Reporters' Notebooks

T.J. Simers, Los Angeles Times: The columnist is spending the week studying life in the middle nowhere — i.e. Nebraska — in preparation for USC's game against the Cornhuskers. Includes video.

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: This much is clear two weeks into the season: The Big Ten can't cover the spread.

Log's Blog: The worst player in college football? Virginia Tech quarterback Sean Glennon tops this list.

Rick Plumlee, Wichita Eagle: Kansas officials are considering tightening sideline restrictions for TV stations during home football games as the result of a expletive-laced tirade by coach Mark Mangino that was aired on the Internet.

Brian Bennett, Courier-Journal: Remember Willie Williams, the star linebacker recruit who'd been arrested 11 times before enrolling at Miami in 2004? He's turning his life around at Louisville.

Tim Griffin, San Antonio Express-News: Big 12 teams find more recruits in Texas than any other state.

Eric Lacy, Detroit News: Here are five teams that appear headed for brighter days in the coming years.

Jim Carty, Ann Arbor News: Memo to media covering Louisiana State and Les Miles: Take a breath, please.

Kyle Hightower and Josh Robbins, Orlando Sentinel: Central Florida has sold out Saturday's game against Texas in the Knights' new on-campus stadium. Plus a look at the top traditions in college football.

Memphis Commercial Appeal: Southeastern Conference Western Division notebook and Eastern Division notebook.

Carolyn Jones, San Francisco Chronicle: A judge ruled that tree-sitters can stay in their perches near California's Memorial Stadium. The group is protesting the proposed building of an athletic complex.

Ferd Lewis, Honolulu Advertiser: An estimated 10,000 to 12,000 Hawaii fans are making the trip from the islands to see the Rainbows play at Nevada Las Vegas.

Brent Schrotenboer, San Diego Union-Tribune: Season ticket sales have plunged to 11,882 at San Diego State. Plus, a chart of season ticket sales in the Mountain West.

Wendell Barnhouse, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: The excellent college football insider: Notes, quotes and anecdotes.

Jimmy Burch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Big 12 insider: Nebraska will have plenty of California connections when it plays host to USC.

Associated Press: A man posing as a priest was able to sneak into the Georgia Tech-Notre Dame game at South Bend and posted a video on YouTube to show how it was done. The video has since been removed.

Greg Hansen, Arizona Daily Star: The Pacific 10's largest student section now belongs to Arizona.

Chadd Cripe, Idaho Statesman: Western Athletic Conference teams are not having much success in nonconference games against Division I-A teams.

Here is today's mystery link (slight language warning).