Michigan State University Athletics
Payton Thorne Named Midseason Addition to Manning Award Watch List
10/22/2021 12:51:00 PM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State redshirt sophomore quarterback Payton Thorne has been named a midseason addition to the Manning Award Watch List, the Allstate Sugar Bowl announced on Friday afternoon.
The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting.
After announcing 32 quarterbacks to watch during the preseason, the Manning Award opted to increase its spotlighted players based on the many outstanding performances during the first half of the year. While 15 players have been added to the Watch List, every quarterback in the nation remains eligible to win the honor.
Finalists for the award will be determined by a selected panel of national media covering college football, as well as each of the Mannings. That list will be released on Thursday, Dec. 2 and the winner is scheduled to be announced following the College Football Playoff National Championship.
In his first season as the starting quarterback for the Spartans, Thorne has completed 61 percent of his passes (112-of-183) for 1,701 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions in seven games. He ranks among the Big Ten and FBS leaders in passing efficiency (second and 14th with 162.0 rating), passing TDs (second and 14th with 15), passing (fifth and 37th with 243.0 ypg) and total offense (fifth and 40th with 256.7 ypg). Thorne also ranks third on the team in rushing with a net of 96 yards on 38 carries with two TDs, although he has gained a total of 180 yards on the ground.
Thorne ranks tied for first in the FBS with five passes of 60-plus yards, all touchdowns (85 yards to Jayden Reed vs. Youngstown State; 75 yards to Reed vs. Youngstown State; 65 yards to Jalen Nailor vs. Rutgers; two 63-yarders to Nailor vs. Rutgers). Thorne also ranks tied for first in the FBS with eight TDs of 20-plus yards and ranks fifth in the FBS with 734 yards of his passing coming on completions of 20-plus yards.
Thorne threw for a career-high 339 yards in the victory over Rutgers on Oct. 9, including touchdown passes of 65, 63 and 63 yards to Nailor.
Thorne passed for 327 yards in the victory over Western Kentucky in Week 5 while completing 20-of-30 throws. He also had a 12-yard rushing touchdown.
The product of Naperville, Illinois, was named the Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week by the conference office on Sept. 20 and was also recognized as the Manning Award National Quarterback of the Week for his performance at No. 24 Miami in Week 3. Thorne became just the second Spartan quarterback in school history, joining Connor Cook, to throw for four touchdowns in back-to-back games during MSU's 38-17 victory over the Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Thorne threw for a career-high four TDs in the Week 2 win over Youngstown State, and matched that effort against Miami by completing 18-of-31 passes for 261 yards and four more touchdowns. Cook threw for four TDs in consecutive games against Indiana and Nebraska in 2015.
At Miami, Thorne first found Kenneth Walker III on a 7-yard screen pass for a score in the second quarter, then connected with Nailor on an 11-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Thorne's third TD pass of the game came on a third-and-7 play early in the fourth as he hit Reed in the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown. Although Thorne ended up with a net of 4 rushing yards, he scrambled for a 22-yard gain on a third-and-6 play and also converted on fourth-and-1 with a quarterback sneak to propel a touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter to make it 31-17 in favor of MSU. Thorne finished the eight-play, 75-yard drive by finding Nailor in the end zone for a 39-yard pass, one play after getting the first down on the QB sneak.
In the 42-14 win over Youngstown State in Week 2, Thorne completed 15-of-21 passes for 280 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. It marked the first time a Spartan quarterback threw for four TDs in a game since Brian Lewerke vs. Northwestern in 2017. Thorne also had 19 yards rushing on three carries (6.3 avg.), including a 10-yard TD run.
In his second career start, Thorne threw for 185 yards on 15-of-25 passing with one TD at Northwestern in Week 1 to earn his first win as the Spartans' starting QB. Thorne also rushed for 28 yards on five carries.
No. 9/7 Michigan State (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) returns to action Saturday, Oct. 30 to host No. 6/6 Michigan at noon in Spartan Stadium. The game will be televised on FOX.
The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting.
After announcing 32 quarterbacks to watch during the preseason, the Manning Award opted to increase its spotlighted players based on the many outstanding performances during the first half of the year. While 15 players have been added to the Watch List, every quarterback in the nation remains eligible to win the honor.
Finalists for the award will be determined by a selected panel of national media covering college football, as well as each of the Mannings. That list will be released on Thursday, Dec. 2 and the winner is scheduled to be announced following the College Football Playoff National Championship.
In his first season as the starting quarterback for the Spartans, Thorne has completed 61 percent of his passes (112-of-183) for 1,701 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions in seven games. He ranks among the Big Ten and FBS leaders in passing efficiency (second and 14th with 162.0 rating), passing TDs (second and 14th with 15), passing (fifth and 37th with 243.0 ypg) and total offense (fifth and 40th with 256.7 ypg). Thorne also ranks third on the team in rushing with a net of 96 yards on 38 carries with two TDs, although he has gained a total of 180 yards on the ground.
Thorne ranks tied for first in the FBS with five passes of 60-plus yards, all touchdowns (85 yards to Jayden Reed vs. Youngstown State; 75 yards to Reed vs. Youngstown State; 65 yards to Jalen Nailor vs. Rutgers; two 63-yarders to Nailor vs. Rutgers). Thorne also ranks tied for first in the FBS with eight TDs of 20-plus yards and ranks fifth in the FBS with 734 yards of his passing coming on completions of 20-plus yards.
Thorne threw for a career-high 339 yards in the victory over Rutgers on Oct. 9, including touchdown passes of 65, 63 and 63 yards to Nailor.
Thorne passed for 327 yards in the victory over Western Kentucky in Week 5 while completing 20-of-30 throws. He also had a 12-yard rushing touchdown.
The product of Naperville, Illinois, was named the Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week by the conference office on Sept. 20 and was also recognized as the Manning Award National Quarterback of the Week for his performance at No. 24 Miami in Week 3. Thorne became just the second Spartan quarterback in school history, joining Connor Cook, to throw for four touchdowns in back-to-back games during MSU's 38-17 victory over the Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Thorne threw for a career-high four TDs in the Week 2 win over Youngstown State, and matched that effort against Miami by completing 18-of-31 passes for 261 yards and four more touchdowns. Cook threw for four TDs in consecutive games against Indiana and Nebraska in 2015.
At Miami, Thorne first found Kenneth Walker III on a 7-yard screen pass for a score in the second quarter, then connected with Nailor on an 11-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Thorne's third TD pass of the game came on a third-and-7 play early in the fourth as he hit Reed in the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown. Although Thorne ended up with a net of 4 rushing yards, he scrambled for a 22-yard gain on a third-and-6 play and also converted on fourth-and-1 with a quarterback sneak to propel a touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter to make it 31-17 in favor of MSU. Thorne finished the eight-play, 75-yard drive by finding Nailor in the end zone for a 39-yard pass, one play after getting the first down on the QB sneak.
In the 42-14 win over Youngstown State in Week 2, Thorne completed 15-of-21 passes for 280 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. It marked the first time a Spartan quarterback threw for four TDs in a game since Brian Lewerke vs. Northwestern in 2017. Thorne also had 19 yards rushing on three carries (6.3 avg.), including a 10-yard TD run.
In his second career start, Thorne threw for 185 yards on 15-of-25 passing with one TD at Northwestern in Week 1 to earn his first win as the Spartans' starting QB. Thorne also rushed for 28 yards on five carries.
No. 9/7 Michigan State (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) returns to action Saturday, Oct. 30 to host No. 6/6 Michigan at noon in Spartan Stadium. The game will be televised on FOX.
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