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Johnathan Franklin finishes 2nd in Doak Walker Award

The UCLA senior finished behind Wisconsin's Montee Ball for the honor recognizing the nation's top running back.

By Adam Stites
Stephen Dunn

UCLA senior Johnathan Franklin finished in second place for the Doak Walker Award, which recognizes the nation's top running back, just behind Wisconsin's Montee Ball. The winner of the award was announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards show on Thursday night.

Franklin, 23, broke the career rushing record for the Bruins during the 2012 season and enters the Holiday Bowl with 4,369 rushing yards in his career. With 1,700 yards, Franklin finished just 30 yards behind Ball during the regular season and was fifth in the nation in rushing. Ball finished the season with 21 touchdowns while Franklin accumulated 13, although Ball had 64 more rushing attempts.

Ball and Franklin each finished ahead of Oregon's Kenjon Barner, the third finalist at the event. No UCLA player has won the award since it was introduced following the 1990 college football season.

UCLA's season comes to a conclusion on Dec. 27 with a Holiday Bowl game against the Baylor Bears in San Diego, Calif.