The Rail: Florida State breaks SEC run as final No. 1 in AP
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Florida State is No. 1 in the final Associated Press poll, ending the Southeastern Conference’s record streak of national championships.
The Seminoles received all 60 first-place votes from the media panel after beating Auburn 34-31 in the BCS championship game on Monday night.
FSU’s third AP national title (1993 and ’99) means for the first time since 2005, the SEC is not on top of the final rankings.
• For complete rankings, see Scoreboard /B6
Associated Press
Ex-Eagle Crosgile booted for betting
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Guard Justin Crosgile, who averaged 14.7 points in 12 games before quitting Eastern Washington’s men’s basketball team last season, is one of three current UTEP players kicked off the team after they bet on at least one sporting event.
The university, after receiving information in December, found three players to have taken part in gambling – Crosgile, McKenzie Moore and Jalen Ragland. UTEP has no information to suggest the three were involved in point-shaving.
Associated Press
Prominent donor bashes Strong hire
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: A billionaire donor to the University of Texas says the hire of new football coach Charlie Strong was like a “kick in the face.”
Hours after Strong was introduced Monday, Red McCombs, who has donated millions to Texas, complained to KZDC-AM in San Antonio that he was ignored in the coaching search.
McCombs said major donors had a lot of input when UT hired Mack Brown in 1997, that Texas got the selection “wrong” this time and that Strong would be a good position coach or coordinator.
Associated Press