Per GoBearcats:
University of Cincinnati safety James Wiggins (Miami, Florida/South Dade) was a First-Team All-America selection by The Athletic.
The senior also was a First-Team All-American Athletic Conference selection and is a semifinalist for the 2020 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award. 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.
Wiggins is part of a UC defense which ranks in the NCAA’s Top-15 in five categories, including No. 2 in both interceptions (15) and team passing efficiency defense and rank tied for No. 7 in scoring defense (16.0) and No. 10 in total defense (314.4). The Bearcats have forced a turnover in 19-straight games, the longest active streak in the NCAA FBS, totaling AAC highs with 53 passes defended and 15 interceptions.
Individually, Wiggins started nine games at safety, recording 32 tackles, seven passes defended, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble.
In its release, The Athletic said:
Wiggins has made three appearances on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List, this time after making a rapid recovery from a torn ACL that cost him his 2019 season. As part of a Bearcats secondary that ranks second in the nation in passing efficiency allowed, Wiggins has given up only 11 catches for 84 yards on 32 targets, according to Sports Info Solutions. That average of 2.63 yards per target ranks second nationally.
UC (9-0) won American Athletic Conference Championship, their first outright league crown since 2009. Cincinnati was No. 8 in the final College Football Playoff rankings and will play in its first New Year’s Six game and its first New Year’s Day bowl since the 2009 season when the Bearcats battle No. 9 Georgia at Mercedes Benz Stadium in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled at noon ET and the game will air on ESPN and 700 WLW AM.
