BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — Auburn head coach Alex Golesh has been named both the Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Week and the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week after the Tigers’ come-from-behind 27-24 win over No. 1 Georgia on Oct. 17 in Athens.
The American Heart Association selected Golesh for the Bryant award. Officials from the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl Inc. announced the Dodd Trophy honor.
On a Saturday when five of the top seven teams in the AP Top 25 lost to lower-ranked opponents, Auburn delivered what was perhaps the biggest upset of all in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.
Georgia led 14-0 in the first quarter before Auburn answered with 24 straight points and took a 24-14 lead into the fourth quarter. The win was the second in series history for an unranked Auburn team over a top-ranked Georgia team. The first was a 27-13 victory in 1942. It was also Auburn’s first win in Athens since 2005.
Auburn now has five wins over No. 1 teams since 1994, the most among FBS programs in that span. Saturday’s victory was the Tigers’ first over a No. 1 team since 2017, when they beat Alabama 26-14 in the Iron Bowl.
Auburn is 4-2 in Golesh’s first season. The Tigers opened the season with a 17-16 win over Baylor in the Aflac Kickoff Game, stopping a Baylor two-point conversion attempt late in the fourth quarter.
Golesh is the fourth coach to win the Bryant award more than once. He was also selected on Sept. 9, 2025, when he coached at South Florida. He joins Oklahoma’s Brent Venables, a three-time winner, and two-time winners Mike Elko of Texas A&M and Jeff Brohm of Louisville. Other selections this season are Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz, Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell, Ole Miss’ Pete Golding, Oklahoma State’s Eric Morris, Western Michigan’s Lance Taylor and Memphis’ Charles Huff.
About the Bear Bryant Awards
The American Heart Association presents the Bear Bryant Awards annually to celebrate excellence in coaching, honor Bryant’s legacy and raise awareness and critical funds for its mission. Bryant died of a heart attack in 1983, 28 days after his final victory and retirement.
Each week through the rest of the season, the awards recognize a coach for leading a team to an exceptional victory. A committee of national college football media members selects the Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Week.
About the Dodd Trophy
The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week award honors a coach who led his team to a significant victory the previous week while embodying the award’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity.
A panel of all previous winners, national media members, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame member will choose the finalists at the end of the 2026 season. The 2026 winner will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
