ALABAMA...Starting sr. DT Childress hurt his ankle in 1st Q of 28-23 loss at rival Auburn.
ARIZONA...Tucson sources say Oklahoma d.c. Mike Stoops, younger brother of Sooner HC Bob, is the frontrunner to become Wildcats? new HC, though highly-regarded Southern Cal o.c. Norm Chow, Cincinnati Bengal asst. and former UA star LB Ricky Hunley, and Boise State HC Dan Hawkins will also be interviewed for the job.
ARIZONA STATE...Starting jr. SS Stewart (neck) will not play vs. rival Arizona. RS frosh TB Wade (concussion, flu; team-leading 653 YR on 5.5 ypc) DNP at Wash. State, but he is expected to be available against Wildcats.
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ARKANSAS...Starting sr. OLB Gallon was kicked off team after he was arrested on DUI charges last week. Soph MLB Olajubutu sat out Miss. State game after he was also arrested on DUI charges, and soph MLB Moore (knee) has missed last few games. Olajubutu & Moore are questionable vs. LSU, as are starting jr. CB Carroll (ankle) & soph DE Murphy (knee).
BOISE STATE...Starting sr. WR Jerry Smith (knee; 26 catches for 509 yards & 5 TDs) did not make trip to Fresno last week. He is only the 2nd Bronco starter to miss a game due to injury this season. BSU clinched at least a share of WAC title with 31-17 win over Bulldogs and are expected to accept an invitation to Humanitarian Bowl, played at their home stadium, later this week.
BOWLING GREEN...Starting sr. MLB Hewitt (ankle), one of Falc?s top tacklers, DNP at Ball State. Neither did starting soph WR Sharon (40 catches for 614 yards & 6 TDs), who was attending a family funeral.
CENTRAL FLORIDA...Since the first week of November, eight players, including starting sr. QB Schneider, have been suspended and HC Mike Kruzcek has been fired. A.D. Orsini is reportedly interested in Minnesota Viking d.c. George O?Leary as possible successor to Kruczek. Orsini was assistant A.D. at Georgia Tech when O?Leary was HC of Jackets. O?Leary left to take over at Notre Dame, but he was forced to resign before assuming position after admitting to falsifying parts of his resume. Other possible candidates include Maryland o.c. Bill O?Brien, East Carolina o.c. Rick Stockstill, Auburn d.c. Gene Chizik, Georgia d.c. Bill Van Gorder, and Stanford o.c. David Kelly.
CINCINNATI...Jr. RB Hall, Bearcats? most productive & versatile offensive weapon, has been severely limited over the last month by a nagging ankle injury. Hall had no receptions and only 5 carries for 26 yards in 21-16 loss at Memphis last week.
EAST CAROLINA...Starting jr. QB Desmond Robinson (ankle) has missed last 2 games. RS frosh Pinkney has completed 29 of 61 for 272 yards with 1 TDP and 2 ints. in those 2 games.
FLORIDA ST...Mercurial jr. WR Thorpe (team-high 51 catches for 994 yards and 11 TDs) broke his leg late in 50-44 double-OT home win over N.C. State and is thru for season.
GEORGIA TECH...Regardless of outcome vs. Georgia this week, Jackets are expected to be invited to Humanitarian Bowl to face Boise State on its home field. True frosh QB Ball says, "I sure wouldn?t want to go to Boise, but if we have to settle for Boise, we?ll just go win up there." Star sr. WR Jonathan Smith has returned a punt for a TD in each of the last 2 games.
IOWA STATE...Juco QB Terry got his 3rd straight start last week at Kansas, but he was benched in 2nd Q before returning in 4th Q. Terry, RS frosh Flynn, and jr. Love were a combined 10 of 28 for only 79 yards with 2 ints. in 36-7 loss to Jayhawks, Cyclones? 9th loss in a row straight up & vs. spread. ISU had only 176 total yards, 125 of those coming in 1st Q.
KENTUCKY...Top WR sr. Abney (foot; team-high 51 catches this season), who had NCAA-record 7 return TDs in 2002 and another one earlier this year, starting soph CB Bo Smith (groin), starting sr. CB Burress, jr. DB Flowers, and starting sr. RT Hall (concussion) were all hurt during 30-10 loss at Georgia.
