Another Gator bolts Gainesville for NFL

It was widely believed that, of the handful of draft-eligible Florida Gators thinking about leaving school early, cornerback Joe Haden and tight end Aaron Hernandez were the two most likely to head off for NFL riches.
Haden made official his decision to leave early this past Sunday. This evening, Hernandez has followed suit.
In a statement, the Gators' leading receiver announced he was foregoing his senior season in Gainesville.
"It is really special for me to take this first step toward my lifelong dream of playing in the NFL on the fourth anniversary of my father's passing," Hernandez said. "I know he would be proud of not only me, but of my whole family, whose love and support are the only reasons I am where I am today."
Most draftniks expect Hernandez to be the second TE taken in the draft, behind fellow junior Jermaine Gresham of Oklahoma.

Alabama at a Glance for the BCS Title

The seeds of Alabama's national championship game appearance were planted right after last season.
"There was a time when we had a team meeting after the (2009) Sugar Bowl (a loss to Utah), right before we started the offseason program," said Alabama coach Nick Saban.
"We kind of showed a picture to the players of the SEC Championship, and we said there are some great teams and we would have some difficult times, and we had to work to beat the best team in our league. ... And everything you do, every time you go to work, every time we lift weights, every time you run, every time we practice, it's not to be as good as the guy you're playing against. It's to be as good as the guy you have to beat to be the champion.
"Our players bought into that."
So, it's no surprise to Alabama that it is headed to Pasadena to play in the national championship game after dispatching the defending national champion Florida Gators 32-13 in the SEC title game.
It's a powerhouse matchup: 13-0 Alabama vs. 13-0 Texas.
Everything -- well, most everything -- starts for both of these teams on defense.
Alabama ranks No. 2 and Texas No. 3 in total defense. The Longhorns are No. 1 and the Tide No. 2 in rushing defense. Alabama is No. 1 and Texas No. 8 in scoring defense ... and on it goes, right down the line, where statistically these are two of the best defenses in the country.

Mack Brown builds a quiet, consistent contender at Texas

Four years ago today, as Texas football coach Mack Brown left a news conference, he was stopped by a fan wearing burnt orange. It was the day after the Longhorns won the school's first national title in 35 years.
"You have a free pass for the rest of your life at Texas," the fan told him. As Brown and his mentor, fabled coach Darrell Royal, walked away, Royal said, "Hell, that ain't true. You got six months before you better start winning again."
Soon, a sign went up in the Longhorns staff meeting room: "Complacency kills," it read.
Four years later and a few near misses along the way, Brown is back in the Bowl Championship Series title game as the No. 2 Longhorns face No. 1 Alabama on Thursday in Pasadena, Calif. (8 p.m. ET, ABC)
In an age when college coaches quickly are dubbed geniuses before the ink on their contracts dries, at a moment when coaches' misbehavior dominates the headlines, Brown has amassed the nation's best record (128-26) during his 12 years at Texas. All with little fanfare.
"Some of those guys get blown out of proportion, and he doesn't get the credit he deserves," says assistant head coach Major Applewhite, who played quarterback for Brown.
For nine consecutive years, Texas has won at least 10 games. Only Bobby Bowden, who won at least 10 games during a 14-year period at Florida State, has a longer streak.
Still, ask most college football fans to name the best three coaches in the game, and Brown's name might not make some lists.

Whoa...NCAA upholds sanctions for Fla. State; Bowden loses wins

Yikes, the NCAA has upheld its decision to vacate up to 14 victories from former football coach Bobby Bowden as part of its penalty in an academic cheating scandal.
Bowden retired as major college football's second most winning coach with 389 wins after Florida State's 33-21 Gator Bowl victory over West Virginia, Jan. 1. Penn State's Joe Paterno, who is still coaching, has 394 wins.
The 80-year-old Bowden was in California on Tuesday to present a Fellowship of Christian Athletes award named after him and not immediately available to comment on the decision.
University officials, however, said they were disappointed by the NCAA decision.
"We believed that our administration did everything it possibly could to ferret out any and all improprieties in this matter," Florida State athletic director Randy Spetman said.

Julio Jones happy doing little things to help Alabama win games

Sophomore wide receiver Julio Jones was considered the nation's top wide receiver when he was a senior in high school. While others, including Georgia's A.J. Green and Notre Dame's Michael Floyd, have put up bigger numbers this season, Jones is happy with his choice of schools because Alabama will be playing for the national championship.
Jones has just 573 yards on 42 catches on the season and managed only one touchdown through the Tide's first eight games. Part of the low numbers was due to an injured knee from early in the season and part of it was from trying to get familiar with first-year starter Greg McElroy and the constant double-teaming of defenses.
As he has gotten healthier and more in tune with McElroy, those numbers got better in the second half of the season. Unlike flamboyant NFL wide receivers Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco, though, you won't hear Jones asking McElroy to throw him the ball.
"I've accepted my role. Teams are going to double team me," Jones said. "Every receiver wants the ball. I just want to have fun. When we win, I have fun. I'll do whatever the team asks me to do. "
One of the things he is asked to do is block for Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram and the Tide running game. It is something 6-foot-4, 210-pounder relishes and does quite well.
When asked to compare his game to one of the pro receivers, it wasn't Owens or Ochocinco that came to mind. It was Hines Ward because of his blocking ability.
"He is a really physical wide receiver."

Tide could lose two junior defensive starters to the NFL

In news that should surprise no one, Alabama junior linebacker Rolando McClain confirmed today that he did submit his name for evaluation to the NFL's draft advisory board, the first step in the Butkus Award winner's likely entry into professional football in the coming months.
"I don't even know if we've got (the grade) back yet," McClain said. "But that's not my focus. We'll deal with that after this game."
Analysts are basically unanimous in tabbing McClain as a first-round draft pick this year, with the possibility of being among the top 10-15 selections. Alabama coach Nick Saban's stance has long been to advise a junior to leave early if the advisory board projects him in the first round.
McClain joins junior cornerback Kareem Jackson, who has also been weighing his options about entering the draft this season.
Jackson has been projected as a high as the second round by multiple analysts.
Sources continue to indicate that both Jackson and McClain are leaning toward declaring for the draft this year, though that news will not be finalized until after Thursday's BCS national title game against Texas.

Brooks retires as UK coach

University of Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks announced his retirement on Monday, ending a seven-year stint at UK in which he turned around a program saddled by NCAA probation and led them to an unprecedented four straight bowl games.
"I just felt it was time to make the change," Brooks said at a late morning news conference. "The losses take their toll."
Brooks finished with a career record 130-156-4 in 25 seasons as a head coach, including a 39-47 record at Kentucky.
"It's been a good ride," Brooks said, "a bumpy ride."
UK head coach for offense Joker Phillips, who was named as Brooks’ eventual successor in January 2008, now takes over the program.
"A younger person is in a better position to take the program forward," Brooks said. "This is a good time to change the leadership in the program."
Brooks leaves UK as the fourth-winningest coach in school history behind Paul "Bear" Bryant, Fran Curci and Jerry Claiborne.
Brooks also engineered a remarkable transformation at Oregon, turning around a historically losing program and leading them to the 1994 Rose Bowl before leaving to coach the St. Louis Rams in 1995-96.
"We are a program that is close to breaking into the Top 25," Brooks said of Kentucky. "The program is in good shape. It needs to be in better shape. ... The facility things need some attention. Those things are important to continue the progress of Kentucky football."
Brooks said he does not think he will have an official role in the UK program but will help as needed.
"Karen and I really enjoyed the Commonwealth," he said. "We will be around. I want to help if I can to take it to the next level."
Brooks said he had talked to UK officials about contract details. But he said even if he got everything he wanted, he still would have retired. "That was not the overriding thing," he said, but the last week it became clear to me I was at peace with this."

Alabama continues Preparations for Texas in California

The No. 1-ranked Alabama football team continued preparations for No. 2 Texas in full pads Sunday afternoon at the Costa Mesa High School Sports Complex. The Crimson Tide practiced for two hours under the California sun.
No. 1 Alabama (13-0, 8-0 SEC) and No. 2 Texas (13-0, 8-0 Big 12) will meet in the BCS National Championship Game on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. The game will be nationally televised by ABC Sports.
"We have had two good days of practice," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. "Yesterday was more of just getting acclimated and a transition time but I thought the players responded to it really well and had a really good spirit at practice today.
"Obviously we have had some things to clean up the last couple days in full pads but tomorrow we will go in shells and continue the same kind of work. The Rose Bowl people have been fantastic to us and the hospitality here has been great. The players got a chance to go to Disneyland last night which was a good experience for them."
Alabama will practice on Monday and Tuesday and then have a walkthrough at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday before squaring off against Texas at the BCS National Championship game on Thursday.

