Indiana football head coach Curt Cignetti has been named to the 2026 Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List, an honor that spotlights coaches who blend on‑field success with academic excellence, leadership and integrity.
A Legacy of Leadership
The list, announced this week, comprises 20 coaches nationwide and features a notable contingent from the Big Ten, including Bret Bielema, Ryan Day, Kirk Ferentz, Jedd Fisch, Dan Lanning and Lincoln Riley, all of whom are recognized for their commitment to scholarship alongside competition.
Cignetti’s inclusion follows his receipt of the Dodd Trophy last season, making him one of only four former winners to appear on the preseason watch list; the others are Kirk Ferentz, Willie Fritz and Marcus Freeman.
The award’s criteria require a team’s Academic Progress Rate to exceed the national average of 971, and Indiana posted a score of 989 for the 2024‑25 academic year, comfortably clearing the threshold.
In accepting the honor, Cignetti thanked the Dodd Trophy, PNC Bank and Peach Bowl, Inc., and emphasized that the accolade reflects the hard work of his student‑athletes, assistants and support staff.
The Dodd Trophy is named for Bobby Dodd, the longtime Georgia Tech head coach who steered the Yellow Jackets from 1945 to 1966, winning 165 games and sharing the 1952 national championship while championing academic achievement among his players.
A midseason watch list will narrow the field later this fall, and the ultimate winner will be revealed in January 2027 during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Chick‑fil‑A Peach Bowl in Atlanta, a game scheduled for Jan. 1, 2027.
Cignetti and the Hoosiers open their season on Sept. 5 against the University of North Texas at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, beginning what they hope will be another run toward a national championship.