The Paul Hornung Award

Week 9 Honor Roll: Isaac Brown, Louisville; Cole Cabana, Western Michigan; Malachi Toney, Miami; Jackson Williams; North Dakota State; J’Koby Williams, Texas Tech

Award Presented by Texas Roadhouse to Most Versatile Player in Major College Football

Louisville, Ky. – Nov. 3, 2026 – Five players representing the ACC, MAC, Mountain West and Big 12 were named to the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll for their performances in Week 9 of the college football season. Making the list are Isaac Brown, Louisville; Cole Cabana, Western Michigan; Malachi Toney, Miami; Jackson Williams; North Dakota State; and J’Koby Williams, Texas Tech.

The National College Football Awards Association will honor J’Koby Williams as the Paul Hornung Award Player-of-the-Week for his performance in Texas Tech’s 34-26 home win over Arizona.

Louisville junior running back / return specialist Isaac Brown touched the ball 14 times three different ways for 199 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns, including the game-winner, in the Cardinals’ 52-24 home win over Stanford. Brown carried the ball nine times for 133 yards with scoring runs of three, 23 and 75 yards. He caught three passes for 33 yards with an 18-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter that put Louisville ahead to stay. He also handled two kickoff returns.

Western Michigan junior running back / return specialist Cole Cabana touched the ball 11 times three different ways for 117 all-purpose yards and a touchdown in the Broncos’ 23-10 home win over Bowling Green. Cabana carried the ball seven times for 110 yards, including a 75-yard sprint to the end zone in the second quarter that evened the score. He also caught one pass, returned one punt and fair caught two punts to help WMU to a 4-2 conference record, tied for second place in the MAC.

Miami sophomore wide receiver / return specialist Malachi Toney touched the ball nine times three different ways for 76 all-purpose yards and two scores, including the game-winner, as the no. 1 ranked Hurricanes outlasted North Carolina 38-35 in Chapel Hill. Toney caught a two-yard touchdown pass early in the game, then hauled in a nine-yard scoring strike that spotted Miami a 10-point lead with just over two minutes to play. He accounted for three first downs from scrimmage and handled one punt.

North Dakota State junior wide receiver / return specialist Jackson Williams touched the ball 18 times four different ways for 155 all-purpose yards in the Bison’s 31-7 home win over UTEP. Williams had 10 catches for 111 yards, carried the ball three times for 12 yards and accounted for five first downs from scrimmage receiving, including four on scoring drives. He also handled two punts for seven yards and returned a kickoff 25 yards.

Texas Tech junior running back / return specialist J’Koby Williams touched the ball 16 times three different ways for 223 all-purpose yards and a touchdown in the Red Raiders’ 34-26 home win over no. 23 Arizona. Williams carried the ball 14 times for 175 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown run with just over two minutes to play that put the game out of reach. He caught one pass for 11 yards, returned a kickoff 37 yards and accounted for four first downs from scrimmage, including three on scoring drives.

The Louisville Sports Commission successfully launched the Paul Hornung Award in 2010 to honor its namesake and native son, and to promote outstanding performances by versatile college football players who often go unnoticed. Each week during the regular season, a panel of college football experts selects players for the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll based on performance. A national selection committee comprised of 18 sports journalists and former NFL stars votes for the Hornung Award finalists and the winner, with fan voting powered by Texas Roadhouse.

2026 Paul Hornung Award Roll

• Week 1: Wayne Knight, UCLA; Turbo Richard, Indiana; Tre Richardson, Louisville; Isaiah Sategna III, Oklahoma; Aneyas Williams, Notre Dame.
• Week 2: Maguire Anderson, FIU; Anthony Evans III, Mississippi State; Cam’rom Lacy, Middle Tennessee; Hollywood Smothers, Texas
• Week 3: Aiden Flora, Iowa State; Davian Jackson, Texas State; Wayne Knight, UCLA; Caleb Nix, Jacksonville State; Keenan Phillips, South Alabama
• Week 4: Ryan Coleman-Williams, Alabama; Dierre Hill, Jr., Oregon; Javen Jacobs, Utah State; Wayne Knight, UCLA; Qua Moss, Tennessee
• Week 5: Aiden Flora, Iowa State; Samari Howard, Army; Dijon Lee Jr., Alabama; Jonaz Walton, Notre Dame
• Week 6: Isaac Brown, Louisville; Wayne Knight, UCLA; Keenan Phillips, South Alabama; Dylan Riley, Boise State
• Week 7: Jadan Baugh, Florida; Que’Sean Brown, Virginia Tech; Malachi Toney, Miami; Jackson Williams, North Dakota State; J’Koby Williams, Texas Tech
• Week 8: Easton Messer, FAU; Dylan Riley, Boise State; Isaiah Sategna III, Oklahoma; Nate Sheppard, Duke