ATLANTA, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- The national player of the week nominations are in and the polls are open. Badger fans can cast their votes for University of Wisconsin running back Brian Calhoun for the Cingular Wireless/ABC Sports All-America Player of the Week, the only major college football honor determined exclusively by fans. Calhoun was nominated for the second time this season after 35 rushes for 197 yards and five touchdowns -- tying his career high -- in the Badgers' 41-24 win over Illinois.
Calhoun is one of four candidates for the All-America Player of the Week, who are selected by a panel of ABC Sports and ESPN college football analysts. The other finalists are: Iowa State wide receiver Todd Blythe, who was nominated for the award for the first time this season with eight receptions for 216 yards and four touchdowns in the Cyclones' 42-14 win over Texas A&M; USC wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett, who had 11 receptions for 200 yards -- both career bests -- and two touchdowns in the Trojans' 55-13 win over Washington State; and University of Texas quarterback Vince Young, who passed for 239 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 267 yards -- setting a school record for a quarterback -- and two touchdowns in the Longhorns' 47-28 win over Oklahoma State University.
Previous Cingular/ABC Sports All-America Player of the Week winners this season include Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley, Texas quarterback Vince Young, Texas A&M quarterback Reggie McNeal, Minnesota running back Laurence Maroney, Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, and UCLA running back Maurice Drew.
Who will be this week's winner now rests solely in the hands of college football fans nationwide. Fans have until Wednesday, November 2 at 11:59 p.m. EST to submit their votes via wireless text messaging.* The winner will be announced November 3 in the first half of the ESPN Thursday Night College Football Game between Pittsburgh and Louisville. Fans can learn more about this week's nominees online at http://www.abcsportsallamerica.com/ or at http://www.cingularallamerica.com/.
Here's how fans can register to vote for the Cingular/ABC Sports All- America Player of the Week this week and every week throughout the 2005 season:
-- Text "VOTE" to "87654" on your wireless phone
-- Follow the prompt to vote for your All-America selection
-- Cingular/ABC Sports Player of the Week candidates will be automatically
sent out via text messaging each week
Each time fans vote, they are entered into a sweepstakes to win a trip to the Bowl Championship Series game of their choice. Fans can vote as often as they like.
In December, fans will get a chance to say who the best player in the nation is by voting for the Cingular/ABC Sports All-America Player of the Year. The selection process will culminate in December in a one-hour special on ABC Sports when the Cingular/ABC Sports Player of the Year and the Football Writers Association of America All-America team will be announced. Last year, Texas running back and Chicago Bears first round draft pick Cedric Benson was selected by fans as the Player of the Year.
* Other wireless carriers must opt-in for their subscribers to participate
ABOUT CINGULAR WIRELESS
Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 52.3 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between SBC Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corporation , has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation -- the ALLOVER (SM) network -- and the largest mobile-to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover (SM), the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com/. Get Cingular Wireless press releases e-mailed to you automatically. Sign up at http://www.cingular.com/newsroom.
