DALLAS -- A trio of Mid-American Conference offensive linemen were named to the preseason watch list for the 2024 Outland Trophy as Western Michigan's Jacob Gideon, Miami's Reid Holskey and Bowling Green's Alex Wollschlaeger were recoginzed ahead of the upcoming football season. 

Gideon has been no stranger to watch lists in his career, having been a staple on the Rimington Trophy for the past two seasons. The Union, Ky., native has helped the Broncos produce 1,000-yard rushers in two of the past three seasons.
 
Gideon started every game in 2023 and earned First Team All-MAC honors.  He has been rated as the MAC's top center by Pro Football Focus in each of the past two seasons.

Holskey has started 40 games at right tackle in his career for the Red and White, including every contest since 2021. The Pataskala, Ohio native earned second-team All-MAC in 2023.

Wollschlaeger was an All-MAC honoree in 2023 after helping block for All-MAC running back Terion Stewart. Despite missing four games with injury, Stewart finished the year No. 4 in the nation with 78 broken tackles, tied for No. 25 in the nation with 6.1 yards per rush and his 4.81 yards per rush after contact ranked No. 2 in the nation among those with at least 100 rushing attempts.

This year's preseason watch list contains 75 returning standout interior linemen representing all 10 Division I FBS conferences and independents. The 2024 season will close with the award's 79th winner being feted in Omaha and the watch list offers a talented field of players alongside one returning FWAA All-American.

The recipient of the 2024 Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN on Dec. 12, 2024. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee in Omaha, Neb., on Jan. 22, 2025.

The FWAA will announce the Outland Trophy semifinalists on Nov. 20, and those players will then be paired down to three finalists announced on Nov. 26. The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from those finalists who will be part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects a 26-man first team and eventually the three Outland finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends are not eligible.