Matt Aug - AHN Sports Editor Charlotte, NC (AHN) - College football bowling has been very, very good to West Virginia.The Mountaineers' Pat White became the first quarterback to lead a team to four straight bowl wins, tossing three touchdowns in a 31-30 edging of North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl Saturday.White was terrific, completing 26-of-32 passes for 332 yards, the three scores and an interception.He needed every last yard, as the

Kareem Shaker - AHN Sports Reporter Towson, MD (AHN) - After serving seven years as offensive coordinator with the University of Connecticut, Rob Ambrose will return to his alma matar to take over head coaching duties for the Towson Tigers.The 1993 Towson graduate will become just the fourth head coah in the program's forty-year history.Ambrose got his coaching start with Towson after an injury ended his playing career during his senior season.He joined the

Mike Rothman - AHN Sports Contributor Orlando, FL (AHN) - As the Michigan State Spartans get ready to play Georgia in the Capital One Bowl Jan. 1, coach Mark Dantonio received a $2-million bonus on one stipulation.He has to remain with the program into 2016.Dantonio's contract remains a five-year deal with a base salary of $618,000 but with the bonus his salary will rise to $1.8 million per year.Dantonio will get $200,000 each year

Matt Aug - AHN Sports Editor Detroit, MI (NewsBahn) - Florida Atlantic coach Howard Schnellenberger improved to 6-0 in bowl games at the school, as his Owls defeated Central Michigan 24-21 Friday in the Motor City Bowl.Quarterback Rusty Smith did not live up to his first name, throwing for over 300 yards and a pair of second half scores to lead the win.He connected with Chris Bonner on a 52-yard scoring strike, and found

Mike Rothman - AHN Sports Contributor Detroit, MI (AHN) - The Florida Atlantic Owls are set and ready to face off against the Central Michigan Eagles 7:30 p.m. tonight in the Motor City Bowl in Detroit.The game will be a de facto home game for Central Michigan, a team that lost the same Motor City Bowl in 2007, 51-48 to Purdue.The Owls come into the game with a 6-6 record to Central Michigan's 8-4

Matt Aug - AHN Sports Editor Army named Rich Ellerson its new head football coach Friday, in place of Stan Brock who was fired after the program's third straight 3-9 season.Ellerson guided Cal Poly to the FCS playoffs this season and racked up a 56-34 record at the school."One of our primary goals of the search was to find someone capable of turning around our program immediately and we are confident Rich is the

Mike Rothman - AHN Sports Contributor Stillwater, OK (AHN) - Someone is getting a nice holiday bonus in 2008.Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy will get a $400,000 bonus for getting his team to its third straight bowl game.Oklahoma State went 9-3 in 2008, 5-3 in the Big 12, and will face the 9-3 Oregon Ducks Dec. 30 in San Diego in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl.Both teams rank in the top 10 in

Kareem Shaker - AHN Sports Reporter Coral Gables, FL (AHN) - Miami punt snapper Chris Ivory became the fifth Hurricanes player to be suspended for the Emerald Bowl after he recently violated an unspecified team rule.Quarterback Robert Marve was the first player suspended last week for allegedly missing class.Marve and Ivory were also suspended for the season-opener against Charleston Southern for other rules violations.Ivory still managed to win the Albert Bentley Award as the

Kareem Shaker - AHN Sports Reporter Honolulu, HI (AHN) - Jimmy Clausen set Notre Dame bowl records with 401 yards and five touchdowns on 22-for-26 passing to lead the Fighting Irish over the Hawaii Warriors 49-21 Wednesday night .The Hawaii Bowl win was Notre Dame's first postseason victory in 10 bowl appearance over the past 15 years.With head coach Charlie Weiss relegated to the coaches box because of knee difficulties, his team avoided consecutive

Matthew Harvey - AHN Sports Reporter Tucson, AZ (AHN) - Arizona football coach Mike Stoops will reportedly have his contract extended five years, following the program's first bowl win in a decade.Pleased by their success in the Las Vegas Bowl this year, the athletic department has put to rest speculation that Stoops' job is in jeopardy.Arizona finished their season 8-5, and came away with a winning conference record in the competitive Pacific-10 conference.While the

Matthew Harvey - AHN Sports Reporter Oxford, OH (AHN) - Notre Dame assistant coach Mike Haywood signed a five-year contract to become head football coach at University of Miami (OH). Haywood will try to turn around a program around that went 2-10 this season.Haywood will be the sixth black NCAA coach, and brings a wealth of experience to the job, gained in a career that goes back to LSU in 1995.Financial terms of the

Mike Rothman - AHN Sports Contributor San Diego, CA (AHN) - Boise State jumped all over TCU in the first half of the Poinsettia Bowl Tuesday, 13-0, led by an Ian Johnson 20-yard touchdown run.Boise State was looking to finish off a perfect season, but the Horned Frogs had other plans in mind.TCU would score 17 unanswered points to comeback to win the Poinsettia Bowl 17-16, handing Boise State its first loss of the

Mike Rothman - AHN Sports Contributor New York, NY (AHN) - Texas wide receiver Jordan Shipley will get to play college football for one more year.The senior was granted a medical hardship from the NCAA and can return in 2009 for his sixth year of eligibility.Shipley had 79 catches last year and 982 yards receiving for a Texas Team that barely missed the BCS National Championship game.Texas, 11-1, plays Ohio State, 10-2, Jan. 5

