The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

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Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Butler Repeats as Randy Moss Award Winner
Carnegie Mellon sophomore Kelvin Butler is the first two-time recipient of the Randy Moss Award

by Alicia Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reporter

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. -- Carnegie Mellon sophomore Kelvin Butler is now 2-for-2 when it comes to college football’s top kick returner honor, claiming his second Randy Moss Award as a part of the ESPN College Football Awards show on Friday evening.

Butler was the popular choice amongst his fellow finalists in Florida redshirt senior Chris Rainey and Toledo fifth-year senior Carl Ford. CMU’s sophomore wide receiver didn’t quite match his production from last season – where he tallied three kick return touchdowns and three punt return scores – but still provided a 24.2 kick return average, 10.3 punt return average, and three return touchdowns (2 kick, 1 punt). Butler also amassed three touchdowns offensively (2 receiving, 1 rush) along with 398 receiving yards on 20 receptions.

Rainey scored once on a punt return and averaged 24.4 yards per kick return and 13.9 yards per punt return. Ford found the end zone on a kick and a punt, and averaged 25.1 yards per kick return and 9.7 yards per punt return.

Butler’s nine career return touchdowns are a NCAA record, surpassing five others (Derek Abney, Kentucky [2000-03]; Leodis McKelvin, Troy [2004-07]; Antonio Perkins, Oklahoma [2001-04]; Kevin Robinson, Utah State [2004-07]; Wes Welker, Texas Tech [2000-03]) who shared the standard with eight each. Perkins and Welker own the NCAA punt return touchdown record with eight apiece, while Ashlan Davis of Tulsa (2004-05) is the NCAA career kick return touchdown record holder with six.

Butler was the only Tartan to take home hardware on Friday night, as redshirt sophomore wide receiver Eddie Williams finished runner-up to Miami (Fla.) redshirt senior Kayne Farquharson for the Fred Biletnikoff Award.

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Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Manziel Makes History, Becomes First Freshman Heisman Winner
Michigan quarterback Johnny Manziel is the first freshman – true or redshirt – to win College Football’s most prestigious award

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. (AP) -- History was made Saturday, as Michigan quarterback Johnny Manziel was named the 77th recipient of the Heisman Memorial Trophy. Manziel, a native of Tyler, Texas, becomes the first freshman Heisman winner in the award’s history.

Manziel received 314 first-place votes and 1,551 points in all, topping runner-up Robert Griffin III of Texas Tech by 462 points. All four finalists were quarterbacks for the third consecutive season, with Florida redshirt senior John Brantley finishing third (839 points) and Texas fifth-year senior John Chiles placing fourth (727 points).

The rookie signal-caller accounted for 50 Michigan touchdowns, throwing 41 and rushing for nine more. Manziel posted a quarterback rating of 162.1, passed for 3,239 yards, and added 632 yards on the ground while leading the No. 7 Wolverines to an 11-1 record and Rose Bowl matchup against No. 6 Miami (Fla.).

Griffin, a redshirt junior that sat behind Chicago Bears quarterback Andrew Luck over his career, guided No. 17 Texas Tech to a 9-3 record and Holiday Bowl bid versus No. 13 Washington. He thrived in Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense, throwing for 3,964 yards and 44 touchdowns, while adding 235 yards and a score on the ground.

Brantley, joined Manziel and Griffin in the 40-touchdown club, tossing 46 for No. 9 Florida to go along with 3,539 passing yards. Chiles accumulated 3,248 passing yards, 379 rushing yards, and 40 total touchdowns (35 pass, 5 rush) for No. 5 Texas, who will face the Gators in the Fiesta Bowl.

Manziel is the sixth consecutive quarterback to win the Heisman, joining Texas A&M’s Jerrod Johnson (2009), Clemson’s Willy Korn (2010), Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn (2006), USC’s Mark Sanchez (2008), and Florida’s Tim Tebow (2007). He is the fourth Michigan player to win the award, alongside Tom Harmon (1940), Desmond Howard (1991), and Charles Woodson (1997).

Final Heisman Voting
Johnny Manziel, Fr., QB, Michigan | 314 | 237 | 135 | 1,551
Robert Griffin III, R-Jr., QB, Texas Tech | 184 | 176 | 185 | 1,089
John Brantley, R-Sr., QB, Florida | 120 | 145 | 189 | 839
John Chiles, R-Sr., QB, Texas | 96 | 139 | 161 | 727

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Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Trio of Tartans Earn AP All-America Recognition
Mark Toth and Kelvin Butler earned First Team honors from the Associated Press, while Eddie Williams made Second Team

by Alicia Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reporter

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Carnegie Mellon continued to have a presence on the Associated Press All-America teams, as three players earned recognition. Senior linebacker Mark Toth and sophomore return specialist Kelvin Butler garnered First Team honors, and redshirt sophomore wide receiver Eddie Williams made the Second Team.

Toth, who previously was a Freshman All-America selection in 2008, serves as the First Team’s middle linebacker after a stellar senior season. Entering CMU’s bowl matchup, the senior has accumulated 85 tackles (16 for loss), six sacks, six interceptions, five forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and two touchdowns. For his career, Toth has a school record 310 tackles as well as 25 sacks, 14 interceptions, 17 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and three touchdowns.

Butler returned to the First Team after collecting his second straight Randy Moss Award. The sophomore scored three return touchdowns (2 kick, 1 punt), averaged 24.2 yards per kick return and 10.3 yards per punt return, and accumulated 1,040 kick return yards and 362 punt return yards. He has a NCAA record nine return touchdowns (5 kick, 4 punt) in his career, and enters his final two years of eligibility needing one kick return touchdown and four punt return touchdowns to match the NCAA standards in those statistics.

Williams, a Freshman All-America pick last season, makes the Second Team after avoiding the sophomore slump. Despite a rotating quarterback situation, the redshirt sophomore recorded 90 catches for 1,451 yards and 14 touchdowns, and added 171 yards and a score on the ground. He has shattered pretty much every school record at wide receiver, accumulating 179 receptions, 2,780 yards, and 32 total touchdowns (28 receiving, 4 rushing) in two seasons. Williams is eligible to declare for the NFL Draft following the Tartans’ bowl game and there is no chatter on which way he is leaning.

Williams is the 12th player to make multiple All-America teams, joining Scott Barnvak (1989, 1990), Kelvin Butler (2010, 2011), Matt Burnsides (2009, 2010), Chris Dee (1993, 1994), Andy Helms (1991, 1991), Chuck Jackson (1991, 1992), Don Kaminski (1979, 1981), Jim Manning (2007, 2009), Robert O’Toole (1989, 1990), Chad Wilson (1992, 1993), and Rich Wilson (1991, 1992). Toth's recognition gives Carnegie Mellon 47 different All-Americans in its history.

The Mid-American Conference (MAC) saw nine players in all collect All-America plaudits. In addition to the three CMU honorees, Kent State senior center Kenneth Powell (First Team), Kent State junior kicker Kevin Mays (Second Team), Akron tight end Braylon Ford (Freshman Team), Kent State freshman defensive end Markus Scott (Freshman Team), Bowling Green freshman defensive tackle Joey Reid (Freshman Team), and Kent State freshman free safety Anthony Young (Freshman Team) were given recognition from the Associated Press.

Associated Press All-America First Team
QB: Johnny Manziel, Fr., Michigan
HB: Darren Evans, R-Sr., Virginia Tech
HB: Lee Chambers, R-Sr., Miami (Fla.)
WR: Michael Floyd, Sr., USC
WR: Kayne Farquharson, R-Sr., Miami (Fla.)
TE: Aaron Hernandez, R-Sr., Florida
OT: Paul Cook, Sr., Syracuse
OT: Kevin Cantrell, Sr., USC
G: Kevin Washington, Jr., Wisconsin
G: David Edwards, R-So., LSU
C: Kenneth Powell, Sr., Kent State
DE: Adam Goodwin, R-Jr., Texas
DE: Anthony Clark, Sr., Army
DT: David Neill, R-Sr., Texas Tech
DT: Marcus Forston, Sr., Hawaii
OLB: Tom Rivas, Sr., Miami (Fla.)
OLB: Stanley Hunter, R-Sr., Clemson
MLB: Mark Toth, Sr., Carnegie Mellon
CB: Gary Gray, R-Sr., Notre Dame
CB: Isaac Goolsby, So., Washington
FS: David Smith, Sr., Penn State
SS: Kenny Vaccaro, Jr., Oklahoma
K: Bill Hale, So., Texas A&M
P: Matt Wyatt, Fr., Penn State
RS: Kelvin Butler, So., Carnegie Mellon

Associated Press All-America Second Team
QB: Robert Griffin III, R-Jr., Texas Tech
HB: Marcus Lattimore, So., Clemson
HB: Doug Hogue, R-Sr., Syracuse
WR: Eddie Williams, R-So., Carnegie Mellon
WR: Ian Harding, R-Sr., LSU
TE: Jordon Corbin, R-Sr., LSU
OT: Stanley Holt, So., Navy
OT: Charles Dailey, Jr., Wisconsin
G: Joshua Dyches, Sr., Arkansas
G: Maurkice Pouncey, R-Sr., Florida
C: Kevin Hines, So., Virginia Tech
DE: Andre Branch, R-Sr., Clemson
DE: Sam Acho, R-Sr., Texas
DT: Chris Handy, Sr., Penn State
DT: Matt Simms, R-Sr., Oregon
OLB: Jordan Campbell, R-Sr., USC
OLB: Steven Wilks, R-Sr., Florida
MLB: Josh Thurman, So., TCU
CB: Vincent Smith, Jr., UCLA
CB: Keith McGowen, R-Sr., Boise State
FS: Bill Jackson, R-Jr., Texas Tech
SS: Charles Sharp, R-Jr., Texas
K: Kevin Mays, Jr., Kent State
P: Clint Merrick, Fr., Miami (Fla.)
RS: Chris Rainey, R-Sr., Florida

Associated Press All-America Freshman Team
QB: Johnny Manziel, Fr., Michigan
HB: Melvin Gordon III, Fr., Wisconsin
HB: De’Anthony Thomas, Fr., Ohio State
WR: Sammy Watkins, Fr., Clemson
WR: Brandin Cooks, Fr., UCLA
TE: Braylon Ford, Fr., Akron
OT: Raymond Vinson, Fr., Nebraska
OT: Ryan Turner, Fr., Penn State
G: Erik Smith, R-Fr., Virginia Tech
G: Dennis McGinty, Fr., Ohio State
C: Tim Walker, Fr., Syracuse
DE: Markus Scott, Fr., Kent State
DE: Dan Edwards, R-Fr., BYU
DT: Joey Reid, Fr., Bowling Green
DT: Antwaun Woods, Fr., West Virginia
OLB: Quinton Harper, R-Fr., Washington
OLB: Alec Ogletree, R-Fr., Iowa
MLB: Jason Green, Fr., South Florida
CB: Marcus Finley, Fr., Illinois
CB: Kyle Fuller, R-Fr., Nebraska
FS: Anthony Young, Fr., Kent State
SS: Bobby Dougherty, Fr., Illinois
K: John King, Fr., Wake Forest
P: Matt Wyatt, Fr., Penn State
RS: Mike Evans, Fr., LSU

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Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Oh, Canada!: Tartans, Bulls to Meet in International Bowl
ESPN will broadcast the International Bowl, which is set to take place on January 5, 2012

by Jayson Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Carnegie Mellon will be traveling north of the border for its bowl matchup, as it has been selected to play in the International Bowl, which will be held at the Rogers Centre on January 5, 2012. The Tartans’ opponents will be South Florida of the Big East Conference.

This is the fourth International Bowl, with the Mid-American Conference (MAC) winning the previous three editions. Central Michigan was triumphant against Notre Dame in 2009, 31-27, and Auburn in 2010, 34-16. Kent State defeated Rutgers this past January, 24-17.

South Florida finished the regular season with a 6-6 record and 3-4 mark in the Big East. The Bulls are led by their defense, which features four All-Big East selections in redshirt senior tackle Darren Powe (55 tackles, 9 sacks, 1 FF), freshman linebacker Jason Green (76 tackles, 5 sacks, 3 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR), redshirt junior linebacker Mike Jacobs (71 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT, 1 FF, 2 FR), and redshirt senior safety Dylan Douglas (24 tackles, 5 INT, 2 TD). Green was also named to the Associated Press Freshman All-America team.

USF’s offense has a new quarterback, with regular starter Evan Landi (137.5 QB rtg., 194-332, 2,635 yards, 21 TD, 14 INT) suffering a season-ending concussion against Air Force. In his place will be redshirt senior Anthony Myers (81.7 QB rtg., 35-70, 313 yards, 3 TD, 7 INT), and he’ll have talented weapons such as sophomore runningback David Carrington (164 carries, 827 yards, 5 TD; 14 catches, 236 yards, 1 TD) and redshirt senior wide receiver Dontavia Bogan (74 catches, 1,138 yards, 8 TD) to rely on.

The Bulls reached bowl eligibility with a 29-26 nailbiter against Air Force in their regular-season finale. USF narrowly defeated Duke on the road, 31-28, in its season opener and the team’s best win would be a 29-17 triumph at home against Conference-USA champion Central Florida.

CMU has a significant Canadian presence on its team with four players, though none of them are from Ontario. Senior defensive end David Brown (47 tackles, 13 sacks, 1 INT) – a two-time All-MAC First Team pick – hails from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the starting offensive line features senior tackle Jason Baker (Regina, Saskatchewan) and junior center Joey Muhammad (Winnipeg, Manitoba). Freshman runningback Jeff Gilmore, also from Winnipeg, is redshirting this season.

The International Bowl, which will be broadcast live on ESPN, is the second postseason bowl game to hosted outside of the United States. The first was the Bacardi Bowl, which was held in Havana, Cuba in 1907, 1910, 1912, 1921, 1937, and 1946 and usually featured a NCAA team against a Cuban university or athletic club. The only year it featured two NCAA teams was in 1937, when Auburn and Villanova played to a 7-7 tie.

This is Carnegie Mellon’s fifth bowl appearance and it owns a 2-2 record all-time in bowls. The Tartans were victorious in the 1999 ECAC Bowl (28-10 over Frostburg State) and 2010 Motor City Bowl (50-10 over Penn), and lost in the 1938 Sugar Bowl (7-15 to #1 TCU) and 2009 Champs Sports Bowl (20-33 to #14 Iowa).

[studbucket]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Huge deal to get 2 All-Americans. When's the last time a MAC team ever did that? I don't expect you to have the answer, but I'm not sure it's happened.

Any idea on what Toth's NFL prospects are?

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Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Huge deal to get 2 All-Americans. When's the last time a MAC team ever did that? I don't expect you to have the answer, but I'm not sure it's happened.

Any idea on what Toth's NFL prospects are?

That's a good question! Without looking it up, my guess is maybe the Toledo team that beat me in the MAC Championship Game a couple of years ago had multiple First Team picks, but in real life I doubt it's ever happened. Butler seems like a lock to be a First Team selection over his final two seasons considering how dominant he is on returns, and I'm honestly shocked I didn't have three on the First Team this season because Williams had the numbers.

Toth has the overall rating to make the draft file, but him being a tad undersized at 5'11" and being from a mid-major program, my guess is that he's a mid-to-late round pick. His best attributes are tackling and strength, whereas his speed is so-so and will likely push him into that draft range.

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Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Around the NCAA – Bowl Week Edition
Clemson and LSU score upsets in their respective conference championship games as the bowl slate is set

ACC: #6 Clemson 42, #3 Miami (Fla.) 24

Dealing with the disappointment of it being mathematically impossible to make the BCS Championship Game, No. 3 Miami (Fla.) saw its undefeated season come to an end with a 42-24 loss to No. 6 Clemson in the ACC Championship Game. The Tigers jumped out to a 35-7 halftime lead, thanks in part to rushing touchdowns by Marcus Lattimore and Alfred Blue, and a three-yard touchdown pass from Blaine Gabbert to A.J. Green. Lattimore rushed for 164 yards and two scores on 20 carries, while Green snagged five passes for 113 yards. The Hurricanes split time between both of their quarterbacks, as Robert Marve threw for 274 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception on 19-of-24 passing, while Curtis Lane had 62 yards passing on 10-of-12 attempts.

Big 12: #5 Texas 46, #25 Missouri 32

Down 32-31 entering the fourth quarter, No. 5 Texas blanked No. 25 Missouri over the final 15 minutes and scored two touchdowns to win 46-32 in the Big 12 Championship Game. The Tigers rebounded from a 28-20 halftime deficit with a Jordan Jefferson 44-yard touchdown sprint and Nathan Johnson 13-yard pick six to take the lead, but the Longhorns answered in the final stanza with a John Chiles five-yard touchdown pass to Malcolm Williams and a Sam McGuffie one-yard plunge with 2:01 remaining. McGuffie rushed for 149 yards and three scores for Texas, and the Heisman finalist Chiles compiled 337 yards of total offense (289 passing, 48 rushing) and three total touchdowns (2 passing, 1 rushing). Jefferson rushed for 100 yards and two scores on 12 carries, adding 199 passing yards on 17-of-31 attempts in the loss.

C-USA: Central Florida 31, Houston 24

Central Florida claimed the C-USA championship with a 31-24 victory over Houston. The Knights received a pair of touchdowns and 91 rushing yards from Michael Armstrong, while Joe Weatherford threw for 244 yards and a score on 18-of-32 passing. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Jeff Jones continued his strong rookie season with 106 yards receiving on six catches. Cougars quarterback Bryan Hill accumulated 238 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception on 23-of-44 passing attempts, with Matt Evans snagging 11 of those passes for 101 yards and a score.

MAC: #23 Kent State 59, Central Michigan 35

Trailing Central Michigan by a narrow 28-27 margin at halftime of the MAC Championship Game, No. 23 Kent State kept its undefeated season alive with a 32-7 second-half blitz, ultimately winning 59-35 over the Chippewas. The Golden Flashes were led by John Estes, who accumulated 354 yards of total offense (268 passing, 86 rushing) and three touchdowns (2 passing, 1 rushing), while Brock Fitzhenry scored four times (3 rushing, 1 receiving) on just 11 touches and 103 yards (78 rushing, 25 receiving). Central Michigan quarterback David Green was inaccurate with just 12-of-30 passing attempts completed, but he threw for 296 yards and four touchdowns to give the Chippewas a shot at the upset.

SEC: #7 LSU 42, #4 Florida 19

Despite Mike Glennon going down to injury in the first quarter, No. 7 LSU routed No. 4 Florida, 42-19, after going ahead 28-7 at halftime. Glennon threw a 63-yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans in the first quarter to make it 14-0, but left with an elbow injury on the Tigers’ next drive. Jarrett Lee came in and tossed a 21-yard score to Jarvis Landry, and finished with three touchdown passes on 11-of-26 passing. Jamaal Berry led LSU with 148 rushing yards and two scores on 24 carries, while Rashaad Vaughn picked off John Brantley twice defensively. Brantley, a Heisman finalist, threw three interceptions in all, and the Gators’ two touchdowns came from Chris Rainey on 17 carries and 73 yards rushing.

Championship Game Weekend
ACC: #6 Clemson 42, #3 Miami (Fla.) 24
Big 12: #5 Texas 46, #25 Missouri 32
C-USA: Central Florida 31, Houston 24
MAC: #23 Kent State 59, Central Michigan 35
SEC: #7 LSU 42, #4 Florida 19

Non-BCS Bowls
Poinsettia Bowl: TCU (6-6) vs. UNLV (9-3)
New Orleans Bowl: Air Force (5-7) vs. Yale (9-3)
PapaJohns.com Bowl: Cincinnati (6-6) vs. Florida State (5-7)
New Mexico Bowl: Oregon State (5-7) vs. Pittsburgh (5-7)
Las Vegas Bowl: #16 UCLA (9-3) vs. BYU (9-3)
Hawaii Bowl: Houston (6-7) vs. New Mexico State (7-5)
Motor City Bowl: Columbia (6-6) vs. #23 Kent State (13-0)
Holiday Bowl: #17 Texas Tech (9-3) vs. #13 Washington (10-2)
Champs Sports Bowl: #12 Wisconsin (10-2) vs. Boston College (8-4)
Texas Bowl: Oklahoma (9-3) vs. Miami (Ohio) (7-5)
Emerald Bowl: #15 Texas A&M (9-3) vs. Navy (7-5)
Meineke Car Care Bowl: Maryland (8-4) vs. West Virginia (9-3)
AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Dartmouth (6-6) vs. Central Florida (7-6)
Alamo Bowl: Auburn (6-6) vs. Illinois (6-6)
MPC Computers Bowl: Georgia Tech (7-5) vs. Oklahoma State (7-5)
PetroSun Independence Bowl: Akron (6-6) vs. Brown (7-5)
Armed Forces Bowl: Arizona State (7-5) vs. New Mexico (6-6)
Brut Sun Bowl: Hawaii (8-4) vs. #24 Syracuse (11-1)
Music City Bowl: #10 Arkansas (11-1) vs. Wake Forest (7-5)
Chick-Fil-A Bowl: Ole Miss (6-6) vs. #8 Virginia Tech (10-2)
Insight Bowl: #19 Nebraska (9-3) vs. Fresno State (7-5)
Outback Bowl: #25 Tennessee (8-4) vs. Iowa (8-4)
AT&T Cotton Bowl: Mississippi State (6-6) vs. Missouri (9-3)
Capital One Bowl: #11 Georgia (10-2) vs. #22 Ohio State (9-3)
Gator Bowl: #21 Notre Dame (8-4) vs. #18 Virginia (9-3)
International Bowl: Carnegie Mellon (7-5) vs. South Florida (6-6)
GMAC Bowl: Bowling Green (7-5) vs. Southern Miss (7-5)

BCS Bowls
Rose Bowl: #6 Miami (Fla.) (12-1, at-large) vs. #7 Michigan (11-1, at-large) | 1/1, 5:00 PM
Sugar Bowl: #4 LSU (12-1, SEC champion) vs. #14 Boise State (11-1, at-large) | 1/1, 8:30 PM
Fiesta Bowl: #5 Texas (12-1, Big 12 champion) vs. #9 Florida (11-2, at-large) | 1/2, 8:00 PM
Orange Bowl: #3 Clemson (11-2, ACC champion) vs. #20 Louisville (10-2, Big East champion) | 1/3, 8:00 PM
BCS National Championship: #2 USC (12-0, Pac-10 champion) vs. #1 Penn State (12-0, Big Ten champion) | 1/9, 8:00 PM

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Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

by Jeff Greenberg, Carnegie Mellon insider for Rivals.com

Williams undecided on declaring for draft

Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Eddie Williams could be playing his final game in Carnegie Mellon colors at the International Bowl, as it’s being reported that he is undecided on declaring early for the 2012 NFL Draft.

Williams, an Associated Press Second Team All-American and Fred Biletnikoff Award finalist, has a mid-round draft grade according to ESPN, with praise for his hands but concerns about his route running. The Altoona, Pa. product has 90 catches for 1,451 yards and 15 total touchdowns (14 receiving, 1 rushing) this season, and has amassed 179 receptions, 2,780 receiving yards, and 32 total touchdowns (28 receiving, 4 rushing) over his two-year career.

Tartans undecided on starting quarterback

Entering practice for the International Bowl, CMU head coach Jules Nottingham has revealed that he hasn’t named a starting quarterback.

Sophomore signal-caller Gerald Culver (139.6 QB rtg., 93-164, 1,393 yards, 13 TD, 12 INT; 75 carries, 186 yards, 3 TD) has started the past four games, but was benched during the Tartans’ final regular-season game at Northern Illinois. The opening-week starter, junior Kevin Wilson (124.1 QB rtg., 125-240, 1,879 yards, 13 TD, 14 INT), lost his job after suffering a concussion against Akron, but replaced Culver versus the Huskies and provided 132 yards and a touchdown on 8-of-13 passing off the bench.

Carter set to return for International Bowl

Carnegie Mellon will receive a nice surprise for the New Year, as senior wide receiver Stephen Carter is back at practice for the first time since October 29 when he suffered a broken jaw against Michigan State.

Carter benefits from the bowl schedule, with the Tartans’ International Bowl date on January 5 allowing for a full recovery. The senior left the MSU game with 30 receptions, 366 yards, and two touchdowns this season, and has accumulated 136 catches for 1,636 yards and nine scores over his career.

Carnegie Mellon In-Season Recruiting Targets
Eric Frederick, QB, **** (6’2”, 190 lbs.; Brownsville, La. / West Monroe) – Verbal Commit
Mario Williams, DT, **** (5’11”, 280 lbs.; Lombard, Ill. / Glenbard East) – Verbal Commit
Andrew Graham, OT, **** (6’6”, 337 lbs.; Forestville, Ohio / Winton Woods) – Verbal Commit
Brian Adams, DT, *** (6’2”, 275 lbs.; Naperville, Ill. / Naperville Central) – Verbal Commit
Eric Pettit, HB, *** (6’2”, 175 lbs.; Fort McKinley, Ohio / McKinley) – Verbal Commit
Ron Williams, CB, **** (5’11”, 170 lbs., Wooster, Ohio / Wooster) – Removed; Committed to Clemson
Jason Mack, HB, **** (6’0”, 205 lbs.; Nether Providence, Pa. / Strath Haven) – Removed; Committed to West Virginia
Matt Hughes, OT, **** (6’5”, 331 lbs.; Salem, Ohio / Salem) – Removed; Committed to Clemson
Jason Sharp, CB, *** (6’1”, 182 lbs.; Bartow, Fla. Bartow) – Removed; Committed to Oklahoma
Bryant Elimimian, QB, *** (6’4”, 232 lbs.; Garfield Heights, Ohio / Garfield Heights) – Removed; Committed to Penn State
Chris Gaston, OLB, *** (6’0”, 248 lbs.; Hampton, Va. / Phoebus) – Removed; Committed to Virginia Tech
Andy Dockery, HB, *** (5’10”, 195 lbs.; Middletown, Ohio / Madison) – Removed; Committed to Penn State
Mike Petty, WR, *** (6’0”, 208 lbs.; Warren, Ohio / Harding) – Removed; Committed to Ohio State
Steve Johnson, OLB, *** (6’2”, 232 lbs.; North Canton, Ohio / Hoover) – Removed; Committed to West Virginia
Zach Carter, OLB, *** (6’3”, 213 lbs.; East Grand Rapids, Mich. / East Grand Rapids) – Removed; Committed to Virginia Tech

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

vs.
Carnegie Mellon Tartans (7-5) vs. South Florida Bulls (6-6)
Thursday, January 5, 2012 | 7:00 PM (ET)
International Bowl
Toronto, Ontario – Rogers Centre | ESPN2

Top Storyline: Who starts at quarterback – both in the bowl and next year?

