College football award predictions: Who will — and should — win?
The 2022 season was chock full of brilliant performances on some of the biggest stages, from Caleb Williams helping transform USC into a playoff contender to Blake Corum‘s eight straight 100-yard games in helping Michigan win back-to-back Big Ten titles to Marvin Harrison Jr.‘s emergence as arguably the country’s most exciting receiver.
They’ll be among the stars on hand for the Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday (7 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN App) as the top players are honored and many of the country’s most prestigious awards are handed out.
Here are our picks for who should — and who will — pick up some prized hardware Thursday.
Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player of the year)
Finalists: Will Anderson Jr., Alabama; Ivan Pace Jr., Cincinnati; Tuli Tuipulotu, USC
Who should win: Anderson. The Alabama edge rusher had 51 tackles, 17 going for a loss, 10 sacks and 12 QB hurries — all of which counted as something of a down year by his standards. There’s no defender in the country more feared — and more productive — than Anderson.
Who will win: Anderson
Biletnikoff Award (outstanding receiver)
Finalists: Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State; Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State; Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
Who should win: Harrison. With a number of Ohio State’s key skill position players injured, Harrison blossomed into the most formidable pass-catcher in the country this season. His 1,157 receiving yards were second most in the Big Ten, his 12 receiving TDs tied for the national lead, and he was Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded receiver in the nation. For the season, Harrison had just two drops and reeled in 56% of his contested catches, the second-best rate in the nation.
Who will win: Harrison
Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award (outstanding place-kicker)
Finalists: Christopher Dunn, NC State; Joshua Karty, Stanford; Jake Moody, Michigan
Who should win: Dunn in a close one. While Karty didn’t miss a field-goal try this season, he had seven fewer attempts than Dunn, who was also perfect on PATs (while Karty was 24-of-25). Dunn connected on 24 field goals, was 10-of-11 beyond 40 and hit on both of his attempts of 50 yards or more.
Who will win: Dunn
Ray Guy Award (punter of the year)
Finalists: Mason Fletcher, Cincinnati; Bryce Baringer, Michigan State; Adam Korsak, Rutgers
Who should win: South Carolina‘s Kai Kroeger wasn’t a finalist, but he’s likely to top plenty of All-America lists after leading the country with 51.9% of his punts downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and 25% inside the 10.
Who will win: Baringer. This award tends to come down to the headline numbers, and Baringer has a handle on those. He led the nation with an average of 49 yards per punt and 45.7 net.
Maxwell Award (college player of the year)
Finalists: C.J. Stroud, Ohio State; Hendon Hooker, Tennessee; Caleb Williams, USC
Who should win: Hooker. Perhaps this is a chance for a makeup call for snubbing Hooker as a Heisman Trophy finalist, but the truth is, until his injury, he was clearly the best player in the country. His 89.4 Total QBR is ahead of Stroud (87.7) and Williams (86.5), and his 27-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio is tops in the country. More importantly, he completely elevated Tennessee football this season, putting the Vols within striking distance of a playoff bid before getting hurt in the penultimate game of the regular season against South Carolina.
Who will win: Williams. He finished third nationally in total yards and first in touchdowns while turning the ball over just four times. That’s a pretty simple case to make.
Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award (best quarterback)
Finalists: Max Duggan, TCU; CJ Stroud, Ohio State; Caleb Williams, USC
Who should win: Williams. How close are the numbers between Stroud and Williams? Stroud completed 66.2% of his throws. Williams completed 66.1%. Stroud threw 37 touchdowns. So did Williams. Stroud averaged 9.4 yards per pass. Williams averaged 9.1. Stroud had seven turnovers. Williams had five. But the slight edge goes to Williams, who did more with his legs and dealt with a much less consistent offensive line (29 sacks compared with just eight for Stroud).
Who will win: Williams
Outland Trophy (most outstanding interior lineman)
Finalists: Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh; Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan; Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
Who should win: Kancey. The ACC’s defensive player of the year was an absolute monster on the interior of Pitt’s defensive line in 2022. Kancey racked up seven sacks and 14 tackles for loss while adding 10 QB hurries on the season. He was the second-best Power 5 interior lineman, according to Pro Football Focus, after Georgia’s Jalen Carter, who missed multiple games. While it’s impossible to directly compare Kancey’s performance with two offensive linemen, his work was awfully reminiscent of another Pitt great — Aaron Donald. And if a player is drawing those comparisons, it’s easy enough to see why he might win the Outland Trophy, just as Donald did in 2013.
