that has helped Penn State score on 14 of its last 18 drives
• Wins his first career weekly award
• Last Penn State Freshman of the Week: Saquon Barkley (Sept. 21, 2015)