Four Players from Two Conferences Earn Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll in Week 2
WEEK 2 HONOR ROLL: Maguire Anderson, FIU; Anthony Evans III, Mississippi State; Cam’rom Lacy, Middle Tennessee; Hollywood Smothers, Texas.
Award Presented by Texas Roadhouse to Most Versatile Player in Major College Football
Louisville, Ky. – Sept. 15, 2026 – Four players representing Conference USA and the SEC were named to the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll for their performances in Week 2 of the college football season. Making the list are Maguire Anderson, FIU; Anthony Evans III, Mississippi State; Cam’rom Lacy, Middle Tennessee; and Hollywood Smothers, Texas.
The National College Football Awards Association will honor Smothers as the Paul Hornung Award Player-of-the-Week for his performance in Texas’ home win over Ohio State.
FIU junior wide receiver /return specialist Maguire Anderson touched the ball 12 times three different ways for 132 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in the Panthers’ 33-20 home win over Buffalo. Anderson hauled in a 45-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, then caught a 14-yard scoring pass late in the first half that proved to be the winning score. He caught five passes for 99 yards, including three for first downs, had one carry for nine yards, returned four punts for 24 yards and fair caught two punts.
Mississippi State senior wide receiver / return specialist Anthony Evans III touched the ball 10 times three different ways for 127 all-purpose yards and a touchdown in the Bulldogs’ 38-13, home win over Minnesota. Evans caught seven passes for 121 yards, including a 15-yard scoring strike late in the second quarter that effectively put the game out of reach. Four of his receptions accounted for first downs on scoring drives. Evans also carried the ball one time for six yards and fair caught two punts.
Middle Tennessee junior wide receiver / return specialist Cam’ron Lacy touched the ball 12 times three different ways for 121 all-purpose yards and one score in the Blue Raiders’ hard-fought, 28-26 road loss to Marshall. Lacy caught nine passes for 71 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. He accounted for seven first downs receiving and one first down rushing; six of his first downs were on scoring drives. Lacy also returned three punts for 40 yards, including a long of 25 yards.
Texas junior running back / return specialist Hollywood Smothers touched the ball 25 times three different ways for 132 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner, in the Longhorns’ wild, 24-23 come-from-behind win over No. 1 Ohio State in Austin. Smothers scored on a pair of one-yard runs to cap long scoring drives, the first with five minutes remaining and the second with 25 seconds on the clock. He had 21 carries for 79 yards, three catches for 29 yards and returned a kickoff 19 yards. Smothers accounted for seven first downs from scrimmage, including four on scoring drives.
The Louisville Sports Commission successfully launched the Paul Hornung Award in 2010 to honor its namesake and native son, and to promote outstanding performances by versatile college football players who often go unnoticed. Each week during the regular season, a panel of college football experts selects players for the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll based on performance. A national selection committee comprised of 18 sports journalists and former NFL stars votes for the Hornung Award finalists and the winner, with fan voting powered by Texas Roadhouse comprising the 19th vote.