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Oklahoma moves to No. 3 in AP poll

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The revolving door of No. 3 teams continued in the post-Week 13 AP poll.

Oklahoma moved up to No. 3 after drubbing Oklahoma State Saturday night. The Sooners leapfrogged Iowa, who fell to No. 4 after beating Nebraska. The move is more about the Sooners and less about the Hawkeyes. Oklahoma has beaten Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma State in November and is likely heading to the College Football Playoff.

Clemson stayed at No. 1 with its win over South Carolina and Alabama is at No. 2 again after beating Auburn.

Iowa is followed by two Big Ten teams in the poll. Michigan State is at No. 5 and Ohio State is at No. 6. The Spartans beat Penn State and Ohio State beat Michigan.

Stanford is at No. 7, North Carolina is at No. 8, Notre Dame is at No. 9 and Florida State is at No. 10.

Here's the entire AP poll:

1. Clemson [53 first place votes] (1)
2. Alabama [8] (2)
3. Oklahoma (5)
4. Iowa (3)
5. Michigan State (6)
6. Ohio State (8)
7. Stanford (13)
8. North Carolina (11)
9. Notre Dame (4)
10. Florida State (14)
11. TCU (15)
12. Baylor (7)
13. Northewestern (17)
14. Oklahoma State (9)
15. Oregon (18)
16. Ole Miss (19)
17. Houston (21)
18. Florida (10)
19. Michigan (12)
20. Temple (25)
21. Utah (26)
22. Navy (16)
23. LSU (NR)
24. USC (NR)
25. Wisconsin (NR)

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!


Kentucky QB Patrick Towles says he's transferring

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Kentucky quarterback Patrick Towles will play at a different school in 2016. The QB said Sunday he would switch teams for his fifth year of eligibility.

Here's what he posted to Instagram.

I would like to thank the University of Kentucky for giving me the opportunity to achieve my childhood dream of playing quarterback for the WildCats. The last four years have been ones that I will truly cherish for the rest of my life. Although I wish my time here in Lexington could have ended another way, I'm eternally grateful. I've decided to transfer to play my fifth year at another university. Thank you to Coach Stoops, Coach Dawson, Mitch Barnhart, my teammates, the Big Blue Nation and the entire Kentucky Athletics Department for allowing me to achieve my lifelong dream. I will truly bleed blue til the day I die.

Towles, a redshirt junior, played most of the 2015 season as Kentucky's starter. He was 183-326 passing for 2,148 yards, nine touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Drew Barker started the Wildcats' final two games of the season.

Kentucky, 5-7, could have gotten bowl eligibility with a win on Saturday against Louisville. Instead, the Wildcats squandered a 21-0 lead and lost 38-24 to the Cardinals. Barker was 6-22 passing for 128 yards while Towles was 3-4 passing for 71 yards and an interception.

For more Kentucky news, visit CatsIllustrated.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Virginia Tech makes Justin Fuente hire official

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Virginia Tech announced the hiring of Justin Fuente on Sunday.

News broke Saturday that the Hokies were planning to hire the Memphis coach to replace Frank Beamer, who is retiring at the end of the season. Tech released a statement Sunday confirming the news.

We are thrilled to welcome Justin, Jenny and their three daughters into our Virginia Tech family,” Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock said in a statement. “We identified Coach Fuente as a top candidate early in our process. As our conversations progressed, we then met in person and it became obvious he is the right person to lead our football program. He possesses wisdom beyond his years, as well as a refreshing sense of humility and a calm confidence.

“Justin is a very impressive individual who also happens to be one of the brightest offensive minds in college football. He elevated Memphis to unprecedented heights. His recruiting philosophy is progressive and comprehensive. Coach Fuente has displayed tremendous talent in evaluating players and developing young men as they strive to reach their full potential. Simply put, Coach Fuente exudes all the qualities that Hokies hold near and dear. We are excited to officially welcome Justin Fuente as the leader of the Virginia Tech football program.”

Memphis is 9-3 in 2015 and was 10-3 in 2014. Virginia Tech continued its bowl streak with a win on Saturday against Virginia. It's the 23rd-straight season the Hokies are heading to a bowl game.

The school also confirmed that defensive coordinator Bud Foster would return in his same capacity. Foster has been the Hokies' longtime defensive coach.

“I’ve been privileged to work for a legendary coach who always did it the right way,” Foster said. “I enjoyed that chapter and the success we’ve had, however, I am equally excited for the next chapter and working for Justin. Justin and I share a vision for the future of our program. After spending time together, I’m convinced he’s the right person to continue building on the standard we’ve established at Virginia Tech. I’m truly looking forward to working with him and supporting him.”

Beamer is expected to coach the Hokies' bowl game for his final career game. He has a record of 237-121-1 and is the winningest active coach in FBS college football.

