The Oklahoma State duo of Spencer Sanders (offensive) and Jason Taylor II (defensive) along with West Virginia’s Oliver Straw (special teams) and Texas Tech’s Behren Morton (newcomer) picked up Big 12 Football Week 8 awards.
 
Sanders accounted for 434 yards of total offense and two touchdowns in No. 11 OSU's 41-34 win over No. 20 Texas. It was his highest single-game total offense output against a Power Five opponent this season and his second-best total in any game this year. Sanders threw for 391 yards to mark the seventh 300-yard passing game of his career and move him into a tie for third in school history with Taylor Cornelius. The senior set a career-high with 57 pass attempts, tied for the fourth-most in a single game in program history. Sanders moved ahead of Brandon Weeden and into second place on OSU’s career list for pass attempts (1,147). He also tied a career-high in completions with 34. Sanders has 30 wins as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback, trailing only Mason Rudolph’s 32 for most all-time at OSU.
 
Taylor set a single-game career-high with two interceptions in OSU's victory over Texas. He is the first Cowboy to have multiple interceptions in a game since Kolby Harvell-Peel on Nov. 16, 2019. Taylor's first interception came on a 3^rd-and-8 on the opening drive of the game to set up an OSU field goal. The second came on a fourth-down play with 1:23 remaining in the game to help seal OSU's win. Taylor led the Cowboys with nine total tackles - all of which were solo stops. His nine solo tackles also led all players in the game.
 
Straw had five punts for 233 yards for an average of 46.6 yards per punt in West Virginia’s loss at Texas Tech. He placed one inside the TTU 20-yard line, had one touchback and two that resulted in a fair catch. His punts went for 54, 37, 32, 47 and 63 yards. The 54-yarder was his longest of the season until he kicked the 63-yarder in the fourth quarter.
 
Morton threw for 325 yards and two touchdowns in his second career start to lead Texas Tech to a 48-10 win over West Virginia. It was the second-consecutive 300-yard performance for Morton, who became just the second Red Raider all-time to throw for 300 yards against Big 12 foes in his first two career starts. Morton, who woke up ill Saturday morning before the game, also rushed for 17 yards in the win, helping the Red Raiders convert 6-of-7 fourth down attempts in the process. Morton was responsible for five of those conversions on his own with four passing completions and one rushing. He is one of only two FBS freshmen to throw for at least 300 yards in multiple games this year as he has totaled 704 yards through the air over the last two games. Behind Morton, the Red Raiders secured their largest margin of victory all-time in the series with West Virginia. It was also TTU’s largest win over a Big 12 foe since defeating Kansas, 65-19, on October 7, 2017.
 
 
Big 12 Football Players of the Week
Oct. 24
Offense: Spencer Sanders, OSU, QB, Sr.
Defense: Jason Taylor II, OSU, S, Sr.
Special Teams: Oliver Straw, WVU, P, Fr.
Newcomer: Behren Morton, TTU, QB, Fr.
 
Oct. 17
Co-Offense: Max Duggan, TCU, QB, Sr. and Tony Mathis, WVU, RB, So.
Defense: Jaylan Ford, UT, LB, Jr.
Special Teams: Tanner Brown, OSU, K, Sr. and Casey Legg, WVU, K, Jr.
Newcomer: Dillon Gabriel, OU, QB, Jr.
 
Oct. 10
Offense: Quentin Johnston, TCU, WR, Jr.
Defense: Josh Hayes, K-State, S, Sr.
Special Teams: Tanner Brown, OSU, K, Sr.
Newcomer: Quinn Ewers, UT, QB, Fr.
 
Oct. 3
Offense: Max Duggan, TCU, QB, Sr.
Co-Defense: Khalid Duke, K-State, LB, Jr. and Jason Taylor II, OSU, S, Sr.
Special Teams: Jaden Nixon, OSU, RB, Fr.
Co-Newcomers: Adrian Martinez, K-State, QB, Sr. and Jaden Nixon, OSU, RB, Fr.
 
Sept. 26
Offense: Adrian Martinez, K-State, QB, Sr.
Co-Defense: Bryson Jackson, BU, LB, Sr. and Reggie Pearson, TTU, DB, Sr.
Special Teams: Trey Wolff, TTU, PK, Sr.
Newcomer: Kobe Savage, K-State, S, Jr.
 
Sept. 19
Offense: Jalon Daniels, KU, QB, Jr.
Defense: Jahdae Barron, UT, DB, Jr.
Special Teams: Trace Ford, OSU, DE, Jr.
Newcomer: Richard Reese, BU, RB, Fr.
 
Sept. 12
Offense: Donovan Smith, TTU, QB, So.
Defense: Cobee Bryant, KU, CB, So.
Special Teams: Phillip Brooks, K-State, WR, Sr.
Co-Newcomers: Colby Reeder, ISU, LB, Sr. and Dillon Gabriel, OU, QB, Jr.
 
Sept. 5
Offense: Spencer Sanders, OSU, QB, Sr.
Defense: Lonnie Phelps Jr., KU, DE, Jr.
Special Teams: Derius Davis, TCU, WR/PR/KR, Sr.
Newcomer: CJ Donaldson, WVU, RB, Fr.