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TENNESSEE VOLS FOOTBALL: Ross named to Ray Guy Award watch list
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- TENNESSEE VOLS FOOTBALL: Ross named to Ray Guy Award watch list
Tennessee punter Jackson Ross has been named to the 2026 Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List, the Augusta Sports Council announced.
Ross enters his fifth season on Rocky Top and fourth as the Vols' starting punter and holder. The talented Australian was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award in 2025 and returns in 2026 as one of the nation's top returning punters.
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A field-position weapon throughout his Tennessee career, Ross has recorded 63 punts downed inside the 20-yard line and 22 punts of 50-plus yards. He owns a career punting average of 43.4 yards, which ranks third in Tennessee history, while his career-long boot of 71 yards stands among the longest in program history . Ross also holds Tennessee's single-game punting average record at 53.2 yards per punt.
Ross has appeared in 39 career games and has been a four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll. A Tennessee graduate, he earned his degree in May 2026.
Named in honor of football's premier punter, the Ray Guy Award recognizes the nation's top collegiate punter in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Augusta Sports Council established the award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia, native and College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Ray Guy.
Among the statistics considered in selecting the award winner are net punting average, percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line and percentage of punts not returned, with particular emphasis placed on net punting average.
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Previous Ray Guy Award winners will vote to determine the three finalists, who are expected to be announced in late November. Following the announcement of the finalists, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation's top punter. The 2026 Ray Guy Award winner will be announced live during The Home Depot College Football Awards airing on ESPN in December.
Tennessee Football — 2026 Preseason Honors
Head Coach Josh Heupel Dodd Trophy Watch ListRB DeSean Bishop Maxwell Award Watch ListAll-SEC Second Team (Athlon)All-SEC Third Team (Media, Phil Steele)East-West Shrine Bowl 1000LS Bennett Brady Mannelly Award Watch ListAll-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)LB Amare Campbell All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)East-West Shrine Bowl 1000LB Arion Carter Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch ListAll-SEC Third Team (Media, Athlon)All-SEC Fourth Team (Phil Steele)East-West Shrine Bowl 1000TE Ethan Davis John Mackey Award Preseason Watch ListAll-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)East-West Shrine Bowl 1000DL Xavier Gilliam All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)OL Donovan Haslam East-West Shrine Bowl 1000DL Daevin Hobbs All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)DB Kayin Lee East-West Shrine Bowl 1000WR Mike Matthews All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)East-West Shrine Bowl 1000DB TJ Metcalf East-West Shrine Bowl 1000OL Wendell Moe Jr. Lombardi Watch List Outland Trophy Watch ListWalter Camp All-America Second TeamAthlon All-America Third TeamAll-SEC First Team (Athlon)All-SEC Third Team (Media, Phil Steele)East-West Shrine Bowl 1000DB Qua Moss East-West Shrine Bowl 1000OL Jesse Perry All-SEC First Team (Phil Steele)All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)DB Ty Redmond Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch ListAthlon All-America Fourth TeamAll-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)P Jackson Ross East-Ray Guy Award watch list, West Shrine Bowl 1000OL David Sanders Jr. All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)All-SEC Third Team (Media)LB Edwin Spillman AFCA Allstate Good Works Team NomineeWR Braylon Staley All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)LB Jeremiah Telander East-West Shrine Bowl 1000OL Shamurad Umarov East-West Shrine Bowl 1000PK Cooper Ranvier Lou Groza Watch List
