Riggins Named to Bednarik Award Watch List
7/13/2020 11:06:00 AM | Football
BUFFALO, NY – University at Buffalo senior defensive end Taylor Riggins has been named to the watch list for the Bednarik Award, presented annually to the outstanding defensive player in college football.
Riggins is coming off a breakout campaign for the Bulls. The senior defensive end was named All-MAC First Team after tallying 8.5 sacks, the second most in the Mid-American Conference. He added 50 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and three fumble recoveries on the season.
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995 and is named in honor of Chuck Bednarik a former standout at the University of Pennsylvania and with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Bednarik is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame's Class of '69 and the NFL Hall of Fame's Class of '67.
The Bednarik Award watch list will once again incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast, and will feature fresh faces, as 2019 winner Chase Young (Ohio State) and finalists Derrick Brown (Auburn) and Isaiah Simmons (Clemson) have all moved on to the NFL. The list features 3 returning semifinalists from 2019 including Derek Stingley (LSU), Micah Parsons (Penn State) and Marvin Wilson (Florida State). LSU, Pittsburgh and USC lead the way with 3 candidates each and 17 other schools boast 2 candidates.
Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced November 3, 2020, while the three finalists for the Bednarik Award will be unveiled November 23, 2020. The winner of the 2020 Bednarik Awards will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 10, 2020. The formal presentations of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel &Casino Atlantic City on March 12, 2021.
Riggins is coming off a breakout campaign for the Bulls. The senior defensive end was named All-MAC First Team after tallying 8.5 sacks, the second most in the Mid-American Conference. He added 50 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and three fumble recoveries on the season.
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995 and is named in honor of Chuck Bednarik a former standout at the University of Pennsylvania and with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Bednarik is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame's Class of '69 and the NFL Hall of Fame's Class of '67.
The Bednarik Award watch list will once again incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast, and will feature fresh faces, as 2019 winner Chase Young (Ohio State) and finalists Derrick Brown (Auburn) and Isaiah Simmons (Clemson) have all moved on to the NFL. The list features 3 returning semifinalists from 2019 including Derek Stingley (LSU), Micah Parsons (Penn State) and Marvin Wilson (Florida State). LSU, Pittsburgh and USC lead the way with 3 candidates each and 17 other schools boast 2 candidates.
Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced November 3, 2020, while the three finalists for the Bednarik Award will be unveiled November 23, 2020. The winner of the 2020 Bednarik Awards will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 10, 2020. The formal presentations of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel &Casino Atlantic City on March 12, 2021.
Players Mentioned
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