University of Georgia Athletics
Photo by: Paul Abell
Smart To Compete In 2026 Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge
April 16, 2026 | Football
Smart set to make his 10th appearance in the nation's premier collegiate coach golf event
Greensboro, Ga. (April 16, 2026) – Georgia head coach Kirby Smart will once again represent the Bulldogs in the 19th annual Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament held April 26 – 28 at Reynolds Lake Oconee outside of Atlanta. This represents coach Smart's 10th appearance in the Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge as he looks to add to the $353,750 in charitable winnings he's already won in previous events.
The nation's premier collegiate coach golf event will be played in Two Man Scramble format with Stableford scoring in an 18-hole tournament. Pairings were determined by balancing handicaps between teams and will feature 12 two-man teams that pair an active coach with a former coach (Legend). One pairing will include two active head coaches (Rhett Lashlee and Jeff Monken).
The current field of competitors and official pairings for this year's Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge is projected to include:
This year's field includes an impressive roster of college football greats that features six former Dodd Trophy winners, and a collective group of coaches who have won nine FBS national championships, 64 conference championships and boast 2,925 career wins.
The 2026 field also features 24 coaches who have previously competed in the Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge, while Rhett Lashlee and Ted Roof are set to make their first-ever appearances in the event.
Proceeds from the competition benefit charitable foundations selected by the coaches. Coach Smart's winnings will go to the Kirby Smart Family Foundation, which focuses on being champions in the community by supporting and giving back to needy children and families facing adversity.
To date, 61 head coaches have participated in the tournament during its 19-year history, raising a total of $3.5 million for 78 different charities and foundations. Since its creation in 2007, the event has contributed a total of $10 million in scholarship and charity, helping make Peach Bowl, Inc. college football's most charitable bowl organization.
"We've now raised $10 million in charitable funds from this event and look forward to adding to that total thanks to this year's impressive field of coaches," Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO and President Gary Stokan said. "This annual tradition has grown to become the premier collegiate coach golf event and we're thankful so many of college football's biggest names have participated over the years in order to give back to various causes that have personal meaning to them."
Florida State head coach Mike Norvell and partner Urban Meyer will look to win their third consecutive Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge after winning back-to-back titles at the 2024 and 2025 tournaments. Paul Johnson leads all other coaches with four wins in the event, followed by Mike Norvell, Urban Meyer, Randy Edsall, Hugh Freeze, Matt Luke and Steve Spurrier, who each have two tournament victories to date.
@CFAPeachBowl
About Peach Bowl, Inc.:
Peach Bowl, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization that operates the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, the Aflac Kickoff Game, the Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament, and manages and operates The Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank national coach of the year award. It is the ninth-oldest bowl game in the country and is recognized as college football's most charitable bowl organization, having donated more than $70.9 million to organizations in need.
Peach Bowl, Inc Events:
Our Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl is one of the New Year's Six bowls selected to host the College Football Playoff. Over its 58 years, the game has drawn 3.45 million fans in attendance, a total television audience of 275.1 million viewers on ESPN, delivered $273.2 million in team payouts, and has created $997.4 million in direct economic impact and $59.82 million in tax revenue for Atlanta and Georgia.
Our Aflac Kickoff Game is the nation's longest-running kickoff game and has reshaped the opening weekend in college football. With 23 games since 2008, the game has regularly hosted the nation's top teams and has drawn nearly 1.5 million fans, 116.4 million television viewers, distributed $143.6 million in team payouts and created an additional $641.8 million in economic impact and $45.1 million in tax revenue for Atlanta and Georgia.
The Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge is the nation's premier charity golf tournament featuring top current and former college football coaches. Hosted at the beautiful Reynolds Lake Oconee resort outside Atlanta each spring, the event has generated $10 million for the various foundations and charities supported by its coaches.
The Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank is college football's most coveted national coaching award. Named for legendary Georgia Tech coach Bobby Dodd, The Dodd Trophy annually honors the FBS football coach whose program represents three pillars of success: scholarship, leadership and integrity.
Greensboro, Ga. (April 16, 2026) – Georgia head coach Kirby Smart will once again represent the Bulldogs in the 19th annual Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament held April 26 – 28 at Reynolds Lake Oconee outside of Atlanta. This represents coach Smart's 10th appearance in the Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge as he looks to add to the $353,750 in charitable winnings he's already won in previous events.
The nation's premier collegiate coach golf event will be played in Two Man Scramble format with Stableford scoring in an 18-hole tournament. Pairings were determined by balancing handicaps between teams and will feature 12 two-man teams that pair an active coach with a former coach (Legend). One pairing will include two active head coaches (Rhett Lashlee and Jeff Monken).
The current field of competitors and official pairings for this year's Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge is projected to include:
OFFICIAL PAIRINGS
| COACH | SCHOOL | PARTNER |
|---|---|---|
| Shane Beamer | South Carolina | Houston Nutt (Legend) |
| Manny Diaz | Duke | Ted Roof (Legend) |
| Dave Doeren | NC State | Steve Spurrier (Legend) |
| P.J. Fleck | Minnesota | Gus Malzahn (Legend) |
| Brent Key | Georgia Tech | Hugh Freeze (Legend) |
| Dan Lanning | Oregon | Randy Edsall (Legend) |
| Rhett Lashlee | SMU | Jeff Monken (Army) |
| Jeff Monken | Army | Rhett Lashlee (SMU) |
| Pat Narduzzi | Pitt | Chan Gailey (Legend) |
| Mike Norvell | Florida State | Urban Meyer (Legend) |
| Scott Satterfield | Cincinnati | Mack Brown (Legend) |
| Kirby Smart | Georgia | Tommy Tuberville (Legend) |
| Dabo Swinney | Clemson | Jim Grobe (Legend) |
| Kyle Whittingham | Michigan | Paul Johnson (Legend) |
This year's field includes an impressive roster of college football greats that features six former Dodd Trophy winners, and a collective group of coaches who have won nine FBS national championships, 64 conference championships and boast 2,925 career wins.