Mike Rothman - AHN Sports Contributor Orlando, FL (AHN) - The Wisconsin Badgers will be short-handed when the team faces off against the Florida State Seminoles in the Champs Sports Bowl Dec. 27.Senior linebacker Jonathan Casillas, sophomore receiver Maurice Moore and freshman quarterback James Stallons will not play in the game in Orlando. Casillas and Moore had surgery.Moore had five catches in 2008 for 61 yards for the Badgers.Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema said

Matt Aug - AHN Sports Editor Champaign, IL AHN) - Illinois junior cornerback Vontae Davis has decided to enter the 2009 draft to join his older brother Vernon, a tight end with the San Francisco 49ers.Davis racked up 78 tackles and a pair of interceptions this past season for the Illini, and was a three-year starter."It has been a goal of mine for a long time to have the opportunity to play in the

Mike Rothman - AHN Sports Contributor San Diego, CA (AHN) - When No. 11 TCU faces off against No. 9 Boise State, the team will be without one of its best defensive players.Linebacker Robert Henson was ruled academically ineligible for the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl on Tuesday night.The Horned Frogs, 10-2, will play Boise State without the 6'1 senior from Longview, Texas.Henson did not practice Saturday, and coach Gary Patterson said

Mike Rothman - AHN Sports Contributor New Orleans, LA (AHN) - Southern Miss scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and overtime to beat Troy to take the New Orleans Bowl title.The team was down 27-17 entering the final period and came back to tie the game at 27 then take the game 30-27 after overtime.Golden Eagles player Michael McGee blocked a field goal in overtime to seal the victory over Troy.The victory

AHN Sports Staff Ypsilanti, MI (AHN) - Eastern Michigan will present former Louisville defensive coordinator Ron English as its new head coach Monday, sources told a major media outlet over the weekend.The Eagles will hold a press conference announcing English's five-year, $350,000-per-season deal, according to ESPN.com.The 40-year-old English takes over the post vacated by the fired Jeff Genyk, who posted a 16-42 mark in five seasons, including 3-9 this season.English is headed to become

AHN Sports Staff Durham, NC (AHN) - Duke rewarded head coach David Cutcliffe an additional two more years in his current contract Sunday, keeping the 54-year-old tactician in the Blue Devils sidelines until the 2015 season.Cutcliffe helped Duke win four out of 12 games this season, a stark contrast to the Blue Devils' four-win total the previous four years under former head coach Ted Roof.With Cutcliffe onboard, the Blue Devils went 1-7 in the

AHN Sports Staff Ames, IA (AHN) - Former Cyclones assistant Paul Rhoads was named Iowa State's football coach Saturday, as a replacement for former coach Gene Chizik.The 41-year-old Rhoads, an assistant with the Cyclones under Dan McCarney from 1995-99, will take the place of Chizik, who resigned Dec. 13 after two seasons to coach Auburn.Rhoads, who served as defensive coordinator for the Auburn program last season, also directed the defense at the University of

AHN Sports Staff Las Vegas, NV (AHN) - Willie Tuitama tossed two touchdown passes and ran for another as the Arizona Wildcats stunned BYU with a 31-21 rout to capture the Las Vegas Bowl Saturday.Tuitama completed 24- of-35 passes for 325 yards for Arizona (8-5), which captured its first bowl victory since taking down Nebraska 23-20 in the 1998 Holiday Bowl.Mike Thomas finished with four catches for 29 yards, and Nic Grigsby ran for

Matt Aug - AHN Sports Editor Washington, DC (AHN) - Quarterback Riley Skinner was certainly efficient, completing all 11 of his passes for 166 yards and a touchdown, leading Wake Forest to a 29-19 win over Navy Saturday afternoon in the inaugural EagleBank Bowl.The Demon Deacons win was not as easy as Skinner's stats appeared to make it look, however.Navy forged a 10-0 first quarter lead on Rashawn King's 50-yard fumble return for a

Matt Aug - AHN Sports Editor St. Petersburg, FL (AHN) - South Florida quarterback Matt Grothe passed for 236 yards and three touchdowns on the way to a 41-14 rout of Memphis Saturday at the St. Petersburg Bowl.Grothe connected with Taurus Johnson on a 26-yard scoring strike in the opening quarter for a 7-0 lead.He added a 13-yard touchdown connection with Ben Busbee in the second as South Florida stretched its advantage to 24-14.Grothe's

Matt Aug - AHN Sports Editor Albuquerque, NM (AHN) - Gartrell Johnson piled up a career-high 285 rushing yards, leading Colorado State to a 40-35 win over Fresno State Saturday in the New Mexico Bowl.Johnson's remarkable stats don't end there, as he added 90 yards receiving for 375 total yards and his two fourth-quarter touchdowns proved pivotal in the win.Johnson, second all-time in rushing in a bowl game, scored on a 57-yard run and

Mike Rothman - AHN Sports Contributor Louisville, KY (AHN) - Junior college transfers quarterback Adam Froman and defensive end Malcolm Tatum will join Louisville next year.The Cardinals signed the pair Friday in an effort to put this past season quickly behind.The team went 5-7 last year with only one conference win in 2008. It was the team's first losing season since 1997.At one point, the Cardinals lost five games in a row.Both players are