CHICAGO -- Missouri State quarterback Jacob Clark was announced Tuesday (Nov. 26) as one of 35 finalists for the 2024 Walter Payton Award, which is presented to the national offensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football.
 
The award, in its 38th season and affectionately known as the Heisman of the FCS, is named for legendary running back Walter Payton, who starred at Jackson State as part of his Hall of Fame career. Past recipients include Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Kupp and Trey Lance. 

Missouri State's co-captain was a four-time Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week this season and broke Missouri State single-season records for passing yards (3,604), completions (262) and touchdown passes (26). He is the current MVFC leader in those three categories in addition to total offense (300.7), passing yards per game (300.3) and completions per game (21.83), while ranking second in the league in pass efficiency (169.8) and completion percentage (.697). 

Clark's 9.95 yards per pass attempt (9.95) leads all FCS players, while he ranks No. 4 nationally in pass efficiency, passing yards and passing yards per game, No. 5 in completion percentage, No. 7 in total offense and No. 9 in passing touchdowns. Clark passed for 200 or more yards in 11 games this season eclipsed 300 aerial yards six times. He also passed for three or more touchdowns in six games and was instrumental in MSU's iconic eight-game winning streak during the 2024 season. 

One of Clark's most memorable moments this season was firing for a career-high 431 passing yards and four touchdowns at Murray State on Nov. 9 and completing 28-of-33 passes for 302 yards in the win over Lindenwood on Sept. 14.

All 13 FCS conferences are represented on this year's Walter Payton Award finalists list, including three in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The winner will be selected by a national voting panel and announced at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.

The other finalists are: 
QB Zach Calzada, UIW
QB Jaden Craig, Harvard
QB Paxton DeLaurent, Southeast Missouri
QB Cole Gonzales, Western Carolina
QB Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State
QB Miles Hastings, UC Davis
QB Maverick McIvor, Abilene Christian
QB Tommy Mellott, Montana State
QB Cam Miller, North Dakota State
QB Eric Phoenix, South Carolina State
QB Daniel Richardson, Florida A&M
QB Derek Robertson, Monmouth
QB Ralph Rucker IV, Bucknell
QB Sam Vidlak, Stephen F. Austin
QB Jameson Wang, Cornell
RB Mari Adams, Davidson
RB Hope Adebayo, St. Thomas
RB Kayvon Britten, Tarleton State
RB Jermaine Corbett, Merrimack
RB Jamar Curtis, Lafayette
RB Roland Dempster, Stony Brook
RB Malachi Hosley, Penn
RB Elijah Howard, Central Connecticut
RB Targhee Lambson, Southern Utah
RB Lan Larison, UC Davis
RB Antonio Martin Jr., Southeastern Louisiana
RB Dwayne McGee, Mercer
RB Irv Mulligan, Jackson State
RB ShunDerrick Powell, Central Arkansas
RB J'Mari Taylor, North Carolina Central
WR Jeff Caldwell, Lindenwood
WR Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington
WR Jalen Walthall, UIW
OL Charles Grant, William & Mary