Ollie Gordon II Named a Maxwell Award Semifinalist
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II has been named one of 17 semifinalists for the 87th Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year, announced Monday by the Maxwell Football Club.
A three-time Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week and four-time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, Gordon leads the FBS in nearly every major rushing category, including rushing yards (1,250), rushing yards per game (125.0), 200-yard rushing yards (2) and carries of at least 20 yards (17), 30 yards (13), 40 yards (6) and 70 yards (2).
His performances against Kansas, West Virginia and Cincinnati made home the only FBS player in the past 10 years with 250 scrimmage yards in three straight games, and his 282 rushing yards at West Virginia are the most for any FBS player in a game this season.
Gordon also put together a streak of six straight games with more than 120 yards rushing and two straight games with more than 270 yards rushing. His games against WVU and Cincinnati marked the most rushing yards for an OSU player in a two-game span (553) since Heisman-winner Barry Sanders posted 625 yards against Iowa and Texas Tech in 1988.
He followed that with another impressive performance in a Bedlam win over No. 9 Oklahoma, producing 156 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns.
The field of Maxwell Award semifinalists includes two FBS running backs and three total representatives from the Big 12.
Semifinalist voting will begin November 14 and will close November 26. Three finalists will be announced November 28 and a finalist round of voting will take place at that time. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors and selected national media.
The winner of the 87th Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards, which will be broadcast live on ESPN December 8. The formal presentation of the Maxwell and Chuck Bednarik Awards will take place at the 87th Maxwell Awards Gala, held March 8, 2024.
