MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES WEEK TWELVE
FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE, DEFENSIVE AND SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
East Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Kent State RB Dri Archer
Junior running back Dri Archer (Laurel, Fla.) ran for a career-high 241 yards on 17 carries, averaging 14.2 yards per carry in Kent State’s 31-24 victory at Bowling Green. He had touchdown runs of 79 and 74 yards. The 74-yarder came in the fourth quarter. Already Kent State's single-season record holder for touchdowns, Archer scored his 20th and 21st TDs of the season. Archer is averaging 10.3 yards per carry on 125 attempts.
Defensive Player of the Week: Buffalo LB Khalil Mack
Junior linebacker Khalil Mack (Fort Pierce, Fla.) had a career-high 15 tackles in Buffalo's 29-19 win over UMass. The junior linebacker also had a career-best 2.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. He kept the Minutemen out of the end zone on back-to-back plays, stopping a third and fourth and goal try from the 1-yard line on UMass' opening possession. In the game he broke the school record for tackles for loss in a career with 53.5 and continues to be the NCAA's active career leader for tackles for loss.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Kent State P Anthony Melchiori
Freshman punter Anthony Melchiori (Aurora, Ohio) had six punts with three inside the 20 yard line in a 31-24 win at Bowling Green. For the eighth time in 11 games, opponents did not finish with positive punt return yards against Melchiori, who pinned three of his six punts inside the 20. He had a 56-yard punt in the first quarter and none of his six punts resulted in scoring drives for the Falcons.
West Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Northern Illinois QB Jordan Lynch
Junior quarterback Jordan Lynch (Chicago, Ill.) became the first quarterback in FBS history to pass for more than 400 yards and rush for more than 150 in the same game while leading Northern Illinois to a 31-24 win over Toledo Wednesday night at Huskie Stadium. Lynch completed 25-of-36 passes for 407 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 162 yards on 30 carries to tally a school record 569 yards of total offense. Lynch established career highs for completions, attempts, passing yards, carries and total offense yards, while his 73-yard touchdown pass to Martel Moore in the third quarter was the longest of his Huskie career. In the third quarter alone, Lynch completed 13-of-15 passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns as Northern Illinois outscored the Rockets 21-0 in the period. Lynch extended his NCAA record for consecutive rushing games by a quarterback to nine, broke the MAC record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a season and broke the Northern Illinois record for 100-yard rushing games in a season.
Defensive Player of the Week: Central Michigan DB Jahleel Addae
Senior defensive back Jahleel Addae (Valrico, Fla.) headlined a strong Chippewas defensive effort in a 30-16 win over Miami. Addae recorded his second straight double digit tackle game, totaling 10, including seven solos and 1.5 for a loss, to go along with half of a sack, and an interception, his team-high third of the season. His second quarter interception of quarterback Zac Dysert turned the tide of the game in Central Michigan’s favor. Tied at 7-7, the RedHawks were driving for the go-ahead touchdown but Addae snagged a tipped ball out of the air at the one-yard line and returned it 16 yards, ending the threat.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Eastern Michigan K Dylan Mulder
Freshman kicker Dylan Mulder (Saline, Mich.) proved to be the difference in Eastern Michigan's 29-23 win at Western Michigan. Mulder booted a career-high three field goals including a career-long 43-yard kick. Also, with 2:33 left in the game Mulder capped off a nine-play, 52-yard Eastern Michigan drive with a 34-yard kick, which proved to be the decisive margin in the 29-23 victory at Waldo Stadium.