COLUMBUS, Ohio — After a 5-1 start to the 2021 season, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day was named to the 2021 Dodd Trophy midseason watch list.

Day joins Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, Penn State head coach James Franklin, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker on the list of 16 coaches in the running for the award, along with Cincinnati head coach and former Ohio State head coach Luke Fickell.

The Big Ten leads the way with five selections.

The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc.curates this list based on the team's current performance during the 2021 season, Academic Progress Rate (APR), and each coach's commitment to service and charity in the community.

Ohio State is currently No. 5 in the latest AP Poll, while Day's team, as a whole, has an APR of 985.

The winner of the 2021 Dodd Trophy will be announced in Atlanta during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.