College football News and notes

Florida: With all the negative attention “weighing heavy on his heart,” Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes asked to serve a full-game suspension for apparently trying to gouge the eyes of a Georgia running back. Coach Urban Meyer obliged, saying Wednesday that it was in the top-ranked Gators’ best interest that Spikes sit out Saturday’s game against Vanderbilt. “I really don’t want to be a distraction to the team,” Spikes said after practice. “I want the guys to prepare without any negative things going on, and I feel like if I would play, it would be a big thing going on. I’m just trying to stay out of the way and just motivate the guys.” Meyer had faced some criticism for only suspending his star defender for the first half of the Vandy game. The Southeastern Conference accepted the original punishment. Spikes stuck his hand into the facemask of Georgia’s Washaun Ealey during Florida 41-17 victory against the Bulldogs. There was no penalty called at the time, but after talk about the play spread, Meyer reviewed it and decided to punish Spikes.

Notre Dame: Receivers Golden Tate and Michael Floyd are friendly rivals again. “We both want to be the No. 1 receiver, so we compete every day,” Tate said. Tate took over the role as 19th-ranked Notre Dame’s top receiver when Floyd went down with a broken left collarbone against Michigan State six weeks ago. With Floyd returning Saturday against Navy (6-3), the receivers say the competition to be the No. 1 receiver is on again. “We just have high expectations for each other.” Floyd said. “How well he does, just makes me want to work harder. When I have a good game, it makes him work a little harder. It doesn’t really matter as long as we win.” Heading into the season, most observers probably would have agreed that Floyd was the more polished receiver while the speedy Tate was more of a work in progress, since he came out of high school as a tailback and spent the past two seasons learning the position. But after carrying much of the load for Notre Dame (6-2) the past five games, Tate has developed into a more complete receiver. He’s developed so much that some are talking about Tate having an outside chance of winning the Heisman Trophy.

Dallas Football Classic: The replacement for the Cotton Bowl game has been lined up. Dallas city leaders say the Dallas Football Classic is planned for New Year’s Day 2011. The plan calls for using teams from the Big Ten to play teams from Conference USA and the Big 12 on a rotating basis. The first game will pit the seventh-ranked team from the Big 12 against the sixth-ranked team from the Big Ten. Then on New Year’s Day 2012, it will be the Big Ten vs. Conference USA, with the order repeated in 2013 and 2014 under a plan revealed by bowl organizers this week. The plan needs NCAA approval. Should an at-large selection be required, Conference USA would provide a backup team in 2011 or 2013, and the Big 12 in 2012 and 2014. The Cotton Bowl game is moving to the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington this season.

Associated Press