FWAA Awards Articles

Missouri State’s Connor Lair is this week’s nominee for the 2025 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Lair, a redshirt junior fullback, beat stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma to return to the field for the Bears.

Cincinnati left tackle Joe Cotton protected the country’s top-rated quarterback and led the push from one of the nation’s top offenses last week in a 38-30 win over No. 14 Iowa State. For his efforts up front with the surging Bearcats, Cotton earned the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Oct. 4, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

Miami safety Jakobe Thomas stole an interception, forced a fumble and had a sack Saturday as the Hurricanes went into Tallahassee, Fla., and recorded a 28-22 win over No. 18 Florida State. The takeaways and leadership behind a resurgent Miami defense has Thomas selected as the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Players of the Week for the weekend of Oct. 4 by the Football Writers Association of America.

The UCLA Bruins stunned No. 7 Penn State, 42-37, at the Rose Bowl on Saturday for their first win over an AP Top-10 opponent since 2010. The previously-winless Bruins (1-4) jumped on top early – their first time to lead in a game this season – and held on late to earn the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Team of the Week for games the weekend of Oct. 4, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Georgetown is the winner of the Cheez-It Crunch Time Play of the Week for Week 6 as Jimmy Kibble leaped and grabbed a 49-yard Hail Mary pass as time expired in a thrilling 27-24 win over Morgan State, as selected by the All-America Commitee of the Football Writers Association of America.

North Carolina’s Max Johnson is this week’s nominee for the 2025 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Johnson, a sixth-year senior quarterback, overcame a potentially debilitating knee injury to return to the field for the Tar Heels this season.

Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor played every snap in Saturday’s knock-down, drag-out win over Georgia and graded out at a team-high 89 percent as the Crimson Tide made a statement to open SEC play with a 24-21 road win in Sanford Stadium. For his play not allowing a quarterback pressure or a sack protecting and blocking for an Alabama offense that helped end Georgia’s 33-game home win streak, Proctor has earned the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Sept. 27, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

Ohio State’s inside-outside defensive force of Kayden McDonald at tackle and Caden Curry on the end helped the top-ranked Buckeyes limit Washington to just 61 yards on the ground and take a 24-6 road win in Seattle. Curry’s five tackles for loss tied the school record to go with a career-high 11 tackles, and McDonald’s career-high seven tackles included three for losses that earned the duo a share of the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Players of the Week for the weekend of Sept. 27, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

Oregon is the winner of the Cheez-It Crunch Time Play of the Week for Week 5 as safety Dillon Thieneman ended a 30-24 overtime win at Penn State with a leaping interception, as selected by the All-America Commitee of the Football Writers Association of America.

The Virginia Cavaliers knocked off then-No. 8 Florida State in overtime Friday, setting loose a wild celebration as Virginia won its fourth home game of the season, 46-38. For taking its highest-ranked win at Scott Stadium in the last 20 years, Virginia has earned the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Team of the Week for games the weekend of Sept. 27, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Jesse Temple, formerly of The Athletic, has been named the winner of the FWAA's Steve Ellis Beat Writer of the Year Award for the 2024 season, the association announced on Thursday. He still covers Wisconsin, but now reports for Badger Connect.

Michigan’s Ernest Hausmann is this week’s nominee for the 2025 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Hausmann, a senior linebacker, has overcome numerous childhood hardships to develop into a captain for the Wolverines who has started his own charity and poured his heart into numerous causes for the underserved.

Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez had a hand in two turnovers Saturday to go with a team-leading 11 tackles as the Red Raiders more than contained then-No. 16 Utah in a statement 34-10 road win. For his game-changing plays and defensive leadership in Texas Tech’s Big 12 Conference opener, Rodriguez has earned the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week for the weekend of Sept. 20 by the Football Writers Association of America.

Oklahoma defensive tackle Jayden Jackson posted a career-high 2.5 sacks among a school-record defensive punch by the Sooners in a 24-17 home win Saturday over No. 22 Auburn. Jackson doubled his career sack total in the game and has earned the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Sept. 20, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

In front of its second-largest home crowd in program history, the Indiana Hoosiers pounded out 312 rushing yards as part of 579 total yards in a 63-10 wipeout of No. 9 Illinois at Memorial Stadium. For posting the most points a Big Ten team has ever scored against an AP top-10 team, Indiana earns the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Team of the Week for games the weekend of Sept. 20, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Memphis is the winner of the Cheez-It Crunch Time Play of the Week for Week 4 after safety Chris Bracy's strip and recovery sealed an 18-point comeback win over Arkansas, as selected by the All-America Commitee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Army’s Larry Pickett Jr. is the first weekly nomination for the 2025 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Pickett, a sophomore safety, rescued a man from a burning car earlier this season.

The Georgia Bulldogs outlasted Tennessee in overtime Saturday, rolling up more than 500 total yards to remain undefeated on the season and win in SEC opener. Drew Bobo was the stalwart up front at center, guiding an offensive line that plugged some injury holes in its starting lineup and still cranked up multiple rallies in the win, including in overtime. For his efforts, Bobo has earned the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Sept. 13, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

Snagging a pair of interceptions that included a pick-six as well as guiding the LSU defense to shut down Florida in the second half of their featured game has earned Tigers safety Dashawn Spears the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America.

Quarterback Haynes King engineered a final-minute scoring drive Saturday capped by a walk-off 55-yard field goal from Aidan Birr as Georgia Tech toppled No. 12 Clemson 24-21. For snapping its nine-game losing streak in the series and winning its ACC opener, the Yellow Jackets (3-0) are the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Team of the Week for games the weekend of Sept. 13, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.