Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech ties for national lead with Outland trio
August 04, 2026 | Football
LUBBOCK, Texas — Texas Tech boasted a trio of linemen on the 2026 Outland Trophy Watch List, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced Tuesday. Defensive tackle A.J. Holmes Jr. and offensive linemen Howard Sampson and Sheridan Wilson were among the 68 players recognized for the annual award, which honors the nation's most outstanding interior lineman on either the offensive or defensive side of the ball.
Texas Tech shared the national lead with Oregon and Ohio State with three selections. The Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC each placed 14 players on this year's watch list.
Holmes, the 2026 Preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, earned second-team All-America honors from the Associated Press last season after helping Texas Tech finish third nationally in both scoring defense (11.8 points per game) and total defense (258.3 yards per game). Sampson started all 14 games at left tackle in his first season as a Red Raider in 2025, while Wilson, already named a team captain for 2026, led the Red Raiders up front for the second consecutive season at center, extending his streak to 27 consecutive starts.
There are 21 offensive tackles on this year's list, leading the individual positions, to go along with 18 guards, 16 defensive tackles and 13 centers.
The FWAA will announce the Outland Trophy semifinalists on Nov. 18, and those players will then be pared down to three finalists announced on Nov. 24. The Outland Trophy winner is selected from those finalists who will be part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting on input from the entire membership, selects a 26-man first team and eventually the three Outland finalists. Committee members then vote by individual ballot to select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends and edge rushers are not eligible.
Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the season. For a fourth year now, the FWAA will announce an Outland Trophy National Player of the Week each Tuesday this season. If not already on the watch list, each week's honored player will be added at that time.
About the FWAA/Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy, celebrating its 81st year since its founding, is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them.
The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards. The NCFAA's 25 awards have honored nearly 1,000 recipients since 1935.
Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a three-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates. Following is the remaining 2026 preseason watch list calendar:
Texas Tech shared the national lead with Oregon and Ohio State with three selections. The Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC each placed 14 players on this year's watch list.
Holmes, the 2026 Preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, earned second-team All-America honors from the Associated Press last season after helping Texas Tech finish third nationally in both scoring defense (11.8 points per game) and total defense (258.3 yards per game). Sampson started all 14 games at left tackle in his first season as a Red Raider in 2025, while Wilson, already named a team captain for 2026, led the Red Raiders up front for the second consecutive season at center, extending his streak to 27 consecutive starts.
There are 21 offensive tackles on this year's list, leading the individual positions, to go along with 18 guards, 16 defensive tackles and 13 centers.
The FWAA will announce the Outland Trophy semifinalists on Nov. 18, and those players will then be pared down to three finalists announced on Nov. 24. The Outland Trophy winner is selected from those finalists who will be part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting on input from the entire membership, selects a 26-man first team and eventually the three Outland finalists. Committee members then vote by individual ballot to select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends and edge rushers are not eligible.
Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the season. For a fourth year now, the FWAA will announce an Outland Trophy National Player of the Week each Tuesday this season. If not already on the watch list, each week's honored player will be added at that time.
About the FWAA/Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy, celebrating its 81st year since its founding, is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them.
The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards. The NCFAA's 25 awards have honored nearly 1,000 recipients since 1935.
Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a three-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates. Following is the remaining 2026 preseason watch list calendar:
- Wed., Aug. 5: John Mackey Award
- Thu., Aug. 6: Rimington Trophy
- Fri., Aug. 7: Lou Groza Award
- Mon., Aug. 10: Paul Hornung Award
- Tue., Aug. 11: Allstate Wuerffel Trophy
- Wed., Aug. 12: Paycom Jim Thorpe Award
- Thu., Aug. 13: Butkus Award
- Fri., Aug. 14: Ray Guy Award
- Mon., Aug. 17: Walter Camp Award
- Tue., Aug. 18: Doak Walker Award
- Wed., Aug. 19: Biletnikoff Award
- Thu., Aug. 20: Davey O'Brien Award
- Fri., Aug. 21: Bednarik Award
Players Mentioned
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Tuesday, August 04
Tuesday, August 04
Friday, July 31