Big Ten Football: Illinois, Ohio State and Wisconsin Earn Weekly Honors

The Big Ten announced the conference's Offensive, Defensive, and Special Teams Players of the Week and the Freshman of the Week.

Offensive Player of the Week

RB Chase Brown, Illinois

Sophomore RB Chase Brown rushed for 223 yards and one touchdown on 33 carries in the Fighting Illini's 20-18, nine-overtime upset victory over then-No. 7 Penn State. Brown's performance was the most rushing yards by a player ever recorded at Beaver Stadium. Brown is one of only three FBS players to record multiple 200-yard rushing games this season, along with Missouri's Tyler Badie and Michigan State's Kenneth Walker III.

Defensive Player of the Week

LB Leo Chenal, Wisconsin

Junior LB Leo Chanel earned his first Defensive Player of the Year honor after recording nine tackles, a career-high 3.5 sacks and a career-high 5.5 tackles for loss in the Badgers' 30-13 win at then-No. 25 Purdue. Chenal's 3.5 sack and 5.5 tackles for loss are the highest single-game totals by a Big Ten player this season, and the second-most by an FBS player in a game this year.

Special Teams Player of the Week

K Collin Larsh, Wisconsin

Senior K Collin Larsh earned his first Special Teams Player of the Week honor after connecting on all three of his field goal attempts and making all three of his extra point attempts for 12 total points in Wisconsin's 30-13 win over then-No. 25 Penn State. Larsh also matched his career-long with a 43-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. 

Freshman of the Week

QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State

Freshman QB C.J. Stroud earned his fifth Freshman of the Week honor after completing 21-of-28 passes for 266 yards and four touchdowns in three quarters of play during Ohio State's 54-7 win at Indiana. Stroud has thrown 14 touchdown passes with no interceptions in OSU's last three games. Stroud ranks second in the nation in passer efficiency (192.8) and is tied at sixth in the nation with 22 touchdown passes.

Previous 2021 Big Ten Football Players of the Week: 

Oct. 18

O: David Bell, Jr., WR, PUR

D: Cam Allen, Jr., S, PUR

S: Matt Coghlin, Gr., K, MSU

F: Braelon Allen, RB, WIS

Oct. 11

O: Jalen Nailor, Jr., WR, MSU

O: C.J. Stroud, Fr., QB, OSU

D: Matt Hankins, Sr., DB, IOWA

D: Brad Hawkins, Gr., DB, MICH

S: Jacob Moody, Sr., K, MICH

F: C.J. Stroud, QB, OSU

Oct. 4

O: Chase Brown, So., RB, ILL

D: David Ojabo, Jr., LB, MICH

D: JoJo Domann, Sr., LB, NEB

S: Mark Crawford, So., P, MINN

S: Jordan Stout, Sr., K/P, PSU

F: C.J. Stroud, QB, OSU

Sept. 27

O: Sean Clifford, Sr., QB, PSU

O: Evan Hull, So., RB, NU

D: Jack Campbell, Jr., LB, IOWA

S: Jayden Reed, Jr., WR, MSU

F: Kyle McCord, QB, OSU

Sept. 20

O: Payton Thorne, So., QB, MSU

O: TreVeyon Henderson, Fr., RB, OSU

D: Brandon Smith, Jr., LB, PSU

S: Aron Cruickshank, Jr., WR, RU

S: Joseph Petrino, Sr., K, MD

F: TreVeyon Henderson, RB, OSU

Sept. 13

O: Blake Corum, So., RB, MICH

D: Luke Reimer, So., LB, NEB

S: Adam Korsak, Sr., P, RU

S: Tory Taylor, So., P, IOWA

F: C.J. Stroud, QB, OSU

Sept. 6

O: Kenneth Walker III, Jr., RB, MSU

D: Riley Moss, Sr., DB, IOWA

S: Jordan Stout, Sr., K/P, PSU

F: C.J. Stroud, QB, OSU

Aug. 30

O: Artur Sitkowski, So., QB, ILL

D: Calvin Hart Jr., So., LB, ILL

S: Blake Hayes, Sr., P, ILL

F: Deuce Spann, WR, ILL

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