CANTON, Ga. – SAA Football concluded week eight with conferece matchups pushing Mixon, Aldridge and Cree as SAA Athletes of the Week.
Around the SAA:
SAA Football Schedule/Results
SAA Football Standings
SAA Football Stats
D3Football.com National Ranking
Athletes of the Week:
Offensive:
Barton Mixon | Sewanee | FR | Savannah, GA – Mixon started the game at running back but spent most of the contest at quarterback, rushing for 201 yards as well as passing for two touchdowns in Sewanee's win at Rhodes. He carried 29 times, including a 42-yard scamper, averaging 6.9 yards per carry. Mixon now leads the SAA in rushing average with 92 yards per game and is the conference's second leading rusher with 552 yards rushing this season. He also completed 4-of-9 passes for 66 yards with TD throws of 42 and 17 yards with no interceptions and he did not take a sack in the contest. It marked the first back-to-back victories over Rhodes since 2001-02.
Defensive:
Gaven Aldridge | Maryville | SO | Johnson City, TN – Maryville College defensive lineman Gavin Aldridge turned in a dominant performance in the Scots’ 44-13 victory at Southwestern (TX), anchoring a defense that limited the Pirates to just 231 total yards and only 75 on the ground. Aldridge was a disruptive force in the trenches, finishing with four tackles, all for loss, totaling 13 yards, including two sacks for 11 yards. He also forced a fumble and broke up a pass, constantly pressuring the Southwestern quarterbacks and collapsing the pocket. His relentless play helped the Scots defense post four sacks, nine tackles for loss, and three fumble recoveries, setting the tone for another statement win in conference play. Aldridge’s impact up front was a key reason Maryville controlled the game defensively from start to finish.
Special Teams:
Cree Ross | Centre | JR | Panama City, FL – On Saturday against Trinity, Cree Ross continued to prove that he is one of the most dangerous players in the conference with a football in his hands. In the first quarter following a Trinity score, Ross took the ensuing kickoff and raced 93 yards for a touchdown to tie the game. It was the second kickoff return touchdown of the season for the All-American triple jumper.
Notable Performances:
Offense
- Colby Sikes | Berry | SR | Dacula, GA – A senior running back from Dacula, GA Sikes had a huge impact for the Vikings offense as they raced out to a 43-7 lead before finishing off Millsaps with a 43-20 victory. Sikes scored the third and fourth touchdowns of the game to put the Vikings up 29-0. Sikes rushed for 87 yards on five attempts and two touchdown including a long of 47 while averaging 17.4 yards per carry. Sikes is 5th in the SAA with 419 yards on the season.
- Chris Cooper | Maryville | SR | Islamorada, FL – Maryville College running back Chris Cooper powered the Scots’ offense in a dominant 44-13 road win at Southwestern (TX) on Saturday. The senior tailback led the ground attack with 19 carries for 106 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 5.6 yards per carry against the Pirates. Cooper set the tone early, finding the end zone on an 11-yard touchdown run in the first quarter before breaking free for a 45-yard score in the second that extended the Scots’ lead. He added key runs throughout the second half to help Maryville control possession and close out its sixth win of the season.
- Hondo Franklin | Trinity | SO | Allen, TX – Franklin led the #23 Trinity University football team to a 19-14 Southern Athletic Association home win on Saturday, accounting for both of the team's two touchdowns. He completed 17-of-29 passes for 169 yards and a score, while also rushing for 78 yards and a score on 11 carries. Franklin opened the game with a 50-yard run to put the team in field goal range after just one play. He was sacked three times, but broke tackles on other potential losses - including a 20-yard TD scramble that began with him spinning out of a tackle to make his way into the end zone for a critical fourth-quarter score.
Defense
- Dreshawn Stevens | Berry | SR | Brunswick, GA –A senior from Brunswick, GA Stevens helped lead a Vikings first team defense that allowed zero points from the Millsaps offense that was hot coming off an upset of Maryville. Through three quarters and some change the Vikings built a 43-7 lead as their first team defense shut down the Majors with the Majors only touchdown coming from their defense. Stevens delivered a huge 13 yard sack on third down and 16 from the Berry 27 to push the Majors out of field goal range and keep their offense off the board once again. Stevens also accounted for three tackles in the game as the Vikings shut down a potent Millsaps offense .
