(UI Athletics news release)
IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior defensive back Riley Moss has been named the Walter Camp FBS national Defensive Player of the Week following No. 18 Iowa’s 34-6 win over No. 17 Indiana. The announcement was made Sunday by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Moss (6-foot-1, 194-pounds) is the sixth Hawkeye to earn the national award, which is in its 18th year of being presented on a weekly basis to one offensive and one defensive player. Previous Hawkeye honorees include linebacker Chad Greenway (2004), linebacker Mike Klinkenborg (2006), linebacker Josey Jewell (2017), defensive back Josh Jackson (2017) and quarterback Nate Stanley (2018).
Moss became just the third player in school history to return two interceptions for touchdowns in a single game. He had a 30-yard interception return to give Iowa a 14-0 advantage in the opening minutes of the game. Moss collected his second touchdown in the final minutes of the second quarter, returning the theft 55 yards for the score.
Moss added one solo tackle and two pass break-ups against the Hoosiers as the Hawkeye defense allowed just 233 yards total offense. Moss has three career interceptions returned for touchdowns, adding to his 54-yard touchdown in Iowa’s 49-7 win over Michigan State a year ago.
Moss has eight career interceptions for 239 yards. The eight thefts tie for 19th in program history, while his 239 return yards rank second among Iowa’s career leaders (Tyler Sash, 392 yards). The three touchdowns tie Desmond King and Tom Knight for the most in school history.
Iowa plays at Iowa State Saturday in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series (3:36 p.m., ABC).