College Football Capsules: Rutgers stuns UConn 28-24 in final seconds
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — On a day Connecticut honored slain teammate Jasper Howard, one of his best friends won the game for Rutgers.
Tim Brown, who grew up with Howard in Miami, scored on an 81-yard touchdown pass from Tom Savage with 22 seconds left to give the Scarlet Knights a 28-24 victory over the Huskies in UConn’s first home game since Howard was stabbed to death.
"I just went out there and played that game for my friend," Brown said. "He was a special guy to me and I just went out there and dedicated that game to him."
Connecticut (4-4, 1-3 Big East) scored to take a 24-21 lead with 38 seconds left and the crowd was roaring, when Brown got behind cornerback Robert McClain and outraced the entire UConn secondary to the end zone.
Howard, Brown said, might have had the speed to catch him.
"We was ready to play (each other)," he said "It would have been a great game for me if I’d had my other friend on the other side."
There were numerous tributes to Howard before the game and fans lined up three-deep to greet the Huskies as they made their way into the stadium wearing T-shirts with his number "6" on it.
Howard was killed outside a school dance on Oct. 18. Since the Huskies have played twice and taken two tough losses.
Last week, UConn lost 28-24 at West Virginia when Noel Devine broke a 56-yard touchdown run with 2:10 left in the game. The Huskies’ four losses are by a total of 13 points.
"Could we be (undefeated)? Yeah, but the reality of it is that we’re 4-4," coach Randy Edsall said. "And the reality of it is, we’ve got to understand how to finish these games off and make the plays at the end in order to win."
Savage, the freshman quarterback, threw for 234 yards and three touchdowns for Rutgers (6-2, 1-2) in his first Big East road game. But he gave all the credit to Brown, who finished with 162 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
"He made one of the best plays you could probably make in college football," Savage said. "I know he was down all week, and he was down during the game, but he just made the play and I’m sure Jazz is proud of him."
Backup quarterback Zach Frazer, who entered the game in the first quarter after Cody Endres went down with an injury to his left shoulder, threw for 333 yards and a touchdown for UConn. He led the Huskies on two fourth-quarter touchdown drives after they trailed 21-10.
UConn’s Marcus Easley cut the lead to 21-17 when he caught a pass over the middle, bounced off linebacker Ryan D’Imperio and went in for a 32-yard touchdown with just over 10 minutes left.
The Huskies tried an unorthodox 2-point conversion, hitting tackle Mike Ryan on what was supposed to be a lateral screen. The 320-pound lineman dove into the end zone, stretching the ball over the left pylon. But Ryan was ruled an ineligible receiver, and UConn had to settle for a kick after the penalty.
Connecticut got the ball back for a final time with about 3½ minutes left. A 31-yard diving catch by Michael Smith got the ball into Rutgers’ territory, and a 32-yard catch by Kashif Moore on fourth down got the Huskies into the red zone. When Jordan Todman ran it in from 2 yards out on another fourth down, the home crowd erupted, thinking the Huskies had completed the comeback.
Edsall said Endres is likely done for the season. He is scheduled to have surgery on Sunday.
Frazer, who lost the starting job after he suffered a knee injury in the second game of the season, completed 21 of 46 passes, but also threw three interceptions.
The game started with the stadium buzzing and the UConn crowd energetic on an emotional day for the school.
A lot of that energy seemed to drain from the building after Delvin McCourty took the opening kickoff back 98 yards for a touchdown for Rutgers.
A week ago, West Virginia’s Tavon Austin went 98 yards for a score with the opening kick.
Joe Lefeged’s interception set up a seven-play, 81-yard Rutgers drive that ended with Brown’s first touchdown catch, a 37-yarder.
Robby Frey brought the crowd back into the game by taking the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, cutting across the field behind the blocking of Todman and diving into the end zone.
But UConn senior cornerback Robert McClain limped off the field late in the second quarter, leaving the Huskies with three redshirt freshmen in the secondary.
Savage took advantage, finding Mark Harrison over the middle for a 20-yard touchdown that made it 21-10 at the half. McClain returned in the second half.
UConn gamely came back, but for the second consecutive week a victory the Huskies wanted so badly wasn’t to be.
"I don’t know," he said. "We’ll just keep fighting. That’s all I know to do."
UConn fans show support for slain football player
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — Football fans lined up three deep Saturday to applaud and shake hands as players walked from their buses into Rentschler Field for the UConn Huskies’ first home game since the slaying of Jasper Howard.
