Football
Added to Manning Award list: KJ Jefferson one of 15 for top QB award
KJ Jefferson one of 15 additions to watch list for Manning Award for best college quarterback in the country.
Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson is one of 15 additions to the watch list for the Manning Award, which is handed out to the best collegiate quarterback in the country.
Through seven games this season, Jefferson has thrown for 1,463 yards and 11 touchdowns while also running for 386 yards and five scores. The Razorback signal-caller currently leads the SEC and ranks eighth nationally in average yards per completion (14.6).
The Sardis, Miss., native delivered an electrifying performance at Ole Miss earlier this season, throwing for 326 yards and three scores while rushing for 85 yards and three more scores.
He is one of only six SEC players since 2000 to throw for three or more touchdowns and run for three more in the same game.
The others are Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott, Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly, LSU quarterback Joe Burrow and Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral.
Jefferson, who is one of only two SEC signal-callers — and one of only six in the FBS — with 1,400-plus passing yards and 350-plus rushing yards on the year, is the first Razorback quarterback to have multiple games with at least two rushing touchdowns in the same season since at least 1997.
He is also the first Arkansas quarterback to rush for 300-plus yards in a season since Matt Jones in 2004.
The Manning Award, created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning, is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates’ bowl performances in its balloting.
After naming 32 quarterbacks to its preseason watch list, the Manning Award opted to increase its spotlighted players based on the many outstanding performances during the first half of the year.
Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
| Thu, Aug 29 |  | vs UAPB (Little Rock) | W, 70-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | @ Oklahoma State | L, 31-39 2OT |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | vs UAB | W, 37-27 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | @ Auburn | W, 24-14 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Texas A&M (Arl) | L, 21-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | vs Tennessee | W, 19-14 |
| Sat, Oct 19 |  | vs LSU | L, 34-10 |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | @ Mississippi State | W, 58-25 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | vs Ole Miss | L, 63-31 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Texas | 11:00 AM |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | vs Louisiana Tech | TBD ESPN+/SECN+ |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | @ Missouri | TBD |
| Following is the Arkansas Sports Media High School Football Poll including the Overall Top 10, the top five in Classes 7A, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A, plus the top three in the 8-man division, as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending August 24. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and ranking from last week's poll: | ||||
| OVERALL | Record | Pts | Prv | |
| 1. | Bryant (19) | 9-0 | 271 | 1 |
| 2. | Conway (7) | 9-0 | 252 | 2 |
| 3. | Greenwood (2) | 9-0 | 221 | 3 |
| 4. | Little Rock Parkview | 8-1 | 180 | 4 |
| 5. | Bentonville | 6-3 | 157 | 5 |
| 6. | Benton | 8-1 | 138 | 6 |
| 7. | Fayetteville | 7-2 | 105 | 7 |
| 8. | Pulaski Academy | 7-2 | 97 | 8 |
| 9. | Rogers | 6-3 | 38 | 9 |
| 10. | Mountain Home | 8-1 | 29 | — |
| Others receiving votes: Joe T Robinson 12, Elkins 7, LR Catholic 7, Shiloh Christian 7, Valley View 7, Cabot 6, Marion 4, LR Christian 1. | ||||
| CLASS 7A | ||||
| 1. | Bryant (21) | 9-0 | 133 | 1 |
| 2. | Conway (7) | 9-0 | 119 | 2 |
| 3. | Bentonville | 6-3 | 78 | 3 |
| 4. | Fayetteville | 7-2 | 50 | 4 |
| 5. | Pulaski Academy | 7-2 | 33 | 5 |
| Others receiving votes: Rogers 7. | ||||
| CLASS 6A | ||||
| 1. | Greenwood (28) | 9-0 | 140 | 1 |
| 2. | Benton | 8-1 | 112 | 2 |
| 3. | Mountain Home | 8-1 | 77 | 5 |
| 4. | Shiloh Christian | 6-3 | 35 | 3 |
| 5. | Little Rock Catholic | 8-1 | 28 | — |
| Others receiving votes: Marion 24. | ||||
| CLASS 5A | ||||
| 1. | Little Rock Parkview (27) | 8-1 | 139 | 1 |
| 2. | Joe T. Robinson | 8-1 | 102 | 2 |
| 3. | Valley View (1) | 9-0 | 94 | 3 |
| 4. | Farmington | 8-1 | 43 | 5 |
| 5. | Hot Springs Lakeside | 7-2 | 21 | 4 |
| Others receiving votes: Camden Fairview 8, Harding Academy 8, Morrilton 3, Vilonia 1. | ||||
| CLASS 4A | ||||
| 1. | Elkins (18) | 9-0 | 129 | 1 |
| 2. | Little Rock Mills (4) | 9-0 | 75 | 3 |
| 3. | Arkadelphia (3) | 7-2 | 71 | 2 |
| 4. | Warren | 7-2 | 59 | 4 |
| 5. | Malvern (3) | 9-0 | 48 | 5 |
| Others receiving votes: Dardanelle 18, Southside Batesville 13, Mena 6, Highland 1. | ||||
| CLASS 3A | ||||
| 1. | Bismarck (11) | 9-0 | 108 | 1 |
| Fordyce (11) | 9-0 | 108 | 2 | |
| 3. | Osceola (3) | 7-1 | 65 | 4 |
| 4. | Prescott (2) | 8-1 | 60 | 3 |
| 5. | Booneville (1) | 8-1 | 27 | 5 |
| Others receiving votes: Mansfield 20, Rivercrest 20, Charleston 4, Rison 9, Mayflower 3. | ||||
| CLASS 2A | ||||
| 1. | Carlisle (24) | 9-0 | 135 | 1 |
| 2. | Conway Christian (3) | 9-0 | 110 | 2 |
| 3. | Bigelow (1) | 7-2 | 72 | 4 |
| 4. | Murfreesboro | 7-2 | 53 | 5 |
| 5. | Des Arc | 7-2 | 28 | 3 |
| Others receiving votes: East Poinsett County 8, Marked Tree 4, Cross County 3, Poyen 3, Junction City 2, Mount Ida 2. | ||||
| 8-MAN SANCTIONED | ||||
| 1. | Strong-Huttig (27) | 5-0 | 83 | 1 |
| 2. | Midland (1) | 8-0 | 54 | 2 |
| 3. | Cedar Ridge | 8-1 | 27 | 3 |
| Others receiving votes: Woodlawn 4. | ||||