Mines just fine handling multiple roles …It’s AAC time for Pirates …UC picks off Virginia Tech in the Military Bowl …UCF ready to prove last season wasn’t a fluke with a win over LSU in Fiesta Bowl…The process begins again as Temple looks for a football coach…Source: Houston finalizing deal with West Virginia’s Dana Holgorsen…Double-digit win season remains elusive for Wolfpack …Urban Meyer ends career in Rose Bowl vs Petersen’s Huskies…Firing of Several Black Coaches Puts N.F.L. Hiring Under Scrutiny…Rivera expects to return as Panthers coach for 2019 season…The Redskins keep telling us they’re close. To what?…Capitals’ memorable 2018 comes to a close with forgettable 6-3 loss to Predators…After an eventful 2018, Canes look to better things in the new year

Pirate Press: ECU Headlines

From the Anchor Desk: Stability setting in after ECU’s year of upheaval Bonesville.net

Gameday: Pirates Open Conference Play At SMU ecupirates.com

It’s AAC time for Pirates Greenville Daily Reflector

Mines just fine handling multiple roles 247 Sports

 

Around the American Athletic Conference

theamerican.org

• American Stories: Lots of Fun and One Big Game at PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
• PlayStation Fiesta Bowl Preview: UCF Battles LSU
• Warren, Moore Lead Cincinnati Past Virginia Tech In Military Bowl

Associated Press

• No. 7 UCF faces No. 11 LSU in marquee Fiesta Bowl
• Cincinnati rallies past Virginia Tech 35-31 in Military Bowl
• Georgia Tech’s Collins hires Temple’s Patenaude, Thacker

Orlando Sentinel

• UCF ready to prove last season wasn’t a fluke with a win over LSU in Fiesta Bowl
• UCF trying to go ‘1-and-oh’ in life, during Fiesta Bowl against LSU

Fiesta Bowl scouting report: No. 8 UCF vs. No. 11 LSU Arizona Republic

New Orleans Advocate

• Will UCF declare themselves national champions? Playoff expansion? An orangutan in the LSU secondary?
• UCF vs. LSU: Who ya got? Advocate experts make their Fiesta Bowl picks, predict score
• Four Downs: Scott Rabalais rings in the new year with this Fiesta Bowl breakdown

Cincinnati holds off Virginia Tech in entertaining Military Bowl, 35-31 Annapolis Capital

Michael Warren Named Military Bowl MVP as Bearcats Beat Hokies BCSNN

Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech, Military Bowl score: Bearcats cap off winningest season since Brian Kelly era CBS Sports

UC picks off Virginia Tech in the Military Bowl Cincinnati Enquirer

Cincinnati revels in bowl win over Virginia Tech Roanoke Times

Hokies’ lead crumbles after calamitous call in Military Bowl Norfolk Virginian Pilot

Philly.com

• The process begins again as Temple looks for a football coach
• After the Manny Diaz era at Temple, where the Owls go from here? | Mike Jensen  

NCAA just shrugs as Manny Diaz ditches Temple for Miami MLive

The Cleanup Begins Temple Football Forever

Temple Head Coach: Could Todd Bowles Land With His Alma Mater? heavy.com

UConn men’s notebook: Dan Hurley still looking for a center to command attention Hartford Courant

Memphis football: How Mike Norvell’s coaching staff is coming together Memphis Commercial Appeal

Source: Houston finalizing deal with West Virginia’s Dana Holgorsen ESPN

Houston Chronicle

• UH closing in on deal with Dana Holgorsen
• UH gets permission to interview West Virginia’s Dana Holgorsen

Why Dana Holgorsen is leaving West Virginia for Houston SB Nation

Report: Houston to announce West Virginia’s Dana Holgorsen as new head coach Saturday Down South

The WVU-Holgorsen divorce West Virginia MetroNews

 

Regional Headlines: The Carolinas and beyond

New Year’s Day bowls: Who’s showing up, who isn’t, and who doesn’t care Washington Post

Sammy Batten: Double-digit win season remains elusive for Wolfpack Fayetteville Observer

Raleigh News and Observer

• This isn’t how NC State wanted this season to end. Texas A&M blows out Pack in Gator Bowl.
• NC State’s Finley: ‘Tonight didn’t go as planned…but not just going to let one game ruin the relationships we built as seniors’
• NC State’s Doeren: ‘Bottom line is they played better than we did; they coached better than we did’

Winston Salem Journal

• Texas A&M runs wild to rout N.C. State in the Gator Bowl
• App Trail: Eliah Drinkwitz retains Greg Gasparato on App State coaching staff

Time for Hokies to take stock after Military Bowl loss Norfolk Virginian Pilot

Columbia The State

• Clemson, Alabama ‘mirror images of each other’ entering title game, Dabo says
• Five moments that shaped South Carolina’s 2018 football season

Charleston Post Courier

• Clemson, Alabama are college football championship lookalikes
• Sapakoff: Belk Bowl great for 2019 South Carolina football, Gamecocks history says

The Associated Press

• Dabo Swinney fulfills promise with Clemson’s best decade
• Northwestern defense stuns No. 20 Utah 31-20 in Holiday Bowl
• Williams runs wild, Texas A&M routs NC State 52-13 in Gator
• Oklahoma State tops No. 24 Missouri 38-33 in Liberty Bowl
• Scarlett scores both TDs, Stanford tops Pitt 14-13 Sun Bowl
• Herbert sparks Oregon past Michigan State 7-6 in Redbox Bowl
• Penn State, Kentucky chase 10-win season in Citrus Bowl
• Buckeyes, Huskies face off in 105th edition of Rose Bowl
• Urban Meyer ends career in Rose Bowl vs Petersen’s Huskies
• QB Jones, LB Giles-Harris to leave Duke early for NFL draft