Sept. 3: TCU Sept. 10: LSU Sept. 17: Michigan State Sept. 24: South Florida Oct. 1: Alabama Oct. 8: Penn State Oct. 15: USC Oct. 22: Northwestern Oct. 29: South Carolina Nov. 5: Miami Nov. 12: South Carolina Nov. 19: Georgia Tech Nov. 26: Nevada
Football Writers Association of America Nov. 7, 2005
For Immediate Release
Contact: Ted Gangi
214-823-7992
'Canes blow back into national championship hunt
MIAMI IS TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL
NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK

DALLAS (FWAA) – With their 27-7 win at Virginia Tech, the Miami Hurricanes are the Tostitos Fiesta 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. 5.

The Hurricanes forced six turnovers with three of them leading to 17 points as the Virginia Tech offense was stifled all evening. The Hokies were limited to just 167 yards of total offense and 13 first downs. For the Miami offense, Charlie Jones ran for 97 yards and a touchdown and Kyle Wright completed 13-of-22 passes for 146 yards and a score.

"We played with a chip on our shoulder," Wright said after the game. "I've been saying it for the whole week down there, if we come out and play they way we should, I didn't think they could play with us."

The other Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Bowl National Team of the Week nominee for the weekend of Nov. 5:

Arizona (3-6): The Wildcats scored the game's first 28 points and rolled up 519 yards of offense in upsetting previously unbeaten UCLA, 52-17.

Kansas (5-4): The Jayhawks ended a 36-game losing streak to Nebraska with a 40-15 win. The Kansas defense held the Huskers to just eight first downs and 135 yards of total offense.

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 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

The 16 pollsters of the Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll decide the weekly honor. Each Monday during the 2005 college football season, the FWAA will name the Tostitos Bowl National Team of the Week through Nov. 28.

The Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll will be released each Monday afternoon from Oct. 10 through Dec. 5 and then following the BCS championship game in the Rose Bowl. The top-ranked team in the final poll will be awarded the Grantland Rice Trophy as the FWAA's national champion. The FWAA has awarded the trophy each season since 1954. USC is the two-time defending FWAA national champion and was ranked No. 1 in the initial 2005 poll.

Since 1971, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and Tempe, Ariz., have hosted five games that have decided the college football national championship, including two Bowl Championship Series title games. The 2006 game will be played on Jan. 2 and will be the final game played at Sun Devil Stadium. The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, along with the BCS Championship Game, will move to the new Multi-Purpose Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., beginning in 2007.

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

2005 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Teams of the Week
Weekend of Sept. 3: TCU Horned Frogs
Weekend of Sept. 10: LSU Tigers
Weekend of Sept. 17: Michigan State Spartans
Weekend of Sept. 24: South Florida Bulls
Weekend of Oct. 1: Alabama Crimson Tide
Weekend of Oct. 8: Penn State Nittany Lions
Weekend of Oct. 15: USC Trojans
Weekend of Oct. 22: Northwestern Wildcats
Weekend of Oct. 29: South Carolina Gamecocks
Weekend of Nov. 5: Miami Hurricanes
Weekend of Nov. 12: South Carolina Gamecocks
Weekend of Nov. 19: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Weekend of Nov. 26: Nevada Wolf Pack
2005 FWAA/GRANTLAND RICE SUPER 16 POLLSTERS
Andy Bagnato
Arizona Republic
Jordan Burchette
Maxim Online
Bob Condotta
Seattle Times
Frank Coyle
MSNBC | draftinsiders.com
Brian Curtis
College Sports TV
Brian Davis
The Dallas Morning News
Dennis Dodd
CBS SportsLine
Pete Fiutak
College Football News
Teddy Greenstein
Chicago Tribune
Mike Griffith
Knoxville News-Sentinel
Chad Hartley
Reno Gazette-Journal
Matt Hayes
The Sporting News
Ron Higgins
The Commercial Appeal
Brian Koonz
Danbury News-Times
Lenn Robbins
New York Post
Jeff Shain
Miami Herald