Carson-Newman’s Wakefield Garners D2Football.com Offensive Player of the Week Honors

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Carson-Newman senior running back Buck Wakefield (Drummonds, Tenn.) was named Co-National Offensive Player of the Week by D2Football.com on Wednesday.

Wakefield, who shares the honor with Arkansas Tech quarterback Nick Graziano and Wayne State running back Joique Bell, set the Carson-Newman single-game record for rushing yards, gaining 303 yards on only 19 carries and leading the Eagles to a 45-7 win over Wingate and the outright South Atlantic Conference title on Saturday in Wingate, N.C. He had touchdown runs of 68 and 64 yards as C-N racked up 496 yards, including 317 in the first half, on the ground. He also caught two passes for 36 yards.

Wakefield broke former running back and SAC Player of the Year Heath Hawkins' record of 299 yards rushing in a single game with the performance. Hawkins set his record in 1998 in C-N's national semifinal win over Slippery Rock.

For the year, Wakefield is averaging 112 yards per game.

The Eagles are 7-0 since his return to the lineup after an early-season injury and are up to No. 14 in this week's AFCA Poll.

C-N closes out the regular season on Saturday at home against SAC rival Tusculum. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Burke-Tarr Stadium.