FIU running back Phillips will not play in bowl game
FIU running back Shawndarrius Phillips will not accompany the team to the Bahamas Bowl this week, following his arrest on a domestic violence charge.
Phillips was arrested Dec. 12, nearly six months after the alleged incident took place.
Court records show a woman who had dated the player filed a report on June 18 with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and claimed Phillips choked her. The case was disposed in August.
However, records also show a second case stemming from the same incident was opened at that time and a warrant for Phillips’ arrest was issued Aug. 24.
Phillips appeared in 11 games for the Panthers, rushing for 393 yards and four touchdowns.
Court records do not show if he has retained an attorney, and FIU officials have declined comment.
COACH OF THE YEAR
UCF’s Josh Heupel, Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly and Alabama’s Nick Saban are the finalists for The Associated Press national college football Coach of the Year after leading their teams to unbeaten regular seasons.
The winner will be announced Monday at noon.
Heupel guided No. 7 Central Florida (12-0) to a second consecutive unbeaten season. The American Athletic Conference champions will play No. 11 LSU in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1.
Kelly led the thirdranked Fighting Irish (12-0) to its first College Football Playoff appearance. The Irish play No. 2 Clemson in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 29.
Saban has No. 1 Alabama (13-0) in the playoff for the fifth consecutive season. The Crimson Tide won the Southeastern Conference and face No. 4 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 29.
The AP Coach of the Year was established in 1998. Saban is one of two coaches to win the award twice, along with Gary Patterson of TCU. Saban was Coach of the Year with LSU in 2003 and with Alabama in 2008.
Kelly won Coach of the Year in 2012, the last time he led Notre Dame to a 12-0 season.
LATE SATURDAY
Camellia Bowl — Georgia Southern 23, Eastern Michigan 21: Tyler Bass kicked a 40yard field goal as time expired to lift Georgia Southern past Eastern Michigan in the Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama.
Shai Werts kept the winning drive alive with a 29-yard scramble on fourth-and-10. Bass came on for his third field goal after Wesley Fields’ two runs pushed Georgia Southern (10-3) 7 yards closer.
Bass also made a 50yarder on the final play of the first half.
Eastern Michigan (7-6) had delivered its own big fourth-down play to take the lead for the first time.
Mike Glass threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Arthur Jackson with 3:33 left on fourth-and-4, followed by Chad Ryland’s extra point.
New Orleans Bowl — Appalachian State 45, Middle Tennessee 13: Appalachian State receiver Malik Williams passed for two touchdowns on trick plays, quarterback Zac Thomas caught a scoring pass and threw for three more, and the Mountaineers routed Middle Tennessee in the New Orleans Bowl.
Camerun Peoples had a 63-yard touchdown run for the Mountaineers (11-2), which gave Appalachian State alum and former player Mark Ivey a victory in what might have been his only chance to coach his alma mater. Ivey took over on an interim basis after Scott Satterfield left for Louisville.
Middle Tennessee finished 8-6.