Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (10) warms up before the game against the BYU Cougars at AT&T Stadium on Dec 6, 2025 in Arlington, Texas.

The regular season is over, and the College Football Playoff bracket has been set, which means college football awards are starting to roll in.

Quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt) and Julian Sayin (Ohio State) were named Heisman Trophy finalists on Dec. 8, along with Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. Texas Tech star linebacker Jacob Rodriguez has also earned some hardware already, winning the Dick Butkus Sward and Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

Pavia, one of the best stories in college football this season, led the SEC in total touchdowns (36) in his sixth year. He started his career at New Mexico Military Institute, a junior college, before transferring to New Mexico State and then Vanderbilt. He led the Commodores to a 10-2 season, two years after they went 2-10 in 2023.

Mendoza, a first-year transfer from Cal, has also been sensational. One of the projected top picks of the 2026 NFL Draft, Mendoza threw for 33 touchdowns and led Indiana to its first Big Ten Conference championship since 1967.

Here's a look at the full list of awards winners in 2025, along with the announcement dates for each honor.

College football awards 2025: Full list of winners

Below are the finalists for each major college football award, with winners listed in bold.

Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award

Top upperclassmen quarterback

  • QB Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt (winner)
  • QB Haynes King, Georgia Tech
  • QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
  • QB Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
  • QB Gunner Stockton, Georgia

Bronko Nagurski Trophy

Best defensive player

  • LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech (winner)
  • DE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
  • S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
  • CB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame

Dick Butkus Award

Best linebacker

  • LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech (winner)
  • LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
  • LB C.J. Allen, Georgia
  • LB Aiden Fisher, Indiana
  • LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas

Lott IMPACT Trophy

Nation's top defensive player who also exhibits characteristics of Ronnie Lott

  • S Caleb Downs, Ohio State (winner)
  • LB C.J. Allen, Georgia
  • DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
  • LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

Burlsworth Trophy

Best current or former walk-on

  • QB Drew Mestemaker, North Texas (winner)
  • OL Febechi Nwaiwu, Oklahoma
  • S Michael Taafe, Texas

Eddie Robinson Award

FCS Coach of the Year

  • Kevin Cahill, Lehigh (winner)
  • Andrew Aurich, Harvard
  • Bobby Wilder, Tennessee Tech

William V. Campbell Trophy

Top college football player with combination of academics, leadership and on-field performance. Also known as "Academic Heisman."

Announcement date: Dec. 9

Finalists

  • WR Robby Ballentine, DePauw (Ind.)
  • RB Jonah Coleman, Washington
  • LB James Conway, Fordham
  • QB Jalon Daniels, Kansas
  • DB Ty Dugger, Harding (Ark.)
  • DL Aaron Graves, Iowa
  • QB Blake Horvath, Navy
  • OL Chandler Kirton, Austin Peay
  • LB Trey Moore, Texas
  • LB Red Murdock, Buffalo
  • QB Parker Navarro, Ohio
  • QB Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
  • TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt (winner)
  • QB Jack Strand, Minnesota State Moorhead
  • LB Andon Thomas, Army West Point
  • QB Jackson Waring, Grand View (Iowa)

Lombardi Award

Lineman of the year

  • Announcement date: Dec. 10

Finalists

  • DE David Bailey, Texas Tech
  • LB Jacob Rodriguez Texas Tech
  • OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
  • DE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M

Paul Hornung Award

Most versatile player

  • Announcement date: Dec. 10

Finalists

  • RB Jonah Coleman, Washington
  • WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M (winner)
  • RB Wayne Knight, James Madison
  • WR Caullin Lacy, Louisville
  • RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
  • RB J'Koby Williams, Texas Tech

Chuck Bednarik Award

Defensive player of the year

Announcement date: Dec. 12

Finalists

  • S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
  • DE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
  • LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

Maxwell Award

Most outstanding player

Announcement date: Dec. 12

Finalists

  • RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
  • QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (winner)
  • QB Julian Sayin, Ohio State

Biletnikoff Award

Best receiver

Announcement date: Dec. 12

Finalists

  • Makai Lemon, USC
  • Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
  • Skyler Bell, UConn

Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award

Best kicker

Announcement date: Dec. 12

Finalists

  • Aidan Birr, Georgia Tech
  • Tate Sandell, Oklahoma
  • Kansei Matsuzawa, Hawaii

Ray Guy Award

Best punter

Announcement date: Dec. 12

Finalists

  • Brett Thorson, Georgia
  • Evan Crenshaw, Troy
  • Palmer Williams, Baylor

Rimington Trophy

Best center

Announcement date: Dec. 12

Finalists

  • Logan Jones, Iowa
  • Jake Slaughter, Florida
  • Iapani Laloulu, Oregon

John Mackey Award

Best tight end

Announcement date: Dec. 12

Finalists

  • Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
  • Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
  • Michael Trigg, Baylor

Home Depot Coach of the Year

Announcement date: Dec. 12

Buddy Teevens Award

Coach that makes lasting impact on and off the field

Announcement date: Dec. 12

Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award

Best quarterback

Announcement date: Dec. 12

Finalists

  • Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
  • Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
  • Julian Sayin, Ohio State

Outland Trophy

Best interior lineman

Announcement date: Dec. 12

Finalists

  • OT Spencer Fano, Utah
  • C Logan Jones, Iowa
  • DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State

Jim Thorpe Award

Best defensive back

Announcement date: Dec. 12

Finalists

  • CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
  • CB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
  • S Caleb Downs, Ohio State

Disney Spirit Award

Announcement date: Dec. 12

Doak Walker Award

Best running back

Announcement date: Dec. 12

Finalists

  • Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
  • Ahmad Hardy, Missouri
  • Kewan Lacy, Mississippi

Wuerffel Trophy

Impactful leader in community service

Announcement date: Dec. 12

Finalists

  • S Michael Taafe, Texas
  • OL Matt Hofer, Toledo
  • S Tanner Wall, BYU

Heisman Trophy

Best player, college football's top individual award

Announcement date: Dec. 13

Finalists

  • QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
  • QB Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
  • QB Julian Sayin, Ohio State
  • RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

How to watch college football awards

  • TV channel: ESPN
  • Streaming: ESPN app, Fubo (free trial)

The 2025 college football awards will air live on ESPN, with streaming options available on the ESPN app or Fubo, which offers a free trial.

College football awards schedule

  • Time: 7 p.m. ET
  • Date: Friday, Dec. 12

The college football awards show will air live from 7 p.m. ET to 9 p.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 12, on ESPN.

This story will be updated.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football awards: Full list of winners, finalists in 2025

Reporting by Austin Curtright, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect