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USA Today
21 minutes ago
- USA Today
Two Penn State linemen named to Lombardi Award watch list
Penn State looking for first Lombardi Award winner since 2015 College football's award watch list season continued to highlight some of Penn State's top players for the 2025 season this week. The Lombardi Award watch list was the latest award to include a paid of Penn State's top linemen on its watch list. One player on each side of the line of scrimmage received a mention on the Lombardi Award's watch list. Defensive lineman Zane Durant continued to add to his preseason accolades and honorable mentions by being named to the Lombardi Award's watch list. Joining him on the list from Penn State is offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane. Both players also were named to the watch list for the Outland Trophy, which is awarded to the nation's top interior lineman. Durant was also named to the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. The Lombardi Award is also open to players on either side of the line of scrimmage and recognizes a player's leadership, courage, discipline and performance on the field. The award was first presented in 1970. Ohio State's Jim Stillwagon was the inaugural recipient of the Lombardi Award. Penn State's first Lombardi Award winner was Bruce Clark, in 1978. In 2015, Carl Nassib became the second and most recent Penn State player to bring home the award. Kelvin Banks Jr. of Texas was the Lombardi Award winner of the 2024 season. Aidan Hutchinson of Michigan was the most recent winner from the Big Ten, although Laiatu Latu of UCLA is the most recent winner from a school currently in the Big Ten (UCLA was in the Pac-12 when Laiatu won the award in 2023).
Forbes
22 minutes ago
- Forbes
2025 Preseason College Football Polls Dominated By The SEC And Big Ten
The super conference model is not yet a part of the college football landscape. It might as well be, however, as the SEC and Big Ten continue to operate within a sphere far removed the others. Such proof can once again be found in the top 25 preseason polls where the two conferences combine to occupy 16 spots in the AP and 15 in the coaches'. The tally was 15/15 last year. Led by No. 1 Texas, the Big Ten and SEC together occupy seven of the top nine spots in both polls, and 11 of the top 15. Such dominance, of course, is in part a byproduct of the rich getting richer. Both conferences added inventory following the 2023-24 season when the SEC expanded to 16 teams by welcoming Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12, and the Big Ten swelled to 18 teams with the addition of USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington from the Pac-12. It all makes for an even juicier heavyweight matchup August 30 when the top-ranked Longhorns travel to Columbus to meet the No. 3/2 Buckeyes in the season opener for both. The teams met in a CFP semifinal last season with eventual national champ Ohio State prevailing, 28-14. Led by the Super 2, here are a few (alphabetical) observations from the preseason polls ahead of the season kicking off August 23 in Dublin with a Big 12 clash between No. 17/20 Kansas State and No. 22/21 Iowa State. Alabama The No. 8/8 Crimson Tide do not open as a top-five team for the first time since Nick Saban's initial season in Tuscaloosa. That was 2008 when 'Bama was No. 24/NR before reeling off 16 straight appearances in the top five of both polls. By the way, the Tide went 12-2 in Saban's debut on the Bryant-Denny Stadium home sideline and finished No. 6/6. Kalen DeBoer went 9-4 and No. 17 in both polls in his 2024 debut with Alabama. Arizona State The Sun Devils went from consecutive 3-9 seasons to the playoff last year and there is belief among the pollsters that third-year coach Kenny Dillingham has his squad poised for more good things in 2025 even with running back Cam Skattebo in the NFL. In fact, the No. 11/11 preseason showing is the Sun Devils' highest since opening at No. 8/9 in 1998, a season that resulted in a 5-6 mark under Bruce Snyder. Boise State The Broncos' pulling up the bottom of both polls is notable for the fact no non-power conference team was ranked in either poll heading into the 2024 season. Spencer Danielson's team started 3-1 last season with the only loss by a field goal at Oregon. BSU worked its way into the top 10 and, as the leader of the pack among the Group Five, advanced to the playoff where they lost to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl. Heisman finalist Ashton Jeanty is in the NFL, though plenty of production on both sides returns, including junior quarterback Maddux Madsen. Florida The No. 15/17 Gators return to the preseason polls following a three-year hiatus. In fact, it has been since the 1960s that they went four straight years without being included. A strong finish to 2024 – four straight wins, including over ranked LSU and Ole Miss – resulted in an 8-5 season and plenty of optimism that rolled into the offseason in Gainesville. That optimism carries over big time thanks largely to quarterback D.J. Lagway, who could very well be part of the Heisman conversation in his first season as the starter out of the chute. Georgia Make it eight straight years the No. 5/4 Bulldogs have appeared in the top five of both preseason polls. In a larger picture that begins in 2012 under Mark Richt, UGA has now opened in the top 10 in 11 of 14 years. Believe it or not, the 2025 season is Kirby Smart's 10th at the helm in Athens. His first season (2016, preseason No. 18) was the last time Georgia opened outside the top 15. Illinois The last time No. 12/12 Illinois and No. 20/19 Indiana (below) were in the preseason polls together? You can stop searching because this is a first. Bret Bielema's Fighting Illini were one of five Big Ten teams with at least 10 wins last year (10-3), which was the first such season for Illinois since Ron Turner led his squad to a 10-2 mark and Sugar Bowl appearance in 2001. The good feeling heading into this season swirls around a bevy of returning starters on both sides of scrimmage, including QB Luke Altmyer and DB Xavier Scott. Indiana This marks the second time this decade the No. 20/19 Hoosiers open a season in the top 25 after concluding the previous one in the polls. See also 2020-21 under Tom Allen. Curt Cignetti's first season in Bloomington was a magic carpet ride of sorts as an 11-2 campaign (that began 10-0 ) represented the first time in school history the Hoosiers won more than nine games. While Oregon and Penn State played for the Big Ten conference title, Indiana went straight to the playoff, a first-round defeat at Notre Dame. Quarterback Kurtis Rourke was one-and-done at IU, and filling his shoes is a major task. Notre Dame The No. 6/5 Fighting Irish are the highest ranked non-B10/SEC team in the coaches' poll, though Clemson, at No. 4, has that distinction in the AP. Coach Marcus Freeman will turn to a new starting quarterback – either redshirt freshman C.J. Carr or sophomore Kenny Minchey – during a demanding start to the season that features a trip to Miami and visit from Texas A&M. Ohio State The last time the No. 3/2 Buckeyes were not in the preseason rankings? That was 1988 in John Cooper's first season and with the Buckeyes were coming off a 6-4-1 campaign in Earle Bruce's final year at the helm in Columbus. Things got worse before they got better under Cooper as Ohio State went 4-6-1 in '88. The Buckeyes extended their record of being ranked in the preseason to 72 years. This is also the 13th straight year they will open among the top six teams. Oklahoma There is no greater disparity in the polls than the Sooners checking in at No. 18 in the AP and being the best of the rest among the coaches who voted. With 221 voting points in the latter, OU is 25 points in arrears of No. 25 Boise State. This marks the third consecutive preseason the Sooners are outside the top 10, something that last happened 1996-2000, a stretch that included four years being unranked. SMU It was 40 years ago that the No. 16/16 Mustangs were last ranked in the preseason. A death penalty, continued residency in Southwest Conference and membership in the WAC, Conference USA, American and, currently, the ACC, have followed since Bobby Collins' squad opened the 1985 season at No. 3. Alas, this was no Pony Express of Eric Dickerson/Craig James fame. Rather, the season was a ho-hum 6-5. Such a record looked like something special given the Mustangs, thanks to their NCAA-imposed two-year ban (1987-88) from the gridiron, would not win more than a half dozen games until 2009. The 2025 season will be their second enjoying the riches of the ACC. South Carolina Steve Spurrier was in charge when the Gamecocks last appeared in the preseason polls in 2014. That was the last full season in Columbia for the 'Head Ball Coach' following a trio of 11-2 showings, seasons that were capped by bowl wins and top-10 finishes. Shane Beamer has a pair of postseason rankings on his resume in four years as South Carolina's coach, incluidng No. 19/19 last season. This year marks the first time the No. 13/13 Gamecocks open a season ranked on his watch. Texas Tech The preseason polls represent the first time the No. 23/24 Red Raiders are ranked at any point since they appeared at No. 25 for one week in 2018 under Kliff Kingsbury. A decade earlier, Mike Leach's squad soared as high as No. 2 before winding up the 2008 season where they started: at No. 12. That was Tech's last appearance in the preseason top 25.
Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Fox Sports
Who Are The 10 Best College Football Players from Each AP Top 10 Team?
