The Dodd Trophy, college football’s most coveted national coaching award, is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary throughout the 2025-26 college football season.

The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation, in partnership with Peach Bowl, Inc. and PNC Bank, will honor the 50th anniversary of the award all season through various initiatives around the country, culminating with the winner of the 2025 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank being announced in Atlanta during the week of the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

Managed by Peach Bowl, Inc. and presented by PNC Bank, The Dodd Trophy annually honors the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity – the three pillars of legendary Georgia Tech coach Bobby Dodd's coaching philosophy.

The eponymous award was established to honor the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division 1A) head football coach whose program represents the highest ideals on and off the field. The Dodd Trophy honors the coach of a team which enjoys a successful football season, while also stressing the importance of academic excellence and character, as did coach Dodd’s teams during his 22 years leading the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

“To this day, coach Dodd remains one of college football’s most legendary figures, both as a coach and a player,” said Chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation Jim Terry. “He set a new standard in college football on how to have success on the gridiron, while also emphasizing the importance of academic excellence for his student athletes and giving back to the community. For the past 50 years we’ve been honored to celebrate some of our sport’s most renowned coaches who truly exemplified his coaching philosophy, both on and off the field.”

Over the past five decades, Dodd Trophy recipients have featured some of college football’s most legendary coaching figures who have led their teams to 8,696 all-time victories, 226 conference titles and 26 FBS National Championships. Off the football field, this elite list of coaches also led their student-athletes to a stellar 80 percent average graduation rate and an average Academic Progress Rate (APR) score of 976.

“As presenting sponsor of The Dodd Trophy, PNC Bank is honored to join the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. in celebrating the 50th anniversary of this prestigious award,” said Samantha Jones, PNC regional president for Georgia. “For half a century, The Dodd Trophy has served as a symbol of excellence and a standard for principled leadership, both on and off the field. We are proud to be part of this remarkable milestone and look forward to continuing this legacy in the upcoming season and beyond.”

“The Dodd Trophy has grown over these 50 years to become college football’s most coveted coaching award because it sets itself apart by looking beyond just wins and losses, and recognizes all of the traits it takes to be an elite college football coach,” said Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO and President Gary Stokan. “This season will be a celebration of all how far this award has come and an opportunity to recognize so many iconic coaches in our sport who lived up to coach Dodd’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity.”