SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Notre Dame’s offensive line was named one of 10 units selected as 2026 Joe Moore Award Semifinalists. The award annually honors the best offensive line unit in college football. Notre Dame last won the award in 2017.
The Irish offensive line has helped power one of the most productive scoring offenses in the season so far. Notre Dame is averaging 39.3 points per game, the ninth-best scoring offense in the FBS. The group has also excelled in pass protection, allowing just two sacks this season, the fewest allowed in the FBS.
Notre Dame's offensive line set the standard in Saturday's 31-24 victory over Miami, controlling the line of scrimmage against a formidable Hurricanes front. They pitched a clean sheet in pass protection by allowing zero sacks, giving quarterback CJ Carr all the time he needed to throw for 319 yards and three touchdowns. Behind that wall, Notre Dame accumulated 412 yards of total offense across 69 plays, averaging 6.0 yards per play.
The Joe Moore Award is named after Joe Moore, widely regarded as one of the top offensive line coaches in college football history for his work at Notre Dame and the University of Pittsburgh. Moore coached 52 players who went on to play in the NFL, including Bill Fralic, Mark May, Russ Grimm, Jimbo Covert and Andy Heck.
Crafted by legendary sports sculptor Jerry McKenna, the Joe Moore Award trophy stands seven feet tall and weighs more than 800 pounds, making it the largest trophy in college football. The perpetual trophy remains on display at the winning university until the conclusion of the following college football season.