DALLAS (FWAA) – The ULM Warhawks (1-0) rallied from a 28-7 deficit in the third quarter to stun No. 8 Arkansas in overtime, 34-31, and earn Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week honors for games of the weekend of Sept. 8. The announcement came exclusively on SiriusXM Radio’s “College Sports Today,” hosted by Mark Packer and Eddie George.
It was the Warhawks’ first win over a ranked FBS team in school history and their first against Arkansas in their 10-game series. The upset dropped the Razorbacks from the Associated Press poll.
ULM scored first, but had to spend the rest of the evening in comeback mode. On fourth-and-10 with 55 seconds remaining, Kolton Browning found Brent Leonard for a 23-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 28. The Warhawks held Arkansas to a field goal on its first overtime possession before Browning sprinted 16 yads and dove into the end zone to win it. Browning finished 42-of-67 for 412 yards and three touchdowns on the night.
“There were certainly people that doubted us,” ULM coach Todd Berry said. “I had a lot of faith. That doesn’t guarantee anything. But this team has great character.”
Other Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Sept. 8 included:
* Arizona (2-0): Matt Scott and Ka’Deem Carey accounted for seven combined touchdowns and the Arizona (2-0) defense forced four critical turnovers to lift the Wildcats to a 59-38 upset of No. 18 Oklahoma State. Scott was 28-for-41 through the air with 320 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 55 yards and a score. Carey finished with 154 total yards and a career-high four touchdowns.
* Oregon State (1-0): In what many termed the biggest non-conference home game in Oregon State football history, the Beavers’ defense led the way by containing No. 13 Wisconsin to take a 10-7 victory at Reser Stadium. The Beavers led 10-0 before Wisconsin scored with 1:31 left, but OSU recovered the onside kick to preserve the win.
* UCLA (2-0): Johnathan Franklin rushed for 217 yards and caught an 8-yard touchdown pass with 2:13 to play for the Bruins, who beat No. 17 Nebraska, 36-30. UCLA improved to 2-0 under new coach Jim Mora as its defense shut down the Huskers in the fourth quarter. Brett Hundley passed for 305 yards and four touchdowns in his Rose Bowl debut.
The Football Writers Association of America has named a national team of the week since the 2002 season. This is the seventh season that the award has been sponsored by the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Members of the FWAA All-America Committee decide the weekly honor. Each remaining Monday during the 2012 college football regular season, the FWAA will name the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week.
Founded in 1971, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl has hosted seven games that have decided the college football national championship, including four Bowl Championship Series title games. This season, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl will be played on Jan. 3, 2013, at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale , Ariz. , and the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl will be played on Dec. 29, 2012, at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe , Ariz.
For more information on the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week, go to www.footballwriters.com or www.fiestabowl.org.
2012 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Teams of the Week
* Weekend of Sept. 1: Ohio Bobcats
* Weekend of Sept. 8: ULM Warhawks