The Valparaiso Beacons football team was named the Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week for Week 6, marking a significant recognition for the program. The Beacons earned this honor after defeating three-time defending champion Drake, handing them only their third loss in their last 30 Pioneer Football League games.
In the pivotal game, Valparaiso's defense forced six turnovers. Defensive backs Mark Johnson and Nic Lendino each intercepted two passes. Offensively, quarterback Rowan Keefe contributed significantly, passing for two touchdowns and rushing for one. Under second-year coach Andy Waddle, the Beacons now hold a 3-3 overall record and a 2-1 league record, marking their first winning league record since 2022.
The national recognition for the Beacons was part of a broader announcement of weekly national player and team honors for college football games played in Week 6. These awards are a regular feature of FCS football coverage, leading into the season-ending Stats Perform awards, which are currently in their 40th year.
Alongside the Beacons' team award, four individual players from other institutions were recognized as Stats Perform FCS National Players of the Week for their standout performances. Northern Arizona’s Ty Pennington accounted for six touchdowns in a 49-44 victory over second-ranked Montana. Pennington passed for 322 yards and one touchdown, rushed for 52 yards and four touchdowns, and caught a 7-yard touchdown reception. He was the first player in the Big Sky Conference to score in all three ways since NAU’s Angel Flores in 2023.
Wofford’s Eli Campbell received an award for his defensive efforts in a 16-0 shutout win at Elon. Campbell recorded two interceptions and a fumble recovery, contributing to Wofford's first shutout win since 2016. Both takeaways occurred in Elon territory, with a 35-yard interception return leading to a second-quarter field goal. He also made seven tackles, with five limiting the opposing team to four yards or less.
Indiana State’s Spencer Conrad was honored for his punting performance, averaging an FCS season-high 55.0 yards over eight kicks in a 57-24 loss to Youngstown State. His initial five punts traveled 67, 61, 67, 59, and 57 yards, with one downed at the opponent's 1-yard line. Two of his final three punts resulted in fair catches, and he currently ranks second nationally in punting average at 46.6 yards per kick.
Khalid Bueno of Stony Brook was recognized for his defensive impact in a 31-24 win at Towson. Bueno finished the game with 4.5 tackles for loss (TFLs) and 3.0 sacks, being part of seven plays that dropped opposing ball carriers behind the line of scrimmage. He also recorded eight overall tackles and three quarterback hurries that led to incompletions, in addition to forcing a fumble. This season, Bueno has accumulated 16 TFLs and 10.5 sacks.