WKU Football quarterback TJ Finley has been named to the watch list for the 88th Maxwell Award, the Maxwell Football Club announced Monday. The prestigious award, established in 1937, honors the most outstanding player in college football and is named after Robert “Tiny” Maxwell, a former standout at Swarthmore College and renowned sportswriter and football official. This year’s watch list includes 80 players, with three hailing from Conference USA.
Finley is gearing up for his first season at WKU following stints at Texas State, Auburn, and LSU. Last season, while with the Bobcats, Finley garnered All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention, Phil Steele All-Sun Belt Fourth Team honors, and was featured on the Manning Award Watch List and Davey O’Brien Award Midseason Watch List. He was named Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week after orchestrating a victory over Baylor in Week 1, and also received two Manning Award Star of the Week honors, along with a Davey O’Brien Great 8 selection during the 2023 season.
Finley wrapped up the 2023 campaign with impressive numbers, throwing for 3,439 yards and 24 touchdowns against just eight interceptions on 279-of-414 passing. He also added 81 rushing yards and five touchdowns. His standout performance set a Texas State program record for passing yards in a season and placed him 17th nationally in passing yards. He ranked 23rd in both passing yards per game and passing touchdowns, 16th in completion percentage, and 23rd in passing efficiency. Finley’s efforts helped the Bobcats boast the 15th-best offense in the country (457.6 yards per game) and the 28th-best passing offense (270.9 yards per game). Notably, he led Texas State to its first-ever win over a Power Five team with a victory against Baylor and to the program’s first bowl win with a decisive 45-21 victory over Rice in the First Responder Bowl.
During his time at LSU (2020) and Auburn (2021-22), Finley started 11 games and appeared in 18, amassing 2,199 passing yards and 12 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. He also contributed two rushing touchdowns. As a sophomore at Auburn in 2022, he started three games and appeared in four, but missed several due to injury. In his freshman season at LSU in 2020, he started five games and led the Tigers to victories over South Carolina and Arkansas.
Finley was recently named to the Shrine Bowl 1000 Watchlist, further highlighting his potential for the upcoming season.
The Maxwell Football Club has partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed metrics and performance-based assessments, while Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is widely regarded as the most comprehensive preseason magazine.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced on Nov. 12, with three finalists unveiled on Nov. 26. The winners will be announced during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 12. Formal presentations of the Maxwell Award will take place at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on March 14, 2025, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia.
WKU’s 2024 season kicks off with a game at Alabama on Saturday, Aug. 31, at 6 p.m. CT. The Hilltoppers will host Eastern Kentucky for their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 6 p.m. CT, and will begin CUSA play with a 6 p.m. CT game at Middle Tennessee on Saturday, Sept. 14.
