FWAA Wisconsin News

This is the eighth installment of the Football Writers Association of America's weekly Freshman Focus for the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award, Freshman Player of the Year and the 2023 FWAA Freshman All-America Team.

This is the fourth installment of the Football Writers Association of America's weekly Freshman Focus for the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award, Freshman Player of the Year and the 2023 FWAA Freshman All-America Team.

Center Tanor Bortolini paced a Wisconsin offensive line that helped create 312 yards on the ground and two 100-yard rushers as the Badgers opened the season with a 38-17 win over Buffalo. For his play blocking for the current top two running backs in the Big Ten, Bortolini earned the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the extended weekend of Sept. 2, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

The Football Writers Association of America has released a list of top candidates for the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award, Freshman Player of the Year and the 2023 FWAA Freshman All-America Team. The Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach Award, presented by Chris Doering Mortgage, goes to the best first-year coach (at his school) in FBS football. The recipients of the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year, the FWAA Freshman of the Year and a Spurrier Legends Coach awardee will be honored at a special reception in Februray in Gainesville, Fla. 

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.