Special Victory For Bulldogs In Independence Bowl

Aron White tied a Georgia bowl record with two touchdown receptions to lead the Bulldogs past Texas A&M, 44-20, in the AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl on Monday at Independence Stadium in front of a crowd of 49,653. After the Aggies tied the game at 14-14 early in the third quarter, Georgia scored 30 unanswered points en route to posting its national-leading 13th-straight eight-win season at 8-5. The 44 points were a bowl record for the Dogs eclipsing the previous high of 41 in the win over Hawaii in the 2008 Sugar Bowl, and Georgia's six touchdowns matched the 1942 Orange Bowl champion Dogs who defeated Texas Christian, 40-26. The Bulldogs improve to 2-0 in the Independence Bowl and move their all-time bowl record to 26-16-3 with their fourth-straight post-season victory. Texas A&M finishes its 2009 season at 6-7. "I'm very, very proud of our team," said Georgia head coach Mark Richt, who improved to 7-2 in bowl games. "I'm very proud of our seniors. I'm very thankful for the job that they did. I'm so glad that we were able to send our seniors off with some true style. Also, I think we probably need to start out by saying what a fantastic job our defensive coaches did. Coach (Rodney) Garner leading the way with our young graduate assistant coaches Mitch Doolittle and Todd Hartley. Really, everybody on that side of the ball kind of moved up to the next level of coaching responsibility." White was tabbed the Offensive Player of the Game as his two touchdown receptions, from 24 and two yards, matched a Georgia bowl record which had happened on three previous occasions, most recently by Fred Gibson in the 2004 Capital One Bowl. It also tied the Independence Bowl record for receiving touchdowns in game, which had also occurred three prior times. Senior defensive tackle Geno Atkins was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Game. Atkins blocked a field goal with the game scoreless in the second quarter, had three tackles including a six-yard sack and added a quarterback pressure. Also a factor in the victory for Georgia was sophomore Brandon Boykin. While finishing the game third among the Bulldogs with six tackles, Boykin's major impact came in the kick return game. In the second quarter after Texas A&M went up 7-0, Boykin provided an answer with an 81-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. It marked Boykin's third kickoff return for a score this season (two previous from 100 yards) which set a school-record and tied a Southeastern Conference record (Willie Gault, Tennessee, 1980). For the second-straight game Georgia won the turnover battle with two interceptions versus Texas A&M's one interception. Senior quarterback Joe Cox, who completed 15-of-28 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns, had one pass picked off in the second quarter that did not lead to any points by the Aggies. Georgia's two picks of Aggie quarterback Jerrod Johnson came on back-to-back Texas A&M drives in the third quarter. The first was by redshirt freshman Sanders Commings on a fourth-and-one play from the UGA 23-yard line and it led to a Bulldog punt. The second pick was by junior Reshad Jones with under a minute left in the quarter. Jones returned the interception 59 yards to set up a six-play, 28 yard drive that was capped by White's second touchdown and put UGA up 31-14. Earlier in the third quarter, sophomore placekicker Blair Walsh snapped the 14-14 tie with a 49-yard field goal, the third-longest in Independence Bowl history. Then on Texas A&M's ensuing drive, a bad snap on a punt attempt gave the Bulldogs the ball at the Texas A&M 24-yard line, and three plays and 27 seconds later, Cox connected with White for the first time. Georgia carried a 14-7 lead into the half behind strong special teams play with the kickoff return for a touchdown, Atkins' blocked field goal and a blocked punt from redshirt freshman Bacarri Rambo. Atkins block of Randy Bullock's 50-yard field goal attempt was the second blocked field goal of the season for the Bulldogs with sophomore A.J. Green blocking one against Arizona State. Texas A&M did score the first points of the game on a 15-yard pass from Johnson to Jamie McCoy later in the quarter before Boykin answered on the kickoff return. Rambo then provided the blocked punt of the Aggies' Ryan Epperson, which was the second blocked punt of the year for UGA (Zach Renner at Tennessee), and it was recovered by junior Vance Cuff at the two-yard line. The Dogs would just need one play, a run from redshirt sophomore Caleb King to put up another seven points for the halftime edge. "Our special teams really came up big," Richt said. "On kickoff return, Boykin broke a school record with his third kickoff return for a touchdown, and the blocked kicks were huge. Those plays in the first half really got us going and got us charged up. In the second half the offense kicked into gear and kind of finished it off for us. I'm very thankful to get this eighth victory and finish this season in good fashion." King finished the game with 16 carries for 60 yards and two scores including a fourth-quarter touchdown that pushed the lead to 38-14. King's rushing effort was supported by freshman Washaun Ealey, who gained 78 yards on 13 carries, and junior fullback Shaun Chapas, who added 43 yards and five-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown on five carries. Supporting White on the receiving front, sophomore flanker A.J. Green led the team with six receptions for 57 yards while senior split end Michael Moore and freshman tight end Orson Charles recorded two receptions each. Aiding Georgia's defensive effort, sophomore Marcus Dowtin recorded a team-best nine tackles and junior Rennie Curran posted eight stops. Jones and senior Prince Miller finished with five tackles each. Texas A&M added the final points of the game in the final two minutes on a five-yard pass from Johnson to Howard Morrow.

Penn State Slips Past LSU in Capital One Bowl

For the second time in as many trips to the Capital One Bowl, the No. 13 LSU football team watched a victory slip away in the final minute. No. 11-ranked Penn State hit a game-winning field goal with 57 seconds to play to hand head coach Les Miles his first bowl loss at LSU,19-17.
LSU (9-4) scored two touchdowns in 3:02 to overcome a 13-point deficit and take a 17-16 fourth-quarter lead. With 6:54 to play, Penn State (11-2) answered with a 12-play, 65-yard drive that took 5:57 off the clock and regained the lead.
The Tigers' final drive ended at the Penn State 33-yard line.
The loss broke LSU's 24-game non-conference winning streak that began after the 2005 Capital One Bowl loss to Iowa (30-25) on a 56-yard last-second touchdown pass. Miles fell to 24-1 in non-conference games.
After sputtering through the first half, LSU's offense found life in the second half with a pair of scores against the No. 4-ranked scoring defense in the NCAA.
A 24-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Jefferson to wide receiver Brandon LaFell, a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Stevan Ridley and a pair of PAT's by Josh Jasper gave the Tigers their first lead with 12:49 left to play.
With less than 10 minutes left, the Tigers forced a punt after consecutive Penn State penalties backed the Nittany Lions into second-and-28. After Jefferson scrambled for a first down on the ensuing series, the a pass to Toliver fell incomplete and LSU punted to setup Penn State's final game-winner drive.
On a recently sodded turf and after a heavy rain storm, LSU struggled to get its footing in the first half and fell behind 13-3 at halftime on New Year's Day. LSU managed only 67 yards of total offense and a 28-yard field goal by Jasper in the first 30 minutes. The field conditions were so poor that making any sort of cut with the ball was out of the question.
Penn State scored its only touchdown with a 37-yard pass with 1:54 to play in the first quarter when wide receiver Derek Moye ran straight past an LSU defender and caught quarterback Daryll Clark's pass in stride inside the 5-yard line.
Tight end Adam Quarless led his team with eight receptions for 88 yards, while Graham Zug had four for 51 yards. Moye had three catches for 53 yards.
Despite the footing, Penn State placekicker Collin Wagner was perfect on the afternoon hit field goals of 26, 18, 20 and 21 yards.
Clark completed 18-of-35 passes for 216 yards with one touchdown. He was sacked only once and did not throw an interception.
Running back Evan Royster ran 17 times for 65 yards, while Stephfon Green added 35 yards on seven carries. Clark rushed 11 times for net 20 yards.
Big plays gave the Nittany Lions a 186-67 first-half advantage in total offense, while the Tigers managed only two first downs on passes of 18 and 36 yards by Jefferson to LaFell.
LSU was outgained, 340-243.
Jefferson was sacked twice while completing 13-of-24 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Terrance Toliver had a 81 yards on six catches, while LaFell added five receptions for 87 yards.
Jefferson was intercepted with 3:48 left in the first half when Toliver mishandled a pass that bounced into the hands of cornerback A.J. Wallace.
The LSU rushing game was never gained a foot-hold, as the Tigers had 41 yards rushing on 25 attempts including 17 sack yards. The longest run of the game was for 11 yards by Trindon Holliday.
LSU safety Chad Jones led the way defensively with eight tackles including one for lost yardage. He partially blocked a punt in the first quarter and broke up a pass. Linebackers Jacob Cutrera and Kelvin Sheppard each added seven tackles.
There were a Capital One Bowl-record 15 punts, as the team combined to tie the record of 10 in the wet first half.
The game was marred by multiple dropped passes by both teams on both sides of the ball. Penn State fumbled four times -- twice on snaps from center -- while LSU fumbled one time.
Two of LSU's three turnovers were lost deep in their territory, however, the LSU defense held Penn State to a pair of field goals. LSU's third turnover was a fumble on the game's final play as wide receiver Rueben Randle attempted to lateral to a teammate.

Shawn Elliott Named Offensive Line Coach

Appalachian State offensive line coach Shawn Elliott has been named the offensive line coach at the University of South Carolina, head football coach Steve Spurrier announced today. Elliott replaces Eric Wolford, who accepted the head coaching position at Youngstown State University in December.
Elliott, 36, has coached his entire career at Appalachian State, where he helped the Mountaineers to three-straight national championships (2005-07). After earning his bachelor's degree from App State in 1996, he worked for two seasons as a defensive assistant, then two seasons as the tight ends coach before taking over the offensive line in 2001. Over the past nine seasons as the offensive line coach, Elliott's players have earned All-America distinction on 12 occasions. From 2005-07, he coached three-consecutive SoCon Jacobs Blocking Trophy recipients.
"We're thrilled to have Shawn Elliott join our coaching staff at South Carolina," said Coach Spurrier. "Shawn is a native of South Carolina and is excited about the opportunity to coach here. He has an outstanding record coaching the O-line and winning championships. He is ready for the next challenge and is excited about coaching in the SEC and in Division I football."
Elliott was the first player in Appalachian State history to appear in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs four separate seasons. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Black and Gold, helping the squad to two Southern Conference titles. He was a co-captain on the Mountaineer's 1995 squad that finished 12-1 while earning all-league distinction as a defensive end.
"I'm really excited about the opportunity to coach at South Carolina," said Elliott. "It will be a challenging job and one that I am looking forward to and embracing. I'm excited about getting there on Monday and hitting the ground running."

Florida Gator Haden Declares for NFL Draft

Junior cornerback Joe Haden (Ft. Washington, Md.) has announced his intention to declare for the 2010 NFL Draft and forego his final year of eligibility.
“We’re sad to see Joe go because he’s a great leader and a dynamic player,” said interim head coach Steve Addazio, “but we know that with his tremendous talent, he will be a special player at the next level. This is the opportunity of a lifetime for Joe, and we wish him nothing but the best.”
Haden, a consensus first-team All-American this season, was a finalist for the Thorpe Award, given annually to the nation’s top defensive back, and was selected first-team All-SEC by the coaches and the Associated Press. He led the Gators with four interceptions this year, while contributing 68 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, 10 pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
“This was a tough decision, and I spent a lot of time with my family talking about it,” Haden said. “I’m so proud that I had the chance to be a Gator. It’s been one of the best experiences of my life. Coach [Urban] Meyer and Coach [Vance] Bedford have helped me in so many ways. I’ll always be thankful to them for everything, and I know I’ll never forget the fans in Gator Nation.”
Haden started all 40 career games that he played, including becoming the first true freshman to ever start at cornerback for UF in 2007. He finished his UF career with eight interceptions and 218 tackles and was part of the 2008 National Championship team.
The NFL Draft will be held April 22-24 at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Kicker Alex Tejada lifts Arkansas to a 20-17 overtime win at the Liberty Bowl.

Junior Alex Tejada hit a 37-yard field goal in overtime to give the University of Arkansas a 20-17 victory in overtime over East Carolina.
The Springdale, Ark., kicker had missed a crucial field goal in Arkansas’ final game of the year at LSU, but stepped onto the frigid Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium turf to hit the game winner tonight.
In a game dominated by defense early, then ECU’s ability to control the clock, the final measure of the contest became field goal kicking.
East Carolina’s Ben Hartman missed three field goals in the closing drives for the Pirates, including one with time expiring in regulation and one in the first overtime. Hartman hit the left upright, then drove the next two wide to the right.
Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett was named the game’s most valuable player, throwing 15-of-36 for 283 yards. Mallett’s direction of the offense was marred by a 0-for-13 third down completion percentage.
ECU’s Dominique Lindsay was named the Pirates’ most outstanding offensive player, and it appeared his 33 carries for 151 yards and a touchdown was going to give the two-time C-USA champions the win.
His running set the stage for the final two regulation field goal attempt by Hartman.
Arkansas’ offense never clicked, but its defense was outstanding, accounting for 10 of Arkansas 20 points.
ECU took control early with a 10-0 first half lead, and quarterback Patrick Pinkney started moving the Pirates to begin the third quarter, but made his first mistake of the game with a poorly executed throw that Jerry Franklin exploited for his team-leading third interception of the year. His 31-yard interception return set the Razorbacks up for their first score of the night, a 25-yard field goal by Alex Tejada.
The Pirates gave up the lead on the next drive as Pinkney was picked by Tramain Thomas for a 37-yard touchdown. The Thomas interception was his third, tying him with his teammate Franklin. After the PAT, the Razorbacks tied the game at 10-10.
Pinkney settled down and marched his team back up field, capping it off with a 14-yard strike to Dwayne Harris, to regain the lead.
Mallett directed another of his signature lightning drives, going 60 yards in two plays and 36 seconds to retie the game at 17-17. Mallett found Jarius Wright for the final 41 yards.
Arkansas looked like it was ready to take its first lead of the game as Broderick Green had back-to-back first down carries as the Razorbacks drove inside the ECU 30. The drive stalled at the 25, and Tejada came on for a 43 yard attempt into the stiff northeast wind. The junior pushed it wide right with 10:17 left
A frigid first half left the Arkansas Razorbacks’ high powered offense on the sidelines as the East Carolina Pirates managed two time-consuming drives for a 10-0 lead at intermission.
The Conference USA champions held the ball for 11:32 of the second quarter and took the lead to the locker room and had the ball to start the third quarter.
Razorback offense struggled for the opening half, failing to convert on third down on six tries and twice going for it on fourth down before converting on the third fourth down attempt. Unfortunately, the sole conversion was ineffective as it came as time expired in the first half. Arkansas managed to move the ball well, but twice had drives stall in ECU territory.
Meanwhile, ECU was 6-of-10 on third down conversion in the first half.
With a missed field goal by ECU in the first quarter, it looked as if the Hogs would be able to flex its offensive power in the second quarter.
Mallett moved the ball around on his receivers, using five different players on his first five catches. The Razorbacks struggled to run consistently on the Pirate defense.
Instead in the second quarter, the Razorback offense failed to fire with a combination of trouble moving the ball and watching the game from the sideline.
East Carolina took control by holding the ball on two lengthy scoring drives that combined for over 11 minutes of possession.
The first was a 99-yard touchdown drive capped by a three-yard run by Dominique Lindsay. Pinkney was 5-of-5 on the drive in the air on the 13-play drive.
After a short UA possession, ECU marched the field again, a 11-play drive that was highlighted by a 38-yard circus catch by Darryl Freeney. The 33-yard Ben Hartman field goal with just 53 seconds left in the first half sent the teams to halftime with ECU leading, 10-0.
East Carolina dominated the stat sheet, putting up 24 first downs to the Razorbacks 10. The Pirates racked up the first downs thanks to a 8-of-19 third down conversion rate.
The Pirates had 393 yards on 88 plays in the game. Arkansas had 283 yards, which was comparable, but made it on only 56 plays.
Green led Arkansas' rushing with 11 carries for 50 yards, followed by Dennis Johnson with 28 yards on four carries. Wright had four catches for 90, followed by Childs with three for 32.

McCluster Leads Rebels To Cotton Bowl Title Again

(AP) - Dexter McCluster gave Ole Miss fans a finale to remember, rushing for 182 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead 2-yard run on a direct snap with 4:03 left as the Rebels beat No. 21 Oklahoma State 21-7 in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday.
McCluster also had an 86-yard TD run in the second quarter after the senior had already become the first Southeastern Conference player with 1,000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving in the same season.
Ole Miss (9-4) had five turnovers in the game, but Oklahoma State had six in the fourth quarter, and seven overall.
The Rebels failed to capitalize on Kendrick Lewis' two interceptions, but McCluster scored after a fumble to break a 7-7 tie. Patrick Trahan picked up another fumble and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown less than a minute later, then intercepted a deflected fourth-down pass by Oklahoma State's Zac Robinson on the next drive.
The Cowboys (9-4) missed a chance for their first 10-win season since 1988 when coach Mike Gundy was their starting quarterback. Ole Miss coach and former Oklahoma State quarterback Houston Nutt was one of their coaches then.
Nutt has led to Rebels to consecutive 9-4 seasons, both capped by Cotton Bowl victories. Ole Miss had lost all eight of its SEC games in 2007 before Nutt arrived.
Ole Miss and Oklahoma State, also 9-4 a year ago, came into this season with unprecedented expectations. Both were in the AP preseason Top 10 before early losses. Each entered the Cotton Bowl, the first in Cowboys Stadium instead of the game's namesake stadium, coming off decisive losses against their instate conference rivals in their regular-season finales.
They finished with a mistake-filled game in which both teams had missed opportunities - each was stopped on fourth-and-goal from the 1, and Ole Miss missed two field goal attempts.
McCluster was the obvious standout, the game's offensive MVP for the second year in a row. He had 32 carries along with five catches for 45 yards. He leaves Ole Miss with 3,921 career all-purpose yards, second in school history behind Deuce McAllister's 4,889.
After becoming only Ole Miss' fourth 1,000-yard rusher on his third carry of the game, McCluster surpassed 500 yards receiving on the final play of the first quarter. Yet, his best was still to come.
McCluster's 86-yard TD run in the second quarter came on a handoff from freshman quarterback Nathan Stanley. McCluster went to the right and through a gap, running untouched for the second-longest run in the 74-year history of the Cotton Bowl.
That was Ole Miss' first offensive play after Jevan Snead threw an interception and was hit so hard on a blindside block while pursuing the defender with the ball that his helmet got knocked off.
Snead, a junior QB, returned to the game and finished 13 of 23 for 168 yards.
Robinson was 13 of 27 for 118 yards with four interceptions in his last game.
Oklahoma State tied the game at 7-7 midway through the third quarter when running back Keith Toston took a direct snap on third-and-goal from the 1. He made a step toward the line, then stopped and threw a jump pass to Wilson Youman for a touchdown.
Ole Miss made it to the 3 after Lewis' first interception. But after a penalty, two sacks of Snead and an incomplete pass, Joshua Shene was wide left on a 38-yard field goal try.
Shene, who missed only three kicks in the regular season, hit the left upright on a 41-yard attempt in the third quarter after a 63-yard punt return by Marshay Green set the Rebels up at the 13.
At the Rebels 19 after the second miss, Robinson thought he had a free play when there was no whistle despite an Ole Miss defender already over the line after a Cowboys lineman might have moved before the snap. But there was no flag, and Lewis picked it off in the end zone.
On third-and-goal from just outside the 1 in the first quarter, Ole Miss' 330-pound defensive tackle Jerrell Powe lined up at fullback like he had done several times this season. Powe got his first carry, but was stuffed just short by linebacker Donald Booker. The Rebels lined up and tried again with the same result, with Booker stopping Powe.
Powe got payback in the third quarter when Oklahoma State tried to score on fourth-and-goal from the 1. Powe wrapped up Toston's legs behind the line before Lewis hit him high to stop him short.

Connecticut victory over USC 20-7

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Andre Dixon rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown and resilient Connecticut ended a trying season with a 20-7 victory over South Carolina in the Papajohns.com Bowl on Saturday.

The Huskies (8-5) are 3-1 in bowl games since moving up to Division I-A (now FBS) in 2002. They won their final three regular-season games and overcame the October stabbing death of cornerback Jasper Howard to reach a bowl.

UConn made the most of the trip. The nation's 95th-rated pass defense throttled South Carolina (7-6) and quarterbackStephen Garcia while relying on Dixon's 33 carries to control the ball.

Dixon was the Most Valuable Player and joined teammate Jordan Todman as 1,000-yard rushers, the first time two UConn backs have surpassed that mark in a season.

Garcia completed just 16 of 38 passes for 129 yards while gaining 56 yards on 15 carries.

( by gamecocksonline.cstv.com)

Gators cruise to a Sugar sweet finish

Tonight's Sugar Bowl promises to be another emotional roller coaster for the Florida Gators, as it will be the final game for the winningest class in UF and SEC history and could be the last game for coach Urban Meyer.
Florida wins the toss and elects to defer until the second half. Cincinnati chooses to receive. The Bearcats take to the air with two straight completions by quarterback Tony Pike. Two straight holding penalties set up a third-and-22. Cincy gets a completion far short of the first-down marker and punts.
The Gator offense starts off with a 6-yard run by Jeff Demps. Tim Tebow throws completions to Riley Cooper and Aaron Hernandez for first downs. The Gator offense is humming with a diverse mix of play calls. Florida faces a third-and-9 at the Bearcat 34, and Tebow finds Deonte Thompson for another first down. Tebow bursts up the middle on a 17-yard run to the UC 4-yard line. Demps takes a handoff, stumbles for a loss and comes up injured. Tebow connects with Hernandez, who pushes across the goal line for a touchdown. Caleb Sturgis' extra point is blocked.
Cincy gets great field position with a 40-yard kickoff return by Mardy Gilyard. The Bearcats try some trickery with a throw-back pass downfield, but cornerback Joe Haden is in position to tip it away from the intended receiver. The Gator defense stuffs a third-and-short running play and forces another punt.
According to UF officials, Florida center Maurkice Pouncey spent five-plus hours at Tulane Hospital dealing a kidney issue. Pouncey received a CT which showed no kidney obstruction. He received four bags of IV and was cleared by Dr. Jay Clugston, the UF team urologist.
Back on offense, Florida gets a first-down run by Chris Rainey. Tebow finds a streaking David Nelson for 30 yards down to the UC 40-yard line. The Bearcat defense is no match for the Gator offense so far, as Tebow connects with Hernandez for another long gain. A block-in-the-back penalty, a stuffed running play and a sack put the ball back on the UC 36. On third-and-16, Tebow throws complete to Cooper but short of the first down. Sturgis kicks a 40-yard field goal.
Cincinnati's offense goes three-and-out, thanks to a third-down sack by Justin Trattou.
First quarter: Florida 9, Cincinnati 0
SECOND QUARTER
Jeff Demps comes back to the UF sidelines wearing a sling on his left arm. He has been diagnosed with a dislocated elbow and will miss the rest of the game, according to the Fox broadcast crew.
Florida takes over on offense and gets a first down on a swing pass from Tim Tebow to Emmanuel Moody. Tebow then completes a pass to Deonte Thompson, who fights his way to another first down. Moody finds a big hole up the middle and picks up 9 yards to the UC 33-yard line. On third-and-1, Tebow carries and comes up short. UF goes for it on fourth-and-1 and Tebow dives for the first down. Hernandez takes a pass over the middle and spins his way down to the UC 7-yard line. The Bearcat defense has begun to tighten up against the run, so Tebow lofts a pass and Deonte Thompson catches it with one foot in the end zone for a touchdown.
Florida's defense continues to push around Cincinnati. Carlos Dunlap gets a sack for an 8-yard loss on first down and safety Ahmad Black upends a receiver to force and incompletion on second down. UC quarterback Tony Pike throws another accurate pass on third down but UF safety Major Wright comes over to disrupt the receiver. The Bearcats punt.
Tebow finds his outlet receiver in Rainey coming out of the backfield. Rainey dashes to midfield and is pulled down with a horse-collar tackle, adding another 15 yards. Tebow connects with a wide-open Hernandez for another 23 yards. Moody takes a handoff and runs to his left for an easy 6-yard touchdown.
Cincinnati finally starts moving the ball against the Florida defense. The Bearcats get a couple of first downs to midfield. Running back Isaiah Pead comes close to picking up another first down, but UC goes backwards when he is called for unsportsman-like conduct after his run. On third-and-15, Pike passes complete but short of the marker. But Brandon Hicks is called for an unsportsman-like penalty, giving Cincy a first down at the UF 29-yard line. After three incompletions, Jake Rogers connects on a 47-yard field goal.
Tebow throws a perfect pass to Riley Cooper, who got behind the Cincy defense. Cooper sprints untouched into the end zone for an 80-yard touchdown.
The UF defense comes back onto the field with an edge after giving up a scoring drive to the Bearcats. Dunlap caps the three-and-out with another sack of Pike. UF fans are already chanting "It's great to be a Florida Gator!" with 1:32 before halftime.
After Rogers shanks the punt to the UF 46-yard line, Tebow throws a dump-off pass to Rainey, who bursts up the middle for a 14-yard gain. Tebow throws just his second incompletion of the day. He already has 321 yards passing. Caleb Sturgis misses a 39-yard field-goal attempt, and the Gators go into the locker room for halftime.
Second quarter: Florida 30, Cincinnati 3
THIRD QUARTER
After a 51-yard kickoff return by Chris Rainey, Tim Tebow hooks up with Aaron Hernandez for 16 yards and a first down. Tebow then fires a bullet to Deonte Thompson, who takes it to the Cincinnati 11-yard line. Tebow scrambles but comes up short of the first down. On fourth-and-inches, Tebow pitches to Emmanuel Moody, who waltzes into the end zone.
The UF defense has quarterback Tony Pike on the run, but he moves the Bearcats to midfield. Pike passes for another first down and then scrambles for another first down to the UF 11-yard line. After a Pike completion to the 2-yard line, the Bearcats face a fourth-and-1. Pike fakes the handoff, bootlegs to his right and passes complete to a wide-open Marcus Waugh for the touchdown.
Tebow opens the Gators' next drive with three straight completions for a first down at the Cincy 49-yard line. He then floats a long pass that Cooper jumps and snatches off the helmet of the Bearcat defender for a 44-yard gain to the Cincy 5-yard line. Tebow surveys the end zone and then tucks the ball and scrambles easily for a 4-yard touchdown.
The Bearcats pick up one first down on the ground but go no further. Pike throws three straight incompletions against a stingy Gator defense, and Cincinnati is forced to punt.
The Gators start on their own 4-yard line and go backwards with a false start and a Tebow run in which he is tackled for a loss of 1 yard. The quarter ends with the Gators facing second-and-11 on their own 1-yard line.
Third quarter: Florida 44, Cincinnati 10
FOURTH QUARTER: Florida 51, Cincinnati 24
Set up on its own 1-yard line, Florida can only get a few yards to set up its first punt of the day. Chas Henry kicks to midfield.
Cincy QB Tony Pike passes complete to Mardy Gilyard for a first down and then tosses to tailback Isaiah Pead, who runs for another first down. From the UF 28-yard line, Pike rolls right and finds Pead for a 7-yard gain. On third-and-2 from the Florida 20-yard line, Pike completes a pass that comes up short of the first-down marker. On fourth-and-1, Pike follows his offensive line surge for the first down. Pead takes a toss for 7 more yards, and the Gator defense jumps offsides to put the Bearcats on the Florida 4. Pike throws two incompletions, the second of which is batted down by linebacker Brandon Spikes. On third down, Pike finds Armon Binns for the 3-yard touchdown.
Tim Tebow runs up the middle for 14 yards and a first down on the Cincinnati 48-yard line. Tebow then connects with a wide-open Chris Rainey, who chugs for a 33-yard gain to the UC 15-yard line. Emmanuel Moody takes a dump-off pass and jukes a couple of defenders for a 7-yard gain. Rainey takes an option pitch for a 6-yard touchdown.
Cincinnati's offense opens up the playbook in driving down to the UF 23. On fourth-and-9, Pike connects with D.J. Woods for 22 yards to set up a first-and-goal with 4:38 remaining in the game. After UC recovers a fumble, Pike rolls right and finds Kazeem Alli all alone in the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown reception.
After one play of offense for Florida, Tebow comes off the field to a loud ovation with his arms raised in celebration. True freshman tailback Mike Gillislee runs for 52 yards to the Cincinnati 10-yard line. The Gator sideline is flush with hugs and embraces for players and coaches ready to say goodbye to the University of Florida. Players douse coach Urban Meyer with Gatorade and he and Tebow share another hug. The game ends, a big happy ending for the Florida Gators.
Fourth quarter: Florida 51, Cincinnati 24

Penn State 2 Point Victory Over LSU 19-17

ORLANDO, Fla. -- For the second time in as many trips to the Capital One Bowl, the No. 13 LSU football team watched a victory slip away in the final minute. No. 11-ranked Penn State hit a game-winning field goal with 57 seconds to play to hand head coach Les Miles his first bowl loss at LSU,19-17.

LSU (9-4) scored two touchdowns in 3:02 to overcome a 13-point deficit and take a 17-16 fourth-quarter lead. With 6:54 to play, Penn State (11-2) answered with a 12-play, 65-yard drive that took 5:57 off the clock and regained the lead.

The Tigers' final drive ended at the Penn State 33-yard line.

The loss broke LSU's 24-game non-conference winning streak that began after the 2005 Capital One Bowl loss to Iowa (30-25) on a 70-yard last-second touchdown pass. Miles fell to 24-1 in non-conference games.

After sputtering through the first half, LSU's offense found life in the second half against the No. 4-ranked scoring defense in the NCAA. A 24-yard touchdown pass fromJordan Jefferson to wide receiver Brandon LaFell and a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Stevan Ridleygave the Tigers their first lead with 12:49 left.

On a recently sodded turf and after a heavy rain storm, LSU struggled to get its footing in the first half and fell behind 13-3 at halftime on New Year's Day. LSU managed only 67 yards of total offense and a 28-yard field goal by Josh Jasper in the first 30 minutes.

Penn State scored its only touchdown with a 37-yard pass with 1:54 to play in the first quarter. Placekicker Collin Wagner hit field goals of 26, 18, 20 and 21 yards.