Who will win: Kancey
Paycom Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back)
Finalists: Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU; Clark Phillips III, Utah; Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
Who should win: Witherspoon. Yes, Phillips is among the most impressive players in the country, and his six interceptions will turn heads with voters, but on a down-for-down basis, Witherspoon has the edge. He was the top-graded Power 5 corner, according to Pro Football Focus, allowing just 16 completions on 54 targets — with none going for touchdowns. He bested Phillips in yards allowed per coverage snap, yards per target and contested targets. And while Phillips did have a distinct edge in INTs (six to three), Witherspoon added another 14 pass breakups to Phillips’ six.
Who will win: Phillips. Hey, interceptions look great on a box score, and the truth is, Phillips genuinely is among the best players in the country — even if Witherspoon’s stat line was a tad better.
Doak Walker Award (premier running back)
Finalists: Chase Brown, Illinois; Blake Corum, Michigan; Bijan Robinson, Texas
Who should win: Robinson. Playing behind either a freshman or backup QB all season, Robinson was the focal point of every defense Texas faced, and he still finished the season with 1,580 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. His 1,894 scrimmage yards led the nation, and his 20 total touchdowns ranked second behind Pitt’s Israel Abanikanda. Robinson also finished the season as the hottest player in the country, topping 100 yards on the ground in nine of his last 10 games, including more than 200 twice.
Who will win: Corum. Robinson might edge him out after Corum was injured late in the Nov. 19 win over Illinois, but for the first 10 games of the season, Corum was the clear-cut top back in the country and a Heisman contender. He still finished with 1,463 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns — numbers comparable to Robinson — and voters might forgive the late-season absence to reward the player who carried his team the furthest. That’s clearly Corum.
John Mackey Award (outstanding tight end)
Finalists: Brock Bowers, Georgia; Michael Mayer, Notre Dame; Sam LaPorta, Iowa
Who should win: Mayer. He was the point man in Notre Dame’s offense this season, and he delivered huge results. Mayer was second nationally among tight ends in catches (67), yards (809) and yards per route (2.57), and he led all tight ends with nine touchdown grabs and 20 contested catches. But what sets him apart from Bowers and others is his impressive blocking. He blocked on 417 snaps this season and missed just two of them.
Who will win: Mayer
Rimington Trophy (outstanding center)
Finalists: Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan; John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota; Brett Neilon, USC
Who should win: Oluwatimi. The Virginia transfer blossomed as the leader of Michigan’s offensive line this season, allowing just two pressures and no sacks while missing just a handful of blocks on the year. Oluwatimi blocked for one of the most effective ground games in the nation and kept QB J.J. McCarthy in a clean pocket routinely. The result was a second straight Big Ten title for the Wolverines.
Who will win: Oluwatimi
Two top five teams lost in Week 8, with Miami losing to Louisville and Ole Miss blowing a multi-score lead against Georgia. Texas Tech’s first loss of the season came in a squeaker against Arizona State. Meanwhile, Ohio State looked as steady as ever in a 34-0 shutout of Wisconsin and Indiana blew out Michigan State to remain undefeated.
What does it all mean for the AP Top 25? Let’s break down the rankings.
Stats courtesy of ESPN Research.
All times Eastern.
Previous ranking: 1
2025 record: 7-0
Week 8 result: Defeated Wisconsin 34-0
Stat to know: Ohio State has won 15 straight games as the AP No. 1, the longest streak by a Big Ten team.
What’s next: Nov. 1 vs. Penn State
Previous ranking: 3
2025 record: 7-0
Week 8 result: Defeated Michigan State 38-13
Stat to know: Indiana is now 16-0 against unranked opponents under Curt Cignetti.
What’s next: Saturday vs. UCLA
Previous ranking: 4
2025 record: 7-0
Week 8 result: Defeated Arkansas 45-42
Stat to know: This is Texas A&M’s first 7-0 start since 1994.
What’s next: Saturday at LSU, 7:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 6
2025 record: 6-1
Week 8 result: Defeated Tennessee 37-20
Stat to know: With the win over Tennessee, Alabama became the first team in SEC history to win four straight games, all against ranked teams, with no bye week mixed in.
What’s next: Saturday at South Carolina, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 9
2025 record: 6-1
Week 8 result: Defeated Ole Miss 43-35
Stat to know: Georgia is 2-0 at home under Kirby Smart when trailing by nine or more points entering the fourth quarter.
