DALLAS – Jax State’s Caden Creel, Kennesaw State’s Tywon Christopher, FIU’s Robert Czeremcha, WKU’s Jonathan Stafford Jr. and Liberty’s D.J. Geth earned CUSA Player of the Week honors for week six. The weekly awards are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.
 
Offensive Player of the Week – Caden Creel, Jax State – Sr. – QB – Fairhope, Ala.
Creel completed 26-44 passes for 311 yards with a touchdown and added 38 yards and another score on the ground in the Gamecocks’ (4-2, 2-0 CUSA) 27-26 win at Kennesaw State on Wednesday. He had career highs in both attempts and completions to register his second 300-yard passing day of the season. With three defenders in his way, Creel managed to dance his way through the defense for a two-yard score to put Jax State up 14-9. In the fourth quarter, he led the eventual game-winning drive, completing two straight passes for 27 yards to put the Gamecocks in the red zone and set up Garrison Rippa’s 33-yard field goal for the victory.
 
Defensive Player of the Week – Tywon Christopher, Kennesaw State – R-So. – LB – Thomasville, Ga.
Christopher had a career night for the Owls (1-4, 0-1 CUSA), recording 15 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and forcing a fumble. Only twice this season has an FBS player turned in 15 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and a forced fumble in a single game, and it marks only the 11th occasion since 2023. His 15 stops marked the most by any CUSA defender until Missouri State’s Jared Lloyd tallied 15 the next night. The first of Christopher’s two TFL set up a 3rd-and-15 before an eventual punt. His second came in a key goal-line stand in the fourth quarter in which he made two tackles to keep Jax State out of the end zone and force a field goal.
 
Special Teams Player of the Week – Robert Czeremcha, FIU – So. – K – Locust Grove, Ga.
Czeremcha went a perfect 5-5 on field goals, matching a school record and tying for the second-most made field goals in CUSA history, in the Panthers’ (3-2, 1-0 CUSA) 22-3 win over New Mexico State on Wednesday. His longest make of 52 yards is the second-longest make in program history and the longest his career. Czeremcha was good from 40, 52, 33, 21 and 48 and added an extra point for a total of 16 points.
 
Freshman of the Week – Jonathan Stafford Jr., WKU – Fr. – WR – Auburn, Ga.
Stafford garners his third-straight Freshman of the Week honor after he had a team-high six receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown in the Hilltoppers’ (2-4, 1-1 CUSA) 34-13 win over Missouri State. The touchdown – a 42-yarder – was the first of his college career. Stafford also had a key 15-yard grab on 3rd-and-7 to extend an eventual scoring drive in the first quarter. He now leads the Hilltoppers with 332 yards on 36 receptions this season. Stafford’s 36 receptions lead CUSA through Week 6 and his 6.0 receptions per game are second in the league.
 
Offensive Lineman of the Week – D.J. Geth, Liberty – Sr. – LT – Spartanburg, S.C.
Geth helped the Flames (5-1, 2-0 CUSA) rack up a season-high 297 yards on 39 carries in a 35-3 win over Sam Houston. He was the top-ranked offensive lineman in CUSA during week six with a PFF grade of 80.9, topping his season-best grade of 79.7 from the Coastal Carolina win. Geth also ranked second in CUSA in PFF run-block grade (77.9). He has been a pivotal blocker for Deshawn Purdie, who is one of just four FBS quarterbacks without an interception on at least 125 attempts.  
 
2026 Weekly Award Winners
 
Offensive Players of the Week
A31     Trey Hedden, NM State
S7      Jamill Williams, Jax State
S14     JJ Kohl, FIU
S21     Sean Wilson, Delaware
S28     Caden Creel, Jax State
O5      James Jones, NM State
O12    Caden Creel, Jax State
 
Defensive Players of the Week
A31     Gabe Peterson, NM State
S7      Nick Session, NM State
S14     Elisha Baldridge, FIU
S21     Jackson Lowe, MTSU
S28     Ronald Moore Jr., Liberty
O5      Aidan Vaughan, Liberty
O12    Tywon Christopher, Kennesaw State
 
Special Teams Players of the Week
A31     Conor Donaghy, Jax State
S7      Triston Morgan, Kennesaw State
S14     Dominic Bourgeois, MTSU
S21     Caleb Nix, Jax State
S28     Garrison Rippa, Jax State
O5      Chase Reeves, Liberty
O12    Robert Czeremcha, FIU
 
Freshmen of the Week
A31     Carson Su’esu’e, NM State
S7      Kevin Moore, Delaware
S14     Felix Visser, FIU
S21     Tristan Lyles, Jax State
S28     Jonathan Stafford Jr., WKU
O5      Jonathan Stafford Jr., WKU
O12    Jonathan Stafford Jr., WKU
 
Offensive Linemen of the Week
A31     Ma’kyi Lee, NM State
S7      Lance Johnson, Jax State
S14     Zaire Flournoy, FIU
S21     Reese Tripp, MTSU
S28     D.J. Geth, Liberty
O5      Alex Birchmeier, Liberty
O12    D.J. Geth, Liberty