TALLAHASSEE – A trio of Florida State football players were named to preseason award watch lists Friday.
Redshirt senior center Luke Petitbon is on the Rimington Trophy Watch List, presented to the nation’s best center. Junior Randy Pittman Jr. and sophomore Landen Thomas are on the Mackey Award Watch List, given to the country’s best tight end.
Petitbon, from Annapolis, Maryland, appeared in 38 games with 22 starts at Wake Forest from 2020-24 before transferring to Florida State in December. He earned All-ACC honorable mention honors in 2024 and was the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance in the Demon Deacons’ victory over Stanford. His one sack allowed last season was tied for the fewest among ACC centers.
Petitbon started 11 games in 2023 and appeared in 11 games in 2021, helping Wake Forest to the ACC Atlantic Division championship and a Gator Bowl victory. That season, the Demon Deacons reached No. 10 in the Associated Press poll, the highest in program history.
Pittman, from Panama City, Florida, played the past two seasons at UCF under new Florida State offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn. He appeared in all 25 of the Knights’ games in that span, catching 51 passes for 631 yards and three touchdowns.
Pittman had 32 catches for 416 yards and two touchdowns in 2024, when he started 10 of UCF’s 12 games. Both touchdowns came in UCF’s 56-12 win over Arizona, when he caught a career-high five passes for 80 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown. As a freshman in 2023, Pittman caught 19 passes for 215 yards and one touchdown.
Thomas, from Moultrie, Georgia, appeared in all 12 games and started the final seven for Florida State as a true freshman in 2024. He caught 14 passes for 173 yards and one touchdown, and added a two-point conversion. Thomas’ first career catch was a touchdown at SMU, becoming the first Seminole true freshman tight end with a touchdown since 2011, and he caught his two-point conversion in the season finale against Florida.
Thomas led Florida State with a career-high seven catches for 80 yards against Clemson, the most receptions for a Seminole in 2024 and the second-most in the series against the Tigers.
Florida State is one of four schools with two players on the Mackey Award preseason watch list.
The Seminoles will open the 2025 season in the renovated Doak Campbell Stadium on August 30 at 3:30 p.m. against Alabama. The contest will air nationally on ABC.
Preseason Award Watch Lists
Maxwell Award – Tommy Castellanos
Wuerffel Trophy – Richie Leonard IV
Mannelly Award – Mason Arnold
Doak Walker Award – Gavin Sawchuk
Rimington Trophy – Luke Petitbon
Mackey Award – Randy Pittman Jr. and Landen Thomas
