FWAA Illinois News

Florida Citrus Sports and Pop-Tarts have teamed up to present the Pop-Tarts ‘Crazy Good’ Play of the Week during the 2024-25 college football season, with each week's play selected in conjunction with the Football Writers Association of America. Illinois is the winner of the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Play of the Week for Week 8.

Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry is this week’s nominee for the 2024 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Henry coached the Fighting Illini to an upset win at Nebraska on Friday shortly after the passing of his sister.

Two first-time winners and nine previous ones comprise the 15th 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 2023 season.

The 2023 Football Writers Association of America All-America Team, presented in partnership with the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, is highlighted by seven repeat All-Americans and a record 10 players from the four teams competing in the College Football Playoff at the front of players from 36 different schools. There are 22 schools represented from eight Football Bowl Subdivision conferences on the first team and all 10 conferences plus an Independent are included on the overall 54-man team.

Seven semifinalists for the 2023 Outland Trophy – five offensive linemen and two defensive tackles – were announced Wednesday by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee. The semifinalists are each from different schools within three conferences and Notre Dame and represent all four positions eligible for the award.

Five finalists for the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy representing three different conferences plus Notre Dame, one of them from the top team in the current College Football Playoff rankings and one who has the sixth-most tackles in the FBS, were named Wednesday by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club as candidates for the award honoring the nation’s top defensive player.

Two first-time winners and nine previous ones comprise the 14th Super 11 Awards, which the Football Writers Association of America give out annually to the best performing College Sports Communicators departments in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The awards announced this week are for the 2022 season.

DALLAS (FWAA) – North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye was the toast of Atlantic Coast Conference quarterbacks this season, throwing for 38 touchdowns and leading the league in passing yards (4,321) and total touchdowns (45). For his dynamic efforts that led the Tar Heels (9-5) to the ACC’s Coastal Division title, the Football Writers Association of America awarded him as its Freshman Player of the Year presented by Chris Doering Mortgage.

The 2022 Football Writers Association of America All-America Team, presented in partnership with the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, is headlined by nine first-teamers from the four teams competing in the College Football Playoff, three repeat All-Americans and a record 16 total selections from the Big Ten Conference. There are 19 schools represented from six Football Bowl Subdivision conferences on the first team and 34 different schools and eight conferences plus an Independent included on the overall 54-man team.

Each week during the 2022 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. Here are the top performances from Week 7, the weekend of Oct. 15.

Throttled down with a 27-point first quarter and four touchdowns of at least 62 yards, the TCU Horned Frogs wiped out No. 18 Oklahoma early and continued the pressure for a 55-24 win. For its offensive explosion of 668 total yards that ended an eight-game losing streak to the Sooners before the second-largest crowd in Amon G. Carter Stadium history, TCU (4-0) earned the Cheez-It Bowl National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Oct. 1, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

The Illini Fighting Illini ran for 357 yards and outlasted No. 7 Penn State by scoring on their ninth overtime possession in a 20-18 win to earn the Cheez-It Bowl National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Oct. 23, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

Fighting Illini rallies to stun Wisconsin

Fighting Illini stun No. 1 Ohio State in Columbus

Illinois' Ron Turner, Maryland's Ralph Friedgen and Washington State's Mike Price were named as finalists for the 2001 FWAA/Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award.

Illinois cornerback Eugene Wilson was named the Bronko Nagurski Defensive Player of the Week on Monday by a panel of FWAA members.