November 5, 2026 | Football
News
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois punter Lars Rau was named to the 2026 Ray Guy Award Midseason Watch List, the Augusta Sports Council announced Thursday. Named for football's premier punter, the Ray Guy Award honors the nation's top collegiate punter in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). 63 candidates have been named to the Ray Guy Award Midseason Watch List from a field of 100 nominees.
Rau has punted 23 times for 996 yards (43.3 yards per punt) in 2026, his first season as Illinois' starting punter. He has landed nine punts inside the 20, has four punts over 50 yards, and only two touchbacks.
The Ray Guy Award Committee will determine the ten semifinalists for the Ray Guy Award. The semifinalists will be revealed on November 13. Three finalists will be selected by a national voting body of Football Bowl Subdivision sports information directors, media representatives, and previous Ray Guy Award winners. After the finalists are announced, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation's top punter. The winner of the Ray Guy Award will be announced live during The Home Depot College Football Awards on December 11.
2026 Ray Guy Award Midseason Watch List
Jakob Anderson, Rutgers
Alex Asparuhov, Alabama
Dante Atton, Temple
Atticus Bertrams, UCF
Oscar Bird, Ole Miss
Cam Brown, Michigan
Lachlan Carrigan, USC
John Hoyet Chance, TCU
Reed Chandley, Florida Atlantic
Alec Clark, Florida
Evan Crenshaw, Troy
Rhys Dakin, Michigan State
Conor Donaghy, Jacksonville State
Tashi Dorje, San Diego State
Liam Dougherty, Houston
Oscar Doyle, Boise State
Dylan Drennan, Purdue
Jonah DuPont, Iowa State
Bart Edmiston, Wyoming
Bailey Ettridge, Oregon
Boston Everitt, Iowa
Max Fletcher, Cincinnati
Aidan Flintoft, Stanford
Curtis Gerrand, UCLA
Damon Greaves, Colorado
Hunter Green, Washington
Bryan Hansen, West Virginia
Gehrig Heil, Hawaii
William Hudlow, Tulane
Daniel Hughes, Florida State
Ethan Hyams, Wake Forest
Dylan Joyce, Miami
Hudson Kaak, Auburn
Will Karoll, Texas Tech
Mason Love, South Carolina
Simon McClannan, Kansas State
Matt McKenzie, Kennesaw State
Markus Meincke, Toledo
Tomas O'Halloran, East Carolina
Orion Phillips, Utah
Ed Phillipson, Massachusetts
Ethan Pulliam, Mississippi State
Lars Rau, Illinois
Patrick Rea, James Madison
Brunno Reus, Missouri
Kade Reynoldson, Duke
Gabe Russo, Pitt
Jasper Scaife, Notre Dame
Fuller Shurtz, BYU
Daniel Sparks, Virginia
Pierse Stainton, Miami (Ohio)
Oliver Straw, UAB
Cole Stumbaugh, Ball State
Max Tulen, Tulsa
Jacob Ulrich, Oklahoma
James Wagenseller, Army
Jackson Waller, NC State
Sean West, Wisconsin
Tom Weston, Minnesota
Tyler White, Texas A&M
Palmer Williams, Baylor
Archie Wilson, Nebraska
AJ Winsor, Oregon State
