Omosigho Added to Bednarik Award Watch ListOmosigho Added to Bednarik Award Watch List

Sammy Omosigho (photo: Isabella Serafini)

Omosigho Added to Bednarik Award Watch List

Football

Omosigho ranks among the national leaders in tackles, sacks, and forced fumbles through UCLA's first four games of 2026.

PHILADELPHIA – The Maxwell Football Club on Wednesday morning announced that UCLA senior linebacker Sammy Omosigho has been added to the 2026 Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List. The Bednarik Award is presented annually to the college defensive player of the year.

Omosigho has gotten off to a torrid start in his debut season in Westwood, totaling 40 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss (TFL), 3.0 sacks, and four forced fumbles through his first four games in a Bruin uniform.

The Crandall, Texas native ranks among the national leaders in a number of statistics. He leads the FBS in forced fumbles and leads or co-leads the Big Ten Conference in sacks, solo tackles (27, fourth nationally), and TFLs (seventh nationally). He currently sits sixth in the nation in total tackles.

Already a member of the Butkus Award Watch List for the nation’s top linebacker, Omosigho has received wide recognition for his play to date this season.

He was named the Bednarik Award National Player of the Week after collecting a career-high 14 tackles, 2.0 TFLs, 1.0 sack, and forcing a fumble against California on Sept. 5 in his UCLA debut. He was later tabbed both the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week and UCLA Student-Athlete of the Week after recording a team-high 12 tackles (11 solo), forcing another fumble, and limiting Purdue to just 63 rushing yards in a Sept. 19 victory at the Rose Bowl.

Omosigho is believed to be the first player in school history to force a fumble in three consecutive games.

He arrived in Westwood after spending three seasons at Oklahoma, where he appeared in 36 games. He totaled 96 tackles (50-46), 10.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one forced fumble during his time with the Sooners.

Semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced on Nov. 10, while three finalists will be unveiled on Nov. 24. The winner of the 32nd Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN College Football Awards Show on Dec. 10. The formal presentation of the Bednarik Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Saturday, Mar. 13 in Atlanta.