Reporters' Notebooks

Jane Stancill, Raleigh News & Observer: North Carolina is ending its relationship with the state lottery, but large public universities in the surrounding states of Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee continue to have major advertising partnerships with state lotteries.

Detroit Free Press: How to fix Michigan State football, which includes an interview with WXYT host Mike Valenti, who is best remembered for his Spartan rant after last year's loss to Notre Dame. Also a Q&A with new coach Mike Dantonio and columns from Drew Sharp and Michael Rosenberg.

Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times: Notre Dame coach Crewcut Charlie Weis is venturing into enemy territory (Beverly Hills) to raise money for a good cause.

South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame's Oct. 20 home game against USC is the second-most demanded alumni ticket in team history behind last year's game against Penn State.

Ian R. Rapoport, Birmingham News: Alabama has reported three secondary NCAA violations since Oct. 16, 2006. Two of the violations occurred under Nick Saban's clock.

Brett McMurphy, Tampa Tribune: It looks like the budding rivalry between South Florida and Central Florida, teams located 98 miles apart, is over after the 2008 season.

Ryan Finley, Arizona Daily Star: Arizona is the 16th athletic departments to partner with StubHub to resell (i.e. scalp) tickets to Wildcat sporting events.

Mark Bradley, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Here are 20 reasons Georgia Tech won't outclass Georgia this season.

Brett Vito, Denton Record-Chronicle: Several ticket policy changes at North Texas will result in fans will be paying a lot more for seats.

And here is today's mystery link.