For more Virginia Tech news, visit HokieHaven.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Matt Campbell named coach at Iowa State

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Another Saturday coaching report became official on Sunday as Iowa State announced the hiring of Toledo's Matt Campbell.

Campbell succeeds Paul Rhoads as the Cyclones coach. Toledo beat the Cyclones in Week 2 in 2015.

“I couldn’t be more excited to receive the opportunity to coach at Iowa State,” Campbell said in a team statement. “Two years ago after we played the Cyclones in Ames, I called my wife (Erica) and said you simply would not believe this place. Their fans, the game-day environment and facilities are all incredible.  I could see us living in Ames and me coaching the Cyclones some day. My family and I are truly humbled.”

Toledo finished the 2015 regular season 9-2. The Rockets were in line to go to the MAC Championship Game but saw the opportunity slip away with a loss to Western Michigan on Friday.

Iowa State finished the season 3-9 after a 30-6 loss to West Virginia on Saturday. The Cyclones had conference wins over Texas and Kansas, the first winless Power Five conference team since 2008. Rhoads' dismissal was announced after the Cyclones blew a 35-14 lead to Kansas State and fell 38-35 to the Wildcats.

“Matt’s coaching and playing achievements are extraordinary, but we were even more impressed by his character, leadership and commitment to his family,” Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard said. “I could not be more excited to welcome Matt, Erica and their children to the Cyclone Family.  We are truly blessed to have one of the industry’s rising stars leading our football program.”

Campbell is 35-15 in his four seasons at Toledo. He turned 35 on Sunday.

For more Iowa State news, visit CycloneReport.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Purdue parts with offensive and defensive coordinators

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Purdue coach Darrell Hazell will have two new coordinators in 2016.

The school announced Sunday that it parted ways with defensive coordinator Greg Hudson, offensive coordinator John Shoop and defensive tackles coach Rubin Carter.

"I appreciate the efforts of each of those guys over the last three years," coach Darrell Hazell said in a statement. "They are quality men who are well respected by their players and their peers, and I am disappointed that things didn't work out better. But I believe that in order to turn around this program, we need to make some significant changes and move in a different direction at those positions."

Purdue was 2-10 in 2015. The Boilermakers gave up over 36 points per game and allowed 214 rushing yards per game. The offense wasn't much better. It was 94th in total offense and averaged 4.8 yards per play. Purdue quarterbacks Austin Appleby and David Blough split time throughout the season and each started a Boilermakers win.

GoldandBlack.com mentioned some possibilities for new coordinators:

It'll be interesting to see if Hazell considers promoting from within, possibly needing to dangle the coordinator carrot to keep coveted linebackers coach Marcus Freeman and already having an assistant on staff (Terry Malone) who has coordinator experience in the Big Ten. Also, up-and-coming receivers coach (and recruiting coordinator) Gerad Parker was a "passing game coordinator" for three seasons at UT-Martin.

Hazell is returning to the team in 2016 despite having a 6-30 record in his three seasons as the team's coach. The school is in the process of a $60 million upgrade to its football facilities and hasn't been to a bowl game since the Heart of Dallas Bowl in the season before Hazell became the coach.

For more Purdue news, visit GoldandBlack.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Athlon Sports' most interesting stats from Week 13

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Numbers and statistics are a huge part of college football. Every Sunday, reading updated box scores and stats is like Christmas for fans and media members. Some stats like total offense and total defense are overrated, but each help paint a picture for a team or particular game.

Whether the stats are historic, advanced or just an observation from a box score, Athlon Sports brings the most intriguing, important, historic and bizarre stats from around the weekend of college football action:

4: 200-Yard Rushing Performances by Alabama RB Derrick Henry in 2015

Alabama running back Derrick Henry added to his commanding lead in the Heisman race with a huge performance in Saturday’s 29-13 win over Auburn. A heavy workload (46 carries) was no problem for the junior, as he gashed the Tigers for 271 yards and one touchdown. Henry has rushed for at least 204 yards in each of Alabama’s last three SEC games and has four 200-yard games this year. The four 200-yard games tied Georgia’s Herschel Walker and Auburn’s Bo Jackson for the most in a season in SEC history.

4-0: Urban Meyer’s Record as Ohio State’s Head Coach Against Michigan

A week after losing to Michigan State in disappointing fashion, Ohio State took some of its frustration out on rival Michigan. The Buckeyes won 42-13 over the Wolverines on Saturday, improving coach Urban Meyer’s record to 4-0 against Michigan as the team’s head coach. In addition to Meyer’s 4-0 record against the Wolverines, the 29-point margin of victory is the third-largest total for Ohio State in Ann Arbor.

