In his first season with the UCLA football program, coach Jim Mora has been named a finalist for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year award.
The Bruins had a 9-3 record in regular season in 2012 and were runners-up in the Pac-12 conference, falling in the title game to the Stanford Cardinal. UCLA will head to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego later this month.
There is one winner named per collegiate division. Mora is one of 10 nominees from Division I-Football Bowl Subdivision.
Mora was the only finalist from the Pac-12. Other finalists are Urban Meyer (Ohio State), Brian Kelly (Notre Dame), Bill Snyder (Kansas State), Bill O’Brien (Penn State), Charlie Strong (Louisville), Mark Richt (Georgia), Dabo Swinney (Clemson), Nick Saban (Alabama) and Kevin Sumlin (Texas A&M).
The winner will be announced on Jan. 7 in South Florida, and will be determined by votes from a committee, fans and media.
Compiled by Emma Coghlan, Bruin Sports senior staff.