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FC Tampa Bay ties Minnesota 1-1, clinches home playoff game

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By Bryan Burns, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, September 17, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — If Minnesota qualifies for the NASL playoffs, it will have goalkeeper Joe Warren to thank.

Minnesota, fighting for its playoff life in sixth place in the league standings entering Saturday's match, salvaged a much-needed point with a 1-1 tie with Tampa Bay in front of a crowd of 3,001 at Al Lang Field.

Tampa Bay was hoping to secure a quarterfinal-round home playoff match with a victory. But a 2-0 Montreal win over Edmonton minutes after the Minnesota-Tampa Bay match ended gave Tampa Bay its first postseason match in St. Petersburg.

Still, Tampa Bay would have preferred earning its reward rather than backing into it.

"(Saturday) was an opportunity to put three points on the board," coach Ricky Hill said. "For whatever reason, we didn't manage to take all three. I'm grateful we've managed to take one, but three would have been much nicer."

Starting in the 27th minute, Tampa Bay (10-8-8) had numerous one-on-one cracks at Warren but failed to convert. Tsuyoshi Yoshitake, David Hayes and Aaron King missed relatively simple scoring chances, either by shooting right at Warren (nine saves) or missing the target.

Minnesota (8-10-9) capitalized on Tampa Bay's shooting woes in the second half. Midfielder Anthony Hamilton sent a cross into the box from the left wing in the 54th minute, and second-half substitute Neil Hlavaty one-timed the ball past goalkeeper Jeff Attinella (two saves).

"They got a nice counter­attack … sent a good cross in," Hill said. "Slack marking by us, and we found ourselves 1-nil down."

Tampa Bay responded quickly, however.

In the 59th minute, Mike Ambersley slipped a perfectly weighted through pass to King, who was streaking down the right wing. With the option to shoot or pass as he dribbled toward the goal, King cracked a right-footed shot that eluded the outstretched Warren and tucked the ball inside the far post for his ninth goal of the season.

Tampa Bay is assured of finishing third or fourth in the league. Minnesota remains in sixth place, one point ahead of Montreal. Six of the eight teams make the playoffs; one spot remains up for grabs.

Tampa Bay hosts a one-game quarterfinal at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1.

"Just getting out of our own beds and eating our own food and getting into our own realm at home is huge," King said.


Pittsburgh, Syracuse move to ACC would put Big East, USF in limbo

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Times wires
Saturday, September 17, 2011

Florida State president Eric Barron confirmed Saturday the ACC has received letters of application from Pittsburgh and Syracuse and said they could be approved as soon as today.

That would leave the Big East, including USF, scrambling to replace two of its longest tenured members.

USF joined the Big East in 2005, after the ACC lured Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College from the league. If the Orange and Panthers leave, the Big East would be reduced to six football-playing schools with TCU scheduled to join as the seventh next fall. Another member, West Virginia, is considered a candidate to become the 14th member of the SEC.

"We are aware of information reported by the media regarding some members of the Big East conference as well as other national news related to conference alignment," USF athletic director Doug Woolard and president Judy Genshaft said in a release. "This is certainly a time of tremendous change in intercollegiate athletics, and clearly, that change may continue.

"We have been monitoring the landscape and have been actively engaged in dialogue at the conference and national levels over the last 18 months. That will continue in earnest as we move forward."

The Big East, Pittsburgh and Syracuse declined to comment.

Barron said the ACC was excited about adding to its "northern tier."

"Pittsburgh and Syracuse … are solid academic schools, and the ACC is a truly academic conference," Barron said. "Certainly great basketball teams, a good history of football. I'm sure consideration will be very fast. I'll be surprised if it's not (today)."

Barron added 11 of 12 ACC presidents met Tuesday (one participated by phone) and unanimously approved raising the exit fee from $12 million to $14 million to $20 million.

"The conference is … committed to a unanimous commitment to staying together," N.C. State chancellor Randy Woodson said. "And to the extent that this is kind of a dramatic shift in conferences, we're trying to be proactive and stay strong."

The Big East's exit fee is $5 million, though schools must provide 27 months' notice.

A jump by Pittsburgh and Syracuse could lead to another dramatic shuffle in college athletics. Texas A&M has announced its intention to join the SEC, leaving the future of the Big 12 in doubt. The board of regents at Oklahoma and Texas are set to meet Monday to discuss options.

Times staff writer Greg Auman contributed to this report.

driving force of Big East dies

Dave Gavitt, who helped create the Big East, died late Friday of a long illness in Rumford, R.I. He was 73. Mr. Gavitt coached Providence to the Final Four in 1973. In 1979, he was the driving force behind Providence, Georgetown, Syracuse, St. John's, Seton Hall, Boston College and Connecticut forming the Big East. (Villanova joined in 1980.) One of his first moves as commissioner was reaching a deal with a new TV network — ESPN. In 1983, he moved its tournament to Madison Square Garden, where it has played before sellout crowds since.

Florida A&M

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0


Saturday, September 17, 2011

Saturday

USF 70, Florida A&M 17

(3-0, 0-0)

Sept. 10

USF 37,

Ball State 7

(2-0, 0-0)

Sept. 3

USF 23,

Notre Dame 20

(1-0, 0-0)

Oct. 15

at

UConn

TBA

Sept. 29

at

Pittsburgh

8 p.m., ESPN

Sept. 24

vs.

UTEP

7 p.m.

Nov. 11

at

Syracuse

8 p.m., ESPN2

Nov. 5

at

Rutgers

TBA

oct. 22

vs.

Cincinnati

Noon

Dec. 1

vs.

West Virginia

8 p.m., ESPN

Nov. 25

vs.

Louisville

TBA

Nov. 19

vs.

Miami

TBA



John Romano: Florida State Seminoles' Jimbo Fisher finds vindication rather rapidly

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By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Saturday, September 17, 2011

TALLAHASSEE — If he gazed to the highest row of the stadium, he would see every seat filled. If he listened to the broadcasters on ABC, he would hear his name praised.

If he took enough time to think about it, Jimbo Fisher might finally know vindication.

This is how the scene unfolded at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday night. For a few hours at least, the Seminoles were again at the center of the college football world.

And, it should be noted, hardly anyone was talking about Florida State's decision to push Bobby Bowden out the door.

Remarkable how quickly that furor passed. Amazing how suddenly the issue became moot. Seventeen games later, the world seems convinced that move was at least necessary, if not inspired.

For it is hard to imagine FSU would have advanced so far so quickly if Bowden was roaming the sideline. That doesn't mean the Seminoles have regained lost glory; there is still much ground that must be made up.

But it is hard to argue that Fisher's ascension hasn't changed the fortunes for a program that had been stuck in neutral for far too many seasons in a row.

In retrospect, that is what has surprised me the most.

Not that a change wasn't necessary. As the final days neared, it was hard to continue defending Bowden. He seemed oblivious to the stains he was leaving on his legacy, and on the program he constructed.

The more intriguing idea is that Fisher has changed the culture in Tallahassee so quickly. His first two recruiting classes appear stellar, and he has re-introduced accountability in the locker room. His hiring of Mark Stoops as defensive coordinator was a huge coup, and his performance on game day has been mostly positive.

If you were looking for a barometer for FSU's growth, it was apparent in the first half Saturday against No. 1 Oklahoma. A year ago, the Seminoles were run out of the stadium in the opening minutes against the Sooners. This time, the gap was practically indistinguishable by the end of the first quarter.

And perhaps this is exactly what former university president T.K. Wetherell envisioned when he began to set the wheels in motion some years ago, but it was far from a guarantee for a coach with no experience as the guy in charge.

That was my objection to Fisher's designation as coach-in-waiting. The program had far too much prestige to limit itself to a career assistant who had not distinguished himself as an offensive coordinator. Or so I thought.

Fisher has made the transition to head coach with ease. With speed. With fewer bumps along the road than could have been expected for a guy replacing a legend.

College football has plenty of examples of lifelong assistants who stumbled when given a chance to replace a legend. Gomer Jones lasted two years after replacing Bud Wilkinson at Oklahoma. Doug Barfield and Ray Goff were disappointments taking over for Shug Jordan and Vince Dooley at Auburn and Georgia. And you may recall Ron Zook's tenure as Steve Spurrier's successor at Florida.

It is still early in Fisher's career, and far too soon to affix a reputation. He has done enough to get ESPN's College GameDay on campus for the first time in years, and to get ABC to put the Seminoles on prime time Saturday night, and to make pollsters take notice, but it is clear there is still a lot of work to be done.

Despite its lofty ranking to begin this season, FSU does not yet look like a legitimate national title contender. The defense has holes, and quarterback EJ Manuel is not consistent as a passer.

The growth curve has already been more dramatic than most would have imagined, and there is nothing wrong with saying there is still room to grow.

The most important thing is a direction has been established, and confidence has been rediscovered in the head coach's office.

Fisher's impact will never be as large as Bowden's. Even if he wins conference titles, even national titles.

Bowden created something extraordinary, where once there had been nothing. And the decline of his final seasons does not dim that accomplishment.

So, no, Jimbo Fisher will never really replicate that. And he will never replace Bowden in the grand scheme of things.

But he is here now. And, skeptics be darned, the Seminoles are better off for it.

Loss does not mask Florida State Seminoles' progress

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By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Saturday, September 17, 2011

TALLAHASSEE — By the time the night had ended, there was nothing tangible for them to hold onto. No perfect record. No Top 5 ranking. No victory.

When they walked away from the most intense night of their football lives, there remained only one consideration worthy of comfort.

On this night, the Florida State Seminoles had earned vindication.

Vindication for a group of players who had been humiliated by Oklahoma just one year ago. Vindication for a head coach who was asked to replace a legend a short time ago.

Vindication for fans who had gone years in between moments such as this.

For a short time on Saturday night, the Seminoles were again at the center of the college football world. They played the No. 1 team in the nation to a virtual standstill for the better part of three hours before falling 23-13.

"There's no such thing as a good loss, but we know where we are now," said quarterback Clint Trickett, who came in for the injured EJ Manuel in the third quarter. "We played a bad game. That's what's so weird about it. We played a bad game against the No. 1 team in the country, and it came down to the last seconds.

"That's a statement where we are as a team."

Despite its lofty ranking to begin this season, FSU is not quite there as a legitimate national title contender. The defense still has problems in the secondary, and the running game is a non sequitur.

But if this were a growth chart, the Seminoles jumped several inches beyond what any reasonable fan might have expected. And they did it in prime time on national television.

"Fans have always heard how good Florida State was back in the '90s. Tonight, I feel we showed that we're coming back," senior punter Shawn Powell said. "We still have little things here and there that we have to clean up, but we're getting back to the FSU of old.

"We're a new Florida State team, but the type of competitiveness we had back then is coming back."

And, it should be noted, hardly anyone was talking about FSU's decision to push Bobby Bowden out the door.

Remarkable how quickly that furor passed. Amazing how suddenly the issue became moot. Seventeen games later, the world seems convinced that move was at least necessary, if not inspired.

For it is hard to imagine FSU would have advanced so far so quickly if Bowden still was roaming the sideline. That doesn't mean the Seminoles have already regained lost glory; there is still much ground that must be made up.

But it is hard to argue that Jimbo Fisher's ascension hasn't changed the fortunes for a program that had been stuck in neutral for far too many seasons in a row.

"We know we can compete up there with the top guys," Trickett said, "and that we are some of the top guys."

More than anything, FSU is no longer a joke on defense.

Go back to Bowden's final season — and the final season of defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews — and the Seminoles were giving up an absurd 30.75 points a game.

Seventeen games into the reign of new coordinator Mark Stoops, the Seminoles were holding the No. 1 team in the nation to 13 points through three quarters.

Oklahoma drove 80 yards on 15 plays to open the game but struggled to maintain consistency after that. In a span of two drives in the first half, the Sooners were kept out of the end zone on eight consecutive goal-to-go plays.

FSU still needs better athletes in the secondary, but this defense is as potent as anything seen in Tallahassee in quite some time.

"Defensively, they weathered the storm," said Fisher. "They kept us in the football game in the end."

FSU can be good. The Seminoles can be very good.

But they will absolutely have to find a running game if they want to remain relevant through December. The running game was spotty in the first two games against lightweights, and it was nonexistent when Manuel left the game Saturday.

At this point, it's difficult to understand why FSU is reluctant to use James Wilder. The freshman from Tampa's Plant High did not play in the opener, made a strong impression in the second game, then was ignored again Saturday.

Still, the most important thing is a direction has been established and confidence has been rediscovered in the head coach's office.

"I hope people saw how tenacious our defense is. I hope they saw how much work we've put in," Trickett said. "I hope it changes peoples' perceptions of us."

Tampa Bay Rays: Terry Francona should leave big words for Joe Maddon; Maddon gives club motive to make playoffs with ponytail promise; breaking out the letterman sweaters

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, September 17, 2011

Rays at Red Sox

When/where: 1:35 today; Fenway Park, Boston

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 970-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Starting pitchers:

Rays:

LH David Price (12-12, 3.34)

Red Sox:

RH Tim Wakefield (7-6, 5.13)

Watch for …

Price check: Price is winless in three September starts, having held and given away a lead each time. He is 3-1, 2.70 in four starts vs. the Sox this season, 6-3, 3.07 in nine overall, including 3-0, 1.25 at Fenway.

Float like a butterfly: The knuckleballing Wakefield finally earned his 200th win Tuesday. After starting 17-2 against the Rays, he is 2-5, 7.24 in his past nine starts, with a 3.71 ERA overall.

Key matchups

Rays vs. Wakefield

Johnny Damon 21-for-68, 4 HRs

Evan Longoria 6-for-14, HR

B.J. Upton 7-for-33, HR

Red Sox vs. Price

Darnell McDonald 6-for-19, 2 HRs

Dustin Pedroia 7-for-15, HR

Marco Scutaro 3-for-22

On deck

Monday: Off

Tuesday: at Yankees, 7:05, Sun Sports. Rays — Wade Davis (10-9, 4.41); Yankees — Phil Hughes (5-5, 6.00)

Wednesday: at Yankees, 1:05 and 7:05, Sun Sports. Rays — James Shields (15-11, 2.78) and Jeremy Hellickson (13-10, 2.91); Yankees — CC Sabathia (19-8, 3.01) and Ivan Nova (15-4, 3.81)

Thursday: at Yankees, 7:05, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeff Niemann (11-7, 3.95); Yankees — TBA

"Compliment" of the day

Red Sox manager Terry Francona likes to play the self-deprecating, average guy, so he laughed at himself for using the word "conundrum" in his pregame media session. "If I knew how to tweet, I'd tweet that," Francona said. "Maybe Joe Maddon will for me."

Promise of the day

Manager Joe Maddon is already sporting the longest hair on the team. He said Saturday that if the Rays make the playoffs, he will wear his hair in a ponytail.

Time warp of the day

The Rays will be sporting their new 1970s-style team letterman sweaters again after today's game, then ride the rails as they take a train to New York.

Rays 4, Red Sox 3

Tampa Bay AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Jennings lf 3 2 1 0 1 1 .292

B.Upton cf 3 0 1 0 0 0 .236

Longoria 3b 3 0 1 1 1 0 .244

Zobrist 2b 4 1 1 2 0 1 .269

Damon dh 3 0 1 0 1 0 .261

S.Rodriguez ss 2 0 0 0 1 0 .218

Brignac ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 .193

Kotchman 1b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .309

Guyer rf 4 1 1 0 0 1 .212

Fuld rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240

Lobaton c 3 0 0 0 0 2 .074

Totals 30 4 6 3 4 5

Boston AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Ellsbury cf 3 0 1 2 0 1 .318

Pedroia 2b 4 0 0 0 0 2 .298

Ad.Gonzalez 1b 2 0 0 0 2 2 .336

D.Ortiz dh 3 0 0 0 1 0 .315

Reddick rf 2 0 1 0 1 0 .289

C.Jackson ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .246

D.McDonald rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 .211

Saltalamacchia c 4 0 0 0 0 2 .243

C.Crawford lf 4 2 2 0 0 1 .254

Aviles 3b 4 1 3 1 0 1 .261

Gathright pr 0 0 0 0 0 0—-

Scutaro ss 3 0 0 0 0 1 .288

Totals 30 3 7 3 4 10

Tampa Bay 201 010 000— 4 6 0

Boston 002 000 100— 3 7 0

LOBT.B. 4, Bos. 6. 2BJennings (9), Aviles (15). HRZobrist (16), off Lester. RBIsLongoria (92), Zobrist 2 (84), Ellsbury 2 (96), Aviles (35). SBEllsbury (37), Gathright (1). CSDamon (5), Ellsbury (14). SB.Upton, Scutaro. SFEllsbury. RISPT.B. 2 (Zobrist, Guyer); Bos. 4 (C.Crawford, Saltalamacchia, Pedroia, Scutaro). Runners moved upB.Upton, Longoria, Kotchman, Ellsbury. GIDPKotchman, Saltalamacchia. DPT.B. 1 (Longoria, S.Rodriguez, Kotchman); Bos. 1 (Ad.Gonzalez, Scutaro, Lester).

Tampa Bay IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Niemann W, 11-7 5 4 2 2 2 6 89 3.95

M.Moore H, 1 3 2 1 1 2 2 58 6.23

Jo.Peralta S, 4-6 1 1 0 0 0 2 19 3.13

Boston IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Lester L, 15-8 7 5 4 4 4 5 107 3.15

D.Bard 1 0 0 0 0 0 12 3.01

F.Morales 1 1 0 0 0 0 10 3.64

WPM.Moore, Lester. BalkF.Morales. T3:12. A37,682 (37,065).

How they scored

Rays first

Jennings walked on four pitches. B.Upton sacrificed, third baseman Aviles to first baseman Ad.Gonzalez, Jennings to second. Longoria grounded out, second baseman Pedroia to first baseman Ad.Gonzalez, Jennings to third. Zobrist homered to left on a 1-1 count, Jennings scored. Damon popped out to catcher Saltalamacchia. 2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Rays 2, Red Sox 0.

Rays third

Lobaton struck out. Jennings doubled to left. B.Upton grounded out, shortstop Scutaro to first baseman Ad.Gonzalez, Jennings to third. Longoria walked on a full count. On Lester's wild pitch, Jennings scored. Zobrist flied out to center fielder Ellsbury. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on. Rays 3, Red Sox 0.

Red Sox third

C.Crawford singled to center. Aviles doubled to center, C.Crawford scored. Scutaro sacrificed, pitcher Niemann to first baseman Kotchman, Aviles to third. Ellsbury hit a sacrifice fly to right fielder Guyer, Aviles scored. Pedroia struck out. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Rays 3, Red Sox 2.

Rays fifth

Guyer singled to left. Lobaton popped out to second baseman Pedroia. Jennings flied out to center fielder Ellsbury. B.Upton singled to center, Guyer to second. Longoria singled to right, Guyer scored, B.Upton to third. Zobrist struck out. 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Rays 4, Red Sox 2.

Red Sox seventh

C.Crawford singled to center. Aviles infield single to shortstop, C.Crawford to second. Scutaro grounded into fielder's choice, third baseman Longoria to shortstop Brignac, C.Crawford to third, Aviles out. On M.Moore's wild pitch, Scutaro to second. Ellsbury grounded out, shortstop Brignac to first baseman Kotchman, C.Crawford scored, Scutaro to third. Pedroia struck out. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Rays 4, Red Sox 3.

Marlins 4, Nationals 1, 13 innings

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Times wires
Saturday, September 17, 2011

Marlins 4, Nationals 1

13 innings

WASHINGTON — Stephen Strasburg pitched six strong innings in his third start after elbow surgery, but Donnie Murphy's two-run homer in the 13th lifted the Marlins.

Champs cannot corral Clemson

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Times wires
Saturday, September 17, 2011

CLEMSON, S.C. — Auburn certainly misses quarterback Cam Newton. It might miss defensive tackle Nick Fairley more.

Clemson piled up 624 yards in beating No. 21 Auburn 38-24 and ending the defending national champ's winning streak at 17. "It's been a long time since we lost," said safety Demetruce McNeal, whose team lost last season's top stars to the NFL. "I guess it's a new feeling for us all."

And a new one for Clemson, 3-0 for the first time since 2007 behind Tajh Boyd (30-of-42 for 386 yards and four touchdowns).

Auburn led 14-0 in the first quarter. But Clemson recovered and converted 10 consecutive third downs at one point — "That killed our spirit," Auburn defensive back Ryan White said — and scored on five of six possessions.

"It took (Boyd) a couple of series to calm down," Clemson center Dalton Freeman said. "That was the biggest stage he's ever played on. Once he got calmed down, he was lights out."

Trailing 38-24 in the fourth, Auburn moved to the Clemson 8-yard line. But Barrett Trotter was intercepted by Coty Sensabaugh, and Clemson ran out the final 9:34.

"I couldn't think of a better place to end the streak than Death Valley, South Carolina, baby," said Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, part of Alabama's 1992 national title team. "It's only fitting that an Alabama grad would be in charge of the team that ended the winning streak."

No. 13 Va. Tech 26, Ark. St. 7: Logan Thomas threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns for the host Hokies, who are 3-0 for the first time since 2006. Down 7-0 in the first quarter, Virginia Tech forced an intentional grounding in the end zone for a safety. D.J. Coles then turned a swing pass into a 49-yard score.

UNC 28, Virginia 17: Ryan Houston ran for two touchdowns as the host Tar Heels won an ACC opener for the first time since 2000. His 1-yarder put North Carolina up 14-3 in the second. His 2-yarder made it 28-10 with 4:45 left in the third.

Duke 20, BC 19: Nate Freese missed a 23-yard field-goal attempt with 43 seconds left to seal visiting Duke's win. Sean Renfree tied a school record with 40 completions and scored the winning touchdown on a 1-yard run with 9:57 left. He threw 52 times for 359 yards and two touchdowns.

Ga. Tech 66, Kansas 24: The host Yellow Jackets had 604 rushing yards and 768 overall. Tech, which ran 50 times and threw seven, had three one-play scoring drives, including its first snap of each half. Orwin Smith ran five times for 157 yards, one for a 95-yard score, and caught two passes for 108 yards, including for a 67-yard touchdown.

N.C. State 35, South Ala. 13: Mike Glennon threw a career-high four touchdown passes for the host Wolfpack. Shortly after the Jaguars missed a 44-yard field-goal attempt, Curtis Underwood turned a short pass into a 67-yard touchdown that made it 28-10 with 1:14 left in the third.

Wake 48, Gardner-Webb 5: Tanner Price threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score for the host Deacons. The I-AA Bulldogs had five first downs.


David Price ready to go in must-win game for Tampa Bay Rays

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, September 17, 2011

BOSTON — LHP David Price was leading the cheers in the Rays dugout for Matt Moore on Saturday, knowing exactly what the rookie was going through since he had a similar relief role in 2008.

But today, Price will be on the mound, the rest of the Rays rooting for him to pitch them to a victory in their latest crucial test.

"We've got to win (today)," he said. "We knew we had to win these next two games. (Today) is the biggest game of the year, so I need to step up."

The Rays have tremendous confidence in Price, and they like the matchup against knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, who needed eight attempts for his last win, which was the 200th of his career. The Rays have handled him well, as he is just 2-5, 7.24 in his past nine starts against them.

ON THE RUN: LF Desmond Jennings said he is always ready for action when he's on third base, and manager Joe Maddon lauded him for being even more so Saturday knowing Sox starter Jon Lester has a tendency to bounce his slider to right-handed hitters.

That was exactly what happened in the third inning, and even though the ball didn't get far from C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Jennings raced home with a key run.

Said Jennings: "Just reaction."

MEDICAL MATTERS: INF Sean Rodriguez started at shortstop but left the game after five innings with a recurrence of tightness in his back. … OF Sam Fuld made his first appearance since straining the ECU tendon in his right wrist Wednesday, playing rightfield in the ninth. He remains limited to pinch-running and defense. … RHP Kyle Farnsworth is set to play catch on the field today for the first time in more than a week after his right elbow felt good following Friday's drills, which included throwing a ball in a sock. If all goes well, Farnsworth hopes to throw off the mound in New York on Tuesday and return to action Thursday. … Fuld and Farnsworth were both checked out Saturday by Rays team orthopedist Dr. Koco Eaton, who was in the area looking at schools for his son. "The irony of it is that they're looking at Exeter (Academy, in New Hampshire) which is my school," Fuld said.

ZO GO: 2B/RF Ben Zobrist is set to fly home tonight to be with his wife Julianna, who is having labor induced on Monday, for the birth of their daughter, Kruse. Zobrist plans to rejoin the team Wednesday morning, thus missing only one game.

STRIKING OUT: Maddon stood by his comments about the "egregious" and "one-sided" umpiring in Friday's game and didn't seem concerned about any potential discipline: "I said what I said (Friday) and I meant everything that I did say."

He also dismissed any suggestion of an MLB conspiracy theory to favor the Red Sox so they advance rather than the Rays: "I've never ever ever even formulated that thought personally. I can't go there."

MISCELLANY: Lost in the Moore mania was the ninth-inning work of RHP Joel Peralta, who got the final three outs for his fourth save. … RHP Jeff Niemann said he understood Maddon's strategy in taking him out after five innings and 89 pitches: "It worked out." … The Rays beat the Sox for the 11th time this season, matching last season's franchise most, with six losses. … The Rays have held the Sox to a .187 average in the 17 games.

Tennessee

0
0


Saturday, September 17, 2011

saturday

Florida 33, Tenn. 23

(3-0, 1-0)

sept. 10

Florida 39,

UAB 0

(2-0, 0-0)

Sept. 3

Florida 41,

FAU 3

(1-0, 0-0)

Oct. 8

Saturday at

LSU

TBA

Oct. 1

vs.

Alabama

TBA

Sept. 24

at

Kentucky

7 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2

Nov. 5

vs.

Vanderbilt

TBA

Oct.. 29

vs.

Georgia

3:30 p.m., Ch. 10

oct. 15

at

Auburn

TBA

Nov. 26

vs.

Florida State

TBA

Nov. 19

vs.

Furman

TBA

Nov. 12

at

South Carolina

TBA



In first start, USF Bulls RB Darrell Scott unstoppable

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0

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, September 17, 2011

TAMPA — In USF's 15-year history, no player before Saturday night's game had managed to get a 50-yard touchdown reception and 50-yard rushing score in the same season.

Junior RB Darrell Scott did that in the same quarter during the Bulls' 70-17 romp of Division I-AA Florida A&M at Raymond James Stadium.

Scott had played well early, scoring on a 6-yard run in the first quarter, but he took over in the second quarter starting with a 56-yard touchdown run through the middle of the Rattlers defense.

Seven minutes later, he took a screen pass from QB B.J. Daniels and followed blockers for an 84-yard touchdown reception, the third-longest scoring catch in USF history. Not bad for a 245-pounder.

By the end of the third quarter, Scott had rushed for 146 yards and a third touchdown, which put him over 200 yards of total offense on the night in just his third game with the Bulls.

Scott, who transferred from Colorado last year and sat out last season under NCAA rules, played well enough in the first two games that he earned his first career start with the Bulls.

Not all perfect: The Bulls had held opponents scoreless in the first half against Notre Dame and Ball State, but that scoreless streak ended early in the second quarter, set up when FAMU picked off Bobby Eveld's pass and returned it to the USF 7-yard line.

The Bulls looked to have kept the shutout intact when S Mark Joyce picked off a pass and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown, but that play was negated by a defensive holding penalty, and FAMU scored on a 4-yard pass from Austin Trainor to Lavante Page.

Tribute: One week after the Bulls paid tribute to the late Lee Roy Selmon, who died at age 56 on Sept. 4, with No. 63 decals for every fan attending, the Bulls again remembered their former athletic director when his family — wife Claybra and children Brandy, Lee Roy Jr. and Chris, all USF graduates — took the field for the coin toss ceremony before the game. USF had its four captains — Daniels, C Chaz Hine, CB Quenton Washington and S Jerrell Young.

This and that: USF hadn't had a pass play longer than 24 yards in the first two games, but Daniels beat that on his first attempt, a 43-yard touchdown to WR A.J. Love in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead. … USF was just as dominant on third downs, a problem in the past; through three quarters, the Bulls went 9-for-10, the lone exception coming on RB Demetris Murray's fumble in the first quarter. They finished 10-of-13. … The last time FAMU came to Tampa, in 2005, the Bulls won 37-3. USF had more points by halftime Saturday — jumping out to a 49-14 lead against the Rattlers.

Miller, Hurricanes throttle Buckeyes

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Saturday, September 17, 2011

MIAMI — Ohio State's first road trip under interim coach Luke Fickell was forgettable. Lamar Miller and a swarming Miami defense saw to that.

Miller ran for 188 yards, Jacory Harris passed for two first-quarter touchdowns to Allen Hurns and the Hurricanes topped No. 17 Ohio State 24-6 Saturday night.

The Buckeyes could get nothing going against UM in a matchup of teams dealing with NCAA scandals. Quarterbacks Joe Bauserman and Braxton Miller combined to complete 4 of 17 passes, and the freshman Miller had the giveaway that sealed Ohio State's fate when he had the ball punched out by defensive lineman Marcus Robinson with 9:21 remaining.

Defensive back Mike Williams recovered, the Hurricanes sideline began celebrating, and a few minutes later Al Golden's first win as their coach was complete.

"That's what we want Hurricane football to look like," Golden told ABC Sports on the field afterward.

Ohio State is in danger of falling out of the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time in nearly seven years. The Buckeyes have appeared in every poll since Nov. 28, 2004. And for the first time in exactly 23 years, the Buckeyes lost a road game to an unranked nonconference opponent. The last time that happened was Sept. 17, 1988, a 42-10 defeat at Pittsburgh in John Cooper's first season.

Braxton Miller completed his last two passes on the game's final drive, which salvaged something for Ohio State. The four completions matched the program's worst total for any game in the past 15 years.

The win ended a four-game slide dating to last season for the Hurricanes.

Lamar Miller ran 54 yards on Miami's first play from scrimmage to set the tone, piling up 116 yards in the first quarter alone, 35 more than the total allowed by the Buckeyes on the ground in season-opening wins against Akron and Toledo.

"The O-line came ready to play," Golden said.

Ohio State seemed to give up in the final minutes, not even bothering to stop the clock with one of their three timeouts as Miami moved down the field in the final minutes with a 17-6 lead. Mike James plunged in from the 1 with 33 seconds left.

Hurricanes throttle No. 17 Buckeyes

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Saturday, September 17, 2011

MIAMI — Ohio State interim coach Luke Fickell was hoping his team would start quickly, avoid giving up big plays and take advantage of any opportunities Miami provided.

The Buckeyes (2-1) failed on all counts, and they're in danger of slipping out of the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time in nearly seven years.

Lamar Miller rushed for 184 yards, 54 on Miami's first play from scrimmage, and Jacory Harris passed for two first-quarter touchdowns to Allen Hurns, helping the Hurricanes top No. 17 Ohio State 24-6 Saturday in a matchup of teams dealing with NCAA scandals.

Miami (1-1) outgained Ohio State 363-209 and held the Buckeyes to a 4-for-18, 35-yard passing performance by Joe Bauserman and Braxton Miller.

"They made a lot more plays than we did and, ultimately, that's what the game came down to," Fickell said.

Ohio State got into the red zone twice and settled for field goals. The Buckeyes allowed Miami to go 9-for-15 on third-down conversions, and UM held the ball for 11:16 in the final quarter — nine of those minutes coming after defensive lineman Marcus Robinson punched the ball away from Braxton Miller. UM cornerback Mike Williams recovered.

"That's what Miami Hurricane football should be," said Al Golden, who got his first victory as Miami coach. "Play good defense, make some explosive plays on defense and then run the ball in the fashion that we did."

The Buckeyes have appeared in every AP poll since Nov. 28, 2004. And for the first time in exactly 23 years, the Buckeyes lost a road game to an unranked nonconference opponent; the last time that happened was Sept. 17, 1988, a 42-10 defeat at Pittsburgh in John Cooper's first season as coach at Ohio State.

The win snapped a four-game slide dating to last season for the Hurricanes, who got their first win over a ranked opponent since beating Oklahoma on Oct. 3, 2009.

Harris finished 16 of 23 for 123 yards with two interceptions. "This win feels wonderful," he said. "It feels great to get out there and beat a great team like Ohio State. We have much respect for them, but we made sure we came out with the W."

COLLEGEEXTRA

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Saturday, September 17, 2011

Sunday, September 18, 2011, Section X | 

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Padres 3, Diamondbacks 1

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Times wires
Saturday, September 17, 2011

Padres 3, D'backs 1

SAN DIEGO — Last-place San Diego surprised NL West-leading Arizona for the second straight night as Wade LeBlanc and three relievers combined on a five-hitter and Orlando Hudson and Jeremy Hermida hit solo homers. The Diamondbacks went into the game with a magic number of six for clinching the division title. Arizona lost its third straight, its longest skid since it lost six from Aug. 17-22.


No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners beat No. 5 Florida State Seminoles 23-13

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By Matt Baker, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, September 17, 2011

TALLAHASSEE — A school-record crowd was ready for one of the biggest Florida State home games in years. Even Renegade was jumpier than usual as fireworks burst in an electric atmosphere.

But FSU wasn't quite ready for prime time yet.

In one of the most hyped Seminoles games in years, the FSU offense fell flat and quarterback EJ Manuel was injured in a 23-13 loss to No. 1 Oklahoma on Saturday night at Doak Campbell Stadium.

Manuel and backup quarterback Clint Trickett combined for three interceptions and couldn't muster enough offense to give the No. 5 Seminoles (2-1) the kind of victory that would cement FSU as a powerhouse program once again.

Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones hit Kenny Stills for a fourth-quarter touchdown pass with seven minutes left that broke a 13-all tie and paved a path for the Sooners (2-0) to vie for a national title.

Oklahoma wasted no time in trying to silence the sold-out, record crowd of 84,392 at Doak Campbell Stadium. The Sooners drove 80 yards in 15 plays on the game's first drive.

Jones, a Heisman Trophy candidate, went 7-of-7 for 53 yards on the first possession and plunged 1 yard into the end zone for the first score allowed by FSU in the first half all season.

The Seminoles responded quickly after facing their first deficit of the year from their longest drive allowed all year.

Manuel went 4-of-6 on the opening drive and electrified the crowd. He found a hole up the middle, bounced right and scampered 28 yards into Sooners territory.

Dustin Hopkins ended the drive with a 53-yard field goal.

But Manuel stumbled after that. FSU drove into the Oklahoma red zone early in the second quarter but came away scoreless after linebacker Tom Wort jumped in front of a screen pass and picked off Manuel.

FSU advanced to midfield later in the first half, but Sooners safety Javon Harris intercepted an overthrown pass to end the drive.

Oklahoma racked up 13 first-half points — three more than the Seminoles had allowed all season — but it could have been worse.

The Sooners broke inside the FSU 10-yard line twice in the second quarter. The results: nine plays, minus-4 yards and two Jimmy Stevens field goals.

Manuel started to recover early in the third quarter, completing four passes in a row on FSU's second drive. But he took a hard hit on a 6-yard scramble when a defender slammed his left shoulder into the turf of Bobby Bowden Field.

Manuel grimaced on the next few plays, the offense stalled, and the Seminoles starter headed to the locker room to be replaced by backup Clint Trickett.

The redshirt freshman found some offense with a key 29-yard pass to Jarred Haggins. Another Hopkins field goal cut the deficit to 13-6.

Trickett then completed a 56-yard touchdown pass to freshman receiver Rashad Greene, and Hopkins hit the extra point to make the score 13-13 early in the fourth quarter.

But minutes later, Jones hit Stills for a 37-yard score to give the Sooners a 20-13 lead. Stevens added a 31-yard field with two minutes left.

Matt Baker can be reached at mbaker@sptimes.com.

USF freshman Andre Davis has special drive to cap first half

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By Laura Keeley, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, September 18, 2011

TAMPA — Andre Davis made his first appearance for USF last week.

This week, the Jefferson graduate made his first impact.

Davis, a freshman wide receiver, caught three consecutive B.J. Daniels passes on the Bulls' final scoring drive of the first half, the last one a 27-yarder for his first career touchdown. Then in the second half, Davis blocked Brandon Holdren's punt, scooped the ball up and scored to put the Bulls up 63-14.

"It was nice, really nice, to get out here and get the opportunity to get my first catch," Davis said of the 7-yard hitch route that netted the Bulls a first down. "After the first one I felt relieved."

After another 5-yard gain, Davis was supposed to run a curl route, but a blown assignment by Florida A&M left him wide open heading to the corner of the end zone. Daniels, who was looking to Davis as his first option on all three passes, threw his way, and Davis hauled in the score.

His second-half punt block was much less scripted.

"He just came flying off the edge, and nobody blocked him," coach Skip Holtz said. "We had a return called."

"I blocked it," Davis said with a smile. "I was looking for it, I couldn't find it at first, but then I got my head around, and I found it."

Davis, who helped lead Jefferson to the Class 3A state title last year, said that though the game is faster and there are more fans watching, it's not that different from high school.

"It feels the same," he said, "to get out here and play with the team, play with my new boys."

For the game, Davis finished with those three catches for 29 yards.

While Holtz said none of his young receivers, including Davis, are ready to play a full game, he envisions that Davis will evolve into a legitimate threat in time for the heart of USF's schedule.

"Our hope is that we can get them some reps early in the season, so that by the middle of the year in conference play, they will be able to give us a solid 15, 20 reps during the course of a ballgame," Holtz said. "Andre Davis is going to be special player."

USF Bulls' backups get plenty of time to develop

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By Ian Lanphier, Times Correspondent
Sunday, September 18, 2011

TAMPA — A stated goal of USF coach Skip Holtz heading into Saturday's matchup with Florida A&M was his backups seeing significant playing time.

With the Bulls maintaining a big lead for most of the night, second-teamers got limited reps in the first half before Holtz unloaded his bench to mixed results during USF's 70-17 win.

Holtz has continually said it's crucial the Bulls develop depth to prepare backups in the event of injuries to starters during Big East play.

"We're one play away from those guys being starters," Holtz said.

"So I was really proud with the way they went out there and played … and competed."

Sophomore Bobby Eveld, who went 3-of-11 with an interception last week against Ball State, led one drive late in the first quarter that ended when he was hit as he threw and his pass was intercepted by defensive back Devonta Johnson.

Johnson returned the ball to the USF 7, and the Rattlers scored moments later to make it 21-7.

In the second half, Eveld, who finished 9-of-12 for 95 yards, was intercepted again, this time by linebacker Bobby Jackson in the end zone. He broke through in the fourth quarter, leading the Bulls on a 14-play, 69-yard drive capped by a 2-yard rushing touchdown by third-teamer Marcus Shaw.

"I feel like we made a lot of improvements since last week, and I felt like everyone did a really nice job," Eveld said.

"I felt a lot more calm in this game and poised than I looked last week, and I think I did pretty well."

Deonte Welch, Derrick Hopkins, Ruben Gonzalez and Mike McFarland caught their first career passes.

