LSU moves closer to No. 1
MCLEAN, Va., Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Oklahoma remains the No. 1-ranked team in the USA Today Coaches Poll but Louisiana State continues to creep toward the top.
Although the Sooners (4-0) keep winning -- as Saturday's 62-6 romp over Ball State shows -- the coaches on the USA Today panel are becoming increasingly impressed with LSU (5-0), now in sole position of the No. 2 position.
Two weeks ago, the Sooners grabbed 50 of the 59 first-place votes and were only 12 points from the maximum ranking point total of 1,475. This week Oklahoma was first on 27 ballots and totaled 1,421 points. Over the same time, LSU has gone from five to 21 first-place votes and 1,373 to 1,410 points as of Monday.
Falling back is Alabama (5-0), which received more first-place votes -- 10 -- this week but still drops to third. Stanford (5-0) remains fourth.
Wisconsin (5-0) got a first-place vote and moved from seventh to sixth after beating Nebraska. That dropped Boise State (4-0) and Oklahoma State (4-0) each down one spot to sixth and seventh, respectively.
High-profile matches and upsets led to serious shifts in the poll. Seven teams improve their rankings by least five places and five, not counting three that dropped out of the rankings, slide five or more.
Clemson (5-0) jumps seven places to eighth and Oregon (3-1) moves from 11th to ninth while Texas (4-0) is up seven to 10th.
Also climbing is Michigan (5-0), up eight to No. 11; Arkansas (4-1), up six to 12th; and Georgia Tech (5-0), up eight to 13th. South Carolina (4-1) drops five to 14th and Nebraska (4-1) slips seven to No. 15.
Illinois (5-0) vaults from 22nd to No. 16 but Virginia Tech (4-1) is down seven to 17th and Florida (4-1) goes from 12th to 18th. West Virginia (4-1) is 19th after a week at No. 23 and Michigan State (4-1) is up five to 20th.
Kansas State (4-0) is 20th in its first poll ranking of the year and Florida State (2-2) is No. 22. New entrants Auburn (4-1) and Arizona State (4-1) are 23rd and 24th. Texas A&M (2-2), 13th a week ago, is No. 25.
Woods drops out of golf's Top 50
VIRGINIA WATER, England, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson saw their men's world golf rankings slip this week, with Woods' drop only one place but nonetheless historic.
Mickelson falls two spots to 10th in rankings, which were updated Monday, a move that boosts Adam Scott to eighth and Matt Kuchar to ninth.
But down the list, Woods saw a streak of 778 weeks -- nearly 15 years -- of being ranked in the Top 50 end as he slips to 51st. Woods is expected to play in this week's Frys.com Open and the Australian Open next month.
At the top of the list, Luck Donald is No. 1 for a 19th week. His ranking points average is 10.702. Lee Westwood is second at 7.786 and Rory McIlroy (7.352) is third. Steve Stricker (6.564) remains fourth with Dustin Johnson (6.495) fifth.
Martin Kaymer is in sixth with an average of 6.341 and Jason Day (5,940) is seventh. Scott (5,687) takes over eighth and Kuchar (5.609) ninth. Mickelson's average is 5.585.
Michael Hoey finished first at the European Tour's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and rockets from 271st to No. 98 in the world rankings. His win marked a 1-2-3 finish at the event for Northern Ireland. McIlroy was second and Graeme McDowell third.
Hometown favorite Kevin Na won his first PGA title Sunday at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas. That improves his ranking to No. 62, up from 76th.
Crosby lands on injured list
PITTSBURGH, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby, sidelined by a concussion last season, went on injured reserve Monday.
Crosby, 24, still suffering the after-affects of the concussion, had said Saturday he didn't expect to play in the Penguins' season-opener Thursday at Vancouver and going on the injured list will keep him on the bench for at least a week.
He has been skating with the team during practice.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had reported during the weekend Crosby was likely to travel with the team in its three-game road trip.
Crosby totaled 66 points last season while playing in just 41 games before being hurt Jan. 5 when he was hit by Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman.
Illinois player suspended for illegal hit
CHAMPAIGN, Idaho, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Illinois linebacker Jonathan Brown has been suspended for one game for apparently kneeing an opponent in the groin on purpose, Illini Coach Ron Zook said.
Brown had been slapped with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for the illegal shot at a Northwestern lineman Saturday. He also received a penalty for roughing the passer on another play.
"We are extremely disappointed by what happened on Saturday and Jonathan knows that," Zook said in a statement. "We don't condone that type of behavior in our program. I've talked to Jonathan and he understands that. He is a good person, a spiritual person, and no one feels worse about it than him. But he got caught up in the moment, made a serious mistake and must deal with the consequences."
Brown is among Illinois' top defensive players with 30 tackles, including six for loss and two sacks. He had a team-high 11 tackles in the Illini's 38-35 win over Northwestern.
"I apologize to my family, my teammates and the Illinois fans for letting them down," Brown said. "I also would like to apologize to the Northwestern team for my actions. What I did was out of character and won't happen again."
Brown will miss 16th-ranked Illinois' game Saturday at Indiana.
