December 30, 2000
Texas A&M sophomore walk-on Eric Stanford will be the 12th Man Kickoff Team representative when the Aggies take on Mississippi State in the Sanford Independence Bowl, A&M head coach R.C. Slocum announced today.
Stanford, a 6-foot-2, 195-pounder from Waco's Robinson High School, leads the 12th Man Kickoff Team in tackles with five stops while seeing action in seven games.
12TH MAN WINS "BEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL TRADITION" --- The Aggies' 12th Man tradition recently won the title of "Best College Football Tradition" in the Tostitos Tourney of Traditions Championship which was contested at www.Tostitos.ESPN.com.
From an original field of 40 universities and traditions, the Aggies won head to head battles over Nebraska's "Tunnel Walk," Navy's "The Goat," and Ohio State's "Dotting of the i" before knocking off Notre Dame's "Painting of the Helmets" for the Championship.
In honor of the victory, ABC-TV has produced a :50 second segment on the 12th Man tradition, which will be aired on national television during halftime of the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on Monday, Jan. 1, 2001. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. (CST).
A&M'S DE LA TORRE RECEIVED ACADEMIC AWARD --- Texas A&M sophomore Michael de la Torre received the Scholar Student-Athlete Award from the Sanford Independence Bowl on Saturday at the Boise-Cascade Minuteman Luncheon at the Shreveport Expo Center.
de la Torre, from Katy High School near Houston, has earned an overall 3.6 grade point average while pursuing his degree in international business. de la Torre battled back from a career-threatening back injury to grab two receptions for 32 yards while seeing action in eight games in 2000.