FARMINGTON, Utah (October 12, 2026) – A pair of standout Northern Arizona football performances in the Lumberjacks' 49-44 victory over No. 2/3 Montana on Saturday garnered recognition from the league office on Monday, with
Ty Pennington receiving Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week honors and
Lindsey Graves sharing the conference's Special Teams award.
For Pennington, it is his third career Player of the Week honor and first of the season. Graves earned Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time in his debut season.
Additionally,
Ty Pennington was honored as the Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week. He is the first Lumberjack to receive a national weekly award since Case Cookus in 2017.
Pennington did it all on Saturday, putting together one of the most impressive individual performances in program history. Pennington accounted for six total touchdowns, four of which came on the ground and one each by throwing and receiving. His six touchdowns accounted for is the most by a Lumberjack since RJ Martinez (7) threw for five and ran for two more versus Southern Utah in 2021.
Pennington completed 26-of-38 passes for 322 yards, with the yardage marking a season-high and his third-highest career total. With the 'Jacks down their top two running backs, Pennington shouldered the rushing load and became the first Lumberjack since Kevin Daniels in 2021 to rush for four touchdowns in a game. Pennington logged a career-high 16 carries for 52 yards.
Furthermore, the senior from Sand Springs, Okla. was on the receiving end of a 7-yard scoring pass from
Joey Stout. With his first career receiving touchdown – and reception – Pennington is the first Big Sky player to pass, run and catch a touchdown in the same game since former Lumberjack quarterback Angel Flores against UC Davis in 2023.
While Pennington had a hand in six of NAU's seven touchdowns in the victory, Graves was responsible for the other. With Montana closing to 35-32 early in the fourth quarter, Graves fielded the Grizzlies kickoff off a few bounces in the end zone and broke through the coverage down the Montana sideline for a 100-yard touchdown.
Graves, who received the season's first Special Teams Player of the Week award following his 100-yard kick return touchdown against Eastern Washington, ranks fifth in the FCS with 34.0 yards per kickoff return. He is also one of two FCS players with multiple kick return touchdowns this season and is the first Lumberjack in program history with multiple 100-yard kickoff returns just seven games into his collegiate career.
The true freshman from Clovis, Calif. is the first Lumberjack with multiple kickoff return touchdowns in a season since Randy Ferrell in 1978.
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