Michigan State University Athletics
Photo by: Matthew Mitchell/MSU Athletic Communications
Bryce Baringer Named AFCA First-Team All-American
12/14/2022 11:17:00 AM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State sixth-year graduate senior punter Bryce Baringer has landed on yet another All-America first team, this time getting recognized by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) on Wednesday.
Last week, Baringer was on first-team All-America squads as announced by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and CBS Sports, and he also earned first-team honors from The Associated Press on Monday. He also picked up second-team accolades from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and The Sporting News.
MSU has placed three players on the AFCA All-America First Team in the last two seasons (all-purpose player Jayden Reed and running back Kenneth Walker III in 2021).
A finalist for the Ray Guy Award, Baringer leads the FBS in punting with a school-record 49.0-yard average, which is also the second-best single-season average in Big Ten history (Iowa's Reggie Roby had a 49.8-yard average in 1981). Michigan State also ranks No. 1 in the FBS in net punting (45.5-yard average) as Baringer had only four touchbacks this season while placing 22 of his 50 punts (44 percent) inside the 20, including eight inside the 10. The sixth-year graduate senior also had a Big Ten-best 24 punts of 50-plus yards (48 percent), including 10 of 60-plus yards.
Baringer was recognized as the Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year by the Big Ten while earning first-team all-league honors from the coaches.
A two-time Ray Guy Award National Punter of the Week (vs. Ohio State and Illinois), Baringer made five appearances on the "Ray's 8" weekly honor roll (vs. Western Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Rutgers).
Baringer's career punting average of 46.0 yards per punt (161 punts for 7,406 yards) is not only a school record, but the best in Big Ten history (Reggie Roby of Iowa previously held the Big Ten career record with a 45.5 average from 1979-82). Last season, Baringer set a school record with his 48.4-yard punting average, only to be eclipsed by this year's 49.0-yard average.
Baringer is currently preparing for the NFL Draft and has accepted an invite to the Reese's Senior Bowl.
Last week, Baringer was on first-team All-America squads as announced by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and CBS Sports, and he also earned first-team honors from The Associated Press on Monday. He also picked up second-team accolades from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and The Sporting News.
MSU has placed three players on the AFCA All-America First Team in the last two seasons (all-purpose player Jayden Reed and running back Kenneth Walker III in 2021).
A finalist for the Ray Guy Award, Baringer leads the FBS in punting with a school-record 49.0-yard average, which is also the second-best single-season average in Big Ten history (Iowa's Reggie Roby had a 49.8-yard average in 1981). Michigan State also ranks No. 1 in the FBS in net punting (45.5-yard average) as Baringer had only four touchbacks this season while placing 22 of his 50 punts (44 percent) inside the 20, including eight inside the 10. The sixth-year graduate senior also had a Big Ten-best 24 punts of 50-plus yards (48 percent), including 10 of 60-plus yards.
Baringer was recognized as the Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year by the Big Ten while earning first-team all-league honors from the coaches.
A two-time Ray Guy Award National Punter of the Week (vs. Ohio State and Illinois), Baringer made five appearances on the "Ray's 8" weekly honor roll (vs. Western Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Rutgers).
Baringer's career punting average of 46.0 yards per punt (161 punts for 7,406 yards) is not only a school record, but the best in Big Ten history (Reggie Roby of Iowa previously held the Big Ten career record with a 45.5 average from 1979-82). Last season, Baringer set a school record with his 48.4-yard punting average, only to be eclipsed by this year's 49.0-yard average.
Baringer is currently preparing for the NFL Draft and has accepted an invite to the Reese's Senior Bowl.
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