CANTON, Ga. – Conference play opened up this past weekend with strong play. Bizjack, Crockett, and Ross earn Athlete of the Week honors.
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Athletes of the Week:
Offensive:
Grant Bizjack | Millsaps | FR | Trophy Club, TX – Millsaps football freshman Grant Bizjack led the Majors' offense with 302 passing yards on 18 completions off 26 attempts, adding three touchdown passes in a narrow 37-36 defeat at Centre on Saturday. Bizjack also posted a rushing touchdown and 33 yards on the ground.
Defensive:
Judson Crockett | Trinity | SO | Austin, TX – Crockett led the #14/18 Trinity football team to an impressive 65-14 win over Southwestern University in the first SAA contest of the season for the Tigers. He finished the game with six tackles (four solo) along with two fumble returns for touchdowns of 34 and 69 yards (103 total) as Trinity held the Pirates scoreless in the second half. Crockett also deflected a pass on Southwestern's first drive, which was then promptly intercepted by a fellow Tiger teammate, which meant that he played a part in all three turnovers forced by Trinity's defense. His first fumble return of 34 yards came late in the second quarter and wound up keeping Trinity ahead 16-14 at the break. The second fumble return was a 69-yard touchdown, capping a 28-point third quarter that turned the game around for good.
Special Teams:
Cree Ross | Centre | JR | Panama City, FL – After having a kickoff return for a touchdown nullified by penalty in Centre's last game, Cree Ross would not be denied this week as he took the opening kickoff of the third quarter three yards deep in the end zone and dashed 103 yards the other way for a score. Ross's touchdown was the first kickoff return touchdown for the Colonels since the 2022 season.
Notable Performances:
Offense
- Andrew Hunter | Berry | JR | Huntsville, AL – Despite starting the game as the backup quarterback Hunter put on a display with his feet as he rushed for 64 yards and four touchdowns while also adding another in the air as the Vikings took down Rhodes 54-14 to open SAA play.
- Blake Busson | Centre | SR | Lexington, KY – Blake Busson had the highest YPC average of his career on Sunday as he caught four passes for 124 yards in Centre's 37-36 victory over Millsaps on Saturday. Two of Busson's long catches in the second half moved the Colonels into the red zone and were immediately followed by touchdowns on the next play.
- Bryson Rollins | Maryville | SR | Elizabethton, TN – Maryville College quarterback Bryson Rollins led the Scots to a dominant 40–7 victory over Sewanee in the program’s first-ever Southern Athletic Association game, orchestrating one of the most efficient performances of his collegiate career. Rollins completed 19 of 26 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns, spreading the ball to eight different receivers while commanding an offense that piled up 563 total yards. Beyond his passing success, Rollins added 36 rushing yards on six carries, using his mobility to extend plays and convert key third downs. He also led scoring drives of 80, 98, and 71 yards against a stout Sewanee defense.
- Alejandro Tavarez | Trinity | JR | San Antonio, TX – Tavarez led #14/18 Trinity to a dominating 65-14 home win over Southwestern University (TX) to open SAA play for the season. He finished his day with five receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown, notching his first 100-yard game of the season and just the second of his career. Tavarez caught a15-yard touchdown on Trinity's first drive of the third quarter, stretching a 16-14 halftime lead into a 30-14 cushion that would eventually become a pivotal 28-point period. He also had a 39-yard catch on the first play of the fourth quarter to set up a four-yard Trinity touchdown on the next play.
Defense
- Dreshawn Stevens | Berry | SR | Brunswick, GA – A linebacker from Brunswick, Ga. Stevens led the Vikings defense with 5 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble as they took down Rhodes 54-14 to open SAA play.
- Wyatt Fowler | Centre | JR | Crestwood, KY – Wyatt Fowler was everywhere on the field for the Centre defense in the Colonels' 37-36 victory over Millsaps on Saturday. The junior defensive end led Centre with seven tackles on the day, including three tackles for loss. He also had two of the Colonels' three quarterback sacks in the victory.
- Jacquese Abner | Maryville | SO | Pike Road, AL – Maryville College defensive back Jacquese Abner delivered a standout performance in the Scots’ 40–7 win at Sewanee, anchoring a dominant defensive effort in their first-ever SAA matchup. Abner led the team with seven solo tackles, showing excellent pursuit and reliability in open-field situations. He added a tackle for loss and a critical interception that stopped a Sewanee drive deep in Maryville territory.
- W.H. Carver | Millsaps | SO | Orange Mound, TN – Millsaps football sophomore defensive back W.H. Carver was terrific defensively in a narrow 37-36 defeat at Centre College on Saturday. Carver hauled in two interceptions, while adding two tackles and a pass breakup.
Special Teams
- Teddy Orton | Maryville | JR | Elizabethton, TN – Orton made a major impact on special teams in the Scots’ 40–7 road victory over Sewanee, setting the tone for field position throughout the afternoon. Orton recorded two kickoff returns for 63 yards, including a 40-yard burst that flipped momentum and placed the offense near midfield. His vision, speed, and decisive running repeatedly put Maryville in advantageous starting spots, fueling several scoring drives.
- Connor Babin | Millsaps | SO | Fulshear, TX – Millsaps football sophomore kicker Connor Babin netted eight kickoffs for 428 yards (53.5-yard average) and added a 34-yard field goal. He finished 3-for-5 on PATs in the Majors' narrow 37-36 loss at Centre College on Saturday.
- Luke Sams | Trinity | FR | Jacksboro, TX – Sams became the fourth player in Trinity football history to return a kickoff for 100 yards, leading Trinity to a 65-14 SAA win over Southwestern University (TX) on Saturday afternoon. After the Pirates scored late in the second quarter to make it a 16-14 game at the half, Sams set the tone for what turned out to be a 49-0 second half for Trinity by taking the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. He is the first player since Caleb Urban (2008) to return a kick of that distance, tying for the school record. Sams finished with 128 all-purpose yards in the game, picking up 121 kickoff return yards and seven rushing yards on his only carry.
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
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