ATLANTA (Sept. 13, 2021) - Officials from the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. today announced that Oregon head football coach Mario Cristobal has been selected as The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week presented by PNC.

The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week award honors a football coach who led his team to a significant victory during the previous week, while also embodying the award's three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity.

The Oregon Ducks secured a top-five win on the road defeating No. 3 Ohio State 35-28 in Columbus. The Oregon rushing offense propelled the Ducks with 269 yards on the ground led by junior running back C.J. Verdell's 161 yards and three touchdowns. A short-handed Duck defense missing two key starters still came up with three fourth-down stops and sophomore Oregon safety Verone McKinley III sealed the upset with a late fourth quarter interception.

The win over Ohio State marked Oregon's first-ever victory over the Buckeyes and also snapped Ohio State's 23-game home winning streak. It was Oregon's first road win over a top-five team since 2011 and the ninth win over a top-five team in program history.

"This was a monumental victory for both Oregon and the Pac-12 that now puts them at the forefront of the College Football Playoff conversation," said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. "Coach Dodd would have appreciated Coach Cristobal's ability to rally his short-handed team and pull off one of the biggest upsets of the early season in a hostile environment."

Cristobal is now in his fourth season with the Ducks after being named the head coach at Oregon in 2018. Cristobal has led the Ducks to two New Year's Six bowls including a 2020 Rose Bowl victory, two Pac-12 championships and was named the 2019 AP Pac-12 Coach of the Year. Since Cristobal took over Oregon leads the Pac-12 in overall victories with 27 and conference wins with 16.

Off the football field, Cristobal has led the Ducks to an impressive Academic Progress Rate of 968 in the classroom. Under Cristobal's leadership, former quarterback Justin Herbert was named to a multitude of academic awards including the William V. Campbell Trophy, Pac-12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year and CoSIDA Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year. The Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll also featured 15 Oregon football players in the 2020-2021 school year.

In the community, Cristobal and his wife Jessica recently donated lunches to the Eugene Police Department. Cristobal has also been involved with fundraising for the Bald Faced Truth Foundation Auction, a non-profit organization that aims to help children in art, music, education and athletics.

"Coach Cristobal has already made significant strides during his time in Eugene, both on the football field and in the classroom," said Gary Stokan, CEO and president of Peach Bowl, Inc. "With an impressive win over the Buckeyes, Cristobal looks to be in strong position for consideration to be a candidate for our upcoming Dodd Trophy Midseason Watch List and possibly even a Finalist at the end of the season."

The Dodd Trophy presented by PNC - along with the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week Award – celebrates the head coach of a FBS team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity.

A panel consisting of all previous winners, national media, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame member will identify the final list of potential recipients at the conclusion of the 2021 season. The winner of the 2021 Dodd Trophy will be announced in Atlanta during the week of this year's Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.