Outland Trophy Watch List Highlights Pitt’s Interior Linemen
The Outland Trophy, presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding interior lineman, released its 2026 preseason watch list this week, spotlighting a select group of offensive and defensive linemen who have already made a mark at the collegiate level.
Ryan Baer, a senior offensive tackle, earns a spot on the list after compiling 35 career starts and earning multiple All‑ACC honors. His blend of size, technique and consistency has made him a cornerstone of Pitt’s front line.
BJ Williams, a guard who broke into the starting lineup as a true freshman in 2023, also appears on the watch list. Williams has logged 32 starts at right guard and been recognized three times on the All‑ACC Academic Football Team, underscoring his on‑field production and scholarly achievements.
Pitt’s double representation reflects the program’s depth at the line of scrimmage. The university joins Miami and SMU as the only Atlantic Coast Conference schools with multiple selections on this year’s watch list, a testament to the conference’s emphasis on dominant interior play.
Path to the 2026 Winner
Semifinalists for the Outland Trophy will be announced on November 18, after which three finalists will be selected on November 24. Those finalists will converge at the Home Depot College Football Awards in December, where the 2026 Outland Trophy winner will be revealed during the televised ceremony.
The trophy’s legacy stretches back to 1946, marking its 81st season of honoring the best in the trenches. The eventual champion will be celebrated at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner on January 27, 2027, in Omaha, Nebraska, a city that has hosted the event in recent years.