USC Jumps to No. 2 in BCS; Coaches Fired

Southern California is a win away from returning to the national title game.

The Trojans moved into second place in the Bowl Championship Series standings Sunday, passing idle Michigan on the strength of a 44-24 victory over Notre Dame and closing in on a matchup with undefeated Ohio State in the title game.

USC plays crosstown-rival UCLA on Saturday and a victory would likely lock up the Trojans' third consecutive appearance in the BCS title game. The Trojans have already locked up the Pac-10's automatic BCS bid, but playing in the Rose Bowl would be a letdown for USC this season.

First-place Ohio State has already sealed up its trip to Glendale, Ariz., for the Jan. 8 championship game. The final BCS standings and bowl pairings will be announced next Sunday.

Michigan managed to hold onto second place after losing 42-39 at Ohio State, but the Wolverines' lead over USC was razor thin.

USC's convincing victory over the Fighting Irish helped the Trojans increase their cushion over Michigan in the coaches' poll and Harris poll, and boosted USC's computer rating ahead of the Wolverines'.

USC's BCS average was .946. Michigan's was .922.

The polls make up two-thirds of a BCS average and the computer ratings account for the other third.

Florida, which plays in the Southeastern Conference title game against Arkansas on Saturday, is in fourth place with an average of .890. The Gators need a win and USC to stumble against UCLA, but even then it will be a close call between them and Michigan for the second spot in the title game.

LSU is fifth, followed by Louisville and Wisconsin.

Unbeaten Boise State moved up to eighth place and will become the second team from outside the original BCS conferences to play in one of the four big-dollar bowl games. The Broncos will likely receive a bid to the Fiesta Bowl.

Arkansas is ninth and can earn the SEC's automatic bid by beating Florida.

Notre Dame dropped five spots to 10th place, which means the Fighting Irish are no longer in position to earn an automatic BCS bid. They needed to be in the top eight for that to happen. However, Notre Dame remains eligible to receive an at-large bid by finishing in the top 12. And if the Irish are eligible, they're a great bet to get picked by either the Rose, Sugar or Orange.

USC lost last year's championship game 41-38 to Texas at the Rose Bowl and won the 2004 national championship with a 55-19 victory over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl.
Three years ago, the Trojans missed out on the BCS championship game, but won the AP's part of the national title by beating Michigan 28-14 in the Rose Bowl.

That three-year run, during which the Trojans lost only two games, was powered by quarterback Matt Leinart and tailbacks Reggie Bush and LenDale White. Those guys, and a host of other Trojans from last season's team, are in the NFL now.

John David Booty has stepped in at quarterback, receiver Dwayne Jarrett has developed into the offense's biggest star and USC's defense has been one of the best in the country.

And if the Trojans can make it eight consecutive wins against UCLA, it's USC vs. Ohio State for the national title.

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North Carolina State fired football coach Chuck Amato on Sunday, a day after he completed his seventh season at his alma mater.

The former Wolfpack linebacker had a 49-37 record at the school and led the team to five bowl games. But his squads were 25-31 in the Atlantic Coast Conference and never finished higher than fourth.

This season, North Carolina State (3-9) lost seven straight games to finish with a losing record for the second time in three seasons since quarterback Philip Rivers went to the NFL. On Saturday, the Wolfpack finished the season with a 21-16 home loss to East Carolina.

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Arizona State fired football coach Dirk Koetter on Sunday after he led his team to a bowl the last three seasons but rarely beat the best in the Pac-10.

Koetter went 40-33 in six seasons at ASU. Love said Koetter agreed to stay on and coach the team in a bowl game. She said the search for a successor would start immediately, but she provided few specifics about possible candidates.

The Sun Devils completed a 7-5 regular season with a 28-14 victory over rival Arizona in Tucson on Saturday, clinching their third consecutive postseason berth.

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Athletics director Mal Moore says Alabama coach Mike Shula has been fired. Shula was let go fter a 6-6 season that ended with three straight losses, including a defeat by intrastate rival Auburn.

Shula told his assistant coaches late Sunday night that Alabama Moore had dismissed him, The Tuscaloosa News reported on its Web site.

Shula, a former Alabama quarterback, led the Crimson Tide to a 10-2 season last year and a Cotton Bowl victory. But his teams were winless in four tries against Auburn. The Tigers beat the Crimson Tide 22-15 on Nov. 18, leaving Shula to answer questions about his job security.

The 41-year-old Shula has a 26-23 record in four seasons with the Crimson Tide.

Shula's firing would mean Alabama is looking for a head coach for the fourth time since 2000. The Tide has had seven coaches in the 24 years since Paul "Bear" Bryant's last season in 1982. Bryant had directed the Alabama program for 25 years.


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