12-0: Clemson and Iowa Reach 12-0 After Wins in Week 13

Clemson and Iowa are the only remaining unbeaten teams in college football going into the final week of the regular season. With a 37-32 victory over South Carolina on Saturday, the Tigers improved to 12-0 and tied the school record for most wins in a season. For the Hawkeyes, Friday’s win over Nebraska moved coach Kirk Ferentz’s team to 12-0 for the first time in school history. The 12 wins are also the most in school history for Iowa.

37: Starters Used by Notre Dame in 2015

It’s no secret Notre Dame has been hit hard by injuries this year. Starting quarterback Malik Zaire, running back Tarean Folston, cornerback KeiVarae Russell and defensive tackle Jarron Jones are just a few of the players lost due to injury for the Fighting Irish this season. According to Notre Dame’s postgame notes following Saturday night’s loss at Stanford, coach Brian Kelly’s team has used 37 different starters this season. Considering how many starters this team has used, along with the loss of several key players due to injury, Brian Kelly should be in the mix for coach of the year honors after guiding this team to a 10-2 regular season.

23: Virginia Tech’s Bowl Streak Extends to 23 After Win Over Virginia

Virginia Tech’s 23-20 win over rival Virginia ensured long-time coach Frank Beamer would have one more game with the Hokies. Beamer announced his retirement in early November and entered Saturday’s game needing a win over the Cavaliers to extend a streak of 22 consecutive bowl appearances. The Hokies did just that, using a late field goal to take a 23-20 edge with less than two minutes remaining, followed by a defensive stand on Virginia’s final offensive drive to earn their sixth victory. The last time Virginia Tech did not play in a postseason game was in 1992.

4,000+/40+: WKU QB Brandon Doughty Again Throws for 4,000+ Yards and 40+ TDs

WKU’s Brandon Doughty is one of the nation’s most prolific quarterbacks, and the senior made history in Friday’s win over Marshall. In addition to helping the Hilltoppers clinch the Conference USA East Division title, Doughty threw for 370 yards and five passing touchdowns. The 370 passing yards pushed Doughty to 4,184 for the season, while the five touchdown tosses elevated his season total to 42. Doughty is just the third quarterback in FBS history to post consecutive seasons of at least 4,000 passing yards and 40 passing scores.

62: Baylor’s Passing Yardage Against TCU

Baylor’s late-November matchup at TCU was pegged as one of the best games of the college football season in August. However, due to injuries and losses by both teams, this matchup lost some of its appeal. And thanks to awful weather conditions, the offensive shootout most expected turned into a defensive struggle. Neither team had much success throwing the ball, as TCU ended with 148 yards on 18 completions and Baylor finished with 62 yards on seven completions. The 62 passing yards by Baylor was easily the lowest total under coach Art Briles and the fewest in a game since 2002 against New Mexico.

11-1: Florida State Coach Jimbo Fisher’s Record Against Miami and Florida

Winning rivalry games is essential for the long-term outlook at a program for any coach. That’s especially true in the state of Florida with the bragging rights between the big three programs – Miami, Florida State and Florida – along with the recruiting trail battles. Since taking over Florida State in 2010, Jimbo Fisher has guided the Seminoles to an 11-1 mark against Miami and Florida. Additionally, Saturday night’s win over the Gators gave Florida State its fourth consecutive season of at least 10 wins.

7: TDs Thrown by Memphis QB Paxton Lynch in the First Half Against SMU

Memphis finished a solid 9-3 season with an easy 63-0 win over SMU on Saturday. The Tigers scored 56 of those 63 points in the first half, as quarterback Paxton Lynch threw seven touchdown passes in the first two quarters. Lynch’s seven touchdown tosses tied a FBS record for the most in a half. The junior ended the day with just nine completions on 14 attempts for 222 yards and seven scores.

2: Teams That Finished 2015 Without a Win

It’s going to be a long offseason at UCF and Kansas. The Knights and Jayhawks finished 2015 with a zero in the win column and an 0-12 mark overall. Both programs are in the midst of change, as David Beaty completed his first season at Kansas in 2015, and UCF is looking for a new coach after George O’Leary retired during the season.  

More from Athlon Sports:

10 Coaching Candidates to Replace Scott Shafer at Syracuse

The Top 25 Rivalries in College Football History

25 Must-See Moments from Week 13

Minnesota parts ways with offensive coordinator, QBs coach

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FILE - In this Nov. 7, 2015, file photo, Minnesota interim head coach Tracy Claeys gestures on the sidelines during an NCAA college football game against Ohio State, in Columbus, Ohio. Minnesota says it has signed football coach Tracy Claeys to a three-year contract. Claeys succeeds his friend Jerry Kill, who resigned Oct. 28 because of health reasons. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File)Minnesota head coach Tracy Claeys has made some changes to his offensive staff.

Claeys, who was named the Gophers’ permanent head coach earlier this month, announced Sunday that offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover and passing game coordinator Jim Zebrowski will “not have their contracts renewed.”

