Three Kansas State Wildcats along with players from Baylor, Iowa State and Texas were honored by the Big 12 for their individual performances in Week 3.
Quarterbacks Skylar Thompson of Kansas State and Sam Ehlinger of Texas shared Offensive Player of the Week honors. Iowa State defensive end JaQuan Bailey shared Defensive Player of the Week recognition with Wildcat defensive back Jahron McPherson. Baylor’s Trestan Ebner took home Special Teams Player of the Week accolades, while K-State freshman Deuce Vaughn was tabbed Newcomer of the Week.
Thompson led a 21-point comeback to guide the Wildcats to a 38-35 win at No. 3 Oklahoma. The senior finished the game throwing for a career-high 334 yards and one touchdown on 18-of-25 passing. His 334 passing yards topped his previous high of 299 yards last year against West Virginia. His three rushing scores moved him into fifth place all-time in school history with 22 among quarterbacks.
In the come-from-behind win at Texas Tech, Ehlinger completed 27-of-40 passes for 262 yards and tied his career high with five touchdowns. He also carried the ball 16 times for 69 yards and a touchdown. His six total touchdowns were a career high, while it marked his second-straight game with five passing touchdowns, making him the first player in school history to achieve that feat.
Bailey tied Iowa State records for sacks (3.5) and TFL (4.0) in the win at TCU, while also registering a season-high seven tackles. One of his sacks forced a fumble that he recovered, setting up an ISU touchdown late in the second quarter.
McPherson forced a third-quarter fumble in Oklahoma territory that was recovered by the Wildcats and led to a touchdown, helping K-State score on five-straight possessions in the second half to erase a school-record tying 21-point deficit. His interception came with 34 seconds remaining in the contest with the Wildcats clinging to a three-point lead. He finished with a career-high 11 tackles in the contest.
As a running back and returner, Ebner finished with 272 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns in Baylor's 47-14 win over Kansas. Two of his touchdowns were via kickoff return with one going for 100 yards and the other for 83 yards. Ebner is the first player in the 25-year history of the Big 12 to score three different types of touchdowns in a game. Ebner is the only FBS player in the last 25 seasons (since 1996) to score a rushing TD, a receiving TD and multiple return touchdowns in a game.
Vaughn is the first K-State running back since 1970 to have 100 yards receiving and is the only freshman to do so. He led the Wildcats to a comeback win at No. 3 Oklahoma with 174 all-purpose yards and a rushing touchdown.
The Big 12 award is the third for Ehlinger in his career and the second for the QB this season, while the honor is the first for Bailey this season and the second in his career. Ebner, McPherson and Vaughn are first-time honorees.
2020 BIG 12 FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK – WEEK 3 AWARDS
Offensive Players of the Week
Skylar Thompson, QB, Sr., K-State
Sam Ehlinger, QB, Sr., Texas
Defensive Players of the Week
JaQuan Bailey, DE, R-Sr., Iowa State
Jahron McPherson, DB, Sr., K-State
Special Teams Player of the Week
Trestan Ebner, RB, Sr., Baylor
Newcomer of the Week
Deuce Vaughn, RB, Fr., K-State