SI.com – Indiana State's Elijah Owens added to his postseason accolades this week as the redshirt freshman quarterback was named to the 2024 FCS Football Central Freshman All-American team.
 
Owens adds to his postseason awards with his first All-American recognition. The Jacksonville, Ill. native previously finish ninth overall in the 2024 Jerry Rice Award voting honoring the FCS National Freshman Player of the Year in receiving the most votes and points overall by an Indiana State player.
 
It marks the second consecutive season a Sycamore has earned Freshman All-American honors and third in the last four seasons joining Jude McCoskey (2023, HERO Sports) and Geoffrey Brown (2021, HERO Sports).
 
Owens earned MVFC All-Newcomer honors after leading Indiana State's passing and rushing efforts over the course of the 2024 season. He set a Sycamore quarterback rushing record with 645 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns over the course of the season, while adding 1,717 passing pards and 12 more scores through the air. Owens finished fifth in the MVFC in total offense per game (222.88).
 
Owens posted three 100-yard rushing games and three 200-yard passing efforts over the course of 2024. He added three games with multiple passing touchdowns including a 30-for-37 game with 260 yards and three touchdowns against Eastern Illinois. Owens added a career-high 25 carries for 127 rushing yards and one touchdown against Youngstown State, while wrapping up the 2024 season with 168 passing yards, 107 rushing yards, and a touchdown at Northern Iowa.
 
Owens was runner-up for both the Missouri Valley Football's Freshman and Newcomer of the Year awards. He finished behind North Dakota State running back CharMar Brown in both categories. Brown was honored as the Jerry Rice Award winner on Wednesday.
 
The third annual FCS Football Central Freshman All-American Team team recognizes the best freshman players from across the subdivision. Sixty-nine players from 52 programs are recognized on the Freshman All-American Team.
 
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