As of press time, Carnegie Mellon head coach Jules Nottingham has not named a starting quarterback for the International Bowl – which, in turn, could also reveal his hand regarding the 2012 starter. Junior pocket passer Kevin Wilson (124.1 QB rtg., 125-240, 1,879 yards, 13 TD, 14 INT) and sophomore dual-threat Gerald Culver (139.6 QB rtg., 93-164, 1,393 yards, 13 TD, 12 INT; 75 carries, 186 yards, 3 TD) continue to compete for a role that they both held and provided mixed results, with Wilson rumored to leave via the new graduate transfer rule if he were to lose out. However, neither Wilson (2-star) nor Culver (1-star) provide the prospect pedigree that incoming freshman Eric Frederick does, and it may take just a few practices before the rookie takes the crown. Frederick, a blue-chip signal-caller from West Monroe High School in Louisiana, is someone the coaching staff is giddy about and expected to serve as a foundational piece as the Tartans navigate the post-Jim Manning and Justin Keyes era. Does Wilson or Culver impress in the bowl and make it so they’re the unquestioned starter heading into 2012? Will Frederick impress in fall practice and force his way into the spot? The direction may not be completely clear following the International Bowl, but the Tartans should come back from Canada with some answers.

Top Matchup: Carnegie Mellon HB Lawrence McIntire vs. South Florida MLB Jason Green

The most equal matchup resides in the running game, where CMU sophomore runningback Lawrence McIntire (194 carries, 1,116 yards, 14 TD; 16 catches, 204 yards, 2 TD) will clash often with South Florida freshman linebacker Jason Green (76 tackles, 5 sacks, 3 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR). Green, who was selected as an Associated Press Freshman All-American, was a three-star prospect and currently grades out at 78.0 by Pro Football Focus (PFF). His speed and tackling ability should be a good challenge for McIntire, who has enjoyed a breakout second campaign after wrestling the starting job away from senior Nate Satele (55 carries, 185 yards, 1 TD; 2 catches, 36 yards, 1 TD) last season.

Top Mismatch: Carnegie Mellon MLB Mark Toth vs. South Florida QB Anthony Myers

Starting in the place of senior Evan Landi (137.5 QB rtg., 194-332, 2,635 yards, 21 TD, 14 INT), redshirt senior Anthony Myers (81.7 QB rtg., 35-70, 313 yards, 3 TD, 7 INT) will look to improve in all facets after struggling during limited action both this season and in his career (81.4 QB rtg., 5 passing TD, 12 INT). Chomping at the bit to face an erratic signal-caller has to be CMU defensive captain Mark Toth (85 tackles, 6 sacks, 6 INT, 5 FF, 1 FR, 2 TD), who is looking to make a statement for the NFL scouts in his final collegiate game. Toth is lauded for his tackling ability and has showcased his playmaking ability over his career (25 sacks, 17 FF, 14 INT, 3 TD), and he has a prime opportunity to finish his career in style.

Prediction: Carnegie Mellon 31, South Florida 20

Carnegie Mellon has a bit to prove, and a win over South Florida would be a good one for the program. The Tartans have better playmakers on both sides of the ball in Lawrence McIntire and Eddie Williams on offense, and David Brown, Matt Burnsides, and Mark Toth on defense, and with the Bulls missing their starting quarterback, those playmakers should be the difference for back-to-back CMU bowl wins.

South Florida PFF Top Ten
Darren Powe, R-Sr., DT (89)
Andrew Burkes, Sr., DT (87)
Dylan Douglas, R-Sr., SS (86)
Anthony Myers, R-Sr., QB (84)
Ryan Hill, R-So., FS (84)
Ryan Smith, R-Jr., WR (82)
Richard Kelly, R-Sr., MLB (82)
Caleb Russell, R-Sr., DE (82)
Carlos Casey, Jr., FS (82)
Alan Newby, So., G (80)

Schedule & Results
09/03 | at Duke | W, 31-28
09/10 | at Tulsa | L, 3-35
09/17 | CENTRAL FLORIDA | W, 29-17
10/07 | LOUISVILLE * | L, 20-38
10/13 | WEST VIRGINIA * | L, 10-42
10/19 | at Pittsburgh * | W, 28-17
10/29 | at Arizona State | L, 28-42
11/05 | at Rutgers * | W, 56-49
11/12 | at Connecticut * | W, 33-21
11/19 | CINCINNATI * | L, 17-24
11/26 | at Syracuse * | L, 24-35
12/03 | AIR FORCE | W, 29-26

Injury Report
Carnegie Mellon: Collin Bell, Fr., G (torn shoulder muscle – 6 weeks); Rob Jones, So., CB (broken ribs – 5 weeks)
South Florida: Evan Landi, Sr.., QB (severe concussion – season); Dan Bullock, Sr., CB (foot fracture – season)

Suspensions
Carnegie Mellon: None
South Florida: None

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Tartans Win Wild International Bowl over South Florida, 49-39
Despite five turnovers, Carnegie Mellon compiled 627 offensive yards and moved to 3-2 all-time in bowls



CMU runningback Lawrence McIntire breaks a tackle on this third-quarter touchdown. (Carli Jones / Getty Images)

by Jayson Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter

TORONTO, Ontario -- Bowl season always provides fireworks, but that might be exaggerated when the game is held north of the border. The fourth International Bowl featured 1,117 offensive yards, 88 points, and eight turnovers between the two teams, but Carnegie Mellon emerged victorious by coming back from a two-score second half deficit to defeat South Florida, 49-39.

Carnegie Mellon (8-5) continues the trend of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) dominating the International Bowl, as the league saw Central Michigan win twice in 2009 (Notre Dame, 31-27) and 2010 (Auburn, 34-16), and Kent State come away with a 24-17 victory against Rutgers last year. The Tartans move to 3-2 all-time in bowls with the win, as it previously defeated Frostburg State, 28-10, in the 1999 ECAC Bowl, and Penn, 50-10, in the 2010 Motor City Bowl.

