The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 5/4 Football’s Biles named SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week
09.07.2026 | Football
The senior linebacker earned his first career SEC weekly honor.
AUSTIN, Texas – No. 5/4 Texas Football (1-0) senior linebacker Rasheem Biles was named the Southeastern Conference's (SEC) Co-Defensive Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday. It's Biles' first career SEC weekly honor and the second conference weekly honor of his career after he was tabbed the ACC's Linebacker of the Week on Oct. 28, 2024.
Biles is a first-year player who transferred to Texas after playing three seasons at Pitt from 2023-25. The Columbus, Ohio, product totaled five tackles with a half tackle for loss and forced two turnovers, including a forced fumble and an interception, in leading Texas to a 59-7 season-opening win over Texas State on Sept. 5 at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. The forced fumble resulted in a 59-yard return touchdown by sophomore DB Graceson Littleton for a 28-0 lead, while the interception set up the Longhorns' offense at the Bobcats' 45-yard line, and they scored a touchdown three plays later for a 49-7 lead. It was Biles' first career game with a forced fumble and an interception, while the turnovers marked the fourth forced fumble and fourth interception of his career. Biles led a Texas defense that limited a high-powered Bobcats' offense to just seven points and 349 total yards with only 188 in the air. With much of its offense production returning, Texas State ranked fifth in the FBS in total offense (427.8 ypg) and 12th in scoring offense (36.5 ppg) last season. Biles' tackle for loss came on the second possession of the game on a third-and-2 that forced a fourth down that the Bobcats went for and failed to get.
Biles and the Longhorns host No. 1/1 Ohio State at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday, Sept. 12, at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. The game will broadcast on ABC with Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstriet (analyst), Holly Rowe (reporter) and Laura Rutledge on the call. ESPN's College GameDay will be live from Austin on Saturday from 8-11 a.m.
