PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football's Olakunle Fatukasi collected Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday. The linebacker was in the middle of the Scarlet Knights' defensive effort in the win at Michigan State with 10 tackles, an assisted tackle-for-loss, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.
 
Making his 11^th career start, Fatukasi was part of the seven takeaways generated by RU, the most by the team since 2000 and most by a Big Ten squad since 2010. The Scarlet Knights recovered five fumbles and registered two interceptions. In addition, Rutgers held the Spartans to 50 yards on the ground, the best rushing defense performance for the program in a Big Ten game since joining the league.
 
Fatukasi gathered a fumble caused by Avery Young in the first quarter and later punched out and recovered a fumble in the third quarter. He is the first Scarlet Knight with multiple fumble recoveries in a game since Lorenzo Waters versus North Carolina in the 2014 Quick Lane Bowl. In addition, he became the first RU player with two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble in the same game since Deway Thompson at Pittsburgh in 2000.
 
Fatukasi reached double-digit tackles for the third time in his career.
 
Fatukasi is the second Scarlet Knight to earn the honor, joining Johnathan Aiken. Aiken picked up the accolade on Sept. 1, 2014 for Rutgers' first weekly honor in any sport from the Big Ten.
 
The Scarlet Knights are back at SHI Stadium Saturday versus No. 17 Indiana in a game presented by PNC Bank (3:30 p.m., Big Ten Network).
 

. @o_threee has been named the Big Ten's co-defensive player of the week! #CHOP🪓 pic.twitter.com/XNRUTSUG3Z

— Rutgers.Football (@RFootball) October 26, 2020

.@RFootball is chopping it's way into the weekly awards scene in Week 1.

Congrats to Olakunle Fatukasi (@o_threee) on earning Defensive Player of the Week! pic.twitter.com/iIHEP0CS55

— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) October 26, 2020

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