Football Writers Association of America News

Mark Blaudschun: The world of college football has evolved tremendously over the past several years--not so much on the field. That continues to provide "the thrill of victory''  and "agony of defeat'' moments. But off the field the sport is barely recognizable from as recently as 10 years ago.

FWAA accepting entries for the 33rd Annual Best Writing Contest sponsored by collegepressbox

Alyssa Weiszer, a senior at Cedar Shoals High School in Athens, Ga., was named as the 28th winner of the Volney Meece Scholarship.

Dennis Dodd mastered the art of college football story-telling from the press box. Yet when pressed to talk about those accomplishments, Dodd is quick to point out a dubious record.  "Let's see, I've been locked into three stadiums …"  Dodd announced his retirement after 27 years at CBS Sports on Thursday. Dodd will cover the 2025 NCAA men's basketball tournament. His last day is April 10. Dodd has covered college football for CBS Sports – formerly CBS SportsLine – since 1998.

Mark Blaudschun: It is only March and the College Football Playoff Selection Committee has already made a great decision for the 2025 season. In adding long-time journalists and FWAA members Steve Wieberg and Ivan Maisel to its group, the CFP made its best move--ever. Here's why.

One of the FWAA's more popular awards, the Rising Star Award, honors an up-and-coming journalist in the organization.

The Football Writers Association of America will honor Bob Holt – who died on Dec. 4, 2024 – by putting his name on our annual Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mark Blaudschun: College football just finished one of its most historic seasons, but it was only transitional. What is coming at warp (Google it) speed will be even more historic in changing the face of the sport for decades.

Volney Meece Scholarship Applications

Cal linebacker Ron Rivera has been named the recipient of the 2025 Bronko Nagurski Legends Award and will be honored at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet on Dec.8 at the Charlotte Convention Center.

Entries for the 33nd Annual FWAA ----Best Writing Contest Open

Mark Blaudschun: The 2024 college football season is now part of the history books--and it was an historic season. The main new ingredient was the newly minted 12-team playoff system, which ended on January 20th with Ohio State's 34-23 victory over Notre Dame.  And you know what, it worked.

Longtime FWAA member and 2002 FWAA President Kelly Whiteside has been named the FWAA's 2025 Bert McGrane winner and will be honored at a dinner in Atlanta tonight hosted by the National Football Foundation and presented by the More Family. The event kicks off festivities leading up to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on Monday night.

Syracuse head coach Fran Brown inherited an Orange program coming off a losing season and a blowout bowl loss when he took the job prior to season’s end in November, 2023. He has since turned the Orange into a contender, guiding Syracuse to a 10-win season, a record-setting bowl victory at last month’s Holiday Bowl and a signature win over a marquee program to end the regular season. Those accolades, among others, earned Brown the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach Award presented by Chris Doering Mortgage and awarded by the Football Writers Association of America.

Two freshman players who helped take their teams into the College Football Playoff and another who took his team to the cusp of the 12-team mix are the trio who make up the 2024 Freshman Offense, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Year presented by Chris Doering Mortgage and awarded by the Football Writers Association of America.

Two of the true freshman starters in Monday’s College Football Playoff National Championship Game and eight players who were members of this year’s playoff field are among the 32-man list on the 2024 Freshman All-America Team presented by Chris Doering Mortgage and awarded by the Football Writers Association of America. Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith, an electric wide receiver and big-play producer who has helped the Buckeyes’ surge into the national title game, and Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore, one of the FBS’s top pass defenders and a national stats leader among freshmen, highlight the team of this year’s top first-year players.

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti has been selected as the 2024 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year after leading the Hoosiers to a spot in the College Football Playoff and the most wins in program history. Indiana shot out to a program-record 10-0 start to the season and finished its regular season with other program-firsts with an 11-1 record and eight Big Ten Conference wins, finishing tied for second. The Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award is presented by the Football Writers Association of America and the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

The 2024 Football Writers Association of America All-America Team , presented in partnership with the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, has five repeat All-Americans and 16 players on teams competing in the College Football Playoff at the front of players from 40 different schools. Players from the expanded Big Ten and Southeastern Conferences make up 27, or half, of the 54-member team with nine of the Football Bowl Subdivision conferences represented plus an Independent.

Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., was named the recipient of the 79th Outland Trophy on Thursday night during The Home Depot College Football Awards. The Outland Trophy is awarded annually to the nation’s best college interior lineman on offense or defense. Banks is the Longhorns’ fifth Outland Trophy winner and their second consecutive awardee.

The Football Writers Association of America, in conjunction with the Allstate Sugar Bowl, announced nine finalists for the 2024 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award Tuesday. The FWAA's National Coach of the Year will be chosen from among a list that includes three prior finalists, including one repeat finalist from last season and six who have been nominated for the first time. Seven of the nine have their teams playing in the College Football Playoff and five won conference championships this year.