It’s official: California and Hawaii will open the 2016 season in Australia.
Cal announced Saturday that the two teams will square off on Aug 27, 2016 at ANZ Stadium (capacity: 83,500) in Sydney. It will be the first college football game played in Australia since games were played in Melbourne in 1985 and 1987 and the first-ever college football game held in Sydney.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime type of experience for our student-athletes and an excellent opportunity to see and learn about another culture,” Cal head coach Sonny Dykes said in a release. “We are proud to represent the University of California at this historic event. A great deal of hard work by many people has gone into making this a reality, and everyone associated with Cal Athletics is excited to take part in it.
“It is a great day for college football and all the fans of our sport. It shows the popularity college football is gaining, and we’re ready to help further introduce the sport to many more fans.”
Added Cal athletic director Mike Williams: “We are thrilled to open our 2016 football season in Sydney. This will be a tremendous cultural and educational experience for our student-athletes, our football program, our university, and our fan base around the world. We are a global university with global alumni and fans, and we are excited to be bringing college football to the great country of Australia.”
Cal and Hawaii have previously played four times with each side winning twice. The most recent matchup was a 21-7 Hawaii win in Berkeley in 1994. Hawaii won the first game between the two schools in 1934 while Cal was victorious in 1968 and 1993.
Cal previously had a home game against FCS South Dakota scheduled for Sept. 3, but this game will now take its place. After the Australia trip, the Bears won’t resume play until a road game against San Diego State on Sept. 10.
The game against Cal will be the first in the tenure of Nick Rolovich, who was announced as Hawaii’s new head coach on Friday. Rolovich, a former Hawaii quarterback, spent the past four seasons as the offensive coordinator at Nevada.
Bill Cubit has dropped the interim title at Illinois.
Cubit and the university have agreed to a two-year deal pending approval by the U of I Board of Trustees.
The agreement extends Cubit’s current contract and will pay him $1.2 million per year.
Cubit was named interim coach on Aug. 28 after head coach Tim Beckman was fired. Cubit has led the Illini to a 5-6 record. Illinois plays Northwestern for bowl eligibility on Saturday.
Cubit's two-year deal is definitely a stopgap for the Illini, who are fighting public perception after several football players alleged verbal and emotional abuse at the hands of Beckman. Illinois also is looking for a new athletic director in the wake of those allegations.
“Bill has stepped in during an extremely difficult period and done an outstanding job in leading our football program since August,” Illinois interim athletics director Paul Kowalczyk said. “Our student-athletes have responded in a positive manner and we feel he is the best person at this time to be the head coach. We wanted to allow Bill to make decisions regarding the program as the head coach without the interim title, and lead the Fighting Illini into Saturday’s game without speculation.”
The Jimbo Fisher-to-LSU link may not be as strong as many LSU boosters think it is.
According to the Palm Beach Post, the Florida State coach has told FSU president John Thrasher he doesn't have a desire to leave the school. Fisher has been mentioned as a possible successor to Les Miles if LSU cuts ties with its longtime coach following the season. The Tigers have lost three straight games after starting the season 7-0.
From the Post:
Sources have told the Post that Fisher, whose name has been connected to the expected opening at LSU, has made it clear he is happy with the administration, the support he receives and the direction of the program, and has no intentions of leaving Florida State for another coaching job.
At Florida State, Fisher has become one of college football's most successful coaches . Since Fisher succeeded Bobby Bowden in 2010, Florida State is 67-13. The Seminoles won the final BCS Championship after the 2013 season and went to the College Football Playoff after 2014.
The Seminoles have two losses in 2015 (to Georgia Tech and Clemson) and with a win on Saturday against Florida, are likely heading to a New Year's Six bowl game.
Fisher is a former offensive coordinator at LSU. His ties to the university and his status as Florida State's coach have made him the most commonly mentioned name in the speculation surrounding Miles' future. Given LSU's track record with Miles and his recruiting prowess, there aren't too many coaches who would be considered an upgrade over the 11-year coach of the Tigers.
But it's always been curious as to why Fisher would want to leave the cushiness at Florida State for LSU. Sure, he may be the top target of LSU boosters, but given Miles' track record at the school, it doesn't take too much to make Tigers fans want a new coach apparently. And the SEC West is considerably tougher than the ACC. Fisher can continue to dominate the ACC at FSU with Clemson. In the West, he's got a lot of competition.
Plus, if Fisher is staying at Florida State, it makes the desire of many around the LSU program to get rid of Miles even more curious. Does the school have another replacement lined up? Was Fisher a smokescreen? Or is the school not sure who will be its next head coach if Miles is out the door? If it's the last question, the craziness at LSU could be getting even crazier.
It appears Memphis coach Justin Fuente has been tabbed as the man to replace Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech.
Multiple reports surfaced Saturday indicating an announcement would be made next week and that defensive coordinator Bud Foster and running backs coach Shane Beamer, the son of Frank Beamer, would remain on the Hokies’ staff.
Justin Fuente will be new coach at Virginia Tech. Bud Foster & Shane Beamer will remain on Hokies' staff, source told @espn
Yahoo Sports’ columnist Pat Forde speculated earlier this week that Fuente would be the Hokies’ choice and that he had been the favorite for awhile.
Virginia Tech (9) – Leaving: Frank Beamer. Arriving: The Dash is betting the mortgage on Memphis coach Justin Fuente, and betting that it happens quickly next week. Word is that athletic director Whit Babcock has his man, and has for a while now, and Fuente is that man. He’s done a remarkable job at previously moribund Memphis, going 18-6 over the past two seasons. It’s possible that tumbling dominoes at LSU and points elsewhere (namely Florida State) unspring this, but unlikely. A Fuente hiring would also keep Rich Rodriguez in place at Arizona.
Fuente has spent four seasons at Memphis. He won just seven games in his first two seasons before a breakout 10-win season a year ago. The Tigers are 9-3 this season.
Memphis did say it made a competitive offer to Fuente to get him to stay with the Tigers but did not specifically say how much that deal was worth. Reports did cite the number was more than $3 million.
A week after totaling just 132 yards against Michigan State in its first loss of the season, Ohio State ran for 370 yards in a 42-13 win over Michigan on Saturday.
And while the domination is a sign Ohio State's offense wasn't broken beyond repair against the Spartans, it's also going to make Buckeyes fans wonder if things would have been different had Ohio State's offense performed like this earlier in the season.
Ezekiel Elliott ran for 214 yards and two touchdowns, and J.T. Barrett ran for 138 and three touchdowns as the Buckeyes ran over, around and through the Wolverines. With Elliott and Barrett in the backfield, Ohio State made Michigan play gaps, and when the Wolverines overcommitted, one or the other would break a big gain.
