Could Michigan Football get its second-ever Outland Trophy winner in 2025?

Here is the press release on the Outland Watch List:

The Football Writers Association of America has announced the preseason watch list for the 2025 Outland Trophy, recognizing 50 returning standout interior linemen representing nine of the FBS conferences and Independents. The 2025 season will close with the award's 80th winner selected from players spread among at least 35 different programs that includes one returning FWAA All-American.

The recipient of the 2025 Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN on Friday, Dec. 12. The official trophy presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee on Jan. 21, 2026 in Omaha, Neb.

There are 16 offensive tackles and 15 guards on this year’s list to go with 10 defensive tackles and nine centers.

Two programs – Alabama and Oregon – have three members on the list spread across their offensive line. Each program has had an Outland Trophy winner within the last six seasons. Alabama, which has the lone returning FWAA All-American in center Parker Brailsford, also has guard Jaeden Roberts and offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor listed. Three of the last nine Outland Trophy winners have come from Alabama. Oregon’s trio begins with center Iapani Laloulu and extends with two top transfers in guard Emmanuel Pregnon (from USC) and offensive tackle Isaiah World (Nevada). Oregon’s lone Outland Trophy winner was offensive tackle Penei Sewell from the 2019 season.  

Those two programs lead the two conferences leaders, as the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conferences each have 11 representatives. The Big 12 is just behind with 10. There are 13 programs with two or more players on the list. Texas, from which the last two Outland Trophy winners have come (defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat in 2023, offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. last season), is represented again by guard DJ Campbell.

Defending College Football Playoff national champion Ohio State has one member from each side of the ball in guard Tegra Tshabola and defensive tackle Eddrick Houston. Notre Dame, last year’s national runner-up, boasts guard Billy Schrauth and offensive tackle Aamil Wagner. Penn State, a national semifinalist a year ago, has defensive tackle Zane Durant and guard Olaivavega Ioane on opposite sides of the ball as well.

Army, which led the FBS in rushing last season at 300.5 yards per game, has two players on the list in guard Paolo Gennarelli and center Brady Small. Boise State offensive tackle Kage Casey makes the list as a returning starter who blocked for last year’s national rushing phenom, Ashton Jeanty. Liberty, which was fourth in team rushing at 250.7 ypg last season, has its super sophomore center Aaron Fenimore on the list as well.

Miami, last season’s total offense leader at 537.2 ypg, returns a pair up front who helped make it happen in offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa and guard Anez Cooper. Clemson’s pair includes one of the 10 defensive tackles on the list in Peter Woods to go with offensive tackle Blake Miller, as does James Madison, which has the Sun Belt Conference’s two representatives in offensive tackle Pat McMurtrie and defensive tackle Immanuel Bush. Florida, Iowa, Texas A&M and Utah each also have teammates of offensive linemen represented.

The conference breakdown – beyond the 32 players from the SEC, Big Ten and Big 12 – continues with seven players from the ACC, four from the American, two each from the Mountain West, Sun Belt and Notre Dame and one selection from Conference USA.

The FWAA will announce six or seven Outland Trophy semifinalists on Nov. 19 at a reception in Omaha, and those players will then be pared down to three finalists announced on Nov. 25 on ESPN. The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from those finalists who will be part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects a 26-man first team and eventually the three Outland finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends and edge rushers are not eligible.

Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the course of the season. For a third year now, the FWAA will announce an Outland Trophy National Player of the Week each Tuesday this season. If not already on the watch list, each week’s honored player will be added at that time.