This week's Missouri Valley Football Conference players of the week include QB Taryn Christion of South Dakota State; LB Christian Rozeboom of South Dakota State; PK Zach Drake of Missouri State, QB Peyton Huslig of Missouri State, and RG Marquis Prophete of Missouri State.

Offense
QB Taryn Christion, South Dakota State
6-2, 220, Jr., Sioux Falls (S.D.) Roosevelt High
Christion accounted for six touchdowns and 423 yards of total offense to lead the Jackrabbits to a 52-24 road win Oct. 28 at Western Illinois in a battle of nationally ranked teams. The reigning MVFC Offensive Player of the Year, Christion completed 26-of-41 passes for 386 yards and ran eight times for 37 yards and another score. His five touchdown passes, which covered 30, 13, 1, 46 and 6 yards, tied a career high, while his passing total is seventh-most in program history and his total offense mark ranks eighth in the Jackrabbit annals.

Defense
LB Christian Rozeboom, South Dakota State
6-2, 225, So., Sioux Center (Iowa) Sioux Center High
Rozeboom registered a team-high 10 tackles and recorded a pair of takeaways in the Jackrabbits’ 52-24 road win Oct. 28 at Western Illinois. The Buck Buchanan Award nominee recovered a fumble in the third quarter and notched his first interception of the season in the fourth quarter. Rozeboom, who notched double figures in tackles for the fifth time this season and 12th time in 21 career games, led a Jackrabbit defensive effort that held Western Illinois to 285 yards of total offense – nearly 150 yards below its season average.

Special Teams
PK Zach Drake, Missouri State
6-2, 191, So., Lee's Summit (Mo.) O'Hara High
Drake continued a string of successful kicks Saturday against Indiana State, nailing his fifth-straight field goal attempt and all eight PAT tries in MSU’s first Valley win of the season. Drake opened the scoring with a 28-yard field goal and has now successfully converted each of his last 16 field goal/PAT attempts over the last three games.

Newcomer
QB Peyton Huslig, Missouri State 
6-3, 205, So., Andover (Kan.) Andover Central High / Garden City (Kan.) CC
Huslig turned in a memorable performance in helping the Bears post their first MVFC victory of the season Saturday. Huslig racked up 385 yards of total offense by completing 12-of-14 passes for 211 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while eclipsing DeAndre Smith's Bears rushing record by a QB with 174 yards and two more TDs on just seven carries to help the offense roll up 624 yards of total offense—its best single-game total in 10 years. He also teamed up with J.T. Granato to complete 14 straight passes in the first half, good for the second-longest streak in program history.

Offensive Lineman
RG Marquis Prophete, Missouri State
6-5, 308, Jr., Florissant (Mo.) McCluer North
Prophete anchored a Missouri State offensive line that helped roll up 624 yards of total offense in this week’s win over Indiana State. It marked the best single-game offensive total for the Bears in 10 years. Prophete posted a 100-percent assignment grade and 89-percent execution grade as part of the winning effort.

Others Nominated
Offense
RB James Robinson, Illinois State -- Had 117 yards on 22 carries (5.3 avg.) and set a career-best with three rushing touchdowns in the Redbirds’ 35-0 shutout win at No. 19 Youngstown State. Robinson rushed for over 100-yards in consecutive games for the second time in his career and became the first ISU player to rush for three scores since Marshaun Coprich in 2015.

WR Daurice Fountain, UNI -- Fountain caught two touchdowns against No. 2 North Dakota State Saturday, with five catches for 43 yards as well. With his performance, Fountain is now tied for eighth all-time in touchdown receptions at UNI (18) and is 10th all-time for career receptions (128). 

QB Peyton Huslig, Missouri State -- Earned Newcomer of the Week honors

RB Steve McShane, Western Illinois -- McShane ran 12 times for 90 yards and a career-high two touchdowns against South Dakota State. He also added a career-high 66 receiving yards on three catches with a touchdown in the passing game. His touchdowns came on distances of six, 39 and 47 yards, respectively.


Defense
LB Nick DeLuca, North Dakota State -- DeLuca made a team-high seven tackles and forced two turnovers in North Dakota State’s 30-14 home win over Northern Iowa. He had two sacks totaling 24 yards, two forced fumbles and one quarterback hurry as the Bison limited UNI to three trips past midfield.  NDSU’s defense had 10 players combine for 12 tackles for loss in holding the Panthers to 48 yards rushing and 157 yards of total offense.

LB Brett Taylor, Western Illinois -- Taylor recorded a game-high 14 tackles, 0.5 for a loss, against South Dakota State. That increased his streak to 13 games in a row in which he has at least tied for the team-high in stops, including all eight contests this season. He now has 425 career tackles, third in WIU history.

LB Angelo Garbutt, Missouri State
Garbutt accounted for 16 stops, including five solo tackles to help the MSU defense hold ISU to 347 total yards for the game. The Bears also limited the Sycamores to 138 rushing yards and 6-of-18 conversions on third-down attempts.

FS Elijah Campbell, UNI -- Campbell picked off North Dakota State twice on Saturday, while also earning four tackles and two pass break ups. The two interceptions for Campbell were a career game-high. Campbell is the first Panther since Tim Kilfoy in 2014 to grab at least two interceptions in a game. 

LB Tyree Horton, Illinois State -- The TCU transfer recorded 1.5 sacks, one of which led to a fumble that was recovered by defensive lineman Matt McCown and returned 26 yards for a touchdown. Horton also added five tackles for the Redbirds, who held the Penguins to just 147 yards of total offense and 84 yards on the ground.

S Andrew Gray, South Dakota -- Gray had six tackles, two for loss including a sack, and returned an interception a program-record 97 yards for a touchdown leading the seventh-ranked Coyotes to a 42-0 shutout of Southern Illinois Saturday inside the DakotaDome. It was the first shutout in MVFC play for the Coyotes. Gray earned his first collegiate sack and third collegiate interception.


Special Teams
K Nathan Erickson, Western Illinois -- Erickson nailed a 45-yard field goal in his only attempt and also registered three touchbacks in five kickoffs against South Dakota State. He has now converted both of his field goal attempts this year, which have come from 45 and 52 yards, respectively. 


Newcomer 
RB Markel Smith, Illinois State -- Smith recorded his first career 100-plus yard rushing effort, as the Redbirds racked up nearly 300 yards on the ground in a shutout win at No. 19 Youngstown State. The transfer from Central Missouri led the Redbirds with 124 yards on the ground, joining teammate James Robinson as the first pair of Redbirds to each rush for over 100 yards in the same game since 2015.

CB Mark Collins Jr., South Dakota -- Making his first collegiate start, Collins made two tackles, one for loss, and was credited with four pass breakups in helping seventh-ranked South Dakota pitch a 42-0 shutout of Southern Illinois Saturday inside the DakotaDome. It was the first shutout in MVFC play for the Coyotes. 

Offensive Line
RG Austin Kuhnert, North Dakota State
Kuhnert had six knockdowns and did not allow a sack in North Dakota State’s 30-14 home win over Northern Iowa.  He graded out at 100 percent assignment, 83 percent technique, and had zero penalties.  NDSU broke open a 7-7 game in the second half averaging 6.4 yards per play and outgaining UNI 211-87 after halftime with 141 of those yards coming on the ground.