Seven BYU players have landed on the 2026 Watch List for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award, giving the Cougars the largest presence of any school on the list.
The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame announced the watch list today in Honolulu, and BYU’s group includes defensive end Tausili Akana, safety Raider Damuni, offensive lineman Paki Finau, receiver Jaron Pula, safety Faletau Satuala, defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa and linebacker Cade Uluave.
The award goes annually to the top college football player of Polynesian ancestry who best reflects strong play and integrity on and off the field. This year’s watch list features 69 players from 36 FBS schools, with BYU’s seven candidates ahead of Oregon’s six and Hawaii’s five.
Selections are based on past production and future upside, and the list can grow as the 2026 season moves along.
The award timeline is already set. Finalists will be announced Dec. 8, the winner will be revealed Dec. 15, and the presentation will take place at the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Celebration Dinner on Jan.
16, 2027. The award will also be recognized during the Polynesian Bowl on Jan.
BYU has a recent connection to the honor. Former Cougars quarterback Zach Kapono Wilson won the award in 2020 after helping BYU to an 11-1 record and a No. 11 final ranking. That season, he threw for 3,692 yards and 33 touchdowns while completing 73.4 percent of his passes, setting a new BYU mark and passing the old record held by Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young.
Cougars coach Kalani Sitake was also inducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame on Jan. 19, 2025, during a ceremony at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, Hawai'i.
The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, established in 2013 by Super Bowl champions Jesse Sapolu and Ma’a Tanuvasa, honors Polynesia’s greatest players, coaches and contributors. Its permanent home is at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, Hawai’i.
The Hall of Fame’s selection committee includes Jack "The Throwin' Samoan" Thompson, who serves as chairman, along with former coaches Ron McBride and Dick Vermeil, former NFL player Olin Kreutz, past NFLPA president Kevin Mawae, sportscaster Neil Everett, NFL network chief national reporter Steve Wyche and former NFL player Manti Te’o.
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