Mississippi State QB Will Rogers Named to Manning Award Watch List

The Bulldogs' standout is among 30 NCAA quarterbacks named to the prestigious award's Watch List.

Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers was named to the Manning Award Watch List on Monday afternoon.

The Manning Award is presented to the best college quarterback in the nation at the end of every season, with postseason performance playing a role in deciding the winner. The prestigious award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of three legendary signal-callers: Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning.

Rogers was a finalist for the award in 2021 after putting together an incredible season. The SEC standout finished ranked among the best in the nation with 4,739 total passing yards, 36 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. He led the entire NCAA with a completion percentage of 74 percent. Rogers passed for at least 400 yards in four contests on the year and had seven other games in which he totaled 300 yards or more. By the end of the season, he had broken more than two-dozen records in both Mississippi State's program and the SEC as a whole. 

The race for the Manning Award features some stiff competition. 30 of the nation's top quarterbacks are already recognized on the Watch List, but other talented signal-callers will be added as the season begins. Rogers is far from the only SEC quarterback in contention for the honor: CFP National Championship Game Offensive MVP Stetson Bennett of the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young are gearing up for another season full of expected accolades. Arkansas dual-threat KJ Jefferson, Kentucky star Will Levis and Tennessee breakthrough Hendon Hooker are also on the Watch List.

Rogers will begin his 2022 campaign with the Bulldogs in less than two weeks, as the Memphis Tigers will travel to Starkville on Sept. 3 to open up the season. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT at Davis Wade Stadium.