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. 14, 2005
For Immediate Release
Contact: Ted Gangi
214-823-7992
Gamecocks honored for the second time in three weeks
SOUTH CAROLINA IS TOSTITOS FIESTA
BOWL NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK

DALLAS (FWAA) – With their 30-22 win over Florida, the South Carolina Gamecocks 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. 12. South Carolina is the first team to win the award twice in one season since Miami in 2002.

Mike Davis and Daccus Turman each ran for a pair of touchdowns as the Gamecocks (7-3) ended a 14-game losing streak to Florida that dated back to 1939. The win was also South Carolina's fifth straight in SEC play, a school record.

"I love the Gators, I always will," said coach Steve Spurrier after the game. "But I am with South Carolina now. I'm just proud of the guys, proud of the way they played," he added.

The other Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Bowl National Team of the Week nominee for the weekend of Nov. 12:

LSU (8-1): JaMarcus Russell hit wideout Dwayne Bowe with an 11-yard touchdown pass in overtime as the Tigers handed Alabama its first loss of the season, 16-13.

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