“Matt and Jim are both terrific people and coaches, but I have decided to make a change that will better fit my offensive philosophy, which is to have one coordinator calling the plays,” Claeys said in a statement. “They have been great representatives for the university and always put our student-athletes first, and I thank them for their contributions to our program and wish them well in the future.”

According to the Star-Tribune, Claeys informed the team of his decision during a meeting on Sunday evening.

Claeys was Minnesota’s defensive coordinator under Jerry Kill until Kill resigned on Oct. 28 because of health reasons. Claeys first took over as head coach on an interim basis but had the interim tag lifted on Nov. 11.

Claeys had been a defensive coordinator under Kill for 21 years at five different programs. Limegrover, who also coached the offensive line, had been with the two for much of the way, joining Kill’s staff at Division-II Emporia State in 1999.

Zebrowski was first hired by Kill when he was the head coach at Northern Illinois in 2010. He then joined the Gophers staff when UM hired Kill in 2011.

Minnesota, which finished the season at 5-7 after losing to Wisconsin on Saturday, was No. 103 out of 127 FBS teams in total offense (357.1 yards per game) and No. 104 nationally in scoring offense (22.6 points per game).

For more Minnesota news, GopherIllustrated.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

Reports: 2 defensive assistants will not return to Texas Tech in 2016

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Kansas State wide receiver Deante Burton is unable to hold onto the ball defended by Texas Tech defensive back Nigel Bethel II and Texas Tech defensive back Jah'Shawn Johnson during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, in Lubbock, Texas. (Mark Rogers/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal via AP) ALL LOCAL TELEVISION OUT; MANDATORY CREDITTwo of Texas Tech’s defensive coaches reportedly will not return for the 2016 season.

According to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal and Dallas Morning News, Red Raiders co-defensive coordinator Mike Smith and defensive backs coach Kevin Curtis have been let go. The news was first reported by RedRaiderSports.com ($).

Both newspapers spoke with prospects who have verbally committed to Texas Tech in the 2016 class. Demarcus Fields, a three-star defensive back, told the Avalanche-Journal that Curtis told him the news in an in-person meeting.

“He told me face-to-face,” Fields said. “I know it’s a business, man. I’m still going to stay in contact with him though, I just know we’re going to get some coaches that will be top-notch and ready to go.”

Ivory Jackson, a two-star defensive lineman, told the Dallas Morning News that the decision was made earlier in the week.

“They both called me on Sunday after church and let me know that the decision had been made a few days ago and they were making it official,” Jackson said. “I was really surprised because I was so close to the both of them.”

Both Smith and Curtis joined head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s staff when he was hired as head coach in 2013. The Red Raiders had one of the worst defenses in the country in 2015 by allowing 540.2 yards per game – 125th in the nation. The defense was also ranked 125th in rush defense and 112th in pass defense.

Smith, a former TTU linebacker, started as Kingsbury’s linebackers coach in 2013, but was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2014 after the messy departure of former defensive coordinator Matt Wallerstedt. In 2015, he served as co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach alongside defensive coordinator David Gibbs.

Before his time as a Red Raiders assistant, Smith spent three seasons on the staff of the New York Jets and was also a graduate assistant at Hawaii.

Curtis, a former TTU safety, was in his third season as cornerbacks coach. He previously spent time at Louisiana Tech and Navarro Junior College.

The 7-5 Red Raiders are riding a two-game winning streak into postseason play after knocking off Kansas State and Texas in back-to-back weeks.

For more Texas Tech news, visit RedRaiderSports.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!


Georgia linebacker Leonard Floyd: 'I'm gone'

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JACKSONVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 31:  Kelvin Taylor #21 of the Florida Gators attempts to run past Leonard Floyd #84 of the Georgia Bulldogs during the game at EverBank Field on October 31, 2015 in Jacksonville, Florida.  (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)If Georgia linebacker Leonard Floyd was unsure about whether he would leave school early to declare for the NFL Draft, the school helped him reach a decision on Sunday.

After the school announced it was moving on from longtime head coach Mark Richt, Floyd told reporters he was following Richt out the door.

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Leonard Floyd may have been turning pro anyway, but the news on Sunday hastened his departure.

Floyd, a junior outside linebacker and NFL prospect, was in a car leaving the athletic building’s parking lot on Sunday night when he yelled this out:

“I’m gone too, by the way!”

Floyd, a junior, then took to Twitter to share the same sentiment: he’s leaving Athens.

Floyd led the Bulldogs with 10.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks this season and was second in total tackles with 68.

The 6-foot-4, 231-pound Floyd also totaled 55 tackles, six sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss in 2014 and 55 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss in 2013.

