For the second straight year, Colorado State Rams football has a finalist for a major award.

Last year, it was Rashard Higgins as a finalist for the Belitnikoff Award, given to the top wide receiver in the country. This year, punter Hayden Hunt is a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, making CSU the only non Group 5 school to have a player on two major award finalist lists in consecutive years.

Annually, the Ray Guy Award honors the nations top punter, and the junior Hunt has certainly impressed. Hunt’s 43.4 yard per boot average is No. 2 in the nation and among the 10 semifinalists his 48.8 percent of punts inside the 20 was best in all of college football.

“He’s probably the best punter that I’ve ever seen,” head coach Mike Bobo said. “The impact that he has to flip the field has been a huge weapon, and he’s so unselfish. He’s not worried about his average. He’s not trying to boom every one out. I’ve been around some guys at times that say they’re trying to place it in there and it goes in the end zone; they’re worried about that average. Hayden’s trying to help the team and he’s doing his part. He already has, and will continue to help us win games because of his punting.”

The winner will be announced Thursday Dec. 10 on ESPN’s The Home Depot College Awards Show. It airs at 5 p.m. MT that night.