CINCINNATI, Ohio (WCMH) — Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell was named the National Coach of the Year for 2021 on Tuesday.
 
Fickell will receive the award during the 31st annual The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

 Fickell, a Columbus native, is in his fifth season at Cincinnati program after being named the Bearcats’ 42nd head coach in December 2016.
 
No. 4 Cincinnati will face top-ranked Alabama in the College Football Playoff Semifinals at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 31 for a chance at the CFP National Championship.
 
Fickell has led Cincinnati to a 13-0 mark in 2021, capturing a second straight American Athletic Conference Championship and a 24-13 win at No. 5 Notre Dame in the process.

Cincinnati is one of only two teams in the nation that ranks in the Top 10 in scoring offense (8^th – 39.2) and scoring defense (4^th – 16.1) this season and features 12 All-AAC First Team selections.
 
He led UC to back-to-back 11-win seasons in 2018 and 2019, and a 9-1 overall record in the condensed 2020 season.

He is a three-time AAC Coach of the Year, winning the conference honors in 2021, 2020 and 2018.
 
Fickell is the second UC head coach to win the National Coach of the Year Award, joining Brian Kelly who won the award in 2009.