Oklahoma No. 1, 'Bama No. 2 in AP Poll

Upset weekend No. 1 caused a lot of change in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll.

Nevertheless, it should come as no surprise that the Oklahoma Sooners moved to No. 1 and the Alabama Crimson Tide to No. 2 in the poll released Sunday.

Previously top-ranked Southern California lost at Oregon State on Thursday.

But it got worse on Saturday when Florida lost at home to Ole Miss 31-30 and the highly-ballyhooed Georgia Bulldogs were manhandled by the young Crimson Tide.

Georgia was down by 31 points in the first half as Dogs’ fans sat on their hands in the stands wearing their black attire for the scheduled “Black Out.”

Overall, nine ranked teams lost, six to unranked foes.

The AP reports that the last time this type change occurred was a year ago in the last week of September when three of the top-five teams fell and seven ranked teams lost to unranked opponents.

Oklahoma is No. 1 for the 96th time in the history of the AP poll, breaking a tie with Notre Dame for the most ever.
AP Top 25
1. Oklahoma (43) 4-0 1,599
2. Alabama (21) 5-0 1,565
3. LSU 4-0 1,466
4. Missouri (1) 4-0 1,453
5. Texas 4-0 1,362
6. Penn State 5-0 1,252
7. Texas Tech 4-0 1,105
8. Brigham Young 4-0 1,098
9. USC 2-1 1,087
10. South Florida 5-0 1,035
11. Georgia 4-1 1,018
12. Florida 3-1 914
13. Auburn 4-1 860
14. Ohio State 4-1 829
15. Utah 5-0 713
16. Kansas 3-1 650
17. Boise State 3-0 549
18. Wisconsin 3-1 520
19. Vanderbilt 4-0 459
20. Virginia Tech 4-1 290
21. Oklahoma State 4-0 277
22. Fresno State 3-1 232
23. Oregon 4-1 199
24. Connecticut 5-0 126
25. Wake Forest 3-1 107

Others Receiving Votes
Maryland 46, Michigan State 42, Kentucky 40, Ball State 38, Northwestern 32, Tulsa 32, TCU 30, Illinois 24, North Carolina 21, Florida State 14, Mississippi 13, Georgia Tech 10, California 5, Nebraska 5, Oregon State 3, Boston College 3, Colorado 2.

Dropped From Rankings
Clemson 20, Illinois 22, East Carolina 23, TCU 24.

Play It Smart: Alumni Report

As part of an on-going series throughout the fall, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame follows the graduates of its Play It Smart program as they make their mark on the college gridiron.

Dennis Rogan (Fulton/Knoxville, TN) had 165 yards on six touches and notched six tackles and one pass deflection in Tennessee’s 30-6 loss to Florida.

True freshman LaVarus Williams (Ben Davis/Indianapolis, IN) had a game high eight tackles and one interception in Central Michigan’s 32-23 loss to Purdue.

Senior defensive back Bryan Williams (Akron Bucthel/Akron, OH) notched two tackles, one tackle for a loss, a forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in a 22-3 win over Army.

Northern Illinois senior defensive back Bradley Pruitt (Hyde Park Academy/Chicago, IL) returned an interception 54 yard for a touchdown 48-3 win over Indiana State. Pruitt finished the game three tackles.

Amara Kamara (Weequahic/Newark, NJ) recorded four tackles for Temple in a 45-3 loss to Penn State.

Air Force’s Anthony Wright (Maple Heights/Maple Heights, OH) recorded three tackles in a 30-23 loss to conference foe Utah.

Kendall Briscoe (Lincoln/Dallas, TX) contributed four tackles in a New Mexico 56-14 loss to Tulsa.

Sophomore flanker Terence Austin (Long Beach Poly/Long Beach, CA) had 155 all-purpose yards on 14 touches as UCLA fell to Arizona 31-10.

Sophomore defensive back Javier Arenas (Robinson/Tampa, FL) returned an interception 63 yards for a touchdown in Alabama’s 49-14 win over Arkansas. Arenas, who used several ankle breaking moves en route to the end zone, also finished the game with three tackles.

De’Mon Glanton (Benjamin Mays/Atlanta, GA) lead all Mississippi State tacklers with six in a 38-7 loss to Georgia Tech.

Senior running back Mike Davis (Columbia/Columbia, SC) accounted for 101 yards on 17 touches in South Carolina’s 23-10 win over Wofford.

Mike Wallace (O. Perry Walker/New Orleans, LA) electrified the home crowd with a 98 yard kickoff return. The Ole Miss Rebels came up short though, falling to conference foe Vanderbilt 23-17. Wallace finished the game with 240 all-purpose yards on nine touches.

High school teammate Kendrick Lewis lead all ball stoppers with nine tackles.

Florida International dropped its home opener in its new stadium to South Florida 17-9. Armond Willis (Booker T. Washington/Miami) recorded four tackles in the loss.

Sophomore flanker Greg Ellingson (Robinson/Tampa, FL) hauled in three passes for 21 yards in the losing effort.

Derrick Richardson (Chandler/Chandler, AZ) was named WAC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against conference rival UTEP. Richardson recorded 21 tackles and one fumble recovery in the 34-33 New Mexico State win. Richardson currently leads the nation in tackles.

Dominique Faust (Clarke Central/Athens, GA) recorded three tackles in Louisiana Tech’s 41-26 victory over Southeastern Louisiana.

Mike McLeod (New Britain/New Britain, CT) lead the rushing attack of Yale with 78 yards on 22 carries and one touchdown in 47-7 win over Georgetown.

Samad Wagstaff (New Rochelle/New Rochelle, NY) recorded two tackles in Bryant’s 30-17 loss to Monmouth. DeMarcus Few (Henry Grady/Atlanta, GA) caught two passes for 25 yards and one touchdown in the Georgia Southern Eagles last second loss to Elon 22-20.

Teammate Marc Watts (Hillsborough/Tampa, FL) added two tackles in the defeat.

Shannon Davis (Benjamin Mays/Atlanta, GA) grabbed three passes for sixty yards in Eastern Kentucky’s 34-20 loss to Tennessee State.

Alphonso Smith (Pahokee/Pahokee, FL) notched three tackles, an interception and 4 pass breakups in Wake Forest’s 12-3 win at Florida State.

Thearon Collier (BT Washington/Miami, FL) had four receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown for Miami in their 41-23 defeat of Texas A&M.

Miami true freshman Travis Benjamin (Glades Central/Belle Glade, FL) had a key 44 yard punt return that led to Collier’s touchdown in the closing minutes of the first half.

Sophomore defensive tackle Marvin Austin (Ballou/Washington, DC) registered six tackles and a pass break for North Carolina as the Heels fell to Virginia Tech 20-17.

Chris Rucker (Warren Harding/Warren, OH) played a strong defensive game for Michigan State in their 23-7 win against Notre Dame recording nine tackles including two for a loss.

Running back Dan Herron (Warren Harding/Warren, OH) led the Ohio State rushing attack with 95 yards on 20 attempts as the Buckeyes beat Troy 28-10.

Defensive tackle Lindsey Witten (Glenville/Cleveland, OH) recorded two tackles and a sack for UConn in the Huskies 31-28 shootout victory over Baylor.

Sophomore wide receiver Troy Paceley (Alliance/Alliance, OH) scored the first touchdown of his career on a 13 yard reception for Louisville as the Cardinals defeated Kansas State 38-29.

