College football Top 25: Award candidates for every team

The goal of every top team in college football is to qualify for the playoff field and move on to win the national championship. But players for each of those teams also have their own aspirations.

From the Heisman Trophy to the Butkus Award and Outland Trophy, there are numerous opportunities for individuals to take home hardware.

We asked our college football reporters to name a top national award candidate for each team in our Way-Too-Early Top 25.

2025 record: 12-2, 9-0 Big Ten

WR Jeremiah Smith, Biletnikoff Award (best receiver)

Despite being arguably the best wide receiver in college football the past two years, Smith has yet to win the Biletnikoff, given to the nation's most outstanding player at the position. In 2024, he shattered school freshman receiving records, then hauled in a memorable game-clinching catch late in the national championship victory over Notre Dame. Last year, Smith caught 87 passes for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns despite battling a lower-body injury late in the regular season that forced him to miss a game and a half. As long as he can stay healthy, Smith will be the favorite to finish his illustrious Ohio State career with the Biletnikoff before heading to the NFL. --Jake Trotter

2025 record: 13-2, 8-1 Big Ten

QB Dante Moore, Heisman Trophy

Moore made a somewhat surprising decision after last season, forgoing the NFL draft -- where he would have likely been one of the top two or three quarterbacks selected -- to head back to Oregon for one more year. After a 3,565-yard, 30-touchdown campaign in 2025, Moore had the third-shortest odds for the award as of the first week of May. And with some of his top targets, such asDakorien Moore and a healthy Evan Stewart, still in Eugene ahead of a season that seems like championship or bust for the Ducks, Moore should be right in the mix for the sport's top award. -- Paolo Uggetti

2025 record: 12-2, 8-1 SEC

QB Gunner Stockton, Heisman Trophy

Stockton finished seventh in Heisman voting in 2025 after leading the Bulldogs to a 12-2 record and second straight SEC title in his first season as a starter. He completed 69.7% of his pass attempts for 2,894 yards with 24 touchdowns and five interceptions. He's a physical and effective runner, gaining 462 yards with 10 scores. Stockton isn't the flashiest quarterback, but he's productive and rarely makes mistakes. If he can take the next step as a passer by taking advantage of throws down the middle of the field, he could be even better in 2026. -- Mark Schlabach

2025 record: 10-2

CB Leonard Moore, Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back)

In addition to the Thorpe, Moore will have a chance to win the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is the defensive equivalent of the Heisman, and the Chuck Bednarik Award, which is presented to the top defensive player. Moore started in 10 games last year and led the Irish with five interceptions, tied for sixth most in the country. He had 31 tackles, seven pass breakups and a forced fumble. He also had a 46-yard pick-six against Syracuse. Moore earned unanimous All-America honors last year and was one of the top Power 4 cornerbacks in coverage grade (92), according to Pro Football Focus. -- Heather Dinich

2025 record: 10-3, 6-2 SEC

QB Arch Manning, Heisman Trophy

Defensive end Colin Simmons (12 sacks in 2025) can be all-everything in Will Muschamp's defense, butManning was playing as well as anyone in the country at the end of last season, finishing with 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while also rushing for 399 yards and 10 TDs, despite a slow start in his first year as the starter. With a full season under his belt, new weapons in the backfield and the arrival of Cam Coleman at wide receiver, Manning is a legitimate threat to challenge for the Heisman this year. -- Dave Wilson

6. Indiana Hoosiers

2025 record: 16-0, 9-0 Big Ten

OT Carter Smith, Outland Trophy (best interior lineman)

Indiana enters the season with two of the top Outland candidates in Smith and defensive tackle Tyrique Tucker, a third-team AP All-America selection who had six sacks last fall. But Smith likely will enter the fall as the Outland favorite after earning consensus All-America honors in 2025 and being named the Big Ten's Offensive Lineman of the Year. He has started 38 consecutive games at left tackle, protecting multiple quarterbacks during Indiana's rise, and will now shieldJosh Hoover's blind side. He anchored an offensive line that last season had eight games with one or zero sacks allowed as the team rose to 12th nationally in rushing (212.9 yards per game). -- Adam Rittenberg

7. Miami Hurricanes

2025 record: 13-3, 6-2 ACC

WR Malachi Toney, Biletnikoff Award

Tough choice here between Toney and running back Mark Fletcher Jr., who will be in the mix to win the Doak Walker Award as the best running back in the country. But Toney was so electric in his true freshman season that we will give him a slight edge as the best returning player on Miami's offense. Toney had 1,704 all-purpose yards and 13 total touchdowns, and he should be a candidate to be a unanimous All-American as well as for the Biletnikoff and the Paul Hornung Award as the best all-purpose player in the nation. -- Andrea Adelson

2025 record: 12-2, 8-1 Big 12

LB Ben Roberts, Butkus Award (best linebacker)

How about back-to-back Butkus Award winners at Texas Tech? It's not impossible. Roberts put together a terrific junior season in his first year under defensive coordinator Shiel Wood with 90 tackles, four tackles for loss, four interceptions and two forced fumbles. He also took home Most Outstanding Player honors for his two picks in the Big 12 championship game win over BYU. The Red Raiders must replace the incomparable Jacob Rodriguez but have three potential All-Big 12 performers in Roberts, John Curry and Kansas State transfer Austin Romaine. Just like last season, this defense will be tough to run on with elite line play creating easy playmaking opportunities for Roberts and his fellow linebackers. --Max Olson

9. Ole Miss Rebels

2025 record: 13-2, 7-1 SEC

QB Trinidad Chambliss, Heisman Trophy

One could easily go with tailback Kewan Lacy after he ran for 1,567 yards with 24 touchdowns while helping lead the Rebels to an 11-2 record and then a surprising CFP run in 2025. For now, though, we'll focus on Chambliss, who was one of the best stories in college football last season. After transferring to Ole Miss from Division II Ferris State, he took over the starting quarterback job and was named SEC Newcomer of the Year. He had 3,937 yards passing and 527 rushing with 30 total touchdowns. How will he adjust to new offensive coordinator John David Baker's system, which might operate at an even faster pace than Charlie Weis Jr.'s offense did last season? -- Mark Schlabach

10. Texas A&M Aggies

2025 record: 11-2, 7-1 SEC

S Dalton Brooks, Jim Thorpe Award

Brooks' return to the Aggies over moving on to the NFL sets the A&M secondary up to be the strength of the defense, and the safety, who was one of the nation's top defensive back recruits coming out of high school, has blossomed into a versatile defender. Last season, he had 62 tackles, four sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss. He has to be accounted for on every play, and with one more year under his belt, he's ready for a star turn. -- Dave Wilson

2025 record: 7-6, 3-5 SEC

LB Whit Weeks, Butkus Award

There is little doubt that Weeks' decision to return was a huge win for new Tigers coach Lane Kiffin and the defensive coordinator, Blake Baker, who has his linchpin back. Sure to be a preseason All-American, Weeks missed the bulk of last season with a broken ankle. In 2024, he started 11 games and had 125 tackles, including 10 for a loss, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, six quarterback hurries and an interception. If Weeks stays healthy and puts up that type of production again, he will be up for every major defensive player of the year award in the country. -- Andrea Adelson

2025 record: 12-2, 8-1 Big 12

RB LJ Martin, Doak Walker Award (best running back)

After Martin was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2025, it would have been understandable if he had decided to take his chances with the NFL draft. Instead, he opted to return to BYU for his senior season, and he'll try to build off last year's 1,305-yard campaign. One could make the case Martin deserves some early Heisman consideration, but there is no doubt he is expected to be a top contender for the Doak Walker as the top running back in the country this year. -- Kyle Bonagura

2025 record: 10-3, 6-2 SEC

PK Tate Sandell, Lou Groza Award (best kicker)

