DALLAS – Sam Houston’s Hunter Watson and Christian Pavon, along with NM State’s Tayden Barnes, earned the first CUSA Player of the Week honors of the 2024 football season. The weekly awards are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.
 
Offensive Player of the Week – Hunter Watson, Sam Houston – Jr. – QB – Celina, Texas
Watson earned the start in the season opener and showed why, staying in control of the game throughout Saturday evening in leading the Kats to a 34-14 win at Rice. The transfer from Iowa Western CC completed 16-27 passes for 229 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions while also adding a team-best 57 yards on the ground. On just his second pass, he hit Qua’vez Humphreys for a 67-yard touchdown, and Watson also connected on an explosive scoring play with a 32-yard strike to Ife Adeyi.
 
Defensive Player of the Week – Tayden Barnes, NM State – RS-Fr. – CB – Amarillo, Texas
Barnes came up with one of the biggest plays of the Aggies’ 23-16 season-opening win over SEMO with a game-sealing interception on the Redhawks’ final possession. He also assisted on a crucial fourth-down stop that gave NM State the ball at the SEMO 35-yard line, setting up the eventual game-winning score. Barnes finished with a team-high nine tackles in his first appearance with the program, including five solo stops and 1.5 tackles for loss. Barnes had two critical pass breakups, tying for the most passes defended (3) among the league in week one.
 
Special Teams Player of the Week – Christian Pavon, Sam Houston – Jr. – K – Willis, Texas
Pavon handled all kicking duties in Saturday's 34-14 win at Rice, connecting on a pair of field goals and a quartet of extra points. The junior kept the early momentum in the Bearkats' favor in the first quarter when he made it a 17-0 lead by connecting on a 52-yard field goal on his first career field-goal attempt before later adding a 26-yarder. His 52-yard make tied for the seventh-longest field goal of any FBS kicker in the opening week and matched the sixth-longest field-goal made in program history.
 
2024 Winners
Offensive Players of the Week
S2        Hunter Watson, Sam Houston
 
Defensive Players of the Week
S2        Tayden Barnes, NM State
 
Special Teams Players of the Week
S2        Christian Pavon, Sam Houston