MAC Football Offensive Player of the Week
Broc Lowry, Western Michigan, QB
RS Junior, Canfield, Ohio (Canfield)
WMU quarterback Broc Lowry threw for a career-high 257 yards and matched a career-high with 3 touchdown passes and also added a touchdown run as the Broncos improved to 2-0 in MAC play after a 38-7 win over Kent State. Lowry also rushed for 52 yards on the day.
His first TD pass gave the Broncos a 7-0 lead on the opening drive of the game. He then ran in a score early in the second quarter to push the lead to 14-0. His second TD pass came with 28 seconds left in the second quarter to give WMU a 21-7 lead at halftime. His third and final TD pass put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter, giving the Broncos a 31-7 lead.
MAC Football Defensive Player of the Week
Michael Molnar, Ohio, Linebacker
Redshirt Senior, Mason, Ohio (Mason)
Linebacker Michael Molnar put together an all-around performance against Central Michigan, leading to Ohio’s 16th straight victory at home. Molnar tallied five tackles and stopped Central Michigan’s passing attack, recording two sacks for 10 yards, one of which was a strip sack leading to a touchdown for a 24-0 lead in the second quarter. Central Michigan was driving the ball down the field in the third quarter before Molnar got his second sack of the game on fourth down to give Ohio the ball.
MAC Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Rudy Kessinger, Eastern Michigan, PK
3rd, Columbus, Ohio (Bishop Watterson)
Rudy Kessinger was a major factor in the Eagles’ 25-23 victory at Akron as the second-year kicker recorded a perfect 4-of-4 field goal performance while adding one extra point for 13 points. Kessinger was good from 23, 22, 33, and 48 yards with the latter standing as the game-winning kick as he gave EMU the 25-23 lead with under two minutes to play. Kessinger delivered one of the most efficient kicking performances in Eastern Michigan history as he set career highs in field goals made, surpassing his previous best of three, and tied the second-highest single-game total in program history. Since 1995, Kessinger is only the fourth EMU kicker to make at least four field goals in a game without a miss. Chad Ryland accomplished the feat twice, including a program-record five field goals against Western Michigan on Nov. 16, 2021. Ryland also went 4-for-4 at WMU on Dec. 5, 2020, while Andrew Wellock made four against Western Illinois on Sept. 4, 2003. Kessinger’s performance marked the first perfect four-field-goal game by an Eagle in nearly five years. He currently ranks 19th nationally and tied the MAC lead with nine field goals this year.
