Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita was named to the preseason Maxwell Award watch list on Sunday.
The Maxwell Award is given to college football's top player. Former Indiana quarterback and Las Vegas Raiders rookie Fernando Mendoza won the award last season.
The fifth-year Fifita, who was recently named a preseason All-Big 12 quarterback, is entering his final season quarterbacking the Wildcats.
Fifita needs just over 800 passing yards to pass Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles for the program's career passing yards record. Fifita passed Foles for career touchdowns (73) last season. Fifita also set the single-season passing touchdowns (29) record in 2025.
Arizona Wildcats defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales with quarterback Noah Fifita against Baylor at Casino Del Sol Stadium in Tucson on Nov. 22, 2025.
In his first season under offensive coordinator Seth Doege in 2025, Fifita finished third in the Big 12 with 3,228 yards, 29 touchdowns and just six interceptions — two interceptions in the final seven games of the 2025 season.
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Fifita, a Polynesian College Football Player of the Year finalist and first-team All-Big 12 selection, became the third all-time Arizona quarterback to receive first-team all-conference honors — the first in 50 years. He joined Bruce Hill, who was an All-WAC first-team selection in 1975, and Ted Bland, a three-time All-Border Conference selection from 1933-35.
Fifita led the Wildcats to their second bowl appearance in three seasons and became the first UA quarterback since Foles to win the Territorial Cup twice as a starter.
Arizona kicks off the season against Northern Arizona on Sept. 5 at Casino Del Sol Stadium at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
Contact Justin Spears, the Star's Arizona football beat reporter, at jspears@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @JustinESports
Justin Spears
Sports Reporter
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