Boise State, Utah Appear In SI.com's Preseason Predictions

Sports Illustrated's web writers had some kind words to say about Boise State and Utah Wednesday.

2013 Senior Bowl Watch List: Star Lotulelei Headlines List

For the first time in its history, the Senior Bowl has released a watch list of players that could be considered to participate in the 2013 Senior Bowl. On that list are six from the state of Utah as well as one from Boise State.

One of the headliners of the list is defensive tackle Star Lotulelei of Utah, a candidate for the 2012 Nagurski Award and widely considered the top defensive tackle in the nation for the 2012 season. Lotulelei, a potential top five pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, is joined on the list by Southern Utah QB Brad Sorenson, Boise State running back D.J. Harper, Utah running back John White IV, Utah State running back Kerwynn Williams and Utah long snapper Patrick Greene.

The Senior Bowl is the most prestigious of the college football annual all-star games and is attended by NFL coaches, scouts and talent evaluators as they prepare for the NFL Draft.

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College Football Preseason All-America Team: Utah's Star Lotulelei Tabbed On Defensive Line

This probably won't be the first time you see Star Lotulelei garnering attention. The writers for the network of college blogs here on SB Nation named Utah's big defensive tackle to its Preseason All-American team. Lotulelei is expected to have a big year, as he returns for his senior season despite the clear potential to have been drafted after last season.

The 6-foot-4, 320-pound lineman controls the middle of trenches for the Utes, a defense that finished 2011 ranked 20th nationally in stopping the run and surrendered just 114 rushing yards per game. Last year, Lotulelei started all 13 games on his way to First Team Pac-12 honors, as well as receiving the Morris Trophy as the Pac-12's best defensive lineman. His nine tackles for loss ranked second on the team, and the big man also posted 44 total tackles, a productive number for a player heralded as a typical defensive tackle meant mostly to occupy blockers.

Lotulelei is expected to be drafted in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

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2012 College Football Awards: Southern Utah's Brad Sorenson Makes Unitas Watch List

The 2012 watch list for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award was released on Tuesday and Southern Utah quarterback Brad Sorenson is one of the names that people should be keeping an eye on.

The 6-foot-5, 235 pound senior was named the Great Western Conference offensive player of the year in 2011 as well as first-team all-GWC after completing 288-of-425 passes and throwing for 3,143 yards and 17 touchdowns. The Thunderbirds finished the 2011 campaign with a record of 6-5.

In his career at So. Utah, Sorenson has thrown for 6,306 yards and 38 touchdowns.

The 2012 football season will usher in a new era in So. Utah football as the school will play it's inaugural season in the Big Sky Conference. Last year, the Thunderbirds went 3-0 against Big Sky competition.

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2012 Manning Award Watch List: Wyoming's Brett Smith Only Sophomore Named To List

The 2012 Manning Award Watch List has made its way out and for Wyoming Cowboys quarterback Brett Smith there is plenty to celebrate. He is one of two quarterbacks from the Mountain West Conference to make the initial cut and the only sophomore quarterback to appear on the preseason list.

The Manning Award, first given out in 2005, is given out to the top quarterback after the postseason takes place. The award is given out in honor of the Manning family of quarterbacks: Archie, Peyton and Eli. Robert Griffin III of Baylor won the award this past season.

Our Wyoming blog, Cowboy Altitude, has begun its preview for this upcoming season and recently profiled the quarterbacks. Here is just a snippet of that preview:

Brett Smith amazed the Mountain West and opened some eyes on the national level with his incredible freshmen season. The dual threat from Salem, Oregon certainly exceeded expectations on the way to being named Mountain West Freshmen of the Year. 61% completion percentage, 2622 yards passing, 710 rushing yards and 31 total touchdowns.

Smith and the Cowboys start the season on Sept. 1 with a road game against the Texas Longhorns.

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2012 College Football Awards: Utah's RB John White On Walter Camp Watch List

Senior RB John White IV of the Utah Utes is the Beehive State's lone representative in the 2012 Walter Camp Player of the Yeah Watch List. The preseason watch list attempts to predict the top candidates for the prestigious Walter Camp Player of the Year award, which goes to the top player in college football each year, but players not on the watch list are also eligible to win.

