Texas Tech University Athletics
McGuire adds Dodd Trophy finalist honors
December 17, 2025 | Football
Joey McGuire was named a finalist for his third national coaching honor Wednesday by the Dodd Trophy
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire was named one of five finalists Wednesday for the Dodd Trophy, which is presented annually to the head coach who "enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity."
It is the third national coaching award to name McGuire as a finalist as he was previously one of the final candidates for both the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award and the Eddie Robinson Award in recent weeks. This is the first time in his career McGuire has been a finalist for any of the national coaching awards.
McGuire was one of four first-time Dodd Trophy finalists, joining the likes of Indiana's Curt Cignetti, Ohio State's Ryan Day and Vanderbilt's Clark Lea. Georgia's Kirby Smart was named a finalist for the third time in his career.
The Red Raiders have reached new heights this season under McGuire, who has pushed Texas Tech to a school-record 12 wins and its first Big 12 title entering the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl. Texas Tech awaits the winner of Saturday's opening round game between No. 5 Oregon and No. 12 seed James Madison on Jan. 1 in Miami.
McGuire has built a College Football Playoff contender behind one of the most balanced rosters in college football as the Red Raiders enter bowl season ranked in the top five nationally for total offense (480.3 yards per game), total defense (254.4 yards allowed per game), scoring offense (42.5 points per game) and scoring defense (10.9 points allowed per game). The Red Raiders are currently the only school in the country to rank in the top five in all four categories, all while leading the FBS in both rushing defense (68.5 yards per game) and takeaways (31).
That balance has made Texas Tech one of the most-dominant teams in recent history on its way to a 12-1 record thus far, with all 12 wins coming by at least 20 points. The Red Raiders are joined by Alabama in 2018 as the only teams in the Associated Press era (since 1936) to record 12 or more wins by 20-plus points prior to a bowl game.
The Red Raiders have been the winningest Big 12 program under McGuire as Texas Tech has won 25 conference games in his four seasons, the most for any league school during that span. The Red Raiders are 35-17 overall under McGuire, which is the most wins by a Texas Tech head coach through 52 games since Pete Cawthon was 36-14-1 at the same point in his tenure from 1930-40.
Finalists for the Dodd Trophy were selected by a panel consisting of all previous winners, national media, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame member, taking into consideration each program's graduation rate, Graduation Success Rate (GSR), commitment to service and charity in the community, on-field success thus far for the 2025 season and Academic Progress Rate (APR).
The winner of the 2025 Dodd Trophy will be announced in Atlanta during bowl week at this year's College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
