MADISON, Wis. — University of Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced Monday.
Borland recorded a team-high 12 tackles, tying a career-best 3.5 tackles for a loss for 20 yards. He tallied two sacks during Wisconsin’s 37-26 victory against UTEP on Saturday. Borland also tied a career-high with two pass breakups.
The honor is Borland’s fourth defensive player of the week award in his career, tied for the second-most in Big Ten history. He last won defensive player of the week honors for the week of Nov. 21, 2011, when he recorded 16 tackles and forced two fumbles in Wisconsin’s 28-17 victory against Illinois.
This season, Borland is tied for sixth in the Big Ten with 34 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for a loss. He is tied for fourth in the league with three sacks.
Borland, a redshirt junior from Kettering, Ohio, anchored a Wisconsin defense that held UTEP to 108 yards of offense in the first half and 77 total rushing yards on 33 attempts. UTEP converted just 5 of 18 third downs.
In his career, Borland has 10 double-digit tackle games. Last season as a sophomore, he tied for seventh in the country with 143 total tackles.
Michigan State running back Le’Veon Bell won Offensive Player of the Week honors after rushing for a career-high 253 yards against Eastern Michigan. Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah won the special teams honor, and Nebraska’s Imani Cross took home the Freshman of the Week award.
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