NEW ORLEANS (September 30, 2024) – The Manning Award, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, has named eight quarterbacks as its "Stars of the Week." College football fans can follow the Manning Award on social media (@ManningAward) to vote for what they think was the best performance from this past weekend. After voting closes on Wednesday at 9 a.m. (Central), the top vote-getter will be announced as the Manning Award Quarterback of the Week.
 
The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in 2004 to honor the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting. Since the Manning Award started recognizing Stars of the Week in 2011, 538 different quarterbacks from 133 schools have been recognized. Sixty-six players were honored during the 2023 season.
 
This week's eight Manning Award Stars of the Week are:
 
Avery Johnson, K-State (19-of-31, 319 total yards, 5 TDs, QBR: 92.6)
Johnson, who set career-best for completions, passing yards, and touchdowns, became the first Wildcat to record three passing and two rushing touchdowns against a Big 12 opponent since 2012 as K-State took down No. 20 Oklahoma State, 42-20, in Big 12 action.
 
Darian Mensah, Tulane (18-of-22, 343 total yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT, QBR: 99.4)
Mensah, who completed his first 10 passes, connected on all three of his touchdown passes in the first half as the Green Wave ran away from South Florida on route to a 45-10 victory in the AAC opener for both teams.
 
Jalen Milroe, Alabama (27-of-33, 491 total yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT, QBR: 98.5)
Milroe, who passed for a career-best 374 yards and ran for a season-high 117 yards, capped his memorable performance with a 75-yard touchdown delivery with 2:18 to go as the Crimson Tide won a 41-34 thriller over No. 2 Georgia.
 
Chandler Morris, North Texas (22-of-34, 444 total yards, 5 TDs, 0 INT, QBR: 46.4)
Morris, who delivered a 96-yard touchdown pass (second longest in program history), connected with five different receivers on TD passes, as the Mean Green improved to 4-1 (tied for its best start since 1967) with a 52-20 victory over Tulsa in both schools' AAC opener.
 
Cam Ward, Miami (24-of-38, 400 total yards, 5 TDs, 2 INT, QBR: 89.4)
Ward connected on a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes, including the go-ahead delivery with 1:57 to go as the Hurricanes came back from multiple double-digit deficits and survived a near-successful Hail Mary attempt in a wild 38-34 ACC win over Virginia Tech.
 
Hunter Watson, Sam Houston (10-of-19, 200 total yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT, QBR: 44.3)
The Bearkats, a double-digit underdog, trailed by 22 early and 39-21 late in the third quarter before Watson led them to 19 unanswered points, including directing an 11-play drive that culminated with the game-winning field goal with six seconds to go in a thrilling 40-39 victory over Texas State.
 
Hajj-Malik Williams, UNLV (13-of-16, 301 total yards, 4 TDs, 0 INT, QBR: 87.7)
Williams, making his first career start at the FBS level, ran for an early score, then connected on three touchdown passes as the Runnin' Rebels rolled to a 59-14 MW victory over Fresno State for their first 4-0 start since 1976.
 
Ben Wooldridge, Louisiana (20-of-29, 291 total yards, 4 TDs, 0 INT, QBR: 87.5)
Wooldridge, who connected on three touchdown passes while running for another score, directed a late drive to set up the game-winning field goal with 52 seconds to play as the Ragin' Cajuns defeated Wake Forest on the road, 41-38, for their first win over a power-conference opponent since 2020.
 
While the Manning Award selected 29 quarterbacks for its preseason Watch List, additional quarterbacks are expected to be added to the Watch List later in the season. Finalists will be selected in early December and the winner is scheduled to be announced following the College Football Playoff National Championship.

In its first 20 years, the Manning Award has recognized the top names in college football. It has honored quarterbacks from 14 different schools and from four different conferences. The Southeastern Conference (Jayden Daniels, Stetson Bennett, Bryce Young, Joe Burrow, Mac Jones, Johnny Manziel, Cam Newton, JaMarcus Russell and Tim Tebow) leads the way with nine Manning Award honorees, while the Big 12 Conference (Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield, Vince Young, Colt McCoy and Robert Griffin III) has had five winners. The Atlantic Coast Conference (Deshaun Watson twice, Matt Ryan and Jameis Winston) has had four Manning Award winners. LSU (Daniels, Burrow, and Russell) now leads the way with three honorees, while Alabama (Bryce Young and Jones), Oklahoma (Murray and Mayfield), and Texas (McCoy and Vince Young) have each produced a pair of Manning Award winners.

All the Manning Award winners follow in the footsteps of the Mannings themselves. In college, Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning combined for over 25,000 passing yards and 201 touchdowns while playing in 10 bowl games and earning four bowl MVP awards. Archie was the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft, while both Peyton and Eli were selected No. 1 overall.