Joe Moore Award finalists feature pair of College Football Playoff teams
By Keith Farner
Published:
Cole Cubelic is a part of the process to select the Joe Moore Award, which is an annual honor given to the best offensive line in college football since 2015.
Cubelic, a former Auburn offensive lineman, WJOX co-host and SEC Network analyst, announced that the finalists are Georgia and Michigan, which won the award last season.
Both teams are in the College Football Playoff, with Georgia set to play Ohio State, and Michigan will square off against TCU.
The teams are each undefeated and while Michigan averages 453.5 yards per game, Georgia sits at 491.9.
“To be considered a potential Joe Moore Award winner, an offense must be successful because of their O- line unit, not despite it, and that is unquestionably the case with the 2022 finalists,” said Cubelic, chairman of the Joe Moore Award voting committee. “Historically it’s taken five to six weeks for O-line units to hit their stride, but Georgia and Michigan separated themselves pretty early on with their teamwork, technique, and commitment to physicality.”
Georgia’s offensive line has only allowed 7 sacks this year. That leads the SEC and is tied for second nationally. Meanwhile at Michigan, all 5 offensive linemen earned all-conference honors, with 3 first-team and one second-team selection. Center Olu Oluwatimi is a finalist for the Outland Trophy and Rimington Award, and Michigan leads the Big Ten and is sixth nationally in rushing offense at 234 yards per contest.
Behind the protection of the O-line, the Bulldogs are averaging 39.2 points/game and 207 yards per game rushing during Georgia’s 13-0 season.
The award is named after the legendary Notre Dame offensive line coach.
… And Then There Were Two
The Foundation for Teamwork announces the two finalists for the 2022 Joe Moore Award presented to college football’s Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit. @GeorgiaFootball@UMichFootball
Press Release: https://t.co/KH7MbtMk46#IAmBecauseOfUs pic.twitter.com/qKxuDhUQ4q
— Joe Moore Award (@JoeMooreAward) December 7, 2022
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