Past winners include WR Larry Fitzgerald, RB Darren McFadden and two-time winner RB O.J. Simpson. Utah's White ran for an impressive 1519 yards in his junior year (2011), averaging 4.8 yards per carry with 15 touchdowns.

White is also up for the 2012 Doak Walker Award, which goes to the nation's top running back.

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2012 Doak Walker Award Watch List: Boise State's D.J. Harper, Utah's John White Headline Rocky Mountain Region Players

The last of the 2012 preseason award watch lists are coming out this week, and on Thursday the Doak Walker candidates were unveiled. The Doak Walker award is presented to the nation's top running back.

While Air Force, Colorado and Colorado State don't have any candidates, there are several players from around the Rocky Mountain region that are early contenders for the award. They are:

Michael Alisa, BYU, Jr. - 85 attempts, 455 yards, three touchdowns in 2011
D.J. Harper, Boise St., Sr. - 115 attempts, 557 yards, nine touchdowns in 2011
John White IV, Utah, Sr. - 316 attempts, 1,519 yards, 15 touchdowns in 2011
Kerwynn Williams, Utah St., Sr. - 81 attempts, 542 yards, three touchdowns in 2011

A complete list can be found here (PDF).

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2012 College Football Awards: BYU's Riley Nelson Makes Davey O'Brien Watch List

BYU Cougars quarterback Riley Nelson split time in 2011 with Jake Heaps, but it was Nelson that put up the far better numbers and eventually took over the starting job on a permanent basis heading into the 2012 season. Heaps, of course, has transferred to play for Charlie Weis at Kansas, leaving Nelson to lead BYU's traditionally vaunted passing offense by himself.

In anticipation of this, Nelson has been named to the 2012 Davey O'Brien Award watch list. The award is given out to the best quarterback in the country, and though Nelson will put up numbers provided he stays healthy, he will have some stiff competition.

In 2011, Nelson threw for 1,717 yards and 19 touchdowns to seven interceptions. His QB rating of 152.94 would have been third in the nation had he qualified.

For more, stick with SB Nation Denver. Make sure to go check out Ralphie Report for more Colorado coverage. For more news, notes and analysis from around the country, head over to SB Nation's college football news hub.

College Football Awards 2012: Biletnikoff Watch List Includes WRs From Boise State, BYU And Utah

In every college football season since 1994, the Biletnikoff Award has been presented to the nation's most outstanding receiver. The list of winners includes NFL stars like Randy Moss (1997), Larry Fitzgerald (2003) and Calvin Johnson (2006), along with plenty of other high NFL draft picks. The Preseason Watch List for the 2012 Biletnikoff Award has been released, and prospects from the Boise State Broncos, BYU Cougars and Utah Utes all made the cut.

Utah's senior wide receiver DeVonte Christopher, BYU's junior WR Cody Hoffman and Boise State's sophomore pass catcher Matt Miller join a long list of hopefuls for the upcoming season. Here is a look at the full list of candidates placed on the preseason watch list:

The 2012 winner will announced live on December 6, 2012.

College Football Award Watch Lists 2012: Lombardi Award Has Representatives From Colorado, CSU, Utah And UT

The 2012 Rotary Lombardi Award, which goes every year to the nation's top lineman or linebacker, has released it's latest watch list, and among the entrants are a slew of local players.

This year's crop includes players from the Colorado Buffaloes, Colorado St. Rams, Utah Utes and Utah State Aggies. Past winners have included LB A.J. Hawk, LB Terrell Suggs, DE Julius Peppers and OT Orlando Pace (the only two-time winner). Here is a look at the local contenders, with player highlights courtesy of Yahoo!:

For more, stick with SB Nation Denver. Make sure to go check out Ralphie Report for more Colorado coverage. For more news, notes and analysis from around the country, head over to SB Nation's college football news hub.

College Football Awards 2012: Colorado's Doug Rippy On Butkus Award Watch List

Colorado Buffaloes linebacker Douglas Rippy was one of the most productive linebackers in the Pac-12 last season before tearing his ACL in the team's seventh game against the Washington Huskies. Those seven games, though, were enough to get him placed on the 2012 Butkus Award Watch List. The award is given out to the top linebacker in college football. In those seven games last season, Rippy amassed 43 total tackles, as well as 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

BYU Cougars linebacker Uona Kaveinga is also tabbed on the watch list. In 13 games last season, Kaveinga totaled 57 tackles, with 4.5 of those going for a loss. He also forced four fumbles and broke up a pass.

For more, stick with SB Nation Denver. Make sure to go check out Ralphie Report for more Colorado coverage. For more news, notes and analysis from around the country, head over to SB Nation's college football news hub.

College Football Award 2012: Nagurski, Outland Watch Lists Unveiled

The latest news from the college football award world is that a pair of Colorado lineman may be up for the nation's top offensive lineman trophy, the Outland Trophy.

Both the Bronco Nagurski Award and the Outland Trophy released their watch lists for the 2012 awards. Of the 71 watch lists players for the Outland, two hale from Centennial State schools, while a number of others call the Rocky Mountain region home:

Outland Trophy Watch List

• OT David Bakhtiari, Colorado
• C Weston Richburg, Colorado State
• G Joe Kellogg, Boise State
• C Tyler Larsen, Utah State
• G Braden Hansen, BYU
• DT Star Lotulelei, Utah

The Bronco Nagurski Award, which goes annually to the nation's top defensive player, also has its share of Rocky Mountain region players:

Bronco Nagurski Award List

• DT Star Lotulelei, Utah
• LB Kyle Van Noy, BYU

For more, stick with SB Nation Denver. Make sure to go check out Ralphie Report for more Colorado coverage. For more news, notes and analysis from around the country, head over to SB Nation's college football news hub.

College Football Award Watch Lists 2012: Lou Groza, Ray Guy Lists Revealed

College football teams in the Rockies aren't exactly known for their special teams (is any team?), but local-area teams are well represented on the newly released watch lists for both the Lou Groza and Ray Guy awards. The former is given to the best kicker in the nation, while the latter is given out to the best punter in the nation.

Amongst the watch list nominees for the Lou Groza Award is Parker Harrington of the Air Force Falcons, who was 15-for-18 on field goals last season and 45-for-48 on extra points. The Ray Guy Award watch list includes Tyler Bennett of the Utah State Aggies, Pete Kontodiakos of the Colorado State Rams, Darragh O'Neill of the Colorado Buffaloes and Sean Sellwood of the Utah Utes. Those four punters, though, may have a tough time beating Brad Wing of the LSU Tigers.

For more, stick with SB Nation Denver. Make sure to go check out Ralphie Report for more Colorado coverage. For more Mountain West, head over to Mountain West Connection. For more news, notes and analysis from around the country, head over to SB Nation's college football news hub.

College Football Awards List 2012: Local Prospects Earn Mackey TE And Rimington C Mentions

Over at SB Nation's college football news hub, Jason Kirk has been putting together college football awards watch lists for 2012, and after looking at the candidates for the Mackey tight end award and the Rimington center award there are plenty of good, local prospects to watch this year.

At tight end, Colorado State TE Crockett Gillmore makes the list, while over at center Colorado C Gus Handler, Utah State C Tyler Larsen, Colorado St. C Weston Richburg and Utah C Tevita Stevens are all potential award-winners in 2012. To check out the complete lists, be sure to visit the full story, and for ongoing coverage of the awards watch check out the SB Nation Denver storystream.

For more, stick with SB Nation Denver. Make sure to go check out Ralphie Report for more Colorado coverage. For more news, notes and analysis from around the country, head over to SB Nation's college football news hub.

College Football Awards 2012: Utah, BYU Players In Running For National Recognition

Utah Utes defensive tackle Star Lotulelei (92) heads the list of Rocky Mountain-area players named to the watch lists for two of college football's premier postseason awards.