By Regan Hunsaker, SUU Athletics
CEDAR CITY, Utah – Southern Utah football continues to make noise on the national stage as two Thunderbirds earned recognition this week for their standout performances in Saturday’s matchup against Northern Arizona.
Head Coach DeLane Fitzgerald Said
“These honors are a reflection of the hard work and preparation that Josh and Ran have put in. Josh has been a leader for our offense all season, and Ran gave us a huge spark in the return game on Saturday.”
Running back Joshua Dye picked up national attention after being named an Honorable Mention for Stats Perform Offensive Player of the Week. Dye once again proved to be the engine of the Thunderbird offense, carrying the ball 25 times for 171 yards and four touchdowns. His powerful performance marked his second 100+ yard rushing game of the season, and it highlighted his consistency as one of the premier backs in the FCS. Through three games, Dye has already recorded 383 rushing yards, ranking third nationally among FCS running backs, and his six rushing touchdowns rank second in the country. His ability to find the end zone and move the chains has made him a central figure in SUU’s offensive success this season.
On special teams, freshman Ran Sawyer earned United Athletic Conference Freshman of the Week honors after delivering an explosive impact in the return game. The St. George, Utah native provided one of the biggest highlights of the night with a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, marking the first kickoff return touchdown by a Thunderbird since 2018. In total, Sawyer posted three kick returns for 158 yards, giving the Thunderbirds excellent field position throughout the contest. His impact wasn’t limited to returns, as he also contributed two big tackles on coverage units, showing his versatility and toughness on special teams.
With Dye continuing to climb the national leaderboards and Sawyer making his mark as a freshman, the Thunderbirds will look to build on these individual successes as they move deeper into the 2025 campaign.
Next Up
Southern Utah will hit the road this week to California, where they will take on UC Davis on Saturday, September 20, at 8:00 p.m. MT. The game can be streamed on ESPN+, and live stats will be available on suutbirds.com.
The Thunderbird Coaches Show
Don’t forget to check out the Thunderbird Coaches Show at our new time every Tuesday at noon MT. You can watch it on YouTube by clicking here or on WatchSports.com. If you are more of an audio person, you can find it on your favorite podcast platforms, such as Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Tickets
Season tickets and single-game tickets are now available! Get yours today by visiting tbirdtickets.com
Follow Us
For all the latest on Southern Utah football, follow @SUUFB_ on Twitter, @SUUFB on Instagram, and like the Southern Utah Football Facebook page.