College football fans everywhere will have the chance to help select the winner of the 2026 Broyles Award.
The Broyles Award recognizes the nation’s top college football assistant coach, and for the first time in its 30-year run, fans will have a voice.
The “Broyles Award Fan Vote” launches Tuesday, Nov. 25, at 12 p.m. (CST), allowing fans to cast their votes for their favorite nominees throughout each stage of the competition: semifinalist, finalist and winner. Each fan vote counts toward one collective “fan vote” in the official selection process of each round, with the goal of advancing their favorite coach. Each vote also serves as an entry to win two VIP passes to the Broyles Award Ceremony, set for Thursday, Feb. 12, at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs. The winner is selected from a group of five finalists by a selection committee made up of former Hall-of-Fame coaches, members of the Football Writers Association of America and broadcasters.
Since its founding, the Broyles Award has honored 29 winners and more than 100 finalists, including some of the biggest names in college football coaching history, such as Steve Sarkisian, Lane Kiffin, Kirby Smart, Lincoln Riley, Dan Lanning and Gus Malzahn. The Broyles Award was created in 1996, recognizing former Arkansas head football coach and athletics director Frank Broyles’ legacy of selecting and developing great assistants during his Hall-of-Fame career in Fayetteville. Proceeds from the Broyles Award benefit the Frank & Barbara Broyles Foundation, which provides free education and support resources for Alzheimer’s caregivers nationwide.
“This isn’t just a promotional campaign, it’s a chance for fans to play a real part in college football history,” said Molly Harrell, executive director of the Broyles Award and granddaughter of the late Frank Broyles. “In previous years, a single vote has determined whether a coach advanced to the next round, now the fans who live and breathe college football every Saturday get to have their say.”
Fan Voting Schedule:
Semi-Final Fan Vote: Nov. 25 at 12 p.m. to Nov. 30 at 11 p.m. (all times CST)
Finalist Fan Vote: Dec. 2 at 12 p.m. to Dec. 7 at 11 p.m.
Winner Fan Vote: Jan. 20 at 12 p.m. to Jan. 26 at 11 p.m.
