DALLAS (FWAA) – Three finalists for the 2025 Outland Trophy – offensive tackle Spencer Fano of Utah, center Logan Jones of Iowa and defensive tackle Kayden McDonald of Ohio State – were announced Tuesday by the Football Writers Association of America.
The 2025 Outland Trophy is awarded annually to the nation's best college interior lineman on offense or defense. The All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) selected the finalists and previously the semifinalists.
The recipient of the 2025 Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN on Fri., 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 two offensive linemen were each named Outland Trophy National Players of the Week during the season, with McDonald earning the honor once. Two of the programs the players represent have combined to win eight Outland Trophies, as Ohio State and Iowa claim four each. These 2025 finalists were selected from a semifinalist field that included center Iapani Laloulu of Oregon; offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor of Alabama; defensive tackle Landon Robinson of Navy and offensive tackle Carter Smith of Indiana.
Here is a glance at the three finalists, listed alphabetically:
- Spencer Fano, OT, Utah (#55, 6-6, 308, Jr., Spanish Fork, Utah): Fano is a dominating right tackle and a mainstay of the Utes’ offensive line for the past three seasons, starting in 29 consecutive games, including 24 at right tackle. He has 35 career starts in his 36 total games. A team captain, Fano has allowed just five pressures and five hurries and has yet to allow a sack in 356 pass- blocking opportunities, per Pro Football Focus. Utah is sixth nationally in total offense at 484.5 yards per game. Fano was the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week on the weekend of Nov. 1, following Utah’s 45-14 win over Cincinnati, earning PFF’s highest national grade while the Utes rolled up 480 total yards. The Utah offensive line he captains has been named the Big 12 Offensive Line of the Week three times (Sept. 2, Oct. 13 and Oct. 27).
The Utes have had one previous Outland Trophy finalist, offensive tackle Jordan Gross in 2002.
- Logan Jones, C, Iowa (#65, 6-3, 302, Gr., Council Bluffs, Iowa): Another home-state lineman, Jones is regarded as the top center in the country and is the top-rated player at the position by PFF by almost three grade points (84.6). Iowa has rushed for more than 200 yards four times this season with Jones steadying the middle as a game captain each week. He has 49 career starts in his 50 games played. Jones earned All-Big Ten recognition the past two seasons. He was the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week on the weekend of Oct. 25 following Iowa’s 41-3 win over Minnesota.
Iowa has four former Outland winners and two previous finalists, last represented by the player Jones replaced as the starting center, Tyler Linderbaum in 2021. Its last Outland winner was offensive tackle Brandon Scherff in 2014.
- Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State (#98, 6-3, 326, Jr., Suwanee, Ga.): McDonald leads defensive line for unbeaten and top-ranked Ohio State and is fifth on the team with 47 tackles, an impressive number from his defensive tackle position. He also lists third on the team with 8.0 tackles for loss and has 3.0 sacks. His two season-high tackle counts this season – eight – have come against Texas and Penn State and his season-high 3.0 TFL’s came at Washington along with 2.0 sacks. Last week’s 42-9 win over Rutgers was the seventh game this season the Ohio State defense held its opponent to less than 10 points. In fact, the Buekeyes have allowed just 84 points all season. McDonald earned the FWAA’s Bronko Nagurski Trophy National Defensive Player of the Week honor the weekend of Sept. 30 following OSU’s 24-6 win at Washington where he had a career-high 7.0 tackles, 3.0 TFL’s and 2.0 sacks and a hurry.
Ohio State has four Outland Trophy winners, its last one being offensive tackle Orlando Pace in 1996.
The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from finalists who are among selections to 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.