Dec. 9, 2007
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - UCF junior running back Kevin Smith will be the first player in school history to earn NCAA consensus All-America honors. With four of the five NCAA Bowl Subdivision All-America teams already announced that are used to determine the NCAA's consensus All-America teams, Smith and Arkansas junior Darren McFadden have secured the two running back spots.
The NCAA uses a point system based upon inclusion on five nationally recognized All-America teams to determine whether a player will be awarded a spot on the consensus team. First-place honors are worth three points, second-place honors are worth two and third-place honors are worth one.
The Miami native has earned first team accolades on the Walter Camp, Football Writers Association of America and Sporting News teams, which gives him nine total points. The other two teams that factor into the consensus award are the Associated Press team, which will be released later this week, and the American Football Coaches Association, which Smith was not named too.
McFadden by virtue of being a unanimous selection on all four first teams has collected 12 points. With only one team remaining to be announced, no other running back in the country can pass the point totals that Smith and McFadden have already amassed.
Smith leads the FBS in rushing yards with 2,448 and touchdowns with 30. Smith and former Oklahoma State standout Barry Sanders are the only two running backs in FBS history to rush for more than 2,000 yards and score 30 touchdowns in a season.
Sanders won the Heisman Trophy in 1989 when he accomplished the feat, while Smith finished eighth in this year's Heisman Trophy voting, which was announced on ESPN Saturday. His eight-place showing was the highest by a Knight since quarterback Daunte Culpepper placed sixth in 1998.
The Knights, who reached 10 wins in a season for the just the second time in program history with their victory over Tulsa in the Bright House Networks Conference USA Championship Game, will finish the 2007 campaign on Dec. 29 in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl vs. Mississippi State. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
Fans wishing to purchase tickets or bowl travel packages can visit www.ucfathletics.com or call 407-823-1000 for more information.
For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also check out UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports photos.
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