Patrick Pierson Director of Football Branding and Creative Media | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Patrick Pierson Director of Football Branding and Creative Media | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Illinois wide receiver Pat Bryant has been named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Monday.
Bryant played a crucial role in Illinois' victory over Rutgers, catching the game-winning touchdown with just four seconds remaining. His performance included 197 yards and seven receptions, contributing to Illinois' 38-31 win. This marked his third game-winning touchdown in either the final minute or overtime this season, which is currently unmatched nationwide.
In the fourth quarter alone, Bryant amassed 140 receiving yards on four catches, leading Illinois' comeback effort. His total of 197 receiving yards was second only to Penn State's Tyler Warren's 227-yard performance against USC among Big Ten players this season.
With his decisive catch, Bryant surpassed 2,000 career receiving yards. For this season, he has accumulated 50 receptions for 914 yards and nine touchdowns. He is now one touchdown away from tying the Illinois record.
The Illini are set to face Northwestern at Wrigley Field on Saturday, with kickoff scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
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