KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced new Football Athlete of the Week awards, presented by FieldTurf, for week eight of the 2026 season. Three new student-athletes from three different MIAA institutions claimed this week’s honors, with Pittsburg State’s Bobby Bacon named the Offensive Athlete of the Week, Emporia State’s Jake Tucker named the Defensive Athlete of the Week, and Central Missouri’s Marlon Lindsey Jr. was named the Special Teams Athlete of the Week.

 OFFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:  Bobby Bacon, QB, Pittsburg State
Bobby Bacon accounted for three touchdowns and passed for the seventh-highest yardage total in school history while leading Pittsburg State to a 45-42 victory over Missouri Western this past Saturday (Oct. 17). Bacon, a redshirt freshman from Iowa City, Iowa, completed 21-of-39 passes for 384 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Luke Coon, which gave the Gorillas a 38-35 lead with 11:16 to play in the game. Bacon also had a pair of one-yard rushing touchdowns earlier in the back-and-forth game that saw four ties and seven lead changes. Bacon completed four passes for 65 yards on Pitt State's game-winning drive late in the game, which ended with Luke Niggemann's one-yard touchdown plunge with 29 seconds to go for the win. Bacon is the first Gorilla to be named an MIAA Athlete of the Week in the 2026 season.  
 
 DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:  Jake Tucker, LB, Emporia State
In his first career start, Jake Tucker recorded career highs of eight tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks along with one forced fumble and a blocked punt as Emporia State remained undefeated with a 23-16 win over Central Oklahoma at home last Saturday (Oct. 17). With the Hornets trailing 9-7 at the half, Tucker flipped the game within the first five minutes of the third quarter, recording a sack, 2.5 tackles-for-loss and a forced fumble that was returned for a touchdown to give Hornets the lead. On the Bronchos’ second drive of the quarter, Tucker assisted on a tackle-for-loss of two yards to put UCO behind the chains. On the next play, he forced a fumble three yards behind the line of scrimmage, which Carson Sippel scooped and scored to put Emporia up 13-9. After forcing a three-and-out in the following series, Tucker got his hands on the punt that ended up going only 26 yards. Emporia State scored two plays later to take a 20-9 lead with 9:19 left to play. In total, the Hornets held the Bronchos’ offense to their lowest rushing total against a Division II team this season.

 SPECIAL TEAMS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:  Marlon Lindsey Jr., KR/WR, Central Missouri       
Marlon Lindsey Jr. returned a 90-yard kickoff for a touchdown with 7:13 to play in the fourth quarter in the Mules’ 49-43 win over Washburn in Central Missouri’s Homecoming Game this past Saturday (Oct. 17). His 90-yard kickoff return into the end zone was the first kickoff return for a touchdown for the Mules since Jack Pospisil at Emporia State in 2022. On the day, compiled 174 return yards on four returns. 
 
OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
DJ Brown, RB, Central Missouri   
DJ Brown helped the Mules to a 49-43 win over the Washburn in Central Missouri’s Homecoming Game last Saturday (Oct. 17) in Warrensburg. The fifth-year running back ran for a game-high 112 yards on 24 carries and scored two rushing touchdowns off 22- and 23-yard runs. Brown also added a six-yard touchdown reception to go along with 40 receiving yards on seven catches. On the day, compiled 152 total yards with three touchdowns. 
 
JC Heim, LB, Washburn     
JC Heim led Washburn with a career-high tying 17 tackles, including a tackle-for-loss, in the Ichabods’ six-point loss to Central Missouri this past Saturday (Oct. 17) in Warrensburg.
 
Briar McIntire, LB, Missouri Southern     
Briar McIntire led the Lions' defense with a career-best 12 total tackles, including seven eight tackles, and added a tackle-for-loss in the Lions’ three-point loss to Nebraska Kearney on the road. His production helped anchor a defensive effort that limited the Lopers’ offense to just 16 points and 186 total yards.
 
Mo Alwaely, K, Northwest Missouri     
Mo Alwaely landed a 21-yard field goal and was a perfect 3-of-3 on extra points to lift Northwest Missouri to a one-point road victory (24-23) against Fort Hays State in Hays this past Saturday (Oct. 17). The senior kicker began the game's scoring with a 21-yard field goal with 8:31 left in the first quarter.

ALSO NOMINATED:
OFFENSE – Quincy Torry [Northwest Missouri], Ayden Robinson-Wayne [Fort Hays State], Logan Madden [Washburn], Isaiah Tate [Missouri Western], Allen Mitchell [Missouri Southern], Trevion Mitchell [Emporia State]
DEFENSE – Baruch Hasabu [Northwest Missouri], Michael Polley [Fort Hays State], Abe Hoskins III [Central Missouri], Cole Luedtke [Nebraska Kearney], Evan Williams [Missouri Western]
SPECIAL TEAMS –  Peyton Hatfield [Missouri Western], Asher Huffman [Missouri Southern], Zane Colson [Fort Hays State]

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WEEK ONE:
Offensive – Isaiah Tate, QB, Missouri Western
Defensive – Landon Boss, LB, Emporia State
Special Teams – Bradley Thao, K, Central Oklahoma   
 
WEEK TWO:
Offensive – Jordan Pachot, QB, Central Missouri
Defensive – Landon Boss, LB, Emporia State
Special Teams – Asher Huffman, K, Missouri Southern    
 
WEEK THREE:
Offensive – Jordan Pachot, QB, Central Missouri
Defensive – Landon Boss, LB, Emporia State
Special Teams – Will Peacock, K, Central Missouri    
 
WEEK FOUR:
Offensive – AG Floyd, RB, Fort Hays State
Defensive – JC Heim, LB, Washburn
Special Teams – Kaden Kiernan, K, Nebraska Kearney    
 
WEEK FIVE:
Offensive – Isaiah Tate, QB, Missouri Western
Defensive – Chris Fitzpatrick, LB, Central Oklahoma
Special Teams – Bradley Thao, K, Central Oklahoma     
 
WEEK SIX:
Offensive – DJ Brown, RB, Central Missouri
Defensive – Landon Boss, LB, Emporia State
Special Teams – Colton Brunke-Brown, K/P, Central Missouri     
 
WEEK SEVEN:
Offensive – Jamison Sarver, QB, Emporia State
Defensive – Landon Boss, LB, Emporia State
Special Teams – Aidan Battle, K, Washburn     
 
WEEK EIGHT:
Offensive – Bobby Bacon, QB, Pittsburg State
Defensive – Jake Tucker, LB, Emporia State
Special Teams – Marlon Lindsey Jr., KR/WR, Central Missouri