DALLAS (FWAA) – Utah surged past No. 17 Cincinnati, 45-14, on Saturday with an offense that rolled up 480 total yards powered by dominant push up front. Offensive tackle Spencer Fano played a large role in the key Big 12 win as the highest-graded FBS offensive lineman from last weekend’s games and has earned the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Nov. 1, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.
This is the third season for the FWAA to select an Outland Trophy National Player of the Week as part of the NCFAA's weekly national honors from 12 awards. The recipient of the 2025 Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN on Dec. 12. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee in Omaha, Neb., on Jan. 21, 2026.
The weekly winners are added to the preseason Outland Trophy watch list going forward. Fano was already a member of the 2025 watch list. Utah has one finalist in its Outland Trophy history – offensive tackle Jordan Gross from the 2002 season.
Fano received an 86.00 grade against Cincinnati as determined by Pro Football Focus’ college data, tops nationally, after allowing no pressures in 35 pass attempts. Utah rushed for 267 yards and three touchdowns while ending Cincinnati’s seven-game win streak. It was Utah’s eighth game this season rushing for more than 200 yards, something it had not done since 2019.
The 6-6, 308-pound junior from Spanish Ford, Utah, has been an anchor on the right side of Utah’s front for three seasons. Saturday was his 19th consecutive start at right tackle and he has 33 career starts in 34 games played, 22 at right tackle and 11 on the left side. Fano’s PFF seasonal grade going into Saturday was 82.1, the best in the Big 12 and 12th nationally for linemen playing a minimum of 300 snaps.
Fano is no mystery to opponents and media, earning multiple preseason All-America nods this season. He was a First Team All-Big 12 performer last season and named a 2024 All-America lineman by some, including a first-team nod from PFF. Fano was a finalist for the 2024 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award and an Academic All-Big 12 selection.
His play on the outside of the line is key in the Utah front that routinely utilizes a six-man offensive front far more than other FBS teams. Fano led one of Utah's top offensive charges against Cincinnati. The Utes held the ball for 40:02, a season high, and its balanced attack (267 rushing, 213 passing) rolled up a 24-7 advantage by halftime. Utah converted 7-of-15 third downs and both fourth down tries.
The 45 points were the most by Utah against a ranked opponent since scoring 47 against USC in the 2022 Pac-12 Championship, and the Utes had a 100-yard rusher (Wayshawn Parker, 17-104, TD) and a 100-yard receiver (Ryan Davis, 8-132) for the first time since Oct. 21, 2023.
Fano has allowed just five pressures and five hurries this season and has yet to allow a sack in 245 pass blocking opportunities, per PFF. His run-blocking grade of 80.2 is 10th among tackles and 18th among all offensive linemen nationally.
Utah’s line has been named Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Week three times, twice following October games.
The Utes are idle this week. Their next game is Nov. 15 at Baylor with a 6 p.m. kickoff on ESPN2.
The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from finalists who are a part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects a 26-man first team and eventually three Outland finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends are not eligible.
The Outland Trophy, celebrating 80 years since its founding, is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since. Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them.
The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. The NCFAA’s 25 awards have honored more than 950 recipients since 1935. For more information about the NCFAA, visit ncfaa.org.
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The Greater Omaha Sports Committee, founded in 1977, is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, consisting of more than 1,300 men and women from the City of Omaha, the State of Nebraska, and others. The Committee serves to communicate, develop, initiate and promote sports activities in the Greater Omaha sports area. In addition to the Outland Trophy Award Events and Dinner, the Greater Omaha Sports Committee promotes high school, college, and professional sports in the Greater Omaha area and the Midwest. For more information contact Bob Mancuso Jr., Chairman at bmancuso@showofficeonline.com or see showofficeonline.com.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,300 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com.