Cam Buffington Tabbed Butkus Award Semifinalist

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa third-year linebacker Cam Buffington has been named a 2026 Dick Butkus Award semifinalist, it was announced Wednesday by the Butkus Foundation. 

Buffington is one of 15 semifinalists for the prestigious honor, which is presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding linebacker. He was also tabbed as a midseason second-team All-American by The Athletic.

Through six games, Buffington leads the Hawkeyes with 62 tackles, averaging 8.9 stops per contest to pace the Big Ten and rank 31st nationally. His stat line also includes 36 solo stops, 6.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks.

A native of Winfield, Iowa, Buffington has recorded three double-digit tackle performances this season, highlighted by a career-high 15 tackles (nine solo) against Iowa State. He added 11 stops at Michigan and 10 at Minnesota. Named the Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week on Sept. 16, his 15-tackle outing against the Cyclones marks the most by a Hawkeye in a single game since Jay Higgins in 2024.

Jack Campbell won the award in 2022 and was a semifinalist in 2021. Josey Jewell was a finalist for the Butkus Award in 2016 and a semifinalist in 2017, while Higgins was a semifinalist in 2024.

Iowa (5-2, 2-2) returns to action Saturday against No. 25 Wisconsin (5-2, 3-1). Kickoff for that contest is scheduled for 11 a.m. (CT) on Duke Slater Field at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. The game will be televised on FOX and broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network.