MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES WEEK FOURTEEN
FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE, DEFENSIVE, SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
East Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Buffalo RB Jaret Patterson
Buffalo sophomore running back Jaret Patterson (Glendale, Md.) rushed for a school-record 298 yards and six touchdowns in a 49-7 win over Bowling Green on Nov. 29. The sophomore running back averaged 11.5 yards on 26 carries. He had touchdown runs of 81, 35, 30, 9, 1, and 1 yard in the game. His six touchdowns were not only a school record, but a MAC record as well. Patterson did the majority of his damage in the first half, rushing for 272 yards and five touchdowns. His 298 yards rushing were the most by any player in FBS football this season.
Defensive Player of the Week: Kent State DB KJ Sherald
Kent State junior defensive back KJ Sherald (Waldorf, Md.) had two interceptions and 11 tackles in a 34-26 win at Eastern Michigan on Nov. 29. Sherald’s first interception came at the end of the first half that led to a touchdown, while his second interception came late in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. Additionally, Sherald was second on the team with 11 tackles, including 1.5 for loss in the victory.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Miami DL Lonnie Phelps
Miami freshman defensive lineman Lonnie Phelps (Cincinnati, Ohio) made two key special teams plays in a 41-27 loss at Ball State on Nov. 29. Phelps blocked a punt to give the RedHawks a first and goal that resulted in a touchdown. Later, he also picked up a blocked punt and returned it for a 32-yard touchdown, Miami's first blocked punt for a touchdown since 2010.
West Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Ball State QB Drew Plitt
Ball State junior quarterback Drew Plitt (Loveland, Ohio) was 26-40 passing for 317 yards and three touchdowns in leading a 41-27 come-from-behind victory over Miami on Nov. 29. Plitt reached 300 yards passing for the first time this season against a MAC opponent. He threw the go-ahead 40-yard touchdown pass to Yo’Heinz Tyler with 9:25 remaining for a 34-27 advantage. Plitt also rushed for a career-high 62 yards on 12 carries.
Defensive Player of the Week: Central Michigan LB Michael Oliver
Central Michigan senior linebacker Michael Oliver (Detroit, Mich.) had a team-high eight tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in a 49-7 win over Toledo on Nov. 29. Oliver was part of a Central Michigan defense that held the Rockets to just 7 points and 256 yards of total offense. Oliver helped the Chippewas limit Toledo to just 83 rushing yards, nearly 160 yards below Toledo’s average.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Northern Illinois P Matt Ference
Northern Illinois junior punter Matt Ference (St. Louis, Mo.) had a career night and his punting ability on a rainy night in DeKalb was critical to the Huskies’ ability to control field position and time of possession in their 17-14 upset win over Western Michigan on Nov. 26. Ference punted seven times for a career best 50.3 yards per punt. He had five punts of 50 or more yards, including a 63-yard punt for his longest kick since 2017. Four of his punts pinned the Broncos to start drives inside their 20-yard line as NIU’s net punting average of 48.4 yards was its best of the season. He effectively “flipped the field” for the Huskies throughout the night. Ference also adeptly handled a pair of low snaps.