What’s next: Nov. 1 vs. Florida (in Jacksonville, Florida), 3:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 8
2025 record: 6-1
Week 8 result: Defeated Rutgers 56-10
Stat to know: Oregon is 6-0 following losses under Dan Lanning.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Wisconsin
Previous ranking: 12
2025 record: 7-0
Week 8 result: Defeated Duke 27-18
Stat to know: Georgia Tech had a 95-yard fumble return in the first quarter, the longest in school history.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Syracuse, noon
Previous ranking: 5
2025 record: 6-1
Week 8 result: Lost to Georgia 43-35
Stat to know: Ole Miss gained just 13 yards in the fourth quarter, tied for its third-fewest in a quarter under Lane Kiffin.
What’s next: Saturday at Oklahoma, noon, ABC
Previous ranking: 2
2025 record: 5-1
Week 8 result: Lost to Louisville 24-21
Stat to know: The loss to Louisville was Miami’s fourth home less as a double-digit favorite under Mario Cristobal, the most losses in FBS in that span (since 2022).
What’s next: Saturday vs. Stanford, 7 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: 17
2025 record: 6-1
Week 8 result: Defeated LSU 31-24
Stat to know: This is Vanderbilt’s first 6-1 start since 1950.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Missouri
Previous ranking: 15
2025 record: 7-0
Week 8 result: Defeated Utah 24-21
Stat to know: BYU has started 7-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history.
What’s next: Saturday at Iowa State, 3:30 p.m., Fox
Previous ranking: 13
2025 record: 5-2
Week 8 result: Defeated USC 34-24
Stat to know: Notre Dame has won seven of its past eight meetings with USC.
What’s next: Nov. 1 at Boston College
Previous ranking: 14
2025 record: 6-1
Week 8 result: Defeated South Carolina 26-7
Stat to know: This was Oklahoma’s first win against South Carolina.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Ole Miss, noon, ABC
Previous ranking: 7
2025 record: 6-1
Week 8 result: Lost to Arizona State 26-22
Stat to know: The loss to Arizona State was Texas Tech’s first game of the season with 20 or more points allowed.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Oklahoma State, 4 p.m.
Previous ranking: 16
2025 record: 6-1
Week 8 result: Defeated Auburn 23-17 (2 OT)
Stat to know: Missouri has won 22 straight games against unranked opponents.
What’s next: Saturday at Vanderbilt
Previous ranking: 18
2025 record: 6-1
Week 8 result: Defeated Washington State 22-20
Stat to know: Virginia’s 6-1 start is its best through seven games since 2007.
What’s next: Saturday at North Carolina, noon, ACC Network
Previous ranking: 11
2025 record: 5-2
Week 8 result: Lost to Alabama 37-20
Stat to know: Tennessee’s 20 points against Alabama is its fewest scored in a game this season.
What’s next: Saturday at Kentucky, 7:45 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 19
2025 record: 6-1
Week 8 result: Defeated Florida Atlantic 48-13
Stat to know: The win over FAU was South Florida’s fourth straight game with at least 48 points.
What’s next: Saturday at Memphis, noon
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 5-1
Week 8 result: Defeated Miami 24-21
Stat to know: Louisville’s win over Miami was its second over an AP top-2 team in program history.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Boston College, 7:30 p.m., ACC Network
Previous ranking: 10
2025 record: 5-2
Week 8 result: Lost to Vanderbilt 31-24
Stat to know: Garrett Nussmeier has thrown a passing touchdown in 13 straight games, the third-longest active streak among current SEC quarterbacks.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 24
2025 record: 6-1
Week 8 result: Defeated Oklahoma State 49-17
Stat to know: This is Cincinnati’s first 6-1 start to a season since 2022.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Baylor, 4 p.m.
Previous ranking: 21
2025 record: 5-2
Week 8 result: Defeated Kentucky 16-13 (OT)
Stat to know: Texas’s 179 total yards against Kentucky marked its fewest in a win in the past 30 years.
What’s next: Saturday at Mississippi State
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 5-2
Week 8 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Washington
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 5-2
Week 8 result: Defeated Texas Tech 26-22
Stat to know: Arizona State is now 6-1 against AP-ranked opponents since the start of the 2024 season.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Houston, 8:00 p.m., ESPN2
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 5-2
Week 8 result: Defeated Washington 24-7
Stat to know: Michigan is on a 28-game home winning streak against AP unranked teams.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Michigan State, 7:30 p.m., NBC
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