Nittany Lions quarterback Daryll Clark completed 18-of-35 passes for 216 yards with one touchdown. Running back Evan Royster ran 17 times for 65 yards, while Stephfon Green added 35 yards on seven carries. Clark rushed 11 times for net 20 yards.

Big plays gave the Nittany Lions a 186-67 first-half advantage in total offense, while the Tigers managed only two first downs on passes of 18 and 36 yards by Jefferson to LaFell.

Overall, LSU was outgained, 340-243.

Jefferson was sacked twice while completing 13-of-24 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Terrance Toliver had a 81 yards on six catches, while LaFell added five receptions for 87 yards.

Jefferson was intercepted with 3:48 left in the first half when Toliver mishandled a pass that bounced into the hands of cornerback A.J. Wallace.

The LSU rushing game was never gained a foot-hold, as the Tigers had 41 yards rushing on 25 attempts including 17 sack yards. The longest run of the game was for 11 yards by Trindon Holliday.

There were 15 punts in the game including 10 in the wet first half.

LSU vs. Penn State - 2010 Capital One Bowl
Jan. 1, 2010 – Citrus Bowl Stadium (Orlando, Fla.)
Postgame Notes

Team Notes
1. LSU’s game captains were 24 Harry Coleman, 70 Ciron Black and 30 Josh Jasper.
2. LSU won the toss and deferred to the second half. Penn State received the opening kickoff.
3. Tigers extending their notable consecutive starts streak today were: LT Ciron Black (53), OG Lyle Hitt(33), LB Harry Coleman (26) and RT Joseph Barksdale (26).
4. Penn State’s first-quarter touchdown was the first allowed by LSU in a first quarter since the Mississippi State game on Sept. 26. The streak ended at eight straight games -- Georgia, Florida, Auburn, Tulane, Alabama, Louisiana Tech, Ole Miss and Arkansas.
5. OT Ciron Black broke the LSU record for consecutive starts. He made his 53rd straight start, shattering the mark of Andrew Whitworth (now with Cincinnati Bengals) for the most consecutive starts in school history. LSU has had two players – Black and Whitworth – account for the last 105 straight starts at offensive left tackle dating back to 2002.
6. WR R.J. Jackson saw his first action since the Louisiana Tech game on Nov. 14. Jackson, who missed two games, returned from a broken bone he suffered on his foot in the game against the Bulldogs.
7. C P.J. Lonergan made his second start of the season.
8. Head coach Les Miles is now 4-1 in bowl games at LSU.
9. LSU is now 21-19-1 in bowl games all time.
10. LSU’s nation-leading non-conference winning streak was snapped at 24 games today. Les Miles is now 24-1 versus non-conference opponents at LSU. Before today’s loss, the last time LSU lost to a non-conference opponent was to Iowa in the 2005 Capital One Bowl.
11. LSU is now 1-2 in the Capital One Bowl, beating Wake Forest 34-10 in the 1979 contest and falling 30-25 to Iowa in 2005.

Individual Notes
12. QB Jordan Jefferson tossed his 17th touchdown pass of the season and 21st of his career on a 24-yard pass to Brandon LaFell with 0:13 left in the third quarter.
a. Jefferson’s 17 TD passes this season put him in a tie for eighth place in LSU single-season TD passes.
13. WR Brandon LaFell caught a 24-yard touchdown pass with 0:13 to go in the third quarter. It was his 25th career TD catch, which put him one TD shy of the LSU career record of 26 set by Dwayne Bowe (2003-06).
a. It was also his 11th TD catch of the season, which put him in a tie for second place in the LSU single-season record books. He tied Devery Henderson (2003) and Wendell Davis (1986), one shy of the single-season record of 12 set by Dwayne Bowe in 2006.
b. LaFell finished his career with a catch in 41 straight games (40 of those multiple-reception games) dating back to the 2007 Sugar Bowl versus Notre Dame. The streak was the fifth longest streak in the nation. Central Michigan’s Bryan Anderson leads the nation with 52 consecutive games with a catch.
14. PK Josh Jasper nailed a 25-yard field goal with 14:15 left in the second quarter. Jasper finished the season 17-of-20 and improved to 19-of-22 for his career.
a. Jasper’s 17 field goals this season ties him for third with John Corbello (2002) for single-season FGs.
15. With his 43 punt return yards today, Trindon Holliday moved into eighth place in LSU single-season punt return yards with 362 for the season on 20 returns.
16. RB Stevan Ridley rushed for a one-yard TD with 12:49 left in the game. The TD run marked the third of the season and fourth of Ridley’s career.
17. LB Jacob Cutrera was credited with his first career sack in the fourth quarter when he sacked Daryll Clark for a loss of 11 yards.

( by www.lsusports.net)

Auburn Victory Over Northwestern 38-35 in OT

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Wes Byrum kicked a 21-yard field goal in overtime and Auburn stopped Northwestern's final trick play of the game to hold on Friday for a 38-35 victory in the Outback Bowl.

The Tigers intercepted Mike Kafka five times - twice in the end zone - and shut down a fake field-goal play to end Northwestern's gallant bid to end a 61-year stretch of postseason futility.

Kafka threw for a career-best 532 yards four touchdowns. He rallied Northwestern from a 14-point deficit in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, and the Wildcats wasted a chance to win it in regulation.

Auburn (8-5) finished its first season under Gene Chizik with the second-most wins by a first-year coach in school history. Only Terry Bowden, who went 11-0 in 1993, produced more wins in his initial season on the job.

Northwestern (8-5) fell to 1-7 all-time in postseason games.

( by auburntigers.cstv.com)