Elliott got just 12 carries against the Spartans. The Ohio State coaching staff made sure he was safely past that mark Saturday as he finished with 30 carries. Both offensive coordinator Ed Warriner and co-offensive coordinator Tim Beck moved to the press box for the game. Did the move help? It's impossible to say it did or didn't, unless it was the catalyst for the Buckeyes to stick with the power running game.
Oh, by the way, Elliott was asked about the play-calling in Saturday's game by ESPN's Holly Rowe. He had no complaints.
Ohio State's rushing defense was pretty good too. The Buckeyes held the Wolverines to 55 rushing yards on 24 carries.
After taking a 14-10 halftime lead, Ohio State opened the second half with a touchdown drive. Following a defensive stop, the Buckeyes struck again with a drive that included 16 plays and spanned more than seven minutes. The final play was a Barrett touchdown run, his third of the day, to push the lead to 28-10. The 18-point lead was insurmountable for the Wolverines.
Michigan also lost quarterback Jake Rudock in the fourth quarter to an injury that could keep him out of a bowl game. Rudock was sacked by defensive end Joey Bosa and landed on his left shoulder with Ohio State leading 35-13. After he was attended to by Michigan's medical staff, he was helped to the sidelines and didn't return.
Rudock finished 19-of-32 passing for 263 yards and a touchdown. The Wolverines also utilized defensive back Jabrill Peppers more on offense. Peppers led the team in rushing yards and also had two catches.
At 11-1, Ohio State is undoubtedly going to a prestigious bowl game. The only question is which one. If Michigan State falls to Penn State, the Buckeyes could head to the College Football Playoff with a win in the Big Ten title game. If MSU wins Saturday afternoon, the more likely scenario is a New Year's Six bowl game, perhaps the Fiesta Bowl. And with the way the Buckeyes played on Saturday, there's no one who wants to face them.
Three years ago, Southern Miss failed to win a game.
On Saturday, the Golden Eagles became Conference USA West Division champions.
Southern Miss scored three touchdowns on three Louisiana Tech turnovers in the fourth quarter to blow out the Bulldogs 58-24 and earn a berth in the Conference USA title game. The Golden Eagles will play at Western Kentucky next weekend.
Southern Miss jumped out to a 24-3 lead late in the second quarter thanks to a balanced passing and rushing attack. But the Bulldogs cut the lead to 24-10 right before halftime to give themselves a chance.
Louisiana Tech scored first in the third quarter to cut the Golden Eagles lead to a touchdown, but Southern Miss quarterback Nick Mullens answered quickly with a one-yard touchdown pass to Korey Robertson. After that, the wheels fell off for Louisiana Tech.
The Bulldogs turned the ball over on three consecutive plays and Golden Eagles running back Ito Smith rushed for touchdowns on each subsequent possession. In less than a minute at the start of the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs went from trailing by 14 points to 51-17 deficit.
The division title capped a dramatic turnaround for a Southern Miss team that had won four games in the previous three seasons.
In 2011, Southern Miss, behind coach Larry Fedora, won 12 games, including beating Houston in the C-USA title game and besting Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl. But since Fedora left for North Carolina, the Golden Eagles have fallen on tough times. They went winless in 2012 and won just one game in 2013. But this year, coach Todd Monken finally had the right players in place to become competitive in C-USA again.
Next week’s game against Western Kentucky will not be easy. The Hilltoppers are undefeated in conference play and are averaging 44.2 points per game.
AUBURN, Ala.—The famed Toomer’s Corners oaks have been gone for more than two years now. The Auburn icons, poisoned by a way-too-enthusiastic Alabama fan in 2011, are now souvenir shards; in their place stand newer, tinier oaks protected by fences. “This is tradition,” reads a small sign on the fence. “This is worth the wait. This is Auburn.”
It’s a fine sentiment, patience, one that has little place in college football. And yet that’s exactly what Auburn fans will need: patience, and truckloads of it. Auburn lost Saturday’s Iron Bowl 29-13 to relentless rival Alabama thanks to Derrick Henry's 271 yards on 46 carries, but not before a healthy serving of the strangeness that always characterizes this rivalry.
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This is how we got there. Start with a perfect college football day, 73 degrees and sunny, a light breeze keeping everyone in perfect comfort – it’s the kind of day that makes alumni wish they were still undergrads, and makes undergrads believe they’ll live forever.
Alabama needs a win to clinch the SEC West and level up one more notch en route to the College Football Playoff. There’s nothing really at stake here for Auburn but pride—not that pride is inconsequential, but for a man like Nick Saban, pride is what losers cling to when they can’t win on the field.
Still, this is a blood rivalry. Strange things happen when Auburn and Alabama meet. No one knows that better, or with more acute pain, than Saban himself.
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“Let me tell you about Auburn,” the pregame hype video intones, and then comes the kicker: “It’ll only take a second.”
Kick Six looms large over this rivalry, as it always will. Saturday was the first time the Iron Bowl returned to the scene of one of the most spectacular plays in college football history, a night when one second, one missed kick, one improbable run to a touchdown altered the entire balance of power in this rivalry.
Echoes of Auburn’s Kick Six victory are everywhere. The Auburn crowd boos every Alabama starter save Adam Griffith, the kicker who missed that fateful 57-yard attempt. Another video in the instants before kickoff showed the entirety of the play—Griffith’s miss, Chris Davis’s catch, the run, the celebration—and the Auburn crowd cheered as loud as if it was happening live. On the Alabama sideline, a few players watched defiantly, but most turned away.
Alabama has more recent national championships, yes, but Auburn will always own a tiny corner of the Tide mind.
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In his first field goal attempt at Jordan-Hare since Kick Six, Griffith doesn’t miss. Of course, he’s about 30 yards closer this time around, but it’s enough to put the Tide up 3-0 early in the game. Auburn reels off big gains on the ensuing possession, but stalls out at the Alabama 7 and ends up merely matching the Tide’s field goal. On the ensuing possession, Auburn again gouges deep into Alabama territory, and again comes away with only a field goal. You get the sense that Auburn doesn’t quite have Alabama’s full attention just yet.
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Auburn entered the season with hope and a couple easy wins over out-of-conference opponents, but consecutive losses to LSU and Mississippi State knocked the life out of the Tigers’ season before September even ended.
But this is the Iron Bowl. This is blood. This is war. Outside Toomer’s Drugstore, within sight of the new oaks, scalpers aren’t even listening to offers of $100 a ticket. At Price’s Barbecue Shop a few blocks away, a few old-timers are discussing the provenance of the day’s ref’s—“One’s from south Alabama, down Route 43”—and trying to decide whether that bodes well or ill for the Tigers. Profiteers walking the crowd play both sides, hawking “BEAT AUBURN” and “BEAT BAMA” buttons, but they’re selling many more of the latter than the former.
Closer to the stadium, students and alumni alike gather under party tents along Roosevelt. The older fans hug in recognition as the students try hard to impress their significant others’ parents-slash-potential internship bosses. Signs adorning the tents feature every imaginable riff on “War Eagle,” including the hint-of-discord duo of “War Damn Fam Jam” and “Original War Damn Fam Jam” close to one another, but not too close.
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Alabama ends the first half with, yes, a field goal – its fourth, the sixth overall, of the half. As Bama sets up for the 50-yard attempt, Auburn sends a man to stand deep in the end zone. You know, just in case.
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Rivalry is everywhere. Auburn knows it’s outmanned and outgunned in this game, the “STATE OF AUBURN” and “HEY NICK, GOT A SECOND?” t-shirts notwithstanding. When the stadium’s public address announcer reveals that Auburn has out-charitied Alabama, gathering 211,625 pounds of canned goods to the Tide’s 116,370, the Auburn crowd offers up one of the louder cheers of the day. Any edge. Take any edge.
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Over on the Alabama sideline, offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin hobbles in a red-and-white oversized shoe, necessary protection for a broken toe. Kiffin claimed, apparently with a straight face, that his daughter broke his toe over the Thanksgiving holiday by jumping on his foot while dancing to “Sweet Home Alabama.” Kiffin has been leading a convincing Alabama offensive attack most of the year, but this game is as awkward as, yes, a man trying to dance with a broken toe.
Then, with 7 minutes left in the third quarter, the yellow hammer at last begins to pound. Coker scrambles like he’s fighting relatives for the last turkey leg, first keeping the drive alive during a critical third down, then eluding Tiger bodies to find ArDarius Stewart in the end zone for a how-the-hell-did-he-do-that 34-yard touchdown.
And then crazy happens, because crazy always happens in the Iron Bowl, even one as numbing and kick-heavy as this one. Johnson steps back and slings it deep to Jason Smith. Johnson has thrown it too far; Smith can only fingertip it. But he’s able to knock the ball up into the air, run underneath it, and outrun the Tide defenders who, quite reasonably, thought there was no way an overthrown ball would suddenly turn into six points.
Cam Newton, the former Auburn quarterback who’s now one of the finest players in the NFL, is in the house. So too is Josh Donaldson of the Blue Jays, the reigning American League MVP. And, of course, Bo Jackson, probably the greatest all-around athlete in American sports history. Auburn’s got one hell of an alumni contingent.
The present doesn’t look quite as bright. The Tigers aren’t able to follow up their Tip-Six touchdown with anything approaching a meaningful series on either side of the ball. Meanwhile, Alabama is running Henry again, and again, and again ... 14 consecutive times over two series, hammering away at the fragmenting Auburn defense. Finally, with 26 seconds remaining in the game, the Tiger line crumbles, and Henry runs for a 25-yard touchdown that salts away the game and, perhaps, Henry's Heisman chances.
Moments later, Henry runs off the field, looking to hand his gloves to one of the many children in houndstooth and crimson. As Henry reaches forward, an overenthusiastic, and likely overserved, Auburn fan reaches out and grabs at Henry's hands. A cop shoves the Auburn fan back; Henry drops off the gloves and continues down the small tunnel that leads to the visitors' locker room.
"Should've arrested him," the cop mutters as the rowdy Auburn fan storms off.
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Nick Saban, as usual, betrays absolutely nothing.
He opens his postgame press conference with a sampler platter of coaching cliches: "I couldn't be more proud of the guys" ... "I've got to give the Auburn players a lot of credit" ... "It was really a battle, and a tough one" ... and on and on. Saban is a brilliant football mind, and part of that brilliance is in stiff-arming any inquiry that cuts beneath the surface level. He visibly scowls when asked whether the Kick Six had any impact on tonight's game. "Discipline / Commitment / Effort / Toughness / Pride: The Process begins here," reads the banner on the side of an Alabama equipment truck parked out behind the stadium. It's a reference to "The Process," Saban's do-the-little-things-right philosophy on coaching and life, and it's served both him and the teams he leads so very well.
Every so often, Saban lets slip a look into the way he views the game, which is so very different from you and me. On discussing the tip-to-touchdown play, he notes, "We played cover two and they were in empty. We didn't make the right check on the empty side, because we usually check and the players were confused, so we busted. Geno (Matias-Smith, defensive back) still had a chance to make the play, but he sort of undercut the ball, and when the guy tipped the ball there was nobody left." You get the sense that Saban could proselytize like that on every play. His memory is that good.
Long after the game, a figure from Saban's past puts that memory to the test. Dwayne Marrow of Youngstown, Ohio is standing near the Alabama locker room, a borrowed Bo Jackson No. 34 Auburn jersey on. More than three decades ago, Saban, then an assistant coach at Michigan State, visited with Marrow and his family on multiple occasions, trying to recruit him to the Spartans. Marrow ultimately chose Miami, and noted on Saturday night that he wished he'd chosen to go with Saban.
"I loved that man," Marrow said, "loved him! Looking back, I should have listened to him."On this night, Marrow gets a chance to visit with Saban once again. And Saban, after a moment's hesitation, remembers not only Marrow himself, but his entire family, many of whom Saban considered for his team. Saban agrees to pose for photos with a clearly elated Morrow, who wraps up the Alabama coach like he's going to take him home for Christmas.
At least one person wearing an Auburn jersey is going home happy.
Michigan State had a comfortable lead over Penn State in the fourth quarter, so Mark Dantonio allowed a senior to have some fun in his final home game.
After Penn State fumbled on a kickoff, the Spartans, leading 48-16, had first-and-goal from the PSU nine-yard line and put an unusual ballcarrier in the backfield: offensive lineman Jack Allen.
Allen, a starting center who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 296 pounds, took the carry and showed that linemen are great athletes, too. Watch this:
The Spartans needed a win over Penn State Saturday to clinch the Big Ten East division and keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive. They did so emphatically.
Michigan State's defense forced four Penn State turnovers while the offense carved up an overmatched PSU defense in a blowout 55-16 win.
In the first half, it looked like the Spartans could be in for a tough one. MSU led 13-3, but Penn State was driving in the final minutes of the half. Nittany Lions quarterback Christian Hackenberg hit tight end Kyle Carter for a first down to the MSU 23, but Carter was stripped. Spartans safety Demetrious Cox picked up the loose ball and sprinted 77 yards for a touchdown to give the Spartans a 20-3 lead.
Penn State was able to cut the lead to 20-10 at halftime, but the second half was completely dominated by Michigan State.
Connor Cook, who returned after missing the Ohio State game with a shoulder issue, threw two third quarter touchdowns to increase the lead to 34-10. The offensive line completely wore down the undermanned Penn State defense the rest of the way and the Spartans cruised to a blowout victory.
