Jennings placed on Manning Award watch list

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Jennings placed on Manning Award watch list

NEW ORLEANS (SMU) ΓÇô SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings has been selected for the Manning Award Watch List on Thursday, the Allstate Sugar Bowl announced in a release.
The list includes 27 of the top quarterbacks in the nation heading into the 2025 season. Jennings joins three other picks from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC): NC State's CJ Bailey, Georgia Tech's Haynes King and Clemson's Cade Klubnik.

The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates' postseason performances in its balloting.

In the 2024 season, Jennings led SMU's elite offense, posting a 9-2 mark as the Mustangs' starting quarterback and sending them to the College Football Playoff (CFP) for the first time. Placing eighth nationally in scoring offense (36.5) and 12th in first downs offense (319), SMU earned a perfect 8-0 record in conference play.

Jennings registered 3,245 passing yards last season, ranking 18th in the nation and fourth in the ACC. His 8.54 yards per pass attempt placed him 14th nationally.

Including this most recent accolade, Jennings has claimed spots on four preseason watch lists, also nabbing places on the watch lists for the Maxwell Award, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and the Davey O'Brien Award. Heading into the 2025 campaign, the quarterback has also been named to the Preseason All-ACC Third Team by Phil Steele and the Preseason All-ACC Fourth Team by Athlon Sports.

Finalists for the Manning Award will be selected prior to the postseason and the winner will be announced following the College Football Playoff National Championship by a voting panel, which includes national media and each of the Mannings

[Charleston Pony]

Very encouraging the level of recognition individual players on this team are getting. Will be interesting to see if Kevin improves in his 2nd year (and really only his 1st full year running this team). Certainly appears he could have a deeper group of OL to protect him and skill players to help make plays.

[highlander]

WeΓÇÖve seen him improve every year since heΓÇÖs been here (although admittedly the team around him has also improved during that time). But also this is the first time heΓÇÖs had a full camp as QB1. I expect continued improvement.