2025 SuperWest CFB: Teams & Awards Predictions

SuperWest Sports Announces 2025 All-Regional College Football Teams and Annual Awards

The college football regular season has concluded, with bowl games underway and the College Football Playoff looming. Now is the time to recognize the outstanding achievements of players and coaches across the region with the All-SuperWest Sports Regional College Football Teams and Annual Awards. After careful consideration, with selections extending three squads deep, the following honors have been bestowed.

“There were certainly some tough calls to be made, and many talented players and accomplished coaches had to be left off,” stated the selector, acknowledging the difficulty in narrowing down the field of deserving candidates. “The selections are all mine, and I’m sure there will be plenty of disagreements.”

Annual Awards

Offensive Player of the Year: Makai Lemon, WR, USC

USC’s Makai Lemon has been named the SuperWest Sports Offensive Player of the Year after an electrifying 2025 season. Lemon ranked third in the nation in receiving yards with 1,156, achieving this impressive feat on just 79 receptions. He led the Big Ten with 96.3 receiving yards per game, placing him third nationally. Having already secured the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top wide receiver, Lemon adds another prestigious honor to his resume.

Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State

San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson earned the title of Defensive Player of the Year, establishing himself as a lockdown defender. Opponents found little success throwing in his direction, completing just 18 of 45 passes for 185 yards with no touchdowns. Johnson recorded four interceptions and nine pass breakups, averaging 1.18 passes defended per game – ninth best in the nation. His performance anchored a San Diego State defense that led the FBS with three shutouts and held seven of twelve opponents to single digits.

Offensive Freshman of the Year: Bear Bachmeier, QB, BYU

BYU’s Bear Bachmeier made an immediate impact as the first true freshman ever to start at quarterback for the Cougars. Leading BYU to an impressive 11-2 record, Bachmeier threw for 2,708 yards and 14 touchdowns, adding another 527 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. Many believed his performance warranted a College Football Playoff berth.

Defensive Freshman of the Year: Luke Ferrelli, LB, Cal

Cal linebacker Luke Ferrelli dominated as a freshman, leading all first-year players nationally with 87 tackles. He ranked second on the Bears in stops, trailing only Cade Uluave’s 91 tackles. Ferrelli also contributed a pass interception and a sack against Duke, showcasing his all-around ability.

Coach of the Year: Jason Eck, New Mexico

New Mexico head coach Jason Eck exceeded all expectations in 2025, leading the Lobos to a remarkable 9-3 overall record and a 6-2 mark in Mountain West play. These records represent the best for UNM since 2016, and Eck’s nine wins mark the most by a Lobos coach in their first year in program history.

First-Team Offense

• QB Jayden Maiava, USC: Maiava led the Big Ten with 285.9 passing yards per game, the eighth-most in the nation and the top mark among West Coast players. He completed 66.2% of his passes for 3,431 yards and 23 touchdowns, with only eight interceptions.
• RB Lucky Sutton, San Diego State: Sutton spearheaded the Aztecs’ share of the Mountain West crown with 1,237 rushing yards, averaging 103.8 yards per game – the 12th-most nationally and the highest in the SuperWest coverage area. He scored 10 rushing touchdowns and surpassed the 100-yard mark six times.
• RB LJ Martin, BYU: Martin led the Big XII with 100.4 rushing yards per game, ranking 14th nationally. His 1,305 rushing yards are the sixth-most in the country, complemented by 12 touchdowns and 255 receiving yards.
• WR Makai Lemon, USC: The Biletnikoff Award winner, Lemon dominated Big Ten receivers, hauling in 79 passes for 1,156 yards at a 14.63-yard clip. He finished the regular season with 96.3 receiving yards per game, third-most nationally, and tied for sixth with 11 touchdown catches.
• WR Denzel Boston, Washington: Despite battling injuries, Boston served as a reliable target for Demond Williams, recording 62 receptions for 881 yards. He proved to be a force in the Red Zone, finishing sixth nationally with 11 touchdown receptions, bringing his two-year total to 20.
• WR Danny Scudero, San Jose State: Scudero led the nation with 107.6 receiving yards per game and 1,291 receiving yards. An impressive 53 of his 88 receptions resulted in either a first down or a touchdown.
• TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon: Sadiq led all tight ends nationally with eight touchdown receptions, tying for 22nd-best among all players. He also tallied 40 receptions for 490 yards.
• OL Spencer Fano, Utah: The Outland Trophy winner, Fano anchored a Utah offensive line that paved the way for the second-most rushing yards in the nation (3,237) and in school history.
• OL Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon: Pregnon was a stalwart on the offensive line, not allowing a single sack in 352 pass-blocking plays and only two hurries in 699 total snaps. He was flagged just once.
• OL Caleb Lomu, Utah: Bookending the Utah line with Fano, Lomu did not allow a sack in 383 passing snaps and allowed only eight pressures, contributing to the Utes’ dominant rushing attack.
• OL Bruce Mitchell, BYU: Mitchell protected his true freshman quarterback, allowing just two sacks and two hits in 428 passing snaps, leading an offense that amassed 2,397 rushing yards.
• OL Iapani Laloulu, Oregon: One of the premier centers in the country, Laloulu allowed just one sack and six pressures, helping pave the way for a rushing attack that averaged 5.8 yards per carry, the fifth-best average nationally.

