Gentry Estes, Mobile Press-Register: At the request of Alabama, the Southeastern Conference is looking into possible changes to the league's 2010 schedule. Of the eight SEC teams scheduled to play Alabama, the final six are scheduled to have an open week before playing the Crimson Tide. That includes South Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana State, Mississippi State and Auburn.
Chadd Cripe, Idaho Statesman: The Humanitarian Bowl is close to a new four-year contract with ESPN, and the game will likely be played before Christmas, possibly as early as Dec. 18.
Monte Burke, Forbes: Ann Arbor has been rated as the nation's No. 1 college sports town. No. 2 is Chapel Hill, No. 3 is Norman, No. 4 Palo Alto and No. 5 College Station. In order, the second five: Austin, Fayetteville, Lexington, College Park and State College.
Gia Vang, KEZI: What is Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli looking at if convicted of burglary charges? A Eugene attorney says it could range from probation to five years in prison and a $125,000 fine.
John Hunt, Oregonian: The on-field fates of Oregon's LaMichael James and Masoli may rest on the distinction between misdemeanor and felony.
Scott D. Pierce, Deseret News: DirecTV and Versus reportedly are talking, and there is a possibility the network will be back on the satellite TV provider before the NHL playoffs start in April.
Dennis Dodd, CBS Sports: Notre Dame would be smart to take the Big Ten's pot of gold.
Chad Lawhorn, Lawrence Journal-World: Kansas coach Turner Gill, on how he selected his assistants: "It probably doesn’t have to be this way, but I decided that I was not going to hire anybody who was going to be cursing and using that type of language. We are here to develop these people as young men, so we don't need to do that."
Cliff Kirkpatrick, Corvallis Gazette-Times: Receiver Darrell Catchings, expected to be a key player for Oregon State this fall, was granted a medical hardship for last season by the Pacific 10 Conference. He will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Jeff Metcalfe, Arizona Republic: Arizona State cornerback Omar Bolden was granted an additional year of eligibility because of medical hardship. Bolden, who has started 22 games in a row, will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Columbia State: South Carolina backup quarterback Aramis Hillary and his brother, CoCo Hillary, were arrested early Thursday on alcohol-related charges.
Iliana Limón, Orlando Sentinel: Circuit Judge Julie O’Kane recused herself from the pending wrongful death lawsuit filed against Central Florida by the family of former player Ereck Plancher. O'Kane had a potential conflict of interest in the case because her husband had ties to the Knight athletics program.
Holly Anderson, Dr Saturday: An Alabama woman embezzled more than a million dollars from her office and used some of the money to pay for season tickets to Crimson Tide games.
Jason Morton, Tuscaloosa News: Melford Espey, who was Alabama's original elephant mascot, died. He was 68.
Associated Press: The NCAA will reconsider a proposal that would require players to enroll in college within a year of high school graduation to avoid losing years of eligibility.
Alan Goldenbach, Washington Post: A high school in Washington, D.C., is set to name Natalie Randolph, a former women's professional football player, as its head varsity coach.
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