Weatherford will replace Lee as Florida State’s quarterback

After nearly a month on the bench, Drew Weatherford will return as Florida State’s starting quarterback for Saturday’s homecoming game against Duke.

Just as he did last season, Weatherford will take over for Xavier Lee, Coach Bobby Bowden said Monday. Lee replaced Weatherford on Sept. 29.

This marks Weatherford’s third chance at nailing down the starting job.

“We tried to analyzed this thing. The best game Lee has had was against Alabama when he came in off the bench,” Bowden said. “We feel like we are just better off going with Drew.”

Florida State, 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, has lost 10 of its last 14 league games and faces a demanding November schedule with road games at No. 2 Boston College, No. 8 Virginia Tech and No. 9 Florida.

Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel vowed to play against No. 6 West Virginia despite being limited in practice because of a bruised right throwing hand.

“That’s not happening,” Teel said when asked if he might sit out the No. 25 Scarlet Knights’ game on Saturday. “Not happening. I will be there.”

Teel hurt his right thumb against Cincinnati on Oct. 6.

Georgia Tech tailback Tashard Choice will have surgery today to determine the severity of the knee injury he suffered Saturday against Army.

Choice will sit out the Nov. 1 game against Virginia Tech, but his status for the rest of the season is not known, Coach Chan Gailey said.

North Carolina suspended cornerback Jermaine Strong and offensive tackle Andre Barbour for violating team and university rules.

Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese called Louisville Athletic Director Tom Jurich, saying the officials erred during a disputed punt return for a touchdown by Connecticut early in the third quarter of Louisville’s 21-17 loss Friday.

“It certainly doesn’t change anything that happened on Friday night,” Louisville Coach Steve Kragthorpe said. “It was a factor in the game, but it wasn’t the only factor in the game.”

GOLF

Injured Oberholser is out of World Cup

Arron Oberholser pulled out of the World Cup because of a recurring hand injury that will require surgery, and PGA Tour officials were searching for a replacement for the U.S. team.

“I’m disappointed not to have the chance to represent my country, but I hope I’ll have more chances in the future,” he said.

Oberholser was the highest-ranked American to accept a spot in the Omega Mission Hills World Cup, to be played Nov. 22-25 in China, and he selected Sean O’Hair as his partner.

Tour officials were checking with players from the world ranking of Sept. 3 to find O’Hair a partner. Stewart Cink, who played in the World Cup the last two years, declined to go again.

Next in line would be Scott Verplank, followed by David Toms, Brett Wetterich and Charles Howell III. What might make a replacement difficult to find is that the World Cup is held the week of Thanksgiving.

MOTOR RACING

Mayfield replaces Green in No. 66 car a little early

Jeremy Mayfield will take over a new NASCAR Nextel Cup ride four races early, replacing Jeff Green in the No. 66 Haas CNC Racing entry for the rest of the season.

Mayfield is leaving Bill Davis Racing, and the No. 36 BDR ride he is giving up will be shared for now by Craftsman Truck series regulars Mike Skinner and Johnny Benson.

Mayfield will replace Green in the 66 Chevrolet beginning with Sunday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Haas team announced this month that Scott Riggs, currently with Gillett Evernham Motorsports, would replace Green or No. 70 driver Johnny Sauter in 2008. It hasn’t been determined which car Mayfield will drive next year.

TENNIS

Gicquel surprises second-seeded Robredo

Marc Gicquel upset second-seeded Tommy Robredo, 6-4, 7-6 (4), in the opening round of the Lyon Grand Prix at Lyon, France. Mardy Fish also scored a first-round upset, beating seventh-seeded Nicolas Almagro, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4).

Eighth-seeded Thomas Johansson was upset by Ernests Gulbis, 6-2, 6-1, in the first round of the St. Petersburg Open at Russia. Dmitry Tursunov also advanced, beating Jurgen Melzer, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (0).

Alona Bondarenko beat Martina Muller, 6-3, 6-0, in the first round of the Generali Ladies at Linz, Austria.