LOS ANGELES, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Former UCLA quarterback Rick Neuheisel was named Saturday as the Bruins head football coach.

Neuheisel, 46, has spent the last three years as an offensive assistant coach with the Baltimore Ravens.

Prior to moving to the NFL, Neuheisel was head coach at the University of Colorado for four seasons and at the University of Washington, also for four years.

During that eight-year span, Neuheisel was 66-30 and went to seven bowl games.

Neuheisel was fired by Washington in 2003 after he admitted gambling $6,400 in two off-campus NCAA basketball tournament pools -- bets that netted him more than $17,000. Neuheisel sued Washington for wrongful termination and the NCAA for interfering with the situation, and reached a $4.5 million settlement in 2005.

"Rick has enjoyed great success throughout his career and we believe he is the coach who can take our program to the next level," said UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero. "His teams at Colorado and Washington continually challenged for conference championships."

Neuheisel quarterbacked the Bruins in 1983 and 1984, and led the team to a 45-9 upset victory over Illinois in the Rose Bowl.

Neuheisel succeeds Karl Dorrell, who was fired Dec. 3 after five seasons as Bruins coach.

Arkansas RB McFadden's eligibility questioned

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Arkansas officials are trying to determine the eligibility of running back Darren McFadden as the Razorbacks prepare for Missouri in the Cotton Bowl Tuesday.

A report this week by KARK-TV in Little Rock said McFadden was in possession of a new sport utility vehicle agent Mike Conley helped him purchase.

The station later issued an apology to Conley for poor reporting, but did not retract its entire story.

"We have already personally apologized to Mike Conley for our poor standards of reporting," News Director Rob Heverling said in a statement. "We want to publicly apologize to Mr. Conley for any distress he has experienced. And we also want to apologize to Darren McFadden and his family for reporting details of this story that were not accurate. But it is our job to report the news with accuracy and fairness. In this case we did not do our job and we will do better."

Carolina QB Vinny Testaverde to retire

TAMPA, Fla., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Carolina quarterback Vinny Testaverde says he will retire after the Panthers' season-finale Sunday at Tampa Bay.

Heading into his last NFL contest, the 44-year-old Testaverde has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 21 straight seasons, a league record.

The two-time Pro Bowl selection (1996,1998) ranks sixth all-time in attempts, completions and passing yards, and holds career records with Tampa Bay and Baltimore for most passing yards with 14,820 and 7,148, respectively.

"I feel fortunate to have been able to play for 21 years in the NFL," he said on the Panthers' Web site. "I have lived a dream and have gotten to leave the game on my own terms."

This season, the first overall draft pick in 1987 was signed by Carolina Oct. 10 after injuries to Jake Delhomme and David Carr.

In six starts, he has five touchdown passes and six interceptions.

At 43 years, 335 days old, he became the oldest quarterback in NFL history to win a game.

Mississippi State wins Liberty Bowl

MEMPHIS, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Anthony Dixon scored from a yard out with 1:54 left Saturday to give the Mississippi State Bulldogs a 10-3 Liberty Bowl victory over Central Florida.

Dixon gained 86 yards on 24 carries for the Bulldogs (8-5), who finished their season by winning four of five after a 4-4 start. It was Mississippi State's first bowl win since beating Texas A&M in the 2000 Independence Bowl.

Kevin Smith, the nation's leading rusher and scorer, gained 119 yards on 35 carries for UCF. He finished the season with 2,567 yards on the ground, falling 61 yards shy of Barry Sanders' single-season rushing record, set at Oklahoma State in 1988.

Kyle Israel was intercepted three times for the Knights (10-3). He completed only 10 of 24 passes for 88 yards.

UCF had a seven-game win streak stopped.