After running for the fourth-most rushing yards in a game in Illini history on Saturday, Illinois running back Chase Brown was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, the conference office announced.
Brown rushed for a career-high 257 yards and tied his career-high with two rushing touchdowns, giving him three TDs on the season and five for his career. Brown's 257 yards are the fourth-most in a single game in program history.
Brown's first TD against Charlotte gave the Illini a 17-14 lead in the third quarter. He carried the ball six times for 72 yards on the drive which covered 94 yards overall, Illinois' longest drive of the season by yards.
Brown's second TD against Charlotte, an 80-yard score, came on the first play of the ensuing Illini possession and gave Illinois a 24-14 lead as time expired in the third quarter. The 80-yard scoring run tied for the 10th-longest run in Illinois program history.
Brown's 257 yards were the third-most by a running back in college football this season. Only Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson (277 vs. Tulsa) and Michigan State's Kenneth Walker III (264 vs. Northwestern) have had more in a game this season.
Brown is Illinois' second Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week this season after QB Artur Sitkowski won the award after Illinois' Week 0 win over Nebraska.