With major financial support from the NFL and the NFL Players Association, and a broad-coalition of corporations, communities, individuals and organizations, the program has quickly become one of the most comprehensive and effective youth mentoring programs, achieving dramatic results that include:

96% of seniors graduating high school, compared to 76% of their peers;
79% of seniors enrolling in college compared to 63% of their peers;
Participants completing more than 69,000 hours of community service annually;
Participants earning more than $8 million a year in scholarships; and
190-plus graduates earning places among the elite collegiate ranks during the 2007 season on Football Bowl Subdivision rosters.
Prominent alumni include Ohio State’s Ted Ginn, Jr. (Miami Dolphins), Rutgers’ Ray Rice (Baltimore Ravens), California’s Desean Jackson (Philadelphia Eagles), Miami’s Leon Williams (Cleveland Browns), LSU’s Craig Davis (San Diego Chargers) and Super Bowl champion Jay Alford, who attended Penn State, and currently plays with the World Champion New York Giants. Play It Smart builds on the positive peer influences of team sports and a participant's interest in football. The program's academic coaches are trained in a set of guiding principles and a variety of tactics, which are designed to make academic achievement the norm. Working closely with the direct support of a team's head coach and others in the community, academic coaches hold one-on-one goal setting meetings, career and life skills sessions, mandatory study halls, SAT/ACT prep classes, community service projects and other team building events.

ABOUT PLAY IT SMART Play It Smart is an educational program established in 1998 by The National Football Foundation. The program's mission is to help student-athletes take responsibility for their futures through lessons learned on the playing field, in the classroom, and in service to others. At the heart of the program is a year-round academic coach, an official member of a team's staff, who serves as a direct link to the classroom by helping players and the team set and achieve their academic and personal development goals during the entire school year. Learn more at http://www.playitsmart.org./

ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION & COLLEGE HALL OF FAME: With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. The NFF presents the MacArthur Trophy, the Draddy Trophy and releases the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings. NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., Play It Smart, and scholarships of over $1 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. Learn more at http://www.footballfoundation.org/

Carson-Newman No. 11 In AFCA Rankings

WACO, TEX. - The Carson-Newman Eagles remained No. 11 in the latest American Football Coaches Association Division II Poll this week.
The Eagles, who were idle over the weekend, received 396 votes - four short of making the top 10. Carson-Newman will begin its 2008 South Atlantic Conference schedule this Saturday with a 1:30 p.m. contest at Newberry College.

Carson-Newman is ranked No. 8 in the latest D2football.com Media Poll, also released Tuesday.

Losses by five of the bottom Top 25 teams this past Saturday caused four new teams to enter the AFCA Poll.

Valdosta State is still No. 1 for a fifth straight week as the Blazers rolled up 536 yards of total offense in a 29-6 win over conference rival Ouachita Baptist.

No. 2 Grand Valley State dispatched its second straight Top 25 opponent, handing then-No. 24 Ferris State a 31-13 loss.

No. 3 North Alabama moved its record to 4-0 rather easily by blanking West Georgia, 53-0.

Abilene Christian still sits in the fourth spot after demolishing Southeastern Oklahoma State, 59-10.

Fifth ranked Nebraska-Omaha beat Missouri Southern State, 40-21, as it prepares for a Top 10 match-up with Northwest Missouri State next week.

No. 6 West Texas A&M cruised by Southwestern Oklahoma State, 42-20, while No. 7 Pittsburg State survived three plays on its own two-yard line in the final half minute of play to hold on for a 46-40 victory over Missouri Western State.

No. 8 Northwest Missouri State blanked Truman State, 49-0, and retained the “Old Hickory Stick” for a seventh straight year.

No. 9 Central Washington beat Humboldt State, 48-10, and moved its record to 4-0, as did No. 10 Bloomsburg, who beat Kutztown, 31-21. Carson-Newman was idle and remains at No. 11 in this week’s poll. No. 12 Indiana (Pa.) rolled past Lock Haven, 45-7, and is 3-0 on the season.

No. 13 Tuskegee is also 3-0 after the Golden Tigers defeated Stillman, 42-7. California (Pa.) is still in the 14th position after edging past then-No. 23 Edinboro, 35-31.

No. 15 Minnesota-Duluth is enjoying life in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference as the Bulldogs beat its third conference opponent, this time handing Augustana (S.D.) a 40-10 loss.

No. 16 Tarleton State dominated Central Oklahoma, 42-17, while No. 17 Delta State needed overtime to beat Harding, 56-49.

No. 18 Chadron State recorded its 20th straight conference win after a 32-0 shutout of Colorado State-Pueblo.

No. 19 Central Missouri beat then-No. 25 Washburn, 43-34, and flip-flopped with No. 20 Albany State, who was idle on Saturday.

Midwestern State is the first of four newcomers to this week’s poll. The Mustangs beat then-No. 21 Newberry, 24-10, and jump into the poll at No. 21.

Wingate also makes its first appearance at No. 22 after a 15-7 win over Elizabeth City State.

Catawba was idle, but reappears in the Coaches’ Poll at No. 23 while No. 24 Edinboro dropped a spot after its loss to No. 14 California (Pa.).

West Virginia State enters the AFCA Coaches’ Poll at No. 25 for the first time. The Yellow Jackets are 4-0 after a 24-21 win over Charleston, 24-21.

Conference Breakdown: Lone Star-4 (Abilene Christian, West Texas A&M, Tarleton St., Midwestern St.); MIAA-4 (Nebraska-Omaha, Pittsburg St., Northwest Missouri St., Central Missouri); Pennsylvania State Athletic-4 (Bloomsburg, Indiana (Pa.), California (Pa.), Edinboro); Gulf South-3 (Valdosta St., North Alabama, Delta St.); South Atlantic-3 (Carson-Newman, Wingate, Catawba); Southern Intercollegiate Athletic-2 (Tuskegee, Albany St.); Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Grand Valley St.); Great Northwest Athletic-1 (Central Washington); Northern Sun Intercollegiate-1 (Minnesota-Duluth); Rocky Mountain Athletic-1 (Chadron St.); West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (West Virginia St.).

Head-to-Head: Three games featuring teams ranked in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll highlight this weekend’s action. The first two Top 25 match-ups are key MIAA conference games. In the first match-up, new MIAA member, No. 5 Nebraska-Omaha hosts, No. 8 Northwest Missouri State. These two teams have squared off eight times (4-4) in the past 10 years with the home team winning every contest.

The second MIAA Top 25 match-up has No. 19 Central Missouri traveling to No. 7 Pittsburg State. The Gorillas have dominated the series with Central Missouri, 37-6-2, and have won four of the last five.

The third Top 25 match-up is a key Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division contest as No. 12 Indiana (Pa.) travels to No. 14 California (Pa.). These two squads have split the last four games they have played against one another, with the visiting team winning each contest. Poll PointsMidwestern State runningback Marcus Mathis rushed for 111 of his career-high 140 yards in the second half as MSU turned a 10-0 deficit into a two-touchdown win, 24-10, over Newberry ... West Virginia State is 4-0 for the first time since 1991 after the Jackets knocked off rival Charleston, 24-21. The victory was also the first for the Yellow Jackets in the four-year old series ... Wingate’s Tylan Merkerson accounted for two interceptions and eight tackles as Wingate defeated Elizabeth City State, 15-7, earning him South Atlantic Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors.

