Frederic J. Frommer, Associated Press: Playoff PAC, the political action committee that wants the bowls replaced with a championship playoff system, plans to file a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service on Thursday against the operators of the Fiesta, Sugar and Orange Bowls, three of the five games that constitute the Bowl Championship Series, alleging the games violated their tax-exempt status by paying excessive salaries and perks, providing "sweetheart loans" and doing undisclosed lobbying. Link to Playoff PAC site.
Steve Berkowitz, Jodi Upton, Michael McCarthy and Jack Gillum, USA Today: Excellent piece on how student fees are being jacked up to pay for intercollegiate athletics. Plus a chart analyzing the percentage of tuition that goes to athletics and a database examining schools' athletic budgets.
Marcus Fuller, St. Paul Pioneer Press: Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi said former Kansas coach Mark Mangino has not been hired as a consultant to Golden Gopher coach Tim Brewster.
Scott Wolf, Inside USC: HBO's Real Sports host Bryant Gumbel criticized the NCAA for punishing USC over the Reggie Bush affair but not punishing Florida for having 27 players arrested in Urban Meyer's tenure.
Laken Litman, Dallas Morning News: Students at Texas are petitioning to change the date of the 2011 Red River Rivalry because the game falls on Yom Kippur, the holiest of Jewish holidays. The game is currently scheduled for Oct. 8, 2011.
Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: Improving USC is 3-0, but it's not getting much love from voters in the Associated Press poll.
Jay Christensen, Covers: What's the easiest way to impress pollsters and boosters? Try running up the score. A look at four coaches who aren't afraid of scoring a few style points.
Teddy Greenstein, Chicago Tribune: Why all the cupcakes on nonconference schedules of Big Ten teams? Money.
Chadd Cripe, Idaho Statesman: ESPN has challenged Boise State fans to break the record for biggest crowd to attend a "College GameDay" broadcast. Nebraska holds the record with 15,800 for a 2001 game against Notre Dame.
Jay Drew, Salt Lake Tribune: Brigham Young, which will become a football independent next season, isn't having as much trouble as anticipated in putting together its 2011 and 2012 schedules.
Jeff Call, Deseret News: Three Mountain West Conference teams are winless, but one of them is guaranteed its first victory Saturday because New Mexico (0-3) visits Nevada Las Vegas (0-3).
Brett Dawson, Louisville Courier-Journal: Kentucky receiver Randall Cobb is upset after a hostess at a Red Lobster took a jab at the Wildcat team.
Matt Tait, Lawrence Journal World: There was a reason Kansas had trouble signaling plays into the offense in Friday's loss to Southern Mississippi.
Angelique S. Chengelis, Detroit News: Several Michigan students have been at practice and attempting to make the team as kickers. "One youngster showed up [Tuesday], but he was actually in graduate school so his eligibility has exhausted," Rich Rodriguez said.
Phil Stukenborg, Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis is considering a per-seat donation for season-ticket holders beginning in 2011. Donations would range from $25 to $250, with the highest per-seat fee required for box seats on the press box side of Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. About one-third of the stadium's 60,000 seats would be included in the plan.
J. Andrew Curliss and Ken Tysiac, Charlotte Observer: Former North Carolina associate head coach John Blake has met with investigators from the North Carolina Secretary of State's office about an ongoing probe into agent-related activities.
Lost Lettermen: Former Texas A&M, Alabama, Texas Christian and New Mexico coach Dennis Franchione, a reader of the Wiz, is hoping to get back into the game.
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