CHICAGO — South Dakota State defensive tackle Caleb Sanders was named Tuesday as of one of 30 finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented by Stats Perform to the top defensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision.
A senior from Glenwood, Iowa, Sanders leads the Jackrabbits with five sacks and ranks second on the squad with six tackles for loss. He has totaled 24 tackles on the season, 14 of which have been solo stops.
As a team, SDSU leads FCS teams by allowing only 71.4 rushing yards per game and also ranks second in total defense by giving up 255 yards per contest. The Jackrabbits enter the FCS playoffs as the top seed after compiling a 10-1 record in the regular season, including an 8-0 mark in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
The Buchanan Award, first presented in 1995 and in its 28th season, is named for legendary defensive lineman Junious “Buck” Buchanan, who starred at Grambling State as part of his Hall of Fame career. A national media panel will select the Buchanan Award winner, with voting based on the regular season. The recipient will be announced at the FCS National Awards banquet on Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas – on the eve of the national championship game.
