DALLAS, Texas—The Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum announced today candidates for the 2008 Doak Walker Award. The award is presented annually to the nation’s top college running back.

Of the 43 players nominated by their respective universities, Texas A&M has two players on the list with senior Jorvorskie Lane from Lufkin, Texas, as well as junior Mike Goodson from Klein, Texas.

Lane needs one touchdown to set the career touchdown mark in Texas A&M history. The 6-0, 270-pound fullback has 45 total touchdowns with 44 coming on the ground. The 44 career rushing touchdowns ties Darren Lewis (1987-90) and Rodney Thomas (1991-94) and the 45 overall TDs also ties the running back duo of Lewis and Thomas.

Goodson, a 6-0, 196-pound tailback, has big play capability and has averaged 5.6 yards per carry and has caught 53 passes in two years with an average of 8.9 yards per play in the passing game.

The Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will select the semifinalists on Nov. 10 and the Doak Walker National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the finalists, who will be announced on Nov. 24. The committee will cast a second vote beginning on Dec. 1 to determine the recipient of the award. The committee is comprised of former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.

The 2008 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on ESPN on The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 11. The Doak Walker Award presentation will be held at The Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas on Feb. 6, 2009.

The complete list of candidates follows:

Tarrion Adams (Sr.), Tulsa Ian Johnson (Sr.), Boise State

Reggie Arnold (Jr.), Arkansas State Eric Kettani (Sr.), Naval Academy

Andre Brown (Sr.), North Carolina State Jorvorskie Lane (Sr.,), Texas A&M

Donald Brown (Jr.), Connecticut Luke Lippincott (Sr.), Nevada

Donald Buckram (So.), UTEP Greg Little (So.), North Carolina

James Davis (Sr.), Clemson Marlon Lucky (Sr.), Nebraska

Mike Davis (Sr.), South Carolina Darrell Mack (Sr.), Utah

Marc Dellins (Sr.), UCLA DeMyron Martin (Sr.), SMU

Andre Dixon (Jr.), Connecticut LeSean McCoy (So.), Pittsburgh

Anthony Dixon (Jr.), Mississippi State Knowshon Moreno (So.), Georgia

Jonathan Dwyer (So.), Georgia Tech DeMarco Murray (So.), Oklahoma

Jamelle Eugene (Jr.), North Carolina State Javon Ringer (Sr.), Michigan State

Tyrell Fenroy (Sr.), Louisiana Lafayette Kory Sheets (Sr.), Purdue

Rodney Ferguson (Sr.), New Mexico Michael Smith (Jr.), Arkansas

Damion Fletcher (Jr.), Southern Mississippi C.J. Spiller (Jr.), Clemson

Arian Foster (Sr.), Tennessee James Starks (Jr.), Buffalo

Mike Goodson (Jr.), Texas A&M Frank Summers (Sr.), UNLV

Keegan Herring (Sr.), Arizona State Tyrell Sutton (Sr.), Northwestern

P.J. Hill (Jr.), Wisconsin Joseph Turner (Jr.), TCU

Deonte Jackson (So.), Idaho Harvey Unga (So.), BYU

Terrell Jackson (Sr.), UTEP Chris Wells (Jr.), Ohio State

Eugene Jarvis (Jr.), Kent State

Texas A&M opens the 2008 season on Saturday at Kyle Field against the Arkansas State Red Wolves with kick at 6 p.m. central.