Coach Lake era is over at Washington
Washington fired head coach Jimmy Lake on Sunday, less than two years after he was chosen to succeed Chris Petersen.
Lake’s firing concluded a stunningly fast fall with a team that began the season ranked in the AP Top 25 and stumbled through embarrassing losses that raised discontent in the fan base.
Athletic director Jen Cohen said the school will honor the terms of Lake’s contract, which puts Washington on the hook for more than $9 million dollars.
“No one wanted Jimmy to succeed more than I when I hired him in 2019, but ultimately, this change is necessary for a variety of reasons, both on the field and off,” Cohen said in a statement. “I am grateful for Jimmy’s service to Washington, and we wish him the very best of luck moving forward.”
Lake was suspended without pay for Saturday’s 35-30 loss to Arizona State after a sideline incident the previous week against Oregon, when Lake swatted at and then shoved one of his players. The incident only added to the heat on Lake and the suspension seemed a precursor to an eventual separation.
Defensive coordinator Bob Gregory will serve as interim coach the remaining two games.
Including Saturday’s game, the Huskies went 7-6 under Lake. ALABAMA CLIMBS TO NO. 2 IN AP POLL >> Alabama jumped Cincinnati to No. 2 behind Georgia in the AP poll and Oklahoma dropped eight spots to No. 12 after losing for the first time this season.
Georgia is a unanimous No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the sixth consecutive week and the Southeastern Conference has the top two teams in the poll for the sixth time this season.
Alabama and Georgia were flipflopped at Nos. 1 and 2 for five weeks in September and early October.
After the Bearcats came No. 4 Oregon, No. 5 Ohio State, No. 6 Notre Dame, No. 7 Michigan State, No. 8 Michigan and No. 9 Oklahoma State and No. 10 Mississippi.
Golf
MICKELSON WINS SEASON-ENDING
SCHWAB CUP TOURNEY >> Phil Mickelson birdied three of the final holes to win the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship, and Bernhard Langer held on to win his sixth PGA Tour Champions season points title.
Mickelson shot a 6-under 65 at Phoenix Country Club to join Jack Nicklaus as the only player to win four of his first six Champions starts.
KOKRAK FINISHES HOT, WINS HOUSTON OPEN >> Jason Kokrak had four straight birdies on the back nine for a 5-under 65 and win the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open.
Kokrak, who began the final round two shots behind 54-hole leader Scottie Scheffler, shot 66-65 on the weekend to finish at 10-under 270. NELLY KORDA WINS FOUR-WAY PLAYOFF >> Nelly Korda sank a birdie on the first playoff hole to win a fourwoman playoff and capture the Pelican Women’s Championship title in Belleair, Fla.
Lexi Thompson bogeyed her final two holes, shot 69 and headed to a playoff with Korda, New Zealand’s Lydia Ko (66) and South Korea’s Sei Young Kim (67). All four of them set a 72-hole tournament scoring record.
Motorsports
HAMILTON SURPRISES WITH BRAZILIAN GP WIN >> Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton ended “the hardest weekend I’ve had” with a stunning victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, and gained momentum in his Formula One title fight with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.
Hamilton beat Verstappen despite starting from 10th position on the grid due to a penalty — the second Hamilton faced this weekend. Verstappen was second and saw his lead in the driver’s championship shrink to 14 points, with three races left. NHRA CROWNS 4 CHAMPIONS IN SEASON FINALE >> Steve Torrence, Greg Anderson and Matt Smith raced to season championships and race victories in the season-ending Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona.
Torrence got his fourth Top Fuel championship, Anderson won his fifth Pro Stock crown, Smith his fifth Pro Stock Motorcycle title and Ron Capps his second Funny Car title.