Georgia finished the regular season at 9-3 following Saturday’s 13-7 win over Georgia Tech.

For more Georgia news, visit UGASports.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

USC strips interim tag, names Clay Helton its new head coach

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USC has hired interim coach Clay Helton to be the team’s permanent head coach, the school confirmed Monday.

"After weeks of searching the collegiate and pro ranks, interviewing candidates, and speaking with head coaches, athletic directors, NFL executives, and very knowledgeable football people, and after observing Clay in action the past seven weeks, it became abundantly clear that what we were searching for in a coach was right here in front of us," USC athletic director Pat Haden said in a statement. "Choosing a coach is an inexact science. In Clay's case, there is exactness. We have a man with unquestioned integrity. He is a fantastic person and he is real. Clay is a leader of young men. He is a terrific communicator. He brings high character, stability, continuity, consistency, toughness and resiliency to our program.
"We have known Clay well for the past six years. He earned this opportunity. He has been positive and upbeat handling adversity. He was built to be a head coach. Football is his family business. He is a coach on the rise and he will be coaching a team on the rise. As our interim head coach, Clay brought back USC's style of physical football. I have been impressed with how hard and how inspired our team has played for him, as well as the support they have shown for him.

"Clay was not hired because his team defeated UCLA Saturday. He was not hired because many current and former players voiced their support for him. And he was not hired because he is a Trojan. He is our choice because we believe he can win Pac-12 and national championships here. Clay Helton is the right man at the right time for the USC football program."

Helton took over for Steve Sarkisian in October and has gone 5-2 in the seven games since. The Trojans rebounded from 3-2 start to finish the season as the Pac-12 South champion. It will play Stanford in the title game on Saturday.

Players had been championing Helton for the job for weeks and while Pat Haden had been mum on his coaching search — there were rumors he was courting Chip Kelly from the Philadelphia Eagles — it was clear the players' calls for Helton did not fall on deaf ears.

"We want Coach Helton, plain and simple, we don't need to meet with Pat Haden, he knows we want Coach Helton, the way he's got this team back together … everybody on this team would give an arm and a leg for Coach Helton," linebacker Su'a Cravens told the L.A. Times. "Now we take it personally, Helton's job being on the line is making us fight even harder."

Perhaps Helton’s biggest selling point was last week’s 40-21 win over UCLA, the Trojans’ first win against their rivals in four seasons.

Helton has served two interim head coaching stints with the Trojans and is 6-2 overall. His only two losses are to Notre Dame and an Oregon team that is playing as well as any program in the country.

USC has not yet announced the specifics of Helton deal.

For more USC news, visit TrojanSports.com.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!

And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook

Rice RB Luke Turner moved to tears in final press conference (Video)

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(Mark Lambie/El Paso Times via AP)After playing what was likely his final game at Rice, senior running back Luke Turner took a moment to reflect on his time with the Owls.

While addressing the media, Turner was brought to tears when expressing his gratitude to Rice head coach David Bailiff. Turner suffered a broken leg as a high school senior and Rice was the only Division I school to offer him a scholarship.

“Everyone sold me off, but that man right there stuck with me,” Turner said while pointing at Bailiff. “I love him forever for it.”

Watch his full comments, which ended with an embrace with Bailiff, below:

Turner has been a versatile player for Rice during his four seasons with the program, finishing with 503 yards and 13 touchdowns rushing, 18 catches for 244 yards and three touchdowns receiving and 158 yards and five touchdowns as a passer. He’s also been a valuable asset on special teams.

Rice’s win over Charlotte on Saturday improved the team’s record to 5-7 on the season. Though the Owls have only five wins, they could still potentially earn an invitation to a bowl game.

Only 75 teams have reached six wins so far this season. With 80 bowl slots to fill and the possibility of only three more teams (Kansas State, South Alabama and Georgia State) reaching six wins, five-win teams will likely fill the remaining spots.

Various reports indicate that the NCAA could fill the void with teams by their APR. Among five-win teams, Rice, with its APR of 973, is tied with Illinois for the fourth-highest APR behind Nebraska (985), Missouri (976) and San Jose State and Minnesota (975 each).

So Turner may get the chance to wear his Rice uniform and play for Bailiff one last time.

The Owls have played in bowl games in each of Turner’s first three seasons with the program, winning the Armed Forces and Hawaii bowls and losing the Liberty Bowl.

For more Rice news, visit OwlsInsider.com.

(H/T ESPN)

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

Dino Babers on UCF job: 'I have not signed anything, I'm not going anywhere'

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Bowling Green coach Dino Babers said Monday he has no intention of leaving Bowling Green despite rumors that linked him to the job opening at Central Florida.

247Sports.com reported Sunday night that Central Florida was expected to hire Babers. However, that report was quickly refuted by other outlets and Babers himself, who sent a text to the Toledo Blade claiming the rumors were false.

