USD wide receiver John Matthews has been added to the Walter Payton Award watch list, which recognizes the most outstanding college football player at the FCS level.
The 16 players on the watch list will be voted down to three finalists for the award, which will be announced Dec. 1.
This is the third straight year a USD football player has been on the watch list. Last year, USD quarterback Josh Johnson finished third.
Through 10 games, Matthews leads all Division I FCS players in receptions per game (8.9), receiving yards per game (131.7), total receiving yards (1,317) and is tied for second in scoring (12.0 ppg).
Hurricanes subside
Jonathan Dwyer ran for 128 yards – all in the first half – and Georgia Tech shredded Miami's defense for 472 yards on the ground, ruining the No. 23 Hurricanes' return to the rankings with a 41-23 rout last night.
Miami could have moved a step closer to clinching a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. Instead, the Hurricanes (7-4, 4-3) were soundly beaten in their first game as a ranked team in more than two years.
Georgia Tech (8-3, 5-3) clinched at least a tie for first in Coastal Division, but the Yellow Jackets will need some help because three other contenders would win on a tiebreaker.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
