- AFCA Coaches' National Championship Trophy
AFCA Coaches' National Championship Trophy
Since 1986, the winner of the UPI or USA Today Coaches’ Poll has received the Coaches' Trophy.
The trophy — valued at $30,000 — features a football made of Waterford® Crystal and an ebony base. The winning institution retains the AFCA Trophy for permanent display on campus.
As part of the AFCA’s involvement with the Bowl Championship Series, the winner of the national championship game each year is presented with the AFCA Trophy in an on-field ceremony following the game.
The Coaches’ Trophy was first presented to the winner of the UPI Coaches’ Poll in 1986, when it was sponsored by the Gerrits Foundation. Gerritts joined with Pepsi as co-sponsors in 1988 and 1989. McDonalds presented the trophy from 1990 to 1992. From 1993 to 2001, the trophy was presented by Sears as part of its Collegiate Champions program, and Circuit City took over title sponsorship in 2002. ADT Security Services sponsored the trophy from 2003-2005. Dr. Pepper is presenting the Coaches' Trophy in 2009.
The AFCA also awards trophies to the national champions in NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Division II and III and the NAIA, along with plaques to all AFCA-member coaches whose teams win conference championships or, if they are not affiliated with a conference, qualify for the playoffs in their respective NCAA or NAIA divisions.
The national championship trophies and conference plaques are awarded to the winning coaches at the AFCA Awards Luncheon, held during the AFCA Convention each January.
The Coaches’ Trophy and the image of the Crystal Football are trademarks of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). The AFCA is the copyright owner of the Coaches' Trophy.
Foundation Awards: The school of each NCAA and NAIA national championship team receives $1,000 from The American Football Coaches Foundation for each full-time AFCA-member assistant football coach who was on staff the year the head coach was honored. The money is to be used to assist in the education of each assistant coach. Assistants must be coaching at an NCAA or NAIA institution.
If a school wins a national championship and the head coach wins AFCA National Coach of the Year honors, the school receives $1,500 for each full-time assistant who is an AFCA member.
Visit the current USA Today Coaches' Poll.
