Syracuse · ACCDavid Clement reaches Campbell Trophy semifinal
The Syracuse tight end/fullback is one of 206 semifinalists competing for 12 to 16 finalist spots, with the next announcement set for Oct. 21.
SEP 24, 2026
After Syracuse’s Sept. 17 loss at Pittsburgh, tight end/fullback David Clement became one of 206 Campbell Trophy national semifinalists, giving the 1-2 Orange an off-field honor during a 1-2 start.
The award recognizes college football players for academics, leadership and citizenship. Semifinalists must be seniors or graduate students in their final year of eligibility, have at least a 3.2 grade-point average and demonstrate football ability, leadership and citizenship.
A Christian Brothers Academy product from Albany, New York, Clement is in his fourth college football season. He has contributed on offense and special teams, playing both tight end and fullback.
Clement’s next stake is a finalist spot. The National Football Foundation will announce 12 to 16 finalists on Oct. 21, and each finalist would receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. The winner’s scholarship would rise to $25,000. The finalists are scheduled to attend an awards dinner in Las Vegas on Dec. 8.
Syracuse’s next game is at UConn on Saturday, Oct. 3. Clement now has a chance to represent the Orange among the sport’s top scholar-athletes.
01 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
The semifinal label conceals a severe cross-division cut. The 206-player pool stretches from Division I through Division III, but only 12 to 16 players will advance. Even at the upper end, 190 semifinalists will be excluded, putting the advancement rate between 5.8% and 7.8%. Clement has cleared the eligibility and nomination stage; the distinction carrying scholarship money is much narrower.
The calendar places that decision at a precise point in Syracuse’s season. The Oct. 21 announcement falls four days after the Oct. 17 Louisville game and three days before the Oct. 24 trip to North Carolina. It also lands in the middle of five consecutive October games for a program coming off a 3-9 season and starting 1-2, separating Clement’s individual candidacy from the Orange’s team results.
02 · The Open QuestionsQuestions to Be Answered
Will David Clement make the Campbell Trophy finalist class?
No more than 16 of the 206 semifinalists will advance, so Clement is competing for a place held by at most 7.8% of the field. Selection would secure the $18,000 postgraduate scholarship and a trip to the Dec. 8 awards dinner, while preserving his chance at the $25,000 prize. The definitive tell is the National Football Foundation’s Oct. 21 finalist announcement.