GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Urban Meyer says the Southeastern Conference did the right thing in suspending an officiating crew after its second controversial call of the year.
Meyer said Thursday he has great confidence in SEC commissioner Mike Slive and the system, but he also questioned why the SEC made its decision public.
Referee Marc Curles’ crew called a personal foul on Arkansas defensive lineman Malcolm Sheppard in the fourth quarter as the Gators were rallying for a 23-20 victory last weekend. The league said there was no video evidence to support the call.
The same group of officials called the LSU-Georgia game this month, which included a late unsportsmanlike conduct penalty the league said shouldn’t have been called.
Pac-10 says officials erred
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — The Pac-10 Conference says its officials erred in not calling a penalty on Notre Dame for a fake field goal in last Saturday’s game between the Fighting Irish and USC.
The Trojans won the game 34-27.
The trick play resulted in a 25-yard gain that set up Notre Dame’s first touchdown. Dave Cutaia, the Pac-10’s coordinator of officials, says a foul should have been called for using substitutions to deceive. The Fighting Irish should have been pushed back 15 yards and the down repeated.
Gophers apologize for mascot
MINNEAPOLIS — The University of Minnesota is apologizing after its Goldy Gopher mascot poked fun at a Penn State football player who was praying before last week’s game.
A video made before Saturday’s game at State College shows Penn State defensive end Jerome Hayes kneeling in prayer in the end zone.
Goldy Gopher kneels in front of Hayes, according to the video posted on YouTube. When Hayes stands up, so does Goldy. The mascot tries to make some contact, but Hayes ignores him and trots back to the bench.
Minnesota spokesman Dan Wolter says the stunt was “plainly a mistake” and the mascot didn’t intend to offend anyone or trivialize religion.
Funeral scheduled for UConn player
STORRS, Conn. — The funeral for a Connecticut player stabbed last weekend has been scheduled in his hometown of Miami. Services for 20-year-old Jasper Howard will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at New Birth Baptist Church.
Howard was stabbed outside a university-sanctioned dance early Sunday.
Footnote.
Notre Dame has agreed to play Western Michigan, Tulsa and Utah in football next season, completing its 2010 schedule. The Associated Press
MWC adds Independence Bowl.
The Mountain West ventures east starting next season for a new affiliation with the Shreveport, La.-based Independence Bowl. The third pick from the MWC will play the No. 7 Atlantic Coast Conference club. No financial terms were announced.
The bowl lineup for 2010-13 otherwise remains unchanged, with the exception of the Dec. 30 Humanitarian Bowl (the fifth MWC selection vs. a Western Athletic Conference team), which was a one-year agreement for 2009.
Natalie Meisler, The Denver Post
