C.J. Stroud Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week

Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State Earn Weekly Honors

Moss (IOWA), Stout (PSU), Stroud (OSU) and Walker III (MSU) garner accolades

Following Week 1, the Offensive, Defensive, and Special Teams Players of the Week, and the Freshman of the Week in the Big Ten were announced this morning. Below are this week’s honorees:

Offensive Player of the Week

Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State

RB – Jr. – Arlington, Tenn. – Arlington (Tenn.)

• Rushed for a career-high 264 yards and a career-high four touchdowns on 23 carries (11.47 avg.) in Michigan State’s 38-21 win at Northwestern. His 264 yards rushing marked the seventh-highest single-game total in Michigan State history and his four rushing touchdowns were the most by a Spartan since Edwin Baker rushed for four touchdowns vs. Minnesota in 2010. Became just the seventh player in the Big Ten since 2000 to register more than 260 yards rushing and four-plus touchdowns and the first player to do so since Melvin Gordon ran for 408 yards and four touchdowns vs. Nebraska in 2014
• Sprinted for a 75-yard touchdown on the game’s first play from scrimmage to give Michigan State a 7-0 lead. Also added touchdowns of 3, 5 and 6 yards
• His 264 yards mark the highest single-game rushing yardage total by any player in the FBS through Week 1
• Earns his first career Offensive Player of the Week award
• Last Michigan State Offensive Player of the Week: Felton Davis III (Oct. 2, 2017)

Defensive Player of the Week

Riley Moss, Iowa

DB – Sr. – Ankeny, Iowa – Centennial (Iowa)

• Returned two interceptions for touchdowns in Iowa’s 31-6 win over Indiana, marking just the second time since 2000 that a Big Ten player has recorded two pick-sixes in a conference game
• Becomes the third Iowa player since 2000 to return two interceptions for touchdowns in the same game, joining Joshua Jackson (Nov. 11, 2017 at Wisconsin) and B.J. Lowery (Sept. 21, 2013 vs. Western Michigan)
• Is just the second FBS player since 2018 to return two interceptions for touchdowns in a single game. The last player to accomplish the feat was Akron’s Alvin Davis at Northwestern on Sept. 15, 2018
• Earns the second Defensive Player of the Week accolade of his career and his first since Oct. 8, 2018
• Last Iowa Defensive Player of the Week: Zach VanValkenburg (Nov. 16, 2020)

Special Teams Player of the Week

Jordan Stout, Penn State

K/P – Sr. – Cedar Bluff, Va. – Honaker (Va.)

• In Penn State’s 16-10 road win at Wisconsin, averaged a career-high 53.9 yards per punt on seven punts, marking the second-highest single-game punting average in Penn State history, trailing only Ralph Giacomarro who averaged 54.75 yards per punt at Syracuse in 1981.
• Registered five punts of 50-plus yards, including a career-long 76-yarder in the third quarter. His 76-yard punt tied for the third-long punt in Nittany Lions history
• Added a 24-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 10-10
• Garners the first Special Teams Player of the Week honor of his career
• Last Penn State Special Teams Player of the Week: Jahan Dotson (Dec. 14, 2020)

Freshman of the Week

C.J. Stroud, Ohio State

QB – Empire, Calif. – Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.)

• Completed 13 of 22 passes for 294 yards and four touchdowns in his first career start to help Ohio State defeat Minnesota 45-31. His 294 yards are the second-most by a Buckeye quarterback making the first start of their career since 2000
• Threw four touchdown passes in the second half to rally Ohio State from a 14-10 halftime deficit. Recorded three touchdown passes of 50-plus yards, connecting on touchdown strikes of 56, 61 and 70 yards
• Is one of just nine quarterback in the FBS to pass for four-plus touchdowns in a game this season
• Earns the first Freshman of the Week honor of his career
• Last Ohio State Freshman of the Week: Tate Martell (Sept. 10, 2018)

2021 Big Ten Football Players of the Week

Aug. 30

O: Artur Sitkowski, So., QB, ILL

D: Calvin Hart Jr., So., LB, ILL

S: Blake Hayes, Sr., P, ILL

F: Deuce Spann, WR, ILL

Sept. 6

O: Kenneth Walker III, Jr., RB, MSU

D: Riley Moss, Sr., DB, IOWA

S: Jordan Stout, Sr., K/P, PSU

F: C.J. Stroud, QB, OSU