Laramie, Wyo. (Feb. 3, 2017) --  University of Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen will be honored by the Touchdown Club of Columbus (TDC) this Saturday, Feb. 4 at its 62nd  Annual TDC Awards in Columbus, Ohio.  Allen is one of 20 players nationally that the TDC will recognize among its “Players to Watch” in 2017.  The awards dinner will be held at the Express Live concert venue in downtown Columbus.  Allen will be accompanied by Cowboy offensive coordinator Brent Vigen at the awards dinner.

       This is the second consecutive season that Wyoming has had a player recognized at the Touchdown Club of Columbus event.  A year ago, running back Brian Hill was named one of the TDC’s “Players to Watch”.  Hill attended the 2015 TDC awards dinner with running backs coach Mike Bath.

       Allen had an outstanding redshirt sophomore season for the Cowboys in 2016.  Allen helped lead Wyoming to the Mountain Division title of the Mountain West Conference, a spot in the MW Championship Game hosted by the University of Wyoming and a berth in the 2016 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.  He earned Second Team All-Mountain West honors as a sophomore.  He threw for 3,203 yards, which ranks as the fifth best single-season in Wyoming school history and placed him No. 2 in the MW in 2016 and No. 32 in the NCAA.  Allen accounted for 3,726 yards of total offense in 2016 -- the third best single season total in Cowboy history.  He averaged 266.1 yards of total offense per game to rank No. 2 in the MW and No. 40 in the NCAA.  Allen completed 28 touchdown passes for the 2016 season, ranking him No. 1 in the Mountain West Conference and No. 20 in the nation.  Those 28 TD passes are the third most ever in a single season by a Cowboy.  In his redshirt sophomore season, Allen also was responsible for 218 total points either passing, rushing or receiving, which led the Mountain West and placed him 16th in the country in 2016.  His combined 35 touchdowns passing, rushing and receiving rank No. 2 in school history for a single season.  Finally, Allen averaged 15.6 yards per pass completion, which not only ranked No. 1 in the conference but ranked No. 6 in the nation.

       The Touchdown Club of Columbus’ 20 “Players to Watch” for 2017 include: Josh Allen (Wyoming), Jaylon Ferguson (Louisiana Tech), Riley Ferguson (Memphis), Nick Fitzgerald (Mississippi State), Quinton Flowers (South Florida), Deondre Francois (Florida State), James Gilbert (Ball State), Ulysees Gilbert III (Akron), Khalil Hodge (Buffalo), Jalyn Holmes (Ohio State), Michael Jordan (Ohio State), Micah Kiser (Virginia), Ray Lawry (Old Dominion), Anthony Miller (Memphis), Mason Rudolph (Oklahoma State), Cody Thompson (Toledo), Mike Weber (Ohio State), Mike White (Western Kentucky), Cedrick Wilson (Boise State) and Logan Woodside (Toledo).

       Among the other awards presented at the TDC Annual Awards are: the Woody Hayes Award, presented to the college football coach of the year; the Sammy Baugh Award, awarded to the top college passer; the Chic Harley Award, for college football player of the year; the Archie Griffin Award, for college football’s most valuable player; the Male Athlete of the Year, for all sports; and the Female Athlete of the Year, for all sports.