Andrew Rodriguez

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Justin Fields, Trevor Lawrence only college football players named as Sullivan Award semifinalists

By John TaylorMar 10, 2020, 12:24 PM EDT

It’s not just offseason Heisman hype in which Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence are connected.

Tuesday, the AAU Sullivan Award announced the 30 semifinalists for its 2020 trophy, which is handed out annually to the nation’s top amateur athlete. Just two of the semifinalists are college football players — Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields and Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

The two players, who are both rising third-year juniors, have been connected to one another going back to their days in high school.

Both played their high school ball in the state of Georgia. Lawrence was the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2018. The No. 2 player? Fields. Lawrence’s Tigers, of course, beat Fields’ Buckeyes in a come-from-behind win in one of the two 2019 College Football Playoff semifinal matchups this past season.

Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence will be looking to become the first football player to win the award since Navy’s Keenan Reynolds in 2016. That year, Reynolds actually shared the award with UConn women’s basketball player Breanna Stewart.

Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott was the 2015 winner of the Sullivan, while Penn State offensive lineman John Urschel claimed the 2014 honor. Six other college football players have earned an honor handed out annually since 1930: Felix “Doc” Blanchard (Army, 1945), Arnold Tucker (Army, 1946), Charlie Ward (Florida State, 1993), Peyton Manning (Tennessee, 1997), Tim Tebow (Florida, 2007) and Andrew Rodriguez (Army, 2011)  .

Athletic prowess, though, isn’t the only determining factor. From the Sullivan Award’s website:

Based on the qualities of leadership, character, sportsmanship, and the ideals of amateurism, the AAU Sullivan Award goes far beyond athletic accomplishments and honors those who have shown strong moral character.

Derrick Henry and Keenan Reynolds are finalists for Sullivan Award

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By Kevin McGuireMar 18, 2016, 10:16 AM EDT

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Alabama running back Derrick Henry added a truckload of awards last season while powering Alabama to a national championship run. Henry won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award and the Walter Camp Award in addition to being named a unanimous All-American and taking home SEC Offensive Player of the Year and SEC Championship Game MVP honors. Henry may be focusing on the NFL now, but he may not be done collecting hardware for his most recent season with the Crimson Tide.

Henry is one of seven finalists for the Sullivan Award, awarded to the top amateur athlete across all amateur sports. Navy’s Keenan Reynolds was also named a finalist. Henry and Reynolds are the only two college football players left standing.Clemson’s Deshaun Watson and Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey were semifinalists for the award.

A college football player has won the award three out of the last four years. Last year saw Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott win the award. The year before that it was Penn State offensive lineman John Urschel. Army’s Andrew Rodriguez won the award two years prior to that, with Olympic star Missy Franklin taking home the award in 2013 following her dominant showing in the 2012 summer Olympics (four gold medals, one bronze). Other past winners from the college football gridiron include Tim Tebow and Peyton Manning.

Fans can cast their vote for their Sullivan Award pick online until Wednesday, March 23 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

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Deshaun Watson, Christian McCaffrey semifinalists for Sullivan Award

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By John TaylorMar 7, 2016, 11:51 AM EST

Akron tops Utah State, wins first bowl game in program history

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By JJ StankevitzDec 22, 2015, 7:01 PM EST

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For the first time in Akron’s 30-year history at college football’s top level, it won a bowl game.

The 8-5 Zips shut down Utah State’s offense and capitalized on a few mistakes en route to a 23-21 win in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Tuesday afternoon in Boise. It was only the second bowl game in Akron history, with the first was the 2005 Motor City Bowl, a 38-31 loss to Memphis.

The win over Utah State was the culmination of an impressive turnaround engineered by fourth-year coach Terry Bowden. Akron had back-to-back-to-back 1-11 seasons from 2010-2012, a stretch which includes Bowden’s first year at the helm. After going 5-7 in both 2013 and 2014, Bowden steered Akron to seven regular-season wins, and the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl win gave the Zips a program-best eight victories.

It’s remarkable Bowden is the one leading this turnaround, too. The former Auburn coach — he was there from 1993-1998 and led the Tigers to five top-25 finishes in six seasons, including a No. 4 final ranking in 1993. But he hadn’t worked as an FBS head coach in 14 years when Akron hired him before the 2012 season, and his last bowl win came 18 years ago.

Utah State took a one-point lead early in the third quarter when quarterback Kent Myers found receiver Hunter Sharp for a 19-yard touchdown. After forcing a three-and-out on Akron’s next possession, Utah State had a chance to pull away a bit, but receiver Andrew Rodriguez lost a fumble at the Aggies’ 40-yard line. Akron promptly marched into the end zone in eight plays, and in the fourth quarter added a field goal that proved to be necessary late in the game.

With Chuckie Keeton back at quarterback — Kent Myers also played — Utah State drove into the end zone with 72 seconds remaining, cutting Akron’s lead to two. The Zips recovered an onside kick, though, and successfully stuffed a few last-ditch Aggie laterals to seal their victory.

Akron quarterback Thomas Woodson completed 14 of 29 passes for 168 yards, rushed 16 times for 47 yards and caught a touchdown from receiver Tyrell Goodman on a slick gadget play in the first quarter.

The bowl game was the final one on the Utah State sidelines for offensive coordinator Josh Heupel, who was hired as Mizzou’s offensive coordinator earlier this month.