The game was probably closer than the final score indicates, but the game entered blowout territory when standout defensive lineman Malik McDowell returned a tipped screen pass 13 yards for a score. And to put the cherry on top of the win, Cook handed off starting center – yes, starting center – Jack Allen for a nine-yard touchdown that put the bow on top of a division-clinching win.
Now that Michigan State took care of business with Penn State, another big test is ahead in next Saturday’s Big Ten title game against Iowa in Indianapolis.
That game will likely decide more than the Big Ten champion.
Iowa, which beat Nebraska on Friday to clinch a perfect 12-0 regular season, was No. 4 in last week’s College Football Playoff rankings, while Michigan State was No. 5. The winner of the game will undoubtedly seal a spot in the four-team College Football Playoff while the loser could be on the outside looking in.
USC is heading to its first Pac-12 title game courtesy of Saturday’s 40-21 win against rival UCLA.
Saturday’s game was a de facto Pac-12 South championship game with the winner of the contest heading to Santa Clara to play Stanford for the conference title. The game was close early, with the two teams trading points through much of the first half. However, a 42-yard punt return late in the second quarter gave the Trojans a 20-14 lead and momentum heading into the half.
UCLA tried to steal that momentum back early with a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Paul Perkins, which gave the Bruins a 21-20 lead. It would be their last lead of the game.
UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen lost a fumble and threw an interception on the Bruins’ next two possessions and the Trojans turned both mistakes into touchdowns. Rasheem Green picked up the Rosen fumble and ran it 31 yards into the end zone. Darreus Rodgers hauled in a 20-yard touchdown pass to complete an eight-play drive following the interception. Rosen’s interception marked his first in 245 passes. He actually threw two on the day and had a couple potential interceptions dropped.
Those two mistakes in the third quarter were all USC would need to tighten the screws against the Bruins and take control of the game. UCLA had trouble mounting any sort of offense and USC almost exclusively used its running game in the fourth quarter to whittle down the clock. Kessler threw three passes in the quarter, including a 7-yard touchdown pass to Taylor McNamara. Otherwise, USC ran the ball 18 times in the quarter.
The win marked USC’s first against the Bruins in four straight seasons and the Trojans’ first-ever Pac-12 title game berth. USC last won a Pac-12 title in 2008, but has never won a divisional title since divisions were formed prior to the 2011 season.
The Trojans will meet up with Stanford, which defeated USC 41-31 in Los Angeles on Sept. 20. The Cardinal face Notre Dame on Saturday in what likely will be a College Football Playoff elimination game. If Stanford beats Notre Dame and USC — and some other teams lose — the Cardinal could find themselves in the top four.
With bowl games in Orlando and Tucson added this season, there will be a record 41 bowl games played this season. That calls for 80 teams to fill all of those slots.
Coming into this weekend’s set of games, 71 teams already sealed bowl berths while 14 additional five-win teams had a chance to clinch bowl eligibility.
Only four teams – Washington, Tulsa, Indiana and Virginia Tech – were able to take advantage of that opportunity.
Here’s how it went down:
From Friday's games:
Nebraska (5-7): The Huskers hung tough with No. 4 Iowa, but were doomed by four interceptions from Tommy Armstrong in a 28-20 loss. Nebraska, at 5-7, still has a chance for postseason play. We’ll get to that later.
Washington (6-6): The Huskies blew out in-state rival Washington State (who played without starting quarterback Luke Falk) 45-10 in an impressive home win in the Apple Cup to improve to 6-6.
Missouri (5-7): In what was Missouri’s final regular season game under head coach Gary Pinkel, the Tigers failed to get much going offensively in a 28-3 loss to Arkansas in Fayetteville. Like Nebraska, Missouri dropped to 5-7, but still could find itself playing in the postseason.
San Jose State (5-7): The Spartans led the Broncos 10-9 at halftime, but could not keep the BSU offense out of the end zone for long. Boise scored 24 points in the fourth quarter to improve to 8-4 while SJSU dropped to 5-7.
Buffalo (5-7): This one was not good. The Bulls started the season 5-4 but dropped their final three games to miss out on a bowl. On Friday, Buffalo lost 31-26 at home to lowly UMass, who will finish with just three wins. UMass RB Marquis Young carved up the Buffalo D for 240 yards and three touchdowns. UB had most of the fourth quarter to take a lead, but could not move the ball whatsoever.
Tulsa (6-6): Tulsa looked like it would pull a Buffalo and blow its chance to reach six wins against three-win Tulane, but the Golden Hurricane scored three times in the final seven minutes – including two pick-sixes – to win 45-34.
From Saturday's games:
Kentucky (5-7): This one stings. The Wildcats stormed out to a 24-7 halftime lead over rival Louisville at home, but allowed the Cardinals to storm back in a big way. Louisville scored 31 unanswered points in the second half to beat the Wildcats 38-24. Kentucky could muster only 291 yards of offense in the loss. Not great.
East Carolina (5-7): East Carolina dropped a heartbreaker to Cincinnati when the Bearcats’ Andrew Gantz drilled a 42-yard field goal as time expired to give Cincy a win and spoil the bowl hopes of the Pirates.
Old Dominion (5-7): The Monarchs finished 6-6 in their first FBS season last year, but missed out on a bowl. With a bowl berth pretty much guaranteed with a win over Florida Atlantic, ODU laid an egg. FAU picked up just its third win of the year by beating ODU 33-31 in Norfolk. ODU actually came all the way back from a 24-3 deficit, but Owls kicker Greg Joseph hit a 29-yarder with 5:26 to go to pull out an upset win.
Virginia Tech (6-6): For the 23rd consecutive season, Virginia Tech will play in the postseason. In what was Frank Beamer’s final regular season game as Hokies head coach, Virginia Tech came from behind to beat in-state rival Virginia to win its sixth game of the season. Joey Slye’s 41-yard field goal with 1:38 to go was the deciding score in the 23-20 win.
Indiana (6-6): For the first time in the Kevin Wilson era, Indiana is headed to a bowl game. The Hoosiers used their high-powered offense to overwhelm Purdue, 54-36. The Hoosiers finished off the season with back-to-back road wins over Maryland and the Boilermakers to reach a bowl game for the first time since 2007.
Louisiana Lafayette (4-7): The Ragin’ Cajuns were clinging to life at 4-6 coming into Saturday’s game at Appalachian State, but had no answer against a nine-win App State team.
Illinois (5-7): On the same day the Illini named Bill Cubit it's full-time coach moving forward, Cubit's bunch couldn't overcome Northwestern at Soldier Field. Illinois scored first, but Northwestern controlled things for most of the game and cruised to a 24-14 win.
Minnesota (5-7): It's been a tough year for Minnesota with the resignation of head coach Jerry Kill due to health reasons, but the Gophers couldn't pull an upset in a rivalry game against Wisconsin that the Badgers won 31-21. The Gophers started the year 4-2, but dropped five of their last six to finish 5-7 and likely miss out on a bowl.
