Joe Moore Award Unveils 2025 Finalists List
Three teams earned spot on prestigious list thanks to physical, focused play
The Foundation for Teamwork announced today the three college football offensive line units that earned a spot on the prestigious 2025 Joe Moore Award Finalists list. These programs, made up of champions and contenders, have established themselves as the best of the best this season, representing the values that define the Joe Moore Award – toughness, effort, teamwork, consistency, technique and finishing.
Indiana, Iowa and Oregon, a trio of schools from the Big Ten, have earned their position on the Finalist list based on their complete body of work throughout the entirety of the college football season, with each program bringing something different to bear during their journeys.
“Every year we look for the line that best reflects the spirit of Joe Moore: toughness, teamwork, and a willingness to do your job no matter what,” said Aaron Taylor, founder of the Joe Moore Award and College Football Hall of Famer who played for Moore at Notre Dame. “Indiana never flinched, Iowa never wavered, and Oregon never backed down — while battling injuries. In a season full of chaos and inconsistency, these units were the heartbeat their teams could count on.”
On Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. (ET) / 5 p.m. (PT), lead SEC Network sideline analyst Cole Cubelic, NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein of NFL.com and Taylor will join CBS Sports personality Jenny Dell for a special live presentation of “Trench Life” to break down the state of offensive line play and understand what helped these programs stand out from the rest of the crowd.
“What stood out with these three groups is how connected they were — Indiana’s toughness, Iowa’s machine-like precision, and Oregon’s ability to flip the switch and impose their will,” said Cubelic, lead analyst for the SEC Network and Voting Committee Chairman. “They all played with a shared strain and purpose that separated them from the rest of the country. These units don’t just block plays; they define who their teams are. And no matter how much skill talent you’ve got, the offense still runs through the identity forged in those OL rooms.”
Indiana
Coached by Bob Bostad, the top-ranked Hoosiers captured the Big Ten title thanks to a physically imposing and efficient offensive line. Indiana finished second in the country in points per game at 44.3, fifth in yards per game at 483.8 and third in the country in rushing success rate by running backs at 57 percent. In fact, only 13 percent of all their rushes went for zero or negative yards and, despite being blitzed 34 percent of the time, the Hoosiers only allowed 15 sacks in the regular season. In the Big Ten Championship Game, Indiana finished with 340 yards of total offense, the most allowed by Ohio State all season long.
Iowa
The 2016 recipient of the Joe Moore Award, clean, consistent, and physical play defines the Hawkeyes’ offensive line. Coached by George Barnett, Iowa fielded the same starting lineup each week and did not have its first accepted holding penalty until its 10th game of the season. The Hawkeyes allowed only 16 sacks during the year, outrushed nine of its opponents, had the fifth-longest average time to pressure allowed at 2.8 seconds and finished 11th in the country in converting on third-and-short opportunities.
Oregon
It’s all about consistency and toughness as the Ducks are the only school to be a semifinalist in each of the past four seasons. This season, Oregon led the country in rushing success rate by running backs at 59 percent and are third in the country in yards per rush by running backs at 6.4. The Ducks allowed no sacks in seven of their 12 games, rank fifth nationally in yards per rush at 5.8 and are third in the country in converting third-and-short plays.
“Back when I was a graduate assistant for Joe Moore at Notre Dame, he taught me that great offensive lines don’t all look the same, but they all dominate,” said Greg Hudson, a 25-year college coaching veteran. “Watching this year’s finalists brought those lessons right back. Indiana battled with the kind of grit you can feel in your chest, Iowa played with a rhythm, discipline and consistency that just drains the hope out of a defense, and Oregon showed the physicality and versatility to finish and impose their will, something Joe used to call ‘the mark of grown-man football.’ When five guys trust each other like that, when they move with one heartbeat and one intent, it jumps off the film. And the committee felt these groups did that every week.”
Looking Ahead
After the finalists have been selected, a vote will be held to select the 2025 recipient of the Joe Moore Award by a voting committee of more than 200 members. This voting body includes all of the current offensive line coaches at the Division I/FBS level, as well as former players, coaches, colleagues of Coach Joe Moore, and select media members. Following the voting, there will be a surprise on campus announcement on the winning unit’s campus in mid to late December 2025.
Voting Sub-Committee
The Joe Moore Award voting sub-committee is composed of individuals who are highly knowledgeable about offensive line play, including former linemen, o-line coaches, NFL talent evaluators and media analysts. This group conducts in-depth analysis by reviewing game tape every week of the season to assess both the fundamentals and subtleties of overall offensive line performance.
Joe Moore Award Credo
Teamwork. It’s what defines football as a sport, and it is displayed in its greatest glory – in its most profound necessity – in the play of the offensive line. For it is there that individual achievement only matters if the entire unit is performing. When we execute together, great things happen. But if one player missteps, the rest of the team pays the price. That idea – along with hard work and the willingness to strive to be your best – embodies what Coach Joe Moore instilled in his players.
But it’s about more than football. It’s about how we live our lives, how we contribute to society, how we participate in the realization of great things. Teamwork is a bond. It’s a promise. And it’s a commitment to put the greater good above ourselves. It’s the greatest form of individual achievement because it requires total sacrifice – of focus, of effort, of ego. The road to success requires an unwavering commitment to purpose that creates an unbreakable bond between each of us. And it makes that success one of the greatest achievements on the planet.
About the Joe Moore Award
The Joe Moore Award is named after Joe Moore, widely regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in college football history, most notably for his work at Notre Dame and the University of Pittsburgh. Coach Moore sent 52 players on to the NFL, including Bill Fralic, Mark May, Russ Grimm, Jimbo Covert, Andy Heck and others. The Joe Moore Award trophy, crafted by legendary sports sculptor Jerry McKenna, is the largest trophy in college football, standing at a height of seven feet and weighing in at more than 800 pounds. The perpetual trophy is made available for display by the winning university until the conclusion of the following college football season.
About The Foundation for Teamwork
The Foundation for Teamwork is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to fostering teamwork in all societal endeavors and bringing that spirit of collective achievement to athletics, education, and organizations.
Learn More or Follow Us
Find out more at joemooreaward.com and follow the Joe Moore Award on Twitter (@joemooreaward), Instagram (@joemooreaward), and Facebook (facebook.com/JoeMooreAward).
For media inquiries, please contact Johnathan McGinty at johnathan@trestlecollective.com.