MACOMB, Ill. – Thanks to a record-breaking performance on Saturday (Sept. 30), Western Illinois wide receiver Jaelon Acklin has been named the STATS FCS National Offensive Player of the Week.
A native of Mountain View, Mo., Acklin racked up program single-game records with 19 receptions for 343 yards on Saturday against South Dakota. The yardage set a Missouri Valley Football Conference record, and is the fourth-most of any player in a single-game in FCS history. Acklin’s 19 catches tied for the 11th-most in a single game in FCS history.
The senior wideout also scored three touchdowns, one shy of matching a school record. Acklin’s respective scores came from 11, 41 and 62 yards away, meaning, just on those three players alone, he netted 114 yards receiving.
In just the fourth quarter of Saturday’s contest against South Dakota, Acklin registered 12 catches for 172 and two touchdowns. Twelve catches currently are the fifth-most in a single game in Western Illinois history. Acklin’s 343 all-purpose yards were also the fourth-most in a single game in program history.
With a 3-1 record, No. 15/18 Western Illinois plays at RV/No. 18 Northern Iowa on Saturday (Oct. 7) for their first road MVFC game of the season.
