Per GoBearcats:
No. 21 Cincinnati senior linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. was named a finalist for the Butkus Award on Tuesday.
The Cincinnati native and Colerain High School product is the only player in the nation to rank in the Top 10 in TFLs, sacks and tackles.
He joins Jack Campbell (Iowa), Jamon Dumas-Johnson (Georgia), Davian Henley (Washington State) and Drew Sanders (Arkansas) as finalists for the honor that is given annually to the nation’s top linebacker.
Pace Jr.’s selection marks the second straight year a Bearcat has been named a finalist for the Butkus Award. Darrian Beavers was named a finalist in 2021.
He ranks second in TFLs (19.0), ninth in sacks (9.0) and ninth in tackles (107) for a Bearcats team that will look to defeat No. 19 Tulane on Friday at Nippert Stadium to advance to a fourth consecutive American Athletic Conference Championship Game.
Pace Jr. is the second-highest rated defender and the top linebacker in country according to Pro Football Focus, and he collected National Linebacker of the Month honors from the Butkus in October.
Pace Jr. was named a Midseason All-American by the Associated Press, ESPN, The Athletic and Pro Football Focus.
In Week 4, he was outstanding against Indiana, tallying 15 tackles, 4.5 TFLs (fifth-most in UC history), 2.5 sacks and three QB hurries en route to AAC Defensive Player of the Week, Bednarik National Player of the Week and PFF Defensive Player of the Week honors.
He is a two-time PFF National Team of the Week honoree and two-time member of the AAC Weekly Honor Roll.
Pace Jr. finished 10th in the nation with 125 tackles in 2021 while playing for Miami (Ohio). He had six sacks in a game for the Redhawks against Akron in 2019, as well.
