Roberto, Smith, South Dakota State Headline FCS Weekly Awards

Furman’s Dominic Roberto, Penn’s Kendren Smith, Sam Houston’s Seth Morgan and UAlbany’s Reese Poffenbarger were selected Monday as the FedEx Ground FCS National Players of the Week for Week 7 college football games through Sunday.

In addition, South Dakota State earned FCS National Team of the Week.

The five honorees plus honorable mention selections:

FedEx Ground FCS National Offensive Player of the Week

Dominic Roberto, Furman, RB, R-Jr., 5-11, 231, Fayetteville, North Carolina

Roberto rushed for 252 yards – the most by a Paladin since 2000 and the third-highest total in program history – and scored three touchdowns as Furman downed Western Carolina 47-40 in the Southern Conference. He scored on 62- and 1-yard runs, averaged over 10 yards on a career-high 25 carries, caught a 20-yard TD pass and produced eight first downs.

Honorable Mention: Nic Baker, QB, Southern Illinois; Cade Brister, QB, Lindenwood; Kayvon Britten, RB, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Dylan Classi, WR, Princeton; Malcolm Mays, QB, Hampton; Marquez McCray, QB, Sacred Heart; Jaleel McLaughlin, RB, Youngstown State; Willie Patterson, WR, Montana State; Fred Payton, QB, Mercer; Davius Richard, QB, North Carolina Central; Lindsey Scott Jr., QB, UIW; Cameron Skattebo, RB, Sacramento State; Jake Wilcox, QB, Brown

FedEx Ground FCS National Defensive Player of the Week

Kendren Smith, Penn, CB, Sr., 6-1, 205, Charlotte

Smith continually stopped Columbia drives while fueling unbeaten Penn to a 34-14, Ivy League win. He forced and recovered two fumbles, and both set up Quakers touchdowns. He also denied Columbia with an interception in Penn’s end zone. His team-high five tackles were all solos, and he had a pass breakup on fourth down to end a first-quarter drive and forced an incompletion with a QB hurry.

Honorable Mention: Brevin Allen, DE, Campbell; Mike Campbell, CB, Mercer; James Conway, LB, Fordham; Kenny Gallop Jr., DB, Howard; Corione Harris, DB, Southern; Connor Henderson, LB, Cornell; Charles Ike, LB, Idaho State; Kaedon Jenkins, CB, Davidson; Khairi Manns, DL, Maine; Jermaine McDaniel, DE, North Carolina A&T; Kendall Paul, DB, Texas A&M-Commerce; Jay Person, Edge, Chattanooga; Garrett Sayegh, LB, Charleston Southern; Dre Terry, LB, Alabama A&M

FedEx Ground FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week

Seth Morgan, Sam Houston, PK, So., 5-11, 160, Houston

Morgan kicked four field goals, including a 34-yarder with three seconds left to put Sam Houston in front for good in a 25-17 win at then-No. 23 Eastern Kentucky (the Bearkats added a touchdown off a fumble recovery on the ensuing kickoff). It was the third time Morgan gave his WAC squad the lead, also nailing a 47-yard field goal and two from 45 yards out. He finished with 13 points and averaged 62 yards on six kickoffs.

Honorable Mention: Wayne Anderson, KR, Furman; Latrell Fordham, PK/WR, Youngstown State; Keith Jenkins Jr., KR, Morgan State; Donald Johnson, PR, Grambling State; Alen Karajic, PK, Jacksonville State; Tyler Keltner, PK, ETSU; Jeremiah McClendon, CB/ST, Charleston Southern; Alex Schmoke, PK, Saint Francis; Matt Sochovka, DT/ST, Furman; Kam Thomas, KR, Austin Peay

FedEx Ground FCS National Freshman Player of the Week

Reese Poffenbarger, UAlbany, QB, R-Fr., 6-0, 210, Middletown, Maryland

The Old Dominion transfer completed 26 of 45 attempts while passing for 337 yards and a career-best four touchdowns in a 38-37 overtime loss to Hampton in CAA Football. No FCS quarterback without an interception has thrown more attempts (193) and for more TDs (13) than Poffenbarger this season.

Honorable Mention: Gave Abel, RB, St. Thomas; Brady Buell, P, Houston Christian; Cade Chambers, QB, Indiana State; Victor Dawson, RB, Merrimack; Censere Lee, WR, Western Carolina; Gevani McCoy, QB, Idaho; Caleb Flagg, S, Houston Christian; Noah Walters, QB, North Alabama

FedEx Ground FCS National Team of the Week

South Dakota State (23-21 win at then-No. 1 North Dakota State)

In the second all-time regular-season matchup between No. 1- and 2-ranked FCS teams (and seventh in history), SDSU rallied from a 21-7 deficit halftime to beat the defending national champion Bison. Hunter Dustman’s third field goal – an 18-yarder with 3:49 left – provided the winning margin. Isaiah Davis and Amar Johnson rushed for touchdowns in the Jackrabbits’ third straight win in the Dakota Marker rivalry.

Honorable Mention: Gardner-Webb (21-20 loss at Liberty); Idaho (30-23 win at then-No. 3 Montana); Northwestern State (37-10 win over HCU)