Three Cougars Receive MWC Player of the Week Accolades

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Luke Ashworth, Mitch Payne and Andrew Rich (BYU) and Tim Cornett (UNLV) are the Mountain West Conference Players of the Week for games through Nov. 13. Ashworth and Cornett share the Offensive Player of the Week award, while Rich earns the Defensive Player honor and Payne garners Special Teams recognition. This marks the second career player of the week honor for both Rich and Payne and the first weekly honor for Ashworth and Cornett.

CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

LUKE ASHWORTH, BYU

Senior, Wide Receiver, Provo, Utah/Timpview HS

Luke Ashworth registered four receptions for a career-high 113 receiving yards and four touchdowns to help BYU record a 49-10 win at Colorado State. The Provo, Utah, native caught the Cougars’ first four offensive touchdowns of 62, 7, 36 and 8 yards, respectively. All four scores came in the first half, making Ashworth the first player in BYU history to tally four touchdowns in the first 30 minutes of action. The four first-half touchdowns also tied a program record for most touchdowns posted in any half in BYU history and matched an MWC single-game high for touchdown catches.

TIM CORNETT, UNLV

Freshman, Running Back, Galena Park, Texas/North Shore HS

Tim Cornett amassed 82 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns to lead UNLV to a 42-16 victory over Wyoming. A product of Galena, Texas, Cornett scored a touchdown in each quarter of the contest. His four scores tied a program record and made him the first Rebel to score four touchdowns in a game since 1994. On the ground, Cornett used 21 carries to tally 70 yards and three scores. The freshman running back also showed his receiving ability against the Cowboys, catching an Omar Clayton pass for a 12-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

ANDREW RICH, BYU

Senior, Safety, Ogden, Utah/ Snow College

Andrew Rich registered a team-high nine tackles (three solo stops), an interception, a forced fumble and assisted on a tackle for loss (-1 yard) in BYU’s 49-10 decision over Colorado State. The Ogden, Utah, native keyed a BYU defense that created a season-high four turnovers and limited the Rams to 10 points and 83 rushing yards. Both of the turnovers Rich created set up Cougar touchdowns. After BYU went up 7-0, Rich delivered a hit on CSU’s next possession to force a fumble and give the Cougars the ball in Ram territory. Later, with BYU leading 21-0, Rich picked off a CSU pass attempt at the BYU 26-yard line to stop another Ram offensive series.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

MITCH PAYNE, BYU

Senior, Kicker, North Ogden, Utah/Weber HS

Mitch Payne converted all seven of his point-after attempts in BYU’s 49-10 victory at Colorado State. His seven conversions equaled his season high, which he also accomplished the previous week against UNLV, and were just one shy of his career mark of eight PATs in a single game.