LOUISVILLE...Top RB soph Shelton (neck) has missed last 2 games and will not play in reg.-season finale at Cincy. Jr. Gates ran for 140 yards & 4 TDs and caught 2 passes for 91 more yards as Cardinals had school-record 779 yards in 66-45 home win over Houston last week. Versatile blue-chip true frosh Bush, who has seen time at QB, WR & RB this season, chipped in with 137 yards rushing & 2 TDs.
MEMPHIS...Star soph RB DeAngelo Williams (knee), who leads nation in all-purpose ypg, hurt his knee in 3rd Q vs. Cincy, will not play this week against So. Florida, and will probably miss Tigers? bowl game. Versatile soph WR Avery (11 TDs, 46 catches for 728 yards) DNP in 21-16 home win over Bearcats and also probably won?t return this season due to his own knee injury.
MIAMI-FLORIDA...Starting jr. C Rodriguez broke his leg vs. Rutgers and is thru for season. Struggling Cane offense had only 93 yards passing & 13 first downs in 34-10 home win over Knights (Miami led just 6-3 at halftime). QB Berlin said after the game, "Punting is good for us, to let our defense get back on the field and make plays."
MISSOURI...Starting soph S Simpson (suspension) DNP at K-State. Starting jr. LB Kinney sprained his ankle in 1st half of 24-14 loss to Wildcats.
NEBRASKA...Lincoln insiders report A.D. Pederson is preparing to "offer" HC Solich another job within the department, with a group of Husker boosters prepared to foot the bill to buy out the beleaguered Solich?s contract.
NEVADA...Big-play sr. WR Fleming (concussion; 23 ypc) is not expected to return for season finale at Boise State, and neither is starting soph LB Logan Carter (knee).
OHIO...Star jr. ILB Chukwuemeka (knee) DNP vs. Miami-O. and is not expected back for Marshall.
PITTSBURGH...Sr. TB Miree returned to action at Temple after sitting out previous 7 games with a nagging heel injury. Miree ran for 188 yards and 2 TDs in 30-16 win over Owls. Panthers had averaged only 74 ypg rushing in their previous 6 outings.
SOUTH FLORIDA...Starting jr. QB Banks left late in 1st half vs. UAB after hurting his back. Raw RS frosh Julmiste was 6 of 16 for only 74 yards with no TDP and 3 ints., but he did run for 73 yards in 22-19 home loss to Blazers.
UAB...RS frosh QB Falany got the first start of his collegiate career last week at South Florida. Falany was 10 of 15 for 128 yards with 2 TDP and no ints., but was forced to leave game after being sacked in 4th Q. RS frosh Chris Williams, who had started previous 3 games after top QB soph Hackney was lost to season-ending injury, threw an int. on his first pass attempt. But on next series, Williams completed 2 of 5 for 39 yards while leading Blazers 55 yards in just over a minute to set up game-winning 42-yard FG with only 9 seconds left in 22-19 road upset of Bulls. Long snapper jr. Newton broke his leg in 3rd Q.
UNLV...Starting jr. QB Nantkes (groin) sat out vs. Colorado State. True frosh Steichen, whom Rebs had hoped to redshirt, was 12 of 26 for 172 yards with no TDP and no ints. in 24-23 home loss to Rams.
UTEP...Starting RS frosh QB Jordan Palmer (back) left in 1st Q at Rice. Starting jr. RT Espinosa was also hurt early in 45-14 loss to Owls. Starting soph DE Brandon Johnson (suspension) DNP.
VIRGINIA TECH...Starting sr. DE Nathaniel Adibi (broken thumb) & starting jr. DT Kevin Lewis (sprained knee) DNP vs. Boston College.
WEST VIRGINIA...Star RB Wilson sprained his ankle late in 1st half at Syracuse and had only 5 carries in 2nd half of 34-23 win over Orange.
WYOMING...Top RB sr. Armah dislocated his shoulder after only 3 carries vs. New Mexico. Starting sr. WR Floyd (sprained knee) was also hurt in 26-3 home loss to Lobos