American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll
September 23, 2008

Rank
School (1st votes) Record

1. Valdosta St. (Ga.) (20) 3-0
2. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (2) 3-0
3. North Alabama (2) 4-0
4. Abilene Christian (Texas) (2) 3-0
5. Nebraska-Omaha 3-0
6. West Texas A&M 4-0
7. Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 4-0
8. Northwest Missouri St. 3-1
9. Central Washington 4-0
10.Bloomsburg (Pa.) 4-0
11. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 2-1
12. Indiana (Pa.) 3-0
13. Tuskegee (Ala.) 3-0
14. California (Pa.) 3-1
15. Minnesota-Duluth 4-0
16. Tarleton St. (Texas) 4-0
17. Delta St. (Miss.) 2-1
18. Chadron St. (Neb.) 3-1
19. Central Missouri 4-0
20. Albany St. (Ga.) 3-0
21. Midwestern St. (Texas) 3-0
22. Wingate (N.C.) 4-0
23. Catawba (N.C.) 2-1
24. Edinboro (Pa.) 3-1
25. West Virginia St. 4-0

Dropped Out: Newberry (S.C.) (21), Shepherd (W.Va.) (22), Ferris St. (Mich.) (24), Washburn (Kan.) (25).Others Receiving Votes: Ferris St. (Mich.), 32; West Chester (Pa.), 27; Tusculum (Tenn.), 24; Central St. (Ohio), 18; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 14; Ashland (Mich.), 12; Colorado School of Mines, 12; Minnesota St.-Mankato, 10; Michigan Tech, 9; Texas A&M-Commerce, 9; Dixie St. (Utah), 6; Virginia Union, 6; Mesa St. (Colo.), 5; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 5; Hillsdale (Mich.), 4; Southern Connecticut St., 4; Washburn (Kan.), 4; Western Oregon, 3; Shaw (N.C.), 2; Western Washington, 2; Arkansas-Monticello, 1; Emporia St. (Kan.), 1; Newberry (S.C.), 1; Seton Hill (Pa.), 1; Slippery Rock (Pa.), 1; Winona St. (Minn.), 1.

www.afca.com

Hamilton Named Walter Camp National Player of the Week

New Haven, Conn. – Vanderbilt’s Ryan Hamilton has been named The Walter Camp Football Foundation Bowl Subdivision National Defensive Player of the Week for games ending September 20.

The junior strong safety tied a school record with three interceptions, returning one for a 79-yard touchdown, as Vanderbilt defeated Ole Miss, 23-17. Hamilton’s final interception sealed the victory as time expired.

For the game, Hamilton added a fumble recovery and had six tackles (4 solo), including a goal-line stop to prevented a Rebel score. With the win, the Commodores improved to 4-0, its best start to a season since 2005.

Hamilton is from Wycombe, PA and played at Council Rock North High School there.

Walter Camp, “The Father of American football,” first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp – a former Yale University athlete and football coach – is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side. The Walter Camp Football Foundation – a New Haven-based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team.

This is the fifth consecutive year that the Walter Camp Football Foundation will honor one offensive and one defensive player as its national Bowl Subdivision player of the week during the regular season. Recipients are selected by a panel of national media members and administered by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.

This Week In College Football History Sept. 29-Oct. 5

DALLAS -- September 23, 2008 - As part of an on- going series throughout the fall, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame posts in advance This Week in College Football History, which takes a look back at some of college football's landmark moments over the last 140 years. During the season, many of these events are featured in a changing exhibit at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind. *If you choose to use this content in whole or in part, as a courtesy, please credit The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame.

FEATURED MOMENT: October 3, 1936: John Heisman, longtime coach and namesake of the coveted Heisman Trophy, passes away at 66. The Cleveland, Ohio, native originated the hidden-ball play, invented the center snap, led the fight to reduce the game from halves to quarters, and led the movement to legalize the pass in 1906. Heisman played at Brown (1887-1889) and Penn (1890-1891), and began his coaching career at Oberlin (Ohio) in 1892. After stints at seven other schools, his overall career coaching record stands at 185-70-17. Heisman was preparing to write a history of football at the time of his death.

OTHER NOTABLE DATES:

September 29, 1973: Texas hands intrastate rival Texas Tech its only loss of the season with a 28- 12 defeat in Austin. The Longhorns go on to win the Southwest Conference crown, but Tech (No. 11) finishes the season with a Gator Bowl win, landing three spots ahead of the Longhorns (No. 14) in the final AP rankings.

September 30, 1939: Fordham and Waynesburg College (Pa.) play in the first televised college football game via experimental NBC station W2XBS in New York. Covered by one camera at Triboro Stadium, the game is seen by over 500 viewers within a 50-mile radius of New York City.

October 1, 1988: 2008 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Troy Aikman leads No. 2 UCLA past Washington 24-14 in the Bruins' first trip to Seattle in a decade. Trailing in the fourth, Aikman seals the come- from-behind win with a 48-yard TD pass to Reggie Moore with 88 seconds left.

October 2, 1993: Undefeated Alabama defeats South Carolina 17-6 in Columbia, matching its own school and SEC records for consecutive wins (28). The fete ties the mark previously set by legendary Tide coach Paul "Bear" Bryant from 1978-80.

October 4, 1969: Boston University ends Harvard's 10-game winning streak with a 13-10 upset on Crimson turf. The win marks BU's first-ever victory over its Charles River neighbor since the matchup began in 1921.October 5, 1968: Arkansas tailback Bill Burnett scores in his first of 23 consecutive games through Oct. 31, 1970, lifting the Hogs over TCU 17-7 in Fort Worth. The record stands for 32 years until broken by Virginia Tech's Lee Suggs in 2002.

- NFF -

About The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame Founded in 1947 with leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 121 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, Play It Smart, the NFF-FWAA Football Forum, the NFF Gridiron Clubs of New York City, Dallas and Los Angeles, and scholarships of over $1 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF awards the MacArthur Trophy, the Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, and releases the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings. Learn more at

http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001zlgHNbS9i7p5RTs0rgglHgLZCv5URLPeVoKERo_jinH-ltzcOrC5jElAw_y_byE7AOQ5uAF0sCMqxb8l8MJ9z6Q2o0hXNt-_2XBvwF-Iaubcpdzjx5XyjAYjZLtNQ-HX

Daniel Wins Davey O'Brien Weekly Award Again

FORT WORTH, Texas (September 22, 2008) - The Davey O'Brien Foundation has named Chase Daniel of the University of Missouri the O'Brien Quarterback of the Week for week four. Daniel was also the O'Brien Quarterback of the Week for week three and now becomes the first player to receive this honor in back-to-back weeks.

Missouri Head Coach Gary Pinkel gave complementary remarks about his senior quarterback in post game comments, "He made some outstanding plays. That guy brings his 'A' game every time he plays."

Daniel's command of the Mizzou offense led them to a 42-21 victory over the Buffalo Bulls last Saturday. The Tigers had to fight to claim this victory and keep their undefeated status. Daniel overcame this early season challenge with a near-perfect performance.

"You look at everything we have done to this game and there's been no adversity at all," Daniel said in post game comments. "We're not going to go through the season without adversity, and we were able to face it today."

