BYU, Wyoming to get together in San Diego
Western Kentucky swamps Memphis
SAN DIEGO — The BYU Cougars and Wyoming Cowboys had to come to San Diego to renew a rivalry that dates to 1922.
The Cougars (8-4) play Wyoming (8-5) in the Poinsettia Bowl tonight. It’s the first meeting between the schools since 2010, before BYU left the Mountain West Conference to go independent.
None of the players were around when the rivalry ended.
Some of the coaches played in it, like BYU head coach Kalani Sitake, who was a running back for the Cougars in the 1990s, and offensive coordinator Ty Detmer, the 1990 Heisman Trophy winner while at BYU.
Sitake said he’s had to tell his players about the rivalry.
“I think it’s more for guys like myself that played in that game and Ty Detmer and a number of our coaches played against Wyoming, but this generation is different. You kind of have to teach them all and we’re dating ourselves when we talk about back when I played against Wyoming,” Sitake said. “But it’s also a cool experience to share and talk about players and places that have passionate fans.”
Cowboys coach Craig Bohl came to Wyoming after the rivalry ended.
“I do know this, a bunch of old guys who played college football come up to me in the hotel, and it’s a big deal to them,” Bohl said.
BOCA RATON BOWL: In Boca Raton, Fla., senior Anthony Wales gained 329 yards from scrimmage and Western Kentucky earned a bowl victory for the third year in a row by beating Memphis 51-31 Tuesday night in the Boca Raton Bowl.
Wales ran for a career-high 245 yards on 35 carries, added 84 yards on four catches and scored three times.
Teammate Mike White threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns. Taywan Taylor had nine catches for 144 yards and his 17th touchdown of the season.
Oddsmakers had projected the game to be the highest-scoring of the bowl season, and even Western Kentucky left tackle Forrest Lamp got into the act, scoring on a 9-yard razzle-dazzle run. The Hilltoppers (11-3) totaled 598 yards for interim head coach Nick Holt, who was filling in after coach Jeff Brohm left to become coach at Purdue.
FLORIDA STATE: Dalvin Cook will not join Leonard Fournette or Christian McCaffrey on the sidelines.
Cook, Florida State’s star running back, will play in what could be the final college football game of his career when No. 11 FSU (9-3) faces No. 6 Michigan (10-2) in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.
Jimbo Fisher nodded his head in agreement Tuesday when asked if he would be “stunned” if Cook wanted to sit out the Seminoles’ season finale.
“Actually, I would (stunned),” Fisher said.
MINNESOTA: Prosecutors say they’re reviewing a report prepared by University of Minnesota investigators on allegations of sexual assault by several members of the Gopher football team.
In a statement Tuesday, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said his office will review the report and has no further comment for now.
RUTGERS: The NCAA has be
informed Rutgers that an 18-month investigation into the department of athletics has found seven potential violations.
The NCAA issued a notice of allegations Tuesday. The investigation and potential violations focused on former coach Kyle Flood, a student-athlete host/ hostess program and inconsistencies in the administration of drug-testing procedures and policies.
NEVADA: Head coach Jay Norvell has hired Matt Mumme as offensive coordinator. Mumme, a former New Mexico State assistant and son of former Aggies head coach Hal Mumme, had been head coach at Division III LaGrange (Ga.) College, where he was 12-20 over three seasons.
ESPN.com also reported that ex-Hawaii star quarterback Timmy Chang is in the mix to join Nevada’s staff, potentially as the team’s wide receivers coach.
WAKE FOREST: Former quarterback Riley Skinner will fill in during its Military Bowl radio broadcast for the ex-assistant coach who was fired as an analyst after the school says he leaked game plans to opponents.
The school announced the move Tuesday, one week after Tommy Elrod was fired.