Bama and Florida St. top 1st BCS standings

October 21, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

Alabama and Florida State hold the top two spots in the first BCS standings of the season. Oregon was a close third behind second-place Florida State.

The Seminoles (.9348 BCS average) are coming off their biggest win of the season, a 51-14 victory at previously unbeaten Clemson.

The Ducks (.9320) have only played one team that was ranked at the time, but could get a boost in the next two weeks with games against UCLA and at Stanford.

Ohio State is a more distant fourth, followed by Missouri in the standings released Sunday night.

Webb Simpson wins at TPC Summerlin

LAS VEGAS

Webb Simpson cruised to victory Sunday at TPC Summerlin, pulling away for a six-stroke win in the second event of the PGA Tour’s new wraparound season.

Winning for the first time since the 2012 U.S. Open, Simpson closed with a 5-under 66 in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He finished at 24-under 260 after opening with rounds of 64, 63 and 67 to take a four-stroke lead into the final round.

“As we were going kind of middle of the round, pins were tough, greens were drying out and I knew it would take a really special round for somebody to shoot 7, 8 under,” Simpson said.

Reporting prep results

Coaches and statisticians are encouraged to report prep results by 10 p.m. via email (sports@vindy.com), fax (330-747-6712) or phone (330-747-1478).

Emails and faxes are strongly preferred.

Prep football statistics

In order to include a football team’s statistical leaders in the weekly list featured in the Blitz, both in print and online, coaches and/or statisticians should report their updated statistics by 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Email stats to dchapin@vindy.com or fax them to 330-747-6712, attention Doug Chapin.

Former Washington coach Don James dies

SEATTLE

Don James, the longtime University of Washington football coach who led the Huskies to a share of the national championship in 1991, died Sunday. He was 80.

The university said James died at his home from the effects of pancreatic cancer.

James was 176-78-3 at Kent State and Washington, going 153-58-2 in 18 seasons with the Huskies from 1975-92. His 1991 team topped the coaches’ poll, while Miami was the national champion in The Associated Press’ media poll. He led the Huskies to six conference titles.

Sermanni wins over old team Australia 4-0

SAN ANTONIO

Tom Sermanni could have been forgiven for any pangs of nostalgia when facing his old team. His new players, however, had no similar emotional attachment.

Lauren Holiday and Carli Lloyd scored in the first half, and the U.S. women’s national team overpowered Australia 4-0, giving Sermanni a victory in his first match against his former side.

“The reality is as a coach, you have to be detached once the game starts,” Sermanni said. “We knew it was going to be a difficult game. I’m pleased to have come out of it unscathed. Otherwise I might have been a pariah in Australia and the U.S.”

James Stewart takes Monster Energy Cup

LAS VEGAS

James Stewart won the Monster