Bryce Nunnelly named to Payton Award watch list

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga junior receiver Bryce Nunnelly is one of 25 on the 2019 STATS FCS Walter Payton Award Watch List. The Payton Award goes to the top offensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and is presented annually by STATS FCS Football.

The Payton Award was first given in 1987 and has included such winners as Steve Mcnair (Alcorn State), Tony Romo (Eastern Illinois), Brian Westbrook (Villanova), John Friesz (Idaho), Brian Finneran (Villanova), Jimmy Garoppolo (Eastern Illinois) and Cooper Kupp (Eastern Washington).

Nunnelly garnered multiple preseason All-american nods, and is also on the Southern Conference preseason first team thus far. He was second in the Socon and sixth in the nation with 112.5 receiving yards per game last season. He also ranked third in the league and No. 8 in the country with 7.2 receptions per game.

He is the seventh Moc to be named to the Payton Award watch list, including Derrick Craine (2016), Jacob Huesman (2014, 2015), B.J. Coleman (2011), Alonzo Nix (2004), Cos Dematteo (2001) and Chris Sanders (2000). Sanders placed ninth in the final voting in 2000, while Huesman was 11th in both 2014 and 2015.

Nunnelly was known for his big-play ability last season, posting 11 catches of 40 or more yards. The Mocs only had five of those plays as a team in 2017. He opened the year with seven catches for 161 yards and an 89-yard score against Tennessee Tech. He followed that with National Player of the Week honors posting 10 catches for 268 yards and two TDS at The Citadel.

He recorded six 100-yard receiving games, including a school-record four in a row to start the season. He closed out the year with five catches for 141 yards at South Carolina.