CLEMSON, S.C., Oct. 13 (UPI) -- Tommy Bowden said Monday he is stepping down as football coach at Clemson University.

Dabo Swinney, the team's assistant head coach and wide receivers coach, will take over as interim head coach.

Bowden, whose team is off to a 3-3 start in his 10th season with the Tigers, announced his departure after meeting with Athletics Director Terry Don Phillips twice during the morning.

"Terry Don Phillips approached me this morning and we agreed that this is the best solution for the direction of the program," said Bowden in a statement on the school's Web site. "I appreciate the opportunity Clemson University gave me and the support of the administration while I was here. I also want to thank all the players and coaches who worked so hard for this program the last 10 years."

The Tigers were ranked ninth in the pre-season, but opened with a 34-10 loss to Alabama. They rattled off wins over the Citadel, North Carolina State and South Carolina State but suffered setbacks to Maryland and Wake Forest.

Clemson posted a record of 72-45 and played in bowl games eight of the last nine seasons. Bowden, who never had a losing season at Clemson, leaves with the third-most wins in school history.

Romo out for month with broken digit

IRVING, Texas, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- The Dallas Cowboys are expected to be without quarterback Tony Romo for a month as he recuperates from a broken pinkie finger on his throwing hand.

Romo was injured on the first play of overtime in Sunday's 30-24 loss to Arizona when he scrambled and was stripped of the football by Chike Okeafor.

Romo stayed on the field for two incomplete passes and the Cowboys (4-2) lost on a blocked punt returned for a touchdown.

Backup Brad Johnson, 40, who hasn't started since Dec. 17, 2006, for Minnesota, is expected to start for the Cowboys Sunday against St. Louis. Johnson also likely will play the following two weeks against Tampa Bay and the New York Giants before the club's Nov. 9 bye.

Romo could possibly return for the Nov. 16 contest at Washington.

Dallas' third quarterback is Brooks Bollinger, another former Viking.

Romo completed 24-of-39 passes for 321 yards with three touchdowns Sunday. He was sacked three times.

In six games this season, Romo has completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 1,689 yards with 14 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has a quarterback rating of 103.0 -- second-best in the NFC.

Bruins, Flyers complete deal

BOSTON, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- Boston traded 27-year-old defenseman Andrew Alberts to Philadelphia Monday for minor league forward Ned Lukacevic of Serbia and an NHL entry draft pick.

The Bruins will get a fourth-round pick in the 2009 draft unless the Flyers re-sign Alberts when his current contract expires June 30, 2009.

Alberts, a 6-foot-5 Minnesota native who starred at Boston College before being drafted by the Bruins in 2001, was scratched for Boston's first two games this season. He had two assists in 35 games for Boston last season.

Alberts has been faulted for making too many mistakes but is expected to help shore up Philadelphia's injury-depleted defense corps.

Lukacevic, who isn't expected to play for Boston immediately, had 17 goals and 19 assists in 61 games last year for Reading of the East Coast Hockey League. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 2004 and was traded to Philadelphia in June.

Texas hooks top spot in coaches poll

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 13 (UPI) -- Texas vaulted into the top spot Sunday night when the latest USA Today college football coaches' poll was released.

The unbeaten Longhorns (6-0) downed archrival Oklahoma, last week's No. 1 team, 45-35, Saturday in the annual Red River Shootout at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

Texas was followed in the top five by Alabama (6-0), Penn State (7-0), Southern California (4-1) and Texas Tech (6-0).

Spots 6-10 were manned by the Sooners (5-1), Florida (5-1), Brigham Young (6-0), Georgia (5-1) and Oklahoma State (6-0).

Ohio State (6-1) leads the next 10 schools at No. 11, followed by Missouri (5-1), Utah (7-0), LSU (4-1), Kansas (5-1), Boise State (5-0), Michigan State (6-1), Virginia Tech (5-1), Wake Forest (4-1) and South Florida (5-1).

The final five spots in the poll were occupied by North Carolina (5-1), California (4-1), Vanderbilt (5-1), TCU (6-1) and Ball State (7-0).

Northwestern, Auburn and Wisconsin fell out of the rankings.