Reporters' Notebooks

Allison Sherry, Denver Post: Former Colorado coach Gary Barnett, in a statement on his website, said that former Colorado student Lisa Simpson's allegations of gang rape held a wonderful and well-respected university hostage and that the university endured an "unfair act of injustice" in settling the Title IX lawsuit for $2.85 million.

Jake Curtis, San Francisco Chronicle: There are too many awards in college football. The NCAA, for example, recognizes five All-American teams — Associated Press, Sporting News, Football Writers, American Football Coaches Association and Walter Camp — with membership in three of them earning the recipient the title of "consensus" All-American. Being named to all five makes the player a "unanimous consensus" All-American, to the chagrin of wordsmiths.

Rick Plumlee, Wichita Eagle: A claim that Kansas is being investigated by the Big 12 for promising to sell tickets above the 17,500 allotted for the Orange Bowl was denied by Kansas and league officials. A Kansas City talk-show host made the allegation, saying that Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins persuaded the Orange Bowl to select Kansas over Missouri by offering to buy tickets beyond the required allotment.

Joe Meyer, Columbia Tribune: University of Missouri police are investigating the theft of between $10,000 and $20,000 collected by the university’s athletic department for parking before the Tigers' Oct. 6 home game against Nebraska.

Woody Paige, Denver Post: Picking the national champion of college football for 1901 was relatively simple. Undefeated Michigan was invited to play Stanford in the inaugural "Rose Bowl" in Pasadena. In the third quarter, with Michigan ahead, 49-0, Stanford quit.

Mike Hlas, Cedar Rapids Gazette: Real life is CEOs of Standard & Poor's 500 companies making an average of $14.78 million in total compensation in 2006, while many of their employees hoped to stay afloat. You could substitute "CEOs'' for "major-college football coaches.''

Jake Trotter, Oklahoman: Oklahoma cornerback Reggie Smith, fourth on the team with 78 tackles, will miss the Fiesta Bowl because of a fractured bone in the big toe of his right foot.

Here is today's mystery link. (Lute Olson getting a divorce!?!)