FORT WORTH, Texas — UTSA quarterback Owen McCown has been named to the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award Preseason Watch List, the Davey O’Brien Foundation announced Thursday.
McCown is one of 30 FBS QBs — and the only one from the American Conference — on the list for its 50th anniversary season as compiled by a subset of the Davey O’Brien National Selection Committee. This year’s list was selected based on previous Division I career player performance as well as expectations heading into the 2026 college football season. Colt McCoy, the 2009 Davey O’Brien Award winner, is in his first season as Chairman of the National Selection Committee.
Also a member of watch lists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year and Shriners Children’s 1000, McCown completed 277 of 410 passes for 2,995 yards and 30 touchdowns, good for a .667 completion percentage and 149.7 pass efficiency rating as a redshirt junior last fall. The Rusk, Texas, native logged a pair of 300-yard passing games, including a career night in the 48-26 home triumph over Tulane by completing 31 of 33 passes for a program-record .939 completion percentage, piling up 370 yards and four TDs. He was named Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week and American Conference Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.
The starting QB in each of the past 27 games dating back to the 2023 Frisco Bowl win, McCown will enter his final campaign with 6,861 passing yards at UTSA, which places him third in school history, along with 59 passing touchdowns, a .657 completion percentage and a 143.9 passing efficiency rating — all of which stand second on the program’s career charts.
The official Davey O’Brien Midseason Watch List will be released on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and will contain active starting quarterbacks from the Preseason Watch List, players honored as weekly Great 8 recipients through the season’s first eight weeks and any additional quarterbacks approved by the selection subcommittee.
The Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2026 will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 10. For the sixth straight year, fan voting on social media (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) will earn players bonus selection committee votes during the semifinalist, finalist and winner voting rounds. First-round fan voting will begin Nov. 10 following the QB Class announcement.
Semifinalists selected from the QB Class will be named on Tuesday, Nov. 17. The Foundation will announce the three finalists one week later (Tuesday, Nov. 24). The 2026 Davey O’Brien Award winner will be unveiled live on ESPN on Friday, Dec. 11, during The Home Depot College Football Awards.
The Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. The 50th Annual Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner honoring the winner will be held Monday, March 8, 2027, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas. For more information, visit daveyobrienaward.com.
The Roadrunners will kick off their 16th season of football and seventh under Traylor against UTRGV on Saturday, Sept. 5. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. at the Alamodome. UTSA also will host Colorado State (Sept. 26), South Florida (Oct. 8), Navy (Oct. 17), North Texas (Nov. 14) and Tulsa (Nov. 27 or 28). The Roadrunners will travel to Texas State (Sept. 12), Texas (Sept. 19), Rice (Oct. 3), Tulane (Oct. 24), Florida Atlantic (Nov. 5) and UAB (Nov. 21).
Tickets are on sale by visiting goUTSA.com/tickets or by calling the UTSA Ticket Office at 210-458-UTSA (8872). Current UTSA students receive free admission to all home games by downloading tickets via their Account Manager.
2026 Davey O’Brien Award Preseason Watch List
Micah Alejado, Hawaii, So., 5-10, 180, Las Vegas, Nev.
Bear Bachmeier, BYU, So., 6-2, 230, Murrieta, Calif.
CJ Bailey, NC State, Jr., 6-6, 218, Miami, Fla.
Alonza Barnett III, UCF, Sr., 5-11, 210, Whitsett, N.C.
Rocco Becht, Penn State, Sr., 6-1, 208, Wesley Chapel, Fla.
Byrum Brown, Auburn, Sr., 6-3, 235, Raleigh, N.C.
CJ Carr, Notre Dame, Jr., 6-2, 215, Saline, Mich.
Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss, Sr., 6-0, 210, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Devon Dampier, Utah, Sr., 5-11, 210, Phoenix, Ariz.
Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall, Sr., 6-2, 225, Atlanta, Ga.
Noah Fifita, Arizona, Sr., 5-10, 189, Huntington Beach, Calif.
Josh Hoover, Indiana, Sr., 6-2, 200, Heath, Texas
Brad Jackson, Texas State, So., 6-0, 197, San Antonio, Texas
Kevin Jennings, SMU, Sr., 6-0, 195, Oak Cliff, Texas
Sam Leavitt, LSU, Jr., 6-2, 216, West Linn, Ore.
Broc Lowry, Western Michigan, Jr., 6-1, 210, Canfield, Ohio
Jayden Maiava, USC, Sr., 6-4. 230, Palolo, Hawaii
Arch Manning, Texas, Sr., 6-4, 222, New Orleans, La.
John Mateer, Oklahoma, Sr., 6-1, 224, Little Elm, Texas
Owen McCown, UTSA, Sr., 6-1, 190, Rusk, Texas
Darian Mensah, Miami, Jr., 6-3, 205, San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State, So., 6-3, 215, Austin, Texas
Nick Minicucci, Delaware, Sr., 6-2, 215, Midland Park, N.J.
Dante Moore, Oregon, Sr., 6-3, 206, Detroit, Mich.
Marcel Reed, Texas A&M, Jr., 6-1, 185, Nashville, Tenn.
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Cal, So., 6-3, 225, Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Julian Sayin, Ohio State, So., 6-1, 214, Carlsbad, Calif.
Gunner Stockton, Georgia, Sr., 6-1, 215, Tiger, Ga.
Conner Weigman, Houston, Sr., 6-3, 210, Cypress, Texas
Demond Williams Jr., Washington, Jr., 5-11, 190, Chandler, Ariz.
Roadrunners on 2026 Preseason Watch Lists
David Amador II — Paul Hornung Award, Shriners Children’s 1000
Bryce Grays — Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, Allstate Wuerffel Trophy
Will Henderson III — Shriners Children’s 1000
Owen McCown — Davey O’Brien Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year, Shriners Children’s 1000
Owen Pewee — Shriners Children’s 1000
AJ Wilson — Shriners Children’s 1000
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