Oklahoma State beats Texas A&M;, 38-35, on field goal as time expires

Dan Bailey kicked a 40-yard field goal as time expired, giving Oklahoma State a 38-35 victory over Texas A&M in a back-and-forth game Thursday in Stillwater, Okla.

Shaun Lewis set up Bailey’s game-winner with the Cowboys’ fourth interception of Aggies quarterback Jerrod Johnson.

The Aggies (3-1, 0-1 Big 12 Conference) had rallied from a 35-21 deficit with just over five minutes to play. Texas A&M tied it when Ryan Swope scored on a 28-yard touchdown reception with 2:54 left.

After stopping the Cowboys (4-0, 1-0) on fourth down on the ensuing possession, the Aggies had the ball and were at midfield when Johnson’s pass was intercepted by Lewis at the Oklahoma State 32-yard line. Lewis returned the ball 28 yards to the Aggies’ 40, and Oklahoma State quickly got into position for Bailey’s field goal.

Johnson completed 40 of 62 passes for 409 yards and five touchdowns.

Texas A&M led 21-7 at halftime, but Oklahoma State outscored the Aggies 21-0 in the third quarter and took a 35-21 lead early in the fourth quarter when Johnson was sacked and fumbled, leading to James Thomas’ 63-yard return for a touchdown.

Kendall Hunter rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries for Oklahoma State, and Brandon Weeden passed for 284 yards and two touchdowns.

Purdue quarterback Marve out for season

Purdue quarterback Robert Marve will sit out the rest of the season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Marve was hurt in the first quarter of a 32-20 loss to Toledo on Saturday. He is in his first season with the Boilermakers after sitting out last year after he transferred from Miami (Fla.).

In four games this season, Marve completed 67.7% of his passes for 512 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions. He started 11 games for Miami in 2008 but decided to transfer after Jacory Harris was named the starter heading into spring practice for 2009.

Rob Henry, a redshirt freshman, will take over the starting duties for the Boilermakers. He has played in four games this season, completing 21 of 41 passes for 233 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Washington moves 2012 home games to Qwest Field

Washington will play its 2012 home games at Qwest Field, the home of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks.

“We are thrilled to provide a first-class venue to our fans during the Husky Stadium renovation,” Athletic Director Scott Woodward said in a statement. “It is a luxury to have a world-class facility as our home away from home only four miles from campus.”

Washington is scheduled to return to Husky Stadium for the 2013 season.

The Huskies’ 2011 home game against rival Washington State also will be played at Qwest Field.

“Ensuring that our fans are back in a renovated Husky Stadium for the 2013 season was priority No. 1 for us,” Woodward said. “When we found out that accelerating the groundbreaking would save us an additional $3 million, it became clear that moving the 2011 Apple Cup to Qwest is the right thing to do.”

Report: Ex-North Carolina assistant has financial ties to agent

Lawyers for former North Carolina associate head coach John Blake acknowledged Thursday that Blake has received money from sports agent Gary Wichard, payments that the university said led to Blake’s resignation Sept. 5.

But the lawyers, William Beaver and Wade Smith, characterized the payments as loans between friends who are “like brothers,” and said none of the money was tied to Blake’s relationships with 13 athletes who played under Blake and who have signed with Wichard. The lawyers said the payments between the men stopped about three years ago, around the time Blake began coaching at North Carolina.

The lawyers declined to provide dates or payment amounts. They said that although Blake had made some payments back to Wichard, none of the loans had been paid in full. They said there is no paperwork for the loans.

Late Wednesday, Yahoo Sports cited anonymous sources in reporting that Blake had received money from Wichard in wire transfers and by use of a credit card for the past three years. That caused the lawyers to respond publicly in a conference call with the (Raleigh, N.C.) News & Observer, the Charlotte Observer and the Associated Press. Their characterization of aspects of the report, such as the time frame when money was exchanged, differed from what Yahoo Sports reported.

On Thursday, UNC officials acknowledged they knew of the payments, saying they had been informed about them by the NCAA. They said they were told the payments did not establish any NCAA violation. Still, Chancellor Holden Thorp said a coach’s taking money from an agent was unacceptable.

In a statement Thursday, North Carolina Athletic Director Dick Baddour said the school didn’t learn of the payments until Blake was interviewed Aug. 31 as part of the NCAA investigation.

North Carolina remains under NCAA investigation for impermissible benefits provided by sports agents as well as possible academic misconduct by a former undergraduate tutor. The dual inquiries have led to player suspensions and questions about the football program’s future.

Safety Da’Norris Searcy, a senior who had been one of 10 Tar Heels players awaiting word about their eligibility, was cleared by the NCAA and can play Saturday against East Carolina.

Big 12 will switch to nine-game conference schedule

Big 12 teams will play a nine-game, round-robin conference schedule beginning in 2011, the conference said. With Nebraska leaving for the Big Ten Conference and Colorado heading to the Pacific 10 Conference after this season, the Big 12 will no longer be split into divisions and will eliminate its conference championship game.

Etc.

Michigan State tight end Dion Sims, who is suspended from the football team, pleaded guilty to receiving and concealing laptop computers taken from Detroit public schools. With his plea deal, he could have his record cleared as a first-time offender when he is sentenced Dec. 6. He could return to the team next season. … Cincinnati starting cornerback Dominique Battle tore a knee ligament last week against Oklahoma and is out for the rest of the season, Coach Butch Jones said