Western Kentucky defensive back Devonte’ Mathews has been named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week and punter Cole Maynard has been named CUSA Special Teams Player of the Week, the conference announced Monday.

Both Mathews and Maynard played major roles in WKU’s 26-21 victory over previously unbeaten Toledo on Saturday at Houchens-Smith Stadium.

Mathews posted two interceptions in the final two minutes when the Rockets were threatening to score. The first came with Toledo facing a fourth-and-15 from the WKU 20-yard line, when he picked off a pass attempt in the end zone with 1:20 remaining. After a turnover allowed Toledo to get the ball back, he intercepted his second pass at the WKU 1-yard line with 18 seconds remaining to clinch the victory. Mathews, WKU’s leading tackler through four games this season, finished with four tackles in the win, including 0.5 for loss.

Maynard averaged 50.8 yards per punt on six attempts in the game – the fifth-highest average in a single game in program history for players who had at least four attempts – with four traveling 50-plus yards and two downed inside the 20-yard line. His long was 57 yards, which he did twice, but his most impactful punt came with under a minute to play in the third quarter when he pinned Toledo at its own 2-yard line. The WKU defense recorded a safety on the next play, kicking off a stretch of 16 unanswered points in the comeback victory.

The pair of awards this week brings WKU’s total number of CUSA weekly awards this season to three. Quarterback Caden Veltkamp was named the CUSA Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 16 after coming off the bench to lead the Hilltoppers past rival Middle Tennessee.

The Hilltoppers will head to New England with a 3-1 overall record to face Boston College on Saturday. Kickoff at Alumni Stadium against the Eagles is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT and the game will be televised on ACC Network.