Outback Invites Florida

Florida, which rebounded from a 3-3 start, accepted an invitation Wednesday to play in the Jan. 1 Outback Bowl.

It will be the second consecutive appearance in the Tampa, Fla., game for the Gators (8-4).

Their opponent, probably No. 11 Purdue (9-3) or No. 12 Iowa (9-3), will be determined Sunday.

As recently as Saturday, after a 38-34 loss to Florida State, Florida appeared to be pegged for the Peach Bowl, which is a notch down from the Outback ($2.65 million payout compared with $2.1 million).

But Outback Bowl officials, happy with the turnout at last year’s game -- Florida’s 38-30 loss to Michigan -- were eager to have the Gators back.

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Mississippi accepted an invitation to play in the Cotton Bowl for the first time in 42 years.

The No. 17 Rebels (9-3), the SEC’s representative for the Jan. 2 game in Dallas, will play a Big 12 team that will be determined Sunday.

No. 22 Oklahoma State (9-3), is the likely opponent. But No. 6 Texas (10-2) also is a possibility if the Longhorns don’t get an at-large spot in the bowl championship series.

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Ted Roof reportedly has been chosen as Duke’s coach.

Athletic Director Joe Alleva is expected to recommend to the school’s administration that Roof be hired over Bobby Ross.

Roof, the Blue Devils’ defensive coordinator, was 2-3 as Duke’s interim coach after Carl Franks was fired.

Associated Press, the Herald-Sun of Durham, N.C., and the school’s newspaper reported that Roof would be offered the position.

Franks was fired on Oct. 19 after a 7-45 career mark in 4 1/2 seasons.

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Nevada Athletic Director Chris Ault, the winningest coach in school history, agreed to return to the sidelines for a third time to try to stop a five-year streak without a winning record. He replaces Chris Tormey, who was fired by Ault after a 6-6 season. Ault will continue as athletic director until a replacement is found.... Nebraska has dismissed assistant athletic director for football Dave Gillespie. His firing apparently is tied to the dismissal of Frank Solich as coach. Gillespie served as Nebraska’s running backs coach and recruiting coordinator from 1998 to 2002. He moved into his administrative position in January.

Central Florida President John Hitt and Athletic Director Steve Orsini have presented Minnesota Viking defensive coordinator George O’Leary the framework of a five-year package to coach the Golden Knights, the Orlando Sentinel reported.... Arizona Coach Mike Stoops has hired brother Mark Stoops, the defensive backs coach at Miami, as defensive coordinator. Arizona officials also report that almost 700 season tickets were sold on Monday and Tuesday after the announcement on Saturday that Mike Stoops would become the coach.

Louisiana Tech announced that Jack Bicknell will return as coach. His status had been in doubt after a 5-7 season.... No. 20 Bowling Green (10-2) plays host to No. 14 Miami of Ohio (11-1) tonight in the Mid-American Conference championship game at Bowling Green, Ohio. The RedHawks defeated the Falcons, 33-10, on Nov. 4 at Oxford, Ohio.