Reporters' Notebooks

Clemson players have been hearing it from their peers.
AP

Jay Christensen produces TheWizOfOdds.com.

• Mike Hlas, Cedar Rapids Gazette: Name the coach who said this: "I've taken more pills in the last two months than I've taken all my life. ... I'm not letting anybody get near me with a knife."

• Tony Barnhart, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: From the bottom up, the Southeastern Conference gets the edge over the Big 12 as best in the land. The big reason? SEC teams play defense.

• Paul Strelow, Columbia State: Some Clemson players are hearing about the team's disappointing 3-2 start in the classroom from students and professors.

• Joseph Person, Columbia State: Authorities are searching for a woman who poured chocolate syrup and flour on a 2001 Chevy Impala belonging to South Carolina linebacker Eric Norwood.

• Dave Stephens, South Bend Tribune: U.S. senator Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) had his wallet stolen from the front seat of his rental car over the weekend in South Bend. Martinez was in town to watch his nephew, Eric Maust, who is Notre Dame's punter.

• Charles Goldberg, Birmingham News: Jetgate, five years later. Auburn's Tommy Tuberville and Arkansas' Bobby Petrino, whose teams play Saturday, aren't really talking about a backroom deal that would have ousted Tuberville and made Petrino the Tiger coach.

• Lya Wodraska, Salt Lake Tribune: Fingergate, one year later. Utah's Kyle Whittingham and Wyoming's Joe Glenn say they have patched things up after Glenn gave Whittingham the one-finger salute during a 50-0 loss at Salt Lake City. A look at the gesture.

• Jon Wilner, San Jose Mercury News: The Pacific 10 Conference has reprimanded Stanford's Jim Harbaugh for comments he made about the officiating in Saturday's loss at Notre Dame.

• Brian Dohn, Los Angeles Daily News: Sources said the compliance departments of several Pac-10 schools turned in complaints to the conference about USC's Pete Carroll attending two games involving Loyola High junior running back Anthony Barr.

• Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: Trying to make sense of the the Jeff Sagarin ratings.

• Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche Journal: Is something big about to happen in Lubbock? Nebraska just gave up 52 at home to Missouri. In 2004, the last time the Cornhuskers visited Lubbock, Texas Tech scored a 70-10 victory.

• Jeff Potrykus, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: An emotionally spent Wisconsin team could be on the verge of collapse.

• Desmond Conner, Hartford Courant: A look around the Big East. West Virginia's Bill Stewart says the league is as physical as they come. "This is a black and blue league and by that I mean when you play hard, I don't care who you play, your guys are in the training room."

• Howie Stalwick, Tacoma News Tribune: Despite a faltering economy, Washington State plans to forge ahead with plans for an expansion of Martin Stadium beginning in January.

• Laurence Miedema, San Jose Mercury News: Kevin Jurovich, San Jose State's leading receiver, is likely to miss the rest of the season because of mononucleosis. "He has a very enlarged spleen, and that is very dangerous, and he's lost a considerable amount of weight," coach Dick Tomey said.

• Brett Vito, Denton Record-Chronicle: Will North Texas win a game? The Mean Green play four of their last seven games on the road and the chances for a victory are dwindling by the week.