NEW ORLEANS - Georgia Southern quarterback Kyle Vantrease continues to rake in the awards after his performance at Nebraska Saturday night as he was named the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week. It marks the first honor for the sixth-year transfer and the first honor for an Eagle player this season.

Additionally, The Manning Award, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, has named eight quarterbacks as its "Stars of the Week." College football fans can now go to the Allstate Sugar Bowl Facebook page to vote for what they think was the best performance from this past weekend. When voting closes on Thursday at 11 a.m. (Central), the top vote-getter will be announced as the Manning Award Quarterback of the Week.

SUN BELT PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Offensive Player of the Week - Kyle Vantrease, Georgia Southern
Senior quarterback Kyle Vantrease had a game for the record books as Georgia Southern went into Lincoln and defeated Nebraska 45-42 behind 642 yards of total offense. Vantrease completed 37 of 56 passes for 409 yards and a touchdown and scored the game-winner with 36 seconds left on an 8-yard draw after leading the team down the field in just under three minutes while down by four. Vantrease set career highs for attempts, completions and passing yards. He tied the Georgia Southern record for most attempts in a game (56), his 37 completions are the second most in program history and his 409 yards passing are the second most in program history. It was just the third 400-yard passing game in program history. He hit eight different receivers and became the first GS quarterback in program history to record back-to-back 300-yard passing games. He was also named the National Offensive Player of the Week by Walter Camp Football Foundation.

Defensive Player of the Week - Jalen McLeod, App State
Jalen McLeod had a breakout game in helping App State to a 17-14 win at No. 6 Texas A&M. His career-high two sacks and two forced fumbles were part of a Mountaineer defensive effort that limited the Aggies to just one offensive touchdown, nine first downs and 186 total yards in front of Kyle Field's 12th man. His late first quarter strip sack in which he also stripped the ball from the offensive lineman who recovered the initial fumble created a turnover that led to the game's first touchdown drive by the Mountaineers.

Special Teams Player of the Week - Matthew McDoom, Coastal Carolina
Matthew McDoom had perhaps the biggest game-changing play in the win over GWU on Saturday night, as he returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, the first of his career. With the score tied at 3-3 with six minutes to go in the second quarter, McDoom went untouched (literally) 95-yards on the kickoff to put the Chants on top 10-3. McDoom's 95-yard kick return score was the first kickoff return for a touchdown for the Chanticleers since Ky'Jon Tyler returned one for a touchdown versus Hampton in 2016.McDoom's 95-yard kick return was the longest for the Chanticleers since Ky'Jon Tyler had a 50-yard kickoff return versus Troy in 2017.

Georgia Southern (2-0) travels to Alabama to take on UAB (1-1) Saturday at 3:30 p.m. (ET)/2:30 p.m. (local).