Olano’s perfect game earns him second-straight Player of the Week honor

Junior goes nine for nine on kicks to take home Big Ten award

By Brendan Gallian, Sports Editor • Oct 6, 2025

Junior kicker David Olano earns an extra point for the Illini after senior quarterback Luke Altmyer’s first touchdown against the USC Trojans on Sept. 27.

Junior kicker David Olano followed up his walk-off field goal against USC (4-1, 2-1) with another award-winning performance. Olano’s perfect nine-for-nine day against the Purdue Boilermakers (2-3, 0-2) earned him the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honor for the second-straight week.

Olano’s leg accounted for 19 of the Illini’s (5-1, 2-1) 43 points in their win Saturday. The junior logged five field goals and four extra points in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Olano’s field goals were good from 35 yards, 42, 45, 34 and 40, with all five clearing the uprights with plenty of room to spare.

The kicker’s five field goals marked his career best and tied for the program record, last equalled in 1990.

This season, Olano is now 11 for 12 on field goals. His 11 makes him tie for fifth-most in the Football Bowl Subdivision. His only miss was blocked by Western Illinois in the season opener. He’s a perfect 27 for 27 on extra points.

Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!

Olano will try for the three-peat Saturday as the Illini take on the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0, 2-0).

@BrendanGallian

[email protected]

About the Contributors

Brendan Gallian, Sports Editor

Hey, I’m Brendan. I’m a junior journalism major from Oak Lawn, Illinois. I like telling stories,and try my best to express that through writing. I’m minoring in history, and I enjoy studying local history both here in Champaign-Urbana and back home in Oak Lawn. I’m also a baseball nut, long-suffering White Sox fan and a proud Eagle Scout.

Sam Rink, Assistant Photo Editor

Hi! I’m Sam Rink, and I am a junior studying journalism and minoring in critical film production and gender & women’s studies. I started working at Illini Media Company in Fall 2023 as a staff photographer for the Illio, and I became the Senior Photographer for both the Illio and The Daily Illini in Spring 2024. Now, I’m the Assistant Photo Editor for both publications! Multimedia journalism is a huge passion of mine, so you might see my work in other publications around Champaign-Urbana. You can check out more of my photography or contact me through my socials or email linked below.