Joe Michalski Included on Rimington Watch List

The best center in the country could play in Stillwater.

Joe Michalski was named to the Rimington Trophy’s preseason watch list on Friday. The award is given out annually to the most outstanding center in college football. No Cowboy has ever won the award since its inception ahead of the 2000 season. Michalski was one of 40 players on the watch list.

A 6-foot-5, 305-pound redshirt seni0r, Michalski led all Power Five players last season with 1,035 offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. He was one of two linemen last season to play more than 600 pass-block snaps without allowing a sack.

Out of the Kansas side of Kansas City, Michalski enters 2024 with 23 starts under his belt — going back to 2021 — and 47 games played. He was voted a season captain by his teammates in the Cowboys’ 10-4 2023 season.

According to PFF, Michalski’s best game came in OSU’s 39-32 win against Kansas, where Michalski graded at an 82.5. That game saw Ollie Gordon run for 168 yards and a touchdown and have 116 receiving yards and other touchdown. Quarterback Alan Bowman threw for 336 yards and two scores.

The 40-man watch list saw a quartet of Big 12 centers with Gavin Gerhardt (Cincinnati), Connor Pay (BYU) and Leif Fautanu (Arizona State) joining Michalski. Here is a look at all 40 centers to make the watch list: