Oct. 16, 2007
FORT WORTH, Texas (October 15, 2007) - The 2007 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award® (The O'Brien) Marquee Match-up for week 8 features two O'Brien aspirants, both in the top 20 in passing statistics, battling for Big XII dominance. Fan voting on The O'Brien's Web site, www.DaveyOBrien.com, is a new component to the award's voting procedures for 2007. This week's Marquee Match-up will undoubtedly grab the attention of fan voters who want their team to stay in the hunt for the Big XII title.
Marquee Match-up - Texas Tech at Missouri (All games listed in CST)
Saturday, Oct. 20 at 2:30 p.m. on ABC
Mizzou's signal caller Chase Daniel, is a prime candidate for the O'Brien Award, as he's led his Tigers to a #15 national ranking and a 5-1 record thus far. Daniel enters Saturday's game ranked 5th in the nation in total offense, at 376.7 yards per game. Daniel sits in 16th place in O'Brien fan voting currently.
Graham Harrell, a member of the pre-season Davey O'Brien Watch List, has torched defenses for more than 3,100 yards, 31 touchdowns with a passer rating of 178 this season. His prowess as the nation's second leading passer has kept him close in the Fan Vote, currently sitting on the bubble in 4th place.
Chase Daniel and Graham Harrell will look to their fans for the first completion of the weekend as voting continues to see who gets into The O'Brien's top three.
Fans are able to vote for the starting quarterback from any of the 119 Division I-A football programs, leaving room for the possibility of a quarterback who is not on the Watch List to win the award. Fans can vote once daily on The O'Brien's Web site in hopes of moving their pick to the final round.
The top three quarterbacks who garner the most votes will be added to The O'Brien semifinalist list, and the Fan Vote will count as 5% in determining the finalists and winner. The 2007 O'Brien winner will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN Dec. 6.
About The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award®
The O'Brien honors the nation's best college quarterback of the year and inspires student-athletes to triumph both on and off the field. By recognizing and honoring athletes who excel in both sports and academics while exhibiting strong character and leadership, The O'Brien helps to instill a lifelong moral fiber in each candidate. The O'Brien is overseen by the Davey O'Brien Foundation, which was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The Foundation provides scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life. For more information, visit www.DaveyOBrien.com.