FWAA 2025 Season News

Linebacker Xavier Atkins led Auburn’s defense with a career-high 13 tackles Saturday, including a pair of sacks and 4.0 tackles for loss as the Tigers came from behind to take a 33-24 win at Arkansas. For his play leading the Tigers in tackles for a fifth straight SEC game, Atkins earned the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week for the weekend of Oct. 25 by the Football Writers Association of America.

Iowa dominated Minnesota early on and continued to pound the ball throughout its 41-3 win over their Big Ten rival. In the middle of the offensive line that graded as the country’s best last weekend is center Logan Jones. For his role in keeping the Floyd of Rosedale Trophy in Iowa for another season, Jones is the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Oct. 25, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

Texas is the winner of the Cheez-It Crunch Time Play of the Week for Week 9 as Ryan Niblett capped a furious fourth-quarter rally with a 75-yard punt return to tie the game and set up the Longhorns for an improbable 45-38 overtime win at Mississippi State, as selected by the All-America Commitee of the Football Writers Association of America.

The Houston Cougars broke out to a 24-0 lead and their defense stood firm in the second half Saturday in a 24-16 win at No. 24 Arizona State. For taking their first road win over a ranked opponent since 2017, the Cougars earned the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Team of the Week for games the weekend of Oct. 25, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Each week during the 2025 season, we will highlight the notable performances of first-year players and head coaches leading up to the selection of our annual Freshman All-America Team and the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award presented by Chris Doering Mortgage.

DALLAS (FWAA) – Notre Dame bullied its way to a 34-24 win over USC on Saturday, rushing for a season-high 306 yards against a formidable defense and paving the way for another prospective run to the College Football Playoff. Junior guard Billy Schrauth led the way for running back Jeremiyah Love to post the most rushing yards (228) ever by a Notre Dame player at Notre Dame Stadium. For his role in a dominant performance against the Trojans, Schrauth is the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Oct. 18, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

DALLAS (FWAA) – Alabama cornerback Zabien Brown produced one of the highlight plays of this past weekend’s games, intercepting a Tennessee pass intended for the Crimson Tide end zone and taking it back 99 yards for a touchdown, a back-breaking pick-six in the final moments of the first half in its 37-20 win over the Vols. That play, plus his pass coverage that allowed only 16 yards, earned Brown the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week for the weekend of Oct. 18 by the Football Writers Association of America.

The UAB Blazers stood firm at their goal line in the final minute Saturday, holding off No. 22 Memphis four times from its one-yard line to win the “Battle for the Bones," 31-24. For taking its first victory over a ranked team since 2021 and snapping Memphis’ FBS-long 10-game win streak, UAB earned the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Team of the Week for games the weekend of Oct. 18, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Tulane is the winner of the Cheez-It Crunch Time Play of the Week for Week 8 as Shazz Preston made a spectacular juggling touchdown catch with 27 seconds left in a 24-17 win over Army, as selected by the All-America Commitee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Each week during the 2025 season, we will highlight the notable performances of first-year players and head coaches leading up to the selection of our annual Freshman All-America Team and the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award presented by Chris Doering Mortgage.

Auburn’s Alex McPherson is this week’s nominee for the 2025 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. McPherson, a fourth-year junior, overcame Crohn’s disease to return to kicking for the Tigers this season.

Indiana left offensive tackle Carter Smith helped pave the way for Indiana’s clinching scores and a sharp offensive effort Saturday in its dramatic 30-20 win at No. 3 Oregon. For his play in the Hoosiers’ first road win over a top-five-ranked team, Smith earned the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Oct. 11, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

Bishop Fitzgerald had two interceptions and a timely sack in USC’s 31-13 win over Michigan on Saturday and has emerged one of the top defensive backs in the country. For his performance against Michigan that now places him as the country’s interception leader and leadership that has helped push the Trojans into the upper tier of the Big Ten Conference, Fitzgerald has been selected as the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week for the weekend of Oct. 11 by the Football Writers Association of America.

The Northwestern Wildcats went into Happy Valley and got their first win over Penn State since 2015 with a statement 22-21 victory. Playing turnover-free and limiting Penn State to its lowest yardage this season, the Wildcats earned the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Team of the Week for games the weekend of Oct. 11, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Navy is the winner of the Cheez-It Crunch Time Play of the Week for Week 7 as Blake Horvath sprinted 51 yards to the end zone and followed it up with a two-point conversion pass to Alex Tecza to rally for a 32-31 win over Temple, as selected by the All-America Commitee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Each week during the 2025 season, we will highlight the notable performances of first-year players and head coaches leading up to the selection of our annual Freshman All-America Team and the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award presented by Chris Doering Mortgage.

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.

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.

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.

Each week during the 2025 season, we will highlight the notable performances of first-year players and head coaches leading up to the selection of our annual Freshman All-America Team and the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award presented by Chris Doering Mortgage.