SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State football's Matt Araiza (San Diego/Rancho Bernardo HS) has been named to the 2021 ESPN Midseason All-America team, which was released Wednesday. Araiza is one of three from a Group of 5 program on the team, which includes 11 on offense, 11 on defense, a kicker and Araiza at punter.
On the season, Araiza has punted 33 times for 1,784 yards and 54.1 average with a net average of 44.8. Araiza's 54.06 average is 3.08 yards ahead of the NCAA record of 50.98 set by Texas A&M's Braden Mann set in 2018. Among his 33 punts, 20 have gone at least 50 yards, 14 have landed inside the 20 and four have been fair caught. Araiza leads the nation in punt average (54.06) and punt yards per game (356.80), and ranks second in punt yards (1,784), fifth in net punt average (44.76), sixth in punts per game (6.60, 2nd in MW), tied for seventh in punts inside the 20-yard line (14, 2nd in FBS) and tied for 15th in total punts (33, 3rd in FBS). Araiza also has the eighth (77 yards), 12th (75) and 17th-longest punts (72) this season.
On Araiza, ESPN Senior Writer Mark Schlabach wrote, "Araiza has been a field-position weapon for the unbeaten Aztecs through five games. He leads the FBS with a 54.1-yard average, which is 3.08 yards ahead of the FBS record set by Texas A&M's Braden Mann in 2018. The San Diego native has put 14 of his 33 punts inside opponents' 20-yard line, and 20 of his punts were longer than 50 yards, including three of more than 70 yards."
Araiza, one of four players in the country handling all three kicking assignments (punting, kicking field goals/PATs and kicking off), also has made all 23 of his PATs and is 5-for-8 in field goal attempts, while kicking off 31 times for 2,013 yards and a 64.9 average (perfect is 65.0) along with 24 touchbacks. Araiza ranks in a tie for first in FBS in PAT percentage (1.000), fourth in kickoff average (64.94), tied for 18th in kickoff touchbacks (24, 1st in MW), 22nd in kickoff touchback percentage (77.42, 1st in MW), tied for 26th in made PATs (23, 1st in MW) and tied for 28th in attempted PATs (23, 1st in MW). He's also second in the MW in kickoff yards (2,013, T-51st in FBS), tied for second in total kickoffs (31, T-54th in FBS), tied for fifth in kicking points (38, T-57th in FBS), tied for sixth in field goal attempts (8, T-53rd in FBS), tied for seventh in points per game (7.60, T-73rd in FBS), eighth in field goals per game (1.00, T-72nd in FBS), tied for eighth in total points (38) and total field goals (5), and ninth in field goal percentage (62.50).
Araiza also leads the special teams unit with four tackles and two on the kick return unit, and is tied for first in tackles on the punt return unit (2).
One of 13 unbeaten teams left in FBS play, the No. 24/24 Aztecs (5-0, 1-0 MW) play at San José State on Friday night. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PT.
Matt Araiza Named an ESPN Midseason All-American