Still alive:
South Alabama (5-6): South Alabama was blown out 55-17 by Georgia Southern, but still have a chance to reach the six-win mark. That task won’t be easy, however. Next on the schedule for 5-6 USA? 9-2 Appalachian State. That would be a big upset.
Kansas State (5-6): The Wildcats improved to 5-6 on the year by knocking off winless Kansas. They didn’t have much trouble doing it, either, and cruised to a 45-14 victory. To reach six wins, the Wildcats have a tougher task — a home matchup next Saturday against a 7-4 West Virginia team that is riding a four-game winning streak.
Georgia State (5-6): Like its Sun Belt counterpart South Alabama, Georgia State has a tough task ahead to reach six wins. The Panthers, who won their third straight game in a 31-21 decision over Troy on Friday, will head to Statesboro to take on 8-3 Georgia Southern. Southern gave Georgia a big test (a 23-17 loss) last week and knocked off USA this week, so the Eagles are playing well and will be a tough task for GSU.
With wins from Washington, Tulsa, Indiana and Virginia Tech, 75 teams have guaranteed bowl spots, but there are still five to go. And since South Alabama, Kansas State and Georgia State are the only teams that can clinch automatic berths, the NCAA will have to step in to fill at least two slots.
Variousreports have surfaced that indicate the NCAA could use Academic Progress Rate (APR) to fill the remaining spots. According to CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm, Nebraska (985), Missouri (976), San Jose State (975), Minnesota (975) and Illinois and Rice (both have 973) have the best APRs among five-win teams that have completed their schedules. If Kansas State cannot beat West Virginia, the Wildcats jump toward the top with its 976 APR, which would tie Missouri.
As of now, it is unclear how the NCAA will differentiate, if necessary, between teams with the same APR.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
As Notre Dame milked away the clock while it looked to take a lead over Stanford in the final minute, Cardinal head coach David Shaw curiously decided not to use his timeouts to give his offense more time.
The decision paid off.
After the Irish took a 36-35 lead with 30 seconds to go, Kevin Hogan and the Stanford offense quickly marched into Notre Dame territory – using all three of their timeouts in the process – to set up for a game-winning 46-yard field goal from Conrad Ukropina as time expired to give the Cardinal a dramatic 38-36 victory.
Ukropina’s clutch kick gave the No. 9 Cardinal its 10th win of the season and kept the team’s College Football Playoff hopes alive while simultaneously crushing No. 6 Notre Dame’s chances of reaching the final four.
While Heisman candidate Christian McCaffrey got most of the hype coming into the game, it was Hogan – in his final game at Stanford Stadium – who stole the show. Hogan threw for 269 yards and four touchdowns while completing 17-of-21 throws. His favorite target was another senior, 6-foot-4 wideout Devon Cajuste, who put up a career-high 125 yards on five huge catches.
Hogan came out of the gates firing, and found Remound Wright for a 1-yard score to cap off Stanford’s first possession. Their first drive seemed effortless, but the Cardinal quickly found out that Notre Dame came to play as C.J. Sanders returned the ensuing kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown to tie things up.
Hogan went back to work on Stanford’s next drive. The Cardinal ate up another 7:24 off the clock and Hogan finished their drive by finding Cajuste for a 6-yard score.
The Notre Dame offense finally hit the field for the first time and quickly worked its way down the field, but it stalled inside the red zone. That would become a theme for the night for Notre Dame, as Justin Yoon hit what would be the first of his three chip-shot field goals of the game.
The Irish would settle for another Yoon field goal on its next drive. And instead of testing its red-zone offense again, Notre Dame opted for a big play instead when DeShone Kizer who found Will Fuller behind the Stanford defense for a 73-yard touchdown to give Notre Dame its first lead, 20-14, with 2:15 left in the half.
It looked like Notre Dame had all of the momentum, but Hogan and the Cardinal quickly responded. A 14-yard touchdown pass – Hogan’s third of the first half – to Michael Rector gave the Cardinal a 21-20 halftime lead.
Notre Dame put together another long drive to open up the second half, but came up short yet again as Yoon made a 29-yard FG to put the Irish back in front.
On the next three drives, the teams traded scores: a Remound Wright 1-yard run (28-23 Stanford), a 62-yard Josh Adams run (29-28 Notre Dame) and a Kevin Hogan 10-yard pass to Austin Hooper (35-29 Stanford) on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Both offenses then stalled (trading four punts) until Notre Dame then went on a very Stanford-like drive: 15 plays and 88 yards in 6:18 to take a 36-35 lead with 30 seconds to go. The score that put Notre Dame ahead – a two-yard Kizer run – was not without controversy. The play was ruled a touchdown on the field, but replay appeared to show Kizer’s knee hitting the turf just before the ball crossed the plane.
Nonetheless, the touchdown stood and Notre Dame was back in front.
That all set up for Ukropina’s heroics.
Notre Dame was flagged for a facemask penalty on the drive’s first play and then Hogan hit Cajuste for 27 yards, putting Stanford into Ukropina’s range.
The senior then calmly stepped up and drilled the game-winner right down the middle to keep the Cardinal’s playoff hopes alive.
Sure, Stanford will need to beat USC in the Pac-12 title game and hope for some chaos among the other top teams to reach the playoff, but there’s still a way to slide in thanks to Baylor's loss to TCU on Friday.
For Notre Dame, it’s a disappointing end to what was a remarkable season. The Irish overcame injuries to a bevy of star players, yet were in contention all the way to the end. A New Year’s Day bowl is certainly in the Irish’s future.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
You can view the fan reaction during LSU's 19-7 win over Texas A&M as a tribute to Les Miles or a case for him to stay as the Tigers' coach.
It was likely both.
Before the game started, Miles was given a loud ovation.
As the Tigers had the game wrapped up, Miles was saluted by the crowd, which started chanting his name.
And then when the game was over, Miles was carried off the field.
Miles' future has been murky over the past two weeks. The win Saturday night snapped a three-game losing streak. Would he be the Tigers' coach moving forward? When asked about it after the game, he responded that he had "no idea."
If LSU administrators were paying attention on Saturday, they should have had a good idea of what to do. Athletic director Joe Alleva apparently was watching.
Alleva: "I want to make it very clear that Les Miles is our football coach and he'll continue to be our football coach." #LSU
If the school parted with Miles, it would owe him a $15 million buyout barring any negotiated settlement. The large number should've serve as a deterrent. And if it didn't, the fan reaction Saturday night was pretty strong.
When have you seen a team part with a successful coach so clearly revered by his fans and players? Star running back Leonard Fournette – who will be back for his junior season at LSU in 2016 – called Miles both a father and a brother following the game. A game in which he broke the LSU single-season rushing record.
