ATLANTA (Dec. 22, 2020) – Officials from the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl have announced the finalists for the 2020 Dodd Trophy. Finalists include five of the nation’s top coaches in college football who embody the award’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity, both on and off the field.

Considering The Dodd Trophy represents more than just a coach’s performance on the field, a coach in his first year, who has not had a full season to establish his own impact on APR and the local community, is not eligible to win.

This year’s finalists represent three Power Five conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big Ten), as well as the American Athletic Conference. These coaches have combined for a 39-7 record so far this season, and have collectively won 491 games and four FBS conference championships throughout their careers.

One former winner of The Dodd Trophy was named a finalist as Brian Kelly (2018) was selected to this year’s list. This represents Pat Fitzgerald’s third selection as a finalist (2017 and 2018), while Tom Allen, Matt Campbell and Luke Fickell are finalists for the first time.

Four of the five finalists – Allen (Big Ten), Campbell (Big 12), Fickell (AAC) and Kelly (ACC) – won their respective conference’s Coach of the Year awards for this season.

“This has been an unprecedented year, but these five coaches have found a way to overcome numerous challenges by leading their teams to successful seasons,” said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. “Each of these coaches have left a significant mark on their respective programs, both on and off the field, and truly embody the guiding principles that this award stand for.”

The 2020 Dodd Trophy Finalists:

Coach School Conference CFP Ranking: Record APR Score:
Tom Allen Indiana Big Ten 11 6-1 969
Matt Campbell Iowa State Big 12 10 8-3 979
Luke Fickell Cincinnati AAC 8 9-0 990
Pat Fitzgerald Northwestern Big Ten 14 6-2 995
Brian Kelly Notre Dame ACC 4 10-1 970