DALLAS (FWAA) The top-ranked
Clemson Tigers concluded the nation's only unbeaten regular season with a 45-37 win over North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game in Charlotte. Their 16th straight win earned them a 15th ACC title and the
AutoNation National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Dec. 5.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson was named the Most Valuable Player after gaining 420 yards of total offense, an ACC Championship Game record. He accounted for five touchdowns, three through the air and two on the ground. Wayne Gallman rushed for 187 yards, putting him just 13 yards shy of the single-season rushing record of 1,345 set by Raymond Priester in 1996.
On the evening, the Tigers amassed 608 yards of total offense and 33 first downs and survived a late Tar Heel rally to secure an unbeaten regular season.
"One of the things I told the players in the locker room is that they're in the moment right now," Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. "And that they're just young, and there's no way they can really have a true appreciation for what they've accomplished, and just how hard it is to accomplish what they've done. And I've been on a 13-0 team. We had to earn it, and this team has earned its way to the College football Playoff."
Clemson is the top seed in the College Football Playoff, and will take on Oklahoma in the Capital One Orange Bowl on Dec. 31 in a national semifinal.
As part of AutoNations history of charitable involvement, AutoNation will donate $1,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) in the Clemson University's name. This charitable college football initiative culminates with the AutoNation Cure Bowl, a new post-season NCAA football game that kicks off bowl season at the Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando, Fla., and will be aired by CBS Sports Network. The aptly named AutoNation Cure Bowl also serves as a fund raiser for the BCRF, CharityWatch's only A+ rated breast cancer organization in the country.
"We want to celebrate the very best of college football, while also helping to raise awareness for the importance of finding a cure for cancer," says AutoNation CMO Marc Cannon. "This season-long partnership with the FWAA, leading up to the AutoNation Cure Bowl, puts a spotlight on a cause that we're determined to tackle."
"In our 75th season of existence, this a marvelous platform to get our players and the team of the week series excellent exposure as well as helping AutoNation in its effort to fight cancer and contribute to the educational funds of deserving student-athletes," said FWAA 2015 President Lee Barfknecht of the Omaha World-Herald. "It is very exciting to be able to help our organization as well as others in this splendid effort."
The Football Writers Association of America has named a national team of the week since the 2002 season. This is the first season AutoNation has presented the award. Members of the FWAA All-America Committee decide the weekly honor. Each remaining Monday during the 2015 college football regular season, the FWAA will name a National Team of the Week. Members of the FWAA All-America Committee decide the weekly honor.
AutoNation is also the presenting sponsor of the FWAA's national offensive and defensive players of the week announced each Tuesday, the 2015 FWAA All-America Team and the 75th Anniversary FWAA All-America Team. The 2015 AutoNation FWAA All-America Team will be announced at the AutoNation Cure Bowl on Dec. 19.
About AutoNation, Inc.:
AutoNation is transforming the automotive retail industry through bold leadership. We deliver a peerless automotive retail experience through our customer-focused sales and service processes. Owning and operating 293 new vehicle franchises, which sell 35 new vehicle brands across 15 states, AutoNation is America's largest automotive retailer, with state-of-the-art operations and the ability to leverage economies of scale that benefit the customer. As an indication of our leadership position in our industry, AutoNation is a component of the S&P 500 Index.
About the AutoNation Cure Bowl:
The AutoNation Cure Bowl a new post-season NCAA football game whose net proceeds benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The AutoNation Cure Bowl takes place December 19 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, and will be broadcast by CBS Sports Network. The bowl is scheduled to involve teams from the American Athletic and Sun Belt conferences.
About the Football Writers Association of America:
Founded in 1941, the FWAA consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com.