Nick Temple: American of the Week

Nick Temple went up to Temple, saw his name everywhere and found it to be home. He certainly played like the game was his for the taking. Temple had 13 tackles, 3 for loss and 2 sacks. It was quite easy to see that Nick Temple was every damn where against the Owls. So easy to see that he was the slam dunk American Defensive Player of the Week. Jeff Luc had the honor last week. The Bearcats defense has earned the awards with their lights out play in each of the last two games. Congratulations to Nick Temple.

Congrats also to Memphis. The Tigers clinched a share of the AAC title over the weekend. We will find out how many pieces the title will be split come Thursday, when Central Florida pays East Carolina a visit. Saturday at noon on ESPN, Cincinnati goes for their piece against Houston.

Here is the full release by the American:

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly football honors for the 14th week of the college football season.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Paxton Lynch • So. • QB • Memphis • Deltona, Fla.
Lynch threw four touchdown passes against UConn as the Tigers clinched a share of their first conference championship in 41 years with a 41-10 win against the Huskies. Lynch completed 22 of 41 passes for 194 yards and threw three second-half touchdown passes to help the Tigers pull away. He also had 40 rushing yards on nine carries to finish with 234 yards of total offense. Lynch set a school record for touchdowns responsible for in a season (28), while his 2,725 passing yards rank fifth on Memphis’ single-season chart. Memphis finished the regular season with a six-game winning streak — the Tigers’ longest winning streak since 1969.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nick Temple • Sr. • LB • Cincinnati • Indianapolis, Ind.
Temple led a Cincinnati defense that kept Temple out of the end zone in a 14-6 victory in Philadelphia that kept the Bearcats even in the loss column atop the American Athletic Conference standings. Temple finished with game highs of 13 tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss against the Owls as the Bearcats limited the hosts to just two field goals and 267 yards of total offense. Temple, who enters Cincinnati’s final game of the regular season with 96 tackles, ranks seventh in The American with 8.7 tackles per game.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jake Elliott • So. • K • Memphis • Western Spring, Ill.
Lynch scored 11 points in windy conditions at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, giving him an American Athletic Conference-leading 107 points for the season, to help Memphis to a 41-10 win against UConn as the Tigers clinched a share of the American Athletic Conference title. Lynch made field goals of 21 and 22 yards and went 5-for-5 on PATs, giving him 49 PATs on the season and breaking Stephen Gostkowski’s school record of 48, set in 2004.

WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Rannell Hall • Sr. • WR • UCF • Miami, Fla.
Rushed for a a game-high 65 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown, and had five receptions for 19 yards in a 16-0 win against USF.

Zeek Bigger • Jr. • LB • East Carolina • Gastonia, N.C.
Had 14 tackles an interception and a pass breakup in a 49-32 win against Tulsa.

Shane Carden • Sr. • QB • East Carolina • Houston, Texas
Completed 28 of 41 passes for 338 yards and four touchdowns with one interception in a 49-32 win against Tulsa.

Kenneth Farrow • Jr. • RB • Houston • Hurst, Texas
Rushed for 110 yards and two second-half touchdowns in a 35-9 win against SMU.

Tank Jakes • Sr. • LB • Memphis • Phenix City, Ala.
Had a team-high nine tackles and 0.5 sacks in a 41-10 win against UConn to clinch a share of the American Athletic Conference title.