In addition to throwing two touchdowns and no interceptions, Daniel passed for a career high of 439 yards while completing 36 of 43 passes, setting a new school completion percentage record of 83.7%. He also broke a Big 12 record during Saturday's game with 20 consecutive completions in a single game. The previous record of 18 was held by Iowa State's Seneca Wallace (2001) and Oklahoma's Sam Bradford (2007). In addition to receiving this weekly O'Brien honor, Daniel's record-setting performance earned him the title of Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week. The six-foot senior is now ranked fourth nationally in pass efficiency (193.39) and total offense (371.50 ypg). Daniel and the Tigers will utilize their upcoming bye week to turn their focus towards their match-up against Big 12 North rival, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, on October 4.

Prior to enrolling at Missouri, Daniel established his offensive prowess while the starting quarterback for the Southlake Carroll Dragons. He compiled more than 11,000 yards in total offense and 127 total touchdowns in his two seasons as a starter for the Dragons, achieving an overall record of 31-1.

The O'Brien Quarterback of the Week is determined by a subset of the Davey O'Brien National Selection Committee. The subset of the committee is chaired by Verne Lundquist (CBS Sports) and consists of Dennis Dodd (CBS SportsLine), Ivan Maisel (espn.com), Joe Schad (ESPN/ABC), Dick Weiss (New York Daily News) and Kelly Whiteside (USA Today). This subset will select the quarterback of the week based on their performance during the prior weekend's game, taking into consideration individual statistics, contribution to team performance, strength of opponent, etc.

The O'Brien honors the nation's best college quarterback of the year. Currently all 119 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) quarterbacks are candidates for the award until Semifinalists are announced on October 27. Finalists will be announced November 24. The 2008 Winner will be announced December 11.

About The O'Brien Fan Vote
Fans can now register and vote for The O'Brien Fan Vote online at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001odIBLC1d1AEtq-D87Z0Pvsz5D1lmmjI21XIpn0f1KHmGA-imrBjXy4VDlcAJ9l0DFlLU3ogOqdtWPTds97F0zR_SDe0GchcwDjPAl6fbAbWczgUZ38PSaQ== to show their support for their favorite college quarterback. Fans will be able to choose from any of the 119 FBS quarterbacks beginning on Tuesday, September 2, leaving room for the possibility of a quarterback who is not on the Watch List to win the award. The top three quarterbacks who garner the most votes will be added to The O'Brien Semifinalist List, and the Fan Vote will then count as 5% in determining the Finalists and Winner. The 2008 Winner will be announced during The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show airing December 11 on ESPN. The recipient will be honored February 16, 2009, at the 32nd Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

Fans can also download an interactive "widget" at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001odIBLC1d1AG-tLYcVC_z_pzgckRT-4KBbvPe2bACWzqLopBWLuvz9biLdWwHc1oSP64xCPu4n_Dz_cfQosrtqSYtJ27LRcY2PcQnjeoGW2f7V_SV9CUnTXna-ZfMbvPxvPbdt2--BJNONjJNOqHL3Q== featuring a voting link and the ability to post and share on Web sites, social networks and blogs.

About The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award®
The O'Brien honors the nation's best college quarterback of the year and inspires student-athletes to triumph both on and off the field. By recognizing and honoring athletes who excel in both sports and academics while exhibiting strong character and leadership, The O'Brien aims to help instill a lifelong moral fiber in each candidate. The O'Brien is overseen by the Davey O'Brien Foundation, which was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The Foundation has given away more than $750,000 in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life. For more information, visit http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001odIBLC1d1AGl6VEsNvyIbmPxQihUbJu09YFSze_hL0SU8R9Yv_d9ITJJGQNwXnRvlLgCDLZkY-jiDdcTvQIdPL9tdzBZ1twWziRlMLNGA3AQaoG4gjGGig==.

Vandy's Hamilton Wins Weekly Bronco Nagurski Award

DALLAS (FWAA) - Vanderbilt strong safety Ryan Hamilton has been named the FWAA/Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week for games of the weekend of Sept. 20.

Hamilton, a 6-2, 210-pound senior from Wycombe, Pa., tied a school record with three interceptions. He returned one interception 79 yards for a touchdown in Vanderbilt's 23-17 victory at Mississippi. Hamilton's third interception sealed the victory as time expired.

Hamilton, who became the second Vanderbilt defender to win the FWAA's weekly award this season, added a fumble recovery and had six tackles (four unassisted), including a goal-line stop that prevented a Rebel score. The other Vanderbilt winner of the award this season was linebacker Patrick Benoist in a 24-17 victory over South Carolina.

Hamilton will be added to the 2008 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy will be presented to the best defensive player in college football on Dec. 7 by the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. Five finalists for the Nagurski Trophy will be announced on Nov. 17.

Each week during the 2008 season the FWAA All-America Committee will select a national defensive player of the week from nominations made by the 11 Division I Bowl Subdivision Conferences and major independents.

Last season, LSU tackle Glenn Dorsey won the coveted Bronko Nagurski Trophy during the 13th season the FWAA has named a national defensive player of the year.

The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,000 men and women across North America who cover college football for a living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game day operations, major awards, a national poll and its annual All-America team.

The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a non-profit organization founded in 1990 for the purpose of promoting high school, collegiate, and professional football in the Charlotte, N.C., region. The club's activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding citizenship, scholarship, sportsmanship, and leadership of area athletes and coaches. For more information, contact John Rocco (704-347-2918 or jrocco@touchdownclub.com). The official website of the Charlotte Touchdown Club is www.touchdownclub.com.

For more information on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, contact FWAA executive director Steve Richardson (972-713-6198 or tigerfwaa@aol.com).

2008 Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Players of the Week· Weekend of Aug. 30: Ben Owens, Arkansas State· Weekend of Sept. 6: Patrick Benoist, Vanderbilt· Weekend of Sept. 13: DeAndre Levy, Wisconsin· Weekend of Sept. 20: Ryan Hamilton, Vanderbilt
Ted Gangi

News and Notes From Around College Football

On-Campus Salute for Rueben Mayes Set for Saturday

Two-time Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year Rueben Mayes will be honored by Washington State this Saturday, as the Cougars host Pac-10 rival Oregon in Pullman. The game begins at 3:15 p.m. PT and will be televised on FSN Northwest. NFF Chief Operating Officer Matthew Sign will attend the presentation.By career's end, Mayes set 15 school records, including single-season (1,632) and career rushing yards (3,519), rushing touchdowns (23), rushing average (5.53) and 100-yard games (13). He also established an NCAA Division I single-game record with a 357-yard rushing performance against Oregon in 1984. The North Battleford, Saskatchewan, native was the first Cougar in history to boast two 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He currently serves as the Senior Director of Development at WSU.
Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Voting

Fan voting officially began last Wednesday for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award, which features unique polling of fans online at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001eLxVCnAKBnyjHHeIkGywxFRadzewBzn6gllbPuzSYHkJv_-67rqz0dz_ycrBF2IpUCgEkkUfHslZXa0yFxK1AxZiurTw7QHdW1nOn8SOFru00JvSCvaiBg==.Nearly one million fans voted in 2007, and the solid national response allowed Liberty Mutual to enlist NFF chairman and College Football Hall of Famer Archie Manning and ESPN broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit to promote the spirit of the award. The Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year winners are honored in an exhibit at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind. On Dec. 9, the finalists will be announced at the NFF Hall of Fame press conference in New York City, prior to the Foundation's acclaimed Annual Awards Dinner. The 2008 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award recipients will be announced on ESPN during halftime of the Music City Bowl on Dec. 31.

