Senior linebacker Sammy Omosigho of the No. 4-ranked UCLA football team was named one of 20 semifinalists for the 2026 Walter Camp Player of the Year Award on Wednesday morning. 

Presented by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the Walter Camp Award annually recognizes the most outstanding player in college football. The Player of the Year Award will be determined by a vote of the 138 FBS head coaches and sports information directors later this month.

Omosigho is one of just six defensive players among the 20 semifinalists. Five finalists will be named in late November, with the winner announced on Dec. 11 as part of the ESPN College Football Awards Show.

The nod from the Walter Camp Award is the latest in a string of national recognition for Omosigho. He was previously named a semifinalist for Bednarik Award (top defensive player), Butkus Award (top CFB linebacker), and Lombardi Award (top CFB linebacker or lineman). He was also named a First Team Midseason All-American by the Associated Press.

Omosigho has been the captain on UCLA’s vaunted defense which ranks as one of the best in college football. With help from Omosigho, the Bruins (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) rank top 10 nationally in takeaways (27), fumble recoveries (10), rushing defense (87.7 yards/game), scoring defense (14.1 points/game), and total defense (264.7 yards/game).

Individually, Omosigho enters Week 11 tied for the FBS lead with five forced fumbles. Among Big Ten players, he ranks fourth in tackles for loss per game (1.2), eighth in sacks per game (0.6), and 13th in total tackles per game (7.2).

Omosigho was named the Bednarik Award Player of the Week following his Week 1 performance at California on Sept. 5. He nearly doubled his previous career high in tackles with 14 in addition to posting 2.0 tackles for loss, including a strip sack in the 45-24 win. Two weeks later, he was recognized as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after posting 12 tackles, two forced fumbles and 2.0 sacks in a 52-38 win over Purdue on Sept. 19.

Omosigho and the Bruins return to action this Friday, Nov. 13, hosting Illinois (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) in a league clash at the Rose Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. PT on FOX.