IRVING, Texas – The American Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly football honors from Week 8 of the 2026 season.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Easton Messer • 5th • WR • Florida Atlantic
Messer scored touchdowns in almost every way possible in Florida Atlantic’s thrilling 51-49 win over Rice. Messer caught 12 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns, rushed three times for 18 yards and scored two more times on the ground and returned a punt 82 yards for another touchdown to give him five scores on the day.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Owen Pewee • Sr. • LB • UTSA
Pewee was dominant up front for the Roadrunners in UTSA’s 42-19 road win over Tulane. The senior linebacker racked up five solo stuffs, three of which were sacks and also added a PBU. He joined UAB’s MarcAnthony Parker as one of just two American players to have 3.0+ sacks in a game this season.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dawson Jones • Jr. • K • Army
Jones hit a 50-yard field goal as time expired to send Army to its second win on a game-winning field goal in the last three weeks. The junior kicker hit three field goals from 50, 34 and 51 yards to become the first Army kicker in program history to hit two 50+ yard field goals in the same game.
HONORABLE MENTION
Gael Ochoa, So., QB, Rice
Ochoa rushed 12 times for 259 yards and four touchdowns averaging 21.6 yards per carry while also throwing for 80 yards and a TD through the air.
Marcus Stokes, Jr., QB, Memphis
Stokes finished 29-of-43 for 320 yards and three TDs through the air and rushed for two more TDs in an OT win over East Carolina.
Justin Stevenson, Sr., WR, UNT
Stevenson reeled in eight catches for 209 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-39 win over Navy.
Landon Sides, Sr., WR, East Carolina
Sides caught seven passes for 130 yards, 109 of which came in the second half, and a touchdown in 41-34 OT loss at Memphis.
Godspower Nwawuihe, So., RB, Army
Nwawiuhe rushed 12 times for 135 yards and a touchdown averaging 11.2 yards per carry in 38-35 win at Tulsa.