Brandon McGowan of the University of Maine has been selected the NCAA Division I-AA Football Defensive Player of the Week by ESPN/USA Today.

The senior strong safety from Jersey City, N.J., registered 12 tackles, including 11/2 sacks, in the Black Bears’ shocking 9-7 victory over Mississippi State on Saturday night. McGowan also earned Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week honors and was named the recipient of the Gold Helmet Award given by the New England Football Writers.