Georgia Tops Preseason AP Poll

Hype machine already churning for Ohio State-USC showdown Sept. 13

(NEWSER) - With the college football season set to kick off Thursday, blogger The Kid outlines the five weekends that will help decide who plays in the national championship game on Jan. 8 in Miami.

• Aug. 30: Illinois and Missouri square off in St. Louis; Clemson and Alabama meet in Atlanta. “Grilled sausages will be distributed according to need,” Kid writes.

Offensive Coordinator Bill O'Brien will still finish playoffs with Pats

(NEWSER) - Penn State has at last found its replacement for Joe Paterno: New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien will take the job, sources tell Chris Mortensen of ESPN , with another league source saying O'Brien will finish out the playoffs with the Pats before starting his new gig. Penn State coaches contacted by the AP , however, said they'd received no word yet that a hire had been made. More»

NCAA punishes next year's team after players took cash

(AP) - Ohio State players broke the rules and got to play in the Sugar Bowl anyway. Jim Tressel knew about the infractions and let it all happen. Now the Buckeyes and new coach Urban Meyer will pay for it next season. The NCAA hit Ohio State with a one-year bowl ban and additional penalties today for violations that started with eight players taking a total of $14,000 in cash and tattoos in exchange for jerseys, rings, and other Buckeyes memorabilia. More»

Eric LeGrand undergoes emergency surgery after collision

(NEWSER) - A Rutgers defensive tackle was paralyzed below the neck following a collision with an Army player last night. Eric LeGrand, a junior from New Jersey, underwent emergency surgery and was in intensive care after the top of his helmet slammed into the other player’s left shoulder on Saturday, the New York Times reports. "Eric’s spirits were as good as you can expect,” said his coach. “He’s a fighter.” More»

Fighting the rising cry for playoffs is one of sport's worst jobs

(NEWSER) - Bill Hancock is one of the best-liked people in the sporting world, but he's been tasked with defending one of its most-hated systems, writes Sean Gregory. Hancock, a former director of the Final Four, has been appointed as the first permanent director of the Bowl Championship Series. That makes him a target for everyone—from President Obama on down—who think there's got to be a better way than the incomprehensible BCS system to find a national champion of college football. More»