On defense, freshman tackle Elkino Watson made seven solo tackles, including two for loss. Sophomore end Julius Forte added a sack.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers rally to beat Minnesota Vikings 24-20

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Times staff
Sunday, September 18, 2011

Times staff

MINNEAPOLIS — Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman, who has a history of fourth-quarter dramatics, led the Buccaneers on a 69-yard touchdown drive in the final minutes — culminating with LeGarrette Blount's 4-yard touchdown run with 31 seconds remaining — to pull out a 24-20 come-from-behind victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Trailing 17-0 at halftime, the Bucs offense was able to put up 10 points in the third quarter but still trailed 20-10 with less than 10 minutes to play.

Freeman set up the comeback, however, with an 80-yard drive, capped by a 25-yard touchdown pass to Arrelious Benn with 6:39 to play, which pulled Tampa Bay within a field goal.

After a defensive stand, Tampa Bay got the ball back at its own 39 following a Vikings punt. Freeman opened the game-winning drive by hitting Preston Parker with a pair of 9-yard passes, then found tight end Kellen Winslow for another 14 yards to the Minnesota 29.

Earnest Graham accounted for the next 19 yards — a 5-yard run and receptions of 8 and 6 yards — to move to the ball to the Vikings 10. And on third and 4, with Freeman hit Parker for 6 yards and a first-down at the Minnesota 4.

Blount broke through the middle of the Minnesota defense on the next play for the touchdown run, giving the Bucs their first lead of the game with 31 seconds left.

The win evened the Bucs' record at 1-1 and moved them into a tie atop the NFC South.

As with their opener against the Lions, the Bucs offense struggled early, picking up just 41 yards in the first quarter to Minnesota's 127. The majority of that came on the Vikings' second possession, a 12-play, 90-yard drive that culminated with Adrian Peterson's 1-yard scoring run.

Peterson gained 20 yards on the drive, and Donovan McNabb connected on 5 of 5 passes for 39 yards. But the big play came from backup running back Toby Gerhart, who beat the Bucs linebackers to the left edge and picked up 31 yards down the left sideline to the Bucs 25.

Minnesota increased its lead to 10-0 on its next possession thanks to another long drive — this one 72 yards in 14 plays. McNabb completed three passes for 41 yards and picked up another 13 on a third-and-12 scramble before the drive stalled at the Bucs 5.

It didn't get any better for the Bucs. After another three-and-out offensive possession, the Vikings put together another touchdown march to take a 17-0 halftime lead.

McNabb hit Kyle Rudolph for a 15-yard gain to open the drive, Peterson added a 19-yard run and Gerhart again had the long play on a 42-yard run to the Bucs 4. McNabb stumbled and lost 5 yards on first down, but it didn't matter as Peterson split the defense on the next play for his second touchdown of the game.

The Bucs finally got on the scoreboard on their second possession of the third quarter, striking quickly after a Parker punt return to the Vikings 44. Freeman opened with a 17-yard pass to tight end Luke Stocker, then handed the ball on the next play to Blount, who broke free off right tackle and rambled in for the 27-yard score.

The Bucs surprised the Vikings on the ensuing play, recovering an onside kick at their own 47 and marching as close as the Minnesota 12 behind a 13-yard run by Blount and a 17-yard pass to Parker. But on first down from there, Freeman was late throwing to Winslow across the middle and the ball was intercepted in the end zone by Husain Abdullah to end the threat.

The Bucs pulled within a touchdown on their next possession, turning a 51-yard catch-and-run by Parker into a 36-yard field goal. Parker's play set the Bucs up at the Vikings 21, and Tampa Bay appeared to have a touchdown when receiver Mike Williams made an impressive catch along the left sideline of the end zone. But the Bucs were called for an illegal shift on the play, negating the score and forcing them to settle for the field goal three plays later.

Once again, however, the Vikings responded with a long drive, marching 69 yards in 12 plays to build their lead to 20-10. The big play proved to be a 23-yard pass interference call against Bucs linebacker Mason Foster that moved Minnesota to the Tampa Bay 30. The Vikings got to the Tampa Bay 10 before a Peterson run for a 1-yard loss and two incompletions limited Minnesota to the field goal.

The Bucs pulled with 20-17, thanks in large part to a roughing-the-passer penalty against Minnesota defensive end Jared Allen, tacking 15 yards on top of a 19-yard completion from Freeman to Dez Briscoe. On first down from the Vikings 25, Freeman found Benn behind the Minnesota secondary and hit him for the score with 6:39 left in the game.

The Bucs return home on Sunday to face the Falcons (0-1 heading into Sunday night's game against Philadelphia) in a 4:15 p.m. game at Raymond James Stadium. That game is expected to be blacked out.

Tampa Bay Rays beat Boston Red Sox 8-5 to move two back in AL wild-card race

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, September 18, 2011

BOSTON — The Rays took another big step in their late drive for a playoff spot, beating the Red Sox 8-5 Sunday to close within two games of the AL wild-card-leading Red Sox with 10 remaining.

Rays starter David Price worked only four innings, having been hit on the right side of the chest by a line drive in the third. He left for what the Rays said were "precautionary reasons" with a bruise.

That forced the Rays to go deep into their bullpen, with Jake McGee working 2⅔ innings and Cesar Ramos, Brandon Gomes, J.P. Howell and Joel Peralta finishing. Peralta got the final four outs in a game that took nearly four hours.

The Rays took an early lead against knuckleballer Tim Wakefield and expanded it to 8-2, then hung on as the Sox cut it to 8-5 in the seventh.

Matt Joyce had three hits and three RBIs to lead the Rays offense.

The Rays (85-67) came into the series saying they had to take at least three of four to stay in the playoff chase, and did so.

They are off Monday, then play four games in three days (with a doubleheader Wednesday) at Yankee Stadium. The Red Sox play a doubleheader Monday at home against the Orioles.

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