“I’m really proud of our guys and their effort against a good South Florida team,” said CMU head coach Jules Nottingham. “It was a long wait for this game and I know that guys can lose focus when you don’t achieve your ultimate goal and have to wait until the next-to-last to play again. We weren’t perfect by any stretch and frankly made too many mistakes, but the guys never lost hope and continued fighting. I really feel like this will provide a lot of momentum heading into next season.”

The Tartans amassed an eye-popping 627 offensive yards on the night, with the first 78 of them coming on a six-play opening drive, which ended in a Lawrence McIntire 30-yard touchdown scamper. Jon Crowell then picked off a first-and-goal pass from Anthony Myers, but Kevin Wilson – who received the start over sophomore Gerald Culver – was strip sacked a few plays later and South Florida (6-7) recovered on the CMU 19-yard line. Three players later, David Carrington punched it into the end zone from three yards out to tie the game at 7-7.

Wilson’s inconsistency continued, as he sprayed the ball over the field to create a first-and-goal situation, only to be intercepted by Jason Maddox in the end zone. The junior bounced back on his next drive however, leading an eight-play, 74-yard trek that ended in a 20-yard touchdown hookup with Eddie Williams. But just as he found a rhythm, Wilson committed his third turnover of the first half as Mike Jacobs picked him off in the end zone and returned it 70 yards to the Tartans’ 34-yard line. On the very next play, Myers found Richard Connor for a 34-yard touchdown to make it 14-14.

Culver saw his first action on the next drive, but the CMU offense departed quickly on a three-and-out. Myers then had his second touchdown pass of the half, finding Patrick Richardson from 26 yards out, with the extra point blocked to make it 20-14 Bulls. Wilson returned and led another impressive drive, only for Maddox to pick off an overthrown deep ball as the clock struck zeroes.

Myers continued the best game of his career, ripping off a 31-yard run on the option to extend USF’s lead to 26-14. Culver checked in and guided the Tartans on a touchdown response via the ground, with Nate Satele racing 30 yards to pay dirt. After a Chris Hill interception snuffed out a promising Bulls drive, McIntire scored his second touchdown of the night from six yards out to give CMU a 27-26 lead.

That remained the score until the early moments of the fourth quarter, as Culver missed a wide-open McIntire badly and found Ryan Hill instead, who ran the interception back 52 yards to make it 32-27 in favor of USF. Wilson came back in and immediately responded, connecting with Travis Sledge for a 62-yard touchdown and a two-point pass to Stephen Carter to put the Tartans ahead 35-32. The Bulls then made their biggest mistake of the night, starting with Myers’ go-ahead touchdown pass being wiped out by a holding penalty. The redshirt senior quarterback threw his next pass right to Elvis Washington, who sprinted 76 yards untouched to make it a 10-point game.

Myers came right back with his third touchdown toss, hooking up with Sean Brown for an 18-yard score with 6:43 remaining. But the Bulls kicked it away and trusted their defense to make a play, only for Satele to carry the load on an 11-play, 71-drive drive that ended in a one-yard touchdown plunge with 54 seconds on the clock.

Satele was a welcomed surprise for Nottingham’s offense, providing 65 rushing yards and two scores on 11 carries. McIntire led the rushing attack with 101 yards and two trips to paydirt on 14 carries.

“Can’t say enough about the performance of Nate (Satele),” added Nottingham. “Here’s a guy that came to campus as a freshman, thinking he would be the guy to follow a legend, and things haven’t quite gone the way he wanted them to. Instead of complaining about his role and watching someone like Lawrence (McIntire) take the starting job, he served as his mentor and always went out of his way to help his younger teammates, and he was rewarded tonight. Our program will always take more Nate Sateles.”

Despite Wilson’s three interceptions, the junior threw for 392 yards and two touchdowns on 25-of-31 passing, while Culver was just 2-of-9 for 32 yards passing. Sledge led the way in receiving yards with 177 on nine catches, while Williams went over the century mark for receptions this season, finishing the night with 12 catches for 169 yards and the second-quarter touchdown in what could have been his final collegiate game.

Myers amassed 451 yards of total offense (366 passing, 85 rushing) and four touchdowns (3 passing, 1 rushing) for South Florida.

Carnegie Mellon completes the season with an 8-5 record, its second straight winning mark since returning to Division I competition in 2006.

Carnegie Mellon Tartans at South Florida Bulls
Jan 5, 2012	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Carnegie Mellon Tartans (8-5)	7	7	13	22	49
South Florida Bulls (6-7)	7	13	6	13	39

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		CMU	USF
11:47	(CMU) Lawrence McIntire 30-yard run (Jon Foster kick)	7	0
5:06	(USF) David Carrington 3-yard run (Paris Reid kick)	7	7
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		CMU	USF
11:57	(CMU) Kevin Wilson 20-yard pass to Eddie Williams (Jon Foster kick)	14	7
3:54	(USF) Anthony Myers 34-yard pass to Richard Connor (Paris Reid kick)	14	14
0:48	(USF) Anthony Myers 26-yard pass to Patrick Richardson (XP blocked)	14	20
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		CMU	USF
13:00	(USF) Anthony Myers 31-yard run (XP missed)	14	26
9:46	(CMU) Nate Satele 30-yard run (Jon Foster kick)	21	26
4:47	(CMU) Lawrence McIntire 6-yard run (run failed)	27	26
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		CMU	USF
14:21	(USF) Ryan Hill 52-yard interception return (pass failed)	27	32
13:56	(CMU) Kevin Wilson 62-yard pass to Travis Sledge (Kevin Wilson to Stephen Carter)	35	32
9:55	(CMU) Elvis Washington 76-yard interception return (Jon Foster kick)	42	32
6:43	(USF) Anthony Myers 18-yard pass to Sean Brown (Paris Reid kick)	42	39
0:54	(CMU) Nate Satele 1-yard run (Jon Foster kick)	49	39

Carnegie Mellon Tartans PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kevin Wilson 25/31 392 2 3 Gerald Culver 2/9 32 0 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Lawrence McIntire 14 101 7.2 2 Nate Satele 11 65 5.9 2 Eddie Williams 4 38 9.5 0 Gerald Culver 2 16 8.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Eddie Williams 12 169 14.0 1 Travis Sledge 9 177 19.6 1 Stephen Carter 3 30 10.0 0 Kelvin Butler 2 20 10.0 0 Lawrence McIntire 1 28 28.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Erik Sellers 9 0 0 0 Bobby Magnum 6 0 0 0 Elvis Washington 5 0 1 1 Mark Toth 5 0 0 0 David Brown 4 2 0 0 Jon Crowell 3 0 1 0 Graham Taylor 3 1 0 0 Chris Hill 2 0 1 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Jon Foster 0/0 7/7 7 -- PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Andy Fitzhugh 3 129 43.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kelvin Butler 5 100 20.0 0 Kyle Holland 2 44 22.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kelvin Butler 3 13 4.3 0

