University of Tennessee Athletics
Jackson Ross Named to 2026 Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List
August 14, 2026 | Football
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Tennessee punter Jackson Ross has been named to the 2026 Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List, the Augusta Sports Council announced on Friday.
Ross enters his fifth season on Rocky Top and fourth as the Vols' starting punter and holder. The talented Australian was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award in 2025 and returns in 2026 as one of the nation's top returning punters.
A field-position weapon throughout his Tennessee career, Ross has recorded 63 punts downed inside the 20-yard line and 22 punts of 50-plus yards. He owns a career punting average of 43.4 yards, which ranks third in Tennessee history, while his career-long boot of 71 yards stands among the longest in program history. Ross also holds Tennessee's single-game punting average record at 53.2 yards per punt.
Ross has appeared in 39 career games and has been a four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll. A Tennessee graduate, he earned his degree in May 2026.
Named in honor of football's premier punter, the Ray Guy Award recognizes the nation's top collegiate punter in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Augusta Sports Council established the award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia, native and College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Ray Guy.
Among the statistics considered in selecting the award winner are net punting average, percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line and percentage of punts not returned, with particular emphasis placed on net punting average.
Previous Ray Guy Award winners will vote to determine the three finalists, who are expected to be announced in late November. Following the announcement of the finalists, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation's top punter. The 2026 Ray Guy Award winner will be announced live during The Home Depot College Football Awards airing on ESPN in December.
Tennessee Football — 2026 Preseason Honors
Head Coach Josh Heupel
Dodd Trophy Watch List
RB DeSean Bishop
Maxwell Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Third Team (Media, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
LS Bennett Brady
Mannelly Award Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
LB Amare Campbell
Butkus Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
LB Arion Carter
Butkus Award Watch List
Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Media, Athlon)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
TE Ethan Davis
John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DL Xavier Gilliam
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
OL Donovan Haslam
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DL Daevin Hobbs
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
DB Kayin Lee
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
WR Mike Matthews
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DB TJ Metcalf
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Wendell Moe Jr.
Lombardi Award Watch List
Outland Trophy Watch List
Walter Camp All-America Second Team
On3 All-America Third Team
Athlon All-America Third Team
All-SEC First Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Third Team (Media, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DB Qua Moss
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Jesse Perry
All-SEC First Team (Phil Steele)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
PK Cooper Ranvier
Lou Groza Award Watch List
DB Ty Redmond
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
Athlon All-America Fourth Team
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
P Jackson Ross
Ray Guy Award Watch List
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL David Sanders Jr.
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
All-SEC Third Team (Media)
LB Edwin Spillman
Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
AFCA Allstate Good Works Team Nominee
WR Braylon Staley
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
LB Jeremiah Telander
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Shamurad Umarov
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
Ross enters his fifth season on Rocky Top and fourth as the Vols' starting punter and holder. The talented Australian was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award in 2025 and returns in 2026 as one of the nation's top returning punters.
A field-position weapon throughout his Tennessee career, Ross has recorded 63 punts downed inside the 20-yard line and 22 punts of 50-plus yards. He owns a career punting average of 43.4 yards, which ranks third in Tennessee history, while his career-long boot of 71 yards stands among the longest in program history. Ross also holds Tennessee's single-game punting average record at 53.2 yards per punt.
Ross has appeared in 39 career games and has been a four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll. A Tennessee graduate, he earned his degree in May 2026.
Named in honor of football's premier punter, the Ray Guy Award recognizes the nation's top collegiate punter in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Augusta Sports Council established the award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia, native and College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Ray Guy.
Among the statistics considered in selecting the award winner are net punting average, percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line and percentage of punts not returned, with particular emphasis placed on net punting average.
Previous Ray Guy Award winners will vote to determine the three finalists, who are expected to be announced in late November. Following the announcement of the finalists, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation's top punter. The 2026 Ray Guy Award winner will be announced live during The Home Depot College Football Awards airing on ESPN in December.
Tennessee Football — 2026 Preseason Honors
Head Coach Josh Heupel
Dodd Trophy Watch List
RB DeSean Bishop
Maxwell Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Third Team (Media, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
LS Bennett Brady
Mannelly Award Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
LB Amare Campbell
Butkus Award Watch List
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
LB Arion Carter
Butkus Award Watch List
Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
All-SEC Third Team (Media, Athlon)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
TE Ethan Davis
John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DL Xavier Gilliam
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
OL Donovan Haslam
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DL Daevin Hobbs
All-SEC Third Team (Phil Steele)
DB Kayin Lee
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
WR Mike Matthews
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DB TJ Metcalf
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Wendell Moe Jr.
Lombardi Award Watch List
Outland Trophy Watch List
Walter Camp All-America Second Team
On3 All-America Third Team
Athlon All-America Third Team
All-SEC First Team (Athlon)
All-SEC Third Team (Media, Phil Steele)
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
DB Qua Moss
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Jesse Perry
All-SEC First Team (Phil Steele)
All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
PK Cooper Ranvier
Lou Groza Award Watch List
DB Ty Redmond
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
Athlon All-America Fourth Team
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
P Jackson Ross
Ray Guy Award Watch List
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL David Sanders Jr.
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
All-SEC Third Team (Media)
LB Edwin Spillman
Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
AFCA Allstate Good Works Team Nominee
WR Braylon Staley
All-SEC Second Team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
LB Jeremiah Telander
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
OL Shamurad Umarov
East-West Shrine Bowl 1000
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