NFF News

Actors Dennis Quaid and Rob Brown (who played football at Amherst, Mass.) attended the College Football Hall of Fame's VIP, invitation-only screening of Universal Pictures "The Express" - the life story of the late Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis last Thursday in South Bend. They joined a contingent of invited guests and media for a red carpet screening of the film in the Hall's Stadium Theater. The film, which opens in theaters October 10, is based on the true story of the extraordinary life of the College Football Hall of Famer Ernie Davis, the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy. The NFF Southern Arizona Chapter will host a luncheon on Oct. 3 honoring College Football Hall of Famer Ricky Hunley (Arizona).

NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association

Newest member of the NFF's National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association: Dr. Kevin R. Fox (Princeton).To become a member of the National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, please contact NFF Director of Special Projects Hillary Jeffries at 800.486.1865 or via email at hjeffries@footballfoundation.com.

Two-Minute Drill

Sen. John McCain attended Navy's contest with Rutgers last Saturday as part of the 50-year reunion of the Naval Academy class of 1958, while legendary boxer Muhammad Ali attended the Louisville-Kansas State game last Wednesday... College Football Hall of Famer Billy Ray Smith, Jr. served as Arkansas' honorary captain for the Razorbacks' game against Alabama last weekend... Notre Dame and Michigan State have solidified their annual football series contractually through 2025... West Virginia's Pat White moved into third place in NCAA history in quarterback rushing yards last Saturday... Boise State was named the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week... The Purdue athletics department, along with Boiler Green Initiative (BGI) and Purdue Refuse and Recycling, are asking football fans to boost their recycling efforts at Ross-Ade Stadium this year by placing 75 recycling containers in and around Ross- Ade Stadium for all seven home football games this season. The university will provide recycling bags, as well as trash bags to many lots for the pregame activities as well... The American Red Cross worked with Connecticut and Baylor fans to collect donations for recent hurricane victims before and during last week's ESPN telecast... Cincinnati student-athletes assisted and donated to the National Assistance League's Operation School Bell, to help 1,500 kids from 23 local schools with school clothing... Tennessee Athletics continues with its Sept. 18-28 East Tennessee Second Harvest food and cash donations' drive to aid underserved families in the region... Northwestern hosted its "Take a Kid to the Game" promotion for last week's contest with Ohio, as one child was admitted free with each adult ticket... College Football Hall of Famer George Taliaferro (Indiana) will address students and alumni Thursday as South Dakota State's Harding Distinguished Lecturer. Taliaferro was the first African-American player drafted by the NFL after he closed his career with the Hoosiers... UNC Charlotte chancellor Philip Dubois recommended the school start a football program that would begin play in 2013 in the Football Championship Subdivision... Danny Granger made a recent donation of $500,000 to New Mexico athletics... Scott Woodward has been chosen as director of athletics at Washington.Due to Hurricane Ike, Houston's squad remained in the Dallas area for four days after its neutral site match against Air Force at SMU's Gerald J. Ford Stadium on Sept. 13. NFF Board Member Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys owner/general manager) helped the Cougars find workout times at Texas Stadium and the Cowboys' Valley Ranch practice facility during their stay before they left to play at Colorado State last weekend. Texas Southern alumni also helped the TSU team, which was stranded in the Dallas area for five days after Ike struck Southeast Texas.NFF Yankee Stadium Memories (1923-2008): NFF Board Member George Steinbrenner has been owner of the New York Yankees since 1973 after a solid career as a college football student-athlete and coach... It was site of Army-Notre Dame football games annually from 1925-47 and the location where College Football Hall of Fame coach Knute Rockne in 1928 made the "Win One for the Gipper" speech in memory of fellow Hall for Famer George Gipp... The 1929 Army-ND stood for years as the highest-attended game in that series at 79,408 before Notre Dame Stadium was expanded, and the schools played at Yankee Stadium for a final time in 1969 - in conjunction with the 100-year anniversary of the first college football game... 2008 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Arnold Tucker (Army) played in the famous scoreless tie game with Notre Dame in 1946... Interestingly, New York University holds the record for most college football clashes played at the Bronx edifice with 96 (52-40-4 mark) from 1923-48. Fordham was 13-5-1 in 19 tilts on the Yankee Stadium grass... Eight Thanksgiving Day skirmishes took place at the facility over a period of 1931-63 with Syracuse downing Army 17-15 in the '63 finale... The stadium was home to the 1962 Gotham Bowl (Nebraska downed Miami, Fla., 36- 24) and to the 1971-87 Whitney Young Urban Classic. College Football Hall of Fame coach Eddie Robinson took several Grambling teams to that contest and lost to Central State (Ohio) in the final Young Urban Classic at Yankee Stadium in 1987.Late College Football Hall of Fame coach Lee Tressel was honored with several surviving family members last Saturday with the dedication of Tressel Field at Baldwin-Wallace's George Finnie Stadium. Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel shares with his father the distinction of being part of the only father-son duo to have won national college football championships... Texas Tech received a $1 million donation from PlainsCapital Bank for an expansion project at Jones AT&T Stadium.The Texas Sports Hall of Fame presented by Texas Farm Bureau will induct gridiron stars College Football Hall of Famer Lee Roy Jordan (Alabama), Bill Bradley (Texas), LaDanian Tomlinson (TCU), and Steve Worster (Texas). The Hall of Fame in Waco, Texas, also featured book signings last week with College Football Hall of Famer Bob Lilly (TCU), author of "A Cowboy's Life," and award- winning writer Carlton Stowers' "Texas Football Legends: Greats of the Game"... Texas College Football Hall of Famers Tommy Nobis and the late Bobby Layne (represented by family members) will have their numbers retired during ceremonies at the UT- Arkansas game this weekend. Jerry Sisemore will also be honored for his 2002 induction into the College Football Hall of Fame... The Ray Guy Award announced 46 watch list candidates last week and will narrow the list to 10 finalists just prior to the end of the 2008 campaign... Kansas AD Lew Perkins has been named best sports executive by Time magazine... NFF Board member Mike Cleary, executive director of NACDA, joins head football coaches Robert F. Shoup, Jerry Tolley, and Ken Sparks as 2009 inductees into the NAIA Hall of Fame... Former South Carolina State head coach Willie Jeffries has been inducted into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame in Atlanta... Texas A&M coaching great R.C. Slocum and athletics contributor Jerry Cox were recognized at the Aggies' 31st annual Burgess Awards Dinner Athletics Hall of Fame inductions last week... Brigham Young added football legend Shawn Knight and co-founder of the Cougar Club Ray Beckham to its 34th class of the BYU Athletics Hall of Fame... Wesleyan (Conn.) announced its latest Hall of Fame class, including former director of athletics and head football coach Edgar Fauver and College Football Hall of Famer Henderson Van Surdam from the 1905 WC squad.CBS Sports and CBS College Sports have inked long-term deals to carry Navy football encounters through 2017-18... MediaFLO USA will carry a lineup of live, full-length college football games on its mobile TV service through the 2008 season... Versus will air for the first time the annual Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic this weekend. The game will feature Tennessee State and Florida A&M.Including its debut at the Rose Bowl before the Tennessee-UCLA game on September 1, the Sports Illustrated Evolution of the Game Tour Presented by Nissan is making stops at 10 of the most anticipated college football games during the 2008-2009 season and will conclude at the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 6. Edd Bowers, 86, who starred and coached at Grinnell (Iowa) died on Sept. 16 in Grapevine, Texas. The NFF Iowa Chapter named him Distinguished Iowan at its 2008 awards banquet... Ron Lancaster, 69, who starring at Wittenberg (Ohio), died last week. To become an NFF member, please contact NFF Director of Membership Ron Dilatush at 800.486.1865 or via email at rdilatush@footballfoundation.com.

