Colorado football linebacker Gideon Lampron was named a Chuck Bednarik Award semifinalist Tuesday, earning national recognition after a fourth consecutive game with a career-high tackle total.

The fifth-year linebacker is one of 18 semifinalists and one of two from the Big 12 for the award presented annually to college football's outstanding defensive player. He joins 2024 winner Travis Hunter and 2007 semifinalist Jordon Dizon as the only Colorado players to reach that stage.

Lampron finished Saturday's 20-10 loss at Arizona State with 18 tackles, including 10 solo stops, and recorded 3.5 tackles for loss. Lampron also helped limit the Sun Devils to 108 rushing yards on 42 attempts.

That performance earned him a second straight Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week award Monday. He became Colorado's first player to receive a conference weekly honor in consecutive weeks since kicker Mason Crosby in 2005. Nate Landman earned defensive honors after back-to-back games in 2020, with an off week between them.

Lampron leads Colorado with 99 tackles and 5.5 sacks through nine games. His 16 tackles for loss are one shy of Matt Russell's single-season school record for inside linebackers, set in 1995.

A transfer who previously played at Dayton and Bowling Green, Lampron has collected 72 tackles over his past five games.

"Tyler is irreplaceable. He's a leader," Lampron said of injured teammate Tyler Martinez. "He meant a lot to the defense, and I felt like I had to step up my game, just because I know he would want me to."

Three Bednarik finalists will be announced Nov. 24, with the winner revealed Dec. 10. Lampron's next opportunity comes Friday when Colorado hosts Houston at 8:15 p.m. MT on ESPN.