Texas DB Andrew Mukuba claims Paycom Jim Thorpe Award National Defensive Back of the Week
Texas senior defensive back Andrew Mukuba earned the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award National Defensive Back of the Week, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame announced Tuesday. It’s his first career weekly honor for the prestigious award.
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The win over No. 10/9 Michigan on the road snapped the Wolverines’ win streaks of 16 overall victories, a Big Ten-record 29 regular season wins, 23 home wins (their longest streak since 28 in 1969-73), 23 non-conference wins at home dating back to 2014, and 15 overall non-conference regular-season victories. Texas’ 19-point win was the Longhorns’ largest margin of victory against a top-10 team on the road since 1979. That year, UT knocked off No. 5/7 Missouri, 21-0, in Columbia. It also was the Longhorns’ biggest point differential over a top-10 team overall since 2005 when the UT knocked off No. 10/8 Texas Tech in Austin, 52-17.
An Austin, Texas, native, Mukuba recorded his first career interception as a Longhorn in the win over Michigan, along with registering four total tackles and two pass break-ups. Mukuba led a defense that limited the defending National Champions to 284 total yards, 204 passing yards and 80 rushing yards on their home field, while forcing three turnovers. Mukuba’s interception came in the second quarter, hauling in a pass that had been batted in the air by senior DB Jahdae Barron – who was a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist in 2023. The interception set up the Texas offense at the Michigan 37-yard line, leading to a field goal and a 17-3 lead.
On the second play of the next series, Mukuba gathered a tackle for no gain, and on the first drive of the third quarter, he knifed through to tackle a running back for a three-yard gain as part of the series that resulted in a punt. Mukuba later notched two key pass break-ups with one in the third quarter and the second in the fourth.
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Mukuba and Texas return to the friendly confines of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium for a 6 p.m. CT kick against UTSA on Saturday, Sept. 14 on ESPN. Mark Jones (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst) and Quint Kessenich (sideline) will have the call.
(via Texas release)
