Sept. 4: Rutgers Sept. 11: Fresno State Sept. 18: Auburn Sept. 25: Navy Oct. 2: Northwestern Oct. 9: Army Oct. 16: Wisconsin Oct. 23: Mississippi State Oct. 30: North Carolina Nov. 6: Notre Dame Nov. 13: Michigan State Nov. 20: Utah Nov. 27: Syracuse
Football Writers Association of America Nov. 29, 2004
For Immediate Release
Contact: Ted Gangi
214-823-7992
Orange spoil Boston College's BCS hopes
SYRACUSE IS FEDEX ORANGE
BOWL NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK

DALLAS (FWAA) – With their 43-17 win over Boston College, the Syracuse Orange are the FedEx Orange Bowl National Team of the Week, as selected by the pollsters of the FWAA's Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll for games of the weekend of Nov. 27.

FedEx Orange Bowl

Diamond Ferri ran for 141 yards and two touchdowns and returned an interception 44 yards for a score as the Orange routed Boston College in the Eagles' final Big East game. The win made Syracuse (6-5) bowl eligible and created a four-way tie at the of the Big East standings.

Other FedEx Orange Bowl National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Nov. 27 included:

Arizona (3-8): Redshirt freshman Richard Kovalcheck threw three touchdown passes and Mike Bell ran for 139 yards as the Wildcats upset in-state rival Arizona State, 34-27.

Louisville (9-1): The Cardinals clinched their third Conference USA title since 2000 with a 70-7 rout of Cincinnati.

Pittsburgh (7-3): The Panthers won the "Backyard Brawl," defeating rival West Virginia, 16-13, on Tyler Palko's 2-yard run in the fourth quarter.

USC (11-0): Matt Leinart threw for a career-high 400 yards and five touchdowns as the Trojans won their 20th straight game, a 41-10 rout of Notre Dame.

The FWAA has named a national team of the week since the 2002 season. This is the first season that the award has been sponsored by the FedEx Orange Bowl.

The 16 pollsters of the Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll decide the weekly honor. Each Monday during the 2004 college football season, the FWAA has named the FedEx Orange Bowl National Team of the Week. This is the final award for the 2004 season. This season, FedEx Orange Bowl will match the two top-ranked teams in the final BCS standings. It will be played at Miami's Pro Player Stadium on Jan. 4, 2005.

The Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll wil continue to be released each Monday through Dec. 6. The top-ranked team in the final poll, released on Jan. 5, 2005, will be awarded the Grantland Rice Trophy as the FWAA's national champion. The FWAA has awarded the trophy each season since 1954.

For more information on the FedEx Orange Bowl National Team of the Week, go to www.footballwriters.com or www.orangebowl.org.

2004 FedEx Orange Bowl National Teams of the Week
Weekend of Sept. 4: Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Weekend of Sept. 11: Fresno State Bulldogs
Weekend of Sept. 18: Auburn Tigers
Weekend of Sept. 25: Navy Midshipmen
Weekend of Oct. 2: Northwestern Wildcats
Weekend of Oct. 9: Army Black Knights
Weekend of Oct. 16: Wisconsin Badgers
Weekend of Oct. 23: Mississippi State Bulldogs
Weekend of Oct. 30: North Carolina Tar Heels
Weekend of Nov. 6: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Weekend of Nov. 13: Michigan State Spartans
Weekend of Nov. 20: Utah Utes
Weekend of Nov. 27: Syracuse Orange
2004 FWAA/GRANTLAND RICE SUPER 16 POLLSTERS
EAST SOUTH MIDWEST WEST
Mark Blaudschun
Boston Globe
Mike Griffith
Knoxville News-Sentinel
Brian Davis
The Dallas Morning News
Steve Henson
Los Angeles Times
Jordan Burchette
CSTV | Maxim Online
Ron Higgins
The Commercial Appeal
Dennis Dodd
CBS SportsLine
Natalie Meisler
Denver Post
Frank Coyle
MSNBC | draftinsiders.com
Stewart Mandel
si.com
Pete Fiutak
College Football News
Ted Miller
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Lenn Robbins
New York Post
Jeff Shain
Miami Herald
Darryl Richards
Freelance
Bob Moran
East Valley Tribune