Per GoBearcats:
University of Cincinnati football head coach Luke Fickell is one of 12 semifinalists for the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award, the Maxwell Football Club announced Wednesday.
The 12 semifinalists include: Tom Allen (Indiana), Brent Brennan (San Jose State), Matt Campbell (Iowa State), Jamey Chadwell (Coastal Carolina), Ryan Day (Ohio State), Fickell, Jimbo Fisher (Texas A&M), Hugh Freeze (Liberty), Brian Kelly (Notre Dame), Nick Saban (Alabama), Kalani Sitake (BYU) and Dabo Swinney (Clemson).
Fickell, in his fourth year at Cincinnati, is also a finalist for the Dodd Trophy and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award.
The Bearcats (9-0) won the AAC Championship, their first outright league crown since 2009. UC was No. 8 in the final College Football Playoff rankings and will play in its first New Year’s Six game and its first New Year’s Day bowl since the 2009 season when the Bearcats battle No. 9 Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
UC and Clemson are the only teams in the CFP top eight to rank among the NCAA FBS’ Top-20 teams in scoring and total offense and scoring and total defense.
The Bearcats boast one of the nation’s top defenses which ranks in the top 15 in five categories, including second in team interceptions (15) and seventh in scoring defense, giving up only 16 points per game.
UC’s offense led the American in rushing offense (225.0) and fewest sacks allowed (11.0) while ranking second in scoring offense (39.3) and third in total offense (467.2). QB Desmond Ridder (Louisville, Kentucky/St. Xavier) was the American’s Offensive Player of the Year and is a finalist for the Manning Award.
Finalist voting will open Jan. 3, 2021 and run until January 12. The winner will be announced Jan. 15e. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA Head Football Coaches, Sports Information Directors and selected national media.
No. 8 UC (9-0) and No. 9 Georgia (7-2) will meet on Jan. 1, 2021 at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff is scheduled at noon ET and the game will air on ESPN and 700 WLW AM. UC will make its first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff’s New Year’s Six and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
