DALLAS (FWAA) – Sean Renfree went from quarterback to
cheerleader in a matter of minutes, guiding the Duke
Blue Devils (6-2) to a
thrilling 33-30 win over rival North Carolina with a final-minute
touchdown pass, then leading the fans in the celebration after the
game.
Duke's win, which makes it bowl-eligible for the first time since
1994, earned the Blue Devils the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team
of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Oct. 20. The announcement
came exclusively on SiriusXM Radio's "College Sports Today," hosted
by Mark Packer and Eddie George.
"I can't even describe it," said Renfree, who was seen right
after the game in front of the stands conducting a "Bowl baby,
bowl!" chant with Duke's elated fans to the cadence of the Victory
Bell that was quickly painted royal blue. "It's unbelievable."
The final drive was, too. Renfree completed a 14-play, 87-yard
drive inside of the three minutes, capping it with a 5-yard touchdown
pass to Jamison Crowder on fourth down with 13 seconds left.
Duke now leads the ACC's Coastal Division with a 3-1 record.
The win also snapped UNC's eight-game winning streak in the series.
Duke led 20-6 at the half and 23-9 going into the fourth quarter,
but still had to rally after UNC came back to take a 30-26 lead
with 3:12 left.
Other Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week nominees
for the weekend of Oct. 20 included:
• Florida (7-0): Jeff Driskel threw four touchdown
passes as the Gators wiped out South Carolina, 44-11, to take
control of the SEC East. Florida, 6-0 in SEC play, can clinch
the division tile with a win over Georgia this weekend. Three
Gators turned three first-half turnovers into 21-6 halftime
lead to set the tone.
• Toledo (7-1): Jeremiah Detmer booted five
field goals and the Rockets produced defensive and special
teams touchdowns to stun previously unbeaten Cincinnati,
29-23. Jordan Haden sealed the upset with an interception
with 23 seconds remaining.
The Football Writers Association of America has named a national
team of the week since the 2002 season. This is the eighth season
that the award has been sponsored by the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Members of the FWAA All-America Committee decide the weekly honor.
Each remaining Monday during the 2012 college football regular season,
the FWAA will name the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the
Week. The winner will be announced through Nov. 26 at 9:30 a.m.
ET on the SiriusXM College Sports Nation channel.
Founded in 1971, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl has
hosted seven games that have decided the college football national
championship, including four Bowl Championship Series title games.
This season, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl will be played on Jan. 3,
2013, at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., and the
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl will be played on Dec. 29, 2012, at Sun
Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.
The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization
founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,200 men and women 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 gameday operations, major awards and its annual All-America
team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve
Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com or 972-713-6198.
For more information on the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of
the Week, go to
footballwriters.com
or fiestabowl.org.
2012 FWAA ALL-AMERICA
COMMITTEE |
Mark Anderson |
Las Vegas Review-Journal |
Mountain West |
Lee Barfknecht |
Omaha World-Herald |
Big Ten |
Kirk Bohls |
Austin American-Statesman |
WAC |
Jimmy Burch |
Fort Worth Star-Telegram |
Big 12 |
Jon Gold |
CBS Sports |
Pac-12 |
Vahe Gregorian |
St. Louis Post-Dispatch |
SEC |
Tommy Hicks |
Mobile Press-Register |
Sun Belt |
Ron Higgins |
Memphis Commercial Appeal |
Conference USA |
John Silver |
Manchester Journal Inquirer |
Big East |
Phil Steele |
Phil Steele Publications |
National |
Greg Wallace |
Anderson Independent-Mail |
SEC |
John Wagner |
Toledo Blade |
Mid-American |
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