For the fourth time in six games this season, the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week comes from a game involving Montana State. Unfortunately for the 3-3 Bobcats, three of the four weekly awards have gone to players from Montana State’s opponent.
On Saturday, the Bobcats fell 59-42 at Portland State. PSU senior David Jones rushed for 285 yards on 23 carries and scored touchdowns of 79, 26 and 56 yards. He was named the FCS Football National and College Sports Madness Player of the Week and the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. The 200-yard rushing effort was the first against the Bobcats since 2006 when Danny Woodhead, now of the San Diego Chargers, rushed for 215 yards as Chadron State beat MSU in Bozeman.
Jones now has 621 yards rushing and six touchdowns on 68 carries. His 9.3 yards per carry lead the nation. Portland State rushed for a school-record 467 yards on Saturday. The Vikings scored on eight consecutive possessions to being the game, piled up 682 yards and notched 32 first downs all told.
In a 55-50 non-conference loss at Eastern Washington, MSU allowed EWU quarterback Jordan West to complete 21-of-24 passes for 410 yards and six touchdowns. Two weeks later, Northern Arizona running back Casey Jahn rushed for a career-high 175 yards and two touchdowns in NAU’s 49-41 win over MSU.
The lone occurrence of a Bobcat player earned the Big Sky’s weekly offensive award came after MSU’s 45-28 win over Cal Poly. In that game, MSU junior quarterback Dakota Prukop threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns.
Weber State sophomore linebacker Emmett Tela earned the Big Sky’s Defensive Player of the Week honor. Eastern Washington junior wide receiver Cooper Kupp was the BSC Special Teams Player of the Week.
With Weber State trailing North Dakota 24-19 in the fourth quarter, Tela forced a UND fumble and recovered it, setting WSU up in the red zone, leading to the go-ahead score. Less than five minutes later, Tela notched his first career interception to seal WSU’s 25-24 comeback win. Tela piled up 10 tackles and a tackle for loss in the win.
Kupp caught 14 passes to move past Eric Kimble for EWU’s career record for receptions. But it was his 76-yard punt return for a touchdown that earned him the special teams accolade. The punt return score was the second of his career.
Other nominees for Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week included: Jadrian Clark, Weber State; Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington; Brandon Cartagena, Northern Colorado; Ammon Olsen, Southern Utah; and Xavier Finney, Idaho State.
Nominees for Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week included: Todd Raynes, Eastern Washington; Taylor Risner, Northern Colorado; Patrick Onwuasor, Portland State; Matt Holley, Southern Utah; and Hayden Stout, Idaho State.
Nominees for Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week include: Brady Stuart, UC Davis; Ellis Onic, Northern Colorado; and Jonathan Gonzales, Portland State.