A pending deal to restrict access to the Orange Bowl is one of the key reasons conference commissioners are leaning toward adding another game to the new college football postseason system.
The original plan for the four-team playoff that will replace the Bowl Championship Series in 2014 called for the national semifinals rotating among six marquee bowls games.
Now it looks as if the rotation will consist of seven games.
The Orange Bowl is working on an agreement that would match Notre Dame or a Big Ten or Southeastern Conference team against an Atlantic Coast Conference team during seasons the game doesn’t host a national semifinal.
That would mean three of the six games – the Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl (Pac-12 and Big Ten) and the bowl that will eventually become the Champions Bowl between the Big 12 and SEC – wouldn’t be accessible to teams outside the five power conferences in years in which they do not host a semifinal.
Another game creates two more available spots in high-revenue games for teams from the Big East, the Sun Belt Conference, the Mountain West, Conference USA and the Mid-American Conference.
BASKETBALL
Coach abused son, mother says
The mother of a teenager at Billy Gillispie’s camp this summer claims in a letter to a top school administrator that the former Texas Tech coach repeatedly verbally abused her son. Gillispie, 52, stepped down Thursday amid allegations he mistreated players on his team.
Northwestern guard suspended
Northwestern suspended junior guard JerShon Cobb for the 2012-13 season for violating team policy. The school said Cobb remains enrolled at Northwestern and is still a part of the basketball program.
FOOTBALL
Gophers receiver out of hospital
Minnesota receiver Andre McDonald was released from the hospital and is listed as questionable for the game against Syracuse today. McDonald was hospitalized Thursday and released later that evening after an examination.
HOCKEY
Players challenge lockout in Alberta
Lawyers for players on the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames are trying to have the NHL lockout declared illegal under Alberta law. The NHL argued before the Alberta Labour Relations Board that a league spanning two countries cannot operate under different laws for each team and that it’s inappropriate to apply the Alberta Labour Code to the province’s two teams.
VOLLEYBALL
Mastodons win in 4
Emily Spencer had 20 kills for the IPFW women’s team (12-3, 2-1 Summit League) in a 3-1 win at South Dakota (7-7, 1-2). The scores were 25-17, 19-25, 25-14, 25-23.
CORRECTION
Incorrect record for New Haven
Because of reporter’s error, New Haven’s football record on Page 1B of Friday’s edition was incorrect. Going into Friday’s game, the Bulldogs were 5-0.
