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Two Oklahoma Freshman Named Shaun Alexander Award Semifinalists

Originally posted on FanNation All Sooners
By Randall Sweet | Last updated 11/1/23

On Wednesday morning, Oklahoma redshirt freshman wide receiver Nic Anderson and true freshman defensive back Peyton Bowen were named Shaun Alexander Award semifinalists.

The only program with two Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award semifinalists.

Congrats @nicanderson04 and @PeytonBowen10! https://t.co/lIwNm1jeTk | #OUDNA pic.twitter.com/335dryJnaG
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) November 1, 2023

The award honors the top freshman in college football. Last season, North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye took home the trophy.

This year, both Anderson and Bowen have been already developed into impactful players for the Sooners. In eight games this season, Anderson has tallied 17 catches for 405 yards and eight touchdowns.

The Katy, TX, product's best game of the year came against Tulsa, when Anderson caught three passes for 120 yards and three scores. With Andrel Anthony sidelined for the rest of the season, Anderson will likely continue to see his targets increase despite only catching one pass against Kansas.

The young wideout has been named the Big 12's Newcomer of the Week twice this season, once after his performance against the Golden Hurricane and again after a 105-yard, two-touchdown outing against UCF.

Proving to be a big-play threat, Anderson should be able to compete for the award if he continues to see the ball come his way.

While Bowen's stats aren't quite as eye-popping, the true freshman safety has made a huge impact in multiple games for OU this season.

Against Texas, Bowen knocked the ball loose on a Quinn Ewers' scramble, giving the Sooners possession at a key point in the Red River Rivalry. With UCF in Norman two weeks later, Bowen sacked Knights' quarterback John Rhys Plumlee to seal Oklahoma's seventh win of the season.

Now dealing with an injury, Bowen didn't see the field as much against UCF or Kansas, but still has undoubtedly had a promising start to his career. This season, the true freshman from Denton Guyer (TX) has recorded 25 tackles, four pass breakups, one sack, one tackle for loss and one forced fumble.

With Bowen and Anderson both being named semifinalists, Oklahoma is the only program in the nation with two players still in contention for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.