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Longhorns blown out in Brown's finale

Texas, in coach Mack Brown’s final game, is routed by the Oregon Ducks, 30-7, in the Alamo Bowl.

QUARTERBACK Marcus Mariota had 386 total yards and No. 10 Oregon returned two interceptions for touchdowns, spoiling Texas coach Mack Brown's farewell with a runaway, 30-7 victory in the Alamo Bowl last night in San Antonio.

The BCS-snubbed Ducks (11-2) dominated throughout even though their famously high-powered offense scored just one touchdown, when Josh Huff turned a short pass from Mariota into a spectacular, 16-yard sprint to the end zone.

Brown received warm goodbyes from a sellout crowd in what was practically a home game for Texas (8-5). Even the school marching band spelled his name at halftime.

But the blowout was a final reminder of why Brown is resigning after 16 seasons at Texas, which he led to a national championship in 2005 but couldn't reverse a sharp decline in recent years.

Walking off the field for the last time, Brown flashed the "Hook 'em Horns" hand signal to the scattered remaining Texas fans who stuck around to the end of another humbling loss this season.

Mariota led all rushers with 133 yards on 15 carries, making sure Oregon eased the sting of not playing in a BCS bowl for the first time in 5 years. He was 18-for-26 for 253 yards passing in his Heisman Trophy campaign tuneup for 2014, having announced earlier this month that he was coming back for his junior season.

Yet even Mariota was outscored by Oregon's defense - and so was Texas, for that matter.

Oregon's first touchdown came on the third play of the game when safety Avery Patterson intercepted an overthrown pass by Texas quarterback Case McCoy and returned it 37 yards to the end zone. McCoy later bookended a dismal performance in his final game with another pick-six, this one returned 38 yards by linebacker Derrick Malone that sent waves of burnt orange-clad fans streaming for the exits.

Far from the uplifting send-off Texas wanted for Brown, the school now shifts its focus to finding a replacement. New Texas athletic director Steve Patterson said before kickoff that he wants a successor by Jan. 15.

Patterson said coaches interested in the job have come forward but wouldn't discuss potential candidates.

"There's interest that's sincere, and there's interest that's 'Help me find a better contract,' '' Patterson said.

Brown arrived in 1998 and went 128-27 by the end of 2009, when the Longhorns lost to Alabama in its second BCS title game in 5 years. He goes out, however, 30-21 in his final four seasons.

In other games

* At Fort Worth, Texas, Keenan Reynolds ran for 86 yards with two more touchdowns and Navy won for only the second time in its last seven bowl games, beating Middle Tennessee State, 24-6, in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Reynolds had a 3-yard score to cap the opening drive for Navy (9-4) and added a 1-yarder in the fourth quarter. Already with the NCAA record for touchdowns rushing by a quarterback, Reynolds upped his total to 31 to match Colorado State running back Kapri Bibbs, also a sophomore, for the national lead this season.

The only players with more rushing TDs in a season were Barry Sanders (37) with Oklahoma State, and Wisconsin's Montee Ball (33).

Middle Tennessee (8-5) was held to a season low in points. The Blue Raiders finished the regular season with a five-game winning streak, averaging nearly 43 points a game in that stretch - since a 34-7 loss on Oct. 12 at North Texas, about 40 miles away from the TCU campus where the bowl was played.

The Midshipmen overcame two fumbles by Reynolds, their first turnovers in six games. Both came after Navy got inside the 20 and were recovered by T.T. Barber, though the Blue Raiders failed to convert either into points.

Reynolds, who finished the season with 1,346 yards rushing leading the triple option offense, had lost only two fumbles during the regular season.

Navy won its fifth straight.

* At Nashville, Tenn., Bo Wallace ran for two touchdowns and threw for another score and Mississippi beat Georgia Tech, 25-17, in the Music City Bowl for the Rebels' second straight bowl victory under coach Hugh Freeze.

The junior quarterback and Tennessee native made up for his three turnovers in the Egg Bowl overtime loss to Mississippi State by throwing for 256 yards and running for 86 more, giving him the school record for total yards in a season and most completions in a season, topping Eli Manning for both.

Ole Miss (8-5) now has won six straight bowls and 10 of the last 11 in making up for the lone loss in that stretch in the 2000 Music City Bowl. Georgia Tech (7-6) has lost eight of nine bowls.

Noteworthy

* Baylor University says its new football stadium will be called McLane Stadium in honor of alumnus Drayton McLane Jr. and his family. McLane, former owner of the Houston Astros, and his family has given the school the largest capital gift ever - more than $20 million - toward the stadium, which will open next season.

*  North Carolina junior offensive lineman Russell Bodine said he is entering the NFL draft. Bodine, a 2-year starter for the Tar Heels, spent most of his time at center. He also played at left guard this season.

* Washington running back Bishop Sankey will skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft after the best rushing season in school history. Sankey's father, Chris, confirmed his son's decision in a text message to the Associated Press. Sankey has not yet decided on an agent.