ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum University's Jermaine Witherspoon and Nicholas Pope have been named the WePlayedSports South Atlantic Conference Football Players of the Week.
Witherspoon was tabbed the SAC Defensive Player of the Week, while Pope garnered Special Teams Player of the Week laurels for a second time this season.
Witherspoon, a junior defensive back from Miami, Florida, contributed on three of Tusculum's four forced turnovers including the game-tying fumble return for a touchdown in the Pioneers' 29-27 double-overtime win over 25th-ranked Mars Hill.
Witherspoon's 23-yard scoop and score early in the fourth quarter tied the game at 14-14 after the Pioneers trailed by two touchdowns in the third quarter. He also posted his 10th career interception and also forced a fumble. He finished with seven tackles including one for loss and accounted for a quarterback hurry.
Pope, a graduate student from Lincoln, Alabama, averaged 40.2 yards on his nine punts including one he downed at the MHU 2. He recorded a long punt of 47 yards and was also a perfect 3-of-3 on his extra points.
He has made all 14 of his extra points this season and his punt average of 39.50 is fifth-best in the league. His 16 punts inside the 20 are tied for third-best in the SAC while his 29 fair catches are the most in the conference by over a dozen.
The Pioneers claim a share of the SAC Mountain Division title and earn a berth to the South Atlantic Conference Championship Game, which will be held at TU's Pioneer Field this Saturday at 4 p.m.
