DALLAS – Conference USA announced Monday its weekly award winners for week eight. The weekly awards are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.
 
Offensive Player of the Week – Kejon Owens, FIU – Sr. – RB – Miami, Fla.
Just three weeks after he set a career high with 173 yards in a Shula Bowl victory, Owens once again notched a career best performance with 195 yards in FIU’s (3-3, 1-1 CUSA) 25-6 upset of previous league unbeaten WKU. He averaged 8.1 yards per carry on 22 totes and found the endzone once for his sixth touchdown of the season. Owens’ 195 rushing yards are the most by a Panther in more than 20 years, dating back to the 2004 season. He also added two catches for seven yards to put him over the 200-yard mark for all-purpose yardage. On his first touch of the game, Owens went 84 yards from his own two-yard line for the longest rush of his career.  
 
Defensive Player of the Week – Jessiah McGrew, FIU – Fr. – S – Tallahassee, Fla.
McGrew grabbed two interceptions in FIU’s dominant 25-6 win over WKU, tying a school record with two picks in a game. It also marked the first multi-interception game by a freshman in program history. The true freshman already has three interceptions through the first six games of his collegiate career. McGrew returned his two picks for 39 yards, including a 31-yard return from his own two-yard line. He was part of a defensive unit that shut out the usually potent Hilltoppers in the second half and didn’t surrender a touchdown the entire game.
 
Special Teams Player of the Week – Julian Gray, Liberty – R-Sr. – RB/KR – Huntersville, N.C.
Gray gave the Flames (3-4, 2-1 CUSA) their first touchdown of the game and sparked a 20-point first half scoring explosion for Liberty with a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, which was tied for the sixth-longest kickoff return for a touchdown in program history. It was also the first kickoff returned for a touchdown since Shedro Louis’ 97-yarder against Virginia Tech, Nov. 19, 2022, and the second of Gray’s career – surpassing an 82-yard return for a touchdown at NC State (against VMI in 2023). He totaled 197 all-purpose yards (26 rushing, 41 receiving, 130 kick returns), which is tied for the most by a Flame in a game in the last three seasons.
 
Freshman of the Week – Mac Sanders, Jax State – Fr. – LB – McDonough, Ga.
Sanders paced the Gamecocks in tackles for the second time in his career and posted his second double-digit tackle performance of his career with 10, including five solo stops. With 10:37 left in the second quarter, Sanders forced a fumble that was scooped up by Caleb Nix, who raced 45 yards to pay dirt to give Jax State a 14-0 lead. The true freshman was also in on 1.5 tackles for loss and was a key part in limiting the Delaware rushing attack to just 1.5 yards per carry. 
 
Offensive Lineman of the Week – Julius Pierce, FIU – Gr. – C – Sanford, Fla.
Pierce anchored the FIU offensive line, which helped the Panthers to a season-high 249 yards on the ground in a 25-6 road win over WKU. FIU averaged 6.4 yards per carry, and the offensive line allowed just one sack on the evening. In 73 snaps at center, he didn’t allow a quarterback sack, hit, hurry or pressure, and was not penalized all night. Pierce registered the top PFF offensive grade of any lineman (63.3), including a pass block grade of 84.0.
 
2025 Weekly Award Winners
 
Offensive Players of the Week
A25     Maverick McIvor, WKU
S1      Maverick McIvor, WKU
S8      Cam Cook, Jax State
S15     Kejon Owens, FIU
S22     Amari Odom, Kennesaw State
S29     La’Vell Wright, WKU
O6      Maverick McIvor, WKU
O13    Cam Cook, Jax State
O20    Kejon Owens, FIU
 
Defensive Players of the Week
A25     Jaylen Lewis, WKU
S1      Mekhi Mason, LA Tech
S8      Kanye Young, Missouri State
S15     Juwon Gaston, MTSU
S22     Kolbe Fields, LA Tech
S29     Caleb Offord, Kennesaw State
O6      Naeten Mitchell, NM State
O13    Tylon Dunlap, Kennesaw State
O20    Jessiah McGrew, FIU
 
Special Teams Players of the Week
A25     Cole Maynard, WKU
S1      John Hoyet Chance, LA Tech
S8      Garrison Rippa, Jax State
S15     John Hoyet Chance, LA Tech
S22     Kyre Duplessis, Delaware
S29     John Hoyet Chance, LA Tech
O6      Ryan Hawk, NM State
O13    Garrison Rippa, Jax State
O20    Julian Gray, Liberty
 
Freshmen of the Week
A25     Marvis Parrish, WKU
S1      Caden Williams, Liberty
S8      Jeron Askren, Missouri State
S15     Shamir Sterlin, FIU
S22     Wondame Davis Jr., UTEP
S29     Alonzo Jackson Jr., LA Tech
O6      Marvis Parrish, WKU
O13    Deuce Bailey, Missouri State
O20    Mac Sanders, Jax State
 
Offensive Linemen of the Week
A25     Laurence Seymore, WKU
S1      Fintan Brose, Delaware
S8      Bubba Grayson, Jax State
S15     Steven Demboski, Delaware
S22     J.T. Pennington, Kennesaw State
S29     Marshall Jackson, WKU
O6      Laurence Seymore, WKU
O13    J.T. Pennington, Kennesaw State
O20    Julius Pierce, FIU