College football roundup: Aresco named Big East commissioner
The Big East Conference named Michael Aresco commissioner, taking over his new role in September.
"The search to identify the new Commissioner of The Big East Conference was truly an international search," said Greg Williams, University of Cincinnati president and chair of the commissioner search committee. "We had many outstanding candidates, but we are fortunate to have Mike Aresco as our new Commissioner. His breadth of experience and depth of knowledge in intercollegiate athletics will continue to move the Big East forward on a successful path. The Big East has enjoyed a great history. Mike Aresco will help assure the conference of a vibrant future."
Aresco was named vice president of CBS Sports programming in August 1996 and promoted to senior vice president in 2000. Aresco was responsible for managing all college sports properties, contract negotiations and acquisitions related to the NCAA Tournament.
He negotiated exclusive rights for CBS Sports networks to broadcast the NCAA Tournament and his other achievements include the development of CBS Sports Network and addition of CBS Sports radio to be launched in January.
Aresco will replace interim commissioner Joe Bailey, who stepped into the role when John Marinatto resigned in May.
--- LSU coach Les Miles refused to say anything definitive regarding the possible return of cornerback Tyrann Mathieu to LSU next season, other than to reiterate that he won't be playing for the Tigers this season.
"I am not in any way going to speculate. He will not be on this football (team) this year -- I guarantee it. That's a fact. I have no idea beyond that," he said in his first public statement on the issue, according to GeauxTigerNation.
Mathieu was dismissed from the LSU team, and he considered transferring to a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) so he would not have to sit out a year. However, more recently there were suggestions that Mathieu might sit out the year and try to rejoin the LSU team in 2013.
---Only three cities remain in the running to host the new Champions Bowl, according to ESPN.com, and Arlington, Texas, and New Orleans have emerged as the favorites.
The Champions Bowl will debut in on Jan. 1, 2015, and will featured the champion of the Big 12 against the Southeastern Conference champion if neither is selected for a national championship semifinal game. In that case, the affected conference will send another team to the game.
ESPN reported last week the 10 cities that received a request for a proposal to bid on the Champions Bowl: Arlington, New Orleans, Atlanta, Phoenix, Houston, Orlando, Nashville, San Antonio, Tampa, Fla., and Jacksonville.
However, only Arlington, New Orleans and Atlanta have decided to bid on the bowl, ESPN.com reported, relying on sources
---Penn State received a warning from the organization that grants academic accreditation that is could lose its status, threatening guaranteed student loans, federal student aid, research grants and the loss of all state-sponsored financial aid and assistance.
The Middle States Commission of Higher Education warning places pressure on Penn State's administration to prove its performance in the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.
On the Penn State web site, Academic Affairs Provost Blannie Bowen released a statement promising to address the commission's concerns.
