FORT WORTH - TCU football has a legitimate national award contender, and he might be the most overlooked weapon on the Horned Frogs' roster.

Punter John Hoyet Chance was named to the 2026 Ray Guy Award Midseason Watch List on Thursday, recognizing his outstanding performance during his first season in Fort Worth.

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The award honors college football's top punter, and Chance has put together the kind of season that deserves serious consideration.

Through eight games, the junior has punted 34 times for 1,466 yards, averaging 43.12 yards per attempt. More impressively, he's placed 17 punts inside opponents' 20-yard line.

That's exactly 50 percent of his attempts, a remarkable achievement that illustrates how valuable he's become to TCU's field-position battle.

According to Pro Football Focus, Chance currently ranks as the second-highest-graded punter in the nation.

That's significant recognition for a player whose impact doesn't always appear in conventional football highlights.

While quarterbacks and receivers generate most of the attention, a punter capable of consistently pinning opponents deep in their own territory can completely change the complexion of a game.

Chance has already demonstrated that ability repeatedly.

During TCU's October victory over Baylor, he punted eight times for 323 yards, placing five kicks inside the 20-yard line.

His performance earned him a third selection to the Ray Guy Award's weekly "Ray's 8" recognition list this season.

It's also confirmation that TCU made an excellent addition through the transfer portal.

Chance arrived from Louisiana Tech after averaging 47.27 yards on 66 punts during the 2025 season, including a career-long 72-yarder.

The Shreveport, Louisiana, native was already considered one of college football's most promising specialists before joining the Horned Frogs.

Now he's proving that reputation was deserved.

The Ray Guy Award selection committee evaluates punters using several measures, including net punting average, the percentage of kicks downed inside the 20 and how frequently punts are returned.

The committee also considers leadership, discipline and a player's overall impact on team success.

Chance's ability to combine distance with placement makes him particularly valuable in those evaluations.

The competition will get considerably tougher from here.

The award's 10 semifinalists will be announced on Nov. 13, followed by three finalists on Nov. 24.

The winner will be revealed on Dec. 11 during The Home Depot College Football Awards.

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For a TCU program seeking consistency in the Big 12, Chance provides something every coaching staff appreciates: a dependable way to change field position.

And if his impressive season continues, the Horned Frogs could have a national award winner handling their punting duties.

Source: Yahoo Sports