ORLANDO – UCF football quarterback Alonza Barnett III has earned another preseason honor as he was one of 30 quarterbacks named to the Davey O’Brien Award Preseason Watch List on Thursday afternoon. 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.
After leading James Madison to the College Football Playoff in 2025, Barnett joins the Knights out of the transfer portal for his final season of collegiate football. The rising redshirt senior was named Sun Belt Player of the Year after his remarkable 2025 campaign. He threw for 2,806 yards and 23 touchdowns while adding 589 yards on the ground with 15 touchdowns. The Whitsett, N.C. native has compiled 72 touchdowns throughout his impressive career, tallying 49 via the pass and 23 by way of the run.
Barnett is the only Big 12 Conference quarterback with prior College Football Playoff experience. He spun two touchdowns and scrambled for another in the playoff game against the then-No. 5 Ducks in Autzen Stadium.
Barnett’s O’Brien nod is the second watch list that’s named him as he was named to the Maxwell Award watch list earlier this August. He has also been named to the 2026 Shriners Children's 1,000 Watch List during the preseason. Barnett was also named to the Davey O’Brien Award watch list last season.
Barnett’s nod adds to the list of storied former UCF athletes that have earned recognition on the preseason docket. Quarterbacks McKenzie Milton, Dillon Gabriel and John Rhys Plumlee have graced the list as well.
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. The preseason list features 17 seniors, seven juniors and six sophomores. The Southeastern Conference leads all leagues with seven quarterbacks honored on the preseason list. The SEC is followed closely by the Big Ten Conference and Big 12 Conference, both with six players.
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 nine weeks and any additional quarterbacks approved by the selection committee. Colt McCoy, the 2009 Davey O’Brien Award winner, is in his first season as the committee chairman.
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 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.
SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for the 2026 campaign are on sale and can be purchased here! Be sure to be a part of all the action as the Knights play their 20th season in Acrisure Bounce House.
ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.