Pasadena, CA – Jake Matthews of Texas A&M won the Seminole Tribe of Florida Bobby Bowden Award. It was presented by coach Bowden Friday morning at the FCA breakfast in Irvine California at the BCS site. As a junior in 2012, Matthews was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection. He also received first team All-American honors by the Football Writers Association of America. During his senior season, Matthews played left tackle after playing right tackle for the previous three seasons. As a senior in 2013, Matthews was again a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection. In some NFL draft scenarios Matthews is considered the second overall pick. Matthew's father is Tennessee Titans coach Bruce Matthews.
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Matthews won the award over Mississippi punter Tyler Campbell, Arizona linebacker Jake Fischer, Oklahoma offensive lineman Gabe Ikard, Oklahoma State linebacker Shaun Lewis, and Alabama wide receiver Kevin Norwood.
The Bobby Bowden award recognizes the Football Bowl Subdivision player who epitomizes a student-athlete. He must conduct himself as a faith model in the classroom, on the field, on the campus and in the community. He must carry a 3.0 GPA. To win, he must also have the backing of his school's Athletic Director and Head Football coach.
The award is named after former Florida State University football head coach Bobby Bowden. It was conceived by Vince Gibson, a former Bowden assistant at South Georgia College who went on to become head coach at Kansas State, Louisville and Tulane long before he passed away in 2012 from Lou Gehrig's disease; and Vernon Brinson, one of Bowden's former players at South Georgia College in the 1950s.
The Award is sponsored by The Seminole Tribe of Florida.
Past winners are:
2003      Jason Wright                        Northwestern University
2004      Billy Bajema                        Oklahoma State University
2005      D. J. Shockley                      University of Georgia
2006      Carl Pendleton                     University of Oklahoma
2007      Jacob Tamme                       University of Kentucky
2008      Stephen McGee                 Texas A&M
2009      Colt McCoy                         University of Texas
2010      Christian Ponder                  Florida State University
2011      Case Keenum                       University of Houston
2012      Ashton Richardson              Auburn University
The following is a list of the nominees in alphabetical order.
Ryan Alderman                      Temple University
Chris Burnette                        University of Georgia
Tyler Campbell                       University of Mississippi
Richie Casey                          Louisiana Tech
Chandler Catanzaro               Clemson University
Joseph Fazio                           Ball State University
Jake Fischer                            University of Arizona
Cam Gordon                          University of Michigan
Andrew Green                                   University of Nebraska
Derrick Hopkins                     Virginia Tech
Lamarcus Joyner                    Florida State University
Rob Henry                             Purdue University
Gabe Ikard                             University of Oklahoma
Jon Koontz                             Texas Christian
Shaun Lewis                          Oklahoma State University
Jamie Markosian                    Utah State University
Jordan McCray                      University of Central Florida
Kirby Moore                          Boise State
Conner O'Neil                                   University of Wisconsin
Kevin Norwood                     University of Alabama
Tanner Price                           Wake Forest
Brett Van Sloten                    University of Iowa
Christian Smith                      University of Toledo
Alex Zordich                          State University of New York – Buffalo
About FCA:
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is touching millions of lives one heart at a time. Since 1954, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has been challenging coaches and athletes on the professional, college, high school, junior high and youth levels to use the powerful medium of athletics to impact the world for Jesus Christ. FCA focuses on serving local communities by equipping, empowering and encouraging people to make a difference for Christ.