Sept. 4: Rutgers Sept. 11: Fresno State Sept. 18: Auburn Sept. 25: Navy Oct. 2: Northwestern Oct. 9: Army Oct. 16: Wisconsin Oct. 23: Mississippi State Oct. 30: North Carolina Nov. 6: Notre Dame Nov. 13: Michigan State Nov. 20: Utah Nov. 27: Syracuse
Football Writers Association of America Sept. 20, 2004
For Immediate Release
Contact: Ted Gangi
214-823-7992
Tigers nip LSU in the final minutes
AUBURN IS FEDEX ORANGE BOWL
NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK

DALLAS (FWAA) – With their dramatic 10-9 win over LSU this past Saturday, the Auburn Tigers are the FedEx Orange 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 Sept. 18.

FedEx Orange Bowl

Courtney Taylor caught a 16-yard touchdown pass on third down to cap a 12-play, 59-yard drive with 1:14 left in the game. Then, Auburn (3-0) missed the PAT, but got a second chance after an LSU personal foul. John Vaughn hit his second extra-point try to provide the winning margin.

Quarterback Jason Campbell was 16-for-27 for 170 yards on the day with no interceptions to lead Auburn. Taylor caught five passes for 71 yards in the game.

Other FedEx Orange Bowl National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Sept. 18 included:

Arizona State (3-0): Andrew Walter threw for 428 yards and five touchdowns as the Sun Devils routed Iowa, 44-7, to avenge a 21-2 loss a season ago.

Maine (2-1): The Black Bears, the second Division I-AA team to be nominated this season, stunned Mississippi State, 9-7, in Starkville.

Tennessee (2-0): James Wilhoit booted a 50-yard field goal with six seconds left as the Vols scored 16 fourth-quarter points to beat Florida, 30-28.

West Virginia (3-0): The Mountaineers moved to 3-0 for the first time since 1996 with a 19-16 overtime win over Maryland.

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 FedEx Orange Bowl.

The 16 pollsters of the Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll decide the weekly honor. Each Monday during the 2004 college football season, the FWAA will name the FedEx Orange Bowl National Team of the Week through Nov. 29. This season, FedEx Orange Bowl will match the two top-ranked teams in the final BCS standings. It will be played at Miami's Pro Player Stadium on Jan. 4, 2005.

The Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll will resume this season on Oct. 11. 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 defending FWAA national champion and is ranked No. 1 in the initial 2004 poll.

For more information on the FedEx Orange Bowl National Team of the Week, go to www.footballwriters.com or www.orangebowl.org.

Related link
FedEx Orange Bowl to sponsor National Team of the Week

2004 FedEx Orange Bowl National Teams of the Week
Sept. 4: Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Sept. 11: Fresno State Bulldogs
Sept. 18: Auburn Tigers
Sept. 25: Navy Midshipmen
Oct. 2: Northwestern Wildcats
Oct. 9: Army Black Knights
Oct. 16: Wisconsin Badgers
Oct. 23: Mississippi State Bulldogs
Oct. 30: North Carolina Tar Heels
Nov. 6: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Nov. 13: Michigan State Spartans
Nov. 20: Utah Utes
Nov. 27: Syracuse Orange

2004 FWAA/GRANTLAND RICE SUPER 16 POLLSTERS
EAST SOUTH MIDWEST WEST
Mark Blaudschun
Boston Globe
Mike Griffith
Knoxville News-Sentinel
Brian Davis
The Dallas Morning News
Steve Henson
Los Angeles Times
Jordan Burchette
CSTV | Maxim Online
Ron Higgins
The Commercial Appeal
Dennis Dodd
CBS SportsLine
Natalie Meisler
Denver Post
Frank Coyle
MSNBC | draftinsiders.com
Stewart Mandel
si.com
Pete Fiutak
College Football News
Ted Miller
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Lenn Robbins
New York Post
Jeff Shain
Miami Herald
Darryl Richards
Freelance
Bob Moran
East Valley Tribune