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Iowa is the Tostitos team of the week
Marc Morehouse
Nov. 1, 2010 3:19 pm
From the Football Writers Association of America (yes, I'm a member):
Hawkeyes rout previously unbeaten Michigan State
IOWA IS TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK
DALLAS (FWAA) – With their 37-6 win over No. 5 Michigan State, the Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2) are the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week for games of the weekend of Oct. 30.
Ricky Stanzi threw three touchdown passes and Iowa intercepted three passes – one for a touchdown by Micah Hyde – as the Hawkeyes cruised after building a 30-0 halftime lead. On the day, Iowa held Michigan State to just 31 yards rushing and 13 first downs.
Iowa's win knocked Michigan State from the ranks of the unbeatens and followed a one-point loss to Wisconsin a week ago.
"The guys did a good job turning the page," Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. "We came ready to play and we put a complete game together. We made a lot of improvement from a week ago. We've had it both ways and it's a lot more fun this way."
Other Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Oct. 30 included:
• Baylor (7-2): Robert Griffin III passed for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead the Bears to a 30-22 win over Texas in Austin. It was Baylor's first win in Austin since 1991, the last season it won as many as seven games.
• Syracuse (6-2): The Orange improved to 6-2 for the first time since 2001 with a 31-7 win at Cincinnati. The win was Syracuse's third straight road win in Big East play this season.
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 2010 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 six games that have decided the college football national championship, including three Bowl Championship Series title games. This season, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl will host the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 10, 2011 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl will be played on Jan. 1, 2011 in Glendale and the Insight Bowl will be played on Dec. 28, 2010 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.
For more information on the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week, go to footballwriters.com or fiestabowl.org.
2010 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Teams of the Week
• Weekend of Sept. 4: Boise State Broncos
• Weekend of Sept. 11: Oklahoma Sooners
• Weekend of Sept. 18: Arizona Wildcats
• Weekend of Sept. 25: UCLA Bruins
• Weekend of Oct. 2: Michigan State Spartans
• Weekend of Oct. 9: South Carolina Gamecocks • Weekend of Oct. 16: Wisconsin Badgers
• Weekend of Oct. 23: Missouri Tigers
• Weekend of Oct. 30: Iowa Hawkeyes
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And from UI sports info:
IOWA NAMED TEAM OF THE WEEK
IOWA CITY, IA – The University of Iowa football team has been named the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week following its 37-6 win over fifth-ranked Michigan State last Saturday in Kinnick Stadium. The announcement was made today by the Football Writers Association of America.
The Hawkeyes moved to bowl eligibility for the 10th straight year with the win over the previously unbeaten Spartans. Iowa is now 6-2 overall and 3-1 in Big Ten play. The Hawkeyes built a 30-0 halftime lead and continued to shut down a high powered Michigan State on its way to 31-point win. Iowa held Michigan State to 31 yards rushing and 258 yards total offense.
The FWAA have been naming a team of the week since 2002. It's the second time Iowa has been named National Team of the Week. The Hawkeyes earned the honor following their 24-23 win over third-ranked Penn State in 2008.
Iowa mascot Herky wears a Captain America costume as it high-fives fans during the first quarter of their game against Michigan State at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010, in Iowa City. (Jim Slosiarek/SourceMedia Group News)