Roughly three weeks remain until the opening of the 2026 college football season.
The yearly ramp-up to the season includes preseason top 25 polls, as well as award watch lists.
Among the most closely watched is the Maxwell Award, which goes to the best player in the nation yearly. The prestigious title that has been handed out since 1937 unveiled a watch list that featured 81 contenders on Tuesday.
Skill position players such as Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith will captivate the nation, but quarterbacks will once again take precedence here.
Who are the front-runners to succeed Fernando Mendoza as the recipient?
These Quarterbacks Are Very Much in Conversation
GettyThe stars are aligning for Moore to go award hunting.
Three quarterbacks jump off of the page when discussing inner-circle contenders. Those are Sam Leavitt of LSU, Dante Moore of Oregon, and Darian Mensah of Miami.
Leavitt is seeking to find a fresh start with the Tigers after a turbulent 2025 season at Arizona State. Head coach Lane Kiffin is heavily invested in Leavitt’s transition into an offense that will serve the 21-year old well on paper.
Moore is well-positioned in his second season as Oregon’s starter. The five-star prospect in the class of 2023 is set to play behind an upgraded offensive line, while also taking advantage of continuity that is widely coveted at this level.
Mensah is now in charge of the huddle for the Hurricanes after two wildly successful seasons at Tulane and Duke. The 34-touchdown effort from Mensah last season led Duke to an ACC title, and now the junior is in an even more optimal situation. Miami’s skill position apparatus is headlined by receivers Cooper Barkate and Malachi Toney – this duo will certainly make life easier for Mensah.
Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss are two other names that come to mind. Sayin was recently praised by head coach Ryan Day for growth that he has displayed, although he is limited physically. Chambliss headlines an Ole Miss squad that returns a majority of starting players. The 6’2″ gunslinger certainly is controlling the narrative at this time, and Ole Miss’ status as contenders will work in his favor as well.
Despite all of the talent that is gracing the sport this season, one name stands out in the race for the Maxwell Award.
Arch Manning Stands Above Rest
GettyWill Manning live up to expectations this season?
Manning is entering his second season as the full-time starting quarterback at Texas. His first season started out in an underwhelming manner, but the dual threat came along as the year progressed.
The first reason why Manning should be considered the headliner of the announcement is his raw talent. The highly regarded star is an exquisite athlete and possesses one of the biggest arms in the sport. This should translate into an improved statistical profile by itself.
Secondly, the Longhorns took massive strides to upgrade the roster. Incoming transfers such as RB Raleek Brown and WR Cam Coleman will make life easier for Manning. Lastly, Texas will take part in as many as five premier SEC games this season. This sets the stage for Manning to make a resounding statement as the face of college football.
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