Tyler, Texas – West Virginia University quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. has been named The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week for the third week of the college football season, an honor announced Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Cindy Smoak, Executive Director of SPORTyler and The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, made the announcement.
Hawkins earned the recognition after leading the Mountaineers to a 38-27 upset victory over No. 25 Virginia on Saturday in Charlottesville. During the game, Hawkins completed 10 of 17 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns. He also set career highs in rushing, gaining 123 yards and scoring three touchdowns.
The sophomore became the first Big 12 quarterback since 2019 to score five touchdowns against a ranked opponent. His performance also made him only the fourth player in West Virginia University annals to record at least three rushing touchdowns and two passing touchdowns in the same game. He joins an exclusive list that includes Ira Errett Rodgers and Pat White, whose names are displayed at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia. Hawkins, who is 6-foot-1 and weighs 205 pounds, crossed the goal line on runs of 13, 15, and 5 yards. He connected with DJ Epps for scoring passes of 29 and 21 yards.
For the current season, the Dallas resident and Oklahoma transfer is ranked as the top-graded quarterback in the country by Pro Football Focus, holding a 93.5 average. He leads the nation in averaging 18.3 yards per completion and is at the top of the conference in passing efficiency with 217.3 and yards per pass attempt at 12.6. Through three games, Hawkins has completed 26 of 38 pass attempts for 477 yards and five touchdowns. On the ground, he has accumulated 322 yards and six touchdowns. Hawkins is a graduate of Emerson High School.
The Mountaineers, now 3-0, are scheduled to play Oklahoma State (2-1) in their Big 12 Conference opener this Saturday at 6 p.m., with the game broadcast on FS1 from Morgantown.
The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award was announced in 2012 by the Tyler Chamber and SPORTyler. It seeks to recognize the top offensive player in Division I football who also embodies specific characteristics: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community, and tenacity. A key aspect is "tenacity to persist and determination to overcome adversity and injury in pursuit of reaching goals." To be eligible, a nominee must meet one or more criteria, including having played football and graduated from a Texas high school, and/or playing at a four-year Division I Texas college.
Previous recipients of the award this season include Kevin Jennings, quarterback for SMU, who won in Week 1, and Drew Mestemaker, quarterback for Oklahoma State, recognized in Week 2. This week, honorable mentions for the award included several Texas-based players: Texas State running back Torrance Burgess Jr., who played at Dawson High School in Pearland and transferred from Tyler Junior College; Texas State wide receiver Chris Dawn Jr. from Mesquite Horn High School in Dallas; Texas State quarterback Brad Jackson from Reagan High School in San Antonio; and Texas State running back Davian Jackson from Westgate High School in New Iberia, Louisiana. Other notable mentions were Texas Tech wide receiver Kenny Johnson, Sam Houston quarterback Landyn Locke, Michigan wide receiver Andrew Marsh, BYU running back LJ Martin, Oklahoma State running back Drew Mestemaker, Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell, and TCU wide receiver Ed Small.
