Bowling Green State University Athletics
Freddie Barnes Falls Short of Biletnikoff Award
December 10, 2009 | Football
The 19th Annual 2009 Home Depot College Football Awards Show, held inside the Atlantic Dance Hall at Disney's BoardWalk at the Walt Disney World Resort, brought together the best of the best in college football at a variety of different positions. Bowling Green State University's own Freddie Barnes was one of three finalists to be nominated for the Fred Biletnikoff Award for best wide receiver in the nation. Barnes fell just short of the honor when Notre Dame University's Golden Tate was named the receipient of this year's 2009 Fred Biletnikoff Award.
Barnes currently leads the country in receptions (138), receptions per game (11.5), and touchdowns (16) and is third in yards (1,551) and yards per game (129.3). The senior has eight double-digit reception performances, has gone over the 100-yard mark eight times and has six games of at least two touchdowns.
The First-Team All-MAC honoree and one of five captains on the 2009 Falcons' squad, had a six-game streak of going over 100 yards snap versus Toledo in the regular season finally, but did find a way to score a pair of touchdowns versus the Rockets to extend his touchdown scoring streak to seven games heading into the Humanitarian Bowl versus Idaho.
Big plays have been a huge factor in Barnes' success as well, having caught five receptions over 50 yards, and has 22 catches of 20 yards or more in 2009.
The Chicago Heights, Ill., native's 138 catches are tied for third-most all-time in the history of the NCAA, four receptions shy of the NCAA mark of 142, held by Manny Hazard (Houston), established in 1989. His 11.5 receptions per game is the fifth-highest average ever by a NCAA wide receiver and has 31 more catches than his nearest competitor.
It did not take long for Barnes to make a name for himself in 2009, opening the season with a school record 15 catches in a 31-14 win over Troy, a record he would break two more times in 2009.
Just two weeks after the Troy contest Barnes caught 17 passes versus Marshall and then exploded onto the scene with 22 grabs for 278 yards and three touchdowns in a 36-35 win at Kent State on Oct. 10, 2009, earning National Wide Receiver of the Week honors by the College Football Performance Award (CFPA).
The CFPA would come calling again the following week after Barnes posted 10 receptions for 160 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-17 win at Ball State. In that two week stretch the senior had 32 catches for 438 yards and six touchdowns.
As Barnes continued his assault on the record books he posted 14 catches for 172 yards and one touchdown versus Central Michigan and had eight grabs for 122 yards and the game-winning touchdown versus Buffalo (30-29) on ESPN2 with 39 seconds remaining.
For the third time in 2009 alone the CFPA named Barnes its National Wide Receiver of the Week after recording 12 catches for 197 yards and two touchdowns in the 36-20 win over Akron.
Barnes has played a factor elsewhere as well, contributing 75 yards rushing and two touchdowns, while adding 115 punt return yards on just nine attempts. Overall he has 1,741 all-purpose yards.
Barnes currently leads the country in receptions (138), receptions per game (11.5), and touchdowns (16) and is third in yards (1,551) and yards per game (129.3). The senior has eight double-digit reception performances, has gone over the 100-yard mark eight times and has six games of at least two touchdowns.
The First-Team All-MAC honoree and one of five captains on the 2009 Falcons' squad, had a six-game streak of going over 100 yards snap versus Toledo in the regular season finally, but did find a way to score a pair of touchdowns versus the Rockets to extend his touchdown scoring streak to seven games heading into the Humanitarian Bowl versus Idaho.
Big plays have been a huge factor in Barnes' success as well, having caught five receptions over 50 yards, and has 22 catches of 20 yards or more in 2009.
The Chicago Heights, Ill., native's 138 catches are tied for third-most all-time in the history of the NCAA, four receptions shy of the NCAA mark of 142, held by Manny Hazard (Houston), established in 1989. His 11.5 receptions per game is the fifth-highest average ever by a NCAA wide receiver and has 31 more catches than his nearest competitor.
It did not take long for Barnes to make a name for himself in 2009, opening the season with a school record 15 catches in a 31-14 win over Troy, a record he would break two more times in 2009.
Just two weeks after the Troy contest Barnes caught 17 passes versus Marshall and then exploded onto the scene with 22 grabs for 278 yards and three touchdowns in a 36-35 win at Kent State on Oct. 10, 2009, earning National Wide Receiver of the Week honors by the College Football Performance Award (CFPA).
The CFPA would come calling again the following week after Barnes posted 10 receptions for 160 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-17 win at Ball State. In that two week stretch the senior had 32 catches for 438 yards and six touchdowns.
As Barnes continued his assault on the record books he posted 14 catches for 172 yards and one touchdown versus Central Michigan and had eight grabs for 122 yards and the game-winning touchdown versus Buffalo (30-29) on ESPN2 with 39 seconds remaining.
For the third time in 2009 alone the CFPA named Barnes its National Wide Receiver of the Week after recording 12 catches for 197 yards and two touchdowns in the 36-20 win over Akron.
Barnes has played a factor elsewhere as well, contributing 75 yards rushing and two touchdowns, while adding 115 punt return yards on just nine attempts. Overall he has 1,741 all-purpose yards.
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