Two seasons after having its football program reinstated, UAB is piling up the hardware.

Add one more to the 2018 historic milestone list.



On Saturday Jan. 5 in San Jose, Calif., two days before the National Championship Game in Levi's Stadium in nearby Santa Clara, AL.com has learned coach Bill Clark will be presented the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award for helping guide the Blazers to their first 10-win season, first division title, first Conference USA championship and back-to-back bowl trips.



The Eddie Robinson award, considered one of the most prestigious individual honors along with the Paul "Bear" Bryant coach of the year award among FBS coaches, is presented by the Football Writers Association of America and honors the former Grambling University head coach. The group will make an official announcement Thursday.



The FWAA, in partnership with the Allstate Sugar Bowl, selected the 50-year-old Clark over seven other finalists: Brian Kelly of 12-0 Notre Dame; Nick Saban of 13-0 Alabama; Dabo Swinney of 13-0 Clemson, Lincoln Riley of 12-1 Oklahoma; Josh Heupel of 12-0 Central Florida; Jeff Monken of 10-2 Army; and Jeff Tedford of 11-2 Fresno State.



Kelly and Saban are former Robinson winners. Clark, Kelly, Swinney, Monken and Tedford were finalists a year ago.



UAB (10-3) meets Northern Illinois (8-5), the Mid-American Conference champion, in the Dec. 18 Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl.



After having its school-record eight-game winning streak snapped in the regular season finale, falling 27-3 at Middle Tennessee, UAB rebounded to defeat Middle 27-25 in the league title game.



The Boca Raton Bowl will is only the third bowl game in Blazers history and the second consecutive after playing in last year's Bahamas Bowl, where they suffered a 41-6 beating.



Northern Illinois rallied from a 19-point second-half deficit upset Buffalo 30-29 to get its invitation to South Florida.







