BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Iowa State cornerback Jontez Williams, a 2022 Bradford High School graduate, received second-team honors with the release of the All-Big 12 teams and the Associated Press All-Big 12 teams.
Williams, a redshirt sophomore, had four interceptions this season, which currently ties him for third-best in the conference. All his interceptions occurred in four consecutive games (20-0 win over Houston on Sept. 28, 43-21 win over Baylor on Oct. 5, 28-16 win over West Virginia on Oct. 12 and 38-35 win over UCF on Oct. 19), making him the first Iowa State player since Ronnie Osborne in 1982 to record at least one interception in four straight games.
In his first season as a starter, Williams also has 38 tackles, with a season-high 11 (six solo) coming in a 21-3 win over North Dakota on Aug. 31.
Another standout game for Williams was a six-tackle effort in the win over West Virginia.
Williams has 44 tackles (24 solo) in two seasons. He played in all 13 games his freshman year, making two starts.
It has been a notable season for Iowa State, which won 10 games for the first time in the school’s 133-year history. The 10-3 Cyclones, who were 7-2 in the Big 12, will play Miami in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando on Saturday, Dec. 28, at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.
