Illinois, Minnesota, Northwestern and Wisconsin Earn Weekly Football Honors
ROSEMONT, Ill. — Following Week 8 contests, the Big Ten Conference Football Players of the Week were announced Monday. Below are this week’s honorees:
Offensive Player of the Week
Aidan Chiles, Northwestern
QB – Sr. – Long Beach, Calif. – Downey
Threw for 219 yards (19-of-25) and three touchdowns, while rushing for 83 yards and two scores in a 42-14 win against Rutgers
The only player nationally to have two games with 3+ passing touchdown and 2+ rushing touchdowns this season
Becomes the second Big Ten quarterback since 1995 to have 12+ passing touchdowns and 9+ rushing touchdowns across the first seven games of a season, joining Michigan’s Devin Gardner (2013)
Last Northwestern Offensive Player of the Week: Aidan Chiles (Sept. 21, 2026)
Defensive Player of the Week
Sebastian Cheeks, Wisconsin
OLB – 5th Year – Skokie, Ill. – Evanston Township
Posted five tackles and 2.5 sacks in Wisconsin's win against No. 16 USC at Camp Randall on Saturday night
His five tackles included the three parts of sacks and two stops for no gain
Helped the Badgers hold USC to -17 yards rushing, which ranks as the second-best mark in Wisconsin school history and the best by a defense in Division I college football this season
Last Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Week honoree: Darryl Peterson (Nov. 24, 2025)
Special Teams Player of the Week
Luke Drzewiecki, Minnesota
K – 5th Year – Shelby Township, Mich. – Utica Eisenhower
Went 2-for-2 on field goals, making his first from 31 yards and then a walk-off 46-yarder in Minnesota's 13-10 win against Iowa to reclaim the Floyd of Rosedale at home for the first time since 2014
His 41-yard field goal as time expired secured the win for Minnesota, marking the first walk-off field goal of his collegiate career and the first for a Gopher since the 2023 season opener against Nebraska
Has made 27 straight field goals dating to last season and has made all 12 of his attempts this year
Last Minnesota Special Teams Player of the Week honoree: Luke Drzewiecki (Sept. 28, 2026)
Freshman of the Week
Michael Clayton II, Illinois
QB – Orlando, Fla. – Miami Edison
Completed 11-of-18 pass attempts for 84 yards and two touchdowns in Illinois’ 21-10 win vs. Oregon, the Ducks’ first Big Ten road loss since joining the conference
Became the third true freshman quarterback in Illinois history to win a game as the starter, joining Juice Williams at Michigan State in 2006 and Kurt Kittner at Northwestern in 1998
Second true freshman QB in Illinois history to have two games with 2+ touchdown passes in a season
Last Illinois Freshman of the Week: Kaden Feagin (Nov. 6, 2023)
2026 Big Ten Football Players of the Week
Sept. 7
O: Jayden Maiava, QB, R-Sr., USC
D: Caleb Bacon, DE, R-Sr., PSU
D: Ta’Shawn James, DB, Sr., UCLA
ST: Javon Tracy, WR, 5th-Yr., MINN
F: Jamal Rule, RB, Fr., NEB
Sept. 14
O: Anthony Colandrea, QB, Sr., NEB
D: John Henry Daley, DE, Sr., MICH
ST: Caden Buhr, PK, So., IOWA
F: Mark Bowman, TE, Fr., USC
Sept. 21
O: Aidan Chiles, QB, Sr., NU
D: Sammy Omosigho, LB, Sr., UCLA
ST: Caden Chittenden, K, R-So., USC
F: Riley Wormley, RB, R-Fr., USC
Sept. 28
O: Jeremiah Smith, WR, Jr., OSU
D: Maverick Baranowski, LB, 5th-Yr., MINN
ST: Luke Drzewiecki, K, 5th-Yr., MINN
F: Braeden Jackson, RB, R-Fr., IOWA
Oct. 5
O: Jeremiah Smith, WR, Jr., OSU
O: Colton Joseph, QB, Sr., WIS
D: Braydon Brus, LB, Gr., NU
ST: Jacobo Echeverria Lozano, K, Fr., PUR
F: Luke Wafle, DE, Fr., USC
Oct. 12
O: Fame Ijeboi, RB, So., PUR
D: Jalen Woods, LB, 5th-Yr., UCLA
ST: Ethan Moczulski, K, 5th-Yr., ILL
F: Trent Mosley, WR, Fr., USC
Oct. 19
O: KJ Duff, WR, Jr., RU
D: Chris Bracy, S, Jr., MICH
ST: Gage Hurych, K, Jr., ORE
F: Jay Timmons, CB, Fr., OSU
Oct. 26
O: Aidan Chiles, QB, Sr., NU
D: Sebastian Cheeks, OLB, 5th-Yr., WIS
ST: Luke Drzewiecki, K, 5th-Yr., MINN
F: Michael Clayton II, QB, Fr., ILL