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Washington's Steve Sarkisian accepts job as USC coach

Steve Sarkisian was named the head coach at Southern California on Monday, leaving Washington, where his record was 34-29 over five seasons.

Steve Sarkisian was named the head coach at Southern California on Monday, leaving Washington, where his record was 34-29 over five seasons.

The Trojans replaced interim coach Ed Orgeron with yet another assistant coach from Pete Carroll's championship-winning era.

Sarkisian, 39, is the permanent replacement for Lane Kiffin, his former co-offensive coordinator at USC under Carroll. Kiffin was fired in September and replaced by Orgeron, who didn't get the permanent job despite going 6-2.

Washington was left in need of an interim coach for its yet-to-be announced bowl game.

Big Ten $10,000 richer

Nebraska has been told to put its money where Bo Pelini's mouth is. The Big Ten fined the university $10,000 for Pelini's comments about the officiating in a loss to Iowa last week. Pelini used an expletive at his postgame news conference while discussing a pass interference penalty against the Huskers.

Gambling man

Michigan coach Brady Hoke was lauded by some for having the guts to go for a two-point conversion down 42-41 to Ohio State with 32 seconds left Saturday. The numbers suggest that Michigan's odds of winning were essentially the same had the Wolverines instead kicked the point after with the hopes of winning in OT. Teams going for a 2-point conversion when down by one late in games were successful 13 of 24 times since 1996. The Wolverines made it 13 of 25 (52 percent) when Devin Gardner's pass was picked off.

Deacon blues

Nobody led tiny Wake Forest to more wins than Jim Grobe. But when the losses started to pile up, the veteran coach figured it was time to give someone else a chance. Grobe, 61, announced his resignation after 13 years coaching the Demon Deacons. He was 77-82 at Wake Forest and shares the program record for coaching victories with D.C. "Peahead" Walker.