The Maxwell Award may have repeat Washington winners.
After awarding the trophy to Huskies star quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in 2023, the Maxwell Award named his replacement to their 2024 watch list. Quarterback Will Rogers was one of 80 college football players around the country named to the watch list.
The Maxwell Award has been given out since 1937 to the best player in college football and historically aligns rather closely with the Heisman, awarded since 1935 also to the best player in college football. In the last ten years, the winner of the Maxwell and Heisman have differed only twice – in 2018, Kyler Murray won the Heisman while Tua Tagovailoa won the Maxwell, and last season, Penix won the Maxwell while the Heisman went to LSU’s Jayden Daniels.
Rogers transferred to Washington this offseason after a 43-game career at Mississippi State, where he threw for more than 12,000 yards and nearly 100 touchdowns. The Huskies are hoping his arrival will be as fruitful as Penix’s was when the now-Atlanta Falcon transferred to Washington from Indiana.
Seven of Washington’s opponents also made the watch list. The Huskies will try to stop Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai, Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, USC quarterback Miller Moss, Penn State quarterback Drew Allar and running back Nicholas Singleton, and Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and wide receiver Tez Johnson from making their cases throughout the season.