November 23, 2009
NationalChamps.net releases 3rd annual Underdog Award
GIVEN TO THE NATION'S BEST MID-MAJOR PLAYER

In an effort to bring media attention to those players from smaller schools that are too often overlooked for the HEISMAN and other major awards, NationalChamps.net presents our third annual UNDERDOG AWARD to recognize the best FBS Mid-Major player in the nation. In evaluating the rich talent found throughout the 54 schools not aligned in BCS conferences, our commitment to finding overall excellence in college football remains at the forefront of our efforts.

The players listed below have excelled and further stand out from the many great Mid-Major players found throughout the college football landscape. NationalChamps.net initially chose 55 for our 2009 UNDERDOG AWARD Preseason Watch List, which was primarily based upon those players’ 2008 performances. Now, we present the 13 student-athletes for our 2009 UNDERDOG AWARD Semifinalists. These candidates have separated themselves from the others on the Preseason Watch List and stand out as the best 2009 Mid-Major players.

As it was in 2008, the top position appears to again be at quarterback. The nation’s current leader in passing efficiency (168.80) is sophomore Boise State hurler Kellen Moore, one of two undefeated field generals on the Semifinalist list. The other is TCU junior Andy Dalton, who has forged big road wins at Clemson, Virginia and BYU as his No.6 Horned Frogs sit atop the increasingly competitive Mountain West Conference.

Another dual-threat QB with his respective conference’s current best record (9-2) is Central Michigan senior visionary Dan LeFevour. LeFevour is one of three returning 2009 UNDERDOG AWARD Semifinalist QBs, with prolific Houston junior Case Keenum and BYU true senior Max Hall being the others. Keenum’s 25th-ranked Cougars, too, have Conference USA’s best mark (9-2), while Case leads the nation in passing TDs (36), completions (387) and his 4,599 passing yards eclipse the next runner-up by over 1,000 yards. Hall, who is currently second in the nation for pass efficiency (167.16) and tied for third in passing scores (28) as he leads the Mountain West Conference’s top passing program, made a name for himself in Week 1 with an impressive 14-13 road win at then-No.3 Oklahoma. The final quarterback on our list is both the No.12 passer and No.12 rusher (top rushing QB) in the nation, UAB’s unstoppable senior sensation Joe Webb.

Our Semifinalist list features the two top rushers in all of the FBS – juniors Ryan Mathews from Fresno State and Donald Buckram of Texas-El Paso. Buckram leads all runners for total net rushing yards (1,569) and is fifth in rushing TDs (17), while Mathews sits alone as the nation’s top rusher (149 yards per game). The final RB on our list, Bernard Pierce of Temple, is the lone freshman, but his ability to lead the Owls to their first winning record in 19 years and a perfect conference record as they command the Mid-American’s East Division reflect his superior leadership abilities.

Despite constant double-teams, Bowling Green senior Freddie Barnes, one of two WR Semifinalists, easily leads the entire country in receptions (129), receiving yardage (1,482) and is tied for the lead in receiving scores (14). A Chicago-Heights native, Barnes is poised to pass Houston’s Manny Hazard and his 1989 mark of 142 catches to become the FBS’s all-time single-season leader in this category. Central Michigan hybrid standout junior Antonio Brown is known to be LeFevour’s “go to” guy, yet despite all of the extra attention the Miami native draws, he has still been responsible for over one-third of the production in the Mid-American Conference’s top passing (efficiency) scheme and over 26% of the Chippewas entire offensive output. Currently fourth in the nation for All-Purpose Yards (181.8 per game, with two punt returns for scores), Brown is one of two players in the entire history of college football (FBS) to earn First Team All-Conference honors at three different positions in the same season (wide receiver, as well as both punt and kick returner; 2008) and is primed to repeat this incredible feat.

Two defensemen stand out to make the list of 2009 UNDERDOG AWARD Semifinalists. A returning candidate from 2008, First Team All-American senior Jerry Hughes is constantly marked and often avoided, yet Hughes (10th in the country with 10.5 sacks) is the heart and soul of an undefeated defense that ranks in the top six nationally for most major team categories and so far has only allowed six ground scores. By letting in no more than 28 points (vs. Utah) in one game, Hughes and the TCU defense are one of only five FBS stopping units (and the lone Mid-Major) that has yet to allow any foe to reach the vaunted 30-point mark.

Ute senior ball-hawk Robert Johnson is T-11th in the country with five interceptions, which impresses since opponents throw away from him most of the time. Still, the 6’2 Los Angeles-product returned both an INT and one of his two fumble recoveries for scores to verify his game-changing abilities for the nation’s No.10 passing (efficiency) defense.

The 2009 UNDERDOG AWARD Finalists will be presented Tuesday December 1st. We will name the winner of the 2009 UNDERDOG AWARD after Championship Weekend on Wednesday December 9th, 2009.

PRESEASON WATCH LIST (released April 15, 2009)


Semifinalists: Monday, Nov. 23, 2009
Finalists: Tuesday, Dec.1, 2009
Winner: Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009

 
NationalChamps.net 2009 UNDERDOG AWARD SEMIFINALISTS
QB Andy Dalton - TCU
Class: Junior
Height: 6-3 Weight: 215
Hometown: Katy, TX
Team Record: 11-0
Passing
Rushing
CMP ATT YDS CMP% TD INT EFFICIENCY YDS TD
159 255 2256 62.4 18 5 156.0 477 2
 
QB Max Hall - Brigham Young
Class: Senior
Height: 6-1 Weight: 201
Hometown: Mesa, AZ
Team Record: 9-2
Passing
Rushing
CMP ATT YDS CMP% TD INT EFFICIENCY YDS TD
244 347 3234 70.3 28 14 167.2 59 2
 
QB Case Keenum - Houston
Class: Junior
Height: 6-2 Weight: 210
Hometown: Abilene, TX
Team Record: 9-2
Passing
Rushing
CMP ATT YDS CMP% TD INT EFFICIENCY YDS TD
387 553 4599 70.0 36 6 159.2 112 3
 
QB Dan LeFevour - Central Michigan
Class: Senior
Height: 6-3 Weight: 238
Hometown: Downers Grove, IL
Team Record: 9-2
Passing
Rushing
CMP ATT YDS CMP% TD INT EFFICIENCY YDS TD
230 321 2533 71.7 22 5 157.4 626 14
 
QB Kellen Moore - Boise State
Class: Sophomore
Height: 6-0 Weight: 187
Hometown: Prosser, WA
Team Record: 11-0
Passing
Rushing
CMP ATT YDS CMP% TD INT EFFICIENCY YDS TD
218 329 2791 66.3 33 3 168.8 -6 1
 
QB Joe Webb - UAB
Class: Senior
Height: 6-4 Weight: 220
Hometown: Birmingham, AL
Team Record: 5-6
Passing
Rushing
CMP ATT YDS CMP% TD INT EFFICIENCY YDS TD
142 236 1977 60.2 18 7 149.8 1290 10
 
RB Donald Buckram - UTEP
Class: Junior
Height: 5-10 Weight: 195
Hometown: Copperas Cove, TX
Team Record: 3-8
Rushing Receiving
ATT YDS AVG/CARRY AVG/GAME TD REC YDS TD
251 1569 6.3 142.6 17 27 388 3
 
RB Ryan Mathews - Fresno State
Class: Junior
Height: 5-11 Weight: 220
Hometown: Bakersfield, CA
Team Record: 7-4
Rushing Receiving
ATT YDS AVG/CARRY AVG/GAME TD REC YDS TD
213 1491 7.0 149.1 14 11 122 0
 
RB Bernard Pierce - Temple
Class: Freshman
Height: 6-0 Weight: 212
Hometown: Ardmore, PA
Team Record: 9-2
Rushing Receiving
ATT YDS AVG/CARRY AVG/GAME TD REC YDS TD
224 1308 5.8 118.9 15 5 6 0
 
WR Freddie Barnes - Bowling Green
Class: Senior
Height: 6-0 Weight: 206
Hometown: Chicago Hts., IL
Team Record: 6-5
Receiving
REC YDS AVG/CATCH TD
129 1482 11.5 14
 
WR Antonio Brown - Central Michigan
Class: Junior
Height: 5-10 Weight: 180
Hometown: Miami, FL
Team Record: 9-2
Receiving
REC YDS AVG/CATCH TD
80 904 11.3 9
Special Teams
RETURNS
ATTEMPTS YARDS AVG TD
PUNT RETURNS
18 279 15.5 2
KICK RETURNS
25 511 20.4 0
 
DB Robert Johnson - Utah
Class: Senior
Height: 6-2 Weight: 200
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Team Record: 9-2
Defense
TACKLES TACKLES FOR LOSS SACKS INTERCEPTIONS
62 4 0 5
 
DE Jerry Hughes - TCU
Class: Senior
Height: 6-3 Weight: 257
Hometown: Sugar Land, TX
Team Record: 11-0
Receiving
TACKLES TACKLES FOR LOSS SACKS INT
53 14 10.5 0