Reporters Notebooks

Helen Anders and Ameera Butt, Austin American-Statesman: Texas fans are already booking flights and hotels and lining up to purchase tickets to the Bowl Championship Series title game on Jan. 7 in Pasadena. Southwest Airlines flights from Austin to Burbank have been filling up and some Pasadena hotels, including the Westin Pasadena, already are booked. "I have 100% confidence that we are going to be there and beat the alligator skin off of any team that has the audacity to show up," fan J.B. Goodwin said.

David Jones, Florida Today: XOS Technologies Inc., which has a new contract with the Southeastern Conference and starting this year is policing the use of the league's video, is clamping down on fans who have been posting videos of games on YouTube. Plus, Florida's Urban Meyer said he hasn't been contacted by anyone from the SEC office over his remarks that were critical of officiating.

Hank Kurz Jr., Associated Press: Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage cast an ominous cloud over coach Al Groh's future. A crowd of only 41,713 watched the Cavaliers lose to Duke, 28-17, last Saturday.

Dan Steinberg, D.C. Sports Bog: Maryland athletic director Debbie Yow got testy when asked about the future of coach Ralph Friedgen on a local radio show. Question: "Could you guarantee ... coach Friedgen's job after this season?" Yow: [Three-second pause] "What I can pretty much guarantee is I probably won't be back on this show."

Jon Wilner, College Sports Hotline: Most telling Dennis Erickson stat: Since the final month of the '07 season, Arizona State is 11-13 and, it should be noted, has lost substantial ground relative to Arizona. Chances of the Sun Devils (4-4) getting things turned around this year: Nil.

Ron Morris, Columbia State: George Rogers, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1980, paid a price for his bruising running style. "Some days I hate to wake up, because I know I can't stand on my feet. I have trouble walking some days."

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium has been outfitted with 43 surveillance cameras to keep an eye on the 101,000 who fill the seats and hallways and spill into the perimeter on game days. Police eject about 40 people per game and average two or three arrests.

Terry Hutchens, Indianapolis Star: How can Indiana look so good in the first half and so bad in the second? The Hoosiers have been outscored, 103-33, in the second half.

Patrick Finley, Arizona Daily Star: A $10 million donation — the largest one-time donation in Arizona Wildcats history — will be used as the athletic department's first step toward Arizona Stadium expansion.

Kevin Tatum, Philadelphia Inquirer: Temple needed an 18-yard field goal from freshman Brandon McManus to beat Miami (Ohio), 34-32, and extend the Owls' winning streak to seven, their longest since 1973.

Idaho Statesman: The Western Athletic Conference has suspended replay official Michael Goshima for one game after he failed to overturn a call in the San Jose State-Boise State game.

Ken Goe, Oregonian: An irreverent look at the week in the Pacific 10.

Scott D. Pierce, Deseret News: The mtn. will finally take the plunge and start broadcasting games in high definition.

Gregg Krupa, Detroit News: Despite the economic downturn, the athletic departments at Michigan State and Michigan are in good financial shape.

Brandon Chatmon, Oklahoman: Oklahoma State's Dez Bryant, who had his final appeal for reinstatement denied by the NCAA, is expected to enter the NFL draft.

Dave Birkett, Ann Arbor.com: Martavious Odom, Michigan's leading receiver, has a sprained knee and won't play against Purdue.

Lawrence Journal-World: Kansas defensive end D.J. Marshall has been diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.

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Comments

[Stan]

Could you do a story about why XOS gets such a butthurt over fans posting a freaking play on Youtube? I can understand if anyone was using the game video for commercial gain, but jeez....YouTube.

Thanks