Illinois, Michigan 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 of the Week

Ethan Garbers, UCLA

QB – Sr. – Newport Beach, Calif. – Corona del Mar

• Led UCLA to its first-ever Big Ten win on Saturday at Rutgers with his best statistical performance as a Bruin, posting career-highs in passing yards (383) and touchdowns (4) while recording the fifth-highest completion percentage by a Bruin QB since 1980 (32-38, 84%)
• Added a 49-yard rushing touchdown, giving him five total touchdowns on the day
• Recorded the longest pass of his career with a 67-yard touchdown pass to Keegan Jones
• Earns UCLA’s first Offensive Player of the Week honor

Defensive Player of the Week

Gabe Jacas, Illinois

OLB – Jr. – Port St. Lucie, Fla. – Fort Pierce Central

• Recorded a career-high 13 tackles including six solo, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble in Illinois’ 21-7 win over No. 24 Michigan
• Helped the Illini hold Michigan to its fewest points since 2014
• His 2.5 sacks marked a new career high and the most sacks by a Big Ten Conference game by any player this season
• Last Illinois Defensive Player of the Week: Xavier Scott (Sept. 9, 2024)

Special Teams Player of the Week

Jonathan Kim, Michigan State

K/P – Gr. – Fredericksburg, Va. – Massaponax

• Split the uprights on a school-record 6-of-7 on field goals, including making four of 40+ yards in Michigan State’s 32-20 victory against Iowa
• His six field goals tie Big Ten record, matching Jake Moody of Michigan with six field goals vs. Indiana (11/17/18)
• With 20 points Saturday, Kim also set a top mark in modern-day Big Ten history by a kicker, bettering 19 (Moody) in the 2018 win over Indiana
• Last Michigan State Special Teams Players of the Week: Matt Coghlin (Oct. 18, 2021)

Freshman of the Week

Nick Marsh, Michigan State

WR – Detroit, Mich. – River Rouge

• Had 113 receiving yards and tied a season high with eight catches to help Michigan State past Iowa, 32-20, Saturday night in Spartan Stadium
• Marsh's last catch went for 11 yards to the 1-yard line to set up MSU's final touchdown of the game with 2:03 remaining to seal the victory
• Marked the newcomer’s second game this year with at least 100 yards
• Last Michigan State Freshman of the Week: Nick Marsh (Sept. 9, 2024)

2024 Big Ten Football Players of the Week (presented by IFS.ai)

Sept. 2

O: Miller Moss, R-Jr., QB, USC

D: Kevin Winston Jr., Jr., S, PSU

ST: Mateen Bhaghani, So., K, UCLA

ST: Dominic Zvada, Jr., K, MICH

F: Dylan Raiola, Fr., QB, NEB

Sept. 9

O: Kyle Monangai, Sr., RB, RU

D: Xavier Scott, Jr., DB, ILL

ST: Tez Johnson, Sr., WR, ORE

F: Nick Marsh, Fr., WR, MSU

Sept. 16

O: Kurtis Rourke, Sr., QB, IND

D: Dante Trader Jr., Sr., DB, MD

ST: Atticus Sappington, Jr., K, ORE

F: Kerry Brown, R-Fr., DB, MINN

Sept. 23

O: Kaleb Johnson, Jr., RB, IOWA

O: Luke Altmyer, Jr., QB, ILL

D: Josaiah Stewart, Sr., EDGE, MICH

ST: Tommy Doman, Sr., P, MICH

F: Khmori House, Fr., ILB, WASH

Sept. 30

O: Kalel Mullings, Sr., RB, MICH

O: Tez Johnson, Sr., WR, ORE

D: Abdul Carter, Jr., DE/LB, PSU

ST: Dominic Zvada, Jr., K, MICH

F: Jeremiah Smith, WR, OSU

Oct. 7

O: Kurtis Rourke, Sr., QB, IND

O: Emeka Egbuka, Gr., WR, OSU

D: Jordan Burch, Sr., DE, ORE

ST: Brian Buschini, Sr., P, NEB

F: Trech Kekahuna, WR, WIS

Oct. 14

O: Dillon Gabriel, Sr., QB, ORE

O: Tyler Warren, Sr., TE, PSU

D: Aaron Graves, Jr., DL, IOWA

D: Koi Perich, Fr., DB, MINN

ST: Luke Akers, Jr., K/P, NU

F: Ryan Barker, K, PSU

Oct. 21

O: Ethan Garbers, Sr., QB, UCLA

D: Gabe Jacas, Jr., OLB, ILL

ST: Jonathan Kim, Gr., P/K, MSU

F: Nick Marsh, WR, MSU