Plot Synopsis

Each year since 1991, winners of several major college football awards are announced in this live broadcast. At the first event, winners were revealed for seven different awards, marking the first time the award winners were announced on the same day. Over the years, the number of awards has expanded to now include these nine awards: Maxwell Award (most outstanding player), Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player of the year), Biletnikoff Award (most outstanding wide receiver), Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award (most outstanding placekicker), Ray Guy Award (most outstanding punter), Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award (best quarterback), Outland Trophy (most outstanding interior lineman), Jim Thorpe Award (most outstanding defensive back), and Doak Walker Award (most outstanding running back). Plus, the John Mackey Award (most outstanding tight end) and the Rimington Award (most outstanding center) have recently been presented during The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show. For the program's first two years, ABC telecast the one-hour event live from the College Football Hall of Fame, which was then located near Kings Island, OH. Since 1993, ESPN (1993 - 1997; 2000 - Present) or ESPN2 (1998 & 1999) broadcast the event live on Friday evening for the first year (1993) and on Thursday evenings afterwards. After being held at the College Football Hall of Fame for its first two years (1991 & 1992), this awards program was held at Epcot Center (1993), Disney-MGM Studios (1994-1998), Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex (1999) and the Atlantic Dance Hall at the Walt Disney World Resort from 2000 through 2014. In 2015, the COLLEGE FOOTBALL AWARDS moved back to the College Football Hall of Fame, now located at its new home in Atlanta, GA, where it was held every year until the COVID-19 pandemic when it went virtual in January 2021 for the 2020 football season. The event then moved to a virtual format, hosted live from ESPN's Bristol, CT, studios, in 2021, and has been held that way since then.
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THE 2024 HOME DEPOT COLLEGE FOOTBALL AWARDS premiered on Thursday, December 12, 2024 from 9-11pm ET/6-8pm PT on ESPN. Kevin Negandhi and Jen Lada host the two-hour special from ESPN's Bristol, CT, studios, and he is joined by analysts Booger McFarland and Andre Ware. NCFAA awards to be announced during The Home Depot College Football Awards include:

Chuck Bednarik Award (Defensive Player of the Year): Travis Hunter, Colorado; Abdul Carter, Penn State; Caleb Downs, Ohio State

Biletnikoff Award (Outstanding Receiver): Travis Hunter, Colorado; Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona; Nick Nash, San Jose State

Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award (Outstanding Placekicker): Kenneth Almendares, Lousianna; Ryan Fitzgerald, Florida State; Alex Raynor, Kentucky

Ray Guy Award (Punter of the Year): Alex Mastromanno, Florida State; Brett Thorson, Georgia; Eddie Czaplicki, USC

Maxwell Award (Player of the Year): Ashton Jeanty, Boise State; Travis Hunter, Colorado; Dillon Gabriel, Oregon

Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award (Best Quarterback): Dillon Gabriel, Oregon; Shedeur Sanders, Colorado; Cam Ward, Miami

Outland Trophy (Most Outstanding Interior Lineman): Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas; Mason Graham, Michigan; Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
Paycom Jim Thorpe Award (Best Defensive Back): Jahdae Barron, Texas; Caleb Downs, Ohio State; Malaki Starks, Georgia

Doak Walker Award (Premier Running Back): Omarion Hampton, North Carolina; Ashton Jeanty, Boise State; Kaleb Johnson, Iowa

The Buddy Teevens Award will also be presented, celebrating coaches who've been innovators in growing and improving the game of college football. Named after the legendary Dartmouth College coach, the award recognizes outstanding achievement on the field, as well exceptional leadership that leaves a lasting impact on players, other coaches, and the sport at large.

Additional honors to be recognized during The Home Depot College Football Awards include: The Home Depot Coach of the Year, NCFAA Contributions to College Football Award, Disney Spirit Award, The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, William V. Campbell Trophy, John Mackey Award, Rimington Trophy, Walter Camp All-America Team & Player of the Year, Wuerffel Trophy, Broyles Award, Burlsworth Trophy, Butkus Award, and the Nagurski Trophy.