Tostitos Fiesta Bowl to Honor Hudson and Newest College Football Hall of Fame Inductees

DALLAS, Jan. 4, 2010 - Celebrating the legendary careers of 18 of the best to ever grace the gridiron, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) highlight that the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl will continue its tradition today of showcasing the newest class of inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame during its annual BCS match-up, which this year features a battle of unbeatens with No. 6 Boise State (13-0) playing against No. 4 TCU (12-0) on Monday, Jan. 4, 2010 in Glendale, Ariz.

"It is a privilege for the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl to honor the newest members of the College Football Hall of Fame and all their accomplishments," said John Junker, president & CEO of the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. "Their presence adds to our year-end celebration of college football and its rich history and pageantry."

The Hall of Famers will participate in the pre- game festivities while being introduced on the field in front of the fans and a national audience before the 6:00 p.m. (MST) Bowl Championship Series (BCS) game on Fox Sports. The 2009-10 National Hall of Fame Salute marks the fifth year of the tradition, building on a long-standing relationship between the two organizations and utilizing the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl's national stage to hold up greatest players and coaches in the history of the game.

"We are excited to continue our partnership with the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in highlighting the accomplishments of the most recent class of Hall of Famers," said NFF President & CEO Steven J. Hatchell. "The leadership of Alan Young, John Junker, and the entire Tostitos Fiesta Bowl family with this initiative allows us to further showcase the careers of the best the college gridiron has ever seen."

2009 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS

PLAYERS

* PERVIS ATKINS - HB, New Mexico State (1959-60)

* TIM BROWN - WR, Notre Dame (1984-87)

* CHUCK CECIL - DB, Arizona (1984-87)

* ED DYAS - FB, Auburn (1958-60)

* MAJOR HARRIS - QB, West Virginia (1987-89)

* GORDON HUDSON - TE, Brigham Young (1980-83)

* WILLIAM LEWIS# - C, Harvard (1892-93)

* WOODROW LOWE - LB, Alabama (1972-75)

* KEN MARGERUM - WR, Stanford (1977-80)

* STEVE McMICHAEL - DT, Texas (1976-79)

* CHRIS SPIELMAN - LB, Ohio State (1984-87)

* LARRY STATION - LB, Iowa (1982-85)

* PAT SWILLING - DE, Georgia Tech (1982-85)

* GINO TORRETTA - QB, Miami (Fla.) (1989-92)

* CURT WARNER - RB, Penn State (1979-82)

* GRANT WISTROM - DE, Nebraska (1994-97)

# Selection from the FBS Veterans Committee, deceased

COACHES

* DICK MacPHERSON - 111-73-5 (.601) - Massachusetts (1971-77), Syracuse (1981-90)

* JOHN ROBINSON - 132-77-4 (.629) - Southern California (1976-82, 1993-97), Nevada-Las Vegas (1999-2004)

Curt Warner played in back-to-back Fiesta Bowls, claiming Offensive Player of the Game honors in both games. On Dec. 26, 1980, he led the Nittany Lions to a 31-19 victory over Ohio State. The following year on Jan. 1, 1982 with Hall of Fame classmate John Robinson as the opposing coach, Warner helped guide Penn State to a 26-10 win over USC.

Major Harris appeared in the Jan. 2, 1989 game that saw Notre Dame claim the national championship with a 34-21 victory over the Mountaineers. Grant Wistrom played in the Jan. 2, 1996 game, which produced a 62-24 victory for Nebraska against Florida as the Cornhuskers captured the national title.

Besides recognition during the pre-game ceremonies, the Hall of Famers also participated in the 39th Annual Fort McDowell Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation at 11:00 a.m. MST on Saturday, Jan. 2 in central Phoenix.

Boise State and TCU, respectively the 2009 champions of the WAC and Mountain West Conferences, have met only twice; both meetings occurred in bowl games. They collided last season (December 23, 2008) in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. The Horned Frogs won a thrilling 17-16 decision. Boise State prevailed 34-31 in the first meeting on December 23, 2003 in the Plains Capital Fort Worth Bowl (now known as the Bell Helicopter Arm Forces Bowl.)

About The National Football Foundation: Founded in 1947 with leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 121 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, Play It Smart, and scholarships of over $1 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF presents the MacArthur Trophy, the Campbell Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, and releases the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings.

For more information, please visit us on the web at www.footballfoundation.com