AUGUSTA, Ga. – Texas A&M punter Braden Mann was named one of 10 semifinalists for the Ray Guy Award, presented annually to the nation's top punter, the Augusta Sports Council announced Thursday.
Mann leads the FBS in gross punting and has broken or tied two NCAA records thus far in the 2018 season. He is averaging 50.95 yards per punt, the best mark in college football history by just under a yard.
In September at No. 1 Alabama, Mann broke the NCAA record for the high gross punt average in a single game at 60.8 yards on five boots, breaking the old record of 60.4 which was originally set in 1983 and matched in 2010.
Against Ole Miss, Mann uncorked his 13th 60-yard punt of the season, tying Wake Forest's Ryan Plackemeier (2005) for the most 60-yard punts in a single season. Thirteen of his 40 punts this season have traveled 60-or-more yards, including a career-long and FBS-leading 82-yarder against Kentucky.
A national voting body of FBS sports information directors, national media and previous Ray Guy Award winners will decide the three award finalists, who will be announced on Tuesday, November 20th at 1:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU. Voters will then determine the winner, who will be announced live on Thursday, December 6th at The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN in Atlanta.
2018 Ray Guy Award Semifinalists
Blake Cusick, Fresno State
Braden Mann, Texas A&M
Brandon Wright, Georgia State
Cody Grace, Arkansas State
Dominic Panazzolo, Texas Tech
Drue Chrisman, Ohio State
Jack Fox, Rice
James Smith, Cincinnati
Mitch Wishnowsky, Utah
Tommy Townsend, Florida
Mann leads the FBS in gross punting and has broken or tied two NCAA records thus far in the 2018 season. He is averaging 50.95 yards per punt, the best mark in college football history by just under a yard.
In September at No. 1 Alabama, Mann broke the NCAA record for the high gross punt average in a single game at 60.8 yards on five boots, breaking the old record of 60.4 which was originally set in 1983 and matched in 2010.
Against Ole Miss, Mann uncorked his 13th 60-yard punt of the season, tying Wake Forest's Ryan Plackemeier (2005) for the most 60-yard punts in a single season. Thirteen of his 40 punts this season have traveled 60-or-more yards, including a career-long and FBS-leading 82-yarder against Kentucky.
A national voting body of FBS sports information directors, national media and previous Ray Guy Award winners will decide the three award finalists, who will be announced on Tuesday, November 20th at 1:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU. Voters will then determine the winner, who will be announced live on Thursday, December 6th at The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN in Atlanta.
2018 Ray Guy Award Semifinalists
Blake Cusick, Fresno State
Braden Mann, Texas A&M
Brandon Wright, Georgia State
Cody Grace, Arkansas State
Dominic Panazzolo, Texas Tech
Drue Chrisman, Ohio State
Jack Fox, Rice
James Smith, Cincinnati
Mitch Wishnowsky, Utah
Tommy Townsend, Florida