The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 1/1 Football’s Smothers tabbed Paul Hornung Award Player of the Week
09.15.2026 | Football
The senior running back earned his first career weekly honor from the Paul Hornung Award.
AUSTIN, Texas – No. 1/1 Texas Football senior running back Hollywood Smothers was named the Paul Hornung Award's Player of the Week, the Louisville Sports Commission announced Tuesday.
It's Smothers' first career weekly honor from the Paul Hornung Award. Smothers was selected to the award's preseason watch list in 2025.
Smothers fueled Texas to a 24-23 come-from-behind victory against No. 1/1 Ohio State on Sept. 12 at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. It was Texas' first 20-plus-point comeback in the fourth quarter against a No. 1 team in 22 years. It was the second-largest fourth-quarter comeback and the fourth-largest overall comeback in program history. The Longhorns improved to 2-0 and clinched their 11th-consecutive victory at home, including their fourth-straight win at home against a ranked opponent, which leads the nation.
Smothers touched the ball 25 times in three different ways for 108 all-purpose yards in the win over the Buckeyes. Smothers had 21 carries for 74 yards (3.5 ypc) and two touchdowns to go along with two receptions for 15 yards and a kickoff return for 19 yards. The Longhorns' offense manufactured three-consecutive touchdown drives to end the game (all of at least 12 plays and 72 yards) and rally from a 23-3 deficit.
Smothers scored on a one-yard run with 7:14 remaining in the game to trim Ohio State's lead to 23-17. With 00:25 seconds remaining in the ballgame, Smothers scored his second touchdown on a one-yard run to even the score at 23-23 before senior kicker Gianni Spetic's PAT put Texas on top, 24-23.
On the season, Smothers leads Texas with 144 rushing yards on 31 attempts (4.6 ypc) and two touchdowns. Smothers' is averaging a team-high 72 rushing yards per game. Additionally, Smothers has caught five passes for 43 yards (8.6 ypr) and a touchdown.
The Louisville Sports Commission launched the Paul Hornung Award in 2010 to honor its namesake and native son, and to promote outstanding performances by versatile college football players who often go unnoticed. Each week during the regular season, a panel of college football experts selects players for the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll based on performance. A national selection committee comprised of 18 sports journalists and former NFL stars votes for the Hornung Award finalists and the winner, with fan voting powered by Texas Roadhouse comprising the 19th vote.
The Longhorns are back in action at 7 p.m. CT Saturday, Sept. 19, against the UTSA Roadrunners at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. The game will stream on SEC Network+ with Clay Matvick (play-by-play), Rocky Boiman (analyst) and Austyn Iven (reporter) on the call.
