Making the morning rounds.
• Thou doth protest too much. Obligatory denial notwithstanding, everyone and their brother was on board the Urban Meyer-to-Ohio State bandwagon over the weekend, beginning with "solid sources" — plural — telling Buckeye blog Eleven Warriors that Meyer has agreed in principle to become the next coach. Both Eleven Warriors and ESPN — among others — cited "mutual interest" between OSU and Meyer, who has reportedly begun piecing together a staff in anticipation of a deal to be announced after the season. The tallest remaining hurdle: The results of Ohio State's ongoing waggle dance with the NCAA, which could still result in significant sanctions over former coach Jim Tressel's extended coverup of player violations last year.
The only certainty: Barring a hammer from the NCAA that thwarts the Buckeyes' courtship with any other viable replacement, non-interim coach Luke Fickell is on his way out after Saturday's 20-14 loss to Penn State. At 6-5, not only is Ohio State going to fall short of the Big Ten title for the first time since 2004: If it fails to extend its seven-year winning streak over Michigan this weekend in Ann Arbor — the Wolverines are opening as 7½-point favorites — Fickell's long-shot audition for the full-time gig isn't even going to net a winning record. [Eleven Warriors, ESPN, Sports by Brooks, Columbus Dispatch]
• Profiles in toughness. Washington State quarterback Connor Halliday was in stable condition in intensive care Sunday night after being hospitalized with a lacerated liver he suffered in Saturday's 30-27 overtime loss to Utah. The incredible part: Halliday actually played the entire second half and overtime with a lacerated liver after suffering the injury in the second quarter, taking every snap through the extra frame. (The extent of the injury wasn't diagnosed until a few hours later.) Needless to say, he will not be available for Saturday's Apple Cup match with Washington.
"Like the internist said, it was just a perfect hit," said coach Paul Wulff. "A very rare hit [like they see] in car accidents and those types of things. It's very uncommon for a football injury." [Seattle Times]
• Tough break. Elsewhere, Notre Dame tailback Jonas Gray's career is finished following "a significant knee injury" in Saturday's win over Boston College, ending a senior season in which the former top-100 recruit finally began to live up to the hype: After rushing for a grand total of 309 yards with zero touchdowns in his first three seasons, Gray came on this year with 791 yards and 12 touchdowns as part of a 1-2 punch with junior Cierre Wood. Now, Gray may be finished with football a few weeks earlier than he expected, but at least there's always stand-up comedy. [Chicago Tribune]
In other injury news… Arizona quarterback Nick Foles is in doubt for his final game after leaving Saturday's win over Arizona State with an injury "to his lower back or side." [Tucson Citizen] … Alabama safety Will Lowery is out for the season with a torn ACL. [al.com] … And Virginia defensive end Bill Schautz's season is over after he broke both his tibia and fibula with 40 seconds remaining in Saturday's win over Florida State, which hurts just to type. [Washington Post]
• RIP Top Dawg. Tributes abound across the South this morning for legendary Georgia radio man Larry Munson, who died in his home in Athens Sunday night form complications of pneumonia. He was 89.
I have little to add, so I'll let Larry do the talking. [Atlanta Journal Constitution, Team Speed Kills, Athens Banner Herald]
Quickly… Dennis Erickson hasn't gone anywhere, yet. … BYU is the first team to formally accept a bowl bid. … Before the Aggies defected to the SEC, Texas A&M's athletic director had a few candid thoughts on the Longhorn Network. … A tentative vote for Case McCoy as Texas' starting quarterback. … The SEC clarifies the final play of Tennessee's overtime win over Vanderbilt. … Trent Richardson tells some reporters he's coming back for his senior season, and at least one of them believes him. … A former Buckeye is not happy with the direction of the program. … A former Sooner is not happy with the direction of the program. … MSNBC geographers have no idea where Auburn is. … Brandon Weeden is stunned. … And for the animal's sake, I really, really hope that this isn't real.
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.