Charles Barkley has been critical of Auburn's hire.
AP

Jay Christensen produces The Wiz Of Odds.

• Awful Announcing: Charles Barkley has issued an apology to Gene Chizik for his remarks about race being a factor in Auburn's decision to hire Chizik over Turner Gill.

• Mike Casazza, Charleston Daily Mail: West Virginia is said to be monitoring the academic status of running back Noel Devine.

• Anthony Gimino, Tucson Citizen: The last time Arizona played in a bowl game, a CD player was a hot item.

• John Rohde, Oklahoman: Beano Cook is upset that Tim Tebow was left off of 154 of the 904 Heisman ballots that were returned. But what about the 93 voters who left Sam Bradford off their ballots, and the 120 who left Colt McCoy off?

• Eric Hansen, South Bend Tribune: The transfer of tight end Will Yeatman from Notre Dame is becoming complicated because he is also a standout lacrosse player.

• Chadd Cripe, Idaho Statesman: The Western Athletic Conference is sending five teams to bowl games and only one of them is expected to generate a significant profit for the league.

• Katie Fretland, Omaha World-Herald: The sad story of former Iowa State running back Stevie Hicks, who died on Nov. 28.

• Paul Zeise, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Is "inside information" from a former Oregon State graduate assistant helping Pittsburgh get an edge for the Sun Bowl?

• Fresno Bee: Fresno State junior cornerback Damion Owens will miss Saturday's New Mexico Bowl after having surgery on his right middle finger.

• Joe Person, Columbia State: South Carolina safety Emanuel Cook failed to pass the minimum six hours required by the NCAA and will not play in the Outback Bowl.

• Jim Young, ACC Sports: A whopping 23.8 percent of the players named to the Pro Bowl are from current Atlantic Coast Conference teams, a higher rate than any of the other Bowl Championship Series conferences.

• J. Brady McCollough, Kansas City Star: The NFL Network has agreed to allow Fox 4 in Kansas City to broadcast the Jayhawks' Insight Bowl matchup against Minnesota.

• Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Quarterback Nathan Dick has been granted his release from Arkansas.

• Tommy Deas, Tuscaloosa News: Alabama fans are going after Utah's unsold allotment of tickets to the Sugar Bowl.

• Michael DiRocco, Florida Times-Union: Urban Meyer has clarified remarks about Notre Dame being his dream job. Florida is his dream job and he plans "on doing this for a long time."

• Jay Drew, Salt Lake Tribune: Brigham Young and Oklahoma appear to be clearing way to play each other in 2009.

• Brandon George, Dallas Morning News: Defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger will miss Oklahoma's upcoming BCS title game appearance after undergoing back surgery.

• Michael Rothstein, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Having rights to your domain name can be important. Where do key Notre Dame coaches and athletes stand in cyberspace?

• Florida Times-Union: The BCS title game will be shown in 3-D in approximately 100 movie theaters in about 30 U.S. cites. For a list of theaters, click here.