Oklahoma State University Athletics
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Oliver an FWAA Freshman of the Year Award Finalist
December 29, 2021 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State defensive end Collin Oliver is one of three national finalists for the 2021 FWAA Freshman of the Year Award, it was announced Wednesday by the Football Writers Association of America.
The only defensive player in the FBS to be included, Oliver is joined as a finalist by Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers.
A true freshman from Edmond, Oklahoma, Oliver has had an unprecedented year at Oklahoma State. He was a unanimous selection as the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year by the league's coaches and earned a spot on true freshman All-America teams by ESPN, 247Sports, The Athletic and Pro Football Focus.
Oliver has 11.5 sacks so far in 2021 and one more game to play. His sack total ranks No. 7 among all FBS players, No. 1 in the Big 12 and No. 1 among all Power Five freshmen. He's already broken OSU's freshman sack record (tracked since 1981) of 9.0 set by Rodney Harding in 1981 and could climb higher on OSU's all-time single season sacks list, as he enters the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl with the seventh-best total in school history.
On top of his sack numbers, Oliver also leads the Cowboys and ranks No. 1 among all Power Five freshmen with 15.0 tackles for loss on the season.
Oliver, who is also a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman Year of the Award, has helped Oklahoma State lead the FBS in sacks and tackles for loss in 2021. OSU also leads the Big 12 and ranks No. 8 in the country in scoring defense.
One of Oliver's biggest moments from the year included recording the game-winning sack on Oklahoma's final offensive snap of the Bedlam game and recording multiple-sack performances against Oklahoma and in both matchups against Baylor.
The winner of the FWAA Freshman of the Year Award will be announced in January 2022.
The only defensive player in the FBS to be included, Oliver is joined as a finalist by Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers.
A true freshman from Edmond, Oklahoma, Oliver has had an unprecedented year at Oklahoma State. He was a unanimous selection as the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year by the league's coaches and earned a spot on true freshman All-America teams by ESPN, 247Sports, The Athletic and Pro Football Focus.
Oliver has 11.5 sacks so far in 2021 and one more game to play. His sack total ranks No. 7 among all FBS players, No. 1 in the Big 12 and No. 1 among all Power Five freshmen. He's already broken OSU's freshman sack record (tracked since 1981) of 9.0 set by Rodney Harding in 1981 and could climb higher on OSU's all-time single season sacks list, as he enters the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl with the seventh-best total in school history.
On top of his sack numbers, Oliver also leads the Cowboys and ranks No. 1 among all Power Five freshmen with 15.0 tackles for loss on the season.
Oliver, who is also a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman Year of the Award, has helped Oklahoma State lead the FBS in sacks and tackles for loss in 2021. OSU also leads the Big 12 and ranks No. 8 in the country in scoring defense.
One of Oliver's biggest moments from the year included recording the game-winning sack on Oklahoma's final offensive snap of the Bedlam game and recording multiple-sack performances against Oklahoma and in both matchups against Baylor.
The winner of the FWAA Freshman of the Year Award will be announced in January 2022.
Players Mentioned
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