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MASON NAMED TO WALTER PAYTON AWARD WATCH LIST
7/14/2026 8:00:00 AM | Football
CHICAGO — South Dakota State quarterback Chase Mason is one of 30 players who has been named to the initial watch list for the Walter Payton Award, which is presented annually by Stats Perform to the top offensive performer in the Football Championship Subdivision.
A senior from Hurley, Mason enters his second season as the Jackrabbits' starting quarterback in 2026. Limited to nine games in 2025 due to injury, Mason led SDSU to an 8-1 record in his starts and accounted for 21 touchdowns — 15 passing and six rushing. He also completed 64.9 percent (146-of-225) of his passes for 2,005 yards.
The official watch list for the Stats Perform FCS Walter Payton Award will be updated periodically throughout the season. The award celebrates its 40th anniversary this season.
2026 WALTER PAYTON AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Quarterbacks
Keali'I Ah Yat, Montana, R-Jr., 6-1, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
Andrew Body, Alabama State, R-Sr., 6-0, 205 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Beau Brungard, Youngstown State, Sr., 6-0, 215 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Devin Farrell, Rhode Island, R-Sr., 6-0, 195 (CAA Football)
Collin Hurst, West Georgia, Jr., 5-10, 190Â (United Athletic Conference)
Justin Lamson, Montana State, Sr., 6-2, 210 (Big Sky Conference)
Chase Mason, South Dakota State, Gr., 6-4, 240 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Chris Parson, Austin Peay, R-Jr., 5-11, 224 (United Athletic Conference)
Ty Pennington, Northern Arizona, Sr., 6-2, 210 (Big Sky Conference)
Dante Reno, Yale, Jr., 6-2, 205 (Ivy League)
DJ Williams, Southern Illinois, Sr., 6-3, 218 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Running Backs
Dason Brooks, Idaho State, R-Sr., 5-11, 228 (Big Sky Conference)
Ness Davis, Duquesne, R-Jr., 5-11, 200 (NEC Football)
Victor Dawson, Illinois State, Sr., 5-11, 220 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
MJ Flowers, Tennessee Tech, R-Sr., 6-1, 220 (Southern Conference)
Eli Gillman, Montana, R-Sr., 6-0, 213 (Big Sky Conference)
Carson Gresock, Gardner-Webb, R-Sr., 5-11, 215 (OVC Football)
Tylan Hines, Tarleton State, Sr., 5-7, 180 (United Athletic Conference)
Adam Jones, Montana State, Jr., 6-1, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
Ja'briel Mace, Villanova, Jr., 5-9, 175 (Patriot League)
Charles Pierre Jr., South Dakota, R-Sr., 5-10, 210 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Luke Yoder, Lehigh, Sr., 5-11, 205 (Patriot League)
Wide Receivers
Marquis Buchanan, Rhode Island, R-Sr., 6-4, 190Â (CAA Football)
Taco Dowler, Montana State, Sr., 5-9, 190 (Big Sky Conference)
Samuel Gbatu Jr., UC Davis, Sr., 5-10, 185 (Big Sky Conference)
Gavin Lochow, Dayton, Sr., 6-0, 185 (Pioneer Football League)
Sam Milligan, Bucknell, Sr., 6-3, 220 (Patriot League)
Bugs Mortimer, Stephen F. Austin, R-Sr., 5-10, 177 (Southland Conference)
Chance Peterson, North Carolina Central, R-Jr., 5-8, 155 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Brayden Smith, Mercer, Jr., 5-10, 185 (Southern Conference)
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A senior from Hurley, Mason enters his second season as the Jackrabbits' starting quarterback in 2026. Limited to nine games in 2025 due to injury, Mason led SDSU to an 8-1 record in his starts and accounted for 21 touchdowns — 15 passing and six rushing. He also completed 64.9 percent (146-of-225) of his passes for 2,005 yards.
The official watch list for the Stats Perform FCS Walter Payton Award will be updated periodically throughout the season. The award celebrates its 40th anniversary this season.
2026 WALTER PAYTON AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Quarterbacks
Keali'I Ah Yat, Montana, R-Jr., 6-1, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
Andrew Body, Alabama State, R-Sr., 6-0, 205 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Beau Brungard, Youngstown State, Sr., 6-0, 215 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Devin Farrell, Rhode Island, R-Sr., 6-0, 195 (CAA Football)
Collin Hurst, West Georgia, Jr., 5-10, 190Â (United Athletic Conference)
Justin Lamson, Montana State, Sr., 6-2, 210 (Big Sky Conference)
Chase Mason, South Dakota State, Gr., 6-4, 240 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Chris Parson, Austin Peay, R-Jr., 5-11, 224 (United Athletic Conference)
Ty Pennington, Northern Arizona, Sr., 6-2, 210 (Big Sky Conference)
Dante Reno, Yale, Jr., 6-2, 205 (Ivy League)
DJ Williams, Southern Illinois, Sr., 6-3, 218 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Running Backs
Dason Brooks, Idaho State, R-Sr., 5-11, 228 (Big Sky Conference)
Ness Davis, Duquesne, R-Jr., 5-11, 200 (NEC Football)
Victor Dawson, Illinois State, Sr., 5-11, 220 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
MJ Flowers, Tennessee Tech, R-Sr., 6-1, 220 (Southern Conference)
Eli Gillman, Montana, R-Sr., 6-0, 213 (Big Sky Conference)
Carson Gresock, Gardner-Webb, R-Sr., 5-11, 215 (OVC Football)
Tylan Hines, Tarleton State, Sr., 5-7, 180 (United Athletic Conference)
Adam Jones, Montana State, Jr., 6-1, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
Ja'briel Mace, Villanova, Jr., 5-9, 175 (Patriot League)
Charles Pierre Jr., South Dakota, R-Sr., 5-10, 210 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Luke Yoder, Lehigh, Sr., 5-11, 205 (Patriot League)
Wide Receivers
Marquis Buchanan, Rhode Island, R-Sr., 6-4, 190Â (CAA Football)
Taco Dowler, Montana State, Sr., 5-9, 190 (Big Sky Conference)
Samuel Gbatu Jr., UC Davis, Sr., 5-10, 185 (Big Sky Conference)
Gavin Lochow, Dayton, Sr., 6-0, 185 (Pioneer Football League)
Sam Milligan, Bucknell, Sr., 6-3, 220 (Patriot League)
Bugs Mortimer, Stephen F. Austin, R-Sr., 5-10, 177 (Southland Conference)
Chance Peterson, North Carolina Central, R-Jr., 5-8, 155 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Brayden Smith, Mercer, Jr., 5-10, 185 (Southern Conference)
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Players Mentioned
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