First-Team Defense

• DL John Henry Daley, Utah: Daley ranked third nationally and tied for the Big XII lead with 17.5 tackles for loss, averaging 1.59 TFLs per game. He led the Utes with 11.5 sacks, ranking fourth nationally.
• DL Dylan LaBarbera, Nevada: A bright spot for the Wolf Pack, LaBarbera led the Mountain West with 17 stops behind the line, averaging 1.42 TFLs per game, tied for fifth-most in the nation.
• DL Keyshawn James-Newby, New Mexico: The senior led the Mountain West with eight sacks, consistently harassing quarterbacks and contributing significantly to the Lobos’ turnaround.
• DL Bear Alexander, Oregon: Alexander was a dominant force in the interior of the Oregon defensive line, limiting opponents to just 107.3 rushing yards per game. He finished the regular season with six tackles for loss and 45 total tackles.
• LB Jaxton Eck, New Mexico: Eck spearheaded the Lobos’ defense, recording 126 total tackles (10.5 per game), ranking eighth nationally. He also tallied 6.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, four QB hurries, a forced fumble, and two pass breakups.
• LB Jack Kelly, BYU: Kelly ended the season with 10 sacks, the third-most in the Big XII, 13th-most nationally, and second-most among West Coast players. He added seven QB hurries and forced two fumbles.
• LB Bryce Boettcher, Oregon: Boettcher averaged 8.67 tackles per game, with four resulting in stops behind the line. He also recorded an interception, a sack, and a forced fumble.
• DB Dillon Thieneman, Oregon: Thieneman, a premier safety, excelled in both run support and pass coverage, finishing with 67 total tackles, four passes defended, and two interceptions.
• DB Bishop Fitzgerald, USC: Fitzgerald intercepted five passes, tying for fourth-most nationally, and led Big Ten players with .5 interceptions per game, second-most in the country. He returned one interception for a touchdown.
• DB Chris Johnson, San Diego State: Johnson tallied four interceptions and nine pass breakups for a total of 13 passes defended, without allowing a touchdown in coverage. His 1.18 passes defended per game were second-most among West Coast players.
• DB Hezekiah Masses, California: Masses led the nation with 1.5 passes defended per game and ranked fourth nationally with five interceptions.

First-Team Special Teams

• K Kenseu Matsuzawa, Hawai’i: Matsuzawa was a standout kicker, connecting on 25 of 26 field goal attempts, matching the FBS record with his first 25 makes. He led the nation with a 96.2% success rate.
• P Bryan Hansen, Colorado State: Hansen led all punters in the West with a 47.9-yard average, the third-best nationally. 23 of his 57 punts traveled over 50 yards, and 13 pinned opponents inside the 20.
• RET Damon Bankston, New Mexico: Bankston averaged 30.36 yards per kickoff return, the highest average in the West. He returned one kick for a touchdown and totaled 334 return yards.
• AP Jacob De Jesus, California: De Jesus averaged 11.25 yards per punt return and 20.63 yards per kickoff return, continuing his electric play from UNLV. He also led Cal with 892 all-purpose yards and 99 receptions.

The All-SuperWest Sports teams and awards represent the culmination of a thrilling 2025 college football season, recognizing the exceptional talent and dedication of players and coaches across the region.