COLLEGE FOOTBALL

GATORS FIRE ZOOK, LOOK AT SPURRIER

Florida coach Ron Zook was fired yesterday, but will finish the season while the school searches for his replacement.

After two-plus years and a stack of embarrassments, athletic director Jeremy Foley satisfied a growing groundswell for Zook’s ouster that began the day he replaced Steve Spurrier. The Gators are 20-13 under Zook – just 14 fewer losses than Spurrier had in 12 seasons. The latest debacle, a 38-31 loss to Mississippi State, sealed Zook’s fate. Spurrier’s return would be welcomed in Gainesville. Spurrier, who was fired by the Washington Redskins last year, has said he expects to discuss the job opening.

OKLAHOMA, UTAH MOVE UP IN BCS

Oklahoma moved up to no. 2 in the Bowl Championship Series standings yesterday and Utah is now sixth, a position that would guarantee the Utes a spot in one of the four big-money bowl games if they can hold on to it. The Sooners jumped ahead of Miami, which was a surprising second behind USC in last week’s initial BCS standings. USC remains in first-place with a grade of .9843. Oklahoma’s grade is .9325 and Miami is third at .9239.The top two teams will meet in the Orange Bowl on January 4 for the BCS title.

The BCS is using a new formula that relies more on the Associated Press Top 25 and ESPN/USA Today coaches poll than ever before. The Sooners have been no. 2 in both polls all season, but were a close third to the Hurricanes last week in the BCS standings because of their relatively weak computer ranking.

NCAA GRADUATION RATES HOLD STEADY

The graduation rate for major college football players increased for the fourth straight year, and the rate for all Division I athletes remained at 62%, or 2% higher than the general student population.

The figures, released yesterday by the NCAA, were for athletes who entered college in 1997 and graduated within the six-year window set by the U.S. Department of Education. This year’s report showed 70% of female athletes who entered Division I colleges on scholarship in 1997 have graduated, compared with 55% of the male athletes over the same period.

For all of Division I, the graduation rate for football players was 55%, a 1% increase from the previous report. The rates for men’s basketball, traditionally among the worst, also continued to climb, despite a drop from 52% to 48% for whites. An increase from 38% to 42% for blacks helped push the overall men’s graduation rate for basketball to 44%, 2 points higher than last year.

PRO FOOTBALL

PANTHERS’ FOSTER WON’T RETURN THIS SEASON

The Carolina Panthers lost any hope of DeShaun Foster playing again this season when it was determined yesterday that the running back needs surgery on his broken collarbone.

Foster was expected to miss six to 10 weeks after he was injured on October 10. Foster, who missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury before becoming an outstanding backup to Stephen Davis last year, was placed on injured reserve.

GLENN OUT AT LEAST TWO WEEKS

Dallas Cowboys receiver Terry Glenn will be out at least two weeks because of a sprained right foot. Coach Bill Parcells said yesterday the injury won’t require surgery but is “pretty severe.”

SPRAINED KNEE TO SIDELINE ALSTOTT

Mike Alstott will be sidelined at least a month after spraining his right knee during Tampa Bay’s win over the Chicago Bears.

Alstott, who missed most of last season after neck surgery, was hurt late in the third quarter Sunday when he was tackled for a 4-yard loss and landed awkwardly beneath a pile. Coach Jon Gruden said yesterday that the injury is to Alstott’s medial collateral ligament.

SOCCER

MANCHESTER UNITED REJECTS GLAZER’S BUYOUT PLAN

Manchester United said yesterday it has rejected a business plan from Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer and ended takeover talks based on the plan.

Glazer raised his stake last week in Manchester United Plc. to 28.11%. If Glazer’s ownership reaches 30%, he is required by British law to make an offer to buy out the remaining stockholders. Influential Manchester United fan groups, which helped block a takeover bid by Rupert Murdoch in 1999, have opposed Glazer’s bid. They contend Glazer is interested only in profit and would raise ticket prices.

In a statement to the London Stock Exchange, Manchester United said yesterday that Glazer’s business plan was not in its best interests because any offer would rely too heavily on borrowed money.

BASEBALL

BULLPEN BRAWL: CHARGES AGAINST NELSON, GARCIA COULD BE DROPPED

Two former Yankees who allegedly assaulted a Fenway Park groundskeeper during the 2003 American League Championship series could have charges against them dropped if they perform community service and possibly undergo counseling.

Prosecutors planned to propose at a court hearing today that Jeff Nelson and Karim Garcia each perform 50 hours of community service and undergo an anger management evaluation.

They also want the two to complete any appropriate counseling within six months. Nelson, 37, now plays for Texas. Garcia, 28, was released this August from the Orioles.

– Associated Press