Rotary Club Names 12 Lombardi Award Semifinalists
Seven of the 12 semifinalists for the 2026 Vince Lombardi Award play in the Southeastern Conference.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Football
The Rotary Club of Houston named 12 semifinalists for the 2026 Vince Lombardi Award, which honors the nation's top college linemen. Georgia and Iowa are the only schools with multiple semifinalists, with Georgia having Drew Bobo and Chris Cole.
Why it matters
The award recognizes the top college linemen while supporting the fight against cancer, and it was established by the Rotary Club of Houston in 1970. The concentration of semifinalists in the SEC reflects the conference's strength along the offensive and defensive lines.
The SEC has produced a Lombardi Award winner in 2022 and 2024, and two SEC finalists in 2025, though Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech won that year. Seven of this year's 12 semifinalists come from the conference, while the final selection has not yet been made.
The players
Rotary Club of Houston
The Houston chapter of the international service organization established the Lombardi Award in 1970 and administers its selection process.
Vince Lombardi Award
The award is named after the legendary Green Bay Packers coach and honors the nation's top college lineman each year.
The details
The Rotary Club of Houston identified the semifinalists on Wednesday, listing each by name, school, and position group. The 2026 winner will be revealed at the 53rd Annual Lombardi Award Gala.
Timeline
2022: Will Anderson Jr. won the Lombardi Award.
2024: Kelvin Banks won the Lombardi Award.
2025: Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech won the Lombardi Award.
December 9: The 2026 winner will be revealed at the 53rd Annual Lombardi Award Gala at the Hilton Americas-Houston.
Season Trajectory
The concentration of semifinalists in the SEC continues a pattern seen in 2025, when two conference players were finalists. The result shapes expectations for the conference's standing in the coming postseason award races.
Fantasy managers and college football fans can use the semifinalist list to track linemen from the 12 named players. The winner will be announced at the December 9 gala, which provides a clear date for following the final result.
The takeaway
Following the Lombardi Award shows how individual linemen earn national recognition across conferences. Tracking the December 9 gala will reveal whether the SEC's strength among semifinalists carries through to the winner.
What happens next
The winner of the 2026 Vince Lombardi Award will be revealed at the 53rd Annual Lombardi Award Gala on December 9 at the Hilton Americas-Houston.
Further reading
For more on the college game, explore the latest Football coverage.
