SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State football's Matt Araiza (San Diego/Rancho Bernardo HS) has been named to the 2021 Associated Press Midseason All-America team, which was released Tuesday. Araiza is one of four from a Group of 5 program on the team, which includes 11 on offense, 11 on defense, a kicker and Araiza at punter.
Araiza and defensive end Cameron Thomas (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad HS) also were chosen as midseason second-team All-America selections by The Athletic on Tuesday. Araiza has now been named to a pair of midseason All-America first teams (ESPN and AP), and one second team (The Athletic).
On the season, Araiza has punted 40 times for 2,154 yards (53.9 avg.) with 25 of at least 50 yards, 18 inside the 20, eight fair catches and a long of 86 yards, posting a net punt average of 46.2. Araiza's also made all 24 of his PATs and is 7-for-11 in field goal attempts with a pair of 50-yarders, while kicking off 34 times for 2,208 yards and a 64.9 average (perfect is 65.0) along with 27 touchbacks.
Araiza leads all FBS players in punt average (53.85), total punt yards (2,154) and punt yards per game (359.00), and ranks in a tie for first in PAT percentage (1.000), third in kickoff average (64.94), tied for third in punts per game (6.67, 2nd in MW), fourth in punts inside the 20-yard line (18, 2nd in MW), tied for seventh in total punts (49, 3rd in MW), 17th in kickoff touchback percentage (79.41, 1st in MW) and tied for 17th in total touchbacks (27, 1st in MW). Araiza also is tied for the league lead in made PATs (24, T-32nd in FBS) and attempted PATs (24, T-33rd in FBS), and ranks fourth in kickoff yards (2,208, 50th in FBS)), fifth in field goal attempts per game (1.17, T-31st in FBS) and kicking points (45, T-39th in FBS), tied for fifth in total kickoffs (34, T-56th in FBS), sixth in points per game (7.50, T-71st in FBS), tied for seventh in total field goals (7, T-53rd in FBS), tied for eighth in field goals per game (1.17, T-46th in FBS), and ninth in both field goal percentage (63.36) and total points (45). Araiza has the longest punt this season (86 yards), the ninth longest (77), the 13th (75) and the 18th (72).
Thomas, meanwhile, leads a defense that ranks first in the nation in rushing yards allowed per game (61.2) and rush yards allowed per carry (2.12), second in yards allowed per play (4.03), third in tackles for loss per game (7.8) and pass yards allowed per attempt (5.36), sixth in pass efficiency defense (104.2), eighth in total defense (282.8), 10th in scoring defense (16.0), 12th in sacks per game (3.33) and 13th in interceptions (8). Thomas has started all six games, making 29 tackles (12 solo), including a team-high 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks for 19 yards and a team-high 12 quarterback hurries.
Thomas ranks second in the Mountain West in tackles for loss per game (1.67, T-5th in FBS) and total tackles for loss (10.0, T-6th in FBS). According to Pro Football Focus, is graded out as the second-best defensive player in the MW (90.2) and the fourth best against the run (82.6, min. 100 rushing snaps). He also has the second-most quarterback pressures (sacks/hits/hurries) (36), tied for the most quarterback hits (12) and tied for the third most in quarterback hurries (20), while tying for the team lead with 21 tackles on rushing plays.
SDSU, which is off to a 6-0 start for just the second time in the last 46 seasons (also 2017), plays at Air Force on Saturday at 5 p.m. MT (4 p.m. PT).
Matt Araiza Named an AP Midseason All-American
