ABC Sports, ESPN College Football Analysts Nominate UCLA Running Back Maurice Drew for the Cingular/ABC Sports All-America Player of the Week Award

ABC Sports, ESPN College Football Analysts Nominate UCLA Running Back Maurice Drew for the Cingular/ABC Sports All-America Player of the Week Award

Drew Nominated for the Award for the Second Time in His Career

ATLANTA, Oct. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The national player of the week nominations are in and the polls are open. Bruin fans can cast their votes for UCLA running back/kick returner Maurice Drew for the Cingular Wireless/ABC Sports All-America Player of the Week, the only major college football honor determined exclusively by fans. Drew was nominated for the second time in his career after tallying 279 total yards, including 162 yards in punt returns, and five touchdowns in the Bruins' 47-40 win against No. 10 California on Saturday.

Drew 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: Louisville defensive lineman Elvis Dumervil, who recorded three sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception in the Cardinals' 69-14 win against North Carolina; Northwestern running back Tyrell Sutton, who rushed for 244 yards and three touchdowns in the Wildcats' 51-48 win against No. 14 Wisconsin; and USC running back LenDale White, who was nominated for the second time this year after 179 rushing yards and four touchdowns in the Trojans' 42-21 win over Arizona.

Previous Cingular/All-America Player of the Week winners this season include Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley, Texas quarterback Vince Young and Texas A&M quarterback Reggie McNeal, Minnesota running back Laurence Maroney and Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn.

Who will be this week's winner now rests solely in the hands of college football fans nationwide. Fans have until Wednesday, October 12 at 11:59 p.m. EDT to submit their votes via wireless text messaging.* The winner will be announced October 13 in the first half of the ESPN Thursday Night College Football Game between Clemson and N.C. State. 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 51.6 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE:SBC) and BellSouth Corporation (NYSE:BLS), 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(R), 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://cingular.mediaroom.com/.

Source: Cingular Wireless

CONTACT: Sarah Didier of Career Sports & Entertainment, +1-770-226-5550, or +1-770-617-8737, sdidier@careersportsentertainment.com; or Clay Owen of Cingular Wireless, +1-404-236-6153, clay.owen@cingular.com

Web site: http://www.cingular.com/

------- Profile: Ent