Colorado State University Athletics
Higgins named to Biletnikoff Award watch list
7/15/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – College football’s leading receiver in many statistical categories in 2014 continues to bring in preseason accolades, and on Wednesday was named to the Biletnikoff Award Pre-Season Watch List for the second year in a row. Colorado State junior Rashard Higgins is one of 48 receivers selected to the watch list, including 30 underclassmen and five players from the Mountain West. He is the only returning Biletnikoff Award finalist, however, and he enters the 2015 season as arguably the top receiver in college football.
As a sophomore in 2014, Higgins was a consensus first-team All-American after leading the NCAA FBS with 1,750 receiving yards, 17 touchdown receptions and 18.2 yards per catch. He totaled at least 100 yards in nine-consecutive games, a CSU record and a streak which led the nation. In two seasons, Higgins has already set CSU’s career touchdown receptions record (23) and ranks fifth with 2,587 receiving yards.
In addition to the Biletnikoff Award watch list, Higgins has also been named to the Maxwell Award Watch List, plus was chosen as a first-team preseason All-American by Phil Steele and the Sporting News. Earlier this spring, he was named one of 17 Players to Watch in 2015 by the Touchdown Club of Columbus, and he is one of five returners from the final list of 2014 Walter Camp Player of the Year Award candidates.
After being named to the Biletnikoff Award preseason watch list in 2014, Higgins captured the attention of voters and fans across the country with his performance week in and week out, helping CSU to its first 10-win season in more than a decade. In November, the Dallas, Texas, native was named one of 10 semifinalists for the prestigious award before the list was narrowed to three finalists later that month. Higgins was joined by Alabama’s Amari Cooper and West Virginia’s Kevin White as 2014 Biletnikoff Award finalists at The Home Depot College Football Awards Show in Orlando, Fla. Cooper and White were both selected in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Announced by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation, Inc., the Biletnikoff Award annually recognizes the outstanding receiver in college football. It is named after Fred Biletnikoff, a member of the pro and college football halls of fame who was an All-American receiver at Florida State and an All-Pro receiver for the Oakland Raiders.
Ten semifinalists will be released on Nov. 16, followed by a list of three finalists on Nov. 24. The winner will be named Dec. 10 on ESPN from The Home Depot College Football Awards Show in Atlanta, Ga.
Higgins is one of six Rams named to watch lists this summer, joining Kivon Cartwright (John Mackey Award), Hayden Hunt (Ray Guy Award), Cory James (Butkus Award), Trent Matthews (Jim Thorpe Award) and Steven Walker (John Mackey Award).