The 2026 field also features 24 coaches who have previously competed in the Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge, while Rhett Lashlee and Ted Roof are set to make their first-ever appearances in the event.
Proceeds from the competition benefit charitable foundations selected by the coaches. Coach Smart's winnings will go to the Kirby Smart Family Foundation, which focuses on being champions in the community by supporting and giving back to needy children and families facing adversity.
To date, 61 head coaches have participated in the tournament during its 19-year history, raising a total of $3.5 million for 78 different charities and foundations. Since its creation in 2007, the event has contributed a total of $10 million in scholarship and charity, helping make Peach Bowl, Inc. college football's most charitable bowl organization.
"We've now raised $10 million in charitable funds from this event and look forward to adding to that total thanks to this year's impressive field of coaches," Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO and President Gary Stokan said. "This annual tradition has grown to become the premier collegiate coach golf event and we're thankful so many of college football's biggest names have participated over the years in order to give back to various causes that have personal meaning to them."
ALL-TIME WINNINGS LEADERBOARD
| RANK | COACH (SCHOOL) | EARNINGS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Johnson (Georgia Tech) | $905,000 |
| 2 | Steve Spurrier (S. Carolina / Florida) | $662,000 |
| 3 | Frank Beamer (Virginia Tech) | $435,000 |
| 4 | Dave Doeren (NC State) | $380,800 |
| 5 | Nick Saban (Alabama) | $363,333 |
| 6 | Dan Mullen (UNLV) | $354,967 |
| 7 | Kirby Smart (Georgia) | $353,750 |
| 8 | Hugh Freeze (Auburn) | $340,417 |
| 9 | Dabo Swinney (Clemson) | $310,000 |
| 10 | Gus Malzahn (FSU) | $251,667 |
| 11 | Jim Grobe (Wake Forest) | $247,000 |
| 12 | Randy Edsall (Maryland / UConn) | $228,300 |
| 13 | Urban Meyer (OSU) | $225,000 |
| 14 | Matt Luke (Ole Miss) | $215,000 |
| 15 | Tommy Tuberville (Auburn/Cincinnati) | $206,250 |
| 16 | Jimbo Fisher (FSU / Texas A&M) | $175,000 |
| 17 | Al Golden (Miami) | $170,000 |
| 18 | Pat Narduzzi (Pitt) | $170,000 |
| 19 | Larry Fedora (North Carolina) | $152,500 |
| 20 | Houston Nutt (Ole Miss / Houston) | $142,500 |
Florida State head coach Mike Norvell and partner Urban Meyer will look to win their third consecutive Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge after winning back-to-back titles at the 2024 and 2025 tournaments. Paul Johnson leads all other coaches with four wins in the event, followed by Mike Norvell, Urban Meyer, Randy Edsall, Hugh Freeze, Matt Luke and Steve Spurrier, who each have two tournament victories to date.
PAST WINNERS
| YEAR | COACHES |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Mike Norvell / Urban Meyer |
| 2024 | Mike Norvell / Urban Meyer |
| 2023 | Pat Narduzzi / Chan Gailey |
| 2022 | Randy Edsall / Houston Nutt |
| 2021 | Randy Edsall / Tom O'Brien |
| 2020 | [ Not played -- COVID ] |
| 2019 | Matt Luke / Wesley Walls |
| 2018 | Matt Luke / Wesley Walls |
| 2017 | Hugh Freeze / Wesley Walls |
| 2016 | Hugh Freeze / Wesley Walls |
| 2015 | Paul Johnson / Jon Barry |
| 2014 | Paul Johnson / Jon Barry |
| 2013 | Al Golden / Gino Torretta |
| 2012 | Paul Johnson / Jon Barry |
| 2011 | Paul Johnson / Jon Barry |
| 2010 | Jimbo Fisher / Terrell Buckley |
| 2009 | Steve Spurrier / Sterling Sharpe |
| 2008 | Steve Spurrier / Sterling Sharpe |
| 2007 | Frank Beamer / Dell Curry |
@CFAPeachBowl
About Peach Bowl, Inc.:
Peach Bowl, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization that operates the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, the Aflac Kickoff Game, the Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament, and manages and operates The Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank national coach of the year award. It is the ninth-oldest bowl game in the country and is recognized as college football's most charitable bowl organization, having donated more than $70.9 million to organizations in need.
Peach Bowl, Inc Events:
Our Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl is one of the New Year's Six bowls selected to host the College Football Playoff. Over its 58 years, the game has drawn 3.45 million fans in attendance, a total television audience of 275.1 million viewers on ESPN, delivered $273.2 million in team payouts, and has created $997.4 million in direct economic impact and $59.82 million in tax revenue for Atlanta and Georgia.
Our Aflac Kickoff Game is the nation's longest-running kickoff game and has reshaped the opening weekend in college football. With 23 games since 2008, the game has regularly hosted the nation's top teams and has drawn nearly 1.5 million fans, 116.4 million television viewers, distributed $143.6 million in team payouts and created an additional $641.8 million in economic impact and $45.1 million in tax revenue for Atlanta and Georgia.
The Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge is the nation's premier charity golf tournament featuring top current and former college football coaches. Hosted at the beautiful Reynolds Lake Oconee resort outside Atlanta each spring, the event has generated $10 million for the various foundations and charities supported by its coaches.
The Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank is college football's most coveted national coaching award. Named for legendary Georgia Tech coach Bobby Dodd, The Dodd Trophy annually honors the FBS football coach whose program represents three pillars of success: scholarship, leadership and integrity.
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