Luke Fickell added a prominent award to his coaching career, and another acknowledgement of Cincinnati’s memorable season as he was named the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year on Monday.

The award was given out by the Football Writers Association of America and the Sugar Bowl, and Fickell was selected after a record 13 finalists were named. Alabama’s Nick Saban and Georgia’s Kirby Smart were among the finalists as all 4 coaches in the College Football Playoff, as well as 4 other coaches with teams playing in New Year’s Six Bowl games. Ten of the finalists led their teams to conference championships.

When the FWAA announced the award, it said Fickell has taken the Bearcats to unmatched feats this season, qualifying for the College Football Playoff as the nation’s only undefeated team (13-0) and the first Group of 5 program to do so while winning a second straight American Athletic Conference championship.

Fickell will receive the iconic bust of the late Eddie Robinson, a College Football Hall of Fame coach at Grambling State University for 55 years and winner of 408 career games, at a Jan. 8, 2022, reception in Indianapolis before the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

Fickell’s No. 4 Bearcats will face top-ranked Alabama in the Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 31 for a berth in the national championship game.

The other finalists were Blake Anderson of Utah State, Dave Aranda of Baylor, Thomas Hammock of NIU, Jim Harbaugh of Michigan, Billy Napier of Louisiana, Pat Narduzzi of Pitt, Kalani Sitake of BYU, Jeff Traylor of UTSA, Mel Tucker of Michigan State, and Kyle Whittingham of Utah.