Alabama Leads the Way for Week 12's SEC Football Players of the Week

Linebacker C.J. Mosley continued to pace Alabama's defense in Saturday's road win at Mississippi State, and for his performance, he has been named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week, according to the conference's official website.

Mosley led the defense with eight tackles and a forced fumble, spearheading a unit that surrendered just seven points and 197 yards. The Bulldogs averaged just 3.40 yards a play, which was of utmost importance on a day when Alabama's offense had four turnovers.

Against LSU the week prior, Mosley made headlines for leading a dominant second-half defensive effort, which also resulted in being named conference defensive player of the week.

Being honored twice in a row is a rare feat.

Here are the other players who were recognized in Week 12:

• Offensive POW: WR Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt
• Special Teams POW: P Cody Mandell, Alabama
• Freshman POW: K Elliott Fry, South Carolina
• Offensive Line POW: OL Reese Dismukes, Auburn
• Defensive Line POW: DE Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss

In a slow week for SEC offenses, Matthews stood out for his 12-catch, 141-yard performance against Kentucky. Matthews became the all-time SEC leader in receiving yards earlier this season, and his performance led the Commodores to a second straight season of bowl eligibility.

Mandell fought windy conditions against Mississippi State and punted four times for 220 yards, good for a career-high average of 55.0 yards. Three punts went for over 50 yards, helping Mandell build his case for the All-SEC (and perhaps All-American) team this season.

Fry, a true freshman walk-on, carried the Gamecocks against Florida—weird as that feels to say about a kicker. He connected on 4-of-5 kicks, including two of 40-plus yards and helped South Carolina eke out a 19-14 win.

Dismukes graded out at 93 percent with seven knockdowns against Georgia, according to the official release. He helped pave the way for an Auburn running game that gained 323 yards and scored three touchdowns on the ground.

Nkemdiche, the uber-hyped freshman, finished with four tackles, two tackles for loss, a quarterback pressure and his first career sack against Troy. He helped lead an Ole Miss defense that allowed minus-13 rushing yards.

Congrats to all who were recognized!