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As the college football season rolls on, the Maxwell Football Club continues to announce its weekly honors. Following Week 8 of the 2020 campaign, the Maxwell Football Club announced its latest Maxwell Award Player of the Week and Bednarik Award Player of the Week.
The Maxwell Award Player of the Week will be recognized for overall performance on offense, defense, or special teams. The Chuck Bednarik Award Player of the Week, meanwhile, will be honored for outstanding defensive play.
This week’s Maxwell Award went to Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz, who threw for 248 yards and five touchdowns in his first start which was a blowout win over Illinois. Unfortunately for the Badgers, Mertz later tested positive for COVID-19 and will be forced to quarantine for 21 days.
Defensively, Rutgers linebacker Olakunle Fatukasi picked up the honor with 10 tackles, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries.
Additional information on the Week 8 Player of the Week winners can be seen below.
Maxwell Award Player of the Week: Graham Mertz – QB – Wisconsin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WehjHJF4guw
Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz has been named Maxwell Award Player of the Week after leading the Badgers past Illinois in the Big 10 season opener on Friday night. The hype has been through the roof for Mertz ever since he turned down offers from almost every major program to play in Madison. On Friday night, the nation got a glimpse why he was a blue-chipper coming out of Overland Park, Kans. Pro Football Focus’ top-graded Week 8 passer had a near flawless, record-setting debut. Mertz completed 20-of-21 for 248 yards and five touchdowns, while showing advanced poise and decision-making for a redshirt freshman.
Bednarik Award Player of the Week: Olakunle Fatukasi – LB – Rutgers
Rutgers linebacker Olakunle Fatukasi was named the Chuck Bednarik Award Player of the Week following the Scarlet Knight’s win over Michigan State. It’s just one game, but Rutgers already looks dramatically improved with Greg Schiano back On the Banks. Rutgers shocked the Spartans this past weekend, 38-27, behind a suffocating defensive effort. Fatukasi, in particular, was a major disruption for the Michigan State offense. Showing great field awareness, he had 10 stops, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, while earning Pro Football Focus’ top run defense grade for a Week 8 linebacker.
