With the 2024 college football campaign on our doorstep, another season is already upon us. It’s one that sets the table for the feast we’re about to consume, preparing us for the top players we will witness in action these coming fall Saturdays.
That’s right. It’s award watch list season, and earlier this week, the Maxwell Football Club released the Maxwell Award watch list. The Big Ten underwent a facelift this offseason and could once again be at the forefront of the College Football Playoff. As a result, a large number of players are earning national recognition ahead of the 2024 college football campaign.
Which Big Ten Players Are on the 2024 Maxwell Award Watch List?
A longstanding tradition in the sport, the Maxwell Award has been awarded since 1937, and the 2024 season will mark the 88th edition of its presentation. Honoring the College Football Player of the Year, previous winners include Michael Penix Jr. and Caleb Williams. The Big 12 hasn’t had a winner since Larry Johnson in 2002, but could that change for the 88th edition?
After adding USC, Washington, Oregon, and UCLA for this season, the Big Ten is expected to provide multiple teams to the College Football Playoff. However, the conference lags behind the other Power Four conferences, with “just” 12 student-athletes featured on the Maxwell Award watch list ahead of the upcoming campaign. For reference, the ACC boasts 20 representatives.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom for the Big Ten. The Ohio State Buckeyes are one of just two teams in the country that have three players on the Maxwell Award watch list. Considered one of the favorites to win a national title after a successful offseason, Will Howard, Quinshon Judkins, and Emeka Egbuka have all been recognized as important pieces in Columbus.
The reigning national champion Michigan Wolverines aren’t so heavily favored after they lost a significant percentage of their title-winning team (not to mention their head coach, Jim Harbaugh) to the NFL. However, fresh off a monstrous title game performance in January, running back Donovan Edwards represents the Wolverines on the Maxwell Award watch list.
Multiple Big Ten teams place two players on the Maxwell Award watch list. Conference newcomers Oregon have wide receiver Tez Johnson primed for big things in 2024, while quarterback Dillon Gabriel is an early Heisman Trophy favorite and has the all-time college football career passing yards record in his sight. Penn State has Drew Allar and Nick Singleton set for big things.
The transfer portal and realignment mean that half the student-athletes who represent the conference on the list below will make their Big Ten debut this fall. Minnesota’s Darius Taylor and Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai join Michigan’s Edwards, Ohio State’s Egbuka, and the Penn State duo as the returning players earning Maxwell Award watch list recognition in 2024.
- Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan
- Darius Taylor, RB, Minnesota
- Will Howard, QB, Ohio State
- Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
- Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
- Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon
- Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon
- Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
- Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State
- Kyle Monangai, RB, Rutgers
- Miller Moss, QB, USC
- Will Rogers, QB, Washington
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