Owamagbe Odighizuwa recorded 44 tackles and 3.5 sacks during his sophomore season. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

UCLA will be without Owamagbe Odighizuwa for the 2013 season after the defensive end had surgery on his right hip Tuesday.

Odighizuwa, who will be a junior this fall, experienced pain in his right hip before spring practice began. He will have two years of eligibility remaining.

UCLA coaches had expected Odighizuwa to replace Datone Jones — the Green Bay Packers’ first-round draft pick — at defensive end after he posted 44 tackles and 3.5 sacks last season.

Odighizuwa’s absence is another hit to a Bruins defense that’s experienced key injuries in the offseason. Nose tackle Brandon Tuliaupupu was declared out for the 2013 season after suffering a knee injury during spring practice. Nose tackle Ellis McCarthy and defensive end Sam Tai are still recovering from knee surgeries.

Odighizuwa’s absence could allow heralded freshman defensive end Kylie Fitts an opening in the line’s rotation.

Tensions have mounted between the Pac-12 conference and Arizona coach Sean Miller. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Before the Pac-12 conference coordinator of basketball officials Ed Rush resigned for comments he made about Arizona head coach Sean Miller, there was already tension between the conference and the school, reports USA Today.

According to the report, correspondence between Arizona and Pac-12 officials implies that relations already were strained before the Pac-12 Tournament. Miller had complained about the officials in several Arizona losses including a two-point loss to UCLA in the conference tournament semifinals.   Miller was fined $25,000 and reprimanded for his confrontation with a referee following the game.

More from USA Today:

 Two weeks later, CBSSports.com broke a story alleging that Rush, the league’s coordinator of officials, had promised cash and travel awards if officials called a technical foul on Miller or ejected him.

The documents show Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne and Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott had discussed the allegations against Rush much earlier. According to emails, the two men disagreed whether it and other factors should have been considered a mitigating circumstance in punishing Miller, who was incensed over a technical foul he was assessed by Irving with 4:37 left in the game against UCLA.

Arizona wideout Austin Hill tore his ACL putting his 2013 season in jeopardy. (Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)

Arizona wide receiver Austin Hill will likely miss the entire 2013 season with a torn anterior cruicate ligament in his knee, reports the Arizona Daily Star.

Hill was injured in practice on Wednesday and did not play in Arizona’s spring game on Saturday.

Hill had 81 catches for 1,364 yards and a school-record tying 11 touchdowns for the Wildcats last season, including catching eight balls for 175 yards and two scores in the Wildcats 49-48 win over Nevada in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl.

It’s a huge loss for the Wildcats who will be looking to improve on a 8-5 record under second-year head coach Rich Rodriguez and also must replace quarterback Matt Scott, who is expected to be selected in the NFL Draft later this month.

The 6 foot 3 inch junior from Corona, Calif., was a second-team All Pac-12 selection last season.

Coordinator Ed Rush resigned after saying he told Pac-12 officials he would reward them for giving Arizona coach Sean Miller a technical foul. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The Pac-12 announced Tuesday the commission of an independent review of the officiating bounty dispute that came to light during the tournament men’s basketball tournament last March.

The commission will review what happened after Pac-12 head of officiating Ed Rush reportedly offered money or a vacation to any referee who gave Arizona coach Sean Miller a technical foul or ejected him from a game. Miller was assessed a technical foul late against UCLA, a conference tournament semifinal game the Wildcats eventually lost by two points.

Rush said the comments were made “in jest.” Scott backed Rush and said he did not believe he should be fired. Rush resigned on Thursday.

“After considering the matter, Commissioner Scott and I agree that an independent review is important to maintain the confidence of our members, and of the public, in the integrity of our competition,” Pac-12 CEO Group Chair Edward J. Ray said. “While the review will focus primarily on the tournament, we expect that it will inform a broader examination of our men’s basketball officiating and help us provide the best possible program.”

Scott said the conference’s integrity is one of its utmost concerns.

“Given the conflicting media reports, it is important that we do whatever we can to understand all the facts, not only to resolve the questions about officiating during the tournament but also to learn lessons that will help us make changes and improvements to our overall program,” he said.

The Pac-12 investigated the head of the conference’s officiating for targeting Arizona coach Sean Miller. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

The Pac-12 coordinator of basketball officials was investigated by the conference for comments made about Arizona men’s basketball coach Sean Miller, reports CBSSports.com.

Ed Rush, who is a former NBA referee, allegedly told a group of referees on the Thursday of the Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas that he would give them $5,000 or a trip to Cancun if they either “rang him up” or “ran him.” Those terms are slang for ejecting someone from the game.

Referee Michael Irving gave Miller with a technical with 4:37 left in the Pac-12 semifinals against UCLA. The Bruins won the game 66-64.  Miller was later reprimanded by the Pac-12 Conference and fined $25,000 for confronting a game official after the game ended as well as for acting inappropriately toward a Pac-12 staff member in the hallway of the arena.

From CBSSports.com:

“Based on the review, we have concluded that while Rush made inappropriate comments that he now regrets during internal meetings that referenced rewards, he made the comments in jest and the officials in the room realized they were not serious offers,” Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott told CBSSports.com. “Following our review, we have discussed the matter with Rush, taken steps to ensure it does not happen again, and communicated our findings to all of our officials.”

Tim Floyd resigned as USC coach in 2009 during an NCAA investigation. (Harry How/Getty Images)

Tim Floyd — who resigned as USC basketball coach in the midst of NCAA allegations surrounding the program in 2009 — told the Los Angeles Times he had a meeting with athletic director Pat Haden to discuss the school’s current job opening.

Floyd, who currently coaches Texas-El Paso, said Haden initiated the contact, and the three-hour meeting “went well.”

A USC spokesman said Haden would have no comment until the coaching search is complete.

Floyd was 85-66 coaching the Trojans from 2006 to 2009 and took the team to three consecutive NCAA tournament before resigning after the 2009 season when the NCAA began investigating allegations of improper conduct involving both the football and basketball team.

The NCAA found that Floyd had not personally committed any violations, but USC drew penalties related to actions by basketball player O.J. Mayo.

“I feel they should know that USC reached out, that no violations were found by the NCAA with USC basketball,” Floyd said.

“I felt like I got my name back when I got offered a number of jobs when I left USC. Pat and I talked at length,” Floyd said.

Floyd’s replacement, Kevin O’Neill, was fired by Haden in January. Bob Cantu, a former Floyd assistant, has been coaching the Trojans.

USC has fired head baseball coach Frank Cruz for knowingly violating NCAA Countable Athletically-Related Activities limitations, the university announced Wednesday.

Athletic Director Pat Haden said Cruz violated CARA and USC’s self-imposed rules on the number of hours players could spend in activities directed by or supervised by the coaching staff.

“Adhering to all NCAA rules is paramount for each one of our coaches, student-athletes and staff members,” said Haden. “Those who knowingly break NCAA rules are subject to termination.”

USC said it has alerted the NCAA and Pac-12 of the infractions.

Haden has promoted USC associate head coach Dan Hubbs to head coach. Hubbs, a former Trojan All-American pitcher previously spent 12 years as Cal’s pitching coach and had a seven-year pitching career in the minor leagues.

Cruz was preparing to begin his second season as the Trojans’ full-time head coach after being promoted in 2012 after serving as interim head coach for the 2011 season. He was on the Trojans’ staff as an assistant coach when USC went to the 1995 College World Series.

USC baseball head coach Frank Cruz has been terminated for knowingly violating NCAA Countable Athletically-Related Activities limitations.—
USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) February 13, 2013

USC athletic director Pat Haden says coach Lane Kiffin’s job is safe for now. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

USC athletic director Pat Haden gave a wide-ranging interview to the Los Angeles Times about the state of his program and gave no indiction that head football coach Lane Kiffin’s job is in jeopardy.

USC began the season ranked #1 in the Associated Press preseason poll and ended the season at 7-6 after a blowout loss to Georgia Tech in the Sun Bowl.

Haden said whatever problems the Trojans have “can be fixed and they all can be fixed by Lane Kiffin.”

“His reputation,” Haden said about Kiffin, “it’s going to be really hard to sanitize that over time unless he kind of wins a lot of games and does things right, which we plan to do. He’s anti-Teflon.”I mean, stuff sticks to him that doesn’t even belong on him.

When asked what it would take for Kiffin to keep his job beyond next season, Haden was less than forthcoming.

“I’m not answering that question,” Haden said. “Sometimes when you’re calling plays . . . you don’t sense maybe the whole team. So I think he has to really sense the whole team and feel and have the relationship with the whole team.”

Clancy Pendergast reportedly could bring the 3-4 defense to USC. (Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images)

USC has hired Clancy Pendergast as defensive coordinator Thursday according to a source in an ESPN report.

USCFootball.com posted Pendergast’s impending hire Thursday.

Pendergast, 45, most recently was defensive coordinator at Cal under the fired Jeff Tedford. He also served as a USC assistant in 1992 prior to working for several NFL teams including the Arizona Cardinals during their 2009 Super Bowl run.

Oregon defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti reportedly turned down an offer from USC on Wednesday.

Pendergast’s hire and experience using the 3-4 defense fuels speculation that USC will ditch its 4-3 scheme in favor of a 3-4 alignment that’s better suited to defend against the spread offenses that proliferate the Pac-12.

Cal led the Pac-12 in total defense and pass defense in Pendergast’s first two seasons as coordinator.

Arizona State defensive tackle Will Sutton will return to school for his senior year. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Arizona State All-American defensive tackle Will Sutton will return to the school for his senior season, the school announced Tuesday.

Sutton, a first-team AP All-America selection and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, lead the team with 13 sacks for the 8-5 Sun Devils this season.

Sutton was thought to be a first-round draft pick if he had decided to enter the 2013 NFL Draft. He finished the season with 63 tackles, was tied for second in the nation in tackles for loss with 23.5 despite missing one game with injury. He had five tackles, 2.5 sacks in the Sun Devils’ Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl victory over Navy.

Virginia Tech’s rumored search for a new offensive coordinator includes Stanford’s Pep Hamilton, according to Bruce Feldman of CBSSports.com. Feldman reports via Twitter that Hamilton is meeting with Virginia Tech on Monday.

Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer has not addressed speculation that Bryan Stinespring no longer will coordinate the Hokies offense in 2013. Stinespring, a long-time target of criticism from Hokies boosters and media, has coordinated Tech’s offense for 11 years and has been on the coaching staff for 20 years. He possibly will remain on the staff as a recruiter and/or offensive line coach.

Hamilton may be the Hokies’ first choice to revamp an often unproductive offense. His stock has risen in his two seasons at Stanford. Hamilton groomed quarterback Andrew Luck — the No. 1 overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft — and guided the Stanford offense to high national rankings in scoring (No. 6) and total offense (No. 11) in 2012. After losing four key starters in the first two rounds of the 2012 NFL Draft, Hamilton managed to produce enough offense from the Cardinals’ power rushing attack, mixed with play-action passes, for an upset of then No. 1 Oregon and a Rose Bowl berth.

Hearing Stanford OC Pep Hamilton meeting w Va Tech today. It'd be a lateral move but VT may make substantial offer for more $$—
Bruce Feldman (@BFeldmanCBS) January 07, 2013

Stanford signed coach David Shaw to a long-term deal. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Stanford signed head football coach David Shaw to a long-term extension on Wednesday, the school announced.

Financial terms and the length of the contract were not disclosed.

Shaw, who won the Pac-12 Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season, took over for Jim Harbaugh in January 2011 and has a 22-4 overall record. The Cardinal have won 11 games each of the past three seasons and this season, Stanford won the Pac-12 Conference Championship. Stanford will also be making a third straight appearance in a BCS Bowl.

“David Shaw has led the football program to great success,” Stanford President John Hennessy said. ”He embodies the goal we have for our scholar-athletes–success in the classroom and on the field. We are pleased that he will lead our football program for years to come.”

“I feel blessed to work every day with an outstanding staff and coach the best group of young men in America, and I am excited to lead the Stanford Football program for many years to come,” Shaw said.

Stanford (11-2) will take on Wisconsin (7-5) in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

The Washington State athletic department has cleared football coach Mike Leach and his staff of wrongdoing in an internal review. A Pac-12 investigation is still pending.

Washington state president Elson Floyd called for a review of claims of abusive behavior by Leach and his staff toward players by wide receiver Marquess Wilson.

Wilson, the team’s offensive catalyst, cited the “physical, emotional and verbal abuse” by Leach and his staff upon leaving the team on Nov. 10. According to the review, Wilson recanted his charges against Leach by text message to Moos the same day the receiver sent a letter to the media.

Leach had suspended Wilson from the team indefinitely on Nov. 5 for violating an unspecified team rule the day after Wilson reportedly walked out of a conditioning session. Wilson, a junior, set school single-season records in 2011 with 82 receptions and 1,388 yards receiving and was an All Pac-12 second team selection.

Joe Schad of ESPN.com tweets Moos said he stopped a practice that involved a drill in which coaches used a sandbox and sprayed players with water.

The Cougars finished 3-9 (1-8 in Pac-12 play) in Leach’s first season. Leach took the Washington State job after a controversial departure from Texas Tech that included accusations of player mistreatment during practices. Leach has denied those accusations.

Wash. St. AD says around midseason he asked a practice be discontinued where a sandbox and players were sprayed with water during drills—
Joe Schad (@schadjoe) December 13, 2012

The Pac-12 isn’t ready to expand, but Boise State might be on their radar if they do. (Otto Kitsinger III/Getty Images)

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said that his conference is not looking to expand yet, but if they do Boise State and San Diego State might get a look.

“In my short three years-plus as commissioner, I’ve learned to never say never,” Scott said.

Scott says his conference feels good about the conference being set at 12 teams and said there is no reason to go beyond that number.

“When we expanded in the past we looked at them because they are prominent schools in the West, with very strong athletics programs, in markets we are not in,” Scott said when asked if those two schools would get a look, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. ”There’s a lot of criteria that we looked at last time, that I’m sure we’d look at again. If we were to look at expanding again, I’m sure both those schools would be on the list. But, we don’t have any plans.”

Boise State and San Diego State, both currently compete in the Mountain West Conference, will play in the Big East conference next year.

Lane Kiffin’s job is safe at least for another season. (Harry How/Getty Images)

Despite USC being the first preseason #1 team to lose four regular season games since 1984, athletic director Pat Haden said head coach Lane Kiffin will be the coach next season, reports ESPN.com.

When asked via text message by ESPN.com if Kiffin would be the coach in 2013, Haden said ”Absolutely.”

The Trojans (No. 18 BCS, No. 21 AP) entered the season ranked No. 1 in the AP poll, but have lost to Stanford, Arizona, Oregon and UCLA, with three of those losses in the past month, to drop to 7-4.

“Obviously, we’re extremely disappointed in the season. We’re too talented to have this many losses, and that falls on me,” said Kiffin, who is in his third season with USC and has an overall record of 25-11.

Kiffin reportedly escaped the Rose Bowl through an emergency exit to avoid the media after USC lost 38-28 to crosstown rivals UCLA on Saturday. The Trojans play third-ranked and undefeated Notre Dame next week.

Avery Patterson will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL (Otto Gruele Jr, Getty Images)

Things just got a little tougher for the #2 college football team in the country.

The Portland Oregonian reports that Oregon Ducks safety Avery Patterson will play not further part this season due to a torn ACL. Patterson injured his knee in the second quarters of the Ducks’ 59-17 win over Cal on Saturday. The loss is yet another big one for Oregon’s defense – the team has already been playing this year without safety John Boyett after the defensive leader underwent season-ending surgery in September, and there have been numerous other injuries throughout the defensive lineup.

Patterson has three interceptions this year, two of which were returned for touchdowns. He has 44 tackles on the year, good for fourth on the squad.

A new playoff format starting in 2014 will now decide who walks away with the crystal ball. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

BCS Commissioners on Monday approved a format that would give an automatic bid to the highest rated “Group of Five” team, and settled on six bowls for the semifinals of the upcoming college football playoff system that will ultimately decide a national champion, reports ESPN.com.

The highest rated champion from The Group of Five (Big East Conference, Conference USA, Mountain West Conference, the Sun Belt and the Mid-American Conference) will receive an automatic berth in one of the bowl games.

Five conferences, the Southeastern, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and the Atlantic Coast, would get the biggest revenue share as opposed to the current format which the six automatic qualifying BCS leagues, the five previously mentioned conferences plus the Big East, receive a majority share of the revenue.

“[The presidents] approved this deal and did it with smiles on their faces. It’s fair,” said Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman.

Perlman also said that 10 percent of the playoff revenue will be reserved for academic performance, meaning if a qualifying school does not reach a certain APR mark, then it will forefit their share.

Now seven of the 12 berths in the access bowls will be secured with the addition of the Group of Five team that earns the automatic bid.

According the report, the Presidental Oversight Committee will authorize the commissioners to finalize a media rights deal with ESPN to television the playoff. Sources say it is worth $475 million a year over 12 years.

New playoff format: 6 access bowls; highest rated champ from "Group of 5" gets automatic bid. Official announcement shortly—
Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) November 12, 2012

The Pac-12 and Washington State are investigating abuse allegations against coach Mike Leach. (George Frey/Getty Images)

The Pac-12 will investigate allegations by former Washington State receiver Marquess Wilson of abusive behavior by head coach Mike Leach and his staff, commissioner Larry Scott said Monday.

Washington State announced it would review Wilson’s claims on Sunday.

Wilson quit the team Saturday alleging Leach and his staff “preferred to belittle, intimidate and humiliate” Washington State players.

Wilson was suspended by the team after he reportedly walked away from a workout on Sunday after drawing Leach’s ire, according to CoogCenter.com

Wilson has been ridden hard by the coaches since Mike Leach’s arrival, as they’ve worked to break him of a tendency to coast during practice. And during the spring, it seemed to work — with the star wide receiver stepping up in practice, putting forth full effort quite a bit and seemingly turning it around. But as the 2012 season began, Wilson appeared to regress at times, earning the scorn of Leach.

At more than one practice, I saw Wilson singled out, forced to do up-downs after giving an effort Leach wasn’t satisfied with. A simple image of this: Wilson was jammed and slammed into the ground by a corner who probably had little business knocking him off his feet, leading Leach to express his disgust and demand the star wide receiver do up-downs.

Wilson had caught 52 passes for 813 yards and five touchdowns this season before his suspension.

Washington State is 2-8 in Leach’s first season. Athletic director Bill Moos hired Leach after a controversial departure from Texas Tech that included accusations of player mistreatment by the son of former ESPN college football analyst Craig James. Leach has denied those accusations.

Washington State wide receiver Marquess Wilson left the team saying he could not endure the “physical, emotional and verbal abuse” in the locker room. (William Mancebo/Getty Images)

Washington State wide receiver Marquess Wilson left the team on Saturday citing in a statement the “physical, emotional and verbal abuse” being allowed in the locker room, reports the Visalia Times-Delta.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce my decision to forgo playing football for Washington State University. I realize the school is saying that I am suspended for violating team policies and may return next week, but this is a lie,” Wilson said in a statement. “This is an attempt by the athletic department to cover up what is really happening in that locker room.”

Wilson was suspended indefinitely by head coach Mike Leach on Wednesday for what he said was a violation of an unspecified team rule. Washington State was blown out 49-6 at Utah last Saturday for its sixth consecutive loss and Leach complained that the effort of his players was “bordering on cowardice.”

Wilson, a junior, set school single-season records last season with 82 receptions and 1,388 yards receiving and was an All Pac-12 second team selection. Wilson goes on to thank his teammates and finished the statement with a few choice words for the coaching staff. Wilson says the Washington State coaches destroyed his endeavor to be a winning football team.

“However, the new regime of coaches has preferred to belittle, intimidate and humiliate us,” Wilson said. “This approach has obviously not been successful, and has put a dark shadow on this program. My teammates and I have endured this treatment all season long. It is not “tough love”. It is abuse. This abuse cannot be allowed to continue.”

UCLA freshman guard Shabazz Muhammad could play Friday if cleared by the NCAA. (Sam Forencich/NBA/Getty Images)

UCLA freshman Shabazz Muhammad is recovering from a right shoulder strain and could be ready for the season opener against Indiana State though he has yet to be cleared by the NCAA, reports the Los Angeles Times. 

The highly touted Bruins freshman guard is recovering from a strain in his right shoulder, but he’s physically “real close” to being healthy enough to play in UCLA’s season opener against Indiana State, Coach Ben Howland said Tuesday.

Muhammad is being investigated by the NCAA because of ties his family and AAU team allegedly had with two financial agents. According to the paper, the NCAA interviewed Muhammad’s parents in Las Vegas last week.

Muhammad strained his shoulder Oct. 25 and was expected to miss two to four weeks.

Washington State suspended Marquess Wilson after a reported practice incident. (Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images)

Washington State has suspended wide receiver Marquess Wilson according to the school.

Wilson reportedly walked away from a workout on Sunday after drawing the ire of head coach Mike Leach.

CoogCenter.com reports Leach has been dissatisfied with Wilson’s performance and effort in practice.

Wilson has been ridden hard by the coaches since Mike Leach’s arrival, as they’ve worked to break him of a tendency to coast during practice. And during the spring, it seemed to work — with the star wide receiver stepping up in practice, putting forth full effort quite a bit and seemingly turning it around. But as the 2012 season began, Wilson appeared to regress at times, earning the scorn of Leach.

At more than one practice, I saw Wilson singled out, forced to do up-downs after giving an effort Leach wasn’t satisfied with. A simple image of this: Wilson was jammed and slammed into the ground by a corner who probably had little business knocking him off his feet, leading Leach to express his disgust and demand the star wide receiver do up-downs.

Wilson has caught 52 passes for 813 yards and five touchdowns this season.

The Cougars are 2-7 in Leach’s first season. Leach came to Pullman after a controversial departure from Texas Tech that included accusations of player mistreatment during practices. Leach has denied those accusations.

Top recruit Max Redfield decommitted from USC’s 2013 recruiting class. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

USC’s top-rated football recruiting class has lost a coveted commit, possibly to Notre Dame.

Mission Viejo High School’s (Calif.) Max Redfield, the No. 2 ranked athlete/safety prospect in the country, decommitted via his Facebook page after an official visit to Notre Dame.

“Going back on my word is something I never imagined doing and it hurts me to do it but in the end I feel is necessary to do in order to decide what college I want to go to and in the end what path I want to take in life. For many different reasons I am choosing to decommit from USC and re-open recruiting. I am sorry to the people I might let down or hurt in this decision but it is a decision that is crucial for my future athletically, academically, and spiritually.”

Redfield attended USC’s loss to Oregon Saturday, and is scheduled to take an official visit to Washington on Nov. 9 and is expected to visit Oregon before the season ends.

UCLA freshman guard Kyle Anderson has been declared eligible to play by the NCAA, family members told the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday morning.

Anderson was being investigated for a relationship between his father, Kyle Sr., and NBA agent Thad Foucher, according to people with knowledge of the situation who are not authorized to speak publicly.

Anderson, a 6-foot-8 guard who was ranked among the top high school players, is one of UCLA’s blue-chip freshman basketball players. He’s expect to contend for a starting position this season.

UCLA freshman Shabazz Muhammad is also being investigated by the NCAA for potential basketball recruiting violations. Muhammad had not been cleared to play and is nursing a shoulder injury suffered in practice last week.

UCLA missed the NCAA tournament for the second time in three years after finishing with a 19-14 record last season. UCLA starts the season against Indiana State on Nov. 9.

The Oregon Ducks suspended starting defensive tackle Isaac Remington indefinitely on Friday. The Ducks are off this week. (Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

The Oregon Ducks suspended starting defensive tackle Isaac Remington, after ”pending clarification of an incident that occurred Friday morning in Eugene,” reports the Oregonian. 

Reports say Remington was taken into custody, but not jailed, on suspicion of driving under the influence at 12:30 a.m. near campus.

The second-ranked Ducks are off this week and play their next game on the road against Arizona State next Thursday.

Remington is backed up by true freshman Arik Armstead.  The 6’4, 300-pound Remington has 12 tackles on the year, with a sack, four tackles for loss and a pair of quarterback hurries.

Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion will have surgery and will be out for Saturday’s game against BYU. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion will have surgery on his knee, head coach Mike Riley announced Monday and is out indefinitely, reports the Oregonian.

Mannion, a sophomore, has completed 63 percent of his throws for 1,350 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions this season for the tenth-ranked Beavers.

Oregon State plays at BYU this Saturday. Junior Cody Vaz is next on the Oregon State depth chart at quarterback.  Vaz has not played since 2010, when he completed 6 of 17 passes for 48 yards.

BREAKING: Mike Riley announces QB Sean Mannion will have surgery on his knee. Out an undisclosed amount of time. #GoBeavs—
Stephen Nelson (@Stephen__Nelson) October 08, 2012

Utah junior quarterback Jordan Wynn has decided to give up football due to an injured shoulder. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Utah quarterback Jordan Wynn has ended his playing career due to another shoulder injury, ESPN.com reports. 

He has already had three operations on that shoulder and faces another one. Wynn, a junior, threw for 4,637 yards with 33 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in his career. 

Whittingham says Wynn decided it was “time to move on” and that he “fought the good fight” after coming back previously from a pair of season-ending shoulder injuries.

Whittingham said further medical tests need to be done but that it’s likely Wynn will need surgery on his left, non-throwing shoulder.

Whittingham said that senior Jon Hays and freshman Travis Wilson will now battle to see who starts against BYU this Saturday.

UCLA coach Jim Mora says he isn’t concerned with USC, no matter what comes out of his mouth. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

The UCLA-USC rivalry hasn’t been much of a rivalry the past few seasons, and when anything comes out of a coach’s mouth it could possibly be bulletin board material.

UCLA head coach Jim Mora recently talking on a radio show said he tries to tell parents how safe it is at UCLA, by saying “We don’t have murders a block from our campus.”

USC’s campus is located in the West Adams district of southern Los Angeles and two Chinese graduate students were murdered near the USC campus in April.

Mora, who was hired by UCLA last December, said Thursday that he was not referring to USC and had no idea about what happened in April.

“I just said our campus is safe,” Mora said to the Los Angeles Times. “I didn’t say anything about anyone else’s campus. I just said it about our campus. I didn’t mention another campus. We don’t have anybody getting murdered a block off of our campus. If anybody, whether USC or Cal State San Bernardino, is offended by the statement, then that’s their insecurity, not mine.”

Mora also said just wants to focus on UCLA.

“I really don’t care. I don’t concern myself with them or anybody else right now. It’s all about our people,” Mora said. “I don’t spend the day thinking [about] what USC thinks. Just like they don’t spend the day thinking what we think. My concern has to be on this football team.”

Bill Walton will return to broadcasting this year. (Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

Hall of Fame NBA center Bill Walton will return to his post in 2012 as a television analyst after a health scare forced him to take a three year hiatus from calling games, according to Michael Hiestand of USA Today Sports. 

Walton will be an on-air analyst for PAC-12 games on ESPN and will occasionally call games for the Sacaremnto Kings, according to Hiestand:

[T]his season he’ll call ESPN Pac-12 games as ESPN — through a new deal — expands its coverage of the league. Walton also will join the conference’s soon-to-launch regional network. He’ll also return for occasional Sacramento Kings local game broadcasts.

Walton said that after he collapsed in an airport in 2007, he thought his life was over and contemplated suicide. After 36 surgeries, he’s in a much better position physically and mentally:

“I’m doing great. I’m starting over. I’m excited as can be about tomorrow. I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”

Walton won two NBA Championships throughout his 13-year career; one with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977 and the other  as a member of the Boston Celtics in 1986. While at UCLA for college, he became a two-time NCAA champion under legendary coach John Wooden.

Years after retiring from the NBA in 1987, Walton went on to become a television analyst for NBC, ABC, ESPN, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Boston Celtics and the Sacramento Kings.

A pact between two of the top conferences in the FBS has been called off, leaving potentially great out-of-conference matchups for the imagination.

In a joint release, the Big Ten and Pac-12 called off their collaborative scheduling agreement that would have began in 2017. It appears the deal proved too difficult for the Pac-12 teams with nine conference games on the 12-game slate.

Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney admitted that scheduling 12 football contests per year between the two conferences may not be feasible at this time.

Jim Delany says "... coordinating a non-conference football schedule for 24 teams across two conferences proved to be too difficult."

—
Tom Dienhart (@BTNTomDienhart) July 13, 2012

In November, the two conferences agreed on the deal, and had been working since then on a schedule that would benefit both conferences. Ultimately though, the deal fell through.

ESPN will continue to broadcast the Rose Bowl through 2026. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

One day after a four-team football playoff was approved, ESPN locked down the most historic bowl there is.

The Rose Bowl, the Pac-12 and the Big Ten reached a 12-year contract extension with ESPN on Thursday for the network to continue broadcasting “The Granddaddy of Them All” through 2026, according to an ESPN press release.

The game will be played at 5 p.m. on January 1 every year, unless it’s a Sunday, in which case the game would be on the 2nd.

No matter the post-season rotation of bowls for the upcoming playoff three-bowl, four-team playoff, ESPN owns the rights to the Rose Bowl each year. Since 1989, either ESPN or ABC has carried the bowl.

