Four Players from Four Conferences Earn Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll in Week 10
Week 10 Honor Roll: Devon Dampier, Utah; JJ Garner, Louisiana; Easton Messer, FAU; Dylan Riley, Boise State.
Award Presented by Texas Roadhouse to Most Versatile Player in Major College Football
Louisville, Ky. – Nov. 10, 2026 – Four players representing the Big 12, Sun Belt, AAC and Mountain West were named to the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll for their performances in Week 10 of the college football season. Making the list are Devon Dampier, Utah; JJ Garner, Louisiana; Easton Messer, FAU; and Dylan Riley, Boise State.
The National College Football Awards Association will honor Riley as the Paul Hornung Award Player-of-the-Week for his performance in Boise State’s 64-38 road win over Colorado State.
Utah senior quarterback Devon Dampier led the Utes to a 28-20 home win over BYU in the “Holy War,” accounting for 295 total yards and four touchdowns. He also made a 19-yard circus catch from his quarterback position. Dampier threw for 196 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 89 yards and a pair of scores, including the game-winning, three-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. The Utes remain unbeaten on the season.
Louisiana freshman running back / return specialist JJ Garner touched the ball 12 times three different ways for 239 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in the Ragin’ Cajuns’ 28-26 home win over South Alabama. Garner returned the opening kickoff 100 yards to give Louisiana an early lead, then sprinted 65 yards for a score early in the second quarter. He finished the game with 136 rushing yards on 10 carries and accounted for four first downs from scrimmage.
FAU senior wide receiver / return specialist Easton Messer touched the ball 13 times four different ways and accounted for 141 total yards and four touchdowns in the Owls’ 60-29 romp over UTSA. Messer caught seven passes for 85 yards, including a pair of six-yard scoring strikes and one for 15 yards. He completed a 14-yard pass for a touchdown, returned four punts for 34 yards and had one carry for eight yards as the Owls improved their record to 6-3.
Boise State junior running back / return specialist Dylan Riley touched the ball 21 times three different ways and scored three times, including the game-winner, in the Broncos’ 64-38 road romp over Colorado State. Riley carried the ball 19 times for 192 yards, including a game-winning 32-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter. He returned a kickoff 20 yards, caught two passes for 88 yards, including a 73-yard scoring strike. Riley also accounted for 11 first downs from scrimmage on scoring drives. Boise State remains the highest-ranked Group of Six team with an 8-1 record.
The Louisville Sports Commission successfully launched the Paul Hornung Award in 2010 to honor its namesake and native son, and to promote outstanding performances by versatile college football players who often go unnoticed. Each week during the regular season, a panel of college football experts selects players for the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll based on performance. A national selection committee comprised of 18 sports journalists and former NFL stars votes for the Hornung Award finalists and the winner, with fan voting powered by Texas Roadhouse comprising the 19th vote.
2026 Paul Hornung Award Roll
- Week 1: Wayne Knight, UCLA; Turbo Richard, Indiana; Tre Richardson, Louisville; Isaiah Sategna III, Oklahoma; Aneyas Williams, Notre Dame.
- Week 2: Maguire Anderson, FIU; Anthony Evans III, Mississippi State; Cam’rom Lacy, Middle Tennessee; Hollywood Smothers, Texas
- Week 3: Aiden Flora, Iowa State; Davian Jackson, Texas State; Wayne Knight, UCLA; Caleb Nix, Jacksonville State; Keenan Phillips, South Alabama
- Week 4: Ryan Coleman-Williams, Alabama; Dierre Hill, Jr., Oregon; Javen Jacobs, Utah State; Wayne Knight, UCLA; Qua Moss, Tennessee
- Week 5: Aiden Flora, Iowa State; Samari Howard, Army; Dijon Lee Jr., Alabama; Jonaz Walton, Notre Dame
- Week 6: Isaac Brown, Louisville; Wayne Knight, UCLA; Keenan Phillips, South Alabama; Dylan Riley, Boise State
- Week 7:Jadan Baugh, Florida; Que’Sean Brown, Virginia Tech; Malachi Toney, Miami; Jackson Williams, North Dakota State; J’Koby Williams, Texas Tech
- Week 8: Easton Messer, FAU; Dylan Riley, Boise State; Isaiah Sategna III, Oklahoma; Nate Sheppard, Duke
- Week 9: Isaac Brown, Louisville; Cole Cabana, Western Michigan; Malachi Toney, Miami; Jackson Williams; North Dakota State; J’Koby Williams, Texas Tech