Alabama's Nick Saban Named Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week

The Crimson Tide head coach was selected as the weekly recipient by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and PNC.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — As presented by PNC and the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation, Alabama head coach Nick Saban was selected as the coach of the week in college football after the Crimson Tide won its SEC opener at Florida, 31-29, officials of the foundation announced Monday. 

"Coach Saban continues to set records both on and off the football field," said Gary Stokan, CEO and president of Peach Bowl, Inc. "Nick is a former winner of The Dodd Trophy, and truly epitomizes everything that the award stands for." 

And with its win over the Gators, under Saban Alabama improves to 42-3 against teams from the SEC East division. Meanwhile, in the 15 seasons he's led the Crimson Tide the program is 14-1 in road openers in-conference.

Saban earns this week's recognition from the presenters of an award that was originally founded in 1976 and named in honor of Bobby Dodd, the former Georgia Tech coach who spent 22 seasons leading the Yellow Jackets. 

Dodd was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach. 

"This was another significant victory for Alabama that now puts the Crimson Tide in the driver’s seat for the SEC West and another College Football Playoff bid,” said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. "Coach Dodd would have appreciated coach Saban’s ability to keep his team poised in a hostile road environment and a highly competitive game against a solid Florida team.”

As for Saban, though, the Florida win marks his 92nd overall and 65th at Alabama to a team ranked in the AP Poll Top 25. And 25 of Saban's 92 overall wins to teams in the Top 25 were road games, placing the Crimson Tide coach third all-time in that category.

Alabama returns home to play Southern Miss this Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.