SALT LAKE CITY— Today, Utah’s dominant right tackle — Spencer Fano has earned the Outland Trophy, college football’s most prestigious honor for an offensive lineman.
The award recognizes the best blocker or defender in the trenches — the muscle and grit behind every big run and clean pass.
Utah didn’t just run the ball well this year — they controlled games. Fano’s dominant effort provided the offense with consistency and that consistency translated directly into offensive rhythm and points — something that often goes unnoticed but is obvious when it works and glaringly absent when it doesn’t.
Fano’s incredible work ethic and commitment to his craft have culminated in earning this award. He’s been as consistent a performer as any along the offensive line. He’s a premier talent and one of the best to come through the Utah program in its history.
Spencer Fano earns the Outland Trophy
Fano has been the definition of consistent dominance on the offensive line this season for the Utah Utes. Anchoring the right tackle spot in all 12 games in 2025, he’s been a cornerstone of one of the nation’s most efficient offenses and a relentless run-blocking unit.
Projected firmly in the first round, Fano is seen as a future first-round draft pick who can immediately elevate a struggling offensive line. Teams in need of a right tackle or flexible blocker in top offensive front fits will have serious interest, and multiple draft projections peg him within the top 20 picks.
Fano’s combination of athleticism, technique, and production makes him one of the top offensive linemen in the 2026 class, with the tools to be a long-term NFL starter from Day 1.
Awards & Accolades
-
Outland Trophy Finalist — among the nation’s elite interior linemen.
-
2025 Lombardi Award Semifinalist — recognized for performance, leadership, and discipline.
-
2025 Walter Camp Preseason All-America First Team — preseason honors signaling elite expectations.
-
Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year (2025) — top blocker in the conference.
-
Multiple Big 12 Offensive Line of the Week awards.
Fano’s résumé shows not only presence but prestige in one of college football’s premier conferences. Fano didn’t just show up — he stayed dominant in pass protection:
-
Allowed just five pressures and five hurries all season.
-
Did not allow a sack across 357 pass-blocking opportunities, according to Pro Football Focus.
That’s the kind of protection elite QBs dream about and defenses dread.
Spencer Fano’s impressive career
By this season, Fano’s already a veteran presence with 37 games played and 35 starts — experience that shows in every rep. He’s also not just a 2025 stand-out — his résumé includes:
-
2024 All-America honors (PFF First Team, AP Second Team).
-
Big 12 First-Team nods in 2024 and early All-America buzz.
-
Freshman All-America recognition in 2023.
That’s sustained excellence — not a once-and-done breakout.
Only one other Utah player, Jordan Gross (2002), had ever been named an Outland finalist before Fano. Football Writers Association Gross went on to star in the NFL; Fano is on a similar path — a projected early first-round pick in the 2026 draft.
From modest beginnings in Spanish Fork, Utah, this would be the crowning achievement of a relentless work ethic and a relentless season. This Outland title cements his legacy not only in Utah lore but as one of the best lineman seasons in college football in years.
Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.
Take us with you, wherever you go. Download the new & improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. You can stream live radio, video and stay up to date on all of your favorite teams.