But why did it take so long for Alleva to publicly support Miles? He hadn't said anything as reports about Miles' uncertain future multiplied. He could have put everything to rest with a simple statement a lot earlier. Instead, he waited until he knew he'd be cast as the bad guy by fans if he made the decision to cut Miles loose to say the coach was staying.
Was it an incredibly impressive performance against Texas A&M? No. But Fournette was a star, and LSU's defense held the Texas A&M offense to a sole touchdown. It was a fitting victory for a fourth-place finish in the SEC West and an 8-3 season. Sure, LSU has flaws, but so does nearly every other team in the country. And that includes Alabama, the team coached by Nick Saban, the man Miles will forever be compared against.
As of now, LSU has the No. 1 recruiting class in the country in 2016. With another season of quarterback Brandon Harris and Fournette, the offense should be better. If Harris improves as much as he did from 2014 to 2015, LSU may have legitimately competent quarterback play.
There are reasons to be optimistic as Miles continues to be the Tigers' coach. Did LSU have a good option if he didn't? Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher appeared to not be one. And were the Tigers convinced Chip Kelly would come to Baton Rouge if the Philadelphia Eagles let him go? Was there another candidate that no one is thinking of?
Sometimes the best plan is to stick with the one you already have. It appears LSU has realized that. And it's the right move.
Thanks to Week 13 losses from Baylor and Notre Dame, it looks like the College Football Committee will be able to whittle its focus down to six contenders for the four-team playoff: Clemson, Alabama, Oklahoma, Iowa, Michigan State and Stanford.
For now.
The committee’s top four teams from last week all took care of business this weekend, but Clemson, Alabama and Iowa can still slip up in their respective conference title games.
The lack of a league title game was a huge disadvantage to the Big 12 last year as Baylor and TCU ended up on the outside looking in. This time around, Oklahoma wrapping up the league with a convincing win over Oklahoma State on Saturday night appears to be a boon for third-ranked Sooners’ chances of making the playoff.
In the ACC and SEC, No. 1 Clemson and No. 2 Alabama will both be favorites in their conference championship games.
The top-ranked Tigers, who stayed undefeated Saturday with a 37-32 win over rival South Carolina in the Palmetto Bowl, now have a win-and-in scenario. No. 14 North Carolina (11-1) awaits the Tigers to decide the ACC. Clemson needs to step its game up to handle the Tar Heels, who are riding an 11-game winning streak.
Meanwhile, Alabama, which disposed of Auburn 29-13 in the Iron Bowl, will square off with offensively challenged Florida team in Atlanta. The No. 12 Gators were throttled 27-2 by No. 13 Florida State on Saturday night. The Tide should take care of business and lock up a playoff spot.
Following wins over Nebraska and Penn State respectively, No. 4 Iowa (12-0) and No. 5 Michigan State (11-1) will square off in a Big Ten title game that essentially is a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game: win and you’re in the final four.
Despite its undefeated record, there’s no way Iowa loses to MSU and cracks the top four – its schedule is just too weak. The same goes for the Spartans even though they may have the most impressive collection of wins (Oregon, Michigan and Ohio State) in the country. This one is a must-win. It makes things easier on the committee, too.
Losses from No. 6 Notre Dame and No. 7 Baylor further cleared things up for the committee. Baylor dropped out of the playoff by losing No. 19 TCU 28-21 in double overtime on a rainy, cold night in Fort Worth.
Saturday night’s Notre Dame at Stanford game lived up to its billing as a playoff elimination game. The sixth-ranked Irish came up on the wrong end as Stanford’s Conrad Ukropina drilled a 46-yard field goal as time expired to give the Cardinal a 38-36 win.
Notre Dame’s two losses (Clemson and Stanford) are to two of the country’s best teams, but the Irish’s lack of a signature win will be too much to overcome. The team’s lackluster play in recent weeks – especially a sluggish 19-16 win over lowly Boston College that dropped the Irish from No. 4 to No. 6 – will also come into play.
And though the Cardinal need help, Stanford still has a sliver of hope as it heads into the Pac-12 title game against USC. But with it looking like Oklahoma and the winner of the Big Ten title having a spot sealed up, Stanford likely needs losses from both Alabama and Clemson to sneak into the top four.
Crazier things have happened. Here are the rest of Week 13's winners and losers.
WINNERS
Ty Summers, TCU: For a year, the Horned Frogs stewed over 61-58. Head coach Gary Patterson fixated on beating Baylor and his personal nemesis Art Briles. TCU hoped for a big year, one ending somewhere in the College Football Playoff thanks to a springboard victory over the Bears. None of it went according to plan, and when the two teams finally met on Friday, most of the stars were on the sidelines or not playing at 100 percent, and a torrential, chilly downpour mired the respective offenses in a sloppy slugfest hardly reminiscent of that 2014 shootout. But on the final play, it was Ty Summers, a two-star recruit and former high school quarterback – a Patterson Special, if you will – who slipped by the Baylor offensive line to bring down Devin Chafin short of a first down. It was his 23rd tackle of the game, a school record, and the play that sealed redemption. He’ll probably remember this one.
Marquis Young, UMass: Hey, if it’s your last game of the year, you might as well play like it. Young ran all over Buffalo in a game Buffalo needed to win to get to bowl eligibility (but more on that later), racking up 240 yards and three scores. A stunning 215 of those yards came in the first half. It was a pretty sharp performance for the freshman, his best of the season, and something to build off of in 2016.
Brandon Doughty, WKU: The Hilltoppers’ senior quarterback had a huge day in a 49-28 win over Marshall. He threw for 370 yards and five touchdowns, but perhaps more significantly, put himself in the FBS record books, becoming the first quarterback to have consecutive seasons with 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns passing (he’s at 4,214 yards and 42 touchdowns thus far in 2015).
He'll add to those numbers in two more games this season too. WKU plays Southern Miss in the Conference USA title game on Saturday before it learns its bowl destination.
Brian Hill, Wyoming: Hill had 35 carries for 232 yards in the Cowboys' 35-28 win over UNLV. It was his fourth 200-yard game of the season, and temporarily put him in the lead for most 200-yard games of anyone in 2015.
Alabama RB Derrick Henry tied Hill later in the day with his fourth 200-yard game, but Hill's efforts have been a bright spot in a 2-10 season for Wyoming. Hill, a sophomore, finishes the season with 1,631 yards rushing and will be a sleeper candidate for preseason All-American honors in 2016.
Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech: Beamer's bowl streak is continuing. With the Hokies' win over Virginia on Saturday, Beamer's team is heading to a 23rd-straight bowl game. The bowl game is a fitting sendoff for the legendary coach, who is retiring after the season.
