New York, N.Y. – Elon University quarterback Matthew Downing has been named to the Watch List for the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year Award. The College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA), in association with The Associated Press (AP) and the Fiesta Bowl Organization, today announced 49 college football student-athletes under consideration for the award. Downing is one of just six FCS players and the only player from CAA Football.
 
Downing has started five games for Elon as a transfer, completing 59.1 percent of his passes and throwing for 739 yards and seven touchdowns. He has led the Phoenix to the top of the CAA Football standings and engineered a 14-6 fourth quarter comeback victory against No. 5/4 William & Mary. Downing transferred to Elon from Louisiana Tech, where he suffered a season-ending knee injury a year ago.
 
Since 2018, the Comeback Player of the Year Award has recognized football student-athletes from all divisions of college football for overcoming injury, illness or other circumstances. At the conclusion of the season, a panel of college football writers, editors and sports information directors will honor three college football student-athletes as Comeback Player of the Year award winners at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
 
Elon will be back in action Saturday, looking to improve to 4-0 in CAA Football, as the Phoenix travel to Pennsylvania to face Villanova at 1 p.m.