By: Pac-12 Conference

The Pac-12 today announced its football weekly awards for Week 5 of the 2026 season, as selected by the league's media, with the 4 awards split between 2 schools and 3 of the 4 recipients having won the same award at least once before this season.
OFFENSE:  Braden Atkinson, 2nd year, QB, Oregon State (Raleigh, N.C.)

• Had more touchdowns (5) than incompletions (3) in the Beavers' 56-26 win over Colorado State. It was Oregon State's largest road victory in 13 years (49-17 at Cal in 2013)
• Season-high 427 pass yards, reaching 400+ pass yards for the 2nd time this season and 5th time in his career. 1 of 3 FBS players this season with multiple games of 400+ pass yards (SMU's Kevin Jennings and Pitt's Mason Heintschel).  1st Oregon State QB with multiple games with 400+ pass yards in a season since Sean Mannion in 2013 (who did it 5 times)
• 300+ pass yards for the 5th straight game and 13th time in his career.  1st Beaver QB with 5 straight games of 300+ pass yards since Sean Mannion did it in the first 7 games of the 2013 season
• Tied a season-high with the 5 passing scores.  1st OSU QB with multiple games of 5+ pass TD in a season since Jake Luton in 2019
• Completed 31 of 34 passes (91.2%), first Oregon State player in at least the last 30 seasons to complete 90% of their passes in a game with at least 10 completions.  1 of 2 FBS QB this season to complete 90% of their passes in a game with 30+ completions (Arizona's Noah Fifita was also 31-34 against Northern Illinois) and 1 of 14 FBS quarterbacks to do it since at least 1995
• Completed his first 16 passes, setting a new Oregon State record for the most consecutive completions at any point in a game
• Leads the nation with 1,848 passing yards, 369.6 pass YPG and 27.4 completions per game while also 2nd in FBS with 16 passing touchdowns
• The 16 passing scores are 2 more than Oregon State's entire team total from 2025
• Named to the Davey O'Brien Great 8 list for Week 5 which places him on the Davey O'Brien Midseason Watch List.  Atkinson is the 2nd Pac-12 QB to make the "Great 8" this season with Colorado State's Hauss Hejny honored in Week 1
• Also named 1 of the 8 Manning Stars of the Week, the 2nd straight week a Pac-12 quarterback has been honored.  Boise State's Maddux Madsen got the nod in Week 4
• 2nd time this season having won Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week after prevoiusly being honoroed following Week 3.  First OSU player to capture this honor multiple times in the same season since RB B.J. Baylor in 2021 (Week 4, Week 8)

ALSO NOMINATED:  Jayden Mandal, QB, Fresno State
 
DEFENSE:  Cameron Cooper, 3rd year, LB, San Diego State (Gilbert, Ariz.)

• Had both a Pick 6 and a blocked field goal in his most impactful game of his first season of FBS play, helping the Aztecs to a 31-29 come-from-behind win over Texas State on Saturday night
• His 1st big play was blocking a 35-yard field goal attempt in the 2nd quarter that would have but the Bobcats up 20-3. SDSU ended up winning by 2 points.  The Azetcs have 3 blocked kicks this season, tied for 2nd most in FBS behind Wisconsin (4)
• His 2nd game-changing play came in the 4th quarter. After SDSU took a safety to drop its lead to 24-22 with 3:02 left in the game, Texas State started with the ball on its own 30. Cooper deflected a pass from Brad Jackson, then caught the ball and ran it back 32 yards for the score to make it a 31-22 game in with proved to be the game-winning score
• The Western Colorado transfer came up with a season-high 7 tackles (3 solo), while filling in for an injured Tano Letuli, SDSU’s first 3-time captain since Kevin O’Connell from 2004-07
• Also added a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry
• 1st Aztec to be named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week and 5th different school to take home this honor in the first 5 weeks of the season

ALSO NOMINATED:  Jake Ripp, LB, Boise State; Dylan Hampsten, DL, Fresno State; Takari Hickle, LB, Oregon State
 
SPECIAL TEAMS:  Jaylon Hawkins, 2nd year, WR/KR, San Diego State (Argyle, Texas)

