DALLAS (JMU Athletics) – James Madison offensive lineman Zach Greenberg was named to the 2026 Outland Trophy Watch List, as announced by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) on Tuesday.
The Outland Trophy, celebrating its 81st year since its founding, is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them.
The list consists of 68 returning standout interior linemen representing all 10 of the FBS conferences plus Independents. The watch list features players spread among 49 different Division I FBS programs and includes two returning first-team FWAA All-Americans. Three players hail from the Sun Belt Conference: Chris Forbes (DT – Old Dominion), Zach Greenberg (OL – James Madison), and Jalen Slappy (G – Marshall).
Greenberg is the fifth Duke to be selected to the watch list, joining Nick Kidwell and James Carpenter in 2023, and Immanuel Bush and Pat McMurtrie in 2025.
The Preseason First Team-All-Sun Belt offensive lineman started all 14 games at center last season for a James Madison team that led the conference in scoring (37.1 ppg), rushing (241.5 ypg), third down conversions (46.7%), and time of possession (34:13). Additionally, Greenberg was part of an offense that scored 50 or more points four times and produced five games of over 500 yards, including a pair of games with 600-plus yards.
The semifinalists for the Outland Trophy will be announced on Nov. 18, followed by a joint announcement with ESPN of the three finalists on Nov. 24. The 81st recipient of the Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN in December.
The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee in Omaha, Neb., on Jan. 27, 2027.
Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the course of the season. For a third year now, the FWAA will announce an Outland Trophy National Player of the Week each Tuesday this season. If not already on the watch list, each week’s honored player will be added at that time.
— JMU Athletics —
