Big Sky Conference

Luuga, Hill, Lewis claim final Big Sky weekly awards

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The final week of the regular season brought several strong performances from a variety of Big Sky Conference teams, with the Big Sky celebrating a strong regular season with four entries into the FCS playoffs.

However, it was players from three non-playoff qualifying programs that showcased the dedication of Big Sky student-athletes, earning Big Sky weekly honors for marquee performances in rivalry games. For their contributions in rivalry wins, UC Davis running back Manusamoa Luuga earned Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week, Montana State linebacker Josh Hill claimed Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week and Southern Utah punter Tate Lewis earned Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week.

Luuga rushed for a career-high 249 yards on a career-high 38 carries, while helping set the tone with a 58-yard TD run through the left side on the Aggies’ first play from the line of scrimmage, as UC Davis earned a 48-30 win over rival Sacramento State. Luuga’s yards are the third-most for a UC Davis single game, and are 10th-most in the FCS this year, along with being second-most in the Big Sky. He added a 47-yard run in the fourth quarter.

The Montana State Bobcats hadn’t defeated the Montana Grizzlies since 2012, but that changed Saturday, with the Bobcats’ 24-17 road win over the Griz. Linebacker Josh Hill made a significant impact in the game, forcing a fumble, and getting an interception. Hill also made eight tackles. The freshman linebacker led a Bobcat defense that held Montana 195 yards and 24 points below its season average on its home field. The interception was Hill’s second of the season, and the forced fumble was his first.

Lewis, who has helped Southern Utah to be one of the best punting teams in the nation, finished his collegiate career with a bang, helping the Thunderbirds control field position in a dominant 48-20 win over rival Northern Arizona. The senior punted six times, for an average of 43.3 yards per punt, with a touchback and a punt downed inside the 20-yard line.

Finalists for ROOT SPORTS Offensive Player of the Week include: Chris Murray, Montana State; Patrick Tyler, Southern Utah; Jadrian Clark, Weber State; Dano Graves, Cal Poly; Alex Kuresa, Portland State; Mitch Gueller, Idaho State; and Shaq Hill, Eastern Washington.

The nominees for ROOT SPORTS Defensive Player of the Week include: Mike Needham, Southern Utah; Taron Johnson, Weber State; Samson Ebukam, Eastern Washington; Ryan Bua, UC Davis; Chris Santini, Cal Poly; Artuz Manning, Portland State; and Jake Pettit, Idaho State.

Other nominees for ROOT SPORTS Special Teams Player of the Week were: Taylor Hintze, Weber State; and Antoine Custer, Eastern Washington.

 

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