Blythe, King finalists for College Football Awards

Iowa’s Austin Blythe will be joining teammate Desmond King as a finalist on this week’s College Football Awards show from Orlando, Fla.

On Monday, the fifth-year senior from Williamsburg was named one of three finalists for the Rimington Trophy — presented to the nation’s Most Outstanding Center.

Blythe will be going up against Michigan State’s Jack Allen (who beat out Blythe for first-team all-Big Ten Conference) and Alabama’s Ryan Kelly.

Bruce Nelson, in 2002, is Iowa’s most recent Rimington finalist.

In November King was named one of three finalists for the Thorpe Award, presented to the nation’s top defensive back. King, a junior who has eight interceptions this season, will be going up against Duke senior Jeremy Cash and Florida junior Vernon Hargreaves III.

The last Iowa defensive player to win a major national individual award was in 1957, when Alex Karras won the Outland Trophy.

Thursday’s awards show will air live at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.