Boise State quarterback makes another national preseason award watch list

Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen picked up his fifth national preseason award nomination on Tuesday. 

Madsen was selected to the watch list for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which is presented annually to the top senior or upperclassman quarterback in college football who is on track to graduate with their class. 

Fellow Mountain West quarterbacks Walker Eget (San Jose State) and Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi (Colorado State) were also named to the 58-man Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list. 

The 5-foot-10, 207-pound Madsen started all 14 games for Boise State last season, throwing for 3,018 yards and 23 touchdowns with six interceptions. He also recorded 57 carries for 221 yards and five TDs.

With Madsen quarterbacking the offense, the Broncos finished 12-2 overall, won a second straight MWC title and reached the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.

Madsen, one of Boise State’s four captains for the upcoming season, received all-MWC honorable mention as a sophomore in an offense led by star tailback Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty, who was selected sixth overall by the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL Draft, ran for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns last year. 

Madsen, the 2025 Mountain West preseason player of the year, is also up for two other national quarterback honors (the Davey O’Brien Award and Manning Award) and a pair of national player of the year honors: the Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award.

The Broncos kick off the 2025 season on Thursday, Aug. 28 at South Florida. The game will air live on ESPN at 3:30 p.m. Mountain time. 

Madsen is one of 10 Boise State players to earn a national preseason award nomination.

Here are the 10 Broncos on preseason watch lists: 

Junior quarterback Maddux Madsen: Davey O’Brien Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Manning Award, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award

Freshman running back Sire Gaines: Doak Walker Award (nation’s top running back)

Senior tight end Matt Lauter: Mackey Award (nation’s top tight end)

Junior offensive tackle Kage Casey: Outland Trophy (nation’s top interior lineman) and Lombardi Award (top lineman or linebacker)

Senior defensive tackle Braxton Fely: Polynesian College Player of the Year

Junior edge rusher Jayden Virgin-Morgan: Bronko Nagurski Trophy (defensive player of the year), Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player of the year) and Lombardi Award. 

Senior linebacker Marco Notarainni: Wuerffel Trophy (college football player who best combines community service and leadership on and off the field)

Junior safety Ty Benefield: Jim Thorpe Award (nation’s top defensive back)

Senior cornerback A’Marion McCoy: Jim Thorpe Award

Senior long snapper Mason Hutton: Patrick Mannelly Award (nation’s top long snapper)