With the stakes continuing to rise in Big Sky Conference, the importance of strong play late in the season has never been greater.
The goals for each team are different, but each team is playing to improve, into whatever they have in front of them. Some of the players had individual goals, others had team goals, and some, like Eastern Washington receiver Cooper Kupp, had both.
Kupp entered last weekend needing six catches to tie the all-time FCS receptions mark; he got seven catches, as the Eagles went on to a Senior Day win. However, it wasn’t Kupp’s offense that got attention, but his special teams play that earned him acclaim.
For his efforts, Kupp earned Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week. Also, Sacramento State running back Jordan Robinson earned Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week, and North Dakota safety Deion Harris earned Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week.
Kupp had a 76-yard punt return, helping Eastern Washington to a 48-17 win over Idaho State. The Eagles were leading just 27-17 at the time of Kupp’s return score, when he ripped off the third-quarter score. The return score was a school record-tying third of his career, having also had a 76-yard return against the Bengals in 2015.
Sacramento State running back Jordan Robinson has been through many things, as senior. However, in his final game in Hornet Stadium, Robinson had a performance for the ages, rushing for 262 yards and four touchdowns, in a 42-35 Sacramento State win over Portland State.
His touchdown scores came on rushes for 75, 40, 30 and 9 yards, with the final touchdown breaking a 35-35 tie, with 1:56 remaining. Robinson had the first 200-yard rushing game for Sacramento State since Bryan Hilliard in 2008, while earning 300 yards of total offense.
North Dakota clinched at least a share of its first Big Sky football title on Saturday, with a 38-31 comeback win over Northern Arizona. The Fighting Hawks were helped in their comeback by getting a defensive score, courtesy of Deion Harris. Harris had his fifth interception of the season late in the fourth quarter, then followed up on it by returning it for a touchdown. Harris also had a season-high seven tackles, including six solo tackles and a pass breakup.
The nominees for Offensive Player of the Week included: Antoine Custer, Eastern Washington; Chad Newell, Montana State; Darius Graham, Northern Colorado; Jadrian Clark, Weber State; Blake Kemp, Northern Arizona; De’mun Mercer, North Dakota; and Josh Cook, Idaho State.
Finalists for Defensive Player of the Week included: Samson Ebukam, Eastern Washington; Mac Bignell, Montana State; Kyle Newsom, Northern Colorado; Josh Burton, Weber State; Tyler Meteer, Sacramento State; Kyle Hanneman, Southern Utah; and Joe Martin, Idaho State.
The other nominees for Special Teams Player of the Week were: Quincy Jountti, Sacramento State; Jayshawn Gates, Montana State; Jamie Falloon, Northern Colorado; Sean Cheney, Idaho State; Colby Wadman, UC Davis; and Alex Reed, North Dakota.
