Auburn's Gus Malzahn is one of 13 coaches on the Bobby Dodd Trophy preseason watch list, presented annually to the top head coach in college football.

The award "celebrates the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity," according to the organization's press release Wednesday.

The trophy also takes into account a program's Academic Progress Rate scores, which Malzahn's team ranked fifth in the SEC in last year.

Only coaches whose teams are playing this fall are on the list, so the best of the Big Ten and Pac-12, such as Ohio State's Ryan Day and Oregon's Mario Cristobal, are not eligible.

From the SEC, Malzahn joins Alabama's Nick Saban, Florida's Dan Mullen, LSU's Ed Orgeron and Georgia's Kirby Smart on the short list.

Auburn opens its season Sept. 26 against Kentucky at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Mack Brown, North Carolina

Luke Fickell, Cincinnati

Tom Herman, Texas

Josh Heupel, UCF

Brian Kelly, Notre Dame

Gus Malzahn, Auburn

Bronco Mendenhall, Virginia

Dan Mullen, Florida

Ed Orgeron, LSU

Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma

Nick Saban, Alabama

Kirby Smart, Georgia

Dabo Swinney, Clemson