Muhlenberg junior linebacker Ben Girard was named Centennial Conference defensive player of the week. 

Girard was one of the leaders of a record defensive effort that held McDaniel to 15 total yards and no offensive points in a 49-7 win. He recorded two sacks, one for a 16-yard loss and the other for a 13-yard loss on third down to thwart the Green Terror's deepest penetration into Muhlenberg territory.

Girard also assisted on two tackles, one for a 1-yard loss and the other for no gain, and recovered a fumble off a botched double reverse at the 14-yard line to set up the Mules' third touchdown.

The 15 total yards set a school record for fewest yards allowed in a game, breaking the previous mark of 59 set against Franklin & Marshall in 2000. Muhlenberg held McDaniel to minus-43 rushing yards, one short of the school record set against Upsala in 1947 and the second-lowest total in NCAA football (all divisions) this season. The last time the Mules held a CC opponent to negative rushing yards was in 2021, when they stopped Gettysburg for minus-11 yards.

For the season, Girard is tied for second on the Mules with 34 total tackles. He is tied for the team lead with 4½ tackles for loss, including a team-best 2½ sacks.

The win, Muhlenberg's 16th straight against McDaniel, left the Mules (4-2, 2-1) in a three-way tie with Dickinson and Franklin & Marshall in the CC standings, behind undefeated 3-0 Ursinus and Carnegie Mellon. Muhlenberg travels to Carnegie Mellon for an important game this week before taking another long trip to Johns Hopkins next week.