Golson, Wallace Named Semifinalists for National Awards

Nov. 3, 2014

OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss seniors Bo Wallace and Senquez Golson are being considered two of the best players in the country this season, as they were named semifinalists for the Maxwell Award and Chuck Bednarik Award, respectively, on Monday.

The Maxwell Award, in its 78th year, is awarded to the Collegiate Player of the Year, while the Chuck Bednarik Award, in its 20th year, goes to the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year in college football.

There are 20 semifinalists for each award, as selected by the Maxwell Football Club National Selection Committee.

Wallace is having a banner year leading the nationally ranked 7-2 Rebels. He is on pace to break several of Eli Manning's season and career records and is the SEC's active leader in total offensive yards (9,724), touchdown responsibility (77), completions (697), attempts (1,087), passing yards (8,756) and touchdown passes (60).

The Pulaski, Tennessee, native ranks top 30 nationally in passing, total offense, passing touchdowns and passing efficiency. In SEC play, he's been extremely efficient, throwing for 10 touchdowns and a league-best one interception.

A strong field of Maxwell Award semifinalists includes a representative from every Power Five conference, including fellow SEC players in Alabama's Amari Cooper, Auburn's Nick Marshall and Mississippi State's Dak Prescott.

The only player in Ole Miss history to win the Maxwell Award was Eli Manning in 2003.

Golson has become a star in his senior season, leading the SEC and ranking second nationally with nine interceptions. That's the second-most picks in a season ever by an Ole Miss player. The Pascagoula, Mississippi, native has had at least one interception in each of the last five games, all against SEC competition, to raise his career total to 15, which is tied for fourth in the school record books. His signature moment came against then-No. 1 Alabama, when he sealed the Rebels' victory with an interception in the end zone.

Other SEC players on the Bednarik Award list include Alabama's Landon Collins, Florida's Vernon Hargreaves, Mississippi State's Benardrick McKinney and Missouri's Shane Ray.

Last season, the Maxwell Award went to Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron, while the Bednarik Award was earned by defensive tackle Aaron Donald of Pittsburgh.

The winners of the 78th Maxwell Award and the 20th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show which will be broadcast on ESPN on December 11, 2014. Three finalists for each award will be announced on November 24, 2014 and a second round of voting will take place at that time. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club's 78th Awards Gala on Friday, March 13, 2014 at the Tropicana Resort & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Semifinalist voting for both of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Thursday, November 6th and close on Sunday November 23rd. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA Head Football Coaches, Sports Information Directors and selected national media.

The Maxwell and Chuck Bednarik Awards are members of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 21 awards boast 699 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more.

Follow Ole Miss Football on Twitter (@OleMissFB) and Facebook (Facebook.com/OleMissFootball), in addition to www.OleMissSports.com.

2014 Maxwell Award Semifinalists:

First	Last	Positon	School	Class

Ameer	Abdullah	RB	Nebraska	Senior
Javorius	Allen	RB	USC	Junior
Trevone	Boykin	QB	TCU	Junior
Rakeem	Cato	QB	Marshall	Senior
Tevin	Coleman	RB	Indiana	Junior
James	Conner	RB	Pittsburgh	Soph.
Connor	Cook	QB	Michigan State	Junior
Amari	Cooper	WR	Alabama	Junior
Everett	Golson	QB	Notre Dame	Senior
Melvin	Gordon	RB	Wisconsin	Junior
Brett	Hundley	QB	UCLA	Junior
Duke	Johnson	RB	Miami	Junior
Marcus	Mariota	QB	Oregon	Junior
Nick	Marshall	QB	Auburn	Senior
Bryce	Petty	QB	Baylor	Senior
Dak	Prescott	QB	Mississippi State	Junior
Bo	Wallace	QB	Ole Miss	Senior
Jake	Waters	QB	Kansas State	Senior
Kevin	White	WR	West Virginia	Senior
Jameis	Winston	QB	Florida State	Soph.

2014 Chuck Bednarik Award Semifinalists:

First	Last	Positon	School
Vic	Beasley	DE	Clemson	Senior
Joey	Bosa	DE	Ohio State	Soph.
Shilique	Calhoun	DE	Michigan State	Junior
Landon	Collins	S	Alabama	Junior
Ifo	Ekpre-Olomu	CB	Oregon	Senior
Senquez	Golson	CB	Ole Miss	Senior
Randy	Gregory	DE	Nebraska	Junior
Vernon	Hargreaves III	CB	Florida	Soph.
Jordan	Hicks	LB	Texas	Senior
Gerod	Holliman	S	Louisville	Soph.
Hau'oli	Kikaha	LB	Washington	Senior
Benardrick	McKinney	LB	Mississippi State	Junior
Shawn	Oakman	DE	Baylor	Junior
Nate	Orchard	DE	Utah	Senior
Denzel	Perryman	LB	Miami	Senior
Shane	Ray	DE	Missouri	Junior
Danny	Shelton	DT	Washington	Senior
Jaylon	Smith	LB	Notre Dame	Soph.
Leonard	Williams	DE	USC	Junior
Scooby	Wright III	LB	Arizona	Soph.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

2014 Maxwell Award Semifinalists:

2014 Chuck Bednarik Award Semifinalists:

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