Monday, Grant Heston, UCF vice president for communications and marketing, tweeted that UCF had not yet secured a new coach to replace George O’Leary.

Babers was adamant during his press conference Monday that his only focus was on Bowling Green and the Mid-American Conference title game on Friday. He said he wanted to set the record straight because the rumors were inaccurate and he didn’t want it to affect his team.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!

And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook

Scott Shafer wrote touching letter to team before final game as Syracuse coach (Photos)

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(AP Photo/Nick Lisi)Before the final Friday night Syracuse team meeting of the season, recently fired Orange head coach Scott Shafer could not face his players. It would be too hard. Too emotional.

Instead of addressing the team, Shafer turned that duty over to his senior and gave fifth-year senior guard Rob Trudo, a team captain, a stack of papers. The pieces of paper were a letter from Shafer titled, “For The Love Of The Game.”

From Syracuse.com:

This Friday, though, Shafer didn't address the team. He couldn't. Around 7:30 p.m., he pulled redshirt senior guard Rob Trudo, a team captain, into an adjacent room and handed him a stack of papers.

"There's no f***ing way I'll be able to say this tonight without getting all emotional," Trudo recalls Shafer telling him. "I want the seniors to run the meeting."

Shafer hugged Trudo and cried on his shoulder for a moment. Then Trudo returned to the meeting room and waited for the rest of the team to file in.

"It changed my complete mood from relaxed and focused up to, 'OK, this is some serious s*** now,'" Trudo said. "You see Superman cry … you know what I mean?"

After the rest of the players filed into the meeting room, other seniors passed out copies of Shafer’s letter. Trudo then addressed the team.

"Look, I need 10 or 15 minutes for some serious s*** right here," Trudo announced, his mind unable to escape the thought of Shafer crying minutes earlier. "Shafer, whether you love him or you hate him, he dedicated the last seven years of his life to this community.

"The least you can do is show some respect in this meeting. Give me your silence and attention."

Trudo then began to read Shafer’s letter.

Via Syracuse.com, here is Shafer’s letter to the team, in full:

(via Syracuse.com)
(via Syracuse.com)

The next day, Syracuse finished out Shafer’s tenure on a positive note by beating Boston College 20-17 on a 35-yard field goal by Cole Murphy as time expired.

Trudo and fellow senior lineman Nick Robinson then carried Shafer off the field on their shoulders.

(Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

Shafer was emotional in his postgame press conference.

The Orange finished the season with a 4-8 record. In three seasons as head coach, Shafer, who previously served as Syracuse's defensive coordinator under Doug Marrone from 2009-2012, had a 14-23 overall record. 

For more Syracuse news, visit CuseConfidential.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

Cast your vote for the best catch of Week 13 (Videos)

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Each Monday, we’ll gather the best catches from the weekend (or the midweek games) and bring them here for you to vote on in a poll. There could be only a few nominees, or there could be five or six. It all depends on the weekend. If you have a catch you’d like to nominate, don’t hesitate to hit us up on Twitter (@YahooDrSaturday).

The voting remains open until Friday and the winner advances to a final, end of the year vote where the best catch of the season will be determined. And since we started this midway through the season, some of our favorite catches from the first half will re-surface at the end of the season as well. Don’t you worry.

After a two-week run from the MAC, the SEC finally took home our catch of the week honors. This awesome one-handed TD catch by Mississippi State junior Fred Ross was the top vote-getter in Week 12

Ross won by a considerable margin by garnering 61 percent of the vote. Gehrig Dieter from Bowling Green finished second at 23 percent of the vote while Alabama's Richard Mullaney (14 percent) was third, Georgia's Terry Godwin was fourth (3 percent) and Cal's Trevor Davis (1 percent) in fifth.

Here are the Week 13 nominees:

Demarcus Ayers – Houston

As a junior, Houston's Demarcus Ayers has exploded for 89 catches after totaling only 44 in his first two seasons with the program. In Friday's big AAC West-sealing win over Navy, Ayers was all over the field. He had eight catches for a season-high 161 yards, including this crazy, leaping one-handed snag that he took 62 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.

Here's another look at the 5-foot-10 Ayers perfectly timing his jump to make the catch. He then avoided multiple Navy defenders and showed breakway speed for his sixth touchdown catch of the season.

Deon Watson – Idaho

This clutch fourth quarter catch by Idaho junior Deon Watson was a big reason the Vandals snapped a four-game losing streak in Saturday's season finale against Texas State. The Vandals and Bobcats were tied at 31 with just under two minutes to go when Matt Linehan found Watson down the left sideline. Watson somehow fought off a defender and brought the pass in with his right hand for a big gain.

