Babers Named Finalist for Dodd Trophy
12/5/2018 3:00:00 PM | Football
ATLANTA – Syracuse head football coach Dino Babers was named a finalist for the 2018 Dodd Trophy on Wednesday, Dec. 5.
Babers is one of seven coaches in contention for the award, which is presented by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The award recognizes coaches in college football who embody the award's three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity, both on and off the field.
The other six finalists are: Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern), Brian Kelly (Notre Dame), Lincoln Riley (Oklahoma), Nick Saban (Alabama), Kirby Smart (Georgia) and Dabo Swinney (Clemson).
Fan voting is now open for the 2018 Dodd Trophy 🏆
— The Dodd Trophy (@DoddTrophy) December 5, 2018
Retweet to cast your vote for Dino Babers as the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Year. pic.twitter.com/VMEKNdRNnH
"All of these finalists truly exemplify the type of leadership that Bobby Dodd valued and are noteworthy candidates to join the esteemed group of former Dodd Trophy recipients," said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. "We're honored to have such a renowned list of finalists who truly embody Coach Dodd's spirit, both on and off the field."
The Orange have had a breakthrough season in Babers' third year at the helm. The Orange are 9-3 overall and have earned a berth opposite No. 15 West Virginia in the Camping World Bowl. Syracuse placed second in the ACC Atlantic Division with a 6-2 league record after being picked to finish last on its side of the conference in the preseason.
Syracuse also attained its first top-25 ranking in 17 years in 2018. The Orange broke into the Associated Press Top 25 and Amway Coaches' Poll on Oct. 28, rising to as high as No. 12 in late November. The Orange, currently No. 17 in the both polls, are seeking just the seventh 10-win season in school history.
In addition, Syracuse appeared in all six releases of the College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings. The Orange were No. 20 in the committee's final poll of the year, released on Dec. 2.
One of the most improved teams in the country, Syracuse is one of three Power-Five teams, along with Baylor and Florida, to increase its win total by five from last season. Of the Orange's three losses, two are to teams currently in the top four of the CFP rankings – No. 2 Clemson and No. 3 Notre Dame.
Syracuse boasts one of the most opportunistic defenses and complete special teams units in the country. The Orange are in the top 10 nationally in third-down defense (6th - .281), fumbles recovered (t-3rd - 13), interceptions (t-5th - 17), turnover margin (t-3rd - +1.17) and turnovers gained (t-1st - 30). In ESPN's special teams efficiency ratings, Syracuse is tied for sixth nationally and ranks second among Power-Five teams with mark of 68.8.
Offensively, Syracuse is second in the ACC in scoring offense (40.8) and third in total offense (468.8). The Orange have scored at least 50 points a school-record five times, and have scored 40+ points in eight of their 12 regular-season contests.
Finalists for this year's 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.
The winner of the 2018 Dodd Trophy will be selected from the list of finalists by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and will be announced in Atlanta during Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Week.
The 17th-ranked Orange will square off against No. 15 West Virginia (8-3, 6-3 Big 12) in the 2018 Camping World Bowl in Orlando, Fla. on Friday, Dec. 28. Bowl tickets and travel packages are available now at Cuse.com/Camping World.
New season ticket orders and renewals to watch Orange football in 2019 are also being accepted now. Tickets for next season's six-game home slate start at $100 for Syracuse University Young Alumni (Class of 2015 to Class of 2019 graduates) and $125 for the general public. They may be purchased online (Cuse.com/tickets), by phone (888-DOME-TIX) and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B).
The deadline to renew current season tickets is March 8, 2019.
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