DALLAS, Texas – Tavian Combs and Jaxton Eck were named to The Pony Express Award mid-season watch list for 2026, a regular-season award honoring the best tandem in college football, regardless of position. Craig James and Eric Dickerson, former teammates at SMU and proud members of various Halls of Fame from high school to the NFL, created the award to celebrate selflessness, collaboration, and true team excellence.
“Eric and I have always been about team success over individual success,” said James. “It’s how we were coached from a young age through high school, as SMU teammates and eventually the NFL. A ‘we’ honor in a ‘me’ era, the Pony Express Award is presented annually to the most dynamic and selfless tandem in college football. While on-field performance certainly matters, this recognition is rooted in an unshakable team-first mindset."
Added Dickerson, "The Pony Express Award is about the players who set the tone of their team’s culture. Some really good duos have stepped up in the first half of the season. We can’t wait to see who sets themselves apart.”
Whether it’s a QB and WR with undeniable chemistry, two offensive linemen paving the way down the field, or a linebacker-safety combo relentlessly anchoring the defense (or other duo/combinations), the award looks for tandems who embody the spirit of The Pony Express Award. James’ and Dickerson’s shared faith as brothers in Christ has been the foundation of their nearly 50-year relationship.
The final award winners are not limited to this mid-season watch list, as new candidates keep emerging as the season continues.
The Pony Express Award winners will be announced in December.