South Florida Bulls PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Anthony Myers 28/43 366 3 3 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Anthony Myers 10 85 8.5 1 David Carrington 8 24 3.0 1 Brian Woods 2 18 9.0 0 Sean Brown 2 10 5.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Dontavia Bogan 6 109 18.1 0 David Carrington 6 30 5.0 0 Sean Brown 5 59 11.8 1 Patrick Richardson 4 44 11.0 1 Richard Connor 3 49 16.3 1 Thomas Krieg 2 43 21.5 0 Ryan Smith 2 32 16.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Jason Maddox 11 0 2 0 Robert Palmer 10 0 0 0 Dylan Douglas 8 0 0 0 Ryan Hill 5 0 1 1 Richard Kelly 5 0 0 0 Mike Jacobs 4 0 1 0 Caleb Russell 3 1 0 0 Darren Powe 2 1 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Paris Reid 0/0 3/5 3 -- PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Victor Edwards 4 146 36.5 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Patrick Richardson 5 102 20.3 0 Dontavia Bogan 3 69 23.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Dontavia Bogan 3 11 3.6 0

[Tearz49ers]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Now that was quite the offensive output for the Tartans, along with a very impressive opening drive. Hopefully with this bowl win and decent season it is something to now build consistent success on as things move forward. Have you thought about moving this to NCAA next, or do you like the retro feel?

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Now that was quite the offensive output for the Tartans, along with a very impressive opening drive. Hopefully with this bowl win and decent season it is something to now build consistent success on as things move forward. Have you thought about moving this to NCAA next, or do you like the retro feel?

I had the feeling that this would be a rout after that opening drive, but the NCAA gods decided to make it interesting for me. Of course, some of the turnovers were due to my stick skills, but even so I felt like I had a much better team than USF and should've won comfortably - nonetheless, a bowl win is a bowl win.

Definitely think this win is the springboard to a special 2012. Wilson's performance makes it likely that I keep him - even with Frederick coming in - and I think I'll be really good on both sides of the ball, but the biggest question is if Williams declares or not. If Williams does declare, it'll be impossible to make up his production and I'll have to lean moreso on McIntire, but if he returns then I expect a MAC title and possibly top 25 ranking. A lot of questions heading into the offseason, for sure.

I don't have plans to move this to NCAA 14 and am perfectly content with keeping it on the older-gen. For one, the PS3 I have is one of the first huge boxy backwards-compatible ones they made and it's probably 15 years old, so I want no part of trying to move this and having it falter somehow. I'm also not quite there from a timeline standpoint, and the roster shuffling would be too much to edit. There's also the Madden element to this with CMU's pro presence and wanting to continue that for as long as that game doesn't crash. And above all - I love the retro feel! I'm still slightly kicking myself for deleting the NCAA 07 dynasty and forcing a move to NCAA 08 PS2 because this game doesn't play as well as 07, but I think these older-gen games play much better, even though I loved playing NCAA 14 back in the day.

[Tearz49ers]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

I had the feeling that this would be a rout after that opening drive, but the NCAA gods decided to make it interesting for me. Of course, some of the turnovers were due to my stick skills, but even so I felt like I had a much better team than USF and should've won comfortably - nonetheless, a bowl win is a bowl win.

Definitely think this win is the springboard to a special 2012. Wilson's performance makes it likely that I keep him - even with Frederick coming in - and I think I'll be really good on both sides of the ball, but the biggest question is if Williams declares or not. If Williams does declare, it'll be impossible to make up his production and I'll have to lean moreso on McIntire, but if he returns then I expect a MAC title and possibly top 25 ranking. A lot of questions heading into the offseason, for sure.

I don't have plans to move this to NCAA 14 and am perfectly content with keeping it on the older-gen. For one, the PS3 I have is one of the first huge boxy backwards-compatible ones they made and it's probably 15 years old, so I want no part of trying to move this and having it falter somehow. I'm also not quite there from a timeline standpoint, and the roster shuffling would be too much to edit. There's also the Madden element to this with CMU's pro presence and wanting to continue that for as long as that game doesn't crash. And above all - I love the retro feel! I'm still slightly kicking myself for deleting the NCAA 07 dynasty and forcing a move to NCAA 08 PS2 because this game doesn't play as well as 07, but I think these older-gen games play much better, even though I loved playing NCAA 14 back in the day.

My apologies bud. For some reason, I thought this dynasty was running on NCAA 06, what a *******. I also meant the modded version of NCAA 06 which is NCAA Next, not 14, I know that would have been hell.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

My apologies bud. For some reason, I thought this dynasty was running on NCAA 06, what a *******. I also meant the modded version of NCAA 06 which is NCAA Next, not 14, I know that would have been hell.

No worries, Tearz! The NCAA 06 mod looks awesome evidenced by some of the dynasties that have popped up on here, but I'm guessing that's a PC thing? Regardless, as much as I would love a gaming PC and continuing this / starting other projects on it, I don't play video games enough anymore to go in that direction.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Around the NCAA – 2011 Season Wrap-Up Edition
Penn State wins its second BCS title in three seasons with a 42-24 triumph over 2008 champion USC

NEW ORLEANS, La. (AP) -- In a battle between the 2008 and 2009 BCS national champions, No. 1 Penn State outscored No. 2 USC, 16-3, in the second half to claim its second title in three seasons with a 42-24 victory.

Penn State (13-0) seized the early momentum with a 69-yard pick six by redshirt sophomore cornerback Jeff Butler on the USC (12-1) opening drive, but the Trojans responded with a Derek Carr five-yard touchdown pass to Chad Lott and a Marc Tyler six-yard scoring plunge. The Nittany Lions answered with a pair of scores and field goal to carry a 24-21 lead into the break, then pinned USC back inside the two-yard-line and netted a safety to take control of the game.

Redshirt junior quarterback Star Jackson connected with fifth-year wide receiver Derek Moye for his second of two touchdown catches, this one of 12 yards to make it 33-21 midway through the third quarter. Jackson was then knocked out of the game with a head injury, and backup signal-caller Chad Lewis sealed the victory with a 31-yard toss to redshirt senior tight end Jon Ditto in the fourth.

