TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama's Nick Saban is The Associated Press college football coach of the year.
This is the second time Saban has won the award. He also was coach of the year with LSU in 2003.
Saban easily outdistanced Texas Tech's Mike Leach, Utah's Kyle Whittingham and Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson in balloting by an AP media panel that votes in the weekly poll.
He received 32 votes, while Leach was second with nine. Whittingham received six votes and Johnson five. Seven other coaches also got votes.
Saban led Alabama to a 12-1 season, the only loss coming to Florida in the SEC title game. The Crimson Tide faces Utah in the Sugar Bowl for only its second Bowl Championship Series game.