Texas Christian University head coach Gary Patterson and Texas A&M head coach Mike Sherman are among the finalists for the 25th Annual Paul "Bear" Bryant Award. The prestigious award, which recognizes the top college football coach in the nation, will be presented Jan. 18 at the Hilton Americas-Houston Hotel.

There were so many outstanding coaching performances this year that the award's organizers named nine finalists on Wednesday.

It's no surprise that coaches at Auburn and Oregon, who will meet in the Bowl Championship Series game Jan. 10, were named as finalists. Auburn's Gene Chizik led the Tigers to an undefeated season while Chip Kelly did the same at Oregon. The game winner will likely be named coach of the year, although voters sometimes favor coaches whose teams weren't expected to do well but did.

If that's the case, Sherman would be in line to win because A&M surprised nearly everyone with a 9-3 season and wins over Nebraska, Oklahoma and arch-rival Texas. The Aggies play LSU in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 7.

Jim Harbaugh also would be favorite since he led perennial doormat Stanford to an 11-1 season and a Orange Bowl berth. And Wisconsin's Bret Bielema and Michigan State's Mark Dantonio, both at Big Ten schools, had stellar 11-1 seasons, too. Dantonio survived a heart attack that occurred shortly after the Spartan's overtime win over Notre Dame in September.

Don't forget Patterson, who led TCU to an undefeated season and a berth in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. The Horned Frogs play Wisconsin, so the coach of the winning team is likely to move up in the voting, which takes place after all bowl games are over.

Rounding out the finalists are Bobby Petrino, who led Arkansas to the Sugar Bowl, and Chris Ault, head coach of the University of Nevada, which ruined previously undefeated Boise State's season. (Boise State coach Chris Petersen was last year's Bryant award winner.)

Also at the January awards ceremony: Former Florida State University coach Bobby Bowden will be presented the Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award.

For more information or to make reservations to attend, call 713-610-5026 or click here.