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Max Olson, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Polynesian award watch list revealed

After picking the perfect year to debut, the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award is back and released its 36-man watch list for the 2015 season on Tuesday.

Headlining this year's list are Notre Dame tackle Ronnie Stanley, Arizona quarterback Anu Solomon, Oregon State lineman Isaac Seumalo, BYU defensive end Bronson Kaufusi, Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner and USC's Su'a Cravens and JuJu Smith.

The award is presented annually to the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry. Oregon quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota was the award's inaugural recipient in 2014.

The full breakdown of players on the watch list by conference is as follows: Pac-12 (17), Mountain West (7), Independents (6), Big 12 (3), Sun Belt (2) and Big Ten (1).

Here's the complete watch list (36 nominees):

  • OL Siaosi Aiono, Utah

  • DE Kalei Auelua, New Mexico State

  • DL DeForest Buckner, Oregon

  • DL Kamalei Correa, Boise State

  • LB Su'a Cravens, USC

  • K Ka'imi Fairbairn, UCLA

  • TE Siale Fakailoatonga, Utah

  • OL Alex Fifita, Fresno State

  • QB Salamo Fiso, Arizona State

  • OL Isaiah Folasa-Lutui, New Mexico State

  • OL Tuni Kanuch, BYU

  • OL Nila Kasitati, Oklahoma

  • DL Bronson Kaufusi, BYU

  • OL Ului Lapuaho, BYU

  • QB Sefo Liufau, Colorado

  • OL Toa Lobendahn, USC

  • LB Tau Lotulelei, UNLV

  • DL Lowell Lotulelei, Utah

  • LB Laiu Moeakiola, Arizona State

  • DL Bryan Mone, Michigan

  • LB Manoa Pikula, BYU

  • DL Ian Seau, Nevada

  • OL Isaac Seumalo, Oregon State

  • WR JuJu Smith, USC

  • QB Anu Solomon, Arizona

  • OL Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame

  • LB Christian Tago, San Jose State

  • OL Viane Talamaivao, USC

  • OL Vi Teofilo, Arizona State

  • DL Mike Tuaua, TCU

  • OL Siosifa Tufunga, Washington

  • DL Travis Tuiloma, BYU

  • DL Kennedy Tulimasealii, Hawaii

  • OL Halapoulivaati Vaitai, TCU

  • DB Peni Vea, UNLV

  • OL Psalm Wooching, Washington

Five finalists for the award will be unveiled on Nov. 19, and the winner will be honored on Dec. 8. Former coaches Dick Tomey, LaVell Edwards, Ron McBride and Dick Vermeil and ex-NFLPA president Kevin Mawae are among the members of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame's selection committee.

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