Murray State red-shirt senior linebacker Nathan Williams leads in tackles this season.

Not just the Football Championship Subdivision: the entire nation.

Williams’ 120 tackles this season are more than the top tacklers in the Football Bowl Subdivision, Division II and Division III.

Williams also has more solo tackles (57) than the top tacklers in those divisions.

Florida Atlantic senior linebacker Frantz Joseph leads the FBS with 83 tackles, and his 51 solo tackles are tied with South Carolina junior linebacker Emmanuel Cook for tops in the division.

Fort Lewis College senior linebacker leads all Division II defensive players with 109 total tackles, and his 56 solo tackles are tied with West Alabama senior linebacker Garry Pack.

Grinnell senior linebacker Brett Maloney leads all of Division III football with 111 total tackles and 51 solo tackles. Williams was added to the Buck Buchanan Award watch list on Oct. 16. The award is given to the top defensive player in the FCS.

Murray State head coach Matt Griffin said Williams being named to the watch list was deserved because he works hard in the classroom, on the field and in the weight room.

“His first comment to me was, ‘Boy that’s great for the school, coach,'” Griffin said. “That’s Nate – great humility and a great player. I couldn’t think of a more deserving young man.”

Gamecocks sweep league honors

Jacksonville State became the only team in Ohio Valley Conference history to sweep all four football Players of the Week awards.

Junior quarterback Ryan Perrilloux was named both the Offensive Player of the Week and Co-Newcomer of the Week, while junior linebacker Alexander Henderson was named Defensive Player of the Week and senior kicker Gavin Hallford was tabbed Co-Specialist of the Week.

One team winning three Player of the Week honors has only happened five times since OVC football began in 1978, and the last time one team did that was when Tennessee Tech accomplished that during the 2001 season.

Perrilloux completed 18-of-20 passes for 189 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. Jacksonville State head coach Jack Crowe said both of his incompletions to senior wide receiver Maurice Dupree were catchable balls.

“We’re dealing with a talented guy here,” Crowe said. “I’m not going to dodge the bullet on that one. I expect Ryan to continue to make progress and that to bode well for us in what we’re trying to do. When you’ve got special talent, you see special football.”

Gamecocks, Tigers only two teams ranked

Tennessee State (6-1, 3-0 OVC) is now ranked No. 19 in both the Coaches Poll and The Sports Network Poll. The Tigers were previously ranked No. 22 in The Sports Network Poll and No. 21 in the Coaches poll. Jacksonville State moved up in the two major FCS polls following its 31-21 win against Murray State on Saturday. The Gamecocks (5-2, 3-1 OVC) moved to No. 20 in the FCS Coaches poll and No. 21 in The Sports Network poll after being ranked 23rd in both polls last week.

Jacksonville State faces a short turnaround, as the Gamecocks will travel to Martin, Tenn., on Thursday to play Tennessee Martin in a nationally televised game on ESPNU.

Crowe said he felt like he was challenged to accept the Thursday game – full well knowing the Skyhawks would be coming off another Thursday game with a week to prepare – by OVC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher. Crowe said he did stress reluctance about the preparation challenge.

“I felt like I was asked – maybe that’s his diplomacy,” Crowe said about Steinbrecher. “The phone conversation didn’t last very long. He’s pretty persuasive. Whenever you have the chance to have a nationally televised game I think it bodes well for Jacksonville State and UT Martin and the conference.”

Scott Richey can be reached at 581-7944 or at srrichey@eiu.edu.