Len Robbins, New York Post: Two unnamed sources say the Big East would
consider adding a ninth member by exploring whether there was interest
on behalf of Maryland to jump from the Atlantic Coast Conference, and
for Boston College to rejoin the league. The league is also exploring ties with a planned bowl game to be played at Yankee Stadium or Giants Stadium.
Jeff Barker, Baltimore Sun: Maryland is limiting the new, 24-person suites in Byrd Stadium to a maximum of 96 beers, an average of four per person. There are also limits on wine. Plus, sales of suites are not going well and sales of season tickets are down significantly.
Brian McCormick, The Business of College Football: Did Maryland officials renege on a 2007 promise to hold off building the suites until 50 were sold? Despite completion of the project, officials announced this week that only 40 had been sold.
Angelo DiCarlo, WNDU-TV: Lou Holtz says he will not be running for Congress. "I'm working for ESPN. I don't want to run for Congress. All I'm going to do is fulfill the commitment to ESPN. I'm prepared for it and then we'll go from there." Holtz would not confirm on camera whether he met with GOP officials last week as has been reported, but he did tell others during a golf outing that he had.
Alan Trubow, Austin American-Statesman: Texas' Mack Brown will make at least $5.1 million this season.
Eric Hansen, South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame associate athletic director John Heisler confirms there was only a commitment between the Fighting Irish and Connecticut for a six-game series, not a contract.
Mark Berman, Roanoke Times: The Virginia Tech radio network has had a call-in talk show since 1978. But this year, Hokie fans will no longer be able to call and ask questions of coach Frank Beamer. The call-in aspect to the show is being scrapped. "If there's something controversial, I'll still ask," host Bill Roth said. "I don't want someone calling the show to say, 'Good luck Saturday. We really think you're doing a great job.' That's a wasted minute and a half. ... The show needed a new spark to pick up the pacing. ... It'll be a better show. I thought it was getting a little stale."
Brent Schrotenboer, San Diego Union-Tribune: It has been more than seven months since Brady Hoke was introduced as San Diego State coach, but he has yet to sign a formal employment contract.
Kurt Kragthorpe, Salt Lake Tribune: Utah is considered a player now, and — thanks also to the rise of Brigham Young and Texas Christian — people are following the Utes and the Mountain West Conference more closely.
Marc Morehouse, Cedar Rapids Gazette: Arkansas State will receive $900,000 for its Oct. 3 trip to Iowa. That's a record payout for a Hawkeye opponent at Kinnick Stadium.
Eric Crawford, Louisville Courier-Journal: Why ESPN.com's Power 40 won't work.
Kayla Habermehl, State News: How much does in-state tuition cost at Big Ten schools? At Northwestern, it's $38,461. At Iowa, it's $6,824. Thanks to Joseph Serwach.
Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: The best conference? The Southeastern gets the nod. Plus, how teams can schedule a date with destiny.
Job Wilner, College Sports Hotline: Separating reality from spin when discussing Pacific 10 football.
Matt Gelb, Newark Star-Ledger: Chris Demarest, who had been Greg Schiano's top assistant at Rutgers before assault charges, which were later dismissed, led to his resignation in February 2008, has a new job. He was named coach and athletic director at Hudson Catholic High in Jersey City.
Gentry Estes, Mobile Press-Register: Nick Saban gets down to 85 scholarship players. Thirteen players that finished spring practice as a part of Alabama's team will not be back this season either for team rules violations/dismissal, a choice to transfer, delayed enrollment to grayshirt or the acceptance of a medical scholarship.
Danny Robbins, Associated Press: Texas A&M has requested an independent safety analysis of the school's massive new athletic center, a steel-and-fabric structure that was built by the same company that erected the collapsed Dallas Cowboy indoor practice facility.
Nathan Crabbe, The Chalkboard: Smoking will be banned this fall in Florida's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Thanks to College Football Talk.
Tommy Bowman, Winston-Salem Journal: Armanti Edwards, Appalachian State's record-setting quarterback, is expected to miss two to four weeks of practice after cutting his right foot in a lawn-mowing accident.
Associated Press: A judge has rejected the NCAA's motion to dismiss a media lawsuit seeking access to documents on academic cheating at Florida State.
Doug Smock, Charleston Gazette: Marshall has reinstated A.J. Graham's scholarship after armed robbery charges were dropped against the former Tallahassee Godby High player. Graham was selected Florida's Mr. Football last season.
The Quad: Paul Myerberg's countdown continues with No. 27 Illinois.
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