Razorbacks play of the year finalist

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Tonight the Pontiac Game Changing Play of the Year Contest ended with the Arkansas Razorbacks finishing in the final four.

Voting by the fans of the Arkansas Razorbacks in the internet-based contest advanced the game-winning play versus LSU through four rounds of on-line voting by fans to reach the finals last week. The final four plays came from Arkansas, Buffalo, Alabama and Texas Tech.

“We are grateful to the Razorback fans for their help in turning an exciting game changing play into support for veterans’ scholarships at the University of Arkansas,” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long said. “Thanks to the support of the Razorback Nation we were able to advance to the finals and raise $5,000 for veterans attending our university. We are thankful to those in the campus and on-line community for their help in spreading the word about the competition and this new scholarship program.”

The results of the final round of voting were announced at the conclusion of the BCS National Championship Game.

The other schools eliminated in the playoff were East Carolina, Toledo, Penn State, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Brigham Young, LSU, Vanderbilt and Southern California.

Arkansas was voted as the Pontiac Game Changing Performance for the 14th week of the 2008 NCAA Football Season. The game changing play was senior quarterback Casey Dick’s 24-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver London Crawford with only 21 seconds remaining in the game, securing the Razorbacks 31-30 victory over LSU.

As a result, Arkansas earned a $5,000 general contribution from Pontiac that was directed by the Razorback athletic department to the newly established U.S. Veterans scholarships at the University of Arkansas.

The University of Arkansas is in the process of creating 20 non-renewable scholarship awards, valued at $3,000 each, to be awarded to U.S. veterans who attend the university full time, beginning in the 2009-2010 academic year. Details for the application process and eligibility are still being worked out.

The Pontiac Game Changing Performance recognizes the most dramatic moments that occur in NCAA games across the country, moments that change the outcome of the game or define a season. The program provides fans the opportunity to vote on the performance they believe is the biggest game changer.