Per GoBearcats:
Cincinnati senior linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. and redshirt freshman defensive tackle Dontay Corleone collected midseason All-America honors from several organizations this week.
Pace Jr. was named a midseason First Team All-American by ESPN, the Associated Press, Pro Football Focus and the College Football Network in addition to his midseason honor from The Athletic, which was announced earlier this week.
Corleone was named a midseason Freshman All-American by The Athletic and a Midseason All-America honorable mention by Pro Football Focus.
The senior leads the nation in tackles for loss per game (2.25), ranks third in sacks per game (1.0) and No. 10 in tackles per game (10.5).
He is the nation’s highest-graded defender (92.6) by Pro Football Focus College.
Corleone has been a breakout star for the Bearcats in his first year seeing action after redshirting in 2021. As the backup who rotates with senior Jowon Briggs as UC’s nose tackle, Corleone has emerged with 22 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, two sacks and a forced fumble through six games in 2022. His PFF grade of 91.4 rates fourth among all FBS interior defensive linemen.
Pace and Corleone, who both starred at Colerain High School in Cincinnati, have been major reasons why Cincinnati has been the nation’s most disruptive defensive team. UC leads the country in TFLs (9.67 per game) and defensive touchdowns (four), while ranking third in sacks (3.83) and fourth in yards per play allowed (4.13).
The duo will lead the Bearcats into Dallas, Texas to face the Mustangs of SMU on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET (ESPN). UC will look to tie the AAC record with its 19th consecutive conference win.
