LEWISVILLE, Texas (DCTF/SMU) – Three Mustangs earned All-Texas College first-team honors from Dave Campbell's Texas Football, while seven SMU student-athletes were honored overall.
The seven total Mustangs were the second most from any school trailing only No. 5 Texas A&M, who saw nine student-athletes honored.
First Team
Shane Buechele | Senior | QB | First Team
The senior currently ranks seventh nationally in passing yards (3,095) and passing yards per game (309.5), ninth in completions per game (24.20) and total offense (320.0) and 11th in passing touchdowns (23). Buechele ranks second in the American Athletic Conference in completion percentage (65.4%), completions per game and total offense.
He posted seven 300-yard games in 2020 and seven multi-touchdown performances, including a pair of four-TD outings (at UNT, at Temple).
Among active career FBS leaders, Buechele is first in yards (11,660) and completions (952), second in total offense (12,128), fourth in passing TDs (87) and fifth in total TDs (95).
Buechele is a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award, in the top 15 for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, part of the Davey O'Brien QB Class of 2020 and was a semifinalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award. He was listed on Maxwell, Manning, CFPA Award and Wuerffel Trophy Watch Lists. He was also selected to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Buechele earned honorable mention accolades from the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award four times this season, as well as AAC Weekly Honor roll accolades on five occasions. He is a four-time Manning Award Star of the Week and a two-time Davey O'Brien Great 8 selection. Following the win against then-No. 25/24 Memphis, Buechele earned Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Week and AAC Offensive Player of the Week honors, and on Sept. 20, he was named the CFPA National Performer of the Week.
Hayden Howerton | Senior | OL | First Team
Howerton started all 10 games at left guard in 2020 and helped the Mustangs to national rankings of 10th in red zone offense (.920), 13th in first downs (251), 14th in passing (318.0) and 16th in scoring offense (38.6).
The Mustang is the active leader for career games played on the Hilltop with 47, making 41 starts over four seasons.
Chris Naggar | Senior | K | First Team
A semifinalist for the Lou Groza National Collegiate Place-Kicker Award and AAC Special Teams Player of the Year, Naggar was also named the AAC Special Teams Player of the week four times during the 2020 season and was a member of the Ray Guy Award Watch List.
In back-to-back weeks (Tulane, No. 25/24 Memphis), Naggar hit game-winning field goals to keep the Mustangs undefeated. Following the win over Memphis, he was named a Lou Groza Star of the Week.
Naggar finished 17-for-21 on field goals in his first season on the Hilltop, 43-of-46 on PATs and had 46 touchbacks on 69 kickoffs for 4,314 yards. He ranks 15th nationally and leads the conference in total points scored at 94.
His 17 field goals rank him tied for fifth in a season at SMU, one off the SMU single-season record of 18.
Ulysses Bentley IV | Freshman | RB | Second Team
Bentley IV was named the Co-Rookie of the Year in The American and to the conference first team. He was also listed on FWAA Freshman All-American, Doak Walker and CFPA Watch Lists.
The freshman led the league with 913 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns in 10 games. His 11 rushing TDs set the SMU freshman single-season record and his 913 rushing yards in the regular season were over 200 more than any other player in the conference.
He scored his first seven TDs in the opening three games of the season, which tied for the sixth most in a three-game span at SMU.
Bentley IV registered 149 yards and two TDs in the win over Navy, giving him his fourth game of the season with multiple rushing TDs, and his 217 all-purpose yards gave him his second game of the season with 200+ (248 yards at UNT). In the the game at Tulsa, he posted his fourth 100-yard rushing game of 2020.
He ranks 16th nationally in rushing yards, rushing TDs and total TDs (12).
Kylen Granson | Senior | TE | Second Team
Granson, who opened the season on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List, was named a second team all-AAC selection.
The senior had a breakout game at Temple with six receptions for a career-high 149 yards and one touchdown. It was his second-career 100-yard game.
After only two seasons on the Hilltop, Granson finished his career as one of the top tight ends in program history, setting the career receiving TD record by a tight end with 14 and ranking second in yards (1,257) and receptions (78) for a tight end.
Rashee Rice | Sophomore | WR | Second Team
Rice led the Mustangs with 48 receptions for 683 yards and five touchdowns. His receiving yards per game (68.3) and total yards were top five in The American, while his 4.8 receptions per game ranked seventh and his receiving TD total was 11th.
Rice posted three 100-yard games in 2020, including a career day with seven catches for 139 yards in the win at Tulane.
Jaylon Thomas | Junior | OL | Second Team
Thomas was named a second team all-AAC selection and to the Outland Trophy Watch List this season. He started all nine games played at left tackle for the Mustangs, who rank10th in red zone offense (.920), 13th in first downs (251), 14th in passing (318.0) and 16th in scoring offense (38.6).
