Football Writers Association of America News

FWAA President's Column

Texas center Jake Majors was in the middle of an offensive onslaught by the Longhorns in Ann Arbor last Saturday, helping Texas (2-0) rush for 143 yards among its 389 total-yard output in its 31-12 win at Michigan. For leading another key early-season road win for the Longhorns, Majors earned the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Sept. 7, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

NIU defensive tackle Devonte O’Malley registered a pair of sacks and forced a fumble that aided in the Huskies’ dramatic 16-14 win at No. 5 Notre Dame last Saturday. For helping contain the Irish at home, O’Malley earned the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Sept. 7, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

Iowa State is the winner of the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Play of the Week for Week 2. The winning play is Kyke Konrardy's 54-yard game-wnning field goal with six seconds remaining in a comeback win at rival Iowa.

The NIU Huskies knocked off a team ranked in the top five of the polls for the first time in school history Saturday, toppling fifth-ranked Notre Dame in South Bend with a final-minute field goal, 16-14. The Huskies outgained the Irish, didn’t commit a turnover and made decisive plays on defense and special teams to earn the upset and become the Cheez-It National Team of the Week for games the weekend of Sept. 7, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.

This is the the Week 2 installment of the Football Writers Association of America's weekly Freshman Focus for the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award, Freshman Player of the Year and the 2024 FWAA Freshman All-America Team.

The NFF Stands for the Game  

North Carolina defensive tackle Jahvaree Ritzie was a nemesis in the Minnesota backfield last Thursday and posted a career-high three sacks among six tackles as the Tar Heels escaped the Twin Cities with a 19-17 win. The defensive presence has earned Ritzie the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Aug. 31, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

UNLV linebacker Jackson Woodard blasted through the Houston defense for three sacks and a game-high 11 tackles as the Rebels opened their defense of the Mountain West regular-season title with a 27-7 win at Houston. For his game-breaking effort, Woodard earned the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Aug. 31, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

On Saturday, in front of its first home sellout crowd in a nonconference game since 2017, the Vanderbilt Commodores rallied to win their third straight season-opener, topping Virginia Tech, 34-27. The overtime win earned Vanderbilt the Cheez-It National Team of the Week for games the weekend of Aug. 31, as selected by the All-America committee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Roboert Morris is the winner of the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Play of the Week for Week 1. The winning play is Rob Carter Jr.'s one-handed interception vs. Utah State.

The FWAA holds its members to an ethics standard.

The Football Writers Association of America has released a list of top candidates for the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award, Freshman Player of the Year and the 2024 FWAA Freshman All-America Team. The Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach Award, presented by Chris Doering Mortgage, goes to the best first-year coach (at his school) in FBS football. The recipients of the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year, the FWAA Freshman of the Year and a Spurrier Legends Coach awardee will be honored at a special reception on Feb 25 in Gainesville, Fla.

Applications for Volney Meece Scholarship

Nick Kelly, formerly of The Tuscaloosa News and now with AL.com, is the fifth recipient of the Edward Aschoff Rising Star Award, which is presented annually by the Football Writers Association of America. The award is named after Aschoff, the beloved ESPN college football reporter who died on Christmas Eve in 2019 on his 34th birthday from previously undetected Stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in his lungs.

The Football Writers Association of America released its 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List today, selecting 75 defensive standouts from 56 schools in nine Division I FBS conferences plus Independents. The watch list roster includes last year’s winner, Xavier Watts of Notre Dame, plus five other players returning from last season’s FWAA All-America team. Two of the top three tacklers from last season, both All-Americans, are back in the mix along with three of the top five interception leaders and six secondary players who had at least five interceptions last year.

DALLAS (FWAA) – The Football Writers Association of America has announced the preseason watch list for the 2024 Outland Trophy, recognizing 75 returning standout interior linemen representing all 10 Division I FBS conferences and independents. The 2024 season will close with the award's 79th recipient being feted in Omaha and the watch list offers a talented field of players alongside one returning FWAA All-American.

Kirk Bohls Makes the Move of His Life

College football's summer pause, until a different kind of season.  

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