SI.com writer Stewart Mandel chronicled the 66-year journey of a college football playoff, and Andy Staples wrote on how the joyous day was long overdue.

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott (right) wants playoff teams to win their division. (Maxx Wolfson/Getty Images)

If Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott had it his way, Alabama would not have played for the national championship.

While the majority of the Pac-12 athletic directors and administrators are in favor of a playoff, Scott wants those in the proposed college football playoffs to have at least won their conference’s division. Alabama lost to LSU in the regular season, but still had the opportunity to play for the national title and went to beat LSU 21-0 in the rematch.

“I’ve had a pretty good pulse but I think this will be the meeting when we’ll ask our presidents for a definitive position and refine and narrow the different options,” Pac 12 commissioner Larry Scott told CBSSports.com.“They’ve all been thinking about it. I think I know (their position) but it might be different coming out of the weekend. It’s something we’ve been talking about a lot.”

“We don’t have to re-invent the wheel here, if we’re moving toward a playoff we should follow what the pro leagues have done,” he said.

Scott said that teams have to win something and that concept is generally accepted by fans.

Nerlens Noel may be the big prize of this college basketball recruiting season, but there’s another big high school star making a decision tonight — notable Nevadan Shabazz Muhammad is headed to UCLA, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The 6-foot-6 swingman from Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas has selected the Bruins’ program over national heavyweights like Kentucky and Duke, despite the team’s struggles in recent years. After three straight Final Four appearances under Ben Howland last decade, the team has failed to make the Sweet Sixteen since 2008. Last year’s team finished sixth in the Pac-12.

“I just think it’s a challenge, knowing how bad they were these last two years, and it’s a challenge to really get them back up to the top, knowing they’re the leaders in championships with 11,” Muhammad said. “And with Kyle Anderson as a great addition to that program, and Jordan Adams, and hopefully if Tony Parker will come, then there’s a lot of bits and pieces to that team that could make it a really great team.”

Muhammad averaged 29.4 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists last season, leading his high school team to its third state title in four years.

Representatives from the Pac-12′s member schools agreed in principle yesterday to unite against college football’s Bowl Championship Series system, proposing to replace it with a playoff system, reports Craig Harris of the Arizona Republic.

Under the new system being proposed, only conference champions would be eligible to compete for a national championship. This would eliminate the possibility of any future intra-league title clashes such as the one this past season between Alabama and LSU.

“I don’t hear anyone saying business as usual is acceptable,” said Edward Ray, Oregon State University’s president and chairman of the Pac-12 universities’ CEO group. “We need change.”

The university officials did not take a formal vote yesterday, but they expect to at their next meeting later this year. If the Pac-12 makes a formal recommendation in June, it would come just before the BCS bowls begin to renegotiate their BCS contract renewals late this summer. The BCS contracts expire in early 2014.

Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said yesterday that the league will announce the future site of its conference basketball tournaments soon, and that the MGM Grand in Las Vegas was in the running to host the events starting in 2013. Los Angeles and Seattle also are bidding.

“No decision has been made about what we’re doing next year,” Scott told the Associated Press. “We’ve been going through a very extensive request and proposal process.”

The men’s and women’s tournaments are just finishing an 11-year-run in Los Angeles this weekend, coinciding with the end of their TV deals. The league will announce its plan for future tournaments after a weekend meeting of university presidents and chancellors.

While Scott wouldn’t comment on the cities’ bids, he did note that Las Vegas already hosts three college basketball tournaments: the Mountain West on the UNLV campus, and the Western Athletic and West Coast tournaments at Orleans Arena.

“We have not thought a lot about other leagues,” he said. “I think more about TV and what our TV windows would be and how they would match up.”

The Pac-12 and the Big Ten have entered a scheduling agreement in which each team will play an inter-league football game beginning in 2017, according to Pete Thamel of the New York Times.

BREAKING: Pac-12 and Big Ten enter scheduling agreement. All 12 teams playing an inter-league football game starting 2017.

—
Pete Thamel (@PeteThamelNYT) December 28, 2011

Such an agreement is likely to be similar to the Big-Ten ACC Challenge in college basketball that occurs each fall.

Despite the names of the conferences, the Big Ten and the Pac-12 both contain 12 teams each. While each conference recently expanded to add two teams, only the Pac-12 changed their conference’s title.