Colorado’s exceptional start to the football season has produced a little slice of history.
On Monday, Buffaloes quarterback Sam Noyer was named the Pac-12 offensive player of the week, while linebacker Nate Landman was named the defensive player of the week.
It’s only the eighth time in CU history it has had the conference offensive and defensive players of the week from the same game. CU was first eligible for player of the week honors in 1963 as a member of the Big Eight Conference.
Since 1995, CU has swept the offensive and defense honors just one other time, after a 38-24 win against Washington State on Nov. 19, 2016. That week, quarterback Sefo Liufau and defensive back Nick Fisher were honored.
Noyer, a fifth-year senior who took over starting duties this season, completed 15-of-24 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 36 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-32 win at Stanford. Noyer is the first CU quarterback to have two rushing and two passing touchdowns in the same game since Liufau against Arizona on Oct. 17, 2015.
Noyer joins Liufau (twice in 2016), Steven Montez (2016) and Jordan Webb (2012) as the only CU quarterbacks to win offensive player of the week honors since the Buffs joined the conference in 2011.
Landman was named defensive player of week for the second time in his career (also after the 2018 season opener against Colorado State). Against Stanford, he had 17 tackles, including 14 solo stops. He had a tackle for loss, fumble recovery and a third-down stop, as well. Landman has also become just the 17th player in CU history to top 300 career tackles (303).
In the past 11 years, Landman is one of only two Buffs to earn defensive player of the week honors twice in a career, joining Tedric Thompson (twice in 2016).
Through the first two weeks of the Pac-12 season, the Buffs have had the offensive player of the week both times. Running back Jarek Broussard was honored last week. It’s the first time CU has had the conference’s top offensive player in back-to-back weeks since late in the 2010 season, when Cody Hawkins (vs. Iowa State) and Rodney Stewart (vs. Kansas State) were honored.
The Pac-12’s other weekly awards Monday: Oregon State’s Champ Flemings (special teams); Oregon’s T.J. Bass (offensive line); Washington’s Zion Tupuola-Fetui (defensive line); and Washington State’s Ayden Hector (freshman).
CU’s conference offensive and defensive players of the week from the same game:
1971 (Big Eight), at Ohio State: TB Charlie Davis and LB Bud Magrum
1977 (Big Eight), at Iowa State: TB Mike Kozlowski and DE Randy Westendorf
1988 (Big Eight), at Iowa: HB Eric Bieniemy and FS Bruce Young
1991 (Big Eight), vs. Minnesota: QB Darian Hagan and OLB Chad Brown
1994 (Big Eight), at Michigan: WR Michael Westbrook and LB Ted Johnson
1995 (Big Eight), vs. Texas A&M: QB John Hessler and LB Matt Russell
2016 (Pac-12), vs. Washington State: QB Sefo Liufau and CB Nick Fisher
2020 (Pac-12), at Stanford: QB Sam Noyer and LB Nate Landman
