COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – New Mexico senior running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt has been named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week, while UNLV sophomore linebacker Marsel McDuffie has been tabbed MW Defensive Player of the Week. Colorado State graduate kicker Jordan Noyes earned MW Special Teams Player of the Week honors and UNLV quarterback Jayden Maiava was selected as the MW Freshman of the Week for the third straight week.

The weekly honor is the fifth of Maiava’s career and the first for Croskey-Merritt, McDuffie and Noyes.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
JACORY CROSKEY-MERRITT, NEW MEXICO
Senior, Running Back, Montgomery, Ala. / Lanier HS / Alabama State

  • Carried 21 times for a career-high 209 yards and two touchdowns in New Mexico’s 25-17 win over Fresno State.
  • Averaging 10.0 yards per carry in helping the Lobos to their first 300-yard rushing performance since 2018.
  • Rushed for a 50-yard touchdown in the second quarter before adding a 10-yard TD in the third to put New Mexico on top to stay and record the sixth multi-touchdown game of his career.
  • His 209 yards were the 11th-most in a game in Lobo history.
  • Needs just 43 more rushing yards to hit 1,000 on the season.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
MARSEL MCDUFFIE, UNLV
Sophomore, Linebacker, Grand Prairie, Texas / South Grand Prairie HS

  • Had a career-high 15 tackles, including 10 solo stops, in UNLV’s 31-27 win at Air Force in a battle of first-place squads.
  • With his team protecting a four-point lead in the fourth quarter, McDuffie forced an Air Force fumble in UNLV territory that the Rebels recovered.
  • Had tackles on all three downs to force an early three-and-out.
  • Stuffed Air Force for no gain on second-and-goal on its final drive as UNLV kept the Falcons from scoring on the drive.
  • Helped the Rebels shut out Air Force in the second half.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
JORDAN NOYES, COLORADO STATE
Graduate, Kicker, Dartford, Kent, England / Gad’s Hill

  • Accounted for 12 points in Colorado State’s 30-20 win over Nevada.
  • Connected on field goals of 30, 42 and 31 yards and converted all three point-after tries.
  • Hit his first two field goals in the second quarter as CSU extended its lead to 20-3.
  • After Nevada pulled within a possession in the third quarter, he hit his third field goal of the day to push CSU’s lead to 23-13.
  • Helped keep the Rams in contention to become bowl eligible.

FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
JAYDEN MAIAVA, UNLV
Redshirt Freshman, Quarterback, Las Vegas, Nev. / Liberty HS

  • Went 15-for-29 for 339 yards and two touchdowns to lead UNLV past Air Force, 31-27.
  • The win was the Rebels’ first over Air Force in a decade and moved UNLV into sole possession of first place in the MW standings.
  • Added 36 yards on the ground to lead UNLV in rushing and passing for the second straight week and improve to 7-1 as a starter.
  • Got the scoring started with a 78-yard touchdown pass on UNLV’s second play from scrimmage.
  • Added a 6-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter to put UNLV ahead to stay.

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