Kempt Is A Manning Award Nominee

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State senior quarterback Kyle Kempt was named to another preseason watch list, adding a Manning Award nomination to his resume this afternoon.

The Manning Award, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, was created in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is given annually to the nation's best signal-caller.

It is the only quarterback award which includes the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting.

Kempt, who is also a member of the Davey O'Brien Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch lists, returns after a sensational campaign in 2017 when he led the Cyclones to a bowl victory after taking over quarterback duties in the fifth game of the season.

Kempt went 5-3 as a starter, including directing the Cyclones to a pair of victories over top-5 opponents in TCU and Oklahoma.

Kempt, who was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection a year ago, broke Iowa State's single-season completion mark (66.3%) and tossed 15 TDs to just three interceptions in just eight games.

The former walk-on enters his final campaign with an eight-game streak of completing a TD pass, tying for the fourth-best string in school history.