The wait is over for college football’s most prestigious off-the-field honor. On August 12, 2026, the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy unveiled its 2026 Watch List, and it’s a record-breaker. A total of 113 players from across the FBS and select FCS programs have been named candidates, marking the largest nominee pool in the award’s 22-year history. This isn’t just about stats between the white lines; it’s about the hustle in community centers, classrooms, and food banks. From the SEC to the FCS, these athletes are proving that the true "impact" goes far beyond the box score. The 2026 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List recognizes 113 college football players for community service, and here’s what you need to know about this star-studded class.
The announcement itself was a spectacle, hosted by ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit via a live-streamed press conference on the Wuerffel Trophy’s YouTube channel at 11:00 AM ET. Herbstreit, known for his passion for the game’s human side, introduced the 2026 class with a simple message: "These players are the heartbeat of their communities." Within hours, the interactive website feature went live at 12:30 PM ET, allowing fans to filter nominees by conference, position, or state - a new tool that’s already sparking debates about who deserves the crown.
📊 113 nominees in 2026 - The largest pool in the award's 22-year history, surpassing the previous high of 107 set in 2024.
The Heavyweights: SEC and Big Ten Lead the Charge
When it comes to sheer numbers, the power conferences are flexing their muscle in community service too. The SEC and Big Ten lead the pack with a staggering 14 nominees each, while the ACC and Big 12 aren’t far behind with 12 a piece. The American Athletic Conference rounds out the top tier with 9. This distribution shows that the culture of giving back is a national priority, not just a regional trend.
| Conference | Nominees |
|---|---|
| SEC | 14 |
| Big Ten | 14 |
| ACC | 12 |
| Big 12 | 12 |
| American Athletic | 9 |
| Sun Belt | 6 |
| MAC | 6 |
| Mountain West | 5 |
| Conference USA | 4 |
| Independents | 3 |
Among the headliners, two Georgia Bulldogs are making waves. Quarterback Carson Beck returns as a senior, recognized for his deep involvement in Athens youth literacy programs - he’s logged over 300 hours tutoring third-graders since 2024. He’s joined by two-time nominee and linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. , who heads up "Mondon’s Mission," a vital food bank partnership in Atlanta that has distributed over 50,000 meals this year. Texas’s Quinn Ewers uses his sixth-year senior status to drive "Ewers’ Edge," a mentoring initiative for at-risk middle schoolers that pairs students with UT athletes for weekly one-on-one sessions. Notre Dame grad transfer Riley Leonard continues his annual "Leonard’s Locker" school-supply drives, which have outfitted more than 2,000 students in South Bend and Durham. These are just a few names on a list stacked with leaders who treat service like a starting job.
The Road to New York: 2026 Selection Process and New Additions
The 113-man list is just the starting line. The field will be cut to around 10-12 semifinalists in early November, with only three finalists standing by late November. The winner will be crowned at the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Awards Gala in New York City on December 7, 2026. This year, there’s an added twist: the selection committee’s scope has officially broadened. For the first time, the watch list includes two standout FCS players - South Dakota State’s LB Adam Bock and Montana’s QB Logan Fife - reflecting the award’s commitment to honoring service at every level of the game.
Bock, a fifth-year senior, has been a force in Brookings with his "Bock’s Block" anti-hunger campaign, while Fife has spearheaded mental health awareness workshops across Montana’s rural communities. Their inclusion signals a bold new era for the award, one that values impact regardless of division.
