The Shadow
DALLAS — Virginia running back Peyton Lewis has been named one of 62 preseason candidates for the 2026 Doak Walker Award, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Tuesday (Aug. 18). The Forum annually presents the award to the nation’s most outstanding college running back.
Lewis joined the Cavalier football program in January after transferring from the University of Tennessee, where he spent the previous two seasons (2024-25). While with the Volunteers, he appeared in 23 games, a span in which he averaged 4.7 yards per carry and tallied 10 touchdowns. Additionally, Lewis was honored as a Fourth Team Preseason All-ACC selection by Athlon Sports.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name ten semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will also be announced in November. The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives. The recipient of the 2026 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 10.
The award is named for SMU’s three-time All-America running back Doak Walker. Each Tuesday of this season, The PwC SMU Athletic Forum will once again announce a Doak Walker National Running Back of the week.
Honoring the legends of sports for 37 years, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum celebrates outstanding success in athletics. Based in Dallas, the series features major figures from a variety of sports. The PwC SMU Athletic Forum hosts a series of yearly receptions and the prestigious Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet.
The Doak Walker Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. The NCFAA’s 25 awards have honored nearly 1,000 recipients since 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday.
Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a three-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates. Following is the remaining 2026 preseason watch list calendar:
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Wednesday, Aug. 19: Biletnikoff Award
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Thursday, Aug. 20: Davey O’Brien Award
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Friday, Aug. 21: Bednarik Award
