Mark Ingram fronting NCAA Football 12

Dawg Pound bruiser Peyton Hillis and convicted dog fighter Michael Vick are currently locked in EA Sports' cage match to determine Madden NFL 12's cover athlete. Today, the publisher resolved a similar bout for its collegiate gridiron franchise, saying that former University of Alabama running back Mark Ingram has triumphed in its fan-voted Facebook contest to determine the cover athlete for NCAA Football 12.

EA Sports' "U Want ME" Facebook campaign was the first of its kind for the NCAA Football franchise and saw more than 140,000 votes cast. Ingram's victory came over Auburn University defensive lineman Nick Fairley, University of Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray, and University of Washington quarterback Jake Locker.

Though his 2010 junior season was hampered by injuries, Ingram dominated college football in 2009. The Alabama tailback ended the season with a Heisman Trophy after leading the Crimson Tide to a resounding 37-21 victory over the University of Texas in the 2010 BCS National Championship. Earlier this year, Ingram announced he would be entering the NFL draft, having logged more than 3,000 yards and 42 touchdowns.

Developed by EA Tiburon, NCAA Football 12 will be available this year for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. EA Sports has yet to attach a date to the game, though retailers are expecting it to arrive by July 12. For more information, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.