Isaiah Chavez Named MW Player of the Week & Manning Star
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — In the COVID-crazy 2020 season that was FBS College Football, no true freshman walk-on quarterback had to start a game, until New Mexico lost every one of its quarterbacks. Isaiah Chavez, who was the fifth-string quarterback on the roster in the preseason, not only started against Fresno State in the season finale, but he was just about perfect. He went 14-for-18 for 196 yards and a touchdown, and he rushed for 95 yards and another touchdown as UNM rolled to its highest Mountain West point total in 21 games, winning 49-39 to end its season on a two game winning streak.
Research within the FBS shows that Chavez is the first walk-on true freshman quarterback to start and win an FBS since since Minnesota’s Zack Annexstad defeated New Mexico State in the 2018
Chavez was named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week, becoming the first Lobo quarterback to earn the honor in 13 years. The last time UNM had a quarterback named MW Player of the Week was in 2013, when Donovan Porterie earned the honor, when Chavez was five-years old and in kindergarten. Along with the League honor, Chavez was one of eight quarterbacks named one of eight “Manning Stars” by The Manning Award, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
Joining Chavez with Mountain West honors were Darius Muasau of Hawai‘i for Defensive Player of the Week and Shamar Garrett of San Jose State for Special Teams Player of the Week. Here are the eight Manning Stars for the Week.
Chavez led UNM to its second straight win to end the season. The Rio Rancho product rushed for UNM’s opening touchdown of the game, tying the game at 7-7. He hit fellow true freshman Connor Kinslow for a 49-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to cut Fresno State’s lead to 31-28. The touchdown kickstarted a 28-0 run that pushed UNM to the win.
Fans can vote for Chavez through Thursday to make him the Manning Quarterback of the Week, and they can vote here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=allstatesugarbowl&set=a.10164374734800459
Austin Aune, North Texas (16-of-29, 302 yards, 5 TDs, 0 INT, QBR: 67.9)
Aune, who also runs for a touchdown, sets his career-best for touchdowns while tallying his third 300-yard game of the season as the Mean Green defeat UTEP, 45-43, in a C-USA road game.
Isaiah Chavez, New Mexico (14-of-18, 196 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, QBR: 86.9)
Chavez, a freshman walk-on making his first career start, also rushes for 95 yards and a touchdown as he leads the Lobos to a 49-39 MW victory over Fresno State to snap a seven-game losing streak to the Bulldogs.
Jayden Daniels, Arizona State (9-of-11, 203 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT, QBR: 99.1)
Daniels, who adds a rushing touchdown, leads the Sun Devils to a 70-7 Pac-12 road win over archrival Arizona – their most points ever in the Territorial Cup rivalry series.
Trey Lowe, Southern Miss (13-of-19, 209 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, QBR: 86.2)
Lowe, who also rushes for a career-best 70 yards and a touchdown, tallies his first career touchdowns to go with career-highs in completions and yards as he leads the Golden Eagles to a 45-31 C-USA win over FAU.
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina (24-of-29, 338 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, QBR: 92.6)
McCall, who also runs for a touchdown, notches his career-high for passing yards and tosses a 23-yard game-winning touchdown with 35 seconds to go as the Chanticleers remain perfect with a 42-38 Sun Belt road win over Troy.
Nick Starkel, San Jose State (20-of-30, 306 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, QBR: 63.7)
Starkel, who tallies the sixth 300-yard game of his career, sparks the Spartans from a 13-point halftime deficit by completing all seven of his third-quarter passes for 115 yards as they top Nevada, 30-20, to earn a trip to the MW Championship game – the first team in program history to play in a conference championship game.
Jordan Travis, Florida State (13-of-18, 192 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, QBR: 95.1)
Travis, who also rushes for 90 yards and a touchdown, sets the school record for rushing yards by a quarterback and matches his career-best with three scores as he leads the Seminoles back from a 28-day layoff with a 56-35 ACC victory over Duke.
Zach Wilson, BYU (26-of-35, 303 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT, QBR: 89.5)
Wilson tallies his fifth 300-yard game of the season as he leads the Cougars to a 28-14 win over San Diego State for their first 10-win season since 2011.