AP Player of the Week: Wayne Knight carried James Madison to Sun Belt Conference title and CFP

By Canadian Press on December 8, 2025.

The Associated Press national player of the week in football for Week 15 of the season:

Wayne Knight, James Madison

The Dukes running back set a Sun Belt Conference championship game record with 234 all-purpose yards in a 31-14 win over Troy. Knight rushed for a career-high 212 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown run.

Knight was the first JMU player with 200-plus rushing yards since 2017, when the Dukes were in the Championship Subdivision. It was his fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season, and he ranks third on the school single-season all-purpose yards list with at least one more game to play, at Oregon in the College Football Playoff.

Runner-up

Texas Tech linebacker Ben Roberts came back from a lower abdominal injury early in the game to intercept two passes in the second half as his team pulled away for a 34-7 win over BYU in the Big 12 championship game. His first interception set up a Tech touchdown in the third quarter and his second all but sealed the victory early in the fourth quarter. He also made five tackles and broke up two passes.

Honorable mention

Western Michigan RB Jalen Buckley had touchdown runs of 67 and 64 yards in a 23-13 win over Miami (Ohio) in the Mid-American Conference championship game. He finished with 193 yards on 19 carries. … Georgia QB Gunner Stockton completed 20 of 26 passes for 156 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 39 yards in a 28-7 win over Alabama in the SEC title game. … Boise State QB Maddux Madden threw for 289 yards and four first-half touchdown passes in a 38-21 win over UNLV in the Mountain West title game. … Kennesaw State QB Amari Odom completed 26 of 32 passes for 246 yards and threw an 11-yard TD pass in the final minute in his team’s 19-15 win over Jacksonville State in the Conference USA championship game.

Six stats

— Ahmad Hardy of Missouri, which was idle, flip-flopped with Jacksonville State’s Cam Cook for the national rushing lead. Hardy is averaging 130 yards per game. Cook, held to 78 yards by Kennesaw State, averages 127.6 per game.

— North Texas’ Drew Mestemaker will go into the New Mexico Bowl against San Diego State with the national lead in passing yards per game (317.6). The Aztecs rank fifth nationally in pass defense.

— UConn WR Skyler Bell, the first player from his school in 20 years to receive a Senior Bowl invitation, averages 106.5 receiving yards per game and has caught 13 TD passes. Both marks rank second in the nation.

— Ohio State has allowed only 106 points over 13 games (8.2 per game). The Buckeyes’ never gave up more than 16 in a game.

— Texas Tech’s 22 forced fumbles are the most since Penn State forced the same number in 2019.

— Texas State’s 17 plays from scrimmage of 50-plus yards are the most since TCU had 22 in 2022.

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AP voters: Aaron Beard, Cliff Brunt, Pat Graham, Stephen Hawkins, Mark Long, John Marshall, Steve Megargee, Eric Olson.

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The Associated Press

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