The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 7/6 Football trio lands on Lombardi Award midseason watch list
10.14.2026 | Football
Rasheem Biles, Trevor Goosby and Colin Simmons were named to the award’s midseason watch list.
AUSTIN, Texas – No. 7/6 Texas Football's Rasheem Biles, Trevor Goosby and Colin Simmons were named to the midseason watch list for the Lombardi Award, the Lombardi Committee announced Tuesday. In memory of coach Vince Lombardi, the Lombardi Award was established in 1970 and is presented to outstanding linemen who best epitomize his values of leadership, courage, performance, and discipline on and off the field.
All three earned spots on the award's preseason watch list on Aug. 11. It marks the second-consecutive year Simmons has landed on the award's midseason watch list. Biles and Goosby are first-time selections to the award's midseason watch list.
In 2024, former Longhorn left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. took home the award in addition to the Outland Trophy. He became the fourth Longhorn and first offensive lineman to win the prestigious award, becoming the first recipient since defensive end Brian Orakpo in 2008. Defensive tackles Tony Degrate (1984) and Kenneth Sims (1981) won it in the 1980s. Nine other Longhorns have been finalists, including Justin Blalock (2006), Rodrique Wright (2005), Derrick Johnson (2004), Cory Redding (2002), Doug Dawson (1983), Steve McMichael (1979), Brad Shearer (1977), Bill Wyman (1973) and Jerry Sisemore (1972).
Biles is a senior linebacker who transferred to Texas from Pitt in spring 2026. In five starts at Texas, Biles leads the team in total tackles (42), solo tackles (21) and interceptions (2). Biles is second on the team with 4.5 tackles for loss and quarterback hurries with two. Biles ties for the SEC lead in total interceptions (2) and interceptions per game (0.40). He's fifth in the SEC in total tackles. In his Longhorn debut against Texas State on Sept. 5, Biles totaled five tackles with a half tackle for loss and forced two turnovers, including a forced fumble and an interception. The forced fumble resulted in a 59-yard return touchdown by sophomore DB Graceson Littleton for a 28-0 lead, while the interception set up the Longhorns' offense at the Bobcats' 45-yard line, and they scored a touchdown three plays later for a 49-7 lead. It was Biles' first career game with a forced fumble and an interception. Biles was named the SEC's Co-Defensive Player of the Week following his performance against Texas State on Sept. 7. In UT's win over No. 1/1 Ohio State on Sept. 12, Biles logged eight tackles (six solo). The Columbus, Ohio, product followed with a four-tackle, one interception and one quarterback hurry performance against UTSA on Sept. 19. In Texas' SEC opener at No. 14/13 Tennessee on Sept. 26, Biles paced Texas with 13 tackles (seven olo), including 2.0 tackles for a loss of eight yards and a sack for a loss of four yards, to go along with a quarterback hurry. In the Allstate Red River Rivalry on Oct. 10, Biles led Texas with 12 tackles (three solo), including 2.0 tackles for a loss of five yards.
Goosby has started all five games at left tackle for Texas this season. Goosby anchored a Texas offense that accumulated 516 yards of total offense, including 360 through the air and 156 on the ground, in Texas' opener against Texas State on Sept. 5. The Longhorns averaged 7.4 yards per play. The Melissa, Texas, native was named the Outland Trophy's National Player of the Week and SEC's Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week after Texas' 24-23 victory over No. 1/1 Ohio State on Sept. 12. Goosby was the top-graded offensive lineman and allowed no sacks and just one pressure on 46 pass blocks against Ohio State. The Longhorns' offense manufactured three-consecutive touchdown drives to end the game. Goosby's impact was most important in the fourth quarter, as each of the Longhorns' three-consecutive touchdown drives to end the game took at least 12 plays and covered at least 72 yards to overcome a 23-3 deficit. The first two drives (15 and 13 plays) included clutch fourth-down conversions in Texas territory to keep the rally alive. In the fourth quarter alone, Goosby and the offensive line helped the Longhorns compile 150 yards of total offense – 83 passing and 67 rushing – in outgaining the Buckeyes, 150-52. Including the final drive of the third quarter, Texas totaled 236 total yards in the last 21 minutes of the game. The Longhorns became the only team in the past 15 years to close a victory with three-straight touchdown drives of 12 or more plays. Goosby helped the offense record at least 25 first downs in their first three games of the season. The only other time in the last 30 years that Texas has done that in its first three games of a season was in 2008 when the Horns accomplished that feat in each of their first five games. In the Horns' SEC opener at No. 14/13 Tennessee, Goosby blocked for QB Arch Manning who completed 14-of-19 passes for 201 yards, averaging 14.4 yards per completion. He also blocked for two Texas rushing touchdowns from RB Raleek Brown. In the Allstate Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma on Oct. 10, Goosby helped UT outgain Oklahoma 382-238. He protected Manning who threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns against the Sooners. Texas netted 122 yards on the ground against the Sooners. Texas has run for over 100 yards in four of five games this season.
Simmons has started all five games at EDGE this season, leading the nation in sacks with 9.5, sacks per game with 1.90, tackles for loss with 12.0 and tackles for loss per game with 2.40. Simmons also leads the SEC and ranks 11th in the FBS in forced fumbles with two. Simmons has tallied 17 tackles (12 solo), two quarterback hurries and one fumble recovery. In Texas' season opener against Texas State on Sept. 5, Simmons compiled a 0.5 tackle for a loss of two yards, a quarterback hurry and made a fumble recovery. In UT's win over No. 1/1 Ohio State on Sept. 12, the Dallas native had two tackles, including 2.0 tackles for a loss of nine yards and 1.0 sack for a loss of eight. Simmons followed up that performance with a 1.0 sack for a loss of five yards effort against UTSA on Sept. 19. Simmons swept the major National Player of the Week honors, earning recognition from the Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Walter Camp Award on Sept. 29 following his record-breaking performance at No. 14/13 Tennessee. Simmons set the Texas school record for sacks in a game with 5.5 for a massive 55 combined yards lost, while also forcing a fumble and recording nine tackles (six solo) and a pressure in leading the Longhorns to a 20-17 victory at No. 14/13. With the 5.5 sacks, Simmons became the first FBS player in the last 20 seasons to have 5.0 or more sacks in a game against a ranked team. Simmons' 5.5 sacks tied the SEC single-game record, which was set by Mississippi State's Greg Favors against Ole Miss in 1996. It was just the sixth time since 1975 a Texas player has had 4.0-plus sacks, with the last being 4.5 by Alex Okafor against Oregon State in the 2012 Alamo Bowl. In the Allstate Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma on Oct. 10, Simmons posted four tackles, including 3.0 tackles for a loss of 16 yards, 2.0 sacks for a loss of 15 yards and forced a fumble. Simmons has recorded a TFL in all five games this season and has notched a sack in four-straight games heading into Saturday against Florida. Simmons has also recorded a forced fumble in two-consecutive games.
Up next, the Longhorns host Florida at 11 a.m. CT Saturday, Oct. 17, at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. The game will broadcast on ABC with Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (analyst) and Kris Budden (reporter) on the call.