College Football Who Are The 10 Best College Football Players from Each AP Top 10 Team? Published Aug. 12, 2025 7:37 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link The start of the 2025 college football season is just 12 days away, and it's sure to start off with a bang. Week 1 is set to feature a handful of electric heavyweight matchups of nationally top-ranked teams and a plethora of storylines, including first-year head coaches making their debuts and the impact of NIL and the transfer portal. That said, FOX Sports' RJ Young put together a list of one standout player from each of the top 10 teams in the AP Top 25 college football preseason poll, which was unveiled Monday. [Related: RJ Young's Ultimate 136 college football rankings ] Six of these 10 players will be facing off against one another in Week 1, as there are three top-10 tilts on the schedule: No. 1 Texas vs. No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Clemson vs. No. 9 LSU and No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Miami (Fla.). 10 Best College Football Players from AP Top 10 Teams Francis Mauigoa is one of the top offensive linemen in college football. (Photo by) ADVERTISEMENT Stats: Started 26 games in two seasons for the Hurricanes, anchoring an offensive line that led the nation in scoring (43.9 points per game); projected to be the first offensive tackle drafted in the 2026 NFL Draft . Mauigoa enters the year as one of the top OT draft prospects. At 6-foot-6, Mauigoa is massive and will be vital to protecting quarterback Carson Beck this season, giving the Hurricanes hope to make their first CFP appearance. Garrett Nussmeier is entering his second season as LSU's starting QB. (Photo by) Stats: Finished fifth in FBS in passing yards (4,052 yards) and tied for eighth in pass touchdowns (29) last season. Like Mauigoa, Nussmeier will also vie to be one of the top players selected at his position in the 2026 NFL Draft. He was one of the best passers in the SEC last year, which was his first season as a starter, while also having the pressure to replace then-reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. Ryan Williams had a shining freshman season. (Photo by) Stats: Freshman All-American and first-team All- SEC selection; one of seven SEC players to record 8 touchdown catches last season. Williams had a season to remember in 2024, and he was only 17 years old. His touchdown catch that helped Alabama beat Georgia was widely viewed as one of the top plays of the season, showing his ability to make contested catches and speed. That also helped him earn a spot on the cover of "College Football 26." Dillon Thieneman was a star at Purdue before transferring to Oregon. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Stats: Led all Big Ten defensive backs with 104 total tackles last year with Purdue. One of the best defensive players to transfer this past offseason, Theineman was a standout for a Purdue team that has been one of the worst programs in a power conference over the past couple of years. He won Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2023, when he recorded six interceptions. Jeremiyah Love was a key reason for Notre Dame's deep CFP run. (Photo by) Stats: Scored a rushing touchdown in 13 consecutive games last season, setting a Notre Dame record; was one of 10 FBS players to record 1,100-plus rushing yards and 19-plus total touchdowns. Love was instrumental in Notre Dame's breakthrough season, which ended with an appearance in the national championship game. His 98-yard touchdown run against Indiana was key for Notre Dame in its first-round win, which was also one of the five games he rushed for over 100 yards in. CJ Allen has been a do-it-all linebacker for Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Stats: Made 12 starts last season and finished second on the team with 76 total tackles. Entering his junior year, Allen is part of the next wave of Georgia defenders with NFL promise. He'll look to capitalize on a strong 2024 season, as the Bulldogs seek to make their first College Football Playoff semifinals for the first time in three years. Cade Klubnik was one of the best quarterbacks in college football last season. (Photo by) Stats: Top five all-time in Clemson history in passing yards, passing touchdowns, pass attempts and completions; only player in FBS to throw for 35 touchdowns with six or fewer interceptions. After an underwhelming first season as Clemson's starting quarterback in 2023, Klubnik broke through in 2024. He certainly wasn't the reason why Clemson lost to Texas in the CFP, either. He threw for 336 yards in that game as he seeks to be one of the top quarterbacks selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. Jeremiah Smith had a freshman season for the ages. (Photo) Stats: Set Ohio State freshman records in receptions (76), receiving yards (1,315) and touchdown catches (15); was tied for second in FBS in touchdown catches and fourth in receiving yards; his nine catches of 40-plus yards are tied for the most in the FBS. Smith is arguably the best player in college football entering the 2025 season, with many preseason lists ranking him as such. Even though he's only a sophomore, some have even said that he would've been a top-10 pick had he been draft-eligible following his freshman season. Dani Dennis-Sutton is one of many key players returning for Penn State. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) Stats: Finished tied for fifth in the Big Ten in tackles for loss (13) and tied for sixth in sacks (8.5); also forced two fumbles and recorded 42 total tackles. The Nittany Lions had several players that Young could've named the best on their roster. Drew Allar is viewed as one of the top quarterbacks in the nation entering the year, while Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen make up the best running back tandem in the sport. Sutton gets the nod, though, after his 8.5-sack season. Arch Manning is entering his first season as Texas' full-time starting QB. (Photo) Stats: Only FBS or NFL quarterback in the past 25 years to record a 75-plus-yard touchdowb pass, a 65-plus-yard touchdown run and another 50-plus-yard touchdown pass in the same game; went 2-0 as a starter last year, throwing for 583 yards and totaling 5 touchdowns (4 passing, 1 rushing) in those two games. Similar to Penn State, Texas also has a lot of returning players who could've been named the top player on its roster. Ultimately, Manning got the honor, and it's hard not to see why. He showed his promise as one of the best quarterback prospects in recent memory in the handful of games he played in last year, showing tremendous arm strength and an ability to operate as a runner. Check out all of our Daily Rankers . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily ! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football share
