SMU’s veteran offensive lineman Justin Osborne has earned a spot on the prestigious Rimington Trophy nominee list, a testament to his exceptional performance and potential as one of the best centers in the country.

The Rimington Trophy, awarded annually to the most outstanding center in NCAA Division I college football, has announced its prestigious watch list for this year.

In a groundbreaking collaboration, the Trophy Committee partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF) to leverage data-driven insights into the selection process. PFF’s meticulous scoring system, which evaluates each player’s performance on every play of every game, allowed the committee to create a watch list that seamlessly connects nominations to objective performance metrics.

Among the distinguished nominees is Justin Osborne, a stalwart presence on the SMU Mustangs offensive line. A Flower Mound native, Osborne was an indispensable player, starting an impressive 42 games during his four-year tenure.

A two-time All-Conference selection, Osborne was instrumental in helping the Mustangs’ offensive line rank in the top 20 nationally in scoring offense, sacks allowed and total offense in 2023.

Osborne’s outstanding performance last season earned him widespread recognition, culminating in a selection to the All-AAC first team and a coveted spot on Dave Campbell’s Texas Football (DCTF) All-Texas First Team.

The accolades continued into the preseason, with Osborne being named to the Outland Trophy nominee list and being named to the DCTF All-Texas First Team, Phil Steele Preseason All-ACC First Team and Athlon Sports Preseason All-ACC Second Team.

The list of candidates for the Rimington Trophy shows a remarkable diversity of talent. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) lead the field with ten and nine athletes, respectively.

Named after Dave Rimington, the legendary two-time John Outland Trophy winner and unanimous first-team All-America center for the University of Nebraska, the Rimington Trophy upholds a tradition of excellence.

The selection process includes a careful evaluation of the All-America teams of the Walter Camp Foundation (WCF), Sporting News (SN) and the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).

The committee’s demanding approach ensures that all players who primarily play the center position are considered, although their naming on the All-America teams may vary. The final winner is determined by a combination of first-team votes, second-team votes and, if necessary, a tie-breaking vote by the prestigious Rimington Trophy Committee.

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