Penn State's Bill O'Brien a finalist for Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year

The Penn State football team might be done playing this season, but the national accolades keep pouring in for coach Bill O'Brien.

The 43-year-old rookie head coach was selected a finalist for the 2012 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).

O'Brien was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year last week by both the media and his peers. He edged out Buckeye's coach Urban Meyer, who led Ohio State to an undefeated season.

Meyer, too, is a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award. Other finalists are: Gary Andersen (Utah State), Dave Doeren (Northern Illinois), Brian Kelly (Notre Dame), Will Muschamp (Florida), David Shaw (Stanford), Bill Snyder (Kansas State) and Kevin Sumlin (Texas A&M).

O'Brien led the Nittany Lions to an 8-4 mark this season, the most wins for a first-year head coach in school history.

Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno won the Eddie Robinson Award in 1978, 1982 and 1986.

-Emily Kaplan