Fifth-year punter Jackson Ross was named to the 2026 Ray Guy Award preseason watch list. 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 College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Ray Guy. The 2026 Ray Guy Award winner will be announced in December during The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN. Statistics considered in selecting the Ray Guy Award winner are net punting average, percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line and percentage of punts not returned. The 6-foot-4, 204-pound Ross enters his fifth season with the Vols. He has totaled 6,382 yards on 147 punt attempts. Ross' longest punt was 71 yards in 2023 and is averaging 43.4 yards per attempt. The Melbourne, Australia native has recorded nine touchbacks, while 63 attempts have been inside the 20-yard line and 22 attempts were 50-plus yards. Ross was a 2025 Ray Guy Award semifinalist. More: 2026 Tennessee football position preview: Punters
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