USC’s Jayden Maiava Named to 2026 Manning Award Watch List

LOS ANGELES — USC quarterback Jayden Maiava has been named to the 2026 Manning Award Watch List, the Allstate Sugar Bowl announced Monday.

Created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, the Manning Award honors the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only major quarterback award that includes candidates’ postseason performances in determining its winner.

Maiava continues to stack preseason accolades. He has already been named to the Maxwell Award Watch List, the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award Watch List, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List and the Davey O’Brien Award Watch List. He was also one of just 12 players from the Big Ten selected to the 2026 Big Ten Football Preseason Honors list.

Off the field, Maiava was recently named a nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and added to the Wuerffel Trophy watch list for his commitment to community service and leadership.

Last season the former UNLV transfer delivered one of the more efficient campaigns in the country. Maiava started all 13 games, completed 265 of 403 passes (65.8 percent) for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns against 10 interceptions, and added 157 rushing yards and six scores on the ground. His 91.2 QBR led the nation. He also recorded a tackle and a forced fumble — one of only two quarterbacks in the FBS to force a fumble in 2025 — while making 31 career starts.

Those numbers earned him All-Big Ten Third Team honors from the conference coaches, Phil Steele and the Pro Football Sports Network. Maiava was a Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award finalist, a Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist, a two-time Davey O’Brien Great 8 recipient and a Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week.

The Manning Award winner will be selected following the postseason by a voting panel that includes national media members as well as each of the Mannings. Finalists will be announced prior to the postseason, with the winner named after the College Football Playoff National Championship.

The Trojans open the 2026 season Saturday, Aug. 29 against San José State at 12 p.m. PT inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The game will air on NBC.