Courtesy of Husker Athletics
Nebraska sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola was recognized Monday morning, as he was named to the Maxwell Award Watch List.
The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert “Tiny” Maxwell who was a former standout at Swarthmore College and a renowned sportswriter and football official.
Raiola will look to join Mike Rozier (1983) as the only Huskers to win the Maxwell Award. The Maxwell Award Watch list is the first of the major awards watch lists which will be announced over the next two weeks.
Raiola returns after putting together a record-setting freshman campaign, as he guided the Huskers to their first bowl appearance since 2016. Raiola was a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year, setting school freshman marks in passing yards (2,819) and completion percentage (67.1). He led all freshmen nationally in completion percentage and was third in yards.
On the season, he completed 275-of-410 passes for 13 touchdowns. He posted career highs in both yards (297) and passing touchdowns (three) against Illinois. Raiola capped his freshman year by becoming the first true freshman to lead Nebraska to a bowl victory, as he completed 22-of-30 passes for 224 yards and a TD in the 20-15 Pinstripe Bowl win over Boston College.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced November 11, 2025, while the three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled November 25, 2025. The winner of the 89th Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 11, 2025.