• Had 2 kickoff returns for 114 yards (57.0 AVG) including a 96-yard TD to help SDSU to a 31-29 win over Texas State on Saturday night
• With the Aztecs trailing, 17-3, at the half, the redshirt freshman opened the 2nd half with a 96-yard kick return for a touchdown
• The touchdown was part of a stretch for SDSU that saw it going from a 17-3 deficit at the half to a 24-17 lead with 6:45 remaining in the 2nd quarter
• Had a 100-yard TD in Week 1 and becomes the 4th Aztec with multiple kick return touchdowns in the same season, joining Rashaad Penny (3 in 2015, 2 in 2017, 2 in 2016), Juwan Washington (2 in 2017) and Colin Lockett (2 in 2012)
• 1 of 2 players in FBS this season with multiple kick return touchdowns (FAU's Leonard Farrow)
• After Texas State closed the Aztec lead to 24-20 with a 45-yard field goal early in the 4th quarter, Hawkins was back to return the kickoff. However, the Bobcat kickoff went out-of-bounds, allowing SDSU to start on its own 35-yard line (instead of the 25 with a touchback)
• Hawkins also saw time on the SDSU kickoff unit, which kept TXST to a 14.6 kick return average (5 kickoffs for 72 yards) and a long of just 23 yards
• 1st repeat winner of Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week this season, claiming the honor in Week 1.  First non-kicker/punter to win this award multiple times in the same season since 2021 (Utah's Britain Covey and UCLA's Kyle Philips twice each)

ALSO NOMINATED:  Manaki Watanabe, K, Fresno State; Jadyn Oh, K, Oregon State
 
FRESHMAN:  Jesse Legree, 1st year, WR, Oregon State (Baltimore, Md.)

• Totaled 156 yards on just 5 catches with 3 touchdowns in the 56-26 win at Colorado State, the Beavers' largest road victory in 13 years
• Has 9 touchdowns on the season, becoming just the third FBS player with 9 or more in their first 5 games. He matches Michael Crabtree in 2007 and Randy Moss in 1997.  Tied for most in FBS this season with Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith
• 2nd in the nation with 741 receiving yards and 148.2 receiving yards per game behind Ohio State's Smith
• The 156 yards marked his 5th straight game over 100 yards, tying Mike Hass (2005) and Brandin Cooks (2013) for the longest streak in Oregon State history.  Only player in FBS this season with 5 games of 100+ receiving yards
• His 3 touchdowns marked his 3rd multi-score effort of the season.  1 of 5 FBS players this season with 3 games with 2+ receiving TD
• Caught two 50-plus yard passes, and has 4 on the season which is tied for the most in FBS this season with Liberty's Makai Jackson. Has 7 recptions of 40+ yards this season, most in FBS.  He owns the 7 longest receptions by a Beaver this season.  Oregon State had 2 receptions of 50+ yards the previous 2 seasons combined
• 1st player in conference history since award was created prior to 2020 season to claim this honor in 5 straight weeks.  Ties Arizona QB Noah Fifita, who won the award 5 times in 2023, for most Pac-12 Freshman of the Week accolades

ALSO NOMINATED:  Dallas Gaius-Anyaegbu, TE, Fresno State; Josiah Lucas, RB, San Diego State
 

	Offensive	Defensive	Special Teams	Freshman
Week 1 (Sept. 8)	Hauss Hejny, QB, Colorado State	Oumar Diomande, LB, Colorado State	Jaylon Hawkins, WR/KR, San Diego State	Jesse Legree, WR, Oregon State
Week 2 (Sept. 14)	Dylan Riley, RB, Boise State	Jaylen Thomas, DB Washington State	Cam Bates, WR/KR, Boise State	Jesse Legree, WR, Oregon State
Week 3 (Sept. 21)	Braden Atkinson, QB Oregon State	Ethan Tierney, DB Fresno State	Manaki Watanabe, K Fresno State	Jesse Legree, WR, Oregon State
Week 4 (Sept. 28)	Rayshon Luke, RB Fresno State	Brevin Hamblin, Safety, Utah State	Dameon Crowe, WR/KR Texas State	Jesse Legree, WR, Oregon State
Week 5 (Oct. 5)	Braden Atkinson, QB Oregon State	Cameron Cooper, LB, San Diego State	Jaylon Hawkins, WR/KR, San Diego State	Jesse Legree, WR, Oregon State