Tulsa's Max Tulen Named to Ray Guy Watch List
The Tulsa punter from Melbourne, Australia is among the candidates for the 2026 Ray Guy Midseason Award Watch List.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Football
Tulsa punter Max Tulen has been named to the 2026 Ray Guy Midseason Award Watch List. Through eight games this season, Tulen has punted 36 times for 1,546 yards and an average of 42.9 yards per punt.
Why it matters
The Ray Guy Award recognizes the nation's top punter, with candidates judged on net punting average, punts inside the 20-yard line, and punts not returned. Tulen's inclusion highlights his production for a Tulsa team that relies on consistent special teams play.
Tulen has placed 11 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line and forced 14 fair catches this season, with a season-long punt of 55 yards. His 2025 season included 10 punts of 50 or more yards, but the list does not specify how his current pace compares to other award candidates.
The players
Max Tulen
Tulen is a punter for the University of Tulsa and a native of Melbourne, Australia who previously played at Bethune-Cookman.
Ray Guy Award
The Ray Guy Award is an annual honor recognizing the best punter in college football, presented by the Augusta Sports Council.
The details
Tulen spent three seasons at Bethune-Cookman before transferring to Tulsa, where he has continued as the team's punter. He earned first-team All-SWAC and HBCU All-America honors in 2025.
Timeline
The Ray Guy committee will announce 10 semifinalists on Nov. 13.
Three finalists are scheduled to be announced on Nov. 24.
The winner will be announced during The Home Depot College Football Awards in December.
Season Trajectory
The Ray Guy Award is one of college football's most closely watched special teams honors, and Tulen's midseason inclusion positions him among the award's early contenders. His performance this season will be measured against the same criteria the award has used to select punters in prior years.
Fantasy and season-long punting analysts can track Tulen's fair catch rate and punts inside the 20-yard line as indicators of his value. The semifinalist announcement on Nov. 13 will show whether his midseason numbers hold up among the nation's top punters.
The takeaway
Tulen's midseason inclusion reflects strong punting efficiency for Tulsa this season. Readers following the award can watch the November semifinalist and finalist announcements to see how he compares against the nation's best.
What happens next
The Ray Guy committee will announce 10 semifinalists on Nov. 13, three finalists on Nov. 24, and the award winner in December during The Home Depot College Football Awards.
Further reading
For more on Tulsa's season, check the Football section for game coverage and roster updates.
More information
Learn more about the candidates and selection process on the official Ray Guy Award website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Albany Democrat-Herald.
