Tennessee State defensive end Terrell Allen won the 2023 Buck Buchanan Award as the best defensive player in FCS football, beating out fellow top-three finalists Dylan Kelly (UAlbany) and Billy Shaeffer (Lafayette). Allen is the first Tennessee State player to win the award in its 29-year history and the sixth HBCU player to win the award.
BUCHANAN AWARD: Complete history of the top FCS defensive honor
Allen received the Payton Award at a ceremony in Frisco, Texas, one day before the 2023-24 FCS Championship game. In 11 regular season games, the Tiger edge-defender led the FCS with 28 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks, adding on 65 tackles (44 solo), 10 quarterback hurries, five force fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Allen is the 13th defensive end to win the Buchanan Award — the second-most of any position — since the award debuted in 1995. Allen is the third HBCU edge-rusher in four seasons to take home the premier defensive award in the FCS.
As the 2023 Buck Buchanan Award winner, Allen joins an elite fraternity of FCS greats like Dexter Coakley (Appalachian State, 1995-96), Rashean Mathis (Bethune-Cookman, 2002), Jared Allen (Idaho State, 2003) and more.
MORE AWARDS: Walter Payton Award history | Jerry Rice Award history
Top moments
See some more of Allen's top moments from 2023 below.
