FB's Palmer Williams Named to 2026 Ray Guy Award Watch List
8/14/2026 11:00:00 AM | Football
2025 RGA finalist once again nominated for nation’s top collegiate punter award
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Baylor football senior punter Palmer Williams has been named to the 2026 Ray Guy Award preseason watch list, as announced Friday by the Augusta Sports Council.
The award honors the nation's top collegiate punter. Williams, a 2025 finalist for the Ray Guy Award, is one of 21 FBS punters, and one of three from the Big 12, included on this year's preseason watch list.
Already a 2026 Preseason All-American and Preseason All-Big 12 selection, Williams earns his third-career Ray Guy Award watch list nomination. Last season, Williams was an All-America selection as one of the best players in the country at his position after helping the Bears lead the nation in net punting (45.0 yards). He was voted as the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year by the league's head coaches after averaging a conference-best 46.92 yards per punt. His 27 kicks traveled a total of 1,267 yards, with just 12 of his punts being returned for just 32 yards. Eleven of Williams' punts landed inside the 20 and seven were fair caught, while 11 traveled at least 50 yards, giving Williams 39 career 50+-yard boots, tied for the seventh-most in Baylor history.
Over his career, Williams has punted 107 times for 4,981 yards, averaging 46.55 yards per punt which tops BU's program record book by over a yard. His 2024 season was the best punting season in school history, with a school-record average of 49.35 yards per punt on 43 attempts, which also ranked best in the nation among those who punted at least 2.5 times per game. Williams needs just 10 punts of more than 50 yards to move into second place all-time in Baylor history, though he trails the all-time record holder and two-time Ray Guy Award winner Daniel Sepulveda's 94 career such kicks.
Candidates on this year's watch list incorporate a broad spectrum of FBS punters and were compiled based on previous Ray Guy Award semifinalists, 2025 All-American and all-conference selections, top performing punters and 2026 Preseason All-America and all-conference selections.
A final watch list will be announced in early November, then later in the month the Ray Guy Award committee will meet to determine 10 semifinalists for the award. A national body of FBS sports information directors, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners will vote for the top three finalists to be announced in late November. The winner will be announced live during The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN in December.
The 2026 Baylor football season kicks off on Sept. 5 with the Aflac Kickoff Game against Auburn in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with national coverage provided by ABC. BU opens its home slate on Sept. 12 against Prairie View A&M, the first of a three-game homestand at McLane Stadium. Fans can purchase tickets for all home games here.
To stay up to date on all things Baylor football, follow the team on its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BUFootball.
BAYLOR FOOTBALL 2026 PRESEASON HONORS
Michael Allen, S
AFCA Good Works Team Nominee
Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
Travion Barnes, LB
Preseason All-Texas Second Team (Dave Campbell's Texas Football)
Preseason All-Big Third Team (Phil Steele)
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Ryan Davis, JACK
Preseason All-Big 12 Second Team (PFN)
Gavin Freeman, WR
Preseason All-Big 12 Third Team (PFN)
DJ Lagway, QB
Maxwell Award Watch List
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Tony Livingston, TE
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Dawson Pendergrass, RB
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Jacob Redding, S
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Preseason All-Big 12 First Team FLEX (Sports Info Solutions)
Dylan Schaub, LS
Preseason All-Big Third Team (Phil Steele)
Kaden Sieracki, OT
Preseason All-Big Fourth Team (Phil Steele)
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Devonte Tezino, DL
Shriners 1000 Watch List
LeVar Thornton Jr., CB
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Devin Turner, S
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Hosea Wheeler, DL
Preseason All-Big Third Team (Phil Steele)
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Palmer Williams, P
Preseason All-America First Team (Walter Camp Foundation)
Preseason All-America Third Team (Phil Steele)
Preseason All-Big 12 First Team (Media, Phil Steele)
Preseason All-Texas First Team (Dave Campbell's Texas Football)
Ray Guy Award Watch List
Shriners 1000 Watch List
The award honors the nation's top collegiate punter. Williams, a 2025 finalist for the Ray Guy Award, is one of 21 FBS punters, and one of three from the Big 12, included on this year's preseason watch list.
Already a 2026 Preseason All-American and Preseason All-Big 12 selection, Williams earns his third-career Ray Guy Award watch list nomination. Last season, Williams was an All-America selection as one of the best players in the country at his position after helping the Bears lead the nation in net punting (45.0 yards). He was voted as the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year by the league's head coaches after averaging a conference-best 46.92 yards per punt. His 27 kicks traveled a total of 1,267 yards, with just 12 of his punts being returned for just 32 yards. Eleven of Williams' punts landed inside the 20 and seven were fair caught, while 11 traveled at least 50 yards, giving Williams 39 career 50+-yard boots, tied for the seventh-most in Baylor history.
Over his career, Williams has punted 107 times for 4,981 yards, averaging 46.55 yards per punt which tops BU's program record book by over a yard. His 2024 season was the best punting season in school history, with a school-record average of 49.35 yards per punt on 43 attempts, which also ranked best in the nation among those who punted at least 2.5 times per game. Williams needs just 10 punts of more than 50 yards to move into second place all-time in Baylor history, though he trails the all-time record holder and two-time Ray Guy Award winner Daniel Sepulveda's 94 career such kicks.
Candidates on this year's watch list incorporate a broad spectrum of FBS punters and were compiled based on previous Ray Guy Award semifinalists, 2025 All-American and all-conference selections, top performing punters and 2026 Preseason All-America and all-conference selections.
A final watch list will be announced in early November, then later in the month the Ray Guy Award committee will meet to determine 10 semifinalists for the award. A national body of FBS sports information directors, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners will vote for the top three finalists to be announced in late November. The winner will be announced live during The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN in December.
The 2026 Baylor football season kicks off on Sept. 5 with the Aflac Kickoff Game against Auburn in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with national coverage provided by ABC. BU opens its home slate on Sept. 12 against Prairie View A&M, the first of a three-game homestand at McLane Stadium. Fans can purchase tickets for all home games here.
To stay up to date on all things Baylor football, follow the team on its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BUFootball.
BAYLOR FOOTBALL 2026 PRESEASON HONORS
Michael Allen, S
AFCA Good Works Team Nominee
Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
Travion Barnes, LB
Preseason All-Texas Second Team (Dave Campbell's Texas Football)
Preseason All-Big Third Team (Phil Steele)
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Ryan Davis, JACK
Preseason All-Big 12 Second Team (PFN)
Gavin Freeman, WR
Preseason All-Big 12 Third Team (PFN)
DJ Lagway, QB
Maxwell Award Watch List
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Tony Livingston, TE
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Dawson Pendergrass, RB
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Jacob Redding, S
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Preseason All-Big 12 First Team FLEX (Sports Info Solutions)
Dylan Schaub, LS
Preseason All-Big Third Team (Phil Steele)
Kaden Sieracki, OT
Preseason All-Big Fourth Team (Phil Steele)
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Devonte Tezino, DL
Shriners 1000 Watch List
LeVar Thornton Jr., CB
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Devin Turner, S
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Hosea Wheeler, DL
Preseason All-Big Third Team (Phil Steele)
Shriners 1000 Watch List
Palmer Williams, P
Preseason All-America First Team (Walter Camp Foundation)
Preseason All-America Third Team (Phil Steele)
Preseason All-Big 12 First Team (Media, Phil Steele)
Preseason All-Texas First Team (Dave Campbell's Texas Football)
Ray Guy Award Watch List
Shriners 1000 Watch List
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