Northwestern Linebacker Named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Braydon Brus continues to make his presence felt for Northwestern.
The Wildcats linebacker was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week following his dominant performance in Northwestern’s 34-13 victory over Penn State in the first game at Ryan Field.
Brus was all over the field Friday night.
The fifth-year linebacker finished with nine tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, one interception and one pass breakup, contributing in nearly every way possible for a Northwestern defense that shut down Penn State for most of the night.
His interception was also the first of his college career.
Brus became just the third Big Ten player in the last 10 seasons to record at least nine tackles, one interception, one sack and one pass breakup in the same conference game. He is the first player to accomplish it since 2020.
That is quite a way to perform on one of the biggest nights in recent Northwestern history.
Penn State was held to just 291 total yards and 13 points. Even more impressive was Northwestern’s work against the run, as the Nittany Lions managed only 48 rushing yards on the night.
Brus was right in the middle of that defensive success.
Whether it was coming downhill against the run, putting pressure on the quarterback or dropping back into coverage, Brus continued finding ways to impact the game.
That versatility has been a major part of his impressive start to the season.
Through four games, Brus has recorded 29 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, two pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble. His five tackles for loss lead Northwestern, while his three sacks are tied for the most among Big Ten linebackers.
He has also recorded at least one tackle for loss in every game this season, becoming the first Northwestern player to accomplish that over four consecutive games since 2021.
But Brus' importance goes beyond the stat sheet.
He was selected as one of Northwestern's six captains before the season, and through the opening four games, he has played like one.
Northwestern has dealt with injuries throughout the early portion of the season, forcing different players to step into bigger roles. Having an experienced leader like Brus in the middle of the defense becomes even more valuable when those changes happen around him.
Against Penn State, that entire unit seemed to click.
Robert Fitzgerald added an interception, Kobie McKinzie recorded a team-high 10 tackles and Northwestern’s defensive front consistently made things difficult for the Nittany Lions.
Brus did a little bit of everything. That has become a theme for him this season.
After recording 81 tackles in his first year as a full-time starter in 2025, Brus has continued to develop into one of the leaders of Northwestern’s defense. Now, his performance is earning recognition around the conference.
He becomes Northwestern's first Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week since Aidan Hubbard earned the honor in 2023.
It is another individual award following a huge night for the Wildcats, but Northwestern will now look to turn its attention toward what comes next.
The Wildcats host Ball State for Homecoming on Saturday, giving Brus and the defense another opportunity to build on their dominant performance against Penn State.
If the first four games are any indication, Northwestern can continue expecting its captain to be right in the middle of the action.
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos