DALLAS (FWAA) Quarterback Austin Allen's
five-yard run in the second overtime period was the last of a
series of big plays during an electric fourth quarter and
overtime that led the Arkansas Razorbacks to a
41-38 upset win at TCU on Saturday. For winning on the road
against a ranked opponent for the third straight time, and for
ending TCU's 14-game home winning streak that was the
third-longest in the nation, Arkansas earned the
Football Writers Association of America National Team of the
Week honor for games of the weekend of Sept. 10.
The announcement was made on "Playbook," hosted by Chris Carlin
and Gino Torretta on SiriusXM Radio's "College Sports Nation." Each
Monday during the season, the FWAA National Team of the Week will
be unveiled during the program, which airs from 1-4 p.m. ET.
Arkansas (2-0) fell behind 28-20 late in the fourth quarter
after TCU rallied to score 21 unanswered points. But with 1:49
left, Allen was a perfect 4-for-4 passing on the ensuing drive,
including a 16-yard score to wide receiver Keon Hatcher. On the
two-point conversion to tie, Hatcher completed a nifty
reverse-pass to Allen in the end zone with just over a minute to
play.
The Razorbacks then weathered a TCU drive when Dan Skipper
blocked what would have been a 28-yard game-winning field goal
to send the game into overtime. After trading touchdowns, TCU
kicked a field goal on its second overtime possession, setting
up Allens game-winning run.
"We want to keep you in your seats for four quarters and
some," Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema said. "For college
football, I think this is everything you could ask for when you
talk about the environment we had here tonight, and the
competition that was on the field. We wanted to play our type of
football. I think the part I stressed to our guys all week was
code red. Being able to play at a heightened awareness on the
road. They bought into it all week and persevered."
Arkansas has now won four straight and eight of its last nine
games dating back to last season, including road wins at No. 18
Ole Miss, No. 9 LSU and No. 15 TCU. Over the program's last 19
games under Bielema, the Razorbacks have won five games against
ranked teams while unranked.
This is the third time for Arkansas to earn National Team of
the Week honors and the first time since 2006.
Other National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Sept.
10 included:
Central Michigan (2-0): The Chippewas
took advantage of one last chance, scoring on a 49-yard
catch-and-lateral Hail Mary on an untimed down to beat No.
22 Oklahoma State, 30-27, in Stillwater. Jesse Kroll leaped
between two defenders to catch Cooper Rushs volley at the
eight-yard line, then lateraled while still in the air to
Corey Willis, who outran a defender across the field for the
score. It was the Chippewas' first win over a ranked team
since beating No. 18 Michigan State, 20-3, in 1991. Game
officials later determined the final untimed play should not
have been allowed after enforcing a fourth-down intentional
grounding penalty against Oklahoma State on the previous
play that created a turnover. The game should have ended
there, they determined.
Pittsburgh (2-0): Running back James
Conner scored two touchdowns and ran for 117 yards, and
cornerback Ryan Lewis intercepted Penn State quarterback
Trace McSorley in the end zone with just over a minute to
play as Pittsburgh held on for a 42-39 win. The first
meeting in the once-again-rivalry in 16 years came in front
of 69,983 fans at Heinz Field, breaking a 78-year-old
Pittsburgh sports all-time attendance record. Pitts 42
points were its highest-ever outpot in the 97-game series.
The Football Writers Association of America has named a national
team of the week since the 2002 season. Members of the 12-person
FWAA All-America Committee – plus one fan vote from Twitter –
decide the weekly honor.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football.
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 and its annual All-America team.
For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson
at tiger@fwaa.com.
2016 FWAA ALL-AMERICA
COMMITTEE |
Nick Baumgardner |
MLive.com |
Big Ten |
Kirk Bohls |
Austin American-Statesman |
Chairman |
Tim Griffin |
San Antonio Express-News |
C-USA |
Clay Henry |
Hawgs Illustrated |
SEC |
Joey Johnston |
TodaysU.com |
American Athletic |
Steve Jones |
Louisville Courier-Journal |
ACC |
Matt Roberson |
Jonesboro Sun |
Sun Belt |
John Shinn |
Norman Transcript |
Big 12 |
Dave Southorn |
Idaho Statesman |
Mountain West |
Phil Steele |
Phil Steele Publications |
Independents/National |
Ryan Thorburn |
Eugene Register-Guard |
Pac-12 |
John Wagner |
Toledo Blade |
Mid-American |
|