Offensive Player of the Week: Ismail Mahdi, RB, Arizona and Brendan Sorsby, QB, Cincinnati
 
Defensive Player of the Week: Jordan Crook, LB, Arizona State and Brice Pollock, DB, Texas Tech
 
Special Teams Player of the Week: Ethan Sanchez, K, Houston and Palmer Williams, P, Baylor
 
Freshman of the Week: Ed Small, WR, TCU
 
Offensive Line of the Week: Arizona
 
Defensive Line of the Week: West Virginia
 
IRVING, Texas – The Big 12 Conference’s weekly awards honored standout performances from Friday’s and Saturday’s action. Arizona’s Ismail Mahdi and Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby (offensive) received accolades in addition to Arizona State’s Jordan Crook and Texas Tech’s Brice Pollock (defensive). Houston’s Ethan Sanchez and Palmer Williams from Baylor (special teams) were also recognized alongside TCU wideout Ed Small (freshman). Arizona also had the Big 12 Offensive Line of the Week, while West Virginia took home Big 12 Defensive Line of the Week honors.
 
Mahdi erupted for 189 yards on the ground on 22 attempts in the Wildcats’ win over Kansas State. His 189 rush yards are the most in a game against a Power Four opponent through week three. The senior’s performance in Tucson also marked the most rushing yards by an Arizona back in a game since the 2022 Territorial Cup.
 
Despite only playing into the second quarter of UC’s blowout victory over Northwestern State, Sorsby made Big 12 history by becoming the first Conference quarterback to throw five touchdowns in one quarter. He finished his day a perfect 15-of-15 passing for 253 yards and five touchdowns with 39 yards on the ground and a rushing score. Sorsby became just the fifth FBS player over the last 30 years to complete 100% of his passes in a game with a minimum of 15 attempts.
 
Crook was pivotal in ASU limiting a Texas State offense that averaged 47.5 points per game to just 15 on Saturday. He tallied the fifth-most tackles in FBS for the week with 12, which included three-and-a-half for a loss with a sack. His tackles for loss were the most by a Sun Devil since Tyler Johnson had the same amount against Stanford on Oct. 8, 2021.
 
By becoming the first Red Raider since Dadrion Taylor-Demerson in 2023 to intercept two passes in the same game, Pollock was part of a defensive unit that held Oregon State to just 14 points and fewer than 300 yards of total offense. He is also one of 12 players in the nation and the only Big 12 player to record at least two interceptions in the same game in 2025. The junior is part of a Texas Tech defensive unit that has helped power the Red Raiders to the largest point differential in the country this season at +139.
 
Sanchez made five field goals and three extra points in Houston’s win over Colorado on Friday. His five field goals were the second most ever in a single game in program history, tying Richie Leone’s five makes during the 2013 season. Sanchez’s 52-yard field goal was Houston’s longest kick since Dalton Witherspoon kicked a 52-yarder against Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 28, 2021.
 
The Preseason All-Big 12 selection at punter, Williams picked up his weekly honor following his performance versus Samford. He booted four times with an average of 48.5 yards per punt, including a pair inside the 20-yard line. His average was fourth best in FBS for the week, and his punt from 59 yards out was the 31^st punt of 50 or more yards of his career.
 
Small was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week after catching six passes for 45 yards and a pair of touchdowns, all of which were career firsts, in TCU’s win over Abilene Christian. He became the third FBS freshman this season to catch multiple touchdowns in a game. Small’s six catches were a team high in Saturday’s win.
 
Arizona’s offensive line paved the way for the Wildcats’ backs to rush for 234 yards and allowed quarterback Noah Fifita to rush for two scores against K-State. Fifita also became the first Wildcat QB to rush for multiple touchdowns in a game since Khalil Tate in 2017. The unit allowed its fewest tackles for a loss to a Power Four opponent since 2023.
 
In helping West Virginia to its overtime win over rival Pittsburgh in the Backyard Brawl, the Mountaineers’ defensive line held the Panthers to just 46 rushing yards. The line finished with a season-high six sacks and tied its season high with eight tackles for loss. WVU has now held two of its three opponents to fewer than 100 yards on the ground this season.