Sports 2000

LSU lost to Mississippi by wasting the last 30 seconds after recovering an onside kick. The game ended, 25-23, with LSU (8-3) at the Mississippi (8-3) six-yard line. Therefore, the Tigers drop to 15th in this week BCS standings. There’s not much practical difference since LSU couldn’t get a BCS berth anyway, considering two SEC rivals remain at the top of the standings. The at-large bids will be interesting until Dec. 6, when bowl matchups are officially announced.

Southeastern: #1 Florida (11-0)

In a surprise to no one, the Gators dismantled Florida International (3-8), 62-3, Saturday. Florida, in essence, had a bye before meeting its long-standing but currently suffering rival, Florida State (6-5). The Seminoles are in turmoil in the wake of defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews’ impending retirement and whether coach Bobby Bowden will follow his friend into the sunset. The Gators, meanwhile, mustn’t look past FSU toward the SEC Championship with Alabama.

Florida’s remaining schedule

Nov. 28: Home vs. Florida State
Dec. 5: SEC Championship Game vs. Alabama in Atlanta

Automatic At-Large: #2 Alabama (11-0)

Hardly a stunner that the Crimson Tide demolished Division I-AA Tennessee-Chattanooga (6-5), 45-0. Alabama travels Friday to Auburn (7-4) for the Iron Bowl. The Tigers will want to ruin their in-state rival’s national title hopes but the Tide figure to be too strong for Auburn to handle.

Alabama’s remaining schedule

Nov. 27: At Auburn
Dec. 5: SEC Championship Game vs. Florida in Atlanta

Big 12: #3 Texas (11-0)

The Longhorns thrashed reeling Kansas (5-6), 51-20, last week. The Jayhawks have a lot of issues, starting with head coach Mark Mangino’s alleged treatment of players. Nonetheless, Texas led, 27-6, at the half and never gave Kansas a chance in the second half. With the win, the Longhorns clinched the Big 12 South division and a spot in the conference title game next week against North division winner Nebraska (8-3). First though is the annual clash against sagging Texas A&M (6-5), played this year in College Station on Thanksgiving night.

Texas’s remaining schedule

Nov. 26: At Texas A&M
Dec. 5: Big 12 Championship Game vs. Nebraska in Arlington

Mountain West: #4 Texas Christian (11-0)

The Horned Frogs struggled for most of the first half at Wyoming (5-6). The score was 10-10 midway through the second period. However, TCU scored 35 unanswered points to win convincingly, 45-10. The Frogs clinched the Mountain West crown with the victory. New Mexico (1-10) won its first game of the season last week. TCU may look past the Lobos a bit but the Frogs are too good to suffer a monumental upset Saturday. TCU will almost certainly cinch a BCS bid with a win.

Texas Christian’s remaining schedule

Nov. 28: Home vs. New Mexico

Big East: #5 Cincinnati (10-0)

The Bearcats were off last week. Cincinnati faces Illinois (3-7) Friday. Before the season, this game seemed like it would be a lot more competitive. At least the Illini also had a bye. So both teams will have the same amount of time to prepare. The Bearcats have the better team though. Next weekend’s with Pittsburgh looms.

Cincinnati’s remaining schedule

Nov. 27: Home vs. Illinois
Dec. 5: At Pittsburgh

Atlantic Coast: #7 Georgia Tech (10-1)

The Yellow Jackets had a bye last week. GT’s next opponent, Georgia (6-5), lost Saturday in heartbreaking fashion. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs’ beloved mascot, Uga VII, died suddenly last week. There will be an interim mascot in Atlanta Saturday but the Yellow Jackets seem to be too strong anyway. Clemson won the ACC Atlantic Division last week so GT will have a rematch with the Tigers next weekend in Tampa.

Georgia Tech’s remaining schedule

Nov. 28: Home vs. Georgia
Dec. 5: ACC Championship Game vs. Clemson in Tampa

Pacific-10: #8 Oregon (9-2)

The Ducks trailed Arizona (6-4) by 10 points in the fourth quarter and needed a touchdown with six seconds left in regulation to extend the game to overtime. However, Oregon prevailed in double overtime, 44-41, and left Tucson in firm control of the conference race. Coupled with Stanford’s (7-4) 34-28 loss to #22 California (8-3) and #16 Oregon State’s (8-3) 42-10 thrashing of Washington State (1-10), what had been a convoluted situation is now quite simple. The winner of next week’s Civil War is the Pac-10 champion and will go to the Rose Bowl.

Oregon’s remaining schedule

Dec. 3: Home vs. Oregon State

At-Large: #9 Pittsburgh (9-1)

The Panthers had a bye. They would give almost anything to erase the Sept. 26 loss at North Carolina State (4-7). Without that blemish, Pittsburgh would be in the hunt for the BCS title in addition to the conference crown. As things stands, the Panthers must defeat West Virginia (7-3) in Morgantown Friday–always a tricky matchup–before hosting Cincinnati with a lot at stake. Pittsburgh has proven it can struggle on the road. Doing so again in the Backyard Brawl would be a crushing blow.

Pittsburgh’s remaining schedule

Nov. 27: At West Virginia
Dec. 5: Home vs. Cincinnati

Big Ten: #10 Ohio State (10-2)

In typical fashion, the Buckeyes weren’t stylish Saturday against Michigan (5-7). However, OSU made few mistakes. Wolverine quarterback Tate Forcier committed five turnovers. OSU didn’t have to be pretty to beat Michigan for a school-record sixth consecutive time, 21-10. With the win, the Buckeyes are the outright Big Ten champions and await an opponent at the Rose Bowl New Year’s Day.

