Cutclife guided the Blue Devils to the program's first-ever 10-win season, first eight-game winning streak and its first ACC Coastal championship. After going 17 seasons without a bowl berth, Duke has now earned back-to-back postseason appearances under Cutcliffe. (So no, it's not hard to see why voters selected him for the award.)
Cutcliffe took the honor over fellow finalists Gus Malzahn of Auburn and Gary Pinkel of Missouri. He was previously named the Walter Camp Coach of the Year, an award voted on by the head coaches and sports information directors of the 125 FBS member schools.
Don't feel too badly for Malzahn, though; he's won the FWAA's Eddie Robinson Award and the Home Depot Coach of the Year Award for his historic turnaround at Auburn.