It was also a victory for members of his staff, too. During the win, reports emerged that Memphis coach Justin Fuente would succeed Beamer as Hokies' head coach. Those reports also said defensive coordinator Bud Foster and assistant coach Shane Beamer, Frank's son, would remain with the team. The continuity should serve Virginia Tech well.
LOSERS
Rutgers: Let us paint you a picture. Rutgers and embattled coach Kyle Flood were leading Maryland 31-13 at halftime, en route to what surely appeared to be an easy win to close out a brutal, trying season. Then an extremely Rutgers thing happened: The Scarlet Knights surrendered 656 total yards and got outscored 33-10 in the second half to lose 46-41 at home. Just a complete disaster. Truly impressive.
Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads got fired after his team gave up a huge lead to Kansas State the previous week. Will the same fate await Flood?
Buffalo: Lots of teams sitting at 5-6 heading into this weekend’s games lost, but most of them were underdogs. The Bulls struggled against a 3-8 UMass team, and while Buffalo’s run defense isn’t anything to get excited about (90th in FBS), it still has held opponents to 186 yards per game. As previously mentioned, Marquis Young and company ran for 295 yards. The Bulls had one fewer turnover, more time of possession, more first downs, and nearly the same number of total yards, and still found a way to lose.
Mississippi State: This was not the way to end Dak Prescott's career at home, Bulldogs. Mississippi State, well, laid an egg in the Egg Bowl. The Bulldogs were potentially playing for a New Year's Six bowl berth and fell down 21-0 to the Rebels before losing 38-23.
How did the Rebels do it? Well, they didn't let Prescott beat them deep. Prescott finished 31-of-42 passing for 254 yards, two scores and an interception. The win means Ole Miss finishes the season second in the SEC West while Mississippi State finishes in a tie with Texas A&M for fifth in the division.
Florida: Here's another team that absolutely lost any chance at a New Year's Six bowl. OK, OK, sure, Florida can get to one if it beats Alabama in the SEC championship game. But if you watched any of the Gators' 27-2 loss to Florida State on Saturday, you know there's no chance of that happening.
Florida's offense was impotent. The Gators averaged less than four yards per carry on the ground and just over four per pass. Yeah, not great. Meanwhile, the defense tried as much as it could, but there's only so much you can do when you play a losing game of time of possession and field position.
The Gators will likely finish the season 10-3. It's a good enough record for a top bowl, but not an elite one. And this team is clearly different with Treon Harris at quarterback than with Will Grier.
Kansas: Congratulations, Kansas. You're now infamous. The Jayhawks' 45-14 Sunflower Showdown loss to Kansas State on Saturday meant KU became the first Power 5 team since Washington in 2008 to go winless in an entire season.
The 0-12 Jayhawks were outscored 553-183 this season. If you don't want to do math, that's roughly an average of 46-15. Yuck. Things can only get better for Kansas and first-year coach David Beaty (we think) but we don't begrudge Kansas fans at all for mimicking the Jayhawk mascot.
Oklahoma is the Big 12 champion and perhaps the first team to lock up a spot in this year’s College Football Playoff.
Oklahoma defeated rival Oklahoma State 58-23 in what ultimately became the de facto Big 12 title game in the final regular season contest for both teams.
However, Oklahoma had the most to lose since it had climbed to No. 3 in the College Football Playoff rankings and a loss to the Cowboys would not only have eliminated the Sooners from playoff contention, but probably eliminated the Big 12 as whole.
But Oklahoma left no doubt with a dominating performance against an Oklahoma State team that was undefeated up until a week ago. After falling behind 10-7, the Sooners scored on back-to-back runs of 68 and 66 yards by backs Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon to open up the game early in the second quarter and finished the first half with a 44-20 lead.
While Oklahoma State came out of the halftime fired up, all it was able to muster was field goal. Quarterback J.W. Walsh, who played in place of Mason Rudolph, was under pressure all night by the Oklahoma defense. He completed just 25 of 42 passes for 325 yards and two scores, but all of his damage was done early while the Sooners were adjusting to facing him instead of Rudolph, who sat out with an injury.
Once the Sooners started to understand the type of offense they were facing, Walsh became ineffective. Most of his passing yards came on underthrown passes that were misjudged by Oklahoma defenders. The Oklahoma State running game mustered just 132 yards against the Sooners stingy front four.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield continued his quest for a spot at the Heisman ceremony in New York by completing 17 of 25 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 77 yards and a score.
With rainy and slick weather, Oklahoma did most of its offensive damage on the ground against a tired Oklahoma State defense. Mixon had 136 yards and two scores and Perine added 131 yards and two scores.
The only thing left for Oklahoma to now do is wait. It seems implausible — especially with several key teams losing on Saturday — that the Sooners would fall out of the College Football Playoff. Next week’s championship games, however, will determine where the Sooners are ultimately seeded.
Toledo coach Matt Campbell is reportedly heading to Iowa State.
Per the Toledo Blade, Campbell accepted an offer to be the Cyclones' new head coach late Saturday night. Campbell would succeed Paul Rhoads as Iowa State's coach. Rhoads coached his final game with the Cyclones on Saturday in a loss to West Virginia.
Toledo had offered to make Campbell the highest-paid coach in the MAC.
“We think very highly of Matt Campbell and have made him a very generous offer to keep him as our head football coach,” O'Brien said in a text message.
The Rockets' offer was for more than $800,000 in total, a different source said, but ISU's offer "significantly" trumped Toledo's.
Iowa State will pay Campbell's $200,000 buyout, and the Rockets will begin the evaluation process for a new coach immediately.
Sports Illustrated had previously reported that a deal between Campbell and ISU could be consummated over the weekend. Campbell was considered a possible candidate at Missouri. The Tigers are looking for a new coach after the retirement of Gary Pinkel.
Toledo beat Iowa State 30-23 in Week 2.
Campbell, 36, is 35-15 as Toledo's head coach. He succeeded Tim Beckman after the former Illinois coach headed to the Big Ten and has led the Rockets to three nine-win seasons. The Rockets, 9-2 in 2015, lost to Western Michigan on Friday to lose a shot at the MAC West title and a rematch with Bowling Green in the MAC Championship Game.
Athletic director Craig Littlepage announced London’s resignation Sunday morning after meeting with the coach to discuss the future of the program. London is 27-46 as the head coach of the Cavaliers, including Saturday’s 23-20 loss to Virginia Tech, the 12th consecutive time the Cavaliers have lost to their in-state rivals.
"Mike London has been an outstanding representative of the University of Virginia,” Littlepage said in a statement. “During his tenure, Mike created a positive culture for our student-athletes to develop as young men, who improved each year in the classroom and represented us very well in the community. Mike was a tremendous mentor for his players and many of our coaches. His ability to inspire others helped our program establish great relationships among the high school football coaches in the state and he has been a tremendous ambassador for the University. We are thankful for Mike’s numerous contributions representing the University and Virginia athletics.”
