Irish won't play in a bowl

The Notre Dame football season is officially over.

Athletic director Jack Swarbrick said yesterday that the school had decided against going to a bowl game with a 6-6 record, citing "unique circumstances."

He didn't elaborate, but Swarbrick fired coach Charlie Weis after five seasons earlier this week, and the search for a replacement is under way.

Swarbrick said he reached the decision after meetings with assistant coaches and team leaders.

Weis was the team's offensive coordinator, so the team wouldn't have had an experienced play caller for a bowl game. The school also likely would have lost money because its only option would have been a minor bowl.

Notre Dame went to the Insight Bowl in 2004 when Tyrone Willingham was fired, but the school had accepted the bid before Willingham was let go.

MAC championship. Dan LeFevour threw a pair of record-breaking touchdown passes in the first half, and Central Michigan beat Ohio, 20-10, last night in Detroit for the Mid-American Conference championship.

LeFevour set a major-college football mark for combined touchdowns passing, rushing, and receiving in the first quarter with his 147th. He threw for another score late in the first half to break Chad Pennington's MAC record and give the Chippewas a 17-7 lead.

The Chippewas (11-2) are expected to play in the GMAC Bowl.

Ohio (9-4), which beat Temple for the MAC East Division title, likely will make a return trip to Detroit for the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.

Briscoe to NFL. Wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe, who finished a three-year career as Kansas' all-time leader with 3,240 yards receiving, said he will forgo his senior season at Kansas and enter the NFL draft.

UConn stabbing. Campus police investigating the stabbing death of University of Connecticut football player Jasper Howard have arrested two more people in the case: Rahim Muhammad, 22, of Bloomfield, Conn., and 22-year-old Hadiyah Vanover, of Windsor. Eight people have been arrested in connection with the Oct. 18 stabbing.

Georgia suspension. Georgia defensive end Montez Robinson, 19, was suspended indefinitely from the team after his arrest Thursday on charges involving two altercations with a female student.