UCLA's Wayne Knight Takes Hornung Weekly Honor Again
The short version
- Knight won the Paul Hornung National Player of the Week award for the second time in three weeks.
- He rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns in UCLA's 52-38 win over Purdue.
- Knight leads the FBS with eight total touchdowns and 8.85 yards per carry.
- UCLA plays at Maryland on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. in its first Big Ten road game.
The senior running back was named Paul Hornung National Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks after UCLA's win over Purdue.
UCLA senior running back Wayne Knight was named the Paul Hornung National Player of the Week on Tuesday, the second time he has earned the honor in the first three weeks of the 2026 season. The recognition followed his performance in UCLA's 52-38 victory over Purdue on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl.
Against the Boilermakers, Knight ran for 177 yards on 18 carries with two touchdowns, the second-highest rushing total of his career. He also added 52 yards on three kickoff returns and 23 yards on three receptions, giving him 252 all-purpose yards.
Knight previously won the award after a three-touchdown debut at California on Sept. 5. Through three games he has 345 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, and he leads the FBS in total touchdowns, yards per carry and scoring.
A 2025 finalist for the Hornung Award while at James Madison, Knight is the first Bruin with multiple non-passing touchdowns in three straight games since Maurice Jones-Drew in 2005. UCLA's ground game paces the FBS with 14 rushing touchdowns.
The Bruins open Big Ten road play Saturday at Maryland, with kickoff set for 10:30 a.m.
