UPI NewsTrack Sports

Florida, Alabama are 1-2 in BCS rankings

GREENSBORO, N.C., Nov. 9 (UPI) -- Florida and Alabama, which have locked up spots against each other in the SEC Championship game, are the top teams in the latest BCS rankings.

Florida retained the No. 1 spot in the Bowl Championship Series rankings, released Sunday, but Alabama moved into the No. 2 spot. That virtually assures the SEC Championship game winner a spot in the BCS title game. The SEC championship will be decided Dec. 5.

Texas slipped from second to third in the latest rankings, with three regular-season games -- including rival Texas A&M -- and the Big 12 Conference championship standing between it and the BCS title game.

Three other undefeated teams are waiting for one of the top teams to stumble. Texas Christian moved from sixth to fourth on the BCS list while Cincinnati is fifth and Boise State is sixth.

No. 7 Georgia Tech (9-1), eighth-ranked Louisiana State (7-2), No. 9 Southern California (7-2) and 10th-ranked Iowa (9-1) are long shots to get to the BCS title game.

BCS rankings are determined by weighing the Harris Interactive and USA Today Coaches' polls and six computer rankings. The top two teams in the final poll will square off for the BCS championship Jan. 7 in Pasadena, Calif.

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Elson to be replaced at Western Kentucky

BOWLING GREEN, Ky., Nov. 9 (UPI) -- David Elson has been fired as coach of the Western Kentucky University football team, which has lost 17 consecutive games.

Elson will coach the team for its remaining three games this season and will be replaced because "we feel it is necessary at this time to have new leadership at the top of our football program," Athletic Director Wood Selig said Monday.

The Hilltoppers are 0-9 this season, their first in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Western Kentucky's last win was over Murray State Sept. 20, 2008.

"As the losses have mounted over the last two seasons, the level of frustration and disappointment throughout the community has increased, and we must address that at this time," Selig said. "Any time a decision like this has to be made, it is extremely difficult for all those involved -- both personally and professionally."

Elson, in his seventh season as the head coach, has an overall record of 39-41.

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Mickelson gains on Woods in world rankings

VIRGINIA WATER, England, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- Second-ranked Phil Mickelson's victory in the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai moved him closer to top-ranked Tiger Woods in the world golf rankings.

Mickelson gained 1.25 points and trails Woods by under seven -- 15.70 to 9.22 -- in the rankings released Monday.

The 39-year-old Mickelson's win Sunday was his fourth title of the year.

Woods finished in a tie for sixth in Shanghai.

Steve Stricker remains No. 3 in the rankings. Lee Westwood moved up to No. 4, pushing Paul Casey to No. 5.

Padraig Harrington, Henrik Stenson, Kenny Perry, Sergio Garcia and Jim Furyk, in order, complete the Top 10.

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Safin wins opening match in his last event

PARIS, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- Russian Marat Safin, playing in his last event on the world tour, was a first-round winner Monday in the Paribas Masters in Paris.

The 29-year-old Safin eliminated Frenchman Thierry Ascione 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3).

Safin plans to retire from the ATP Tour after the indoor tournament, which he won in 2000, 2002 and 2004.

U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro will be Safin's opponent in the second round.

Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic topped Sebastien Grosjean of France 7-6 (7-2), 6-4; American John Isner outlasted Alejandro Falla of Columbia 4-6, 7-6 (12-10); Ivo Karlovic of Croatia defeated Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas 7-6 (7-3), 6-4; and Czech Tomas Berdych downed Frenchman Vincent Millot 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) in other matches.

Serbian Viktor Troicki moved on after his opponent, France's Paul-Henri Mathieu, withdrew with a leg injury.

Also advancing were Spaniard Albert Montanes, Italian Andreas Seppi and Lukasz Kubot, a qualifier from Poland.

Switzerland's Roger Federer is the tournament's top-seed.