- Jaylen Mack | Sewanee | SO | Douglasville, GA –Mack posted four tackles (three solo) with six pass breakups and two interceptions in Sewanee's win at Rhodes. His first INT ended a drive near midfield in the first quarter. The second interception stopped the Lynx from scoring a touchdown, with the sophomore picking off a pass at the Sewanee one-yard line. The Tigers posted nine pass breakups in the contest along with six sacks. Mack now leads the SAA in both interceptions (4) and pass breakups (10).
- Jackson Priesmeyer | Trinity | SO | Sugar Land, TX – Preismeyer led the 23rd-ranked Trinity University football team to a 19-14 Southern Athletic Association home win over Centre College (KY) on Saturday afternoon. Priesmeyer and the defense allowed just 210 yards of total offense that included just 27 yards rushing. The Tiger defense also allowed just one scoring drive in the game as the other touchdown came on a kickoff return. Priesmeyer finished with 2.0 tackles for loss and a sack for a safety to clinch the win late in the fourth quarter.
Special Teams
- Cade Petty | Berry | SR | Chatsworth, GA –A senior from Chatsworth, GA Petty helped lead a Vikings special teams unit that blocked two punts and gave the Vikings great field position throughout the game as they ran away to a 43-20 win. With the Vikings up 6-0 Petty raced in and blocked a punt on Millsaps 26 setting up the Vikings at the Millsaps 12. The Vikings then quickly scored their second touchdown following a blocked punt as they went up 14-0. It was the second game in a row that Petty blocked a punt.
- Ethan Ford | Maryville | JR | Knoxville, TN – Maryville College punter Ethan Ford delivered a standout performance in the Scots’ 44-13 road win at Southwestern (TX), consistently flipping the field and keeping the Pirates pinned deep in their own territory. Ford punted eight times for 348 yards, averaging an impressive 43.5 yards per kick. He placed four punts inside the 20-yard line and recorded four boots of 50 yards or more, including a long of 63 yards. His precision and power on special teams helped the Scots control field position throughout the afternoon, forcing Southwestern to start multiple drives deep in its own end. Ford’s steady leg played a crucial role in complementing Maryville’s dominant defensive effort and overall team control.
- Chase Lanham | Southwestern | FR | Frisco, TX – Lanham had a strong week punting the ball again, averaging 50 yards per punt. The freshman had 6 punts for 297 yards with three of 50+ yards and a long of 61 yards.
- Tyson Bope | Trinity | SR | Frisco, TX – Bope led #23 Trinity University football to a 19-14 Southern Athletic Association home win over Centre College (KY) on Saturday afternoon. Bope averaged 45 yards on three punts in the game, pinning Centre inside the 20 on one of them. His longest punt of 52 yards flipped the field and put Centre back to its own 25, then his two fourth-quarter punts forced Centre to start at its own 20 and 19, respectively.
2025 Football Report Archive (Offense/Defense/Special Teams)
Week One (Sept. 8) – Bryson Rollins/Maurion Williams-Jack/Sammy Kunczewski
Week Two (Sept. 15) Bryson Rollins/Kody Brown/Connor Babin
Week Three (Sept. 22) Grant Bizjack/Jaden Powell/Hayden Rhoades
Week Four (Sept. 29) Bryson Rollins/Grant Henderson/None
Week Five (Oct. 6) Grant Bizjack/Judson Crockett/Cree Ross
Week Six (Oct. 13) Bryson Rollins/Cam Roberson/Connor Babin
Week Seven (Oct. 20) Grant Bizjack/Luke Bridges/Will Boehm
For more information on all things SAA, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the SAA's home on the internet at
www.saa-sports.com. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Southern Athletic Association news by following @SAA_Sports on Twitter (X) and @SAA_Sports on Instagram.