London was named Al Groh’s replacement on Dec. 7, 2009, a year after winning a national title at the University of Richmond. However, that success was never able to translate to the FBS level. Virginia attended one bowl game under London — the 2011 Chick-fil-A Bowl.
London’s contract was set to expire following the 2016 season. The University will pay him approximately $2.7 million through 2016.
Georgia has fired coach Mark Richt, according to various reports.
ESPN.com’s Mark Schlabach was the first to report the move.
Georgia will hold a press conference on Monday.
Richt was 145-51 in 15 seasons with the Bulldogs, including a 9-3 record this year. The Bulldogs defeated Georgia Tech on Saturday to end the regular season.
Richt won two SEC titles at Georgia, but the last came in 2005. Georgia hasn’t played for an SEC title since 2012. However, Richt has only had one season where he’s finished with fewer than eight wins (6-7 in 2010).
Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity issued a statement Sunday thanking Richt for his service and offering him a chance to stay at the university in a lesser role.
Mark has the opportunity to remain on our staff at the University of Georgia, and would be heavily involved with outreach programs for our former football lettermen via the PO Network as well as other University and Athletic Association initiatives.
Rumors of Richt’s firing have been floating around all season, but many believed after a 9-3 campaign that included three straight wins to end the season, Richt would survive for at least another year. However, Georgia was under a bit of pressure to make a move, especially with Florida getting better in the first year under a new coach and other fellow SEC East opponents Missouri and South Carolina looking for new leadership as well.
Also, Richt’s 5-10 record against rival Florida has been a major sticking point with boosters and fans.
Georgia now enters a crowded coaching market with few high-level candidates. One would have to believe it at least had some feelers before putting Richt out otherwise this would be an epically stupid move. Similarly, Richt is going to have a lot of suitors calling, including some within his own former division. Don’t be surprised if Missouri and South Carolina both gauge Richt’s interest and Virginia also could be a potential fit.
Penn State offensive coordinator and tight ends coach John Donovan has been fired, the school announced Sunday.
Donovan had been a member of coach James Franklin’s staff for five seasons, including three at Vanderbilt, but came under fire this year after the Nittany Lions' offense ranked 82nd in the nation in passing, 106th in rushing and 108th nationally in total offense.
The Nittany Lions averaged 23.7 points per game this season, which ranked 101st nationally.
Donovan is the first Penn State assistant Franklin has let go in his two seasons with the program.
Penn State ended the regular season with a 55-16 loss to Michigan State. The Nittany Lions finished 7-5.
"Today is a day of change for our Department of Athletics," Barchi wrote per NJ.com. "This afternoon, I spoke with Head Football Coach Kyle Flood and met with Director of Athletics Julie Hermann and informed them that I was exercising the university's right to terminate their contracts without cause and that I am relieving them of their duties effective immediately."
Flood just finished his fourth season leading the Scarlet Knights with a 46-41 loss to Maryland at home on Saturday. Rutgers lost to the Terps after blowing a 31-13 halftime lead. The loss gave the team a 4-8 record this season and Flood a 27-24 overall record.
Flood led the Scarlet Knights to bowl games in his first three seasons with the program (winning one), but the 2015 campaign was filled with off-the-field incidents.
Flood was suspended for three games and fined $50,000 after a university investigation determined that he had improper contact with a Rutgers faculty member concerning the grade of cornerback Nadir Barnwell.
On top of that, several Rutgers players were dismissed or suspended for various off-the-field incidents, including a home-invasion, an on-campus assault and an alleged incident of domestic violence involving star receiver Leonte Carroo (charges were later dropped and Carroo was reinstated to the team).
In all, seven Rutgers player were arrested this season.
"Kyle Flood has been a loyal and dedicated member of our community for more than a decade and our head football coach for four seasons, during which his teams won 26 games and played in three bowl games," Barchi wrote. "However, our continued struggles on the field combined with several off the field issues have convinced me that we need new leadership of our football program. I want to thank Kyle for his service to Rutgers and I also wish him and his family well in his next endeavor."
Running backs coach Norries Wilson will serve as the team's interim head coach to "lead the offseason program until a new head coach is hired," Barchi said.
Hermann was informed of the decision of her ouster when she met with Barchi on Sunday afternoon. Hermann’s “oversight over the football program,” was the main reason the university decided to part ways, according to NJ.com.
"Julie came to Rutgers in 2013, at a time when the program was in turmoil, with a vision at where she could take our Athletics Program. I believe, however, at this point, when major changes are being made in our football program, we need a fresh start," Barchi said. "Having reached that conclusion this past week, it would not have been fair to Julie, to Rutgers and our student athletes, or to potential football coaching candidates, for her to continue in her role. She is a capable administrator whose dedication and passion for Rutgers never waned and I wish her and her family all the best in the next step in her journey."
Hermann and Barchi met Sunday afternoon at Barchi’s home in Piscataway. From NJ.com:
Hermann met with Barchi at his Piscataway home neighboring the Rutgers practice fields on Sunday afternoon. Richard Edwards, chancellor of Rutgers-New Brunswick, who served as the co-chair of the committee that appointed Hermann as AD in May 2013, arrived at 12:10 p.m.
Hermann arrived at Barchi's home at 12:25 p.m. for the meeting. She left 11 minutes.
The Rutgers athletic department and football program have reportedly been under an internal investigation for “failed drug tests and other issues that could result in NCAA infractions and possible sanctions,” according to NJ.com.
Hermann’s tenure was full of controversy. After her hire, troubles from her tenure as women’s volleyball coach at Tennessee surfaced. Players accused Hermann of abusive tactics and an assistant coach said Hermann discouraged her from getting pregnant.
Additionally, after a Rutgers football player quit the team and accused an assistant of bullying, Hermann said she spoke twice with the player’s parents. The player’s father said those conversations never took place.
Other incidents with Hermann included her telling a Rutgers journalism class that it would be “great” if the Newark Star-Ledger went out of business. She also was accused of making a joke about the Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal during a staff meeting.
Hermann arrived at Rutgers in May 2013 (amidst the scandal involving men's basketball coach Mike Rice) after spending 16 years in the athletic department at Louisville.
With Hermann out of the picture, Rutgers and Barchi moved quickly to find her replacement: Patrick Hobbs, Dean Emeritus of the Seton Hall University School of Law. Hobbs served as the interim athletic director at Seton Hall from 2009-2011 and was offered the job on Friday -- two days before Hermann was fired.
"In my meetings and conversations with Pat, and also with Board Members Greg Brown and Ken Schmidt, it was clear to all of us that Pat had the attributes required for our next Director of Athletics," said Barchi "We offered Pat the permanent job on Friday and we are proud to welcome him as our new Director of Athletics."
Barchi said the search for a new head football coach will begin "immediately."
