Iowa, Ohio State and UCLA Earn Weekly Football Honors

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Following Week 8 contests, the Big Ten Conference Football Players of the Week Presented by IFS.ai were announced Monday. Below are this week’s honorees: 

Offensive Player and Freshman of the Week

Julian Sayin, Ohio State

QB – Carlsbad, Calif. – Carlsbad

• Led No. 1 Ohio State to a 34-0 victory at Wisconsin with a career-high 393 yards passing and a career-high tying four touchdown passes
• Completed 36 of 42 passes (85.7 pct.) while completing passes to 10 different players with no interceptions
• He found Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate 15 times for 208 yards and two scores in the process while eclipsing his previous high games for completions and attempts
• Last Ohio State Freshman of the Week: Julian Sayin (Oct. 6, 2025)

Defensive Player of the Week

Xavier Nwankpa, Iowa

DB – Sr. – Pleasant Hill, Iowa – Southeast Polk

·       Recorded 10 tackles (seven solo) with an interception and a forced fumble to help the Hawkeyes defeat Penn State

·       Had an interception in the second quarter and returned it 28 yards to the 1, marking his first pick since the 2023 season and the third of his career

·       With 1:20 on the game clock, Nwankpa came on a delayed blitz, flushing the quarterback from the pocket toward other Hawkeye defenders, forcing an incomplete pass to secure the victory

·       Last Iowa Defensive Player of the Week honoree: Aaron Graves (Oct. 14, 2024)

Special Teams Player of the Week

Mateen Bhaghani, UCLA

K – Jr. – San Diego, Calif. – Del Norte

·       Connected on 2-of-3 field goals to help UCLA to a 20-17 win against Maryland

·       Hit a go-ahead and game-winning field goal from 23 yards out with two seconds remaining in the game, his second game-winning field goal since arriving at UCLA

·       Also hit from 42 yards out earlier in the game

·       Last UCLA Special Teams Players of the Week: Mateen Bhaghani (Sept. 9, 2024)

2025 Big Ten Football Players of the Week (presented by IFS.ai)

Sept. 1

O: Jayden Maiava, USC

O: Jonah Coleman, WASH

D: Preston Zachman, WIS

ST: Hank Beatty, ILL

F: Malik Washington, MD

Sept. 8

O: Aidan Chiles, MSU

O: Jonah Coleman, WASH

D: Jordan Hall, MSU

ST: Spencer Porath, PUR

F: Julian Sayin, OSU

Sept. 15

O: Omar Cooper Jr., IND

D: Jerry Mixon, ORE

ST: Kaden Wetjen, IOWA

F: Bryce Underwood, MICH

Sept. 22

O: Fernando Mendoza, IND

O: Demond Williams Jr., WASH

D: Daniel Wingate, MD

ST: Kaden Wetjen, IOWA

ST: Dominic Zvada, MICH

F: Malik Washington, MD

Sept. 29

O: Luke Altmyer, ILL

O: Dante Moore, ORE

D: Caden Curry, OSU

ST: David Olano, ILL

F: Drake Lindsey, MINN

Oct. 6

O: Nico Iamaleava, UCLA

D: DeShon Singleton, NEB

ST: David Olano, ILL

F: Julian Sayin, OSU

Oct. 13

O: Demond Williams Jr., WASH

D: Aiden Fisher, IND

ST: Jack Olsen, NU

F: King Miller, USC

Oct. 20

O: Julian Sayin, OSU

D: Xavier Nwankpa, IOWA

ST: Mateen Bhaghani, UCLA

F: Julian Sayin, OSU