ATLANTA — BYU head football coach Kalani Sitake has been named one of 18 candidates on the midseason watch list for the 2026 Dodd Trophy.
The award is presented annually by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc., and honors a head coach who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity — the three pillars of legendary coach Bobby Dodd’s coaching philosophy.
In his 11th year at BYU and 26th overall season as a college football coach, Sitake leads the program he once played for (1994, 1997-2000) under legendary College Football Hall of Fame coach LaVell Edwards.
With its 24-10 win over Iowa State on Saturday, BYU moved to 5-0 to start the season for the fifth time under Sitake (2026, 2025, 2024, 2021, 2020). It also marks three straight 5-0 starts for the first time in program history.
Now in his 11th season as head coach, Sitake has guide the Cougars to a 89-45 record and is 30-4 since 2024. In mid-September Allstate and the American Football Coaches Association named Sitake the honorary coach of the 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, recognizing his commitment to service, academic achievement and athletic excellence.
Following the 2025 football season, Sitake was named the Chuck Neinas Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year after guiding BYU to a 12-2 record and No. 11 final ranking. He was also honored as winner of the 2025 Buddy Teevens Award, recognizing outstanding achievement on the field and exceptional leadership that leaves a lasting impact on players, coaches and the game of football at large.
This 2026 Dodd Trophy midseason watch list features a collective group of coaches who have led their teams to 1,648 wins, 26 conference titles and four national championships throughout their collegiate careers. It also includes four previous Dodd Trophy winners in Curt Cignetti (2025), Marcus Freeman (2024), Willie Fritz (2022) and Kirk Ferentz (2015).
Dodd Trophy midseason watch list includes (in alphabetical order):
| Coach | School | Conference | AP Rank | Record |
| David Braun | Northwestern | Big Ten | 25 | 4-1 |
| Curt Cignetti | Indiana | Big Ten | 5 | 6-0 |
| Mario Cristobal | Miami [FL] | ACC | 3 | 5-0 |
| Spencer Danielson | Boise State | Pac-12 | 23 | 5-1 |
| Ryan Day | Ohio State | Big Ten | 4 | 5-1 |
| Kalen DeBoer | Alabama | SEC | 6 | 5-1 |
| Jake Dickert | Wake Forest | ACC | 21 | 5-1 |
| Eliah Drinkwitz | Mizzou | SEC | 13 | 5-1 |
| Kirk Ferentz | Iowa | Big Ten | 17 | 5-1 |
| Marcus Freeman | Notre Dame | Independent | 2 | 6-0 |
| Willie Fritz | Houston | Big 12 | 20 | 5-1 |
| Josh Heupel | Tennessee | SEC | 14 | 5-1 |
| Rhett Lashlee | SMU | ACC | 24 | 4-1 |
| Jeff Lebby | Mississippi St. | SEC | 16 | 4-1 |
| Lincoln Riley | USC | Big Ten | 19 | 6-1 |
| Steve Sarkisian | Texas | SEC | 7 | 4-1 |
| Kalani Sitake | BYU | Big 12 | 8 | 5-0 |
| Kirby Smart | Georgia | SEC | 1 | 6-0 |
A panel consisting of previous winners, national media, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame member will identify the final list of potential recipients at the conclusion of the 2026 season. The winner of the 2026 Dodd Trophy will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.