PLANO, Texas/PRNewswire/ -- As a longtime supporter of college football, Tostitos appreciates and believes in the values it teaches on and off the field -- teamwork, camaraderie and sportsmanship. For these reasons, Tostitos is honoring the University of San Francisco Dons 1951 football team for exemplifying the true meaning of "team spirit" with a special, nationally televised halftime tribute at the 37th Annual Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, which will be played on Jan. 2, 2008.

During the 1951 college football season, the San Francisco Dons team finished with a 9-0 record and average 33-8 score, the best of any team in the nation at that time. They received a Bowl bid but with one stipulation: they had to play without their African-American teammates, Ollie Matson and Burl Toler, as college football was not fully racially integrated until the 1970's. The team promptly declined the bid and as a result of financial losses, the University had to drop its football program.

"The 1951 Dons' story is incredibly inspirational, and their courage, character and conviction set a great example for all of us," said Ann Mukherjee, group vice president, marketing, Frito-Lay North America. "The Tostitos brand is proud to celebrate these champions with not only a memorable experience, but an experience that frees the fun of this overdue Bowl game experience within each of them."

On January 1, 2008, the 1951 Dons will be recognized with a dedication ceremony at the Fiesta Bowl Center and Museum in Scottsdale, Ariz., with the induction of a Dons team jersey as a permanent display to commemorate this year's well-deserved Bowl bid from Tostitos. The following day, the 1951 Dons will be honored at the 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., with a video tribute highlighting the team's accomplishments and history, airing nationally during halftime.

"We pulled out of the Bowl bid because it was the right thing, and only thing, to do -- we were a family," said Bob St. Clair, part of the 1951 team who later went on to play with the San Francisco 49ers and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1990. "The entire 1951 Dons team is honored that Tostitos has recognized us with this honor, and we are excited to be a part of the 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl."

The 1951 Dons is the only team in college history to produce three NFL Hall of Famers, as well as one of the most successful NFL commissioners of all time; highlights include:

-- Ollie Matson: One of the African-American players, who later went on to become an NFL Hall of Famer
-- Burl Toler: One of the African-American players; suffered career-ending injuries in the 1952 College All-Star Game but worked for 35 years with the NFL, where he spent the first 25 of those as the league's first African-American official
-- Ed Brown: Debuted with the Bears in 1954, leading them to the 1956 title game
-- Bill Henneberry: Was the back-up quarterback of the team, and now director of athletic development emeritus at the University of San Francisco
-- Gino Marchetti: Went on to become an NFL Hall of Famer
-- Bob St. Clair: Went on to become an NFL Hall of Famer
-- Joe Scudero: Became an NFL kick returner and defensive back
-- Pete Rozelle: The 1951 Dons' sports information director later went on to become the NFL's commissioner from January 1960 - November 1989

The Tostitos brand, a registered trademark of Frito-Lay North America, provides a full line of tortilla chips and dips including Tostitos Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips, Tostitos Gold Tortilla Chips, Tostitos Scoops!, Tostitos Salsa and Tostitos Cheese Dip. Frito-Lay North America is the convenient foods division of PepsiCo, Inc., which is headquartered in Purchase, N.Y.

SOURCE Tostitos