FWAA 2026 Season News

Colin Simmons set a Texas single-game record with 5.5 sacks Saturday in the Longhorns’ 20-17 win at Tennessee. For his historic mark that ties for the third-best total in FBS history since sacks became an official NCAA statistic in the 2000 season, the junior edge rusher was selected as the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week for the weekend of Sept. 26 by the Football Writers Association of America.

Minnesota’s Greg Johnson moved from guard to center for the first time this season and produced one of the top grades among FBS offensive lineman during the Gophers’ 27-24 win at Washington in the Big Ten opener for both teams. For his versatility and high grade that helped Minnesota snap a five-game road losing streak, Johnson earned the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Sept. 26, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

The Florida Gators rushed for 302 yards, scored touchdowns on their first five possessions of the second half and defeated No. 4 Ole Miss, 52-28, before 90,683 fans at The Swamp. For their first victory over a top-five opponent in six years, the Gators earned the Pop-Tarts Bowl Crazy Good Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Sept. 26, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Illinois’ Ismael Kante is this week’s nominee for 2026 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Kante, a fifth-year linebacker, took an improbable journey to become a leader for the Fighting Illini.

Ole Miss defensive tackle Will Echoles pressured the LSU backfield all night, making three tackles behind the line of scrimmage and a sack, as the No. 8 Rebels won the weekend’s most-hyped matchup in dramatic fashion over No. 7 LSU, 32-24. For his play up front in leading the Rebels’ charge in front of a Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium record crowd, Echoles earned the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Sept. 19, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

Two fourth-quarter takeaways were the highlights of a tremendous overall game Saturday by Arizona State linebacker Owen Long. The junior’s fumble recovery and interception came late in the Sun Devils’ 24-17 win over Kansas in the Union Jack Classic at London’s Wembley Stadium and led to him being selected as the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week for the weekend of Sept. 19 by the Football Writers Association of America.

he Kentucky Wildcats scored 21 unanswered points in a dominant third quarter and stunned No. 9 Texas A&M, 31-21, before 105,186 fans at Kyle Field. For defeating a 16½-point favorite and delivering first-year head coach Will Stein’s first Southeastern Conference and ranked victory, Kentucky earned the Pop-Tarts Bowl Crazy Good Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Sept. 19, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Each week during the 2026 season, we highlight the notable performances of first-year players and head coaches leading up to the selection of our annual Freshman All-America Team and the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award presented by Chris Doering Mortgage. Here are the top performances from Week 3, the weekend of Sept. 19.

Texas' Trevor Goosby is the first weekly nominee for 2026 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Goosby, a fourth-year left tackle, has overcome open-heart surgery as a teenager, along with multiple other injuries, to become a leader for the now top-ranked Longhorns.

Texas offensive tackle Trevor Goosby was a catalyst of Texas’ dramatic 24-23 comeback win over No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday, anchoring the protection for Arch Manning to engineer three consecutive touchdown drives to end the game and bring the Longhorns back. For his top-scoring blocking grade and backfield security, Goosby earned the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Sept. 12, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

Boston College linebacker Anthony Palano posted a career day Saturday against Rutgers, leading his team with nine tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss with two fourth-quarter interceptions that sealed the Eagles’ 28-21 win over in the Red Bandanna Game. For the shut-down defensive play, Palano was selected as the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America.

The Oklahoma State Cowboys rebounded from a season-opening defeat with one of the biggest upsets in program history, overwhelming No. 6 Oregon statistically and answering the Ducks’ fourth-quarter rally to earn a 39-31 victory at Boone Pickens Stadium. For knocking off a 23½-point favorite and snapping a 12-game losing streak, Oklahoma State earned the Pop-Tarts Bowl Crazy Good Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Sept. 12, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Each week during the 2026 season, we highlight the notable performances of first-year players and head coaches leading up to the selection of our annual Freshman All-America Team and the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award presented by Chris Doering Mortgage. Here are the top performances from Week 2, the weekend of Sept. 12: 

Auburn safety Eric Winters made a game-saving tackle on a two-point conversion attempt, stopping a Baylor receiver inches away from the goal line in the final 10 seconds to preserve the Tigers’ 17-16 win Saturday. His career day in just his second start has Winters selected as the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America.

DALLAS (FWAA) – Colorado two-way lineman Chauncey Gooden started at guard and bolstered a power running game, then came in on the defensive front and contributed to the Buffaloes’ final stop that sealed a 14-13 win at Georgia Tech. For his efforts on both sides of the line, Gooden earned the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Sept. 5, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

The Massachusetts Minutemen scored 30 consecutive points and forced four turnovers in a commanding 37-21 victory at Rutgers, earning the season’s first Pop-Tarts Bowl Crazy Good Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Sept. 5, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Each week during the 2026 season, we highlight the notable performances of first-year players and head coaches leading up to the selection of our annual Freshman All-America Team and the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award presented by Chris Doering Mortgage. Here are the top performances from Week 1, the weekend of Sept. 5.

DALLAS (FWAA) — The Football Writers Association of America, in partnership with Pop-Tarts and Florida Citrus Sports, will celebrate the 25th season of its National Team of the Week in 2026 with the return of the Pop-Tarts Bowl Crazy Good National Team of the Week.

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The Football Writers Association of America released its 2026 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List today, selecting three returning FWAA All-Americans among 68 defensive standouts as contenders for the national defensive player of the year. The list hosts players from 47 different schools and all 10 Division I FBS conferences plus Independents.