Butler earned BCS Championship Game MVP honors, adding four tackles with his first-quarter pick six. Jackson threw for 184 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions on 19-of-32 passing, and senior tailback Jamie Harper added 88 rushing yards and a score on 16 carries.

Carr struggled, throwing for 216 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions on 18-of-36 passing. Tyler had 86 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 14 touches.

Penn State now has four claimed national championships, with 2011 following titles in 1982, 1986, and 2009. The Nittany Lions completed the season as one of two undefeated teams in FBS football, alongside No. 21 Kent State.

BCS Championship Game MVP: Jeff Butler, R-So., CB, Penn State (4 tackles, 1 INT, 1 TD)

BCS Bowl Results
Rose Bowl: #7 Michigan (11-1) 31, #6 Miami (Fla.) (12-1) 28 [OT]
Sugar Bowl: #4 LSU (12-1) 34, #14 Boise State (11-1) 21
Fiesta Bowl: #5 Texas (12-1) 38, #9 Florida (11-2) 17
Orange Bowl: #3 Clemson (11-2) 24, #20 Louisville (10-2) 14
BCS National Championship: #1 Penn State (12-0) 40, #2 USC (12-0) 24

Final USA Today Top 25 Coaches’ Poll
1 | Penn State (13-0) [61 first-place votes]
2 | Clemson (12-2)
3 | LSU (13-1)
4 | Texas (13-1)
5 | USC (12-1)
6 | Michigan (12-1)
7 | Virginia Tech (11-2)
8 | Miami (Fla.) (12-2)
9 | Arkansas (12-1)
10 | Wisconsin (11-2)
11 | Florida (11-3)
12 | Texas A&M (10-3)
13 | Texas Tech (10-3)
14 | UCLA (10-3)
15 | Boise State (11-2)
16 | Georgia (10-3)
17 | Washington (10-3)
18 | Nebraska (10-3)
19 | Ohio State (10-3)
20 | Notre Dame (9-4)
21 | Kent State (14-0)
22 | Louisville (10-3)
23 | Syracuse (12-1)
24 | Tennessee (9-4)
25 | Virginia (9-4)

Major Award Winners
Heisman Memorial Trophy: Johnny Manziel, Fr., QB, Michigan (157.2 QB rtg., 259-412, 3,383 yards, 42 TD, 17 INT; 137 carries, 688 yards, 10 TD)
Maxwell Award: Johnny Manziel, Fr., QB, Michigan (157.2 QB rtg., 259-412, 3,383 yards, 42 TD, 17 INT; 137 carries, 688 yards, 10 TD)
Chuck Bednarik Award: Tom Rivas, Sr., OLB, Miami (Fla.) (75 tackles (26 TFL), 8 sacks, 6 INT, 4 FF)
Davey O’Brien Award: Johnny Manziel, Fr., QB, Michigan (157.2 QB rtg., 259-412, 3,383 yards, 42 TD, 17 INT; 137 carries, 688 yards, 10 TD)
Doak Walker Award: Darren Evans, R-Sr., HB, Virginia Tech (254 carries, 1,862 yards, 19 TD; 17 catches, 295 yards, 7 TD)
Fred Biletnikoff Award: Kayne Farquharson, R-Sr., WR, Miami (Fla.) (87 catches, 1,213 yards, 15 TD)
John Mackey Award: Aaron Hernandez, R-Sr., TE, Florida (51 catches, 859 yards, 17 TD)
Outland Trophy: Paul Cook, Sr., OT, Syracuse (37 pancakes, 5 sacks allowed)
Dave Rimington Trophy: Kenneth Powell, Sr., C, Kent State (31 pancakes, 2 sacks allowed)
Rotary Lombardi Award: Adam Goodwin, R-Jr., DE, Texas (63 tackles (27 TFL), 10 sacks, 3 FF, 1 FR)
Dick Butkus Award: Tom Rivas, Sr., OLB, Miami (Fla.) (75 tackles (26 TFL), 8 sacks, 6 INT, 4 FF)
Jim Thorpe Award: Kenny Vaccaro, Jr., SS, Oklahoma (44 tackles (8 TFL), 2 sacks, 7 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR)
Lou Groza Award: Bill Hale, So., K, Texas A&M (13-16 FG, 70-71 XP)
Ray Guy Award: Matt Wyatt, Fr., P, Penn State (45 punts, 35.8 net avg., 18 inside 20)
Randy Moss Award: Kelvin Butler, So., WR, Carnegie Mellon (23.8 kick return avg., 2 TD; 9.9 punt return avg., 1 TD)
Walter Camp Coach of the Year: Doug Martin, Kent State (14-0 overall, 8-0 MAC; MAC champions, #21 in USA Today Top 25)

Conference Champions
ACC: Clemson (12-2, 6-2)
Big Ten: Penn State (13-0, 8-0)
Big 12: Texas (13-1, 8-0)
Big East: Louisville (10-3, 7-0)
C-USA: Central Florida (8-6, 6-2)
Ivy League: Yale (10-3, 7-0)
MAC: Kent State (14-0, 8-0)
Mountain West: BYU (9-4, 8-0)
Pac-10: USC (12-1, 9-0)
SEC: LSU (13-1, 7-1)
WAC: Boise State (11-2, 8-0)

National Statistical Leaders
QB Rating: Tommy Rees, So., California (189.1)
Passing Yards: E.J. Manuel, R-Jr., New Mexico State (4,940)
Passing Touchdowns: E.J. Manuel, R-Jr., New Mexico State (51)
Passing Interceptions: Eugene Halterman, R-Jr., Pittsburgh (28)
Rushing Yards: Christine Michael, R-So., Ohio State (2,054)
Rushing Touchdowns: Brandon Johnson, R-Sr., Washington; Carlos Hyde, Jr., Tennessee (23)
Catches: Kendrick Celestine, R-Sr., New Mexico State (110)
Receiving Yards: Eddie Williams, R-So., Carnegie Mellon (1,620)
Receiving Touchdowns: Julio Jones, Sr., Mississippi State; Ian Harding, R-Sr., LSU (18)
Tackles: Jacob Mills, Jr., Air Force (100)
Sacks: David Brown, Sr., Carnegie Mellon (15)
Interceptions: Gary Gray, R-Sr., Notre Dame (10)
Field Goals Made: Michael Parson, So., Kansas State; Mike Garcia, Jr., Indiana; Wes Ball, Sr., Oklahoma State (18)
Net Punt Average: Justin Merritt, Jr., Ohio (39.3)
Kick Return Average: Andrew Joseph, Jr., Bowling Green (29.0)
Punt Return Average: A.J. Jenkins, R-Jr., Oklahoma (13.9)