Smith Named MWC Defensive Player of the Week

COLORADO SPRINGS -- Jarrod Baxter (New Mexico), Tyson Smith (BYU) and Dexter Wynn (Colorado State) were named Mountain West Conference Players of the Week for their performances on the football field last weekend. All three players earned MWC Player of the Week honors for the first time.

Tyson Smith tallied a MWC single-game high and tied a BYU single-game record with three interceptions in the 19-7 victory over Wyoming on Thursday. The senior from Mesa, Ariz., also picked up a pair of solo stops and an assisted tackle. Tyson helped lead a Cougar defensive unit that forced five turnovers and allowed just 237 yards on the day. He has four interceptions this season.

Jarrod Baxter had his best performance as a Lobo in New Mexico's 10-3 victory over Utah. Baxter, a junior from Albuquerque, N.M., was responsible for nearly 70-percent of the Lobo offense as he rushed for a career-high 135 yards on 29 carries in a defensive battle that saw New Mexico tally just 200 total yards. Baxter was able to rush for his third career 100-yard game despite playing on a tender left ankle. He became the 32nd Lobo to surpass 1,000 career rushing yards with 1,088.

Dexter Wynn set a MWC record and tied a Colorado State record with his 100-yard kickoff return, his first return of the season, for a score on the game's opening play. He followed up with a 66-yard scamper on his next kick return to secure the MWC record for kick return yardage in a game, breaking the mark of 159 set by BYU's Jaron Dabney last season at Utah State. His 66-yard return set up Colorado State's second touchdown of the day as the Rams rolled to a 34-22 win at San Diego State.