MULLEN OUT AS GATORS COACH
The standard for success when it comes to coaching the Gators is about as high as it can get in college football.
Florida fired Mullen on Sunday, a day after his sixth loss in nine games, two months after the Gators went toe-to-toe with defending national champion Alabama and a year after they had a chance to make the College Football Playoff.
“This is a place where you should have a high level of success over a long period of time,” Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin said.
Mullen’s stunningly swift downfall and not-so-surprising departure ends a tumultuous two seasons that included mounting losses, numerous public relation missteps, NCAA sanctions and a victory against lower-division Samford that didn’t seem like much for Gators fans to celebrate.
Stricklin said he made the decision Sunday morning and offered Mullen the chance to coach the team’s final game, but he declined for fear of being a distraction.
Florida (5-6, 2-6 SEC) hosts rival Florida State (5-6) on Saturday, with the
winner becoming bowl eligible. Special teams coordinator and running backs coach Greg Knox will serve as interim coach.
Mullen finished 34-15 over four seasons at Florida that included a trip to the Southeastern Conference championship game last year and three New Year’s Six bowls.
Notable
Ohio State is No. 2 in The Associated Press college football poll, surging three spots past No. 3 Alabama and No. 4 Cincinnati in a close vote.
Georgia is a unanimous
No. 1 in the AP Top 25 presented by Regions Bank for the seventh consecutive week, but for the second week in a row, No. 2 has changed.
Alabama slipped past Cincinnati last week and then Ohio State leapfrogged them both after routing Michigan State 56-7 on Saturday. The Buckeyes received 1,434 points from the media panel.
Notre Dame is up to a season-high No. 5 and Michigan will go into its game against Ohio State next Saturday ranked No. 6.
• Troy fired coach Chip Lindsey with one game left in his third season. He was 15-19. Defensive coordinator Brandon Hall will finish out the season as interim coach.
Saturday’s late games
Oregon State 24, Arizona State 10: B.J. Baylor rushed for 150 yards as host Oregon State (7-4, 5-3 Pac-12) remained in contention for the Pac-12 North Division title following the victory over Arizona State (7-4, 5-3).
Boise State 37, New Mexico 0: Khalil Shakir rolled up 169 all-purpose yards, George Holani rushed for 114 yards, and host Boise State returned two blocked punts for TDs as the Broncos (7-4, 5-2 Mountain West) defeated visiting New Mexico (3-8, 1-6).
Wyoming 44, Utah State 17: Levi Williams threw for two scores and Titus Swen rushed for a pair as the Cowboys (6-5, 2-5 MW) went on the road and upset the Aggies (8-3, 5-2), putting Utah State’s conference title hopes in jeopardy.
Hawaii 50, Colorado State 45: Chevan Cordeiro passed for 406 yards and two TDs and ran for another score as host Hawaii (4-7, 1-5 MW) held on to beat Colorado State (3-8, 2-5).