NEW YORK - Fresno State seniors Camryn Bracha and Josiah Freeman have been named to the watch list for the 2025 Comeback Player of the Year Award, announced today by the College Sports Communications, in association with The Associated Press and Fiesta Sports Foundation. The Bulldog pair is among 75 college football student-athletes from 51 different schools who are under consideration for the award.
Bracha, who transferred to Fresno State as a walk-on from Fresno City ahead of the 2023 season, came in and made an immediate impact in the program. His first year, he appeared in 11 games and earned four starts. Entering the 2024 season, Bracha was a visible leader on the team and had earned respect from his teammates through his hard work in year one.
Three games into the 2024 season, Bracha racked up 19 tackles, 1.0 TFL, three pass breakups and one interception. The senior was also a game captain for the Bulldogs' home opener against Sacramento State. In game four, Bracha suffered a season-ending injury. The injury, although tough, turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Happening in the fourth game of the year, Bracha was able to redshirt that season and return for another year.
Now, entering 2025, Bracha has been voted a team captain by his peers. Expected to make a healthy return this weekend, Bracha is primed for another big and final year as a Bulldog.
Freeman, who joined the Bulldogs as a junior college addition and redshirted in 2022, was brought into game action in 2023. He recorded 19 receptions for 249 yards that season, but the ceiling was much higher than what was left out on the field. In 2024, Freeman came in as one of the leading targets at 6-foot-3 and the tallest in the room. He added a versatility that worked for the Bulldogs' offense that year. However, a fall camp injury that summer held him out of playing time for the beginning of the year. He made his return in game three, but was only able to play four games before suffering a season-ending injury.
On his first career touchdown reception, Freeman tweaked his lower leg and was out for the remainder of the year. He came back healthy in the spring and had a successful fall camp this summer with several highlight reel catches.
Bracha and Freeman will lead the Bulldogs in the season opener at Kansas on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. PT on FOX.