Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Vattiato named to Manning Award Watch List for second time
8/14/2025 11:00:00 AM | Football
NEW ORLEANS (August 14, 2025) – The Manning Award, presented by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, announced its preseason Watch List on Thursday. The list includes 27 of the top quarterbacks in the nation heading in to the 2025 season and Middle Tennessee's Nicholas Vattiato is among the elite group. Vattiato attended the Manning Passing Academy earlier this summer for the second year in a row.
The winner will again be selected by a voting panel, which includes national media and each of the Mannings, after the postseason.
Vattiato, a redshirt senior with a 3.9 GPA, is coming off a season where he became just the second quarterback in MTSU history to record multiple 3,000-yard passing seasons. The Plantation, Fla., native had 3,092 passing yards on 269 completions to go with 16 touchdowns. Vattiato was also recently named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works team, the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List and as a nominee for the William V. Campbell Award.
The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates' postseason performances in its balloting.
Inclusion on the Watch List is not necessary for the quarterbacks to be selected for the honor. Transfers and other newcomers at schools were not eligible for the preseason Watch List, but additional quarterbacks will be added to the Watch List during the season. Finalists will be selected prior to the postseason and the winner will be announced following the College Football Playoff National Championship.
This year's Watch List includes players from nine Football Bowl Subdivision conferences. The Big 12 leads the way with seven selections, followed by the SEC with five, and the ACC with four representatives. CUSA has two on the list.
For full Manning Award information, follow @ManningAward on X (FKA Twitter) and Instagram; or visit AllstateSugarBowl.org.
The winner will again be selected by a voting panel, which includes national media and each of the Mannings, after the postseason.
Vattiato, a redshirt senior with a 3.9 GPA, is coming off a season where he became just the second quarterback in MTSU history to record multiple 3,000-yard passing seasons. The Plantation, Fla., native had 3,092 passing yards on 269 completions to go with 16 touchdowns. Vattiato was also recently named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works team, the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List and as a nominee for the William V. Campbell Award.
The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates' postseason performances in its balloting.
Inclusion on the Watch List is not necessary for the quarterbacks to be selected for the honor. Transfers and other newcomers at schools were not eligible for the preseason Watch List, but additional quarterbacks will be added to the Watch List during the season. Finalists will be selected prior to the postseason and the winner will be announced following the College Football Playoff National Championship.
This year's Watch List includes players from nine Football Bowl Subdivision conferences. The Big 12 leads the way with seven selections, followed by the SEC with five, and the ACC with four representatives. CUSA has two on the list.
For full Manning Award information, follow @ManningAward on X (FKA Twitter) and Instagram; or visit AllstateSugarBowl.org.
Players Mentioned
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