CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) football teams competed in week eight of the 2026 season.

Around the League:
HCAC Football Schedule | HCAC Football Standings

Athletes of the Week: 
Offensive Player of the Week:
Eian Roudebush (New Palestine, Ind.) Hanover College | Quarterback | Senior - Eian Roudebush became the Hanover all-time total yards leader on Saturday surpassing 10,000 career yards breaking the previous record of 9960. He helped lead the Panthers past Bluffton 55-14 recording 310 passing yards and three touchdowns. Roudebush also added 117 yards rushing and a score.

Defensive Player of the Week:
Haden Durnil (Grandview, Ind.) Franklin College | Linebacker | Fifth-Year - Haden Durnil headlined a Franklin defense that allowed just one first-half touchdown in a home win over Muskingum. The fifth-year linebacker delivered nine tackles, including 2.5 for loss, and forced and recovered a fumble to help the Grizzlies win comfortably.

Special Teams Player of the Week:
Cohen Peters (Bakersfield, Calif.) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Kicker | Freshman - Cohen Peters was a standout for Rose-Hulman in its dominant 52-14 win over Manchester. Peters went a perfect 6-for-6 on extra points and hit a 35-yard field goal in the first quarter to put the Fightin' Engineers up early. He also totaled eight kickoffs for 497 yards with two touchbacks, averaging 62.1 yards per kick.

Notable Performances:
Offense:

• Landan Johnson (Muncie, Ind.) Bluffton University | Running Back | Freshman - Landan Johnson had a solid outing at Hanover, finishing with an average of 5.6 yards per rush as he took 22 carries for 123 yards and a touchdown.
• Marshall Kmiecik (Michigan City, Ind.) Franklin College | Quarterback | Junior - Marshall Kmiecik shook off an early turnover and dominated the rest of the way as Franklin put up 56 points in a home rout of Muskingum. The junior was 23-of-34 through the air for 363 yards, including 273 in the first half alone, and five touchdowns.
• Jaxon Schreiber (Cincinnati, Ohio) Mount St. Joseph University | Quarterback | Senior - Jaxon Schreiber continued his torrid pace to his senior season in Mount St. Joseph’s 76-0 win at Anderson on Saturday. Playing just one drive into the second half, he completed 16-of-18 passes for 375 yards and four touchdowns. The touchdowns came from 69, 41, 11 and 53 yards, respectively.
• Joseph Alexion (Chester, N.J.) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Wide Receiver/Running Back | Senior - Joseph Alexion was a standout performer for Rose-Hulman in its dominant victory over Manchester with a final score of 52-14. Alexion led the receivers with nine catches for 106 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. One of his touchdowns came on a 46-yard bomb to put the team up 31-7 right before halftime.

Defense:

• Cayden Gates (Lebanon, Ind.) Anderson University | Linebacker | Freshman - Cayden Gates was Anderson's leading tackler finishing the game with eight solo and six assisted tackles, including a sack.
• Cole Shively (South Bend, Ind.) Hanover College | Defensive Back | Sophomore - Cole Shively continues to lead the HCAC in pass breakups adding another one to his total on Saturday in Hanover’s 55-14 win over Bluffton. The sophomore recorded two tackles and added a pass breakup and an interception for 37-yards he took to the house to put Hanover in front 41-0.
• Jaden Maxwell (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) Mount St. Joseph University | Defensive Back | Sophomore - Jaden Maxwell helped Mount St. Joseph secure a shutout of Anderson on Saturday. He recorded three tackles (two solo) and his first career interception which he picked off and returned 54 yards.
• Andrew Madlem (Wakarusa, Ind.) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Defensive Line | Junior - Andrew Madlem led the Rose-Hulman defense in their big win over Manchester with a final score of 52-14. Madlem totaled one tackle for loss, one forced fumble and fumble recovery, and one pass breakup.

Special Teams:

• Charlie Overton (Greenwood, Ind.) Franklin College | Kicker | Junior - Charlie Overton was a perfect 8-for-8 on extra points, a career-best day, in Franklin's 56-35 shellacking of Muskingum.
• Andrew Weitzel (Park Hills, Ky.) Hanover College | Kicker | Sophomore - Andrew Weitzel helped lead Hanover to a 55-14 win over Bluffton, connecting on 6-of-7 point-after tries. The sophomore is now 30-of-31 on the season.

2026 Athlete of the Week Reports:
Week 1 (Week ending Sept. 6)
Week 2 (Week ending Sept. 13)
Week 3 (Week ending Sept. 20)
Week 4 (Week ending Oct. 4)
Week 5 (Week ending Oct. 11)
Week 6 (Week ending Oct. 18)
Week 7 (Week ending Oct. 25)
Week 8 (Week ending Nov. 1)