Ohio State’s remaining schedule

Jan. 1: Rose Bowl in Pasadena

At-Large: #13 Penn State (10-2)

The Nittany Lions used a 28-point third quarter to break open a close game with Michigan State (6-6) and win the Land Grant Trophy in East Lansing, 42-14. PSU finishes tied for second in the conference with Iowa. Admittedly, the Lions’ best win is against Northwestern (8-4). The fact remains that of the potential BCS at-large candidates, PSU has the best name recognition and national following. Beyond the championship game pitting the top two teams, bowls are about money. The Lions mean more money than Iowa or Boise State, the best alternatives.

Penn State’s remaining schedule

January: Bowl game to be announced

The other teams in the at-large pool are:

#6 Boise State (11-0), Western Athletic
#11 Iowa (10-2), Big Ten
#12 Oklahoma State (9-2), Big 12
#14 Virginia Tech (8-3), ACC

As projected now, the BCS Championship Game would pit Florida against Alabama. Ohio State and Oregon are set for the Rose Bowl. The Sugar Bowl would pick Cincinnati to replace the SEC squads.

The Sugar Bowl would then choose Penn State. Since there are now two Big Ten teams, Iowa is ineligible. Pittsburgh would head for the Orange Bowl. Finally, TCU comes to the Fiesta Bowl. The BCS game projections for Nov. 23 are as follows:

BCS Championship: Florida vs. Alabama
Rose: Oregon vs. Ohio State
Sugar: Cincinnati vs. Penn State
Fiesta: Texas vs. Texas Christian
Orange: Georgia Tech vs. Pittsburgh

Indianapolis remained unbeaten after escaping from Baltimore with a 17-15 triumph. The Colts (10-0) weren’t at their best offensively but the Ravens (5-5) couldn’t manage a touchdown against the team that once called Baltimore home. Meanwhile, New Orleans is still undefeated after crushing hapless Tampa Bay, 38-7. The Saints are now 10-0 while the Buccaneers fell to 1-9.

In other NFL action, Dallas (7-3) edged Washington (3-7), 7-6. Detroit (2-8) stunned Cleveland (1-9), 38-37. Green Bay (6-4) held off San Francisco (4-6), 30-24. Kansas City (3-7) upset Pittsburgh (6-4), 27-24, in overtime. Minnesota (9-1) thumped Seattle (3-7), 35-9. The New York Giants (6-4) squeaked past Atlanta (5-5), 34-31, in overtime.

Elsewhere around the league, Jacksonville (6-4) beat Buffalo (3-7), 18-15. Arizona (7-3) dispatched St. Louis (1-9), 21-13. San Diego (7-3) humbled Denver (6-4), 32-3. Oakland (3-7) shocked Cincinnati (7-3), 20-17. New England (7-3) thrashed the New York Jets, 31-14. Philadelphia (6-4) defeated Chicago (4-6), 24-20.

Denny Hamlin won the NASCAR Cup Series season finale in Miami. Jimmie Johnson finished fifth which was more than enough to claim his fourth consecutive Cup.

Lee Westwood won the Dubai World Championship. With the victory, Westwood claimed the European Tour’s Order of Merit. Kristy McPherson leads the LPGA Tour Championship although poor conditions delayed the resumption of play until noon. Darkness came to Houston before the second round was completed. The second and third rounds are scheduled to be played Monday.

Real Salt Lake won the MLS Cup on penalties after its match against the Los Angeles Galaxy finished tied at 1-1 after 120 minutes of regulation and extra time. The shootout was even, 3-3, after the standard five kickers per team. RSL prevailed on the seventh attempt, 5-4. Each goalie saved two shots. The difference was L.A.’s Landon Donovan, named MLS Most Valuable Player this week, striking his attempt over the crossbar.

Montreal and Saskatchewan are headed to the Grey Cup after winning CFL divisional championship games at home today. Montreal (16-3) crushed British Columbia (9-11), 56-18, while Saskatchewan (11-7-1) dispatched Calgary (11-8-1), 27-17. The Grey Cup will be played next Sunday in Calgary.

Forrest Griffin avenged an earlier loss to Tito Ortiz with a split decision victory tonight in Las Vegas at the main event of UFC 106. Ortiz won on one judge’s card, 29-28. Griffin also earned a 29-28 decision on one card. The third judge sided with Griffin, 30-27.

LSU was Saturday’s biggest upset victim in college football today as the #8 Tigers (8-3, 4-3) lost, 25-23, at Mississippi (7-4, 3-4) when they failed to get off a final play at the Rebel six-yard line. California, rated #25, (8-3, 5-3) kept the Axe by rallying past #17 Stanford (7-4, 6-3), 34-28, in Palo Alto. Northwestern (7-5, 4-4) stunned visiting #16 Wisconsin (8-3, 5-3), 33-31.

Lee Westwood leads the Dubai World Championship by two shots after firing a 66 Saturday. Ross McGowan’s third-round 66 left him in second place. Padraig Harrington, Rory McIlroy and Alexander Noren are tied for third, five strokes behind Westwood.

A second day of rain in Houston forced more delays at the LPGA Tour Championship. No one played Saturday. The event will be shortened to 54 holes. Tournament officials hope to complete the second round Sunday then cut the field to 70 players and ties. The third round will be Monday.

Zsolt Erdel won a majority decision to take the WBC cruiserweight title from Giacobbe Fragomeni. One judge scored the bout even, 114-114. The other two judges awarded the fight to Erdel (30-0, 17 knockouts), 115-113. Fragomeni (26-1-1, 10 KOs) suffered his first loss.

Kyle Busch won the NASCAR Nationwide Series event Saturday in Miami. In the process, Busch claimed the season-long championship. Kevin Harvick won the Truck Series race Friday.

The WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs folded Friday. League President Donna Orender said she will look for a new investor who will move the team to the Bay Area.