All the players and many fans wore Howard’s jersey number, 6, on T-shirts to honor the cornerback who was stabbed to death Oct. 18 outside a campus dance.
Greg Shettle, 43, of Glastonbury flew a homemade flag from his tailgate site with the initials "JH," the number 6 and the words "Always a Husky" on it.
He said he didn’t mind standing in a drizzle to show the team that its fans share the loss.
"We’re all here to support the team and to honor Jasper’s memory," Shettle said. "It was a life taken too soon from everybody, and I think a lot of fans recognize that he was a bright young man with a tremendous personality, and we just all feel for him and his family and the team."
Every fan entering the stadium for the game against Rutgers received a card with Howard’s number on it, and the first 15,000 received wristbands honoring Howard.
The school normally bans signs from the stadium but permitted fans to hold up signs in tribute to Howard.
Students each received a button with a "6" on it and eye-black stickers that are also being worn by the players — one with Howard’s number and the other with his initials.
UConn players wore a helmet sticker with Howard’s initials on it, while Rutgers players wore a "6" on their helmets.
The marching band came onto the field wearing No. 6 jerseys and changed the "O" in the word UConn into a "6" during its pregame program.
Running back Andre Dixon and wide receiver Kashif Moore held Howard’s jersey and helmet as they led the team onto the field.
A moment of silence was followed by fans chanting, "Jasper Howard."
Glen Hadley, 68, of Hebron painted Howard’s numbers and initials on his face.
"What happened was so tragic and so senseless, and if we can’t show a sense of community for a fellow human being, than I don’t know," he said. "It’s just a little thing we can do."
-- Pat Eaton-Robb
Illinois turns tables on Michigan, 38-13
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Michigan receiver Roy Roundtree cradled the ball and sprinted for the end zone.
Terry Hawthorne took off after him, finally catching up 76 yards down the field and spilling him across the goal line. Points went up on the board and it looked as if another long afternoon for the Illini was taking shape.
And it was, until a video review ruled Roundtree down at the 1, the Illini stopped Michigan on four straight runs, and Juice Williams answered with a 99-yard touchdown drive to take the lead on the way to a 38-13 win over the Wolverines.
"A lot of guys would have quit," said Illinois coach Ron Zook, recipient of a dreaded vote of confidence earlier in a season almost completely without any redeeming features. "Terry didn’t quit. He kept going. He made the play of the game, maybe the play of the year."
And how.
Before the goal-line turnaround, Michigan had given up just 94 yards of offense. Twice it appeared ready to take a 20-7 lead on the way to what would have been its first road win this season.
Instead, the Illini (2-6, 1-5 Big Ten) finished with 500 yards of offense and Michigan looked almost as lost as it did at times during last season’s 3-9 fiasco.
"It’s a big momentum change, particularly on the road," Rodriguez said. "When you have the chance to seize momentum and you let it reverse on the road, it’s tough."
More than half of Illinois’ second-half surge came on three touchdown drives that surrounded a pair of ugly three-and-outs led by freshman quarterback Tate Forcier.
Most of that 99-yard drive came on Mikel LeShoure’s 70-yard burst up the middle, but Williams, who ended three first-half drives with sacks on third down, led two more drives to put the game out of reach.
He capped a 79-yarder with his 2-yard toss to London Davis. And after Michigan went backward on its next possession the Illini went 45 yards for another touchdown, this one a 3-yard run by Williams for a 28-13 lead.
Michigan (5-4, 1-4) turned the ball over three times, twice when Forcier coughed it up in the second half.
A year after ending a three-decade bowl streak and finishing 3-9 in coach Rich Rodriguez’s first season, the Wolverines remain one win from eligibility, but have four straight Big Ten losses and a win over Delaware State in its last five.
"We haven’t given ourselves much of a chance because of some of our own errors," Rodriguez said. "Again, you have to give them credit, too, because they made plays, but we’ve got to play a little bit more efficient to give ourselves a chance."
Illinois hadn’t beaten a Bowl Subdivision opponent this season. But Michigan turned the ball over three times and seemed to breathe life into a team that barely appeared competitive during a five-game losing streak to start the Big Ten season.
"A lot of teams in this situation usually give up, quit," Williams said after Illinois ended a five-game losing streak. "But we made a pact amongst ourselves that we aren’t going to stop until the end of the season."
