­­Following Week 12, 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 and Freshman of the Week
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
QB – Fr. – Empire, Calif. – Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.)

• Completed 32 of 35 passes (.914 pct.) for 432 yards and a career-high six touchdowns in Ohio State’s 56-7 win over Michigan State. Threw all six touchdown passes in the first half to give the Buckeyes a 49-0 halftime lead and then exited the game midway through the third quarter
• Tied Ohio State’s single-game record for touchdown passes in a half and in a game
• Is the only Big Ten quarterback to pass for six touchdowns in a game this season and is one of just eight Big Ten quarterbacks to do so since 2013
• According to College Football Reference, his career-high 91.4 completion percentage is the second highest by an FBS quarterback in a single game in 2021 (min. of 20 attempts)
• Earns the second Offensive Player of the Week accolade of his career and his seventh Freshman of the Week honor of the season
• Last Ohio State Offensive Player of the Week: Garrett Wilson (Nov. 15, 2021)
• Last Ohio State Freshman of the Week: C.J. Stroud (Nov. 15, 2021)

Defensive Player of the Week
Isaiah Gay, Illinois
LB – Sr. – Nashville. N.C – Northern Nash (N.C.)

• Notched a career-high 10 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss, and a sack vs. Iowa
• Recorded the third-most tackles for loss in a single game in Illinois history and the most ever by an Illini defender in a Big Ten game. Is tied with Wisconsin’s Leo Chenal for the most tackles for a loss in a single game by a Big Ten defender this season
• With Iowa at the Illinois 30-yard line, recorded TFLs on three consecutive plays to end a Hawkeye drive and force a field goal attempt
• Earns the first Defensive Player of the Week honor of his career
• Last Illinois Defensive Player of the Week: Calvin Hart Jr. (Aug. 30, 2021)

Special Teams Player of the Week
Jordan Stout, Penn State
K/P – Sr. – Cedar Bluff, Va. – Honaker (Va.)

• Punted eight times for 343 yards (42.9 avg.) and landed four inside the 10-yard line and six inside the 20-yard line during Penn State’s 28-0 win over Rutgers. Had two punts of 50-plus yards. Also hit touchbacks on all five of his kickoff attempts
• Dropped punts at the Rutgers 3, 8 and 9 in the first quarter alone. Also pinned the Scarlet Knights at their own 3 in the third quarter
• Helped limit Rutgers’ average starting field position to the Scarlet Knights’ own 18-yard line
• Ranks second in the Big Ten in 2021 with 24 punts of 50-plus yards and is tied for third with 31 punts inside the 20
• Earns the fourth Special Teams Player of the Week honor of his career and his third of the season
• Last Penn State Special Teams Player of the Week: Jordan Stout (Nov. 15, 2021)

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

Sept. 13
O: Blake Corum, So., RB, MICH
D: Luke Reimer, So., LB, NEB
S: Adam Korsak, Sr., P, RU
S: Tory Taylor, So., P, IOWA
F: C.J. Stroud, QB, OSU

Sept. 20
O: Payton Thorne, So., QB, MSU
O: TreVeyon Henderson, Fr., RB, OSU
D: Brandon Smith, Jr., LB, PSU
S: Aron Cruickshank, Jr., WR, RU
S: Joseph Petrino, Sr., K, MD
F: TreVeyon Henderson, RB, OSU

Sept. 27
O: Sean Clifford, Sr., QB, PSU
O: Evan Hull, So., RB, NU
D: Jack Campbell, Jr., LB, IOWA
S: Jayden Reed, Jr., WR, MSU
F: Kyle McCord, QB, OSU

Oct. 4
O: Chase Brown, So., RB, ILL
D: David Ojabo, Jr., LB, MICH
D: JoJo Domann, Sr., LB, NEB
S: Mark Crawford, So., P, MINN
S: Jordan Stout, Sr., K/P, PSU
F: C.J. Stroud, QB, OSU

Oct. 11
O: Jalen Nailor, Jr., WR, MSU
O: C.J. Stroud, Fr., QB, OSU
D: Matt Hankins, Sr., DB, IOWA
D: Brad Hawkins, Gr., DB, MICH
S: Jacob Moody, Sr., K, MICH
F: C.J. Stroud, QB, OSU

Oct. 18
O: David Bell, Jr., WR, PUR
D: Cam Allen, Jr., S, PUR
S: Matt Coghlin, Gr., K, MSU
F: Braelon Allen, RB, WIS

Oct. 25
O: Chase Brown, So., RB, ILL
D: Leo Chenal, Jr. LB, WIS
S: Collin Larsh, Sr., K, WIS
F: C.J. Stroud, QB, OSU

Nov. 1
O: Kenneth Walker III, Jr., RB, MSU
D: Jalen Graham, Jr., LB/S, PUR
S: Adam Korsak, Sr., P, RU
S: Noah Ruggles, Gr., K, OSU
F: Andrel Anthony, WR, MICH
F: Mar’Keise Irving, RB, MINN

Nov. 8
O: Jahan Dotson, Sr., WR, PSU
O: Aidan O’Connell, Sr., QB, PUR
D: Ji’Ayir Brown, Sr., S, PSU
S: Blake Hayes, Sr., P, ILL
F: Braelon Allen, RB, WIS

Nov. 15
O: Garrett Wilson, Jr., WR, OSU
O: Braelon Allen, Fr., RB, WIS
D: Aidan Hutchinson, Sr., DE, MICH
S: Jordan Stout, Sr., K/P, PSU
F: C.J. Stroud, QB, OSU

Nov. 22
O: C.J. Stroud, Fr., QB, OSU
D: Isaiah Gay, Sr., LB, ILL
S: Jordan Stout, Sr., K/P, PSU
F: C.J. Stroud, QB, OSU

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