college football \ News and notes

Early bettors favor ’Bama: Early bettors are siding with No. 1 Alabama in the BCS national championship game, driving up point spreads across Las Vegas casinos, oddsmakers said. Sports books expect gamblers to think highly of the 4-point favorite Crimson Tide after they cruised in the Southeastern Conference championship game against defending national champion Florida, said Mike Seba of Las Vegas Sports Consultants. Alabama (13-0) faces No. 2 Texas in the title game Jan. 7. Texas (13-0) beat Nebraska 13-12 in the Big 12 championship, but struggled. “You have to readjust your ratings and then you also have to think, everybody just saw what we saw and who would you go bet on right now?” said Seba, whose firm provides betting lines to roughly 90 percent of casinos in Nevada. “Obviously, you’d bet Alabama.” The Las Vegas Hilton opened its bets Sunday by spotting Texas fans 3.5 points, but Alabama bettors pushed the Crimson Tide to a 5.5-point favorite there, said Race and Sports Book Executive Director Jay Kornegay.

Collaros in offender program: Cincinnati backup quarterback Zach Collaros avoided jail time by signing up for a first-time offender program. Collaros on Monday told Hamilton County Municipal Judge Bernie Bouchard that he had signed up for the court-mandated, eight-hour class on the ills of underage drinking. Bouchard accepted his guilty plea to an underage drinking charge, which will be erased upon completion of the program. Now 21, Collaros was 20 when cited for presenting a fake ID to get into a bar near campus. Bouchard last month sternly threatened him with jail if he didn’t get moving on the program, warning him that skipping it isn’t like “blowing off” a math class.

Kansas to interview Buffalo’s Gill: Turner Gill is generating interest in the Big 12 Conference again, only not at his former school Nebraska, but Kansas. The University at Buffalo athletic department confirmed on Monday that the school had granted Kansas permission to interview Gill regarding its vacant coaching position. Spokesman Paul Vecchio said he did not know whether the two parties had spoken. The Buffalo News reported that Gill met with Kansas officials in New York City on Sunday. Kansas is searching for a new coach after New Castle native Mark Mangino resigned Thursday in the wake of an investigation into his treatment of players.

Florida governor wants Tebow: Florida Gov. Charlie Crist thinks Tim Tebow could be the answer to the Jacksonville Jaguars attendance problems. Crist said Monday that he’s talked with the Jaguars ownership about taking the celebrated Florida quarterback in the NFL draft next April as a means to sell more season tickets and keep the team from moving out of Jacksonville. About 17,000 fans chose not to renew their season tickets this year, many citing the economic climate. About 30,000 seats were empty Sunday for Jacksonville’s 23-18 victory over Houston. Tebow, who grew up in Jacksonville, won the Heisman Trophy in 2007 and led the Gators to a national championship last year.

Associated Press