Williams, who went wild on the Wolverines last season with 431 yards of total offense — ran for 97 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown and completed 8 of 11 passes for 123 yards and another score.
Michigan, which started 4-0 with a win over Notre Dame, hosts Purdue next Saturday, then travels to Wisconsin before wrapping up the regular season at home against Ohio State.
"We’re not getting wins that we should, we’re just playing for pride now," safety Troy Woolfolk said. "We know we’re not able to win the Big Ten, but we still have a chance to go to a bowl."
Forcier finally got the Wolverines moving on the next drive, which looked promising until he was sacked and fumbled at the Illinois 16.
He finished 13 of 23 for 257 yards and Carlos Brown had 110 yards rushing on 25 carries and a touchdown.
Roundtree had four catches for 92 yards, including the 76-yarder he was stopped on.
Illinois added a field goal and another stop. When Michigan blocked a punt with 3:49 to play, the Wolverines were in a three-score hole with only the faintest hopes left.
Forcier immiediately ended those by fumbling the ball back at the Illini 15, Six plays later, Jason Ford went 79 yards to put a cherry on top for Illinois.
Before the goal-line turnaround, Michigan had pretty much shut down Williams, who accounted for more than 400 yards of offense in their meeting last season, a 45-20 rout by Illinois.
Though the Illini can still get to six wins, it won’t be easy. They go to Minnesota and host Northwestern before a trip to No. 5 Cincinnati and a home date with Fresno State.
"This game doesn’t mean everything is OK," Zook said. "We’ve still got four games to go."
-- David Mercer
Weber leads Minnesota past Michigan State 42-34
MINNEAPOLIS — Adam Weber passed for 416 yards and five touchdowns, helping Minnesota hurdle a school-record 17 penalties and hang on to beat Michigan State 42-34 on Saturday night.
Playing without injured star wide receiver Eric Decker for the first time, Weber stepped up for his struggling offense at the best possible time. Completing 19 of 31 passes for the career high in yardage, Weber had his first five-score game since his freshman year.
Running back Duane Bennett caught two of the touchdowns for Minnesota (5-4, 3-3 Big Ten), including an incredible recreation of the famous Immaculate Reception by Franco Harris for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1972 to stretch the lead to eight with 6:04 left.
Tight end Nick Tow-Arnett, who had a career-high eight catches for 81 yards and two scores, caught a third-and-17 pass from Weber near the Michigan State 35 and landed on his back after a jarring hit. The ball never touched the ground and popped right up into the hands of Bennett, who ran the rest of the way for the 59-yard touchdown.
The fans were fed up with the refs, who flagged the Gophers for 157 yards in penalties — also the most in their history. The calls evened out in the end, though.
Right before Bennett’s score off the bobbled ball, Tow-Arnett lost a fumble that was recovered by the Spartans. It was overturned by replay review, which ruled an incomplete pass.
On the following possession, the Spartans were whistled for four of their nine penalties. They reached the 39, but Kirk Cousins overthrew his receiver on fourth down. They stopped the Gophers on third-and-1, but punter Blake Haudan drew a roughing call on Kendell Davis-Clark and Minnesota was able to run out the clock.
The Spartans (4-5, 3-3) were fortunate to be in the game in the second half, given all the self-inflicted problems by the Gophers. This was a familiar tough loss, though; all of Michigan State’s defeats this year have come by eight points or less.
Cousins dropped a snap and threw an interception in the first half, but neither turnover led to points for Minnesota. He finished 21 for 35 for 236 yards and two touchdowns, both of them impressive throws. His 11-yard toss to tight end Dion Sims gave the Spartans their first lead, 31-28 heading into the final quarter.
The third quarter actually belonged to Keshawn Martin.
The sophomore wide receiver took the kickoff back 82 yards for a score and then raced 84 yards for a touchdown on an end around to put the Spartans in position for the wild finish.
The Gophers ditched their spread offense for a pro-style power running system this season, and Weber’s struggles have been glaring at times during the transition. Without Decker, it was natural to assume the worst.
On the first play from scrimmage, though, Weber used a textbook play-action fake to find Bennett open along the sideline for a 62-yard catch and tiptoe streak along the sideline.
After the Spartans fumbled the kickoff, Weber found Brandon Green in tight coverage in the corner of the end zone from 37 yards out to make it 14-0 just 107 seconds into the game.
Decker badly sprained his foot the week before and will have season-ending surgery on Wednesday. Leaning on crutches, he smiled at Weber as his close friend and roommate hugged him following the second score.
