IRVING, Texas – Texas State football standout
Beau Sparks has been named a semifinalist for the 2026 William V. Campbell Trophy, as announced by the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame.
Recognized as college football's premier scholar-athlete award, the Campbell Trophy honors an individual who demonstrates excellence in academics, football performance and leadership.
Sparks is among a group of semifinalists that collectively carry a 3.64 average GPA and includes 130 team captains, 24 All-Americans and 114 all-conference selections.
A senior wide receiver from El Paso, Texas, Sparks is pursuing a degree in Integrated Studies with a minor in Sociology. He has been named to the Dean's List every semester, earned the Bobcat Academic Excellence Award three times and twice been named to the Sun Belt Commissioner's List. He has also twice earned Academic All-District honors from College Sports Communicators.
Sparks entered his final season after establishing himself as one of the top playmakers in the country in 2025. He earned First Team All-Sun Belt Conference honors and was named a HERO Sports Group of 5 Second Team All-American after starting all 13 games and leading the Bobcats with 84 receptions for 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 1,200 receiving yards ranked sixth nationally and first in the Sun Belt, while his 84 receptions established a Texas State single-season record.
His 2025 campaign also included three 100-yard receiving games, 1,346 all-purpose yards and a school-record-tying four receiving touchdowns against Eastern Michigan. Sparks added 74 rushing yards and a touchdown on six carries and contributed 72 yards on 13 punt returns.
In addition to his Campbell Trophy semifinalist recognition, Sparks was named to the 2026 Paul Hornung Award, Biletnikoff Award and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch lists. He was also a member of Texas State's 2025 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl championship team and 2024 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl championship team.
The NFF will announce 12 to 16 finalists for the Campbell Trophy® on Oct. 21. Each finalist will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2026 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The Campbell Trophy® winner will be announced Dec. 8 at the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner in Las Vegas, with the winner's postgraduate scholarship increasing to $25,000.
The Campbell Trophy was first awarded in 1990 and is named in honor of the late Bill Campbell. The award recognizes the nation's top football scholar-athlete based on academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
