Tylan Wallace, Alex Hale Named Semifinalists for National Awards

Tylan Wallace probably should’ve won the Biletnikoff in 2018, but depending on his availability for the Cowboys moving forward, he could have a chance to take home the award in 2020.

Wallace was named a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff, given to college football’s best receiver, on Monday. Wallace is one of 11 semifinalists for the award, the only from the Big 12.

Wallace is the Big 12’s leading receiver with 877 yards in 2020. He was a finalist for the award as a sophomore before Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy took home the hardware. Wallace was also on pace to make a run at the award last season before an ACL tear ended his year.

Wallace left Saturday’s game against TCU with a “lower extremity” injury, and his status is uncertain entering OSU’s regular season finale against Baylor this weekend.

Wallace wasn’t the only Cowboy who made a semifinal list, though. Alex Hale, OSU’s sophomore kicker, was also named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza award.

Hale winning seems bleak considering an injury in Bedlam warmups has seen him miss OSU’s past two contests, but even being a semifinalist for the award is a solid honor considering it’s the first year Hale has started.

Hale has made 13 of his 14 field-goal attempts this season. His 93 percent make rate is highest among Big 12 kickers with at least three attempts.

Somewhat remarkably, not one of Tre Sterling, Rodarius Williams and Kolby Harvell-Peel made the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist list.

Finalists for the Biletnikoff and Groza awards will be announced Dec. 22, with the winners being announced Jan. 7.