Oct. 26 C-USA Football Players of the Week

DALLAS – After rushing for 165 yards and scoring three touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter to lead UTSA to a come-from-behind victory over Louisiana Tech, Roadrunners sophomore RB Sincere McCormick earned the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week award. The Defensive Player of the Week honors are shared by Louisiana Tech and UTSA players that played against each other. Bulldogs senior LB Trey Baldwin had a career-high 18 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, his first career sack and an interception, while Roadrunners senior S Antonio Parks posted six tackles and had a hand in a pair of second-half turnovers, forcing a third quarter fumble and sealing the game with an interception in the final minute. The Special Teams Player of the Week award was given to Middle Tennessee redshirt freshman CB Jalen Jackson, who had a diving block of a Rice field goal attempt in the second overtime to set up the Blue Raiders winning touchdown on the ensuing possession. C-USA Football Players of the Week are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.

McCormick registered his second straight and fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season to help lead UTSA to a 27-26 come-from-behind win over Louisiana Tech on Saturday night at the Alamodome. The sophomore gashed the Bulldogs for 165 yards and three touchdowns — all in the second half — on a school-record 37 carries to help the Roadrunners rally from a pair of 13-point deficits after halftime and snap a six-game losing streak to LA Tech. McCormick had 2- and 6-yard TD runs that each cut the LA Tech lead to six points and he then ripped off a 45-yard scoring dash with 6:16 left to play that helped give UTSA the lead for good. The Converse Judson High School product continues to lead the FBS in rushing yards with 867 and he paces the league in rushing yards per game with 123.9.

Baldwin led Louisiana Tech with a career-high 18 tackles, including 14 solo tackles, in the Bulldogs’ 27-26 loss at UTSA. His 18 tackles tied for the seventh most in a single game nationally this season, while his 14 solo tackles rank second in the nation. Baldwin was the first Bulldog to record 18 tackles in a single game since Jay Dudley had 18 against Fresno State on Nov. 6, 2010. Against the Roadrunners, Baldwin recorded 2.0 tackles for loss, including his first career sack, his second career interception which he returned for 10 yards and one pass breakup. Baldwin now ranks 12th in the nation in tackles per game at 11.4 and 24th in solo tackles per game at 6.8.

Parks posted six tackles and had a hand in a pair of second-half turnovers to help lead UTSA to a 27-26 come-from-behind victory over Louisiana Tech. The senior safety forced a fumble late in the third quarter that was recovered near midfield by Christian Clayton and he helped ice the victory with an interception with under a minute left to play. Parks and the Roadrunners held the LA Tech offense to 247 yards, including only 35 after halftime. The two takeaways that Parks was a part of give UTSA 13 on the season, which leads C-USA and ranks third nationally.

Jackson helped Middle Tennessee come out on top in the two-overtime affair at Rice on Saturday with a dramatic special teams play. He came off the edge and made a diving play to block Rice’s go-ahead field goal attempt in the Owls’ possession of the second overtime. Jackson’s block allowed for the Blue Raiders to win on a score of any kind on the ensuing possession, when MT quarterback Asher O’Hara scampered into the end zone for a walk-off style win. Jackson recorded two tackles and a pass breakup on the defensive side of the ball.

2020 WINNERS:
Offensive Player of the Week – Sept. 7 – Grant Wells, QB, Marshall; Sept. 14 – Sincere McCormick, RB, UTSA; Sept. 21 – Frank Harris, QB, UTSA; Sept. 28 – Luke Anthony, QB, Louisiana Tech; Oct. 5 – Tyrrell Pigrome, QB, WKU; Oct. 12 – Aaron McAllister, RB, Charlotte; Oct. 19 – Jason Bean, QB, North Texas; Oct. 26 – Sincere McCormick, RB, UTSA.
Defensive Player of the Week – Sept. 7 – KD Davis, LB, North Texas; Sept. 14 – Tyler Murray, LB, Charlotte; Sept. 21 – Tavante Beckett, LB, Marshall; Sept. 28 – Jamal Ligon, LB, UTSA; Oct. 5 – Leighton McCarthy, OLB, Florida Atlantic; Oct. 12 – Tavante Beckett, LB, Marshall; Oct. 19 – Eli Neal, LB, Marshall; Oct. 26 – Trey Baldwin, LB, Louisiana Tech and Antonio Parks, S, UTSA.
Special Teams Player of the Week – Sept. 7 – Matt Quinn, K, UAB; Sept. 14 – Hunter Duplessis, K, UTSA; Sept. 21 – Jacob Barnes, K, Louisiana Tech; Sept. 28 – Lexington Joseph, KR, FIU; Oct. 5 – Brayden Narveson, K, WKU; Oct. 12 – Duron Lowe, KR, UTEP; Oct. 19 – Nikia Eason, Jr., OLB, UAB; Oct. 26 – Jalen Jackson, CB, Middle Tennessee.