As you can see, the Texas State defender was all over Watson, but he boxed out the defensive back and made the big catch to set up a game-winning touchdown run from Elijhaa Penny. Watson finished the season with 42 catches for 551 yards and seven touchdowns.

Michael Thomas – Southern Mississippi

Michael Thomas had a huge game on Saturday to help Southern Mississippi clinch the Conference USA West division. The senior wideout hauled in seven passes for 162 yards and made an Odell Beckham-like one-handed touchdown catch.

Thomas showed off his awesome leaping ability and body control and still managed to touch his right foot inbounds, all while maintaining possession all the way to the turf. Thomas' acrobatic catch came on a third-and-goal play in the second quarter and extended the Golden Eagles' lead to 21-3. 

Tre’Quan Smith – UCF

UCF didn't win a single game this season, but the program found an impressive playmaker in redshirt freshman Tre'Quan Smith. Smith has been a huge bright spot for the Knights, and had another great game Thursday night against South Florida. Among his seven catches for 102 yards was this great individual effort. Smith had to leap to bring in this pass from Justin Holman. As the ball hit his hands, he was upended by a USF defender.

Smith did almost a full front flip after taking the hit, yet he still managed to hang on to the ball. That's not easy. 

Cortez Lewis – Wake Forest

Like Tre'Quan Smith for UCF, Cortez Lewis has been a nice bright spot as a freshman for Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons lost their sixth straight game Saturday against Duke to finish 3-9, but Lewis made a big play to hype up the fans at BB&T Field. Lewis had an awesome one-handed touchdown catch late in the game to cut Duke's lead to six points.

Lewis managed to work his way through tight coverage from Duke's DeVon Edwards, locate the ball and bring it in with his left hand while staying inbounds. That's an extremely impressive play.

Vote for your favorite catch in the poll below:

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

Houston and coach Tom Herman agree in principle to contract

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Houston coach Tom Herman has agreed in principle to remaining the cougars head coach.

Herman was offered a $3-million deal to stay in Houston after he was considered one of the top targets for several of the current job openings.

Herman, who is in his first season with Houston, is 11-1 and his Cougars are playing in the American Athletic Conference title game against Temple this weekend.

Shortly after Georgia fired coach Mark Richt, Herman became the rumored frontrunner for the position.

Herman said Monday his talks with Houston are ongoing and while the two parties have agreed in principle, they still have several details to work out.

For more Houston news, visit CougarsDen.com.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!

And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook


Navy unveils hand-painted individual position group helmets for Army game

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Navy unveiled Monday new hand-painted position-by-position helmets for the Dec. 12 game against rival Army, and they might be the most spectacular helmets ever produced for game wear.

Each helmet pays homage to seven of the historic ships that make up the U.S. Naval Fleet. The players will wear the helmets according to position.

Here’s the position breakdown by navysports.com:

• Linebacker: Cruiser- Provides anti-air defense and packs the biggest punch of Naval surface ships representative of the linebackers on the Navy football team.
• Defensive Back: Destroyer- Known for significant fire power, speed, and anti-missile defense as are Navy’s defensive backs.
• Wide Receiver: Submarine- Predominantly utilized as blockers, wide receivers play a key role in driving the Navy rush attack, taking on a stealth-like persona as they blend into the rhythm of the offense but bring significant fire power when called upon, just like a Naval submarine.
• Lineman: Amphibious Assault Ships- Just as a lineman’s job is the create a hole for a running back or linebacker, these ships are utilized to establish the “beach head” that enables the invading force to gain access and ultimately accomplish their objective.
• Quarterback: Aircraft Carrier- The QB of the Naval Fleet, the aircraft carrier is the ultimate decision maker; the “quick strike” weapon of the Naval fleet.
• Running Back: Littoral Combat Ship- Like running backs, these fast and nimble ships can navigate through both crowded shallow and deep waters.
• Kicker/Special Teams: Minesweeper- Much like the specific task of the Navy special teams, this small ship has a unique mission of identifying and eliminating mines.

The uniforms, which are made by Under Armour, are blue with yellow trim and “the rally cry ‘damn the torpedoes!’ is featured on the uniform as a nod to Admiral Farragut’s historic Naval victory at the Battle of Mobile Bay in 1864.”

Navy and Army usually have special uniforms for their annual contest, but these are by far the most original and artistic we’ve ever seen. They don’t belong on a football field; they’re way too nice.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!

And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook

Maryland defensive end Yannick Ngakoue declares for NFL Draft

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(Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)After putting up 13.5 sacks this year as a junior, Maryland defensive end Yannick Ngakoue announced Monday that he will forgo his senior season and declare for the 2016 NFL Draft.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone that is in anyway affiliated with the University of Maryland and its football program,” Ngakoue said. “For the last three years I have called College Park my home, and I can honestly say that everyone here will remain an integral part of my family. I am a better person for having chosen Maryland as my home, and I know that has allowed me to be prepared for what lies ahead.”

Ngakoue further expounded on his decision on Twitter.

Ngakoue’s 13.5 sacks were a Maryland single-season record and was second in the country behind Penn State’s Carl Nassib (15.5). Ngakoue also totaled 38 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and one forced fumble for the Terps this season.

“We are thrilled for Yannick and his family that he has made this decision to pursue his lifelong dream of playing in the NFL,” said interim head coach Mike Locksley. “After speaking with Yannick and his family, he feels that he is prepared to take this step in his football career and we support his decision. We wish him well and look forward to seeing him compete at the highest level.”

Ngakoue finishes his career fourth best in Maryland history with 21.5 sacks and eighth best with 33 tackles for loss.

Maryland went 3-9 this season.

For more Maryland news, visit TerrapinSportsReport.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

Five-win Missouri says it will not pursue a bowl inivite

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The University of Missouri, one of 12 teams with a 5-7 record heading into the weekend, issued a statement Monday saying it would not petition the NCAA for bowl eligibility.

Since there are not enough 6-6 bowl eligible teams for the 80 bowl slots available, the NCAA default is to use 5-7 programs based on their Academic Progress Rates (APR). Heading into the final weekend, there are still three 5-6 programs yet to finish their seasons. At least two 5-7 teams will be used to fill bowl slots and as many as five could be selected.

Based on APR scores, Missouri would have been tied for second in APR with Kansas State, one of the 5-6 teams that will face West Virginia this weekend.

“Following this weekend’s football games, there have been significant discussions nationally concerning 5-7 teams participating in bowl games,” Missouri athletic director Mack Rhoades said. “After careful consideration, we have decided it is not in the best interest of our football program to seek permission from the NCAA to participate in a bowl game. Our focus remains on identifying the right leader for our program and moving forward with the transition process.

The NCAA said it will provide bowls looking for entrants a pool of teams based on the top APR schools. Bowls can chose whichever team fits their criteria.

Missouri is currently looking for a football coach to replace Gary Pinkel, who recently announced he was resigning to battle cancer.

For more Missouri news, visit PowerMizzou.com.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!

And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook

Official: UCF's new coach to be Oregon OC Scott Frost

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Oregon offensive coordinator Scott Frost is moving across the country for a head coaching position.

First reported by UCFSports.com and CBS Sports' Ryan Bass, Frost, 40, will be the new coach at Central Florida. The former Nebraksa quarterback has served as Oregon's offensive coordinator for the past three seasons. He was promoted when Mark Helfrich took over as Oregon's head coach for Chip Kelly when Kelly went to the Eagles. The school made the hire official later Tuesday morning.

UCF was looking for a new coach because of the retirement of George O'Leary. The Knights went 0-12 in 2015 but were considered a better job than a winless team because of the location and recruiting base of the school. UCF won the Fiesta Bowl after the 2013 season.

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The reports of Frost becoming the team's new coach are after Bowling Green coach Dino Babers was mentioned over the weekend as a possibility to be O'Leary's replacement. If Babers was a strong possibility, it's apparent the school wanted a new coach with an offensive background in an uptempo spread-type offense. Babers is a former Baylor assistant.

Frost played quarterback at Nebraska from 1995-1997 after he transferred from Stanford. After a brief NFL career he got in to coaching. He's been with Oregon since 2009 and was the team's wide receivers coach before he became the team's offensive coordinator.

Frost was also considered a strong candidate for the Syracuse job. The Orange are looking for a new coach after firing Scott Shafer.

For more UCF news, visit UCFSports.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Florida seniors to decide SEC title game status of WR Demarcus Robinson

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(Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)The status of Florida wide receiver Demarcus Robinson for Saturday’s SEC Championship Game will be decided by his teammates.

According to the Gainesville Sun, Gators head coach Jim McElwain said Monday that the team’s seniors will decide whether Robinson should be allowed to return to the field. Robinson, the team’s leading receiver, was suspended for last week’s game against Florida State for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

“I’m going to visit with the seniors. They’ll determine which direction we’ll go,” McElwain said. “(Robinson) made a choice, OK. He made a choice. Our family needs to make this decision and those guys are the leaders of our family.”

Robinson, a junior, leads the team with 47 catches this season and is second with 505 yards. He also has two touchdowns. In 2014, Robinson caught 53 passes for 810 yards and seven scores.

Though he’s been productive during his time at Florida, Robinson also has had a handful of off-the-field issues. The Florida State game was the fourth game he’s missed in his career due to suspension. He has also been demoted to second string several times this season.

The Gators, now 10-2 after last weekend’s 27-2 loss to Florida State, face No. 2 Alabama in the SEC title game on Saturday in Atlanta.

For more Florida news, visit InsideTheGators.com.

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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

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