Jedd Fisch is one of five finalists for the Dodd Trophy, presented annually to college football’s coach of the year.

After leading Arizona to a 9-3 record and six straight wins to close out the season, Fisch was announced as a finalist on Monday by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. He’s joined by Washington’s Kalen DeBoer, Florida State’s Mike Norvell, Alabama’s Nick Saban, and Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz.

The winner of the 2023 Dodd Trophy will be announced in Atlanta during bowl week at this year’s Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

Arizona capped the 2023 season with a dominant 59-23 win over rival Arizona State, marking consecutive victories over the Sun Devils for the first time since 2008-09.

Under Fisch’s stewardship, the Wildcats improved from a one-win campaign two seasons ago to finish third in the Pac-12 — the highest finish in the conference since winning the South and appearing in the Pac-12 Championship against Oregon in 2014. They’ll face Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl — the program’s first bowl game for the first time since 2017.

Arizona enters the postseason with one of college football’s most efficient offenses. The Wildcats rank 10th in yards per play, averaging 6.8. The emergence of Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan in the pass game — both members of a dynamite 2022 signing class that has largely fueled Arizona’s resurgence — has been key in the offensive turnaround.

The Wildcats also made the necessary adjustments on defense this fall. A year after finishing near the bottom of the FBS, Arizona has a top-40 defense.

Arizona gave up 37 points a game during the 2022 season to rank 126th in the country. This year, the Wildcats rank 27th nationally, allowing just 20.8 points a game. The Wildcats ranked 126th in defensive efficiency as well last season when they gave up 6.6 yards a play. This year, they’ve climbed to 42nd (5.3). The red zone defense, which ranked 97th a year ago, is among the 15 stringiest red zone units in the country this fall.