FWAA Awards Articles

Even in death, college football fans want to be at their favorite stadiums: Barbara Weitz sat at a Nebraska board of regents meeting over the summer, and when thinking about ways to generate revenue to help mitigate recent university budget cuts, she blurted out an idea. Without much thought or research, Weitz wondered aloud whether passionate Nebraska fans would pay money to have cremated remains stored in a columbarium, a standalone structure with cubbies that house said remains.

The enduring Key West legacy of Mike Leach: I was running circles around the bar at Captain Tony's and I was getting angrier with each lap completed. It had to be there. I knew it was there. But where the hell was it?

A journey toward forgiveness: Davin Vann has finally found himself years after his sister's death: THERE ARE FORCES at work in the universe that, for most of his life,
Davin Vann believed were malevolent. This is what occupied the thoughts of NC State's star defensive lineman when he slid into the driver's seat of his car on Feb. 4, 2024, intent on surrendering to his fate.

‘It’s Not Finished’: Ohio State Runs Into Title Game Ready for Redemption: Three steps after the snap, Jack Sawyer saw nothing but daylight between him and a familiar face.

Seven members of the Football Writers Association of America won at least two awards – and one of those claimed three – in the association's 33rd Annual Best Writing Contest presented by collegepressbox announced today. In this group, three writers from ESPN.com were first-place winners in the four categories..

The Missouri Tigers controlled the trenches against rival Kansas on Saturday, grinding out two 100-yard running backs and clearing space for a 300-yard passer in their 42-31 win at Faurot Field. For his play leading the offensive line as Missouri gained 595 total yards and moved to 2-0 for a third consecutive season, guard Dominick Giudice has earned the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Sept. 6, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

Army West Point linebacker Collin Matteson intercepted a pass on Kansas State’s final drive, finishing off a stellar performance amidst the Black Knights’ defense in a 24-21 road win at Kansas State. For leading the Army stop crew, Matteson has been named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America.

Mississippi State is the winner of the Cheez-It Crunch Time Play of the Week for Week 2 for Brenen Thompson's 58-yard touchdown reception with 30 seconds left as the Bulldogs beat No. 12 Arizona, 27-21, in Starkville. The win marked the first over a top 15 nonconference opponent since 1991 for Jeff Lebby's club.

South Florida claimed its second straight win over a Top 25 opponent Saturday, as Nico Gramatica’s 20-yard walk-off field goal stunned then-No. 13 Florida, 18-16. With ranked wins in back-to-back weeks for the first time in program history, the Bulls (2-0) are the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Team of the Week for games played the weekend of Sept. 6, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America’s All-America Committee.

Florida State spearheaded a fine start to its season Saturday with the 31-17 win over then-No. 8 Alabama, spurred by an offensive line that didn’t allow a sack for the first time in nearly two full seasons and rushed for 230 yards. At the helm of that line was redshirt senior center Luke Petitbon, who has earned the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Aug. 30, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

South Florida linebacker Jhalyn Shuler posted a career-high 14 tackles including a key fumble recovery in leading a dominant defensive effort by the Bulls in a 34-7 win over No. 25 Boise State. For the game-changing plays in the Bulls’ first win against a ranked opponent since 2016, Shuler has been named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).

Florida State scored 24 consecutive points in the middle quarters and pointed its fortunes forward in a statement win Saturday over No. 8 Alabama, 31-17, at Doak Campbell Stadium. The Seminoles notched their ninth non-conference win of the last 10 seasons against an SEC team, second-most in the country, and earned the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Team of the Week for games the weekend of Aug. 30, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Florida Citrus Sports and Cheez-It have teamed up to present the Cheez-It Crunch Time Play of the Week during the 2025 college football season, with each week's play selected in conjunction with the Football Writers Association of America.

Merit Award entering its 14th season.

The best freshmen in college football make their debuts this month. Let the race began for spots on the FWAA Freshman All-America Team.

The Football Writers Association of America has announced the preseason watch list for the 2025 Outland Trophy, recognizing 50 returning standout interior linemen representing nine of the FBS conferences and Independents. The 2025 season will close with the award's 80th winner selected from players spread among at least 35 different programs that includes one returning FWAA All-American.

The Football Writers Association of America released its 2025 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List today, selecting three returning FWAA All-Americans among 60 defensive standouts as contenders for the national defensive player of the year. The list contains players from 41 different schools in eight Division I FBS conferences plus Independents.

The Charlotte Touchdown Club in conjunction with the Football Writers Association of America, officially announced today Brian Bosworth, college football defensive legend from the University of Oklahoma, as Keynote Speaker for the 2025 Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet scheduled for Monday, December 8th.

One first-time winner and 10 previous ones comprise the 16th Super 11 Awards, presented annually by the Football Writers Association of America to the best performing College Sports Communicators departments in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The awards announced this week are for the 2024 season.

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