Chambana Sun

Illinois outside linebacker Gabe Jacas has been named the Panini Senior Bowl Defensive Player of the Week, according to an announcement from the bowl organization on Monday.

Jacas played a key role in leading the Fighting Illini to a 45-19 win at Duke, making a significant play with a strip sack of quarterback Darian Mensah that stopped a Blue Devil drive inside Illinois’ red zone during the second quarter.

He is currently the only player in college football with both a sack and forced fumble in consecutive games this season. In Illinois' first game against Western Illinois, Jacas also had a strip sack among his two total sacks.

Over two games, Jacas has totaled six tackles (five solo), 3.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, one pass breakup, and one quarterback hurry. He leads the Big Ten Conference in forced fumbles per game (1.0) and sacks per game (1.5), ranking second and fifth nationally in those categories. Entering Week 3, he stands fifth all-time in career sacks at Illinois with 19.

Jacas was included on this year’s Senior Bowl preseason watch list after earning All-Big Ten third team honors last season. He received preseason All-American recognition from ESPN, Athlon, and Phil Steele and appears on watch lists for several major defensive awards: Lott IMPACT Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, and Lombardi Award.

The No. 9-ranked Fighting Illini will return home Saturday to face Western Michigan at Memorial Stadium during FamILLy Day before a sold-out crowd.