College Football Awards 2025 Results, Winners, Highlights and Twitter Reaction

Numerous college football players and coaches received accolades on Friday for their efforts during the 2025 season.

Here's a look at the prestigious awards (as well as a few already handed out), the winners and the finalists.

• Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player in college football): Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez (winner), Ohio State S Caleb Downs and Texas A&M DE Cashius Howell (finalists)
• Biletnikoff Award (most outstanding receiver): USC WR Makai Lemon (winner), UConn WR Skyler Bell and Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith (finalists)
• Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award (top kicker): Oklahoma K Tate Sandell (winner), Georgia Tech K Aidan Birr and Hawaii K Kansei Matsuzawa (finalists)
• Ray Guy Award (most outstanding punter): Georgia P Brett Thorson (winner), Troy P Evan Crenshaw and Baylor P Palmer Williams (finalists)
• Maxwell Award (most outstanding player in college football): Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza (winner), Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State QB Julian Sayin (finalists)
• Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award (best quarterback): Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza (winner), Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed and Ohio State QB Julian Sayin (finalists)
• Outland Trophy (best offensive or defensive interior lineman in college football): Utah OT Spencer Fano (winner), Iowa C Logan Jones and Ohio State DT Kayden McDonald (finalists)
• Paycom Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back): Ohio State S Caleb Downs (winner), LSU CB Mansoor Delane and Notre Dame CB Leonard Moore (finalists)
• Doak Walker Award (best running back): Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love (winner), Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy and Ole Miss RB Kewan Lacy (finalists)
• The Home Depot Coach of the Year: Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti
• NCFAA Contributions to College Football Award: Former Ohio State RB (and two-time Heisman Trophy winner) Archie Griffin
• Disney Spirit Award (most inspirational figure): Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love
• Walter Camp All-America Teams (first and second teams here) & Player of the Year: Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza (winner), Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez, Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia and Ohio State QB Julian Sayin (finalists)
• The Buddy Teevens Award (honoring a head coach's on- and off-the-field achievements and leadership): BYU head coach Kalani Sitake
• Allstate AFCA Good Works Team: Honors "22 college football players and one head coach for their extraordinary commitment to community service." Winners can be found here.
• William V. Campbell Trophy (college football's premier scholar-athlete award): Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers (finalists here).
• John Mackey Award (best tight end): Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers (winner), Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq and Baylor TE Michael Trigg (finalists)
• Rimington Trophy (most outstanding center): Iowa C Logan Jones (winner), Oregon C Iapani Laloulu and Florida C Jake Slaughter (finalists)
• Wuerrfel Trophy (FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with leadership achievement on and off the field): Texas DB Michael Taaffe
• Butkus Award (top linebacker): Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez (winner), Georgia LB CJ Allen, Indiana LB Aiden Fisher, Texas LB Anthony Hill and Ohio State LB Arvell Reese (finalists)
• Nagurski Trophy (top defensive player): Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez (winner), Ohio State S Caleb Downs, Texas A&M DE Cashius Howell and Notre Dame CB Leonard Moore (finalists)

Mendoza won the Davey O'Brien Award as quarterback of the year, which isn't a surprise given that he just piloted Indiana to a 13-0 record, the Big Ten title and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.

Mendoza completed 71.5 percent of his passes for 2,980 yards, 33 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also rushed for 240 yards and six more scores.

On the pass-catcher front, USC wide receiver Makai Lemon got the Biletnikoff Award after he caught 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano, a phenomenal talent ranked 15th in the latest B/R NFL Scouting Department big board, got the Outland Trophy.

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti won the Home Depot Coach of the Year award for the second straight season, which is no surprise given the Hoosiers' remarkable season.

The Mackey Award is a prestigious honor, and its winners typically go on to great success in the NFL. Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers is the latest honoree after catching 62 passes for 769 yards and four touchdowns. He also took home the William V. Campbell Trophy (top scholar-athlete award).

Ohio State safety Caleb Downs won the Jim Thorpe award, given to the best defensive back of the year. Downs amassed 60 tackles and a pair of interceptions for the 12-1 Buckeyes, who allowed a Division I FBS college football-low 8.2 points per game.

Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, who had a great case for being a Heisman Trophy finalist but ultimately didn't get the call to New York, is the Bednarik Award winner for being the defensive player of the year. Rodriguez amassed 114 tackles (60 solo), seven forced fumbles and four sacks for the No. 4 Red Raiders.

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love amassed 1,652 total yards and 21 touchdowns to lead the Fighting Irish to a 10-win season. Love also ran for 6.9 yards per carry for the second straight year, and he is the Doak Walker running back of the year thanks to his efforts. In addition, he won the first-ever Disney Spirit Award.

Oklahoma place-kicker Tate Sandell made 23-of-24 field goals and 32-of-32 extra points this year for the Sooners, the eighth-seeded team in the CFP bracket. Sandell, who transferred from UTSA, also made all seven of his field goals from 50 or more yards.

Georgia punter Brett Thorson averaged 45.2 yards per punt with a high of 66 yards. He's been a punter for Georgia since 2022, and he'll cap his collegiate career with the Ray Guy Award.

In what might be foreshadowing for Saturday's Heisman Trophy ceremony, Mendoza took home the Maxwell award as the nation's best college football player.

A host of awards have now been handed out, but the Heisman Trophy remains. Mendoza, Love, Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin and Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia are the finalists. The ceremony, which takes place in New York, will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday.