UCF Places Nine on AAC All-Conference Teams

ORLANDO – Nine UCF football student-athletes have been named to the American Athletic All-Conference Teams, the league office announced on Wednesday. Five players were selected to the first team, while four players earned second-team honors.

The league's awards were determined by a vote of the conference's 11 head coaches. UCF has had at least seven all-conference selections in each of the past six years.

For the second consecutive year, wide receiver Ryan O'Keefe and offensive lineman Lokahi Pauole claimed All-AAC honors. Pauole was tabbed to the first team and O'Keefe garnered second-team accolades.

In addition to Pauole, offensive lineman Ryan Swoboda, defensive linemen Ricky Barber and Tre'mon Morris-Brash, and linebacker Jason Johnson earned first-team honors. Running back Isaiah Bowser, offensive guard Samuel Jackson, center Matthew Lee and O'Keefe were named Second Team All-AAC. Lee also claimed his second all-conference selection, after securing first-team honors in 2020. Jackson earned all-conference from Pro Football Focus last year and this year's selection is his second.

Jackson, Lee, Pauole and Swoboda are members of a stellar UCF offensive line that has the Knights ranked ninth nationally and leading the AAC in total offense, averaging 486.5 yards per game. Additionally, the group has paved the way for UCF to rush for 200 or more yards in nine of its 12 games this season.

All four have started every game, as UCF has had the same starting offensive line group in each contest.

Bowser is second in the conference and 18th nationally in rushing touchdowns with 13, which is tied for the sixth most in a single season in program history. He would tie UCF Hall of Famer Latavius Murray for the second most in a season with two more rushing touchdowns. The Sidney, Ohio, native has rushed for 675 yards this season.

O'Keefe leads UCF with 67 receptions this season for 688 yards with five touchdowns. He now sits in fifth place in the Knights record books for career receptions with 178. For his career, the Austin, Texas, native has 178 catches for 1,965 yards and 15 touchdowns.

In his first season at UCF, Johnson has helped lead the Knights defense from his linebacker position, as he is second in the conference with 114 tackles. He has tallied 10 or more tackles in six games this season. Barber has been a force in the middle of the UCF defensive line, registering 43 tackles including 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.

Morris-Brash ranks among the top six in the American in tackles for loss with a team-leading 12 in addition to six sacks, which also leads the team and is among the top 10 in the conference. The Richmond, Virginia, native is second on the team with 48 tackles.

With a 46-39 win against South Florida last Saturday, the Knights clinched a spot in this weekend's AAC Championship Game where 22nd-ranked UCF will meet No. 18 Tulane. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET from Yulman Stadium in New Orleans and the game will be broadcast live on ABC.

ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM

                                                                                                                                       
ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM