ABC, ESPN Nominate Dean for All-America Player of the Week

by Press Release - Sun Sep 04 20:28:10 GMT-04:00 2005

ATLANTA, Ga. (September 4, 2005) - The national player of the week nominations are in and the polls are officially open. Tiger fans can cast their vote for Clemson University junior kicker Jad Dean for the Cingular Wireless/ABC Sports All-America Player of the Week, the only major college football honor determined exclusively by fans. Dean was nominated for the award after kicking a school-record six field goals, including the 42-yard game winner, in the Tigers' 25-24 win over Texas A&M Saturday. He is the first kicker to ever be nominated for the award.

Dean 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: Wisconsin running back Brian Calhoun, who rushed for 258 yards and five touchdowns in the Badgers' 56-42 victory over Bowling Green; Bowling Green quarterback Omar Jacobs, who passed for 458 yards and five touchdowns in the Falcons' loss to Wisconsin; and Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley, who accounted for 374 yards and six touchdowns in the Bulldogs' 48-13 win over Boise State.

Who will be this week's winner now rests solely in the hands of college football fans nationwide. Fans have until Wednesday, September 7 at 11:59 p.m. EST to submit their votes via wireless text

messaging.* The winner will be announced September 8 in the first half of the ESPN Thursday Night College Football Game between Oklahoma State and Florida Atlantic. Fans can learn more about this week's nominees online at www.abcsportsallamerica.com

or at ESPN.com (keyword: cingular).

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, University of Texas running back

and Chicago Bears first round draft pick Cedric Benson was selected

by fans as the Player of the Year.