DALLAS - The National College Football Awards association (NCFAA) recognized Fresno State senior cornerback Carlton Johnson as the Bronko Nagurski and the Jim Thorpe National Defensive Player of the Week for the weekend of Sept. 16, on Tuesday.
Johnson led Fresno State's commanding defensive efforts with three interceptions and an additional three tackles in the 29-0 shutout win at Arizona State last Saturday. It was the first shutout victory for the Bulldogs over a Power 5 school since 1986.
Johnson's recognition this week officially adds him to the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded to the top defensive player in college football. The Moreno Valley, Calif. native is also added to the Jim Thorpe Award watch list, recognizing the nation's top defensive back. He was not on either preseason watch list this year.
The picks, his first of the season, are a career-high for Johnson and tie the school and Mountain West Conference record. It was an unusual trifecta in that each of Johnson's three interceptions came against a different ASU quarterback and were part of a hawkish eight takeaways by Fresno State, five interceptions and three fumble recoveries, to tie the single-game program record.
Johnson's first interception came on ASU's second pass attempt. The last Bulldog player to grab three interceptions in a single game was unanimous All-American safety Phillip Thomas in 2012. Johnson is the sixth Bulldog to have a three-interception game.
The three interceptions vault Johnson into a tie for the national lead with six other players. He is one of two players to grab three in a single game so far this season. The effort earned Johnson the Mountain West's Defensive Player of the Week honor as the first Bulldogs cornerback to win that award since the school joined the league in 2012.
Fresno State has not had a Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner or a finalist in its past. Thomas, also from the defensive backfield, is the only Bulldog to earn FWAA All-America honors (2012). That same season, he was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.
Owner of the FBS' second-longest win streak now at 12 games (Georgia, 20), Fresno State (3-0) closes its non-conference schedule Saturday hosting Kent State in a 7:30 p.m. PT broadcast on CBSSN.