IRVING, Texas – SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee has been named as a finalist for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award on Thursday.

The winner will be announced on January 10th at the Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards Ceremony that will take place in Houston at the Post Oak Hotel.

The finalists and Coach of the Year recipient are voted on by the National Sports Media Association, the Bryant Awards' Executive Leadership Team, and the Bryant Family.

Lashlee is one of eight coaches who were named, joining David Braun of Northwestern; Jamey Chadwell of Liberty; Kalen DeBoer of Washington; Eliah Drinkwitz of Missouri; Mike Norvell of Florida State and Nick Saban of Alabama and Steve Sarkisian of Texas.

Since 1986, this ceremony has recognized many of college football's all-time greats while raising valuable funds and awareness for the American Heart Association. In addition to recognizing the finalists for and announcing the winner of the Coach of the Year Award, the ceremony will be honoring Coach Lloyd Carr as the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and Olivia and Archie Manning as the Heart of a Champion Award recipients.

This is the first time Lashlee has been selected as a finalist for the prestigious award.

Lashlee has received multiple accolades this postseason as recognition for the stellar job he has done this season. He was named co-Coach of the Year by the Dave Campbell's Texas Football publication, a finalist of the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, and a semi-finalist for Coach of the Year Award by the Maxwell Football Club.

The Mustangs have posted an 11-2 record so far this year, capturing their first American Athletic Conference Championship while going undefeated (8-0) in conference play. The 11 wins are the most by the program since the 1982 National Championship team. The conference championship marks the first outright championship won by SMU in 41 years.