BAY CITY, Mich. -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has announced its weekly awards following Week 4 of the 2017 football season. Northern Michigan junior running back Jake Mayon earned GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors, while Ashland junior defensive end James Prater Jr. captured GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors along with Ashland University senior quarterback/punter Travis Tarnowski who claimed GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week accolades.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Jake Mayon, Northern Michigan

Northern Michigan junior running back Jake Mayon powered the Wildcats to their first win of the season with 247 yards rushing and two touchdowns. He scored NMU's first touchdown of the day, scoring from 49 yards out on the team's fifth play of the game. He also sealed the win with a 58-yard scamper that included him cutting back across the defense 30 yards down field. His day also included a 75-yard gain in the second quarter. The GLIAC's leading rusher is averaging 171 yards per contest on the ground through three contests.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK - James Prater Jr., Ashland

In Ashland's 20-3 home upset of No. 2-ranked Ferris State on Saturday (Sept. 23), Ashland junior defensive end James Prater Jr. led a defense which kept the nation's leader in both total offense (645.0 ypg.) and rushing offense (366.0 ypg.) coming into the game to just 228 yards of total offense and 127 yards on the ground. Prater Jr. finished with seven total tackles, two for loss, a sack and three pass breakups. In three games in 2017, Prater Jr. has collected 15 total tackles, 2 1/2 sacks, 4 1/2 tackles for loss and four pass breakups.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Travis Tarnowski, Ashland

Ashland University senior quarterback/punter Travis Tarnowski helped his defensive teammates with six punts downed inside the Ferris State 20-yard line during the Eagles' 20-3 home upset of the No. 2-ranked Bulldogs. Tarnowski averaged just 31.6 yards on his nine punts, but his net average was the same since there were no touchbacks or returns, and six of his boots landed at the FSU 18, 5, 13, 13, 11 and 13. A seventh punt was downed right at the Bulldog 20-yard line.

HONORABLE MENTION

OFFENSE: Matthew Wilcox (AU), John Williams (MTU), JaQuan Hardy (TU), Nate McCrary (SVSU), Jahaan Brown (FSU), Dominick Giovinazzo (NU), Bart Williams (GVSU)

DEFENSE: Darryl Williams (NMU), Spencer Moran (MTU), Brandon Burks (TU), Bryan Jones (SVSU), Terrell Porter (FSU), Travis Wiltjer (NU), Jacob Studdard (GVSU)

SPECIAL TEAMS: Walter Jackson (NMU), Marvin Wright (MTU), Harry McCollum (TU), Chad Gailliard (SVSU), Wyatt Ford (FSU), Scott McCormick (NU), Avery Echols (GVSU)

Follow the action on Twitter @GLIACsports and use the hashtag #GLIACFB