exas Tech junior wide receiver Antoine Wesley, the nation’s leader in receiving yards per game, has been named a semifinalist for the prestigious Biletnikoff Award, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation announced Monday morning.
Wesley, who was added to the Biletnikoff Award watch list on Sept. 25, is one of 11 semifinalists for the award, which is presented annually to the nation’s top receiver regardless of position. He is joined on the semifinalist list by JJ Arcega-Whiteside (Stanford), A.J. Brown (Ole Miss), Marquise Brown (Oklahoma), N’Keal Harry (Arizona State), Andy Isabella (Massachusetts), Jerry Jeudy (Alabama), Rondale Moore (Purdue), David Sills V (West Virginia), John Ursua (Hawaii) and Tylan Wallace (Oklahoma State).
This is the second-consecutive season and the third time under head coach Kliff Kingsbury a Red Raider has been named a Biletnikoff semifinalist as Wesley joins the likes of Keke Coutee (2017) and Jace Amaro (2013). The award has notable Tech ties as Michael Crabtree became the first two-time Biletnikoff winner during the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
Wesley has torched opposing defenses through the air this season as he has recorded 1,347 receiving yards through 10 games, which ranks second nationally only to Isabella, who has played in 11 games to this point. He also ranks ninth nationally in receiving touchdowns (9) and 15th in all-purpose yards per game (134.5).
The Las Vegas native has notched at least 100 receiving yards in each of Tech’s last four games, all but one of which came against an opponent currently ranked in the College Football Playoff poll (No. 22 Iowa State, No. 6 Oklahoma and No. 19 Texas). He has reached the 100-yard mark in six games altogether, which is one shy of the national lead.
Wesley is coming off a 171-yard performance this past Saturday against Texas, his second-straight game with at least 150 receiving yards. Wesley added 199 receiving yards the week before in a narrow loss to Oklahoma as he is one of three receivers nationally and the lone player from a power-five conference to record 150 receiving yards in four games this season.
His top performance of the season came earlier in the season, though, when he snapped the Tech single-game record with 255 yards against Houston. Wesley broke the previous mark of 255 yards that was set by Joel Filani against Kansas State in 2005.
The Biletnikoff Award will trim its list of semifinalists down to three finalists Nov. 19 with the ultimate winner being named Dec. 6 during The Home Depot College Football Awards Show. All three finalists will travel to the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta for the show, which will air live on ESPN.
Wesley and the Red Raiders will look to secure bowl eligibility this Saturday when Tech heads to the Little Apple to face Kansas State in a 2:30 p.m. kickoff from Bill Snyder Family Memorial Stadium. Coverage will be provided nationally on ESPNU and the Texas Tech Sports Network.
COURTESY OF TEXAS TECH ATHLETICS