College Football

The college bowl season kicks off Saturday night and, while the next week of action doesn’t feature the biggest or most well-known bowl games, it does highlight some up and coming teams. Florida International and Temple are among them, as well as more prominent football powers TCU and Boise State. Here is what to look for this week as the bowl games get underway.

Less than a week after winning the Heisman Trophy, Baylor junior standout Robert Griffin III was named the Sporting News’ player of the year. The quarterback helped revitalize the flailing Baylor college football program, and helped propel them to a 9-3 record this season.

After leading Baylor to a nine-win season and its highest ranking in over two decades, Bears quarterback Robert Griffin III became the school’s first Heisman Trophy winner Saturday night. Griffin edged out preseason favorite Andrew Luck of Stanford for football’s most prestigious award.

Former Notre Dame head coach and NFL assistant Charlie Weis has been hired as the University of Kansas’ new head football coach, KU officials announced late Thursday. In addition to his five-year stint with the Fighting Irish, Weis is best known for his work in the NFL, where he won four Super Bowl rings as an assistant coach, including three as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator.

While the big trophy will be given away Saturday night, Heisman finalists Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Tyrann Mathieu and Trent Richardson won’t be leaving New York empty-handed. Each player won at least one of the other prestigious college football awards that were announced Thursday night.

Oregon State freshman defensive tackle Fred Thompson died Wednesday night of a heart attack, sending shock waves around the university’s campus and through the Beavers’ football program. The 6′ 4”, 317-pound athlete was playing pick-up basketball at the time of his collapse.

After months of “will they or won’t they” closed door negotiations, the Big East announced Wednesday that Boise State, Houston, Southern Methodist, San Diego State and Central Florida will be joining the conference in 2013. With the conference now stretching coast to coast, Big East Commissioner John Marinatto said the Big East will be the “first truly national college football conference.” Read M

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck was the preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, so the fact that he got an invite to the award presentation shouldn’t be a surprise. But the fact that he’ll be joined by a defensive back, a track star in shoulder pads and a Wisconsin player not named Russell Wilson might be.