COLUMBUS, Ohio – Monday was a good day for Ohio State sophomore defensive end Joey Bosa. Monday morning he was named as a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, given annually to the nation’s most outstanding defensive player, and late last night Bosa was named a semifinalist for the Rotary Lombardi Award, which is awarded to the lineman of the year by the Rotary Club of Houston.

Bosa is having an outstanding sophomore season for the 7-1 and 4-0 (Big Ten) Buckeyes. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native and St. Thomas Aquinas graduate leads the Big Ten Conference in three major statistical categories – tackles-for-loss with 14.5, quarterback sacks with 10 and forced fumbles with three – and he has contributed 30 total tackles and two additional quarterback hurries. Nationally, he ranks in a tie for third in tackles-for-loss, fifth in quarterback sacks and 12th in forced fumbles.

Bosa’s consistency has been most impressive. He has recorded a tackle-for-loss in 14 consecutive games, a span in which he has totaled 24 TFLs for negative 132 yards. Bosa’s streak of consecutive TFL games ties him with Andy Katzenmoyer and Ryan Shazier for the OSU school record.

Consecutive Games with a TFL
14 – Joey Bosa (2013-14)
14 – Ryan Shazier (2012-13)
14 – Andy Katzenmoyer (1996-97)
12 – Will Smith (2002-03)
11 – Mike Vrabel (1994-95)
10 – Matt Wilhelm (2000)

Bosa has climbed into the Ohio State Top 10 for career sacks already, with 17.5 (10th), and his 28.0 tackles-for-loss are just five away from a Top 15 ranking all-time at Ohio State. His 158 tackles-for-loss yards rank 13th in Ohio State history.

Finalists for the Rotary Lombardi Award will be named Nov. 17.