Per GoBearcats:
University of Cincinnati safety James Wiggins (Miami, Florida/South Dade) was named one of 12 semifinalists for the 2020 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, awarded to the best defensive back in college football, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame announced Monday.
Wiggins, also on the watch list for the 2020 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award, has helped lead a UC defense which tops the American in rushing defense (112.5), scoring defense (15.0), pass efficiency defense (94.7) and total defense (308.1) while ranking second in pass defense (195.6).
Individually, Wiggins has 31 tackles, a sack and TFL along with seven passes defended and an interception. He has accepted an invitation to the Reese’s Senior Bowl and was named to Bruce Feldman’s College Football Freaks list for the third straight year.
UC’s secondary has been dominant, helping hold seven of eight opponents under 20 points, including limiting three of the AAC’s top offenses to a combined 33 points. The Bearcats 13 interceptions and 48 passes defended lead the American and rank No. 2 and No. 8 in the NCAA FBS, respectively.
The Bearcats are off to an 8-0 (6-0 AAC) start and are ranked No. 7 in all three national polls. Cincinnati has allowed 13 TDs on defense this year, the top mark in the NCAA FBS among teams who have played eight or more games.
Wiggins missed the 2019 season after suffering an injury two days before the Bearcats’ opening game against UCLA. He was a Second-Team All-AAC honoree in 2018 after tallying 54 tackles and four game-changing interceptions while showing a big-play flair in the secondary.
The award is based on performance on the field, athletic ability and character. This year’s list includes 12 of the nation’s best defensive backs, representing six conferences. The semifinalists are selected by a screening committee. However, this list is not final and players who have outstanding seasons can be recognized as one of the three finalists.
The award recipient is selected from the three finalists by the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award National Selection Committee, which boasts members of the NCFAA, an Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in-house award committee, former Paycom Jim Thorpe Award recipients, and sportswriters and college football journalists throughout the country. The three finalists will be announced on Tuesday, December 22nd, in conjunction with ESPN.
The 2020 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award winner will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show Presented by Gildan, Thursday, January 7, 2021, from 7-8:30 p.m. EST, live on ESPN. The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award commemorative banquet is scheduled to be held in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, March 30, 2021.
Wiggins and the No. 7 Bearcats return to action this weekend, facing No. 18 Tulsa on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 4 p.m. ET inside Chapman Stadium. The game will air on ESPN2 and 700 WLW AM. UC has also qualified for the AAC Championship Game and will again match up with Tulsa on Saturday, Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. The game on the Dec. 12 determines the league’s regular-season champion and the right to play host to the title game.
