TicketsCINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder (Louisville, Kentucky/St. Xavier) was one of 80 players named to the preseason watch list for the 85th-Annual Maxwell Award, the Maxwell Football Club announced Monday.
The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert "Tiny" Maxwell who was a former standout at the Swarthmore College and a renowned sports writer and football official.
Ridder is one of six 2020 Maxwell Award semifinalists on the watch list, joining Grayson McCall (Coastal Carolina), Breece Hall (Iowa State), D'Eriq King (Miami), Sam Howell (North Carolina) and Dillon Gabriel (UCF).
View the complete Maxwell Award Watch List online.
Coming off a stint as a counselor at the annual Manning Passing Academy, Ridder enters his senior season at UC as the No. 2 passer in school history, throwing for 6,905 yards and 57 touchdowns over his previous three seasons.
He was the 2020 American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, 2021 AAC Championship Game Most Outstanding Player and 2018 AAC Rookie of the Year, helping lead the Bearcats to a 2020 AAC Championship and an appearance in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, a New Year's Six game.
A finalist for the 2020 Manning Award, Ridder has 22 career rushing TDs, most ever for a UC QB and tied for No. 8 in the Bearcats annals. He is the active career leader in winning percentage among NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision signal callers, winning over 88% of his career starts.
Off the field, he has earned his bachelor's degree and was tabbed as a First-Team Academic All-District honoree by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Cincinnati opens the 2021 season on Saturday, Sept. 4, against Miami (OH) in the 125th Battle for the Victory Bell at 3:30 p.m. ET inside Nippert Stadium.
Visit the football tickets page to reserve your season tickets now!
ABOUT THE BEARCATS
Cincinnati finished 9-1 in 2020, winning the American Athletic Conference Championship and playing in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, a New Year's Six Bowl. The Bearcats return 16 starters from last season's squad, including Ridder and seven-time All-America selection Ahmad Gardner along with All-AAC selections Darrian Beavers, Marcus Brown, Coby Bryant, Myjai Sanders, Tre Tucker, Josh Whyle and Michael Young Jr. The 2021 roster projects to have nearly 40 local players who grew up and played high-school football in the tri-state area.
BUY TICKETS NOW • SUBSCRIBE TO ESPN+
FILL-IT-UP FRIDAYS
New season ticket holders who make their purchases on a Friday between 9 a.m. and noon ET will be entered in a drawing to win various Bearcats prizes. Fans should follow @GoBEARCATS on social media and tune in each Thursday this summer for weekly prize announcements.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati football, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati football (@GoBearcatsFB) and Coach Fickell (@CoachFick) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.
The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert "Tiny" Maxwell who was a former standout at the Swarthmore College and a renowned sports writer and football official.
Ridder is one of six 2020 Maxwell Award semifinalists on the watch list, joining Grayson McCall (Coastal Carolina), Breece Hall (Iowa State), D'Eriq King (Miami), Sam Howell (North Carolina) and Dillon Gabriel (UCF).
View the complete Maxwell Award Watch List online.
Coming off a stint as a counselor at the annual Manning Passing Academy, Ridder enters his senior season at UC as the No. 2 passer in school history, throwing for 6,905 yards and 57 touchdowns over his previous three seasons.
He was the 2020 American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, 2021 AAC Championship Game Most Outstanding Player and 2018 AAC Rookie of the Year, helping lead the Bearcats to a 2020 AAC Championship and an appearance in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, a New Year's Six game.
A finalist for the 2020 Manning Award, Ridder has 22 career rushing TDs, most ever for a UC QB and tied for No. 8 in the Bearcats annals. He is the active career leader in winning percentage among NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision signal callers, winning over 88% of his career starts.
Off the field, he has earned his bachelor's degree and was tabbed as a First-Team Academic All-District honoree by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Cincinnati opens the 2021 season on Saturday, Sept. 4, against Miami (OH) in the 125th Battle for the Victory Bell at 3:30 p.m. ET inside Nippert Stadium.
Visit the football tickets page to reserve your season tickets now!
ABOUT THE BEARCATS
Cincinnati finished 9-1 in 2020, winning the American Athletic Conference Championship and playing in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, a New Year's Six Bowl. The Bearcats return 16 starters from last season's squad, including Ridder and seven-time All-America selection Ahmad Gardner along with All-AAC selections Darrian Beavers, Marcus Brown, Coby Bryant, Myjai Sanders, Tre Tucker, Josh Whyle and Michael Young Jr. The 2021 roster projects to have nearly 40 local players who grew up and played high-school football in the tri-state area.
BUY TICKETS NOW • SUBSCRIBE TO ESPN+
FILL-IT-UP FRIDAYS
New season ticket holders who make their purchases on a Friday between 9 a.m. and noon ET will be entered in a drawing to win various Bearcats prizes. Fans should follow @GoBEARCATS on social media and tune in each Thursday this summer for weekly prize announcements.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati football, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati football (@GoBearcatsFB) and Coach Fickell (@CoachFick) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.