Opening day at Nebraska, Ole Miss

By Peter Yoon

Nov. 25, 2007 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

Coaches come and coaches go in college football, just like every other big-money sport that has fans and administrators clamoring to win. So it’s no surprise that jobs often open as soon as teams finish their seasons.

But this year, some of the jobs already vacated are not your ordinary openings.

Bill Callahan of Nebraska and Ed Orgeron of Mississippi were handed walking papers Saturday, putting those positions on a list that already included Michigan, Texas A&M;, Baylor and Southern Methodist.

Four of those schools have won national championships, and the six combined have won 130 conference titles.

These are not Sisters of the Poor, although some have been playing like it recently, which could be the reason many of these positions are open.

Nebraska, for instance, has had only two losing seasons since 1962 -- both during Callahan’s four-year stint.

“The issue becomes, at what point are you still viable?” Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne said. “At what point can you still go out and recruit? . . . At what point do you still have credibility with the public?”

It’s not always about winning. Dennis Franchione of Texas A&M; weathered a turbulent season wrought with controversy, yet his team is bowl-eligible. So is Carr’s Michigan team, which overcame an embarrassing 0-2 start and was playing for a Big Ten title in the final game of the regular season.

But they both walked away, handing in resignations once their seasons ended, though Carr will remain with the Wolverines through their bowl game.

Franchione will not. The Aggies appointed assistant Gary Darnell as interim coach

Orgeron, Guy Morriss at Baylor and Phil Bennett at SMU had been hired to try to right the ship at programs that had gone wayward. None was able to do so.

Mississippi finished 3-9 and failed to win a Southeastern Conference game for the first time since 1982. Orgeron was 10-25 in his three seasons.

“The chasm had grown too deep to go forward into next year,” Ole Miss Athletic Director Pete Boone said.

Money for nothing

Could Nick Saban already be on the hot seat?

Alabama supporters certainly can’t be happy with the Crimson Tide losing its last four games, especially because the last one was against rival Auburn.

Saban was hired this year and given a $4-million-a year contract -- the richest among college coaches -- but Alabama finished 6-6 and might not make a bowl game. It was the sixth consecutive loss to Auburn, the most in school history.

Hey, Louisiana State might have an opening if Les Miles leaves for Michigan . . .

Mountaineers climb

West Virginia (10-1) wrapped up the Big East Conference title with its victory over Connecticut, so what’s the big deal about its game next week against Pittsburgh (4-7)?

The Mountaineers must win to have a chance to play for the Bowl Championship Series title. They are No. 3 in the BCS standings and probably will move up at least a spot after losses by No. 1 Louisiana State and No. 2 Kansas.

“We want to finish the deal next week in a big rivalry game,” Coach Rich Rodriguez said. “We haven’t played Pitt with more at stake.”

It’s a far cry from the team that got lost in the BCS shuffle after losing to South Florida on Sept. 29 and was No. 9 in the first BCS standings.

“I think after we lost to South Florida, there was not much talk about West Virginia,” Rodriguez said. “Our guys kept doing what they were doing and stuck to it. There was not a change in their mentality or focus. We needed some help outside, and we got it and took care of business ourselves. It’s gratifying, but we are not done yet.”

He’s no poser

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow has done just about all he can to win the Heisman Trophy, on Saturday adding three touchdowns passing and two more rushing to his record-setting season. But he is not about to channel Desmond Howard.

Tebow, who last week became the first player in NCAA history to surpass 20 touchdowns passing and rushing in one season, did not give in to the pressure of teammates to strike the Heisman pose in the waning minutes of Florida’s 45-12 victory over Florida State.

The crowd was chanting “Tebow, Heisman,” and the cheerleaders got in on the act by striking the pose, but Tebow wouldn’t bite.

“I wasn’t going to do it, but it was funny,” said Tebow, who now has 22 touchdowns rushing -- tying the NCAA record for a quarterback set by Chance Harridge of Air Force in 2002. “Just trying to be humble and do it the right way.”

It was Florida’s fourth consecutive victory over Florida State, the Gators’ longest streak since winning a sixth in a row in 1986.

Bulldog mentality

Georgia will not go to the Southeastern Conference championship game, losing out to Tennessee on a tiebreaker, but don’t count it out of the national championship picture just yet.

Huh?

The Bulldogs are No. 7 in the BCS standings, but No. 1 Louisiana State, No. 2 Kansas and No. 6 Arizona State lost this week, meaning they could be up to No. 4 in the new standings. Losses next week by West Virginia and Missouri could get the Bulldogs into the top two.

Crazier things have happened.

Championship revenge

Virginia Tech’s 33-21 victory over Virginia earned the Hokies a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, where they will get a shot at revenge against Boston College.

The Eagles defeated Virginia Tech on Oct. 25 by scoring two touchdowns in the final 2:11 for a 14-10 victory.

“There’s not much more we could ask for,” quarterback Sean Glennon said of the rematch.

Boston College reached the championship game by defeating Miami. It was the first time the Eagles defeated the Hurricanes since Doug Flutie’s famous “Hail Flutie” pass in 1984.

Milestones

Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford had four touchdown passes against Oklahoma State to increase his season total to 32, an NCAA record for a freshman. David Neill of Nevada set the record with 29 in 1998, and Colt McCoy of Texas matched that last year. . . . Kevin Smith of Central Florida rushed for 219 yards and a touchdown against Texas El Paso, bringing his nation-leading total to 2,164. It is the fourth-highest total in major-college history. Only Oklahoma State’s Barry Sanders (2,628 in 1988), USC’s Marcus Allen (2,342 in 1981) and Iowa State’s Troy Davis (2,185 in 1996) are ahead of Smith on the single-season list.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

peter.yoon@latimes.com

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Vacant? Lots

With the firings of Nebraska’s Bill Callahan and Mississippi’s Ed Orgeron on Saturday, the list of major college football coaches to either be let go or step down has grown to six so far:

BILL CALLAHAN, NEBRASKA

* First season: 2004.

* Record: 27-22 (.551).

* Story line: The Cornhuskers had only two losing seasons since 1962, both coming during Callahan’s four-year tenure. He was 0-7 against top-10 teams.

LLOYD CARR, MICHIGAN

* First season: 1995.

* Record: 121-40 (.752).

* Story line: Won a national championship in 1997 and five Big Ten titles, but lost five of his last six against Ohio State.

PHIL BENNETT, SOUTHERN METHODIST

* First season: 2002.

* Record: 18-52 (.257).

* Story line: Told last month he would be let go, he stuck around long enough to go out with a 10-game losing streak.

DENNIS FRANCHIONE, TEXAS A&M;

* First season: 2003.

* Record: 32-28 (.533).

* Story line: Defeated rival Texas twice, but was caught selling a newsletter with inside information to high-paying boosters.