Sooners quarterback John Mateer could certainly thrust himself back into the Heisman Trophy race this fall. But there's only one national award winner returning to Oklahoma in 2026, and that's Sandell, who took home the Groza last season. The ex-UTSA transfer led the nation in made field goals of 50-plus yards (eight) and average field goal attempt distance (42.3 yards), and he ranked third among FBS kickers in field goal percentage (88.9%) in his debut season with the Sooners. One of college football's top returning kickers in 2026, Sandell should again find himself in Groza Award contention. -- Eli Lederman

2025 record: 9-4, 7-2 Big Ten

DE John Henry Daley, Ted Hendricks Award (best defensive end)

Daley came to Ann Arbor with coach Kyle Whittingham from Utah, giving the Wolverines an elite pass rusher. Daley tied for seventh nationally last year with 11.5 sacks, and the underlying numbers reinforce his prowess rushing the quarterback. He was fourth with an edge pressure rate of 19.6%, and his average time to first pressure was 2.65 seconds, just a tick behind Miami star defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. (2.63), who was the 15th pick in last month's NFL draft. If Daley continues putting up big numbers at his new school, he could become Michigan's first Hendricks Award winner since Aidan Hutchinson in 2021. -- Jake Trotter

2025 record: 7-6, 3-6 Big Ten

QB Rocco Becht, Heisman Trophy

The 6-foot-1 redshirt senior followed coach Matt Campbell to Penn State, which gives the Nittany Lions a proven winner to lead the offense. Becht started 39 games at Iowa State and earned 26 wins. He led seven game-winning drives during that span. Last year, Becht threw for 2,584 yards and 16 touchdowns while adding 116 yards and eight TDs rushing. With nonconference games against Marshall, Temple and Buffalo, plus early Big Ten matchups against Wisconsin and Northwestern, Penn State has a good chance to be undefeated heading into its Oct. 10 home showdown against USC. If the Nittany Lions can make a surprise CFP run in Campbell's first season, Becht's Heisman hopes could skyrocket. -- Heather Dinich

2025 record: 11-4, 7-1 SEC

LB Yhonzae Pierre, Butkus Award

The winner of the quarterback competition has a chance to be in the Heisman conversation given that he will be coached by Kalen DeBoer. But we have seen what Pierre can do -- he was the team's top pass rusher last season and should only get better with another year under his belt. In 2025, he had 52 total tackles, 14.5 TFLs and eight sacks along with three forced fumbles. He will be one of the more important contributors to Alabama's success this season, and if he accomplishes what's expected of him, he will likely be rewarded for it. -- Harry Lyles Jr.

2025 record: 9-4, 5-4 Big Ten

QB Demond Williams Jr., Heisman Trophy

If there is anything Heisman voters love, it's a dual-threat quarterback, and Williams fits the bill. He threw for 3,065 yards with 25 touchdowns last season to go along with 611 yards and six scores rushing. Let's say he throws for 500 more yards in 2026 than last season and runs for 300 more -- both reasonable increases -- and the Huskies make a playoff push. That recipe could get Williams to New York. -- Kyle Bonagura

2025 record: 11-2, 7-2 Big 12

QB Devon Dampier, Heisman Trophy

In the past 14 seasons, five quarterbacks have thrown for at least 3,000 yards, rushed for 1,000 and won at least 11 games in a season. All were Heisman finalists. After Dampier threw for 2,409 yards and ran for 836 last year for the Utes, it's clear he's capable of putting together that sort of season in 2026. -- Kyle Bonagura

19. Iowa Hawkeyes

2025 record: 9-4, 6-3 Big Ten

S Zach Lutmer, Jim Thorpe Award

Iowa hasn't had a Thorpe winner since Desmond King in 2015, but the Hawkeyes have since produced the Big Ten's Defensive Back of the Year four times. Lutmer earned second-team All-Big Ten honors last fall as a true sophomore, his first season as a starter. He had three interceptions, including a pick-six; a fumble recovery; seven pass breakups; 5.5 tackles for loss; and 71 total tackles. Lutmer has the natural playmaking ability needed to enter the radar for the Thorpe Award and will have even more responsibility at Iowa's cash position (nickel cornerback/outside linebacker hybrid) because much of the starting defense is turning over. -- Adam Rittenberg

20. USC Trojans

2025 record: 9-4, 7-2 Big Ten

K Ryon Sayeri, Lou Groza Award

Sayeri was a semifinalist for this award last year after grabbing the starting job as a redshirt freshman. While also having kickoff duties, Sayeri was 21-of-25 on FG attempts and made all 48 of his PATs. He set a USC single-season record for field goals, and heading into 2026, the Trojans' potent offense should give Sayeri plenty of opportunity to build on his production and efficiency from last year. -- Paolo Uggetti

21. Louisville Cardinals

2025 record: 9-4, 4-4 ACC

DE Clev Lubin, Bednarik Award (best defensive player)

The stock answer for Louisville's top award candidate probably is running back Isaac Brown, who is among the most explosive players in the country. But Brown might well split carries, and he has battled injuries, so let's look on the other side of the ball, where Lubin is a burgeoning star. Lubin's 16.3% pressure rate last season ranked sixth among Power 4 defenders (minimum 250 pass-rush snaps). He racked up 8.5 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss, seven QB hurries and three forced fumbles -- and yet he was seemingly just scratching the surface in his first season with the Cardinals. Lubin enters the year as arguably the ACC's most established pass-rush threat, and it's possible he will end it with some All-America honors and a Bednarik Award to boot. -- David Hale

22. SMU Mustangs

2025 record: 9-4, 6-2 ACC

QB Kevin Jennings, Heisman Trophy

The first time Jennings inherited the starting job at SMU, he led the Mustangs to an American Conference title. After winning the job the next year, he led SMU to the College Football Playoff. In 2025, he blossomed with his best season yet, and now he's back for 2026. Jennings will enter the season as one of the most experienced and prolific QBs in the country -- 65 career TDs, nearly 8,000 passing yards -- and SMU coaches have said they think his best is yet to come. The Mustangs should be in the playoff hunt again, and Jennings is the biggest reason. He's electric when it comes to extending plays, which should give him more than a few chances for his Heisman moment. If the team and the player meet expectations, don't be surprised if Jennings is in New York at year's end. -- David Hale

23. TCU Horned Frogs

2025 record: 9-4, 5-4 Big 12

S Jamel Johnson, Jim Thorpe Award

The Horned Frogs don't have many names that jump off the page from a national award perspective, but the 6-1 senior from nearby Arlington, Texas, is one worth knowing. A breakout performer for TCU in 2024, Johnson was even better as a junior a year ago when he logged a Big 12-leading five interceptions and earned second-team all-conference honors, and his 96 total tackles in 2025 are the most of any returning defender in the Big 12 this fall. Johnson has established himself as a capable playmaker across 25 career starts. With star safety Bud Clark off the NFL, Johnson has an even bigger role to step into in 2026. -- Eli Lederman

24. Houston Cougars

2025 record: 10-3, 6-3 Big 12

WR Amare Thomas, Biletnikoff Award

In his first season with the Cougars after transferring in from UAB, Thomas ranked second in the Big 12 in receiving yards (966) and touchdown catches (12) and finished strong with TDs in six of Houston's last seven games on its run to 10-3. Now, Thomas is entering his senior year with continuity at QB in returning starter Conner Weigman. He should have no trouble seeing 100-plus targets again and shining in an offense that has good receiver depth but must replace the production of All-Big 12 tight end Tanner Koziol. -- Max Olson

25. Tennessee Volunteers

2025 record: 8-5, 4-4 SEC

RB DeSean Bishop, Doak Walker Award

Bishop had a great sophomore campaign, with 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns on 182 carries, building off a solid freshman season. With four returning starters on the offensive line and a new quarterback in the mix, Tennessee could lean on him in ways that could catapult him to another level in 2026. The Vols have done well at the position in recent years, not just with Bishop, but also guys such Dylan Sampson (who led the SEC in rushing in 2024) and Jaylen Wright. -- Harry Lyles Jr.

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