College Football Fans Select Texas Tech Freshman Wide Receiver Michael Crabtree as the AT&T All-America Player of the Year

SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AT&T (NYSE: T) announced today the winner of the 2007 AT&T All-America Player of the Year, the only major college football award chosen exclusively by fans. Fans across the nation have made their voices heard and voted Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree as the best college football player in the nation.

Crabtree, the first freshman to win the award in its four-year history, put up astonishing numbers on an offense-rich team that went 5-1 while playing at home in Jones AT&T Stadium. Going into the bowl season, he led the nation in receptions (125), receiving yards (1,861) and receiving touchdowns (21) and won the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the nation's top receiver. He is a unanimous All-America selection and the first collegiate freshman since Herschel Walker in 1980 to be named to the America Football Coaches Association All-America Team. Crabtree also helped the Red Raiders -- with a touchdown and 101 receiving yards -- beat the University of Virginia at the Gator Bowl on New Year's Day. He received 49 percent of the votes to beat out an impressive field of nominees, including University of Arkansas running back Darren McFadden (31 percent), University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow (15 percent) and University of Virginia defensive end Chris Long (5 percent).

"AT&T congratulates Michael on having a spectacular freshman season and for winning the AT&T All-America Player of the Year award," said Tim McGhee, director of National Sponsorships for AT&T. "We are proud to be able to deliver the technology that allows the fans' voices to be heard so that they can honor the player whom they choose. Our hats go off to the winner and the other nominees, and our thanks go to everyone who participated."

Fans determined the winner by sending a text message from a wireless phone and casting their votes for the nominees. Polls stayed open until Thursday, Jan. 3. In addition, each vote received an entry into a sweepstakes to win a trip to the 2008 BCS national championship game in New Orleans on Jan. 7, where the official AT&T All-America Player of the Year announcement was made. AT&T customers were able to visit AT&T's wireless NCAA(R) Football Portal on their handsets to view video highlights of each candidate, retrieve photos, check scores, track their favorite teams and download school ringtones.

Last year, University of Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn was crowned as the AT&T All-America Player of the Year after beating out Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith -- the Heisman Trophy winner -- Rutgers running back Ray Rice and Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan. Previous winners of the award include Texas quarterback Vince Young (2005) and Texas running back Cedric Benson (2004). Voting for the AT&T All-America Player of the Year was the highest total in the four-year history of the award.

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