College Football Notes Week 1

If the opening week of the college football season is any indication of what the year may bring, then we're in for when hell of a ride.

Week one gave us what may be the biggest upset in the history of college football when Appalachian State, the defending DI-AA champs, upset fifth ranked Michigan 34-32 at the Big House in Ann Arbor.

The Mountaineers became the first I-AA team to defeat a ranked I-A team in history when Corey Lynch blocked Michigan's FG attempt with just seconds remaining.

Armanti Edwards, the sophomore QB threw for 227 yards and three TDs and rushed for one more. Mike Hart led the Wolverines in the losing effort with 188 yards and three scores.

No. 9 Virginia Tech opened the season with heavy hearts, but managed to hold off a pesky East Carolina squad, 17-7. Hokie QB Sean Glennon connected with TE Sam Wheeler on a 21-yard TD to extend the Hokies' lead to 17-7 in the fourth. Virginia Tech honored the memory of the 32 victims of the April tragedy with a moving pregame ceremony.

The Wisconsin Badgers, ranked seventh in the nation, opened the season in impressive fashion with a 42-21 victory over a tough Washington State squad. Senior QB Tyler Donovan proved he could fill John Stocco's shoes by passing for 284 yards and three touchdowns. he also had a touchdown on the ground.

Matthew Stafford, after an up-and-down freshman season, looked confident, throwing for 235 yards and two TDs to lead No.13 Georgia to the 35-14 victory over Oklahoma State.

Fourth-ranked Texas survived a scare from Arkansas State, but held on for the 21-13 win. Longhorn QB Colt McCoy found Antwan Cobb in the end zone with 2:49 remaining in the first quarter. That score was all the lead Texas would need. RB Jamaal Charles ran for 117 yards and a TD.

No. 18 Auburn rallied for 17 unanswered points, starting with a Wes Byrum field goal in the final minutes of the third quarter, to pull out the 23-13 victory over Kansas State. Auburn forced Kansas State to make mistakes -- including three turnovers and penalties (16 penalties, 144 yards).

The 12th-ranked Cal Golden Bears looked impressive in their 45-31 win over No. 15 Tennessee on Friday. DeSean Jackson had a 77-yard punt return for a score, while Justin Forsett rushed for 156 yards and a score, and Nate Longshore passed for 241 yards and two TDs as the Bears racked up the most points scored against the Volunteers in 12 years to win the opening weekend's only matchup between ranked schools. Erik Ainge had 271 yards passing and three TD throws despite an injured finger for the Vols.

Other scores from the Top 25: No. 16 Rutgers 38, Buffalo 3; No. 10 Louisville 73, Murray State 10; No. 2 LSU 45, Mississippi State 0; No. 24 Boise State 56, Weber State 7; No. 11 Ohio State 38, Youngstown State 6; No. 17 Penn State 59, Florida International 0; No. 6 Florida 49, Western Kentucky 3; No. 20 Nebraska 52, Nevada 10;
No. 3 West Virginia 62, Western Michigan 24, No. 14 UCLA 45, Stanford 17; No. 22 TCU 27, Baylor 0; No. 8 Oklahoma 79, North Texas 10; No. 21 Arkansas 46, Troy 26; No. 25 Texas A&M 38, Montana State 7; No. 1 USC 38, Idaho 10; and No. 23 Hawaii 63, Northern Colorado 6.

Highlight games from week 2 include: Navy (1-0) at Rutgers (1-0); Miami, FL (1-0) at Oklahoma (1-0); Nebraska (1-0) at Wake Forest (0-1); Boise State (1-0) at Washington (1-0); South Carolina (1-0) at Georgia (1-0); Notre Dame (0-1) at Penn State (1-0); BYU (1-0) at UCLA (1-0); TCU (1-0) at Texas (1-0); Virginia Tech (1-0) at LSU (1-0); and Colorado (1-0) at Arizona State (1-0).

Montana State Coach Fired

Montana State fired football coach Mike Kramer on Friday, several days after another former Bobcats athlete was arrested on drug charges.

Kramer was 40-43 in seven seasons at the Bozeman school, including an 8-5 mark last year. He led the Bobcats to three Big Sky Conference titles and three NCAA playoff appearances.

Former wide receiver Rick Gatewood was arrested this week on drug charges and is accused of using his athletic scholarship money to traffic cocaine from California in the Bozeman area. His brother also faces drug charges.

Gatewood is the sixth former Montana State athlete arrested or charged with crimes involving drugs or murder in the past year.

Gatewood, a Richmond, Calif., native, was an all-Big Sky Conference wide receiver in 2004 and 2005. He signed with the Oakland Raiders as a free agent last summer, but didn't make the team, and was expected to try out with baseball's Philadelphia Phillies this month.

Montana State cornerback Andre Fuller pleaded not guilty in March to charges he sold cocaine to a confidential informant last June. He was suspended from the football team while the case is investigated.

Former wide receiver Edward Sullivan of Carlsbad, Calif., and Derrick Davis Jr., a former cornerback from Santa Monica, Calif., also have been charged with selling drugs.

And last June, former redshirt football player John Lebrum and former Bobcat basketball player Branden Miller were charged with murder and kidnapping in the shooting death of suspected drug dealer Jason Wright. They have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled for trial in the coming months.

In October 2004, former assistant head football coach Joe O'Brien was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy.

Montana State opens its 2007 regular season Sept. 1 at Texas A&M.

The Bobcats posted their first postseason win in 22 years when they beat Furman 31-13 in the Division I-AA championships last fall, and finished the season ranked 10th in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. Montana State was beaten 38-17 by eventual champion Appalachian State in the I-AA quarterfinals.

College Football News

Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny and Southern California receiver Dwayne Jarrett overcame adversity to become two-time Associated Press All-Americans.

Posluszny and Jarrett were selected to the first-team for the second consecutive season Tuesday, joining Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith and Arkansas running back Darren McFadden on the AP's honor roll.

Smith, the senior quarterback, is one of three Ohio State players on the first team, along with defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock and linebacker James Laurinaitis. Big Ten rival Michigan matched the Buckeyes for the most first-teamers with defensive end LaMarr Woodley, cornerback Leon Hall and offensive tackle Jake Long.

Smith and the top-ranked Buckeyes will play Florida in the national title game Jan. 8 in Arizona. The Gators were represented on the first-team by safety Reggie Nelson.

Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, who finished third behind Smith and McFadden in the Heisman voting, made the second-team.

Posluszny is the first Penn State linebacker to be a two-time AP All-American, quite a feat considering Linebacker U. has produced the likes of LaVar Arrington, Shane Conlan and Jack Ham.

Posluszny returned to Penn State for his senior season after injuring his knee in the Orange Bowl in January. Playing with a bulky brace and trying to adapt to a new position, Posluszny needed a few games to get comfortable in 2006.

Posluszny finished the regular season with 108 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles. He became the second two-time winner of the Chuck Bednarik Award as national defensive player.

Mississippi's Patrick Willis, the Butkus Award winner, is the other All-American linebacker.

Joining McFadden in the backfield is West Virginia's Steve Slaton, a sophomore, like McFadden, who was third in the nation in rushing at 144.4 yards per game.

Jarrett's season was complicated by an early season shoulder injury that forced him to miss a game and limited him in several others. But when the 6-foot-5 junior was at full strength, he was USC's best weapon. He caught 58 passes for 773 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Georgia Tech's Calvin Johnson, another junior and big-time NFL prospect, is the other All-American receiver. He caught 13 touchdown passes.

Minnesota senior Matt Spaeth is the tight end. Long is joined on the offensive line by Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas, the Outland Trophy winner. Justin Blalock of Texas and Josh Beekman of Boston College are the guards and West Virginia's Dan Mozes is the center.

UCLA's Justin Medlock, who leads the nation with 26 field goals, is the first-team kicker, and California receiver DeSean Jackson, who returned four punts for touchdowns, was selected as an all-purpose player.

LSU's defense, the best in the Southeastern Conference, is represented on the first-team by defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and safety LaRon Landry.

Cal cornerback Daymeion Hughes, who picked off eight passes and returned two for TDs, and Atlantic Coast Conference defensive player of the year Gaines Adams of Clemson complete the defense.

Baylor punter Daniel Sepulveda, after being a third-team All-American as a sophomore and a second-teamer last year, is a first-teamer this season. Michigan led all schools with six players receiving All-America honors. Tailback Mike Hart, linebacker David Harris and defensive tackle Alan Branch made the second-team.

Ohio State had five players on the three teams, with guard T.J. Downing and receiver/returner Ted Ginn Jr. making the second team.

Florida had one player on each of the three teams. Cornerback Ryan Smith made the second team and linebacker Brandon Siler was a third-teamer.

The 2006 AP All-America Team:

Quarterback — Troy Smith, 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, senior, Ohio State.

Running backs — Darren McFadden, 6-2, 212, sophomore, Arkansas; Steve Slaton, 5-10, 195, sophomore, West Virginia.

Wide receivers — Calvin Johnson, 6-5, 235, junior, Georgia, Tech; Dwayne Jarrett, 6-5, 210, junior, Southern California.

Tight end — Matt Spaeth, 6-7, 265, senior, Minnesota.

Tackles — Jake Long, 6-7, 313, senior, Michigan; Joe Thomas, 6-8, 313, senior, Wisconsin.

Guards — Josh Beekman, 6-2, 318, senior, Boston College; Justin Blalock, 6-4, 335, senior, Texas.

Center — Dan Mozes, 6-4, 290, senior, West Virginia.

Kicker — Justin Medlock, 6-0, 197, senior, UCLA.

All-purpose player — DeSean Jackson, 6-0, 178, sophomore, California.

Defense

Ends — LaMarr Woodley, 6-2, 269, senior, Michigan; Gaines Adams, 6-5, 265, senior, Clemson.

Tackles — Glenn Dorsey, 6-2, 299, junior, LSU; Quinn Pitcock, 6-3, 295, senior, Ohio State.

Linebackers — Paul Posluszny, 6-2, 238, senior, Penn State; Patrick Willis, 6-2, 240, senior, Mississippi; James Laurinaitis, 6-3, 244, sophomore, Ohio State.

Cornerbacks — Leon Hall, 5-11, 193, senior, Michigan; Daymeion Hughes, 6-0, 188, senior, California.

Safeties — LaRon Landry, 6-2, 202, senior, LSU; Reggie Nelson, 6-1, 175, junior, Florida.

Punter — Daniel Sepulveda, 6-3, 230, senior, Baylor.

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Second-team

Offense

Quarterback — Brady Quinn, senior, Notre Dame.

Running backs — Ray Rice, sophomore, Rutgers; Mike Hart, junior, Michigan.

Wide receivers — Jarrett Dillard, sophomore, Rice; Jeff Samardzija, senior, Notre Dame.

Tight end — Zach Miller, junior, Arizona State.

Tackles — Sam Baker, junior, Southern California; Arron Sears, senior, Tennessee.

Guards — Ben Grubbs, senior, Auburn; T.J. Downing, senior, Ohio State.

Center — Ryan Kalil, senior, Southern California.

Kicker — Arthur Carmody, junior, Louisville.

All-purpose player — Ted Ginn. Jr., junior, Ohio State.

Defense

Ends — Justin Hickman, senior, UCLA; Mkristo Bruce, senior, Washington State.

Tackles — Alan Branch, junior, Michigan; Amobi Okoye, senior, Louisville.

Linebackers — Dan Connor, junior, Penn State; Ameer Ismail, senior, Western Michigan; David Harris, senior, Michigan.

Cornerbacks — Aaron Ross, senior, Texas; Ryan Smith, senior, Florida.

Safeties — Eric Weddle, senior, Utah; Michael Griffin, senior, Texas.

Punter — Durant Brooks, junior, Georgia Tech.

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Third-team

Offense

Quarterback — Colt Brennan, junior, Hawaii.

Running backs — Ian Johnson, sophomore, Boise State; Garrett Wolfe, senior, Northern Illinois.

Wide receivers — Robert Meachem, junior, Tennessee; Johnnie Lee Higgins, senior, UTEP.

Tight end — Jonny Harline, senior, BYU.

Tackles — Levi Brown, senior, Penn State; Tony Ugoh, senior, Arkansas.

Guards — Kurt Quarterman, senior, Louisville; Nathan Bennett, senior, Clemson.

Center — Jonathan Luigs, sophomore, Arkansas.

Kicker — Mason Crosby, senior, Colorado.

All-purpose player — Sammie Stroughter, junior, Oregon State.

Defense

Ends — Quentin Moses, senior, Georgia; Anthony Spencer, senior, Purdue.

Tackles — Jay Alford, senior, Penn State; Eric Foster, junior, Rutgers.

Linebackers — H.B. Blades, senior, Pittsburgh; Rufus Alexander, senior, Oklahoma; Brandon Siler, junior, Florida.

Cornerbacks — Dwight Lowery, junior, San Jose State; Brandon Flowers, sophomore, Virginia Tech.

Safeties — Tra Battle, senior, Georgia; Tom Zbikowski, senior, Notre Dame.

Punter — Jeremy Kapinos, senior, Penn State.


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Troy Smith Wins the Heisman

Winning the Heisman Trophy was easy. The hard part for Troy Smith was staying composed.

To the surprise of no one, the Ohio State quarterback was the runaway winner of the award that honors college football's best player.

Just two years after nearly derailing his career by taking money from a booster, Smith received 801 first-place votes and won the Heisman by 1,662 points — both the second-best marks in the 71-year history of the award.

Arkansas running back Darren McFadden (878) finished second, Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn (782) was third and West Virginia running back Steve Slaton (214) was fourth.

Only O.J. Simpson's 1,750-point victory in 1968 was more lopsided than Smith's.

The senior moved to the front of the Heisman race in September with a flawless performance against Texas and finished off a perfect regular season by throwing four touchdown passes against Michigan.

Now, there's only one thing left for Smith to do: Beat Florida for the national championship on Jan. 8.

The 22-year-old Smith is the sixth player from Ohio State to win the Heisman and first since tailback Eddie George in 1995. And it's the school's seventh Heisman — Archie Griffin won two in 1974-75 — tying Notre Dame and Southern California for the most.

Smith received 86.7 percent of the first-place votes, a record, and his point total of 2,540 places third in Heisman history behind Simpson (2,853) and fellow Southern California tailback Reggie Bush, who had 2,541 last season

USC had been on a Heisman run, winning two straight and three of the last four, before Smith stepped in. Just like USC's Bush and Matt Leinart, and Oklahoma's Jason White in '03, Smith will play for the national title as a Heisman winner.

Smith came to Ohio State as part of a heralded recruiting class in 2002, but his signing was little more than a footnote. His claim to fame was being Ted Ginn Jr.'s quarterback at Glenville High School.

Smith was labeled an "athlete" coming out of high school, the type of player who might ultimately find a home at wide receiver or defensive back.

Even Tressel wasn't sure he'd play quarterback, but he saw potential.

Smith finished the '05 season with consecutive 300-yard passing games in victories over Michigan and Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, essentially kicking off his '06 Heisman campaign.

Once known more for his speed and elusiveness, Smith's become the consummate pocketpasser. Accurate and poised, he's fourth in the nation in passer rating (167.9) with 2,507 yards passing and 30 TD passes.

He heads into the BCS championship game 25-2 as a starter, and — Gators beware — Smith has been at his best when the Buckeyes have needed him most.

The first Ohio State quarterback in 70 years to lead the Buckeyes to three straight victories over Michigan, Smith had 1,051 total yards with seven touchdown passes and another TD run against the Wolverines.

He's 11-1 as a starter against ranked opponents, with a chance to improve on that mark in the biggest game of his career in Arizona against Florida.

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Dennis Erickson has accepted the head coaching job at Arizona State, Idaho athletic director Rob Spear said Saturday night.

The 59-year-old Erickson spent one season at Idaho in his second stint at the school, going 4-8. He led Miami to two national titles, also has been a head coach at Wyoming, Washington State and Oregon State and coached Seattle and San Francisco in the NFL.

Erickson has a 149-64-1 record in 18 seasons as a college coach. At Oregon State, he took over a program that had an NCAA Division I-record 28 straight losing seasons. His first team in Corvallis went 7-5 and an Oahu Bowl appearance. His second Beavers' team routed Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl to cap an 11-1 season.

Erickson replaces Dirk Koetter, who was fired after going 40-33 in six seasons. Koetter will coach the Sun Devils against Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 24.

Erickson coached the Seahawks from 1995 through 1998, compiling a 31-33 record. He returned to the NFL for two seasons with San Francisco. His first 49ers team went 7-9 in 2003, but he was fired after a 2-14 record in 2004.

Erickson's first head coaching job was with Idaho from 1982 through 1985. The former Montana State quarterback coached one season at Wyoming and two at Washington State before moving to Miami.

Under Erickson, the Hurricanes went 63-9 in six seasons and won national championships in 1989 and 1991.

The Sun Devils were 7-5 and are in a bowl game for the third year in a row. Love gave Koetter a three-year, $2.85 million contract extension a year ago, but she decided this season that he couldn't take the program to the level she wants it to be.

Koetter's Sun Devils were 2-19 against ranked teams, 0-12 against Pac-10 teams in California and 21-28 in the Pac-10 overall.


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College Football Awards Handed Out

Brady Quinn took this round from Troy Smith. The Notre Dame quarterback won the Maxwell Award as the player of the year Thursday night, beating out Ohio State's Smith, the Heisman Trophy favorite.

Quinn, Smith and Arkansas running back Darren McFadden are the finalists for the Heisman, which will be handed out Saturday night in New York.

Smith won the Davey O'Brien Award as the nation's best quarterback at the College Football Awards show and earlier in the day was honored as player of the year by the Walter Camp Foundation.

The Big Ten offensive player of the year, Smith led Ohio State to a 12-0 record with 2,740 total yards. He threw a school-record 30 touchdown passes and led the Big Ten in passing efficiency.

Quinn passed for 3,278 and 35 touchdowns this season, leading the Fighting Irish (10-2) to a Sugar Bowl bid. Notre Dame will face LSU on Jan. 3 in New Orleans.

He is the fifth Notre Dame player to win the Maxwell and first since defensive lineman Ross Browner in 1977.

Rutgers tailback Ray Rice was the other finalists for the Maxwell Award.

McFadden, a sophomore who led Arkansas to the Southeastern Conference title game, won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's best running back. He is the first SEC player to win the award since Georgia's Garrison Hearst in 1992.

Rutgers coach Greg Schiano was chosen as The Home Depot Coach of the Year for turning around the Scarlet Knights (10-2).

Penn State's Paul Posluszny was the only repeat winner from 2005. For the second straight year, the Nittany Lions linebacker won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation's best defensive player.

Other award winners were: Joe Thomas, Wisconsin, Outland Trophy (best interior linemen); Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech, Biletnikoff (best wide receiver); Aaron Ross, Texas, Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back); Patrick Willis, Mississippi, Butkus Award (best linebacker); Arthur Carmody, Louisville, Lou Groza Award (best kicker); and Daniel Sepulveda, Baylor, Ray Guy Award (best punter).

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Longtime Miami defensive coordinator Randy Shannon will replace Coker as coach of the Hurricanes, The Miami Herald reported. The school scheduled a news conference for Friday morning to announce the decision, but declined to confirm that Shannon was the choice.

The newspaper, citing an unidentified source, said Shannon accepted the job earlier in the day and that his hiring would be officially announced by the university Friday.

The 40-year-old Shannon would become the sixth black head coach currently at one of the 119 Division I-A schools, joining Mississippi State's Sylvester Croom, UCLA's Karl Dorrell, Buffalo's Turner Gill, Kansas State's Ron Prince and Washington's Tyrone Willingham.

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Alabama has made an offer for West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriquez to take over the reins of the Crimson Tide program after Mike Shula was let go after a 6-6 season.

The Crimson Tide was hoping to land the successful coach and his innovative offense on Friday, making him 'Bama's fifth head man since Gene Stallings left in 1996. There is no agreement yet and the two sides are still talking.

The Birmingham News reported on its Web site late Thursday that Rodriguez was offered more than $2 million a year with incentives and would have one of the highest-paid coaching staffs in the Southeastern Conference.

Rodriguez has built West Virginia into a Big East power, winning the Sugar Bowl after the 2005 season and a share of three straight league titles. The Mountaineers are 10-2 and will play Georgia Tech on Jan. 1.

The Corner Lowdown: (final regular season)
Last week: 9-1
Overall: 172-40 (.811)


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College Football News

Isn't it funny how life can gave us some twists and turns and unexpected situations that completely change the direction our lives go - some for the good and some bad.

Take the case of UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker. Two weeks ago, he wouldn't have been invited to even a C or D-list Hollywood party. Now he's the toast of Los Angeles and spending more time in the media spotlight than Paris Hilton or Brittany Spears.

His rise in popularity came last Saturday when UCLA shocked the college football world with a 13-9 upset of USC, knocking Pete Carroll's Trojans out of the BCS Championship game and pushing Walker into the media spotlight.

And make no mistake about it. Walker, who was a coach with the Washington Redskins before coming to UCLA this season, is the reason the Bruins ended their seven-game drought to USC. The UCLA offense managed only one touchdown and did a good job of protecting the football, but it was the defense that shined.

UCLA limited the Trojans to just 55 yards rushing on 29 carries and minus-7 yards in the second half. USC was held scoreless in the second half of a game for the first time in 77 contests. The Trojans NCAA-record 63-game streak of scoring 20 or more points also came to a crashing halt.

Despite registering only two sacks on QB John David Booty, the Bruins harassed the junior all day long, disrupting his rhythm on almost every play. UCLA is headed to the Emerald Bowl where they'll take on Florida State and now Walker is a front-runner for many coaching vacancies in college and quite possibly future ones in the pro ranks.

One of those job vacancies is at Stanford, who only days ago fired Walt Harris after a 1-11 season, the worst by the Cardinal since an 0-10 season in 1960. The 11 losses were the most in school history. Harris finished his two-year stint with a 6-17 record, the shortest tenure at Stanford since Rod Dowhower left after one season in 1979 with a 5-5-1 record.

And now Walker's name is being whispered about as a top candidate. He has the experience in the NFL and college and his aggressive style of play lifted a Bruin defense that was ranked near the bottom last season into one of the best in 2006.

What a difference a year and a game can make.

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Ohio State's Troy Smith and Notre Dame's Brady Quinn were selected as finalists for the Heisman Trophy on Wednesday, along with Arkansas running back Darren McFadden.

Smith is the heavy favorite to win the award Saturday night in New York. The senior quarterback entered the season with plenty of Heisman hype and then backed it up with brilliant play for the unbeaten Buckeyes.

Smith is fourth in the nation in passer rating (167.9) and has thrown for 2,507 yards and 30 touchdowns with only five interceptions.

Quinn, a senior quarterback, was fourth in Heisman voting last season and has thrown 35 touchdown passes in 2006. McFadden, a sophomore, rushed for 1,558 yards and led Arkansas to the Southeastern Conference title game.

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Former University of Miami and NFL quarterback Bernie Kosar would like to return to the Hurricanes — as their next coach.

Miami television station WFOR reported Tuesday night that Kosar would like the job, and The Miami Herald quoted Kosar in its Wednesday editions saying "I'm interested."

Kosar has no coaching experience, but he often serves as a mentor to quarterbacks at Miami, where he serves as a university trustee. He retired from the NFL after a 12-year career with the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins.

Kosar was a fan favorite as the Hurricanes quarterback from 1983 to 1984, leading Miami to a national championship as a freshman, beating Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.

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Ohio State middle linebacker James Laurinaitis won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Monday night, awarded to the nation's best defensive player by the Charlotte Touchdown Club.

Laurinaitis, the first sophomore to win the award, leads the top-ranked Buckeyes with 100 tackles and five interceptions. He also has four sacks.

Laurinaitis, a native of Hamel, Minn., had only nine tackles as a true freshmen last season playing behind senior Bobby Carpenter. But after gaining 10 pounds in the offseason, he burst onto the scene this year for the 12-0 Buckeyes. He had an interception in four straight games early in the season and was named first-team All-Big Ten.

The 14-year-old Bronko Nagurski Trophy is named after the late All-American at Minnesota in 1929. He led the Chicago Bears to three NFL championships and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Louisiana Tech fired football coach Jack Bicknell on Monday following a 3-10 season.

Bicknell leaves after eight seasons and an overall record of 42-53.

During his tenure at Tech, Bicknell led the Bulldogs to the program's first Associated Press Top 25 ranking in 1999 when the program went 8-3 and recorded a 29-28 win over No. 18 Alabama, the eventual SEC Champion.

Two years later, Bicknell led Tech to the 2001 Western Athletic Conference championship and an appearance in the Humanitarian Bowl.


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Gators to Play Buckeyes for BCS Crown

Florida beat Michigan on Sunday in the only game that mattered. The Gators, who lobbied hard for this victory, were picked to play No. 1 Ohio State for college football's national championship, ending any chance for the Wolverines to get the rematch they so desired and thought they deserved.

But Florida got in by a whisker — just a hundredth of a point in the Bowl Championship Series standings.

The Gators had a BCS average of .944, and the Wolverines were just behind at .934. The teams were tied in the computer ratings, but Florida had a 38-point lead in the Harris poll and a 26-point advantage in the coaches' poll.

All these factors were sure to set off renewed calls to scrap the BCS and go to a playoff. Count Florida coach Urban Meyer as supporter of that plan.

"We're beyond the fact of do we need a playoff," he said. "It's now, can we get one."

Of course, Southern California could have made things simpler by beating UCLA on Saturday. Instead, the second-ranked Trojans were upset 13-9, dropping in the standings and clearing the way for Florida (12-1) or Michigan (11-1).

The Gators leapfrogged idle Michigan by winning the Southeastern Conference championship game, 38-28, over Arkansas.

The championship game is Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz.

Michigan's consolation prize is a Rose Bowl bid to play USC (10-2), a classic Big Ten vs. Pac-10 matchup of teams left to wonder what could have been.

In other bowls:

• Big 12 champion Oklahoma will meet unbeaten Boise State in the Fiesta on Jan. 1.

• Big East champion Louisville will play ACC champion Wake Forest in the Orange on Jan. 2.

• LSU will take Florida's spot in the Sugar and play Notre Dame on Jan. 3.

When the Wolverines ended their regular season with a 42-39 loss to the Buckeyes two weeks ago, they talked about getting another swing at their Big Ten rivals.

While Michigan was left to wait and hope, the other contenders still had games to play.

As Florida padded its resume, second-year coach Meyer became very vocal about getting a chance to play Ohio State, especially when it appeared the Gators would be left out.

He called for a playoff and suggested the BCS should be imploded if the SEC champ again was left out of the championship game — the way undefeated Auburn was in 2004.

In the end, he said he didn't think voicing his opinions about the BCS helped push his team into the title game.

"It's an imperfect system," Meyer said Sunday. "If you want a true national championship, the only way to do it is on the field.

It's always something with the BCS. The system was created to make sure No. 1 and No. 2 played in the final game of the season, but rarely has there been a title game everybody agreed upon. If it's not too many unbeaten teams, which was the case in '04 when USC beat Oklahoma for the title, it's not enough, which has usually been the case. Last year, when USC and Texas were the only undefeateds, was an abberation.

"What we've got is an extremely exciting regular season that the BCS actually enhanced by making so many games important not only in the region that they were played but nationally," said Mike Slive, BCS coordinator and SEC commissioner. "The next part is here we are with many deserving teams.

"We need to continue over the next few years to look at the postseason to make sure it works the way we want it to work."

Slive repeatedly has said he's willing to discuss changes, including the so-called plus-one model, which would have the championship matchup set after the big four bowl games are played.

This year, the BCS worked out for the Gators, who can focus on winning their second national championship. The first came in 1996, when Steve Spurrier's Gators beat Florida State in the Sugar Bowl — a rematch, coincidentally, of a November regular-season game won by the Seminoles.

Instead of the 104th meeting between the Wolverines and the Buckeyes, Florida and Ohio State will play for the first time ever.

The Buckeyes have won four national titles, including the 2002 title under Tressel. Ohio State upset Miami 31-24 in an overtime classic at the Fiesta Bowl.

Last year, Ohio State beat Notre Dame 34-20 in the Fiesta Bowl, giving the country a taste of what was to come this season.

The Buckeyes have been No. 1 since the preseason. Led by Heisman Trophy front-runner Troy Smith, they've run roughshod over their competition. Only Michigan and Illinois stayed within 17 points of Ohio State.

Senior quarterback Smith capped his season with four touchdown passes against the Wolverines. He finished with 30 TD passes and five interceptions.

Florida, meanwhile, seemed to struggle almost every week. The Gators won at Tennessee by one in September, and none of their last five victories over I-A teams have been by more than 10 points.

The Gators relied on their defense, a unit ranked 10th nationally in yards allowed and sixth in scoring.

Florida's senior quarterback, Chris Leak, entered the season as a Heisman contender but ended up sharing the job with freshman sensation Tim Tebow.

Tebow's tough running has complemented Leak's passing, but unlike the explosive Buckeyes, Florida's offense has had its ups and downs. The Gators' only loss came Oct. 18 at Auburn, a 27-17 setback that was a four-point game until the Tigers scored on the final play.

The Gators are back in the BCS for the first time since Spurrier left after the 2002 Orange Bowl, but Boise State (12-0), Louisville (11-1) and Wake Forest (11-2) will make their BCS debuts. Oklahoma (10-2) is a BCS veteran, making its fifth appearance since the 2000 season.

Boise State from the Western Athletic Conference is the second team from outside the original six BCS conferences to play in the big-money bowl games. Meyer's Utah team was the first in 2004.

Notre Dame (10-2) is making its second straight BCS appearance under coach Charlie Weis. The Fighting Irish will be trying to snap an eight-game bowl losing streak against LSU (10-2).

The Tigers were set to make their first Rose Bowl appearance, but USC's loss has them playing in their home state. The Sugar Bowl returns to New Orleans this season after being temporarily relocated to Atlanta last season because of Hurricane Katrina.


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Florida Passes Michigan in AP Poll

By The Associated Press

Florida passed Michigan and returned to No. 2 in The Associated Press Top 25 and the coaches' poll on Sunday.

While the Gators had a slim lead of three points over Michigan in the AP poll, they were 26 points ahead of the Wolverines in the USA Today poll — a margin that could help get Florida into the national title game.

The coaches' poll is one of three components used in the Bowl Championship Series standings, along with the Harris poll and a compilation of six computer ratings.

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel has a vote in the coaches' poll, but abstained this week.

"We are excited to play in the BCS title game against a tremendous opponent," he said in a statement. "After consultation with my director of athletics, Gene Smith, and based upon our unique position in the BCS standings, I believe it is only fair that we not participate the final poll."

The BCS pairings were to be announced later Sunday.

The Gators and Wolverines are vying for a spot in the BCS national championship game opposite No. 1 Ohio State.

Florida, which defeated Arkansas 38-28 on Saturday night to win the Southeastern Conference title, jumped two spots from No. 4 and passed idle Michigan. The Wolverines haven't played since losing 42-39 to the Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio, on Nov. 18.

Southern California's 13-9 loss to UCLA caused the shake-up at the top of the rankings. The Trojans became the sixth team ranked No. 2 to lose this season, joining Texas, Notre Dame, Auburn, Florida and Michigan. USC fell six spot to No. 8.

No. 4 LSU was followed by Big East champ Louisville, Wisconsin and Big 12 champion Oklahoma.

After USC, Boise State was No. 9 and Auburn was 10th, giving the SEC three top-10 teams.

Notre Dame was 11th and Arkansas slipped four spots to No. 12 after its loss to Florida.

No. 13 West Virginia was followed by Virginia Tech, Atlantic Coast Conference champ Wake Forest and Rutgers. Tennessee, Texas, BYU and California round out the first 20.

Texas A&M, Nebraska and Boston College are next and the final two teams are new to the rankings.

No. 24 Oregon State beat Hawaii 35-32 Saturday night to knock the Warriors out of the rankings and put the Beavers in for the first time since 2002.

TCU, which began the season ranked but fell out in September, is back in at No. 25.

Also falling out of the rankings was Georgia Tech, which lost the ACC championship game Saturday to Wake Forest.


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College Football Notes: Week 14

What a way to end the college football regular season.

The unranked UCLA Bruins pull of the biggest upset of the 2006 season with a shocking 13-9 victory over the No. 2 ranked USC Trojans.

The loss kept the Trojans (10-2) out of the BCS Championship game with Ohio State on January 8th and opened the door for either Florida or Michigan to step inside.

UCLA (7-5) used an aggressive defensive approach that harassed Trojan QB John David Booty all day long and held the USC ground game to only 55 yards on 29 carries. How dominant was the Bruins D?

Well, USC was held to minus-7 yards rushing in the second half and shutout in the final 30 minutes for the first time in 77 games. The Trojans NCAA-record 63-game streak of scoring 20 or more points also came to a crashing halt.

The UCLA offense, led by Patrick Cowan, who passed for 114 yards and rushed for 55, did just enough to eke out the big win, ending a seven-game losing skid to its cross-town rival. The Bruins are headed to the Emerald Bowl where they'll take on Florida State. USC has a date in the Rose Bowl against either LSU or Michigan, depending on what the final BCS Poll spits out.

The No. 4 Gators (12-1) took care of business with a 38-28 victory over Arkansas (11-2) for the SEC championship. The Florida defense forced four Razorback turnovers and heralded receiver Percy Harvin showcased his talents in the victory.

The freshman caught six passes for 105 yards and a score and rushed for 62 yards and another touchdown to lead the Florida attack. Now the Gators must play the waiting game to see if they, or the idle Wolverines, get invited to the big show. Further evidence that proves we need a playoff system instead.

No. 6 Louisville (11-1) captured the Big East championship thanks to a 48-17 whitewashing of Connecticut and a 41-39 overtime loss by Rutgers to West Virginia.

Cardinals QB Brian Brohm completed 20 of 28 passes for 341 yards and four touchdowns to cap the best single-season record in Louisville history. The win gave the Cardinals a BCS berth and a most likely game with Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl.

Steve Slaton carried the ball 23 times for 113 yards and two TDs, including the game winner, to lead the Mountaineers (10-2) to the hard-fought victory over the Scarlet Knights (10-2), who could have won the Big East title with a win. Rutgers is now 0-15 in Morgantown.

Rutgers QB Mike Teel couldn't find Ray Rice in the end zone to complete the two-point conversion and send the game into a fourth overtime. Teel finished the game with 276 yards and a TD on 19-of-26 passing.

Oklahoma, despite the loss of QB Rhett Bhomar and RB Adrian Peterson this season, captured the Big 12 Championship with a 21-7 victory over Nebraska (9-4). The Sooners (11-2) pitched a shutout in the second half and QB Paul Thompson threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns. Oklahoma will most likely face Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.

No. 16 Wake Forest defeated Georgia Tech 9-6 to win the ACC championship. The Demon Deacons (11-2) won their second league title and first since 1970, adding another chapter to an improbable year in Jim Grobe's sixth season. The finale comes in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 2 - the program's biggest bowl game since the 1946 Gator Bowl.

Jon Abbate, the junior linebacker made life uncomfortable for the Yellowjackets (9-4), tallying 15 tackles and a sack in the process.

Other scores from Saturday: No. 21 California 21, Stanford 17; Oregon State 35, No. 24 Hawaii 32; Navy 26, Army 14; C-USA Championship: Houston 34, Southern Miss 20; and MAC Championship: Central Michigan 31, Ohio 10.


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BCS and Bowl Selections Will Be Finalized

The final week of the college football regular season will finally clear up two big issues - who's in the BCS national championship game and the bowl picture for 2006.

Ohio State is in. This we know. The unbeaten Buckeyes marched through the regular season with a 12-0 mark and the Big Ten championship. Their opponent in Glendale? That needs to be determined.

No. 2 USC (10-1) controls its own destiny - win and the Trojans are in. Standing in their way is cross-town rival UCLA, a team USC has defeated seven consecutive times. But rivalry games are scary and can produce upsets.

If the Trojans fall to the Bruins then No. 3 Michigan (11-1) or No. 4 Florida (11-1), if it can beat Arkansas in the SEC title game, will be the opponent for Troy Smith and company.

USC-UCLA and Florida-Arkansas are the dominoes that will put every other BCS bowl scenario into place. Included in that is whether LSU gets an invite to the Rose Bowl. Decision time begins on Saturday.

On Thursday night, Central Michigan (9-4) won the MAC championship with a 31-10 victory over Ohio University (9-4).

Redshirt freshman Dan LeFevour threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns and Damien Linson had seven catches for 191 yards and a TD to lead the Chippewas, who won their first MAC title since 1994.

Central Michigan tailback Ontario Sneed had two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a 96-yard run that broke Chester Taylor's title-game record run by 31 yards. In all, Central Michigan outgained Ohio 457-224 and forced three turnovers while only committing one. Ohio was seeking its first MAC title since 1968.

Here's the Corners predictions for this weeks Top 25 battles:

USC (2) at UCLA
The Bruins won eight straight from 1991-98, the most consecutive wins in the series. The Trojans have won the last seven. USC has more talent from top to bottom , but rivalry games bring out the best in underdogs. The Bruins have been ignored by most so-called experts and Brent Musburger put USC in the title game last week after a win over Notre Dame and that ticked off the Bruins faithful. Look for the huge upset this weekend. Winner: UCLA.

Florida (4) vs. Arkansas (8)
The battle for the SEC championship features two high-powered offenses and solid defense. The Gators must stop Darren McFadden and Felix Jones to win this game and luckily for Florida fans, the Gators are fourth in the nation at stopping the run. Winner: Florida.

Louisville (6) at Connecticut
A win over the Huskies would give the Cardinals their first 11-win regular season. But they still would need help from WVU to win the Big East. Winner: Louisville.

Oklahoma (8) vs. Nebraska (19)
Hard to believe that this is the first time the two traditional powers have met for the Big 12 Championship. Look for the Sooners running game to take over. Winner: Oklahoma.

Rutgers (13) at West Virginia (15)
Getting a Big East title clinching win won't be easy, the Scarlet Knights are 0-14 all-time in Morgantown. Winner: West Virginia.

Wake Forest (16) vs. Georgia Tech (23)
The ACC championship battle features a Yellowkjacket squad that last won the ACC in 1998 and a Demon Deacons team that last did it in 1970. Jim Grobe has done an amazing job at Wake Forest, but look for Reggie Ball and Calvin Johnson of Georgia Tech to have big games. Winner: Georgia Tech.

California (21) at Stanford
The Golden Bears haven't won five straight over the Cardinal since 1919-23. Look for that to change on Saturday. Cal has won the last four by a combined score of 126-32. Winner: California.

Oregon State at Hawaii (25)
Colt Brennan has fired 51 TDs in 2006. The Beavers have 38 sacks this season. Can the Beavers get to Brennan before he gets to them? Yes they can. Winner: Oregon State.

Southern Mississippi at Houston
The Conference USA crown is up for grabs when the Eagles (8-4) meet the Cougars (9-3) in Houston. The Cougars bring a potent offense that's ranked sixth in the nation at 456.3 yards a game and 12th in scoring at 32.7. Houston QB Kevin Kolb runs the offense and has put up some impressive numbers - 3,165 yards passing and 25 touchdowns with only three picks. If Southern Miss hopes to win, it must put pressure on Kolb. Winner: Houston.

Army vs. Navy
Army-Navy is among college football's most storied rivalries. Navy has dominated the series recently; expect that trend to continue as Army's weak passing attack and porous run defense will be easy for Navy to exploit. Winner: Navy.

The Corner Lowdown:
Last week: 13-4
Overall: 163-39


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College Football News

No. 8 Oklahoma will be without tailback Adrian Peterson when it faces No. 19 Nebraska in the Big 12 Conference championship game Saturday in Kansas City, Mo.

Peterson, the 2004 Heisman runner-up, has sat out six weeks after breaking his collarbone Oct. 14 on a touchdown run against Iowa State.

"Adrian is not going to play," Sooners Coach Bob Stoops said Tuesday. "Without being too technical, he's close. He could be cleared to play, but each week that passes the likelihood of it reoccurring is less and less."

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Tulane fired coach Chris Scelfo after eight years and only two winning seasons.

Tulane, which went 4-8 this season, returned to the Louisiana Superdome but played in front of sparse crowds during its home schedule.

The 2005 season was perhaps Scelfo's most difficult. Hurricane Katrina forced the team to travel throughout the season, playing 11 games in 11 different cities while compiling a 2-9 record.

Scelfo's overall record was 37-57.

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Postseason plans are being firmed up for several teams.

UCLA accepted a bid to play Florida State in the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco on December 27.

Northern Illinois accepted a bid to play Texas Christian in the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 19 in San Diego.

No. 21 California accepted an invitation to play in the Holiday Bowl. The Golden Bears will play a Big 12 team, probably No. 22 Texas A&M, on Dec. 28 in San Diego.

Oregon State agreed to play in the Sun Bowl. The Beavers will face Missouri or the second-place team from the Big East on Dec. 29 in El Paso.

Dirk Koetter, fired Sunday by Arizona State, will coach his team against Hawaii in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 24.

Oregon will play Brigham Young in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 21.

Western Michigan will play in the inaugural International Bowl in Toronto on Jan. 6 against an undetermined team from the Big East.

Central Michigan will play in the Motor City Bowl on Dec. 26 against a team to be determined.

Tulsa will play Utah in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 23 in Fort Worth.

Rice will make its first bowl appearance since 1961 when the Owls play in the New Orleans Bowl on Dec. 22. The likely opponent is Troy, which needs a win over winless Florida International this weekend to earn the berth.

East Carolina accepted a bid to play in the first PapaJohns.com Bowl in Birmingham, Ala., on Dec. 23. The Pirates will play a team from the Big East, probably Cincinnati or South Florida.

Southern Mississippi and Houston will play Friday for the Conference USA championship — the winner goes to the Liberty Bowl and the loser heads to the GMAC Bowl.

Also, San Jose State will play New Mexico in the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 23 and Nevada was expected to be formally invited today to play in the MPC Computers Bowl in Boise, Idaho.


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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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Trojans Move to No. 2 in AP Poll

By The Associated Press

Southern California is the new No. 2. The Trojans advanced one spot to overtake Michigan in The Associated Press Top 25 on Sunday, a day after their 44-24 victory over Notre Dame. USC, the sixth team to be ranked No. 2 this season behind No. 1 Ohio State, leads the Wolverines by 36 points in the poll.

Michigan, which completed its season with a 42-39 loss to Ohio State on Nov. 18, fell to No. 3. The Wolverines (11-1) are 63 points ahead of No. 4 Florida, which beat Florida State 21-14 to improve to 11-1.

Ohio State (12-0) was a unanimous No. 1 for the second consecutive week and third time this year. The Buckeyes received 65 first-place votes from the media panel.

While the Buckeyes have been top-ranked since the preseason, No. 2 has changed frequently. Notre Dame, Texas, Auburn and Florida have also held the second spot. Michigan's six-week run there was the longest of any team this season.

The rest of the Top 25 took a major reshuffling after a week with several upsets.

LSU moved up four spot to No. 5, a season-high for the Tigers, after a 31-26 victory over Arkansas on Friday.

No. 6 Louisville moved up two spots and No. 7 Wisconsin jumped three places. The Badgers have their highest rankings since November 2004, when they were No. 4.

No. 8 Arkansas dropped three spots after its first loss since the opening week of the season. Oklahoma is tied with the Razorbacks after moving up five spots.

Boise State (12-0), which beat Nevada 38-7 to complete an unbeaten regular season, cracked the top 10 for the second time in school history at No. 10. The Broncos were also 10th late in the 2004 season.

Auburn is No. 11, followed by Notre Dame, which dropped six spots after losing to USC.

Rutgers is 13th, Virginia Tech is 14th and West Virginia dropped eight spots to 15th after being upset 24-19 at home by South Florida.

Wake Forest, heading to the Atlantic Coast Conference title game to face Georgia Tech, moved up four spots to No. 16.

Texas, which lost its second consecutive game on Friday to Texas A&M, and Tennessee are tied at No. 17. The last time the Longhorns were ranked this low was October 2003, when they were 19th.

No. 19 Nebraska plays Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game. Mountain West Conference champion BYU was No. 20.

California was No. 21 and Texas A&M was back in the ranking at No. 22 after a 12-7 victory against the Longhorns.

No. 23 Georgia Tech dropped seven spots after losing 15-12 to Georgia. No. 24 was Hawaii and No. 25 Boston College slipped seven spots after losing 17-14 at Miami on Thanksgiving night.

Clemson fell out of the rankings after losing to South Carolina.


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College Football Notes: Week 13

USC strengthened its position as BCS front-runner to meet Ohio State on January 8th after manhandling No. 6 Notre Dame, 44-24.

The Trojans (10-1) should move up to second in the BCS poll because Michigan, the current No. 2, is done with its regular season and can't pick up any points. USC is in great shape thanks to losses over the Thanksgiving weekend by Arkansas and West Virginia.

That pretty much leaves us with the Wolverines, Trojans and Florida Gators battling for the all-important second slot and a date with Buckeyes.

Dwayne Jarrett was the difference maker on Saturday for USC. The Trojan wide receiver caught seven passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns. Brady Quinn ends his career with the Irish (10-2) without ever beating USC. Even more impressive is the fact that the Trojans have now won 33 straight at home and have scored at least 20 points in an NCAA-record 63 straight games.

No. 4 Florida (11-1) kept its national championship hopes alive with a 21-14 win over Florida State (6-6). Chris Leak was 21-of-34 for 282 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Gators, who face Arkansas next week for the SEC Championship.

The fifth-ranked Razorbacks (10-2) saw their national championship dreams go up in smoke after losing to No. 9 LSU (10-2) by a 31-26 score. Despite the loss, Arkansas RB Darren McFadden showed why he's a Heisman candidate, rushing for 182 yards and two scores. The Razorbacks can still earn a BCS bowl berth by beating the Gators next week.

The Mountaineers (9-2) saw their hopes for a BCS bowl dashed after being stunned by South Florida, 24-19. The Bulls defense was the big difference maker in this game, holding RB Steve Slaton to 43 yards on 17 carries and the Mountaineers to just 132 yards rushing in the game. South Florida (8-4) held No. 7 West Virginia scoreless in the first quarter, only the second time that's happened to the Mountaineers all season.

No. 8 Louisville (10-1) kept it's BCS hopes alive with a 48-24 pounding of Pittsburgh (6-6), who have now lost five straight, its longest losing streak since 1998. Cardinals QB Brian Brohm completed 21 of 29 passes for 337 yards and four touchdowns. Lousiville has to win against Connecticut and hope for a Rutgers loss at West Virginia to claim the Big East title.

Meanwhile, the Scarlet Knights improved to 10-1 with a 38-7 thrashing of Syracuse. A win over the Mountaineers would give Rutgers the Big East title and a spot in a BCS bowl. Brian Leonard ran for 106 yards and two scores, becoming the all-time scoring leader in school history with 266 points. Ray Rice added 107 yards and a touchdown as the No. 15 Scarlet Knights won 10 games for the first time since 1976.

No. 13 Boise State capped an unbeaten regular season (12-0) and earned a berth in a BCS bowl game with a 38-7 stomping of Nevada (8-4). Ian Johnson rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Broncos. He also set the school single-season record with 1,613 yards rushing. Boise State is 39-1 in the WAC since 2002 and has won at least a share of the league title five years in a row.

No. 13 Oklahoma (10-2) clinched a berth in the Big 12 championship game with a 27-21 win over Oklahoma State (6-6). The Sooners, who were led by Allen Patrick's 163 yards rushing, will face Nebraska for the Big 12 title on Saturday.

Kenneth Moore ran for 165 yards and a touchdown as No. 20 Wake Forest (10-2) defeated Maryland, 38-24. The Demon Deacons picked up their first win vs. Maryland in eight tries since '98 and will going for its first ACC title since 1970 when they face Georgia Tech this Saturday.

Other scores from the top 25: Texas A&M 12, No. 11 Texas 7; Georgia 15, No. 16 Georgia Tech 12; No. 17 Virginia Tech 17, Virginia 0; Miami 17, No. 18 Boston College 14; No. 19 Tennessee 17, Kentucky 12; No. 21 BYU 33, Utah 31; No. 23 Nebraska 37, Colorado 14; South Carolina 31, No. 24 Clemson 28; and No. 25 Hawaii 42, Purdue 35.

Highlight games for the final week of the regular season include: Conference USA Championship: Southern Miss (8-4) at Houston (9-3); Rutgers (10-1) at West Virginia (9-2); ACC Championship: Wake Forest (10-2) at Georgia Tech (9-3); Army (3-8) at Navy (8-3); USC (10-1) at UCLA (6-5); SEC Championship: Arkansas (10-2) at Florida (11-1); Big 12 Championship: Nebraska (9-3) at Oklahoma (10-2); MAC Championship: Central Michigan (8-4) at Ohio (9-3); and Oregon State (8-4) at Hawaii (10-2).


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Coker Fired by Miami

ESPN.com is reporting that embattled Miami Hurricanes head coach Larry Coker has been fired by the university.

Coker was informed of the decision by athletic director Paul Dee early Friday. Coker has three years remaining on a contract that pays him nearly $2 million annually, and the school will owe him between $2.4 million and $3 million in a buyout.

Miami became bowl eligible last night when the Hurricanes upset No. 18 Boston College, 17-14, to improve to 6-6 on the season. Coker will coach the team if Miami goes to a bowl game.

Coker, 58, won more games in his first six seasons than any other Hurricanes coach except Dennis Erickson, and he has won more games since 2001 than all but five Division I-A coaches.

Coker had a 59-15 record, a winning percentage of nearly 80 percent, and won a national championship in 2001 and played for another title the following season.

Coker's teams were 4-2 against rival Florida State, 3-0 against Florida and won two BCS bowl games, including a 37-14 victory over Nebraska in the 2002 Rose Bowl, which gave the Hurricanes their fifth national title.

He went undefeated and won the national championship in his first season, then ran his winning streak to 24 the next year and got the Hurricanes back into the national-title game -- where they lost in double overtime to Ohio State, 31-24.

It was the final time Coker would play for the national crown with the Hurricanes. Miami went to the Orange Bowl and beat Florida State to end the 2003 season, then settled for consecutive Peach Bowl trips that capped 9-3 seasons in 2004 and 2005.


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Irish, Trojans Meet in Key BCS Battle

The Notre Dame versus USC game is always one of the main attractions of the college football season.

Two college football powers with gobs of tradition square off each year in a rivalry that's grown even more intense since Charlie Weis landed in South Bend.

Last season, the Trojans defeated the Irish in a last second win when Matt Leinart scored from a yard out - or as Notre Dame fans argue - he was pushed in by teammates after forward progress was stopped. And of course don't forget the fumble out of bounds that still has Touchdown Jesus angry.

Now the scene shifts to sunny SoCal, where the stakes are even higher and the pressure more intense. When the Irish and Trojans hit the Colosseum Saturday night a potential national championship game will be on the line.

USC is 9-1 and ranked third in the nation, while Notre Dame is 10-1 and rated sixth. Even more important - the Trojans are third in the BCS and the Irish are fifth. With Michigan No. 2 in the BCS Standings and its season complete, a victory from either team could have huge implications in the national title picture.

The only other game this week involving ranked teams is an SEC battle between fifth-ranked Arkansas (10-1) hosting No.9 LSU (9-2).

In Thursday night action, the Miami Hurricanes (6-6) snapped a four-game losing streak and became bowl eligible with a 17-14 upset of No. 18 Boston College.

Embattled head coach Larry Coker got 181 yards passing and a touchdown from Kirby Freeman and Javarris James scored from two-yards out for the winning touchdown. The Eagles (9-3) saw their hopes of playing for the ACC title go out the window. Boston College has now lost 15 straight to Miami.

Here's the Corners predictions for this weeks Top 25 battles:

Notre Dame (6) and USC (3)
The Trojans have won 32 straight games at home and the Irish have never lost a regular-season road game (9) with Charlie Weis as head coach. Something has got to give. Winner: USC.

Florida (4) at Florida State
Urban Meyer is 5-0 against FSU, Georgia and Tennessee. The Seminoles are looking to avoid their first three-game losing streak to the Gators since 1984-86. Winner: Florida.

LSU (9) at Arkansas (5)
This one is for the Golden Boot trophy. The Tigers have kicked the Hogs around four of the last five meetings, but Arkansas is also playing for its first-ever perfect SEC season (8-0). Winner: LSU.

South Florida at West Virginia (7)
The Mountaineers still have BCS hopes but they need Louisville to lose another game to avoid losing the tiebreaker. Winner: West Virginia.

Louisville (8) at Pittsburgh
The Cardinals are in the same situation as the Mountaineers. Louisville still has BCS hopes but need Rutgers to drop another game to to avoid losing in the tiebreaker. Winner: Lousiville.

Texas A&M at Texas (11)
The Longhorns haven't lost consecutive games since 1999. In fact, Texas has won its last 10 games following a loss. Winner: Texas.

Boise State (12) at Nevada
The Broncos look to complete a perfect regular season, secure their fifth straight WAC title and clinch a BCS berth in the process. Standing in the way is a Wolf Pack team that's 5-0 in Reno. Winner: Boise State.

Oklahoma (13) at Oklahoma State
The Sooners head into Stillwater for the annual Bedlam matchup with an outside shot at the Big 12 South title still in play. Winner: Oklahoma.

Syracuse at Rutgers (15)
The perfect season and BCS championship game talk have vaporized for the Knights. But they could still finish perfect at home for the first time since 1984 and they still control their own destiny for the Big East title. Winner: Rutgers.

Georgia Tech (16) at Georgia
Georgia has won all five meetings in the Governor's Cup series under Mark Richt after dropping the previous three. That streak ends on Saturday. Winner: Georgia Tech.

Virginia at Virginia Tech (17)
The Cavaliers need a win to become bowl eligible, but they will be trying to do so in a place that hasn't seen a Virginia win since 1998. After losing at BC in early October, the Hokies have reeled off five straight wins by a 127-29 score. Winner: Virginia Tech.

Kentucky at Tennessee (19)
The Vols have won 21 straight meetings against their neighbors to the north. Only Notre Dame's 43-game run against Navy represents a longer current Division I-A run. Winner: Tennessee.

Wake Forest (20) at Maryland
The good news is that a Wake win means the Demon Deacons earn a spot in the ACC Championship. The bad news is that Jim Grobe has never beaten the Terps (0-5). Winner: Wake Forest.

BYU (21) at Utah
The Cougars are 7-0 in Mountain West play and looking for their first unbeaten conference season since 2001. But the Utes have won the last four meetings and nine of the last 13 in this rivalry. Winner: BYU.

Colorado at Nebraska (23)
The Huskers are 5-1 at home this fall and the Buffaloes have lost 13 straight games to ranked teams. Good news for the Cornhuskers. Winner: Nebraska.

South Carolina at Clemson (24)
The Tigers have won four straight and eight of the last nine meetings in this rivalry. Winner: Clemson.

Purdue at Hawaii (25)
Hawaii QB Colt Brennan has thrown 48 TD passes in 11 games this season. The single season NCAA mark of 54 was set by Houston's David Klingler in 1990. Winner: Purdue.

The Corner Lowdown:
Last week: 14-3
Overall: 150-35


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College Football News

The Big Ten bowl picture is all but set. Five teams accepted postseason bids Tuesday, led by No. 10 Wisconsin's return to the Capital One Bowl in Orlando Fla., to take on a Southeastern Conference team on Jan. 1

Top-ranked Ohio State already is headed to the Bowl Championship Series title game, in Glendale, Ariz., on Jan. 8, and No. 2 Michigan still awaits its BCS matchup.

Penn State, Iowa, Minnesota and Purdue joined Wisconsin (11-1) in learning their postseason destinations.

Penn State is in the Outback Bowl, making back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time since the 1998 and '99 seasons. The Nittany Lions (8-4) and an SEC team will play Jan. 1 in Tampa, Fla.

Purdue (8-4) is going to the Champs Sports Bowl, making a return to the postseason after missing last year for the only time in Joe Tiller's 10 seasons as coach. The Boilermakers will take on an opponent from the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Minnesota's appearance in the Insight Bowl will be its fifth consecutive bowl game and seventh in the past eight seasons. The Gophers (6-6) will meet a Big 12 team Dec. 29 in Tempe, Ariz.

Iowa (6-6) is headed for the Dec. 30 Alamo Bowl in San Antonio for a matchup against a Big 12 school. In 2001, Iowa's win against Texas Tech drew the second-largest crowd in Alamo Bowl history.

BYU, Navy and No. 25 Hawaii are the only other schools who have accepted bowl bids.

Navy is going to the Meineke Bowl on Dec. 30 in Charlotte, N.C., and BYU has accepted a spot in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 21. The Warriors are playing in the Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 24.

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Some post-season award finalists:

West Virginia center Dan Mozes, Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas and Texas offensive lineman Justin Blalock are the finalists for the Outland Trophy, given to the best interior lineman.

Michigan's Leon Hall, Florida's Reggie Nelson and Texas' Aaron Ross were selected as finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the top defensive back.

Mike Hart of Michigan, Darren McFadden of Arkansas and Steve Slaton of West Virginia were named finalists for the Doak Walker Award, which honors the nation's top running back.

Colt Brennan of Hawaii, Brady Quinn of Notre Dame and Troy Smith of Ohio State were named finalists for the Davey O'Brien Award, presented to the nation's top quarterback.


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Michigan Remains Second in BCS

Michigan-Ohio State II could get canceled by Southern California.

Michigan was impressive enough in a 42-39 loss to the Buckeyes to retain second place in the Bowl Championship Series standings released Sunday. But the Wolverines' margin is so slim that it'll be tough for them to get another shot at Ohio State in the national title game if the Trojans keep winning.

Michigan's BCS average was .926. The Trojans, who have two games left, were at .919.

"I'm not surprised," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said of Michigan retaining second place. "The pollsters had to be impressed with the way [Michigan] has played. It'll be interesting to see how it comes out," he told Fox television.

The No. 1 Buckeyes locked up a spot in the BCS title game Jan. 8 in Arizona with their victory over the Wolverines on Saturday, their 19th straight overall. They also became the first team to have a perfect score (1.000) under the BCS formula introduced in 2004. Ohio State is a unanimous No. 1 in the polls and the best team in the country according to the BCS computer ratings.

Florida was in fourth place in the BCS standings with an average of .884, followed by Notre Dame (.820), which plays at USC on Saturday. Arkansas (.807) was sixth. The Razorbacks and Gators meet in the Southeastern Conference title game on Dec. 2.
Florida coach Urban Meyer said Sunday a rematch between Michigan and Ohio State would be cause for immediate change to the BCS.

"If that does happen, all the [university] presidents need to get together immediately and put together a playoff system," he said. "I mean like now, January or whenever to get that done."

Michigan's regular season is complete, so the Wolverines can do nothing but watch what happens to USC and the other contenders over the next two weeks.

The Trojans, who beat Cal 23-9 on Saturday to lock up the Pac-10's automatic BCS bid, passed Michigan and moved up to No. 2 in both the coaches' poll and the Harris poll. The polls count for two-thirds of a team's BCS average. Michigan remained second in the computer ratings that account for the other third of the BCS average.

USC is third in the computers, a mark that should get a boost if the Trojans can knock off a highly rated Notre Dame team and crosstown rival UCLA the following week.

A USC loss would help Michigan, but it could also give the SEC champion a chance to pass Michigan if either the Gators or Razorbacks win their final two games.

If Michigan doesn't get into the championship game, the Wolverines are a lock to at least get into the BCS as an at-large team. The Rose Bowl would seem to be the Wolverines likely fallback, but there's no guarantee.

Unbeaten Boise State moved up to 11th place. With one more victory in their season finale at WAC rival Nevada, the Broncos will become the second team from a conference without an automatic bid to reach the BCS. Boise State would likely be headed for the Fiesta Bowl to play the Big 12 champ.

Notre Dame can also lock up an automatic bid by finishing in the top eight. A win at USC would do the trick, but even with a loss the Irish should be eligible for selection.

If the Rose Bowl loses both its Pac-10 champ (USC) and Big Ten champ (Ohio State) to the championship game, it will have the first two selections among the remaining BCS at-large pool.

A Michigan-Notre Dame rematch in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 1 would then be possible. The Wolverines beat the Fighting Irish 47-21 in September at South Bend, Ind.

With Boise State, Michigan and Notre Dame all with bids in their sights, it looks like only one of the four at-large bids is still in play.

The SEC champion plays in the Sugar Bowl if it doesn't qualify for the BCS championship.

The Atlantic Coast Conference champ will play in the Orange Bowl, and the Big East champ also gets an automatic bid.



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Ohio State, Michigan 1-2 in AP Poll

By The Associated Press

The game of the year didn't change the top of The Associated Press poll. Ohio State was No. 1 and Michigan was No. 2 in the Top 25 on Sunday.

The Big Ten rivals have held the top two spots in the media poll since Oct. 15. After the Buckeyes beat the Wolverines 42-39 in Columbus on Saturday in their regular-season finale, the voters decided to keep them there.

The last 1 vs. 2 regular-season game that didn't change the top of the poll was the 1966 classic between No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Michigan State, which ended in a 10-10 tie.

The last time No. 2 lost to No. 1 in the regular season and didn't drop was 1945, when Army beat No. 2 Navy 32-13.

Ohio State (12-0) moves on to play in the BCS national title game on Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz. The Buckeyes have been No. 1 all season, and for the second time it was unanimous.

Michigan could still end up in the championship game, too, but that will depend on how the other contenders fare over the next two weeks.

Southern California moved up a spot to No. 3 with a 23-9 victory over California that gave the Trojans the Pac-10's BCS bid and kept them in the national title hunt. USC (9-1) is only nine points behind Michigan.

Tim Griffin of the San Antonio Express News covered Michigan-Ohio State, then watched USC pull away from Cal in the second half. He had Michigan at No. 2 on his ballot this week and USC third, but it was a close call.

"It's still really fluid," he said. "For Michigan to play as well as they did in a hostile environment really impressed me."

But he said USC could win back his support by playing a big game against Notre Dame on Saturday.

"It's that close," he said.

In the USA Today coaches' poll, Ohio State was No. 1 with USC second and Michigan third.

Florida (10-1) slipped a spot to No. 4 and Arkansas (10-1) remained No. 5. The Gators and Razorbacks meet in the Southeastern Conference championship game on Dec. 2.

Notre Dame (10-1), which finishes its regular season at USC on Saturday, was No. 6.

West Virginia, Louisville, LSU and Wisconsin round out the top 10.

The only new team in the rankings was No. 25 Hawaii (9-2), in the Top 25 for the first time since the final poll of the 1992 season.

Texas led the second 10 at No. 11, followed by unbeaten Boise State, Oklahoma, Auburn and Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights fell eight spots after losing their first game, 30-11 at Cincinnati on Saturday.

No. 16 Georgia Tech was followed by Atlantic Coast Conference rivals Virginia Tech and Boston College. Tennessee was No. 19 and another ACC team, Wake Forest was 20th.

No. 21 was BYU, followed by Cal, Nebraska, Clemson and Hawaii.

Maryland fell out of the rankings after losing 38-16 to Boston College.


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College Football Notes: Week 12

The Ohio State Buckeyes remained unbeaten and top-ranked after a thrilling 42-39 victory over Big Ten rival Michigan (11-1) on Saturday.

The win left the Buckeyes at 12-0 in the regular season and Big Ten champions. Next up, a berth in the BCS National Championship Game on January 8th in Arizona. The only question remaining - who the hell are they going to play?

With Cincinnati (6-5) recording the upset of the day by knocking off previously unbeaten Rutgers (9-1) by a convincing 30-11 score, as many as six teams have a shot at facing Ohio State for the title.

Despite the loss, the second-ranked Wolverines are still in the hunt after playing the Buckeyes tougher and closer than any team has this season. Mike Hart ran for 142 yards and three scores and Chad Henne threw for 267 yards and two touchdowns. The problem for Michigan was containing the high-octane offense that is Ohio State.

The Buckeyes rolled up 503 total yards on Michigan - a unit that was allowing just 231 yards entering the game. Troy Smith clinched the Heisman race with his 316 yards passing and four touchdown performance. Antonio Pittman had 139 yards rushing with a touchdown and Ted Ginn Jr. had eight grabs for 104 yards and a score.

Next on the list of potential suitors for the Buckeyes is No. 3 Florida (10-1), a 62-0 winner over Western Carolina. The problem here is playing the Catamounts won't score high on the BCS computers and the Gators still have games remaining with Florida State and Arkansas for the SEC championship.

No. 4 USC won its 32nd straight game at home with an impressive 23-9 victory over No. 17 California (8-3). With the victory, the Trojans (9-1) clinched the Pac-10 championship and at least a berth in the Rose Bowl. As far as the title game, USC still has Notre Dame and UCLA on the docket.

The fifth-ranked Razorbacks struggled against Mississippi State yesterday but had enough to pull out the 28-14 victory and clinch a berth in the SEC title game. Arkansas (10-1) is another contender to meet Ohio State, but has an even tougher time with remaining games against LSU and Florida in the SEC championship.

No. 6 Notre Dame routed Army 41-9 and put themselves in position for the BCS title game. The Irish (10-1) still have to face USC out in LA, but a win there and some other teams faltering, could seal the deal for them. The only thing that doesn't look good on the Irish resume is the 47-21 demolishing they took at the hands of Michigan.

Boise State (11-0), West Virginia (9-1), Louisville (9-1) and Wisconsin (11-1) are too far down in the BCS standings to make a significant impact right now.

One thing is certain, the Buckeyes can relax and study all the potential teams they may face. The pressure is off and the advantage is definitely in their favor. Ohio State did what it was supposed to do and now the real fun begins - watching who emerges from the pack to challenge the Buckeyes for the biggest prize in college football.

Other scores from the top 25: No. 8 West Virginia 45, Pittsburgh 27; No. 9 LSU 23, Mississippi 20 OT; No. 10 Louisville 31, South Florida 8; No. 12 Wisconsin 35, Buffalo 3; No. 13 Boise State 49, Utah State 10; No. 19 Virginia Tech 27, No. 14 Wake Forest 6; No. 15 Auburn 22, Alabama 15; No. 16 Oklahoma 36, Baylor 10; No. 18 Georgia Tech 49, Duke 21; No. 20 Boston College 38, No. 21 Maryland 16; No. 22 Tennessee 39, Vanderbilt 10; and No. 23 BYU 42, New Mexico 17.

Highlight games for week 13 include: Texas A&M (8-3) at Texas (9-2); LSU (9-2) at Arkansas (10-1); Florida (10-1) at Florida State (6-5); South Carolina (6-5) at Clemson (8-3); Georgia Tech (9-2) at Georgia (7-4); Boise State (11-0) at Nevada (8-3); BYU (9-2) at Utah (7-4); Arizona State (6-5) at Arizona (6-5); Wake Forest (9-2) at Maryland (8-3); and Notre Dame (10-1) at USC (9-1).

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