Arkansas offensive lineman Fernando Carmona has been named a semifinalist for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy, according to an announcement from the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame.
The Campbell Trophy is awarded each year to the nation’s top football scholar-athlete, recognizing academic achievement, football performance, and leadership. Carmona completed his degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in spring 2025 and is now pursuing a second bachelor’s degree in Exploring Arts and Sciences. He was selected for the First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2025 and previously earned Mountain West All-Academic honors twice while at San Jose State. In addition to these achievements, Carmona became a member of the 2025 NFF Hampshire Honor Society.
On the field, Carmona has started 41 consecutive games on the offensive line since 2022, including his time at San Jose State. He is a two-time SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week and was named Third-Team All-SEC by league coaches in 2024. He also contributed to Arkansas achieving five straight games with over 500 yards of total offense, setting a program record.
Carmona is one of 13 student-athletes from the Southeastern Conference among this year’s list of 177 semifinalists. The NFF will announce between 12 and 16 finalists on October 22; each finalist will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as part of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. Finalists will attend the NFF Annual Awards Dinner at Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 9. One winner will be selected as recipient of the Campbell Trophy and receive an increased postgraduate scholarship totaling $25,000.
Candidates are nominated by their schools—each school can nominate only one player—and must meet several criteria: they must be seniors completing their final season or graduate students/graduate transfers who have already earned degrees but are playing in 2025; maintain a GPA of at least 3.2; show outstanding football ability as either first-team players or significant contributors; and demonstrate strong leadership and citizenship qualities.
This week, Arkansas will return home to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium for its final non-conference game of the season against Notre Dame. This marks the first meeting between Arkansas and Notre Dame, with kickoff scheduled for Saturday, September 27 at 11 a.m., broadcast on ABC.
For information about Arkansas football tickets, contact the Razorback Ticket Center at 479-575-5151 or visit their website.
