Champaign, IL (CHAMBANA TODAY) – Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2025 Manning Award, as announced on Thursday by the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

Altmyer is one of 27 players on the preseason watch list for the award, which includes the top returning quarterbacks in the nation entering the 2025 season. The Starkville, Mississippi native has also been recognized on watch lists for the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Player of the Year, and the Davey O’Brien Award.

The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl to honor the college football achievements of Archie, Peyton, and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the postseason accomplishments of candidates in the balloting process. The recipient is selected by a voting panel, which includes national media and each of the Mannings, after the postseason.

The last three winners of the award were Miami’s Cam Ward in 2024, LSU’s Jayden Daniels in 2023, and Georgia’s Stetson Bennett in 2022.