(UNDATED) – Notre Dame's Brian Kelly is The Associated Press college football Coach of the Year, becoming the third coach to win the award twice since it was established in 1998. Kelly received 16 of 58 first-place votes from AP college football poll voters and 81 total points. Alabama's Nick Saban was second with 16 first-place votes and 66 points, and UCF first-year coach Josh Heupel was third with 33 points. Twelve coaches received at least one first-place vote and eight received at least three for the award announced Monday. Kelly joins Saban and TCU's Gary Patterson as two-time winners. Kelly also won in 2012. As he did in 2012, Kelly has guided the Fighting Irish to a 12-0 season and a chance to compete for the national championship. Notre Dame played Alabama in the BCS championship game after the 2012 season and lost 42-14. The third-ranked Irish will face No. 2 Clemson in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on Dec. 29 in their first College Football Playoff appearance. This undefeated season for Notre Dame seems very different from the one in 2012, and it comes just two seasons after the Irish finished 4-8. Kelly overhauled his staff and his approach after that year, bringing in new coordinators on both sides of the ball. He made a concerted effort to be more involved with all aspects of the team. Kelly is 81-34 in nine seasons at Notre Dame, and he credited his players for helping him improve as a coach.