DALLAS (FWAA) Quarterback Joshua Dobbs was
responsible for five touchdowns and led a furious rally as the
Tennessee Volunteers came back from a 21-0
deficit to defeat Florida, 38-28, last Saturday. For ending an
11-game losing streak to the Gators, the Vols earned the
Football Writers Association of America National Team of the
Week honor for games of the weekend of Sept. 24.
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.
Tennessee, 4-0 for the first time since 2003, scored 38
straight points behind Dobbs, who brushed off a cold start to
complete 16-of-32 passes for 319 yards and four touchdowns,
while also gaining 80 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. Jalen
Hurd added 95 yards on 26 carries. The Vols defense held
Florida to 106 yards on the ground.
"I hope you guys understand the resolve and the resiliency of
this football team," Head Coach Butch Jones said. "Must win, all
that that is not the case. We are building something special
here with character and competitiveness. The resolve of these
kids, with all the expectations on this football game and you go
down at halftime, and to have that second half performance. If
you don't have character in your football program, that does not
happen."
The win was the Volunteers first in their Southeastern
Conference opener since 2004, when they also defeated the Gators
to open conference play. Tennessee now owns a 10-game win streak
dating back to 2015, which ranks as the third-longest in the
nation and is the Vols longest since winning 14 straight
spanning the 1998 and 1999 seasons.
This is the second time for Tennessee to earn National Team
of the Week honors. The other came in 2006.
Other National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Sept.
23 included:
Colorado (3-1): Steven Montez recorded
the first 300-yard passing/100-yard rushing game in school
history (333 and 135, respectively), and Colorado held off
an Oregon rally with an interception in its own end zone by
Ahkello Witherspoon in the final minute to earn a signature
road win in its Pac-12 Conference opener.
Duke (2-2): Daniel Jones threw for
three touchdowns, and AJ Reed kicked a 19-yard field goal
with 1:27 left as Duke won a non-conference game at Notre
Dame, 38-35. Jones was 24-of-32 passing for 290 yards.
Wisconsin (4-0): The Badgers turned an
early-season showdown at Michigan State into a 30-6 runaway,
paced by a 66-yard fumble recovery that safety Leo Musso
returned for a touchdown, sparking a 17-0 scoring run in the
third-quarter.
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 |
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