-- Dave Campbell
Clay, Wisconsin run through Purdue 37-0
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — John Clay ran for 123 yards and three touchdowns and Wisconsin shut out a Big Ten opponent for the first time since 1999 to snap a two-game losing streak with a 37-0 victory over Purdue on Saturday.
Freshman David Gilbert added a leaping blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown, putting an emphatic exclamation point on a dominant first half in the win that made the Badgers bowl-eligible for the eighth consecutive year.
Wisconsin (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) and Purdue (3-6, 2-3) came in heading in opposite directions after the Boilermakers had beaten Ohio State and Illinois.
Instead it was Purdue’s worst shutout loss since a 48-0 defeat at Notre Dame in 1992 and worst Big Ten shutout since 1991, when the Boilermakers lost 42-0 at Michigan.
Purdue gained 141 yards on offense for the game, nine fewer than Wisconsin rolled up in a 150-yard first quarter.
That’s because the 248-pound Clay, who leads the Big Ten in rushing and rushing TDs, flattened the Boilermakers early and helped Wisconsin restore confidence after losses to Ohio State and Iowa followed by a week off.
Quarterback Joey Elliott had the worst start of his career, going 5 of 23 for 59 yards and an interception before being replaced late in the third quarter. Elliott’s receivers didn’t help him either, dropping six passes.
Wisconsin has now won 23 straight home games against unranked opponents. The Badgers rushed for 266 yards and started with 11 straight runs in an 80-yard TD drive on their first possession.
Clay, who has been working through a sore ankle, capped the drive with a 1-yard dive to make it 7-0.
After the first of three field goals by Philip Welch made it 10-0, Wisconsin scored twice in a span of 31 seconds in the second quarter to put it out of reach.
Elliott made an ill-advised throw from his goal line midway through the second quarter that Wisconsin cornerback Devin Smith picked off at the Purdue 20. Four plays later, Clay scored from the 1 to make it 17-0.
Purdue was forced to punt on its ensuing possession, but Gilbert leaped over 6-foot-3 defensive tackle Adam Brockman and 6-foot-6 offensive tackle Peters Drey to get his hands on Chris Summers’ punt. Aaron Henry returned the block 9 yards for a TD to make it 24-0.
Clay, who finished with 24 carries, made it 31-0 on the first possession of the second half when he ran for 3 yards, fumbled at the goal line and recovered it in the end zone.
Elliott had appeared to turn a corner with his performances against the Buckeyes and the Illini but was on the bench in favor of Caleb TerBush late in the third quarter. Purdue’s quarterbacks finished 9 of 33 for 81 yards.
The last time the Badgers were this dominant was a 59-0 rout of Indiana 10 years ago when the Badgers rolled up 461 yards rushing behind Ron Dayne and Michael Bennett.
-- Colin Fly
California nips Arizona State 23-21 on late kick
TEMPE, Ariz. — Giorgio Tavecchio kicked a 24-yard field goal with 21 seconds left, and California rallied for a sloppy 23-21 victory over Arizona State on Saturday afternoon.
Tavecchio’s kick capped an 11-play, 74-yard drive that began at Cal’s 19 with 3:16 to go. Golden Bears quarterback Kevin Riley was 5-of-6 on that march, and he finished with 351 passing yards and two touchdowns.
The Golden Bears (6-2, 3-2 Pac-10) have won three straight.
It was an ugly, penalty-filled game, with two middle-of-the-Pac-10 teams combining for 23 penalties for 238 yards. They also had five turnovers.
Danny Sullivan passed for 244 yards and a touchdown for ASU (4-4, 2-3), but he also threw two interceptions.
Tavecchio also connected from 25 and 51 yards.
The weather was gorgeous — 74 degrees and sunny at kickoff. The first half was hideous.
In the first two quarters, the Golden Bears and Sun Devils combined for four turnovers, five fumbles and 145 penalty yards.
The Sun Devils rank 120th, and last in the nation, in penalty yards per game, with 84.4. They had 85 at halftime — with 75 coming on personal fouls.
Cal jumped ahead 7-0 on an 11-yard pass from Riley to Jahvid Best five minutes into the game. The Bears made it 14-0 on a 12-yard strike from Riley to Marvin Jones.
That’s when Cal imploded. After forcing a fumble by ASU’s Ryan Bass near their own goal line, the Bears gave the ball right back when Riley fumbled at his own 3.
