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Tennessee OL Cooper Mays named finalist for prestigious award
By Mark Kern
Published:
Tennessee is gearing up for a matchup against Ohio State in the first round of the College Football Playoff in large part because of 1 of the best offensive lines in college football.
Center Cooper Mays has been the leader of that group since he got to Knoxville. His play this season earned him recognition, as he was named a finalist for the Rimington trophy, which is given to the nation’s best center.
𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝@CooperMays is a finalist for the @rimingtontrophy
📰 » https://t.co/l1vBusJVne#GBO pic.twitter.com/5HpXvxNmCC
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) December 9, 2024
He is the first player in school history to be a finalist for this award since its inception in 2000. Mays joins Western Michigan’s Jacob Gideon and Ohio State’s Seth McLaughlin as the 3 finalists.
May has been great in both his pass blocking as well as his run blocking. He has a streak of 26 games in a row without allowing a sack, while also helping to create holes for an elite rushing attack.
The Volunteers averaged 232 rushing yards per game, which ranked 9th in the country. Junior RB Dylan Sampson put together 1 of the best seasons ever for a Tennessee running back. He finished the regular season with 1,485 yards and 22 touchdowns.
The CFP matchup against Ohio State could easily be decided on whether or not the Volunteers are able to run the ball. The Buckeyes give up 96.8 rushing yards per game, which is the 7th fewest allowed in the country.
Mays has been a star all year for Tennessee, and the Volunteers will need him to help lead the offensive line into Columbus on Dec.21 if they want to advance in the CFP.