Key NFF Dates

Oct. 19: First Release of 2008 BCS Standings - Irving, Texas
Dec. 9: NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf=Astoria - New York, N.Y.
Jan. 5, 2009: National Hall of Fame Salute at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Glendale, Ariz.
Jan. 9, 2009: Presentation of MacArthur Trophy to BCS champion - Miami, Fla.

2009 BCS Schedule
Jan. 1: Rose Bowl presented by Citi - Pasadena, Calif., ABC
Jan. 1: FedEx Orange Bowl - Miami, Fla., Fox
Jan. 2: Allstate Sugar Bowl - New Orleans, La., Fox
Jan. 5: Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Glendale, Ariz., Fox
Jan. 8: FedEx BCS National Championship Game - Miami, Fla., Fox

- NFF -

Founded in 1947 with leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 121 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, Play It Smart, and scholarships of over $1 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF presents the MacArthur Trophy, the Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, and releases the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings.
For more information, please visit us on the web at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001eLxVCnAKBnxSLLAlIGgxe_kCLRztDQPOHy7QmQE2C50NDBdOZQF35cNmqZ0ZgOIySfnp2JKBB1hYe-u-HfiEbcNUAN59UvFngw7lip74Lmd9Rx_X8_vx02XzTYhcqEB8

They Said It: Coaches and Players Quotes Following Saturday Games

Head Coach Phillip Fulmer:

"As I told our football team in the locker room, that loss is on me. I've got big shoulders, and I take responsibility. That wasn't us. The penalties, the orange-area efforts... we've been outstanding in those areas (in our previous games). Our punt coverage has been exceptional (in previous games). We never gave our defense really a chance.

"I think our defensive team played really hard today. (Florida's) a good offensive team, they're going to make some plays along the way. "Our team ... it seems like we've got to learn things the hard way. And so I think everything we do, we learn from and get better from it. As a coach, last year's team was one of those teams that drove you nuts, but they got better and better. We played with effort, we responded and we won. We played for the (SEC) championship in Atlanta when a lot of other people had given up on us early. We won't give up, and we have a chance to be there again. It's just a little bit harder road.

"We had good success running the ball, but when you get 28 points down, it's very difficult to stay with it."

On the plan for kicking to Brandon James: "We were kicking it to the boundary, to the sideline every play we could. (Brandon) James is a good player."

On QB Jonathan Crompton: "Jon's doing some really, really nice things. He's a new quarterback; he's young quarterback, and he's got to continue to improve. He's a competitor. He made some really nice plays today, but he also missed some opportunities."

Jonathan Crompton, QB: "Obviously this hurts right now. We just have to come back tomorrow and start work for Auburn. We moved the ball great at times on offense. We stopped ourselves. We shot ourselves in the foot."

On the long drive at the beginning and the frustrations of the turnover: "Our offense a lot of the times was clicking, and we can move the ball and not many people can stop us except ourselves. I think our defense played a good game tonight and held them and we gave them points as an offense."

On the impact of the orange-zone fumble: "Anytime you don't get points in the red zone it hurts, especially on the 1-yard line. It hurt as an offense, but I think we will bounce back and we are emotionally strong as an offense."

On whether or not Tennessee could stay in the game: "We shot ourselves in the foot. We should have won the ball game in my opinion. We gave up 14 points in the red zone, and they scored seven points off turnovers. We fumbled on the first drive, and that gave them three more. Those things change the whole momentum of the game."


Bobby Johnson, Vanderbilt Head Coach Opening statement:

"It was a wild game. A lot of crazy things happened in the first quarter and went all the way through to the end. I am extremely proud of our guys for playing hard. We had a bunch of guys get hurt. We had some guys come in who had not played before. It was a great effort by both teams. Both teams played extremely hard. We were fortunate to come out on top. We got a really good win down here in Oxford."

On the defense in the second half: "They returned a kickoff and got one on a fumble. We just kept playing. They got us a couple of times for big plays, but we never stopped playing, especially in the red zone. We made some big plays on the goal line stand, and of course the fumble at the end was a huge play. We were opportunistic to say the least. We played very well on defense." On the quick turnaround at the beginning: "I can't tell you what I was saying. We came back to 10-7 and got back in the football game. Our guys started playing with a little more confidence.

On the performance in the second half: "It speaks to our conditioning. Coach John (Sisk) does a good job with our strength and conditioning program. We are not playing a lot of guys. We are very thin. We are not making a lot of substitutions. We have some people out that hindered us tonight. We just keep playing no matter what happens before. We made some big plays after their big plays. That was a big key."

After the fumble: "We were searching for things that would work against their offense. We had some trouble running the ball. It seems like when our guys have to have it, they do pretty well. McKenzie got us close to the goal line down there and then Jared ran down there. It would have been nice to be able to run out the clock, then Bryan Hahnfeldt did a good job with the kick. Those were three huge points. It would have been hard to hold them back. Their kicker missed one, but he's pretty good. I didn't want to give them a chance to tie it with a three. So we went for a field goal."

Memphis Head CoachTommy West

"We had to get a win. We needed to get a win. I thought our team did exactly what I asked them to do. I challenged them to out-rush a rushing team and win the turnover battle, which we hadn't done this year. We haven't been able to out-rush a team or win the turnover battle, but that's how you win football games. I really thought we gave up the special teams play in the first half, which was horrible to let that happen, but I thought we answered in the second half the way we were supposed to play. At the end of the day I'm very pleased that we were able to run the ball the way that we did. We didn't turn it over, and our special teams came back and got us two turnovers. I thought our defense was really good. They gave up three points on the night."
"You saw they had us going on the perimeter early in the game. Tim Walton made two nice adjustments and put a stop to it, but really, before we could get into the half to get it stopped, he made an adjustment on the field and got it stopped. He did a nice job of having a plan and we executed well in the second half. "

About the run:"We challenged our guys. I thought that we are playing against that style of offense that you know that you are not going to get many possessions. Basically, both teams had the ball three times in the first half. We had it three and got it back with a minute and forty seconds for our fourth possession. That's what we challenged, we have to out-rush this football team, but we don't often see that style of offense. "

What did you tell the team at the half? "I told them what I really felt. Don't tighten up because this game is 10-10. Everybody wants to holler at you coming in. Don't tighten up. Go do what we asked you to do and you'll blow this game open if you go and do what you are supposed to do. And they did. I didn't think they were bothered. It was 10-10 at half. I've seen it happen before, but I have been on the other end when I was in Chattanooga. You can be right there at the half, but eventually you start wearing down." That's what we did. Nichols State played their tails off and played really, really hard, but there was a time where if you keep pounding it, then they just started to wear down

This Week in College Football History

Sept. 22-Sept. 28

DALLAS -- September 16, 2008 - As part of an on- going series throughout the fall, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame posts in advance This Week in College Football History, which takes a look back at some of college football's landmark moments over the last 140 years. During the season, many of these events are featured in a changing exhibit at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind.