On the next play, ASU backup quarterback Samson Szakacsy hit Jovon Williams for a 3-yard TD pass — the first pass of Szakacsy’s career.
ASU tied it at 14-14 on its next snap. Sullivan, back in at quarterback, found Kyle Williams for an 80-yard TD.
But then Sullivan threw an interception to Syd’Quan Thompson, who returned it 38 yards to set up a 25-yard field goal by Tavecchio, giving Cal a 17-14 halftime lead.
-- Andrew Bagnato
Idaho takes 35-34 win over Louisiana Tech
MOSCOW, Idaho — Running back De’Maundray Woolridge ran for a 2-yard touchdown with 52 seconds left Saturday to boost Idaho to a 35-34 win over Louisiana Tech.
In the final second, Louisiana Tech’s Matt Nelson attempted a 56-yard field goal to change the outcome. It had the distance but went wide left.
Louisiana Tech (3-5, 2-3 Western Athletic) dominated the first half with a 28-14 lead. But Idaho’s defense held the Bulldogs to a Myke Compton touchdown in the second half with the PAT going wide right.
Woolridge, who leads the conference with 14 touchdowns, scored twice for Idaho (7-2, 4-1) in the fourth quarter.
Idaho junior quarterback Nate Enderle went 25-for-45 with two touchdown passes and two interceptions for 327 yards.
Louisiana Tech quarterback Ross Jenkins went 17-of-30 for 220 yards and three touchdowns.
News
Cox struggles against Florida, could stay on bench
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Georgia coach Mark Richt is considering a quarterback change.
Fifth-year senior Joe Cox threw three interceptions — all in the second half — and the Bulldogs lost 41-17 to rival Florida on Saturday. Cox was benched midway through the fourth quarter of Georgia’s third loss in its last four games.
Richt turned things over to sophomore Logan Gray, who threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown.
"You don’t want to make a decision right after an emotional loss," Richt said. "You have to look at the entire picture before you make a decision."
Cox took over the starting job after Matthew Stafford left school early and entered the NFL draft. Cox has started every game for Georgia (4-4, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) this season, but has 15 touchdowns passes and 12 interceptions. Turnovers have plagued the Bulldogs all season, and they now are minus-15 in the turnover ratio.
Richt might make a change before next Saturday’s game against Tennessee Tech. The Bulldogs need to win at least two of their remaining four games to become bowl eligible.
They also lead the nation with 12 consecutive seasons with eight or more wins. But to keep that streak intact, they need to win every game down the stretch.
"We’re going to regroup and get back on the winning track," Richt said. "I personally am dedicated to making sure we do that. I don’t think we have anybody who is going to jump ship. All hands are going to stay on deck and we’re going to keep fighting. Things don’t always go the way you want in life and when they don’t you’ve got to find out what you’re made of."
Cox completed 11 of 20 passes for 165 yards, with two touchdowns. He hooked up with Aron White for a 26-yard score in the second quarter that cut Florida’s lead to 14-10, then orchestrated a team-wide celebration on the sideline — similar to the end-zone one that irked Florida in 2007.
"That was me," Cox said. "It felt like a good time to get everybody up and get everybody excited. The crowd got into it and I know it got us into it. We knew we could play with them the whole time and I thought we were going to run away with it after that."
Not quite.
The move fired up Florida, which scored the final 10 points of the first half and then put the game away with a turnover early in the third.
A.J. Jones deflected Cox’s first pass of the second half and made a diving interception. The Gators scored three plays later to make it 31-10.
"Not a very good way to start the second half," Richt said.
Cox struggled the rest of the night.
"I lost the game with three picks," Cox said. "That score does not reflect how we played, how we moved the ball. I mean, it’s the truth. Any time you turn the ball over that many times and give people chances to score, a good team is going to score and they did and that’s why we got beat."
Now, his starting days might be over.
"There’s only four games left in the regular season and there’s no guarantee of a bowl," Richt said. "Will we play a game where we don’t do things that hinders us being the very best we can be? I’m responsible for all of that. I’m responsible for keeping the turnovers and penalties down."
-- Mark Long
Minnesota’s Decker needs surgery to fix left foot
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota wide receiver Eric Decker will have surgery to fix torn ligaments in his left foot, ending his college career and complicating his status for the NFL draft.
Decker confirmed his decision before Saturday’s game against Michigan State. He will have the operation Wednesday in Charlotte, N.C., with specialist Dr. Robert Anderson.
