Kirby Smart named finalist for 2025 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award

Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart has been named a finalist for the 2025 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, according to an announcement from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).

The FWAA has presented a coaching award since the 1957 season when Ohio State’s Woody Hayes was named the first recipient. The FWAA coaching award is named after the late Eddie Robinson, a coaching legend at Grambling State University for 55 seasons.

“We are thrilled to announce our candidates for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, ” said FWAA 2025 President  Bill Bender of The Sporting News. “These are the leaders who, like the legendary coach, embodied the best of college football leadership on and off the field this season for their respective schools.”

Smart is one of 12 finalists for this season’s award. Other finalists include Bob Chesney of James Madison, last season’s winner in Curt Cignetti of Indiana, Ryan Day of Ohio State, Mike Elko of Texas A&M, Tony Elliott of Virginia, Marcus Freeman of Notre Dame, Clark Lea of Vanderbilt, Jerry Mack of Kennesaw State, Joey McGuire of Texas Tech, Jim Mora of Connecticut, and Jon Sumrall of Tulane.

“The Allstate Sugar Bowl is honored to partner with the FWAA to recognize the finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award,” said Dorothy “Dottie” Reese, the President of the Sugar Bowl Committee. “This partnership has allowed us to recognize the best coaches in the nation each year while honoring the memory and the legacy of Louisiana’s own Coach Eddie Robinson. We look forward to hosting this year’s winner next month in Miami during the weekend of the national championship game.”

Below is what the FWAA had to say about Kirby Smart:

Smart returns to the list earning his fifth (in 10 seasons at Georgia) Eddie Robinson Award finalist nod with previous nominations in the 2017, ’21, ’22 and ‘24 seasons. Smart has guided the Bulldogs (12-1) to their third SEC championship in the last four seasons and his fourth as a head coach, toppling Alabama 28-7 last week. Georgia won back-to-back SEC titles for the first time since its three-year run in 1980-82, and Georgia’s fifth straight SEC Championship Game appearance ties for the conference record. It’s a sixth consecutive season for the Bulldogs to have at least 12 wins. Georgia’s senior class is 51-5 as it heads into the College Football Playoff, again awaiting the winner between Tulane and Ole Miss for an Allstate Sugar Bowl quarterfinal showdown. Vince Dooley is Georgia’s only previous Eddie Robinson Award winner from the 1980 season. Jim Donnan was a finalist in 1997.

The recipient of the 2025 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award will be announced on Tuesday, Dec. 16. The official presentation will be at a reception on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026 in Miami, Fla., prior to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

Georgia is next scheduled to play in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day, Thursday, Jan. 1 2026 (Buy Tickets). The Bulldogs will face the winner of the first round game between the No. 11 Tulane Green Wave and No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels.

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Coach Smart is one of 12 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award 🏆#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/vtf5sz5mPQ

— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) December 9, 2025