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NEW ORLEANS – The Manning Award, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, announced its preseason Watch List on Tuesday (Aug. 15). The list includes 33 of the top quarterbacks in the nation heading into the 2023 season. The winner will again be selected by a voting panel, which includes national media and each of the Mannings, after the bowls. 

Graduate student quarterback Kurtis Rourke (Oakville, Ontario, Canada) is representing the Bobcats. During the 2022 season, he went 244-for-353 on 3,256 passing yards, throwing 25 total touchdowns in 11 games. The quarterback made program history against Fordham (Sept. 24), going for 527 yards in the air, breaking a record that was set in 1983. He is also second in program history in passing yards in a season as well as passing touchdowns in a season. Rourke's performance earned him numerous accolades, highlighted by being named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year, earning the Vern Smith Leadership Award and getting named the 2022 Cornish Trophy runner-up as well as earning First Team All-MAC honors. He was named one of the Manning Award "Stars of the Week" twice, was a Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist and was also named to the 2022 Phil Steele First Team Offense in addition to earning MAC Offensive Player of the Week three times. Off the field, he was named Academic All-MAC, 2022 Academic All-America® Second Team and earned MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week honors once. 

So far this season, Rourke has already been named to the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year and Davey O'Brien watch lists. 
 
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' bowl performances in its balloting.
 
"We have another outstanding group of quarterbacks on our Watch List," said Archie Manning. "We're excited to get a new season rolling to see who will rise up and establish themselves as the best in the country. We'll add another batch of quarterbacks to the Watch List midway through the season to allow us to recognize transfers and young QBs who have become stars in their new roles or with their new schools."
 
Inclusion on the Watch List is not necessary for the quarterbacks to be selected for the honor. Transfers and other newcomers at schools were not eligible for the preseason Watch List, but additional quarterbacks will be added to the Watch List during the season. Finalists will be selected prior to the postseason and the winner will be announced following the College Football Playoff National Championship. 
 
"It's an honor for the Allstate Sugar Bowl to partner with the Manning family to recognize outstanding achievements by quarterbacks from around the country," said Jeff Hundley, the CEO of the Allstate Sugar Bowl. "We're looking forward to another exciting season of college football and the opportunity to welcome the nation's best quarterback to New Orleans next spring."
 
This year's Watch List includes players from all 10 Football Bowl Subdivision conferences. The Pac-12 leads the way with six selections, while the ACC, Big 12, and SEC have four each. Two non-FBS quarterbacks are also included.
 
Five of last year's Manning Award finalists are included on this year's Watch List, including Drake Maye (North Carolina), Bo Nix (Oregon), Michael Penix, Jr. (Washington), Will Rogers (Mississippi State), and Caleb Williams (USC).
 
For full Manning Award information, follow @ManningAward on Twitterand Instagram; like Manning Award, presented by Allstate Sugar Bowl, on Facebook; or visit AllstateSugarBowl.org.

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