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University of Oklahoma Athletics
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Bowman Named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week
November 20, 2023 | Football
NORMAN — University of Oklahoma defensive back Billy Bowman has been named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after his performance in leading the Sooners to a 31-24 win at BYU on Saturday, the league office announced Monday.
The junior safety returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown and registered nine tackles, including one for a loss. His interception came on a third-quarter first-and-goal play from the 2-yard line with the game tied at 17. It was the third 100-yard interception return in program history and OU's first since 2014. Bowman's interception was his fifth of the season, tied for the most in the Big 12 and tied for second most nationally. It was his second interception returned for a TD this season (also had a 44-yarder vs. Iowa State), tied for the most in the country. His nine tackles against BYU marked his second most of the year.
The Denton, Texas, product leads the nation with his 193 interception return yards this season (the next most is 167 yards). Bowman's interception yards are already the second most in OU single-season history. The record is 232 by College Football Hall of Famer Rickey Dixon in 1987 on nine picks.
This is Bowman's first career Big 12 weekly honor. The Sooners have earned eight Big 12 weekly accolades this season. Redshirt senior quarterback Dillon Gabriel was named Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 18 (Tulsa game), Oct. 9 (Texas game) and Nov. 13 (West Virginia game), junior linebacker Danny Stutsman was named Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 11 (SMU game), redshirt freshman receiver Nic Anderson was named Newcomer of the Week on Sept. 18 and Oct. 23 (Tulsa and UCF games) and sophomore receiver/punt returner Gavin Freeman was named Co-Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 4 (Arkansas State game).
No. 13/13 Oklahoma (9-2, 6-2 Big 12) plays its final Big 12 regular season game Friday when it hosts TCU (5-6, 3-5 Big 12). Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. and the game will be televised by FOX.
The junior safety returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown and registered nine tackles, including one for a loss. His interception came on a third-quarter first-and-goal play from the 2-yard line with the game tied at 17. It was the third 100-yard interception return in program history and OU's first since 2014. Bowman's interception was his fifth of the season, tied for the most in the Big 12 and tied for second most nationally. It was his second interception returned for a TD this season (also had a 44-yarder vs. Iowa State), tied for the most in the country. His nine tackles against BYU marked his second most of the year.
The Denton, Texas, product leads the nation with his 193 interception return yards this season (the next most is 167 yards). Bowman's interception yards are already the second most in OU single-season history. The record is 232 by College Football Hall of Famer Rickey Dixon in 1987 on nine picks.
This is Bowman's first career Big 12 weekly honor. The Sooners have earned eight Big 12 weekly accolades this season. Redshirt senior quarterback Dillon Gabriel was named Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 18 (Tulsa game), Oct. 9 (Texas game) and Nov. 13 (West Virginia game), junior linebacker Danny Stutsman was named Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 11 (SMU game), redshirt freshman receiver Nic Anderson was named Newcomer of the Week on Sept. 18 and Oct. 23 (Tulsa and UCF games) and sophomore receiver/punt returner Gavin Freeman was named Co-Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 4 (Arkansas State game).
No. 13/13 Oklahoma (9-2, 6-2 Big 12) plays its final Big 12 regular season game Friday when it hosts TCU (5-6, 3-5 Big 12). Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. and the game will be televised by FOX.
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