College football awards 2025: Updated list of finalists, winners for Heisman, Walker, Biletnikoff and more originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The thrilling 2025 college football regular season has concluded, leaving a wake of unforgettable moments, historic upsets, and dominant individual performances. Now, as the dust settles and the College Football Playoff field is set, the spotlight turns from team standings to the players who defined the year.
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The release of the finalists for college football’s most prestigious annual awards officially kicks off the final leg of the season. The race for the Heisman Memorial Trophy has been one of the closest in recent memory, featuring unexpected challengers like Indiana’s transcendent quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Vanderbilt’s dynamic signal-caller Diego Pavia, alongside other elite talents like Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State QB Julian Sayin.
The receiving corps was just as electric, with a fierce battle for the Biletnikoff Award—honoring the nation’s most outstanding receiver—headlined by Ohio State’s phenomenal sophomore Jeremiah Smith and USC’s versatile playmaker Makai Lemon.
It is time to celebrate the athletes who rose above the competition, rewriting record books and delivering iconic performances for their universities.
Here are the complete lists of finalists and announced winners for each of college football’s top individual honors.
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MORE:The case for and against every Heisman finalist
College football awards winners 2025
Awards and finalists listed alphabetically
|
Award |
Category |
Winner |
|
Associated Press Player of the Year |
Top player |
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana |
|
Biletnikoff Award |
Top receiver |
Makai Lemon, USC |
|
Bronko Nagurski Trophy |
Defensive player of the year (judged by FWAA) |
Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech |
|
Broyles Award |
Top assistant coach |
|
|
Burlsworth Trophy |
Top former walk-on |
Drew Mestemaker, North Texas |
|
Butkus Award |
Top linebacker |
Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech |
|
Chuck Bednarik Award |
Defensive player of the year (judged by Maxwell Club) |
Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech |
|
Davey O’Brien Award |
Top quarterback |
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana |
|
Doak Walker Award |
Top running back |
Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame |
|
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award |
Top NCAA Division I coach (judged by FWAA) |
Clark Lea, Vanderbilt |
|
George Munger Award |
Top NCAA Division I coach (judged by Maxwell Club) |
|
|
Heisman Trophy |
Most outstanding player |
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana |
|
Jim Thorpe Award |
Top defensive back |
Caleb Downs, Ohio State |
|
Joe Moore Award |
Top offensive line |
|
|
John Mackey Award |
Top tight end |
|
|
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award |
Top upperclassman quarterback |
Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt |
|
Lombardi Award |
Outstanding college football lineman or linebacker |
Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech |
|
Lott IMPACT Trophy |
Defensive IMPACT player of the year |
Caleb Downs, Ohio State |
|
Lou Groza Award |
Top placekicker |
Tate Sandell, Oklahoma |
|
Maxwell Award |
College player of the year |
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana |
|
Outland Trophy |
Top interior lineman |
Spencer Fano, Utah |
|
Paul Hornung Award |
Most versatile player |
K.C. Concepcion, Texas A&M |
|
Ray Guy Award |
Top punter |
Brett Thorson, Georgia |
|
Rimington Trophy |
Top center |
Logan Jones, Iowa |
|
Shaun Alexander Award |
Freshman of the year (judged by Maxwell Club) |
|
|
Sporting News Coach of the Year |
College coach of the year |
Curt Cignetti |
|
Sporting News Player of the Year |
College player of the year |
Diego Pavia |
|
Ted Hendricks Award |
Top defensive end |
|
|
Walter Camp Award |
College player of the year |
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana |
|
Walter Camp Coach Award |
College coach of the year |
Curt Cignetti, Indiana |
|
William V. Campbell Trophy |
Academic Heisman |
Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt |
|
Wuerffel Trophy |
Community service award |
Michael Taaffe, Texas |
College football awards finalists 2025
Associated Press Player of the Year
Winner: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Biletnikoff Award
Finalists:
-
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Winner: Makai Lemon, USC
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Finalists:
-
Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
-
DE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
-
S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
-
CB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
Winner: Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
Broyles Award
Finalists:
-
Matt Patricia, Ohio State
Winner: TBA (Feb. 2026)
Burlsworth Trophy
Finalists:
-
Drew Mestemaker, North Texas
Winner: Drew Mestemaker, North Texas
Butkus Award
Finalists:
-
Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
Winner: Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
Chuck Bednarik Award
Finalists:
-
Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
-
Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
Winner: Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
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Davey O’Brien Award
Finalists:
-
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Winner: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Doak Walker Award
Finalists:
-
Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Winner: Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Eddie Robinson Award
Finalists:
-
Bob Chesney, James Madison
-
Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame
-
Jerry Mack, Kennesaw State
Winner: Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
George Munger Award
Finalists
Winner: TBA (Dec. 30)
Heisman Trophy
Finalists
-
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
-
Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Winner: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Jim Thorpe Award
Finalists:
-
Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
Winner: Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Joe Moore Award
Finalists:
Winner: TBA (mid-to-late December)
John Mackey Award
Finalists:
Winner: Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
Finalists
-
Haynes King, Georgia Tech
-
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Winner: Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
Lombardi Award
Finalists:
-
David Bailey, DE, Texas Tech
-
Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
-
Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
-
Cashius Howell, DE, Texas A&M
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Winner: Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
Lott IMPACT Trophy
Finalists:
-
Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
Winner: Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Lou Groza Award
Finalists:
Winner: Tate Sandell, Oklahoma
Maxwell Award
Finalists:
-
Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
-
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Winner: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Outland Trophy
Finalists:
-
Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
Winner: Spencer Fano, Utah
Paul Hornung Award
Finalists:
-
Jonah Coleman, Washington
-
K.C. Concepcion, Texas A&M
-
Wayne Knight, James Madison
-
Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
-
J’Koby Williams, Texas Tech
Winner: K.C. Concepcion, Texas A&M
Ray Guy Award
Finalists:
Winner: Brett Thorson, Georgia
Rimington Trophy
Finalists:
Winner: Logan Jones, Iowa
Shaun Alexander Award
Finalists:
-
Drew Mestemaker, North Texas
Sporting News Coach of the Year
Winner: Curt Cignetti, Indiana
Sporting News Player of the Year
Winner: Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
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Ted Hendricks Award
Winner:
Walter Camp Award
Finalists
-
Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
-
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
-
Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
Winner: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Walter Camp Coach Award
Finalists
Winner: Curt Cignetti, Indiana
William V. Campbell Trophy
Finalists
-
Robby Ballentine, DePauw (IN)
-
Jonah Coleman, Washington
-
Chandler Kirton, Austin Peay
-
Jack Strand, Minnesota State Moorhead
-
Andon Thomas, Army West Point
-
Jackson Waring, Grand View (IA)
Winner: Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
Wuerffel Trophy
Finalists
Winner: Michael Taaffe, Texas
