Missouri State sophomore safety Caleb Schaffitzel added a pair of honors, earning FCS national defensive player of the week recognition from both the College Football Performance Awards and The Sports Network after a standout effort against top-ranked North Dakota State on Saturday. Just one day after earning Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second-straight week, Schaffitzel earned his second-consecutive CFPA National Defensive Back of the Week citation on Monday as well.
In Missouri State’s near-upset of No. 1 North Dakota State on Saturday at Plaster Field, he grabbed two interceptions, broke two MSU records and tallied 10 total tackles. He halted an NDSU drive late in the first quarter with a goal-line interception he returned 100 yards for the game’s first score, making him just the fifth player in MVFC history to record a 100-yard interception return. It was also the longest interception return in Missouri State history.
The Bears (3-7, 3-4 MVFC) will have this week off before concluding their 2012 season at Northern Iowa (3-6, 2-4) on Nov. 17 in Cedar Falls. MSU currently sits alone in sixth place in the 10-team conference with two weeks remaining.
