Tory Taylor Tabbed Ray Guy Award Semifinalist

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior Tory Taylor has been chosen as one of 10 semifinalists for the Ray Guy Award, which recognizes the nation’s top collegiate punter. The announcement was made Friday by the Augusta Sports Council.

Taylor, who is a three-time Ray Guy Award semifinalist (2020, 2021, 2023), was named last month to six midseason first-team All-America teams (Associated Press, ESPN, FOX, The Athletic, Sporting News, CBS).

The native of Melbourne, Australia, has punted 60 times for a 47.6-yard average through the first nine games of the 2023 season with 23 punts traveling 50+ yards (five punts of 60+), 19 being fair caught and 23 being downed inside the 20, nine inside the 10 and six inside the 5. Taylor only has three touchbacks and opponents average just 7.1 yards per return. His 60 punts are most by any punter nationally, while his punting average of 47.6 ranks eighth best in 2023.

Taylor was recognized as the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week twice (Oct. 9; Oct. 16), the Ray Guy National Punter of the Week on Oct. 24, and named to the Ray’s 8 five times this year.

Taylor punted 10 punts in Iowa’s win at Wisconsin for a career-high 506 yards (50.6 avg.). He punted nine punts for 444 yards (49.3) against Minnesota and seven times for 366 yards (career best 52.3 average), including a season-long 62-yarder at Penn State.

Established in 2000, the Ray Guy Award is named after College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Ray Guy. Former Hawkeye Ryan Donahue was a finalist for the award in 2010.

A national body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sports information directors, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners will vote for the top three finalists to be announced on Nov. 22. After the finalists are named, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation’s top punter.

The Hawkeyes (7-2, 4-2) host Rutgers (6-3, 3-3) at 2:40 p.m. (CT) on Saturday on Duke Slater Field at Kinnick Stadium. The game will be televised live on Big Ten Network and broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network.

Hawkeye Semifinalists
Cooper DeJean – Jim Thorpe Award // Lott IMPACT Trophy
Joe Evans – Burlsworth Trophy
Jay Higgins – Dick Butkus Award
Drew Stevens – Lou Groza Award
Tory Taylor – Ray Guy Award