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News Nuggets, 12.19.03
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

NFL-bound Roethlisberger plucks Cards in Mobile Bowl

MOBILE — Ben Roethlisberger ended his college career in style. He passed for 376 yards and four first-half touchdowns to lead No. 14 Miami of Ohio to a 49-28 victory over Louisville in the GMAC Bowl on Thursday night before announcing his decision to leave school early for the NFL.

A third-team Associated Press All-American, Roethlisberger is a likely top 10 pick in the April NFL draft. He showed why against the Cardinals, completing 21 of 33 passes, shaking off would-be sacks and throwing perfect strikes on the run.

The RedHawks (13-1) extended major college football's longest winning streak to 13 games after racing to a 35-7 second quarter lead. Miami scored two more touchdowns in the fourth to stymie a rally by Louisville (9-4), which has lost five bowl games in the past six years.

The RedHawks outgained Louisville 597-492 in a matchup of high-powered offenses.

New pact in store for Houston coach

HOUSTON — Houston football coach Art Briles, who has guided the Cougars to their first bowl berth since 1996, will be rewarded with a new contract.

Houston athletic director Dave Maggard announced Thursday that he has a verbal agreement with Briles to rework the coach's contract, details of which will be worked out after the Cougars play Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Day.

"My immediate goal is to focus on the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl," Briles said, "but I'm extremely excited and proud to be able to stay a part of the Cougar family, hopefully for many years."

The Cougars had four straight losing seasons before posting a 7-5 mark in their first year under Briles, who previously was an assistant at Texas Tech.

Houston's last bowl berth was a 30-17 setback to Syracuse in the Liberty Bowl seven years ago.

Bowl results/TV schedule for C-USA teams

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16
New Orleans Bowl
Memphis 27, North Texas (Sun Belt) 17
(ESPN 2) 7:00 pm

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18
GMAC Bowl
(14) Miami (OH) (MAC) 49, Louisville 28

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23
PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl
(19) Texas Christian vs. (16) Boise State (WAC)
(ESPN) 7:30 pm

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
Houston vs. Hawaii (WAC)
(ESPN) 8:00 pm

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31
AXA Liberty Bowl
Southern Miss vs. (25) Utah (MWC)
(ESPN) 3:30 pm

All times Eastern.

Peacock network wraps up Irish through 2010

NEW YORK — Notre Dame renewed its television contract with NBC on Thursday, agreeing to a five-year deal worth about $9 million a year.

The contract will help Notre Dame keep its independence in football. Athletic director Kevin White said last month that the school would ``monitor the landscape'' in terms of joining a conference, but Notre Dame has always valued being an independent.

The deal, worth about the same as the previous contract, gives NBC exclusive rights to Notre Dame football home games through 2010. NBC has broadcast Irish games since 1991.

``The ability to have our home football games telecast on a national basis becomes a tremendous vehicle for us in maintaining a national visibility and platform in terms of our football program's profile and recruiting,'' White said in a statement.

Notre Dame went 5-7 this season, contributing to just a 2.4 rating per game on NBC _ tied with 2001 for the lowest in its 13 years on the network.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2003 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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