Joe Paterno, AP

Jay Christensen produces The Wiz Of Odds.

• Tom Hoffarth, Los Angeles Daily News: Does Lisa Salters owe Joe Paterno an apology? The ABC sideline reporter was snubbed for a pregame interview by the Penn State coach and neither she nor the network was happy about it.

• Bob Flounders, Harrisburg Patriot-News: Paterno's day-after-bowl news conference was glum from the start, but the 82-year-old coach's spirits picked up quickly when Barry Switzer and Jimmy Johnson paid him a visit.

• Associated Press: A terrific start to 2009 for Bob Stoops. A clause in his contract called for $3 million bonus for being Oklahoma's coach on Jan. 1.

• Suzanne Halliburton, Austin American-Statesman: Texas' Mack Brown is set to make well over $1 million in bonuses this month, according to the contract he agreed to in August 2007.

• Brad Rock, Deseret News: A tarot card reader likes Utah's chances of victory in the Sugar Bowl.

• Sarah Thomas, Deseret News: It's being called the bus ride from hell. Seventy Utah fans traveled 38 hours by bus to see the team play Alabama.

• Jon Wilner, San Jose Mercury News: Putting perspective on the Pacific 10's 5-0 bowl record. If you dig a little deeper and examine the matchups, a bit of luster comes off the Pac-10's bowl performance.

• Jeffrey Martin, Kansas City Star: Quarterback Josh Freeman is leaving Kansas State a year early to chase his NFL dream.

• Bill Koch, Cincinnati Enquirer: Not a good warm-up for the BCS title game. The Internet connection in the Dolphin Stadium press box was called "horrible."

• Chuck Carlton, Dallas Morning News: When defensive coordinator Will Muschamp eventually becomes the head coach at Texas, his salary will start at $2 million.

• Jonathan Okanes, Contra Costa Times: Jeff Tedford has a two-year contract extension, but will it finally silence the seemingly endless speculation that he ultimately will wind up somewhere else?

• Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: With a Big Ten team once again unable to keep up with a Pacific 10 counterpart, maybe it's time the Rose Bowl rethink this Pacific 10-Big Ten marriage.

• Bob Wojnowski, Detroit News: A tough loss for Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl, not because it should have defeated Georgia, but because it had a chance to accelerate Mark Dantonio's growing program. Instead, it settled for this statement: Pretty good team, headed in an upward direction.

• Ian R. Rapoport, Birmingham News: Alabama defensive coordinator Kevin Steele is expected to become defensive coordinator at Clemson.

• Jeff Carroll, South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame's Charlie Weis needs to continue to call plays in 2009. And he should call plays from the press box.