The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame.

FEATURED MOMENT:

Sept. 27, 1958: Football was revolutionized in West Point, N.Y., as Army Coach Earl "Red" Blaik unveiled the "Lonely End" offense against South Carolina. Future College Football Hall of Famer Bill Carpenter stands 18-25 yards away receiving visual signals from the huddle, while halfback Pete Dawkins (another future College Football Hall of Famer) rushes nine times for 113 yards and four touchdowns. The new offense amassed 529 yards in a 45-8 victory.


OTHER NOTABLE DATES:
Sept. 22, 1956: In the first-ever September loss for a Notre Dame team, the Irish fall to Southern Methodist University 19-13 in Dallas. Notre Dame fakes a punt in the fourth quarter to score and tie the game 13-13, but Mustang quarterback Charlie Arnold throws a 31-yard pass to Lon Slaughter to set up a 14- yard touchdown run for the win as time expires.

Sept. 23, 1967: Frank Dickinson, an economics professor at the University of Illinois, passes away at age 67. Dickinson developed a mathematical point system (Dickinson system) to divide football teams into two categories, those who had higher than .500 winning percentage and those below. The system was originally intended to award the top team in the Big Ten, but Notre Dame head coach Knute Rockne convinced Dickinson to use the ranking nationally and to predate the ranking. The system was used from 1924-1940 to award the Rissman National Trophy and the Knute K. Rockne Intercollegiate Memorial Trophy.


Sept. 24, 1966: Florida State quarterback Gary Pajcic throws two touchdown passes, while future Florida State University President T.K. Wetherell returns a kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown as the Seminoles down Miami 23-20 in the Orange Bowl.


Sept. 25, 1971: No. 10 Colorado stuns No. 6 Ohio State 20-14 in Columbus, Ohio. Buffs wide receiver Cliff Branch's sixth career kickoff touchdown return helps Colorado take the lead 13-0, while quarterback Ken Johnson adds a fourth-quarter touchdown to secure the win. Colorado guard Bud Magrum leads the defense with 20 tackles, stopping Ohio State twice inside the five-yard line.

Sept. 26, 1981: The nation's top two active coaches in winning percentage, John Robinson (.850) and Barry Switzer (.894), match up in a battle between No. 1 Southern California vs. No. 2 Oklahoma in Los Angeles. Trojans tight end Fred Cornwell emerges as a hero catching a seven-yard touchdown pass with two seconds left in the game, sealing a 28-24 USC win. The reception is only Cornwell's second career catch.


Sept. 28, 1892: At the Mansfield Fair in Mansfield, Ohio, fans watch Mansfield State Normal (Ohio) play Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) in the first college night game. The generators, running on banks of 20- and 30-watt bulbs, fail to deliver enough light, ending the game at halftime in a scoreless tie.

About The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame Founded in 1947 with leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 121 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, Play It Smart, the NFF-FWAA Football Forum, the NFF Gridiron Clubs of New York City, Dallas and Los Angeles, and scholarships of over $1 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF awards the MacArthur Trophy, the Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, and releases the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings.

Bruceton's Patrick Willis Breaks Return Record

Willis TD return a team record

SEATTLE – San Francisco linebacker Patrick Willis weaved all over the field on an 86-yard interception return Sunday.

The play was the the longest interception return by a linebacker in team history, 30 yards more than John Johnson's return in 1992.

"I was just trying to breathe," Willis said.

The 6-1, 242-pound linebacker from Bruceton, Tennessee attended Hollow Rock - Bruceton Central High School where he was a two-time All-State selection, Regional Most Valuable Player, and West Tennessee Player of the Year.

He earned 4 letters in football and basketball, and 3 in baseball. He was also the first person in Tennessee state history to be nominated for both the Mr. Football Award for a Lineman (as a linebacker) and the Mr. Football Award for a Back (as a tailback) in the same

season.

Willis led the league in tackles during the 2007 season (174) and he was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Willis said he had more work to do this season. He’s off to a good start.

USC Is Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Team of the Week

DALLAS (FWAA) - With their 35-3 win over 5th-ranked Ohio State, the USC Trojans (2-0) are the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week for games of the weekend of Sept. 13.

Mark Sanchez threw four touchdown passes and Joe McKnight ran for 102 yards as the Trojans lived up to their No. 1 ranking in front of 93,607 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

USC won for the 39th time in its last 40 home games and dominated the first meeting with the Buckeyes since 1990.

The Trojans Patrick Turner attended Goodpasture. He has 89 career catches is 21st on USC's all-time pass catching chart.

2008: Turner is USC's most experienced wide receiver, returning for his second season as a starter as a senior in 2008.

Other Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Bowl National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Sept. 13 included:

· BYU (3-0): Max Hall threw seven touchdown passes as the Cougars handed UCLA its worst loss in 75 years, 59-0, in Provo.

· UNLV (2-1): Malo Taumua blocked a field goal in overtime as UNLV upset Arizona State, 23-20, to complete a four-game weekend sweep of the Pac-10 by the Mountain West.

The FWAA has named a national team of the week since the 2002 season. This is the fifth season that the award has been sponsored by the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Members of the FWAA board of directors and All-America committee decide the weekly honor. Each Monday during the 2008 college football season, the FWAA will name the Tostitos Bowl National Team of the Week through Dec. 1.

Since 1971, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl has hosted six games that have decided the college football national championship, including three Bowl Championship Series title games. This season the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl game will be played on Jan. 5, 2009 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., and the Insight Bowl will be played on Dec. 31, 2008 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.

For more information on the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week, go to footballwriters.com or fiestabowl.org.

2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Teams of the Week ·
Weekend of Aug. 30: Alabama·
Weekend of Sept. 6: East Carolina·
Weekend of Sept. 13: USC

O'Brien Foundation Names Chase Daniel QB Of The Week

FORT WORTH, Texas (September 15, 2008) - The Davey O'Brien Foundation has named Chase Daniel of the University of Missouri the O'Brien Quarterback of the Week for week three. Daniel, a senior, led Mizzou's offensive onslaught against Nevada in a convincing 69-17 win last Saturday.

Missouri Head Coach Gary Pinkel indicated that Daniel has improved even after his 2007 breakout season during which he was named an O'Brien Finalist.

"You look at him - it looks like he's playing better," Pinkel said during his post game comments. "Certainly he has raised the bar to the highest level."

Daniel completed 23 of 28 passes for 405 yards and four touchdowns, including a fake field goal attempt which resulted in a score. His 80-yard catch-and-run pass to wide receiver Jeremy Maclin earned Daniel a new school record for career passing yards

"Catching Chase's record-breaking pass - it's a special moment," Maclin said.

Daniel is in his third season as Mizzou's starting sign caller after taking over in 2006. During the 2007 season he led the Tigers to the Big 12 Championship game against the University of Oklahoma and completed the season with an impressive victory in the Cotton Bowl over the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Tigers now set their sights to Buffalo as they look to improve on their 3-0 record in front of a home crowd on Saturday. Daniel will lead Mizzou into the game with the nation's top-ranked offense in two major categories: total offense (597.33 ypg) and scoring offense (57.67 ppg).