The injury is known as a Lisfranc sprain, a tear of the ligament that holds his first two toes in place. He was hurt last week at Ohio State, while running a route toward the sideline when he tried to plant quickly and felt a strange sensation. At first, he thought one of his cleats broke off. Then he realized the problem.
"I put some more pressure on my foot, and then from there I knew something was wrong," said Decker, who won’t be able to run for another five months.
He said he’s been told he’ll need eight months of rehabilitation before he’s at full speed again. That means Decker, who was one of 10 finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s best receiver, won’t be able to participate in the scouting combine before the draft.
Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in June, Decker didn’t rule out taking up baseball again, but it’s not his focus now. He expressed no regret about choosing the rougher sport.
"I looked at the pros and cons with the lifestyle and the career aspirations that I have beyond football stuff, and the best bet is to play football," Decker said, adding: "It’s harder on your body than baseball, but it’s not year round. You still have a couple months to do other things. I’ve got other goals that I want to accomplish."
He already has his undergraduate degree and is taking grad classes in sports management. Once he’s healthy, he’ll resume training for the pros with the hope of selling some NFL team on his potential despite the injury.
Decker was in touch with Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokley, who had the same injury earlier in his NFL career and advised Decker about the recovery process. Ted Ginn Jr. also had it, but the Miami Dolphins still took the speedster out of Ohio State with the ninth overall selection in the 2007 draft.
Despite playing sparingly as a freshman, having a sprained left ankle interrupt his season last November, and now ending his senior year two-thirds of the way through, Decker is Minnesota’s all-time leading receiver with 3,119 yards. His 24 touchdown receptions rank third in school history.
This sudden end of the senior season he was so eager for has been difficult for Decker to stomach. His voice quivered slightly and his eyes looked glassy while he sat at a podium Saturday to discuss the injury and his future.
"It’s going to be a good test of character for myself," Decker said. "I think it’s going to make me appreciate what I’ve had."
-- Dave Campbell
Auburn safety carried off field on backboard
AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn safety Zac Etheridge was carried off the field on a backboard after a collision with teammate Antonio Coleman in the first quarter against Mississippi.
The two players banged helmets at the end of a running play Saturday. Etheridge appeared to have hurt his neck and was taken to a hospital for evaluation, but Auburn officials said he was able to move all his extremities.
Etheridge lay on the field for several minutes while both head coaches stood at midfield looking on. Auburn players knelt on the sidelines and on the field.
The safety was strapped to a backboard with his head immobilized, and flashed a thumbs-up as he was taken off the field and up a tunnel to a waiting ambulance.
Etheridge came into the game fourth on the team with 49 tackles.
Pac-10 commissioner to meet with Blount
EUGENE, Ore. — Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott says he will meet with suspended Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount and school officials over possible reinstatement.
Scott made the comments before No. 10 Oregon’s game against No. 4 USC on Saturday.
Blount was suspended for the season after punching a Boise State player in the aftermath of Oregon’s 19-8 loss to the Broncos in the season opener.
Scott says he’ll meet with Blount, Oregon counsel, university president Richard Lariviere, athletic director Mike Bellotti and coach Chip Kelly and members of his staff.
Scott says the university has not made formal moves to reinstate Blount and his role "completely depends on the university and whether they want the penalty revisited."
Vols wear black jerseys, orange pants on Halloween
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Volunteers had a Halloween treat — and a trick — for their fans on Saturday night.
After wearing their traditional orange home jerseys during pregame warmups, the Vols took the field against South Carolina in black jerseys with orange numbers and orange pants.
Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin had refused earlier in the week to say if the Vols would wear black on Halloween night, and athletic director Mike Hamilton denied rumors of black jerseys.
The Vols wore black jerseys prior to adopting orange jerseys during the 1922 season.
Ex-Husker’s rings, trophy net $28,500 at auction
SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. — A court-ordered auction of former Nebraska football player Aaron Taylor’s championship hardware has brought in $28,500.
It took about 30 minutes to sell Taylor’s seven championship rings and his Outland Trophy on Saturday morning in Scottsbluff. Bids were taken in person and online.
The trophy netted the highest bids, selling for $6,800. The rings sold for $2,000 to $5,900.
The auction was forced by the failure of the Husker-themed Scarlet and Cream Letter Club restaurant Taylor started in Omaha with other former NU players and his resulting bankruptcy.
