IOWA CITY — University of Iowa senior safety Xavier Nwankpa has been named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week following his effort in the Hawkeyes’ 25-24 comeback win over Penn State, as announced Monday by the league office. Nwankpa, who earned his first Big Ten weekly honor, tied a career high with 10 total tackles while leading the team with seven solo stops against the Nittany Lions. With Iowa leading 25-24 and 1:20 on the game clock, the Nittany Lions had fourth-and-4 at midfield. Nwankpa came on a delayed blitz — flushing the quarterback from the pocket toward other Hawkeye defenders — forcing an incomplete pass to secure the victory. Nwankpa is the first Hawkeye defender to earn Big Ten weekly honors since Aaron Graves a year ago on Oct. 14, 2024.