Wallace in position to be Biletnikoff finalist
STILLWATER — With an answer full of “probably” and “maybe,” Oklahoma State sophomore Tylan Wallace waffled when asked if he thought his performance Saturday night helped his Biletnikoff Award campaign.
“I feel like I probably helped it just a little bit,
yeah,” he said, clearly unsure.
It’s a strange stance coming off a night in which he caught two touchdown passes, including a game-winner in the final minute of the Cowboys’ 45-41 upset of No. 9 West Virginia. Wallace, one of 11 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s top receiver, will learn Monday whether he made the cut for three finalists.
He made the most of a quiet night Saturday, the two scores buoying his lowest yardage total (62) since OSU’s season opener. He also had a handful of drops and a lost fumble, but he held onto the ball most when he needed to, connecting with quarterback Taylor Cornelius and fighting his way into the end zone with 42 seconds left to help the Cowboys secure bowl eligibility with a 17-point comeback.
Wallace enters Monday well-positioned to be a finalist. He ranks in the top three nationally in yards, 30-yard catches and 100-yard games, among numerous other statistics. Comparing him to the other 10 semifinalists, Wallace matches up quite well.
Using stats the past five Biletnikoff Award winners (OSU’s James Washington, Oklahoma’s Dede Westbrook, Baylor’s Corey Coleman, Alabama’s Amari Cooper and Oregon State’s Brandin Cooks) thrived in, Wallace ranks near the top of the field.
Stats selected were receiving yards, yards per game, yards per catch, receiving touchdowns, 20-yard catches, 30-yard catches and 100-yard games. Among receivers who had at least four catches per game, the past five Biletnikoff winners were regularly in the top 10 nationally in each category and all finished the season first in at least one.
Using a point system that awards 11 points for ranking first among semifinalists, 10 points for second and so on, here’s how this year’s group lines up. In the case of ties in a category, an average point total was awarded; for example, if there was a two-way tie for first, 10.5 points were given to both players based on the average of 11 points for first and 10 points for second.
1. Andy Isabella (Massachusetts), 68.5 points
2. Wallace, 64.5 points
3. Antoine Wesley (Texas Tech), 58.5 points
4. John Ursua (Hawaii), 50.5 points
5. A.J. Brown (Ole Miss), 43 points
6. Jerry Jeudy (Alabama), 38.5 points
7. Marquise Brown (Oklahoma), 33.5 points
8. N’Keal Harry (Arizona State), 32 points
9. Rondale Moore (Purdue), 29 points
10. JJ Arcega-Whiteside (Stanford), 21.5
11. David Sills (West Virginia), 20 points
Although Isabella’s 219-yard game against Georgia pushed him atop the rankings, Wallace remains among the top three. His “maybes” should be gone by Monday afternoon.