South Florida finalized a game that has been in the works since late summer, arranging to play at Auburn on Sept. 15, 2007. The Bulls are guaranteed $650,000 for making the trip.
"We've worked toward an aggressive schedule, and we feel this continues our high level of competition for our nonconference opposition," USF associate athletic director Barbara Sparks-McGlinchy said. "Our fans traveled very well to Alabama (for the 2003 opener), and we feel they'll be excited about this game and travel very well to Auburn."
Of nine nonconference games USF has scheduled through 2009, four are against SEC schools, including Sept. 18 at South Carolina and two at Florida (2008 and '09). USF also hosts Tennessee Tech on Sept. 4 and Pittsburgh on Sept. 25 and travels to Penn State in 2005. The Bulls, who leave Conference USA to join the Big East in 2005, play a home-and-home with Central Florida in '05 and '06.
FSU: Orlando Edgewater's Aaron Jones (6-3, 270), one of the nation's top high school defensive tackles and a starter for the East at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, and safety Kenny Ingram (6-6, 200) orally committed, according to rivals100.com. That gives the Seminoles 20 commitments and the makings of Top 5 class.
FLORIDA: Atlanta Westlake defensive tackle Michael Brown orally committed, choosing the Gators over hometown favorite Georgia. Brown (6-5, 260) played both ways in high school but may make the transition to offensive tackle.
LSU: The home game against Mississippi State next season was moved to Sept. 25. The game had been scheduled for Oct. 16, which is now an open date. Associate athletic director Dan Radakovich said the Tigers are looking for an opponent for this season's opener, originally scheduled against Virginia Tech. That game has been pushed to 2007.
NEBRASKA: Coach Bill Callahan said Mississippi linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator Jim Knowles had been scheduled to be named outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator, but in a release Callahan said Knowles had been offered a coaching position at another unnamed school. Callahan said he hopes to know Knowles' decision by Friday.
OHIO STATE: Suspended tailback Maurice Clarett won't take part in offseason workouts even though he has been cleared by the school. "I think he felt he didn't want to work out until he got reinstated by the NCAA," athletic director Andy Geiger said.
TEXAS CHRISTIAN: The Horned Frogs could decide by Friday whether to accept an invitation to leave Conference USA to join the Mountain West Conference. Athletic director Eric Hyman said the move would be discussed at a board of trustees meeting this week. Hyman declined to discuss further details. The move probably would be for the 2005-06 school year.
TEXAS: Former coach Fred Akers had open heart surgery to repair blocked arteries. Akers, 65, had quadruple bypass surgery at Heart Hospital of Austin, his son Dan said in a statement.
TEXAS STATE: Athletic director Greg LaFleur and coach Manny Matsakis were fired after an internal investigation uncovered NCAA rules violations, the most serious involving extra hours of practice and voluntary summer workouts.
- Times staff writers Brian Landman and Antonya English contributed to this report, which used information from the Associated Press.
