Football | 10/12/2016 4:07:00 PM

OVERLAND PARK, Kansas – Thirty NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision student-athletes who excel both on and off the field, including Georgia Southern senior running back Matt Breida, were selected today as candidates for the 2016 Senior CLASS Award in collegiate football along with the Senior CLASS Award's first-ever honorary nominee. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I FBS senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. The complete list of candidates follows this release.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.  

Of the 30 candidates, 18 have grade-point averages of 3.0 or higher with seven of those holding above a 3.5. Five are returning All-Americans, and 22 were all-conference selections in 2016. Outside of academics and athletics, all candidates have been consistently involved in community service on their campus or in their communities. 

This year, the Senior CLASS Award also will honor deceased Nebraska student-athlete Sam Foltz by making him an honorary candidate. The 2015 Big Ten Punter of the Year and a preseason candidate for the Ray Guy Award, Foltz was killed in an automobile accident on July 23, 2016, after attending a kicking camp in Wisconsin. A standout on the field as well as in the classroom and community, Foltz was a five-time member of the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll, a member of both the Brook Berringer and Tom Osborne Citizenship teams, and earlier this year was awarded a Nebraska Student-Athlete HERO Leadership Award, which recognizes exceptional leadership, consistent and dedicated community service and positive influence on the team. 

To determine the final Senior CLASS Award winner, the 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition. Along with the winner, the 10 finalists will be awarded Senior CLASS Award first- or second-team honors. 

The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the football bowl season in early January. For more information on the candidates, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.

Football Candidates
Zach Banner, Southern California     
Adam Bisnowaty, Pittsburgh    
Matt Breida, Georgia Southern    
Richie Brown, Mississippi State    
Roman Buchanan, South Alabama    
Joe Burger, Ohio State    
Jake Butt, Michigan    
Mike Caprara, Pittsburgh    
Nick Cuthbert, Kent State    
DeVon Edwards, Duke    
Jake Elliott, Memphis    
Evan Engram, Ole Miss    
Dane Evans, Tulsa    
Jordan Evans, Oklahoma    
O.J. Howard, Alabama    
Skyler Howard, West Virginia
Ryan Janvion, Wake Forest
Zay Jones, East Carolina
Chad Kelly, Ole Miss
KeVonn Mabon, Ball State
Viliami Moeakiola, Arizona State
Tyler Orlosky, West Virginia
Mitchell Paige, Indiana
Josiah Price, Michigan State
Travis Seefeldt, Utah State
Fish Smithson, Kansas
Weston Steelhammer, Air Force
Justin Vogel, Miami (FL)
Greg Ward Jr., Houston
Tre'Davious White, Louisiana State
Sam Foltz, Nebraska (Honorary)