Before enrolling at Missouri, the Texas native led Southlake Carroll to a perfect 16-0 record in 2004, earning a class 5A state championship. He was named the 2004 EA Sports National High School Player of the Year.

Each week a subset of the Davey O'Brien National Selection Committee will name the quarterback of the week who exemplifies the award's standards. The O'Brien honors the nation's best college quarterback of the year. Currently all 119 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) quarterbacks are candidates for the award until Semifinalists are announced on October 27. Finalists will be announced November 24. The 2008 Winner will be announced December 11.

About The O'Brien Fan Vote
Fans can now register and vote for The O'Brien Fan Vote online at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001aKiePr72HNxLQZDMhUxJXIPUeq5FcxV0qeXz8FeY9ysXq5Ww25P7tO6WQAa-myiGy80oYaxbqTcYF9TpeYq0ocfWUSabD-ej1LdCURTYMmJVPRAvueNe5w== to show their support for their favorite college quarterback. Fans will be able to choose from any of the 119 FBS quarterbacks beginning on Tuesday, September 2, leaving room for the possibility of a quarterback who is not on the Watch List to win the award. The top three quarterbacks who garner the most votes will be added to The O'Brien Semifinalist List, and the Fan Vote will then count as 5% in determining the Finalists and Winner. The 2008 Winner will be announced during The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show airing December 11 on ESPN. The recipient will be honored February 16, 2009, at the 32nd Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

About The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award®
The O'Brien honors the nation's best college quarterback of the year and inspires student-athletes to triumph both on and off the field. By recognizing and honoring athletes who excel in both sports and academics while exhibiting strong character and leadership, The O'Brien aims to help instill a lifelong moral fiber in each candidate. The O'Brien is overseen by the Davey O'Brien Foundation, which was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The Foundation has given away more than $750,000 in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life. For more information, visit http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001aKiePr72HNyh1zG5yP9Wfs7QIDrUE1p9LvSxXJwtEPmU89e53Rj0O9Wh-IILck1R54pMWX6x_shsld0wkXV36UDVO8ffv8FesKbQOK2MO99-PjQHXX2TCQ==.

McCadams NFHS Coaches Association Award Winner

HERMITAGE- - We are proud to announce that, again this year, the Board of Control has given TSSAA permission to participate in the NFHS Coaches Association Award Program. This program is designed to recognize State Active Coaches of the Year and Sectional Coaches of the Year in each sport sanctioned by the Association. Coaches are selected based on their accomplishments the previous school year.

State and Sectional Coach of the Year winners will receive a certificate from the National Federation recognizing their accomplishments. Sectional Award winners will also be considered for the NFHS National Coach of the Year Award.

A National committee will select the National Coaches of the Year and these individuals will receive a plaque from the national office recognizing their accomplishment. Each state is also allowed to nominate one Citation (Coach) nominee. NFHS Citations are presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to the NFHS and/or other national organizations that have had an impact on high school activities.

Nominees for Contributor of the Year must exemplify the highest standards of sportsmanship, ethical conduct, moral character, and carry the endorsement of their respective state high school association.

TSSAA is proud to recognize our award winners for the 2007-08 school year.

They are as follows: 2007-08 TSSAA COACHES OF THE YEAR

Boys Sports

Football – Glenn McCadams, David Lipscomb High School

Basketball – Jody Wright, Fulton High School

Track – Tim Taylor, David Lipscomb High School

Baseball – Chuck Cooper, Jackson Christian School
Soccer – Mike Purcell, Brentwood High School
Wrestling – Pat Simpson, Father Ryan High School

Cross Country – Gene Cahill, University School

Golf – Gary Wells, Marshall County High School

Tennis – Pete Zannis, Science High School

Bowling – David Channell, Hardin County High School

This Week in College Football History: Sept. 15-Sept. 21

DALLAS -- September 9, 2008 - As part of an on- going series throughout the fall, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame posts in advance This Week in College Football History, which takes a look back at some of college football's landmark moments over the last 139 years. During the season, many of these events are featured in a changing exhibit at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind.

FEATURED MOMENT: September 18, 1999: Cincinnati stuns No. 9 Wisconsin and eventual Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne 17-12 at Nippert Stadium, as the Bearcats grab their first-ever win over a ranked opponent. The Badgers end the season with a No. 4 ranking and a Rose Bowl victory, while Cincy finishes 3-8.

OTHER NOTABLE DATES: September 15, 1973: Northwestern defeats Big Ten rival Michigan State 14-10 in Evanston, giving the Wildcats' their first season-opening win in six years.

September 16, 2000: Pitt blanks Penn State 12-0 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh during the last scheduled game of the intrastate rivals. Panthers' QB John Turman throws for 272 yards and the game's only TD, allowing Pitt its first win in the series since 1988.

September 17, 1994: UNLV's Randy Gatewood catches 23 passes for 363 yards, setting NCAA records for single-game receptions and single- game receiving yards. The Rebels go on to break six other national or conference offensive records in the game despite losing to Idaho 48-38 in Las Vegas.

September 19, 1959: Texas Tech defeats Texas A&M 20-14 in Dallas, marking the first time in series history the Raiders win two consecutive games over the Aggies.

September 20, 1997: Florida State WR Warrick Dunn tallies 372 all-purposes yards at Death Valley en route to a 35-28 win over conference rival Clemson, giving future College Football Hall of Fame head coach Bobby Bowden his 200th win at FSU. The Seminoles move on to clinch the ACC Championship.

September 21, 1957: In a game arranged by then-U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy, Navy spoils the first game in Boston College's on-campus Alumni Stadium. The Midshipmen outscore the Eagles 46-6 in front of a sell-out crowd, which included the former King of Belgium.

The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

www.footballfoundation.org

Vandy's Benoist Is Bronko Nagurski Player Of The Week

DALLAS (FWAA) - Vanderbilt linebacker Patrick Benoist has been named the FWAA/Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week for games of the weekend of Sept. 6.

Benoist, a 6-0, 222-pound junior from Southlake, Texas, keyed the Commodores' 24-17 upset of South Carolina last Thursday night. He had 15 tackles, including a six-yard sack, a two-yard tackle-for-loss and a pass deflection. His performance helped limit South Carolina to just one second-half score as Vandy knocked off a ranked opponent at home for the first time since 1992.

Benoist will be added to the 2008 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy will be presented to the best defensive player in college football on Dec. 7 by the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. Five finalists for the Nagurski Trophy will be announced on Nov. 17.

Each week during the 2008 season the FWAA All-America Committee will select a national defensive player of the week from nominations made by the 11 Division I Bowl Subdivision Conferences and major independents.

Last season, LSU tackle Glenn Dorsey won the coveted Bronko Nagurski Trophy during the 13th season the FWAA has named a national defensive player of the year.

The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,000 men and women across North America who cover college football for a living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game day operations, major awards, a national poll and its annual All-America team.

The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a non-profit organization founded in 1990 for the purpose of promoting high school, collegiate, and professional football in the Charlotte, N.C., region. The club's activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding citizenship, scholarship, sportsmanship, and leadership of area athletes and coaches. For more information, contact John Rocco (704-347-2918 or jrocco@touchdownclub.com). The official website of the Charlotte Touchdown Club is http://www.touchdownclub.com/.