FRISCO, Texas — SFA quarterback Gavin Rutherford, HCU defensive end Mike Sylvalie and East Texas A&M kicker Ozlo Rigby have earned the Southland Football Player of the Week awards, the conference office announced Monday morning. All three players are first-time winners this season.
Offensive Player of the Week: Gavin Rutherford, SFA – QB – Jr. – Katy, Texas (Cinco Ranch High School)
Rutherford completed 76% of his 34 pass attempts for 291 yards and three touchdowns. He threw TD passes of 45, 8 and 8 yards and connected with Clayton Wayland on a 53-yard pass that set up the third pass which increased the SFA lead to 28-20. This performance marked his third game of the season with 290+ passing yards, his fourth game with 3+ touchdown passes and third straight. He set a single-game season high in attempts (34) and matched a single-game career high in completions (26).
Defensive Player of the Week: Mike Sylvalie, HCU – DE – Jr. – League City, Texas (Clear Springs High School)
Sylvalie had a huge game for an HCU defense that kept the Nicholls offense off the board in the Huskies' 16-2 win, recording a career-high eight tackles with two sacks, three tackles for loss and one forced fumble. His two sacks were for a total of 16 yards and the second was a strip sack in HCU territory on a Nicholls fourth down try late in the fourth quarter that resulted in a turnover. Sylvalie now leads the SLC with five sacks this season.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Ozlo Rigby, East Texas A&M – K – Sr. – Panama City, Fla. (Bay High School)
Rigby was the hero on Saturday night in Commerce, delivering a career-best 51-yard field goal on the last play of the game to give the Lions a 20-17 upset win over UTRGV. Rigby was a perfect 2 for 2 in field goal attempts (32,51) and 2 for 2 in point-after attempts as the Lions moved to 2-0 at home
2026 Southland Football Players of the Week
| Date |
Offensive |
Defensive |
Special Teams |
| Aug. 31 |
Cutter Stewart, HCU |
Jayven Anderson, HCU |
Lukasz Smolen, HCU |
| Sept. 7 |
Devin Lippold, McNeese |
Lowote Jurkin, SFA |
Carlos Alvarado, SFA |
| Sept. 14 |
Jackson Dufrene, Nicholls |
Kennon Loftin, Nicholls |
Andres Sandoval, Lamar |
| Sept. 21 |
Aiden Jakobsohn, UTRGV |
Jaiden Haygood, UTRGV |
Dkhai Joseph, Southeastern |
| Sept. 28 |
Chad Elzy Jr., Southeastern |
Landon Barrett, McNeese |
Caleb Holmes, Lamar |
| Oct. 5 |
Gavin Rutherford, SFA |
Mike Sylvalie, HCU |
Ozlo Rigby, East Texas A&M |