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Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe was voted Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced Monday.

The Victoria, Texas, native is the first four-time winner of the weekly honor this season. This award comes on the heels of his most efficient performance against a league opponent this season.

Zappe completed 34-of-42 (81%) passes for 482 yards and five touchdowns (compared to one interception) in his return to Texas on Saturday, as WKU defeated Rice 42-21. His 482 passing yards were the most of any FBS quarterback this week and the most by a C-USA quarterback since he threw for 523 against UTSA on Oct. 9.

Zappe posted a passing efficiency rating of 211.9 against the Owls, the second-highest of any FBS quarterback with 40-plus attempts over the past two calendar years (North Carolina’s Sam Howell had a 213.3 with 45 attempts on Nov. 14, 2020). He had seven completions of 20-plus yards and 20 completions of 10-plus yards. He was 20-of-27 for 330 yards and three touchdowns in the first half as the Hilltoppers carried a 28-0 lead into halftime.

Zappe’s day was done at the 8:43 mark of the fourth quarter after throwing his fifth touchdown of the contest. He rested the final two series as WKU coasted to victory.

Overall this season, the graduate transfer is 342-of-483 (70.8%) for 4,170 yards (417 yards per game) with 42 touchdowns (leads FBS in both yards and touchdowns) and seven interceptions. He has thrown for at least three touchdowns in all 10 games and 365-plus yards in nine contests so far this season.

Zappe’s fourth time being honored is the eighth C-USA Player of the Week by a WKU player so far in 2021, along with defensive back Beanie Bishop, safety A.J. Brathwaite Jr., kicker Brayden Narveson and wide receiver Jerreth Sterns. Overall, WKU football has won 43 C-USA Player of the Week awards over the past seven-plus seasons – 20 Offensive, 11 Defensive and 12 Special Teams.

Zappe was also named to a Manning Award Star of the Week on Monday, which is a list of the top eight performances by a quarterback this past weekend.

The Hilltoppers (6-4 overall and 5-1 in C-USA) return to Houchens-Smith Stadium for their final home contest of the season against Florida Atlantic on Saturday. WKU and the Owls will kick off at 11 a.m. with the game being broadcast on Stadium. FAU lost at Old Dominion on Saturday evening, dropping the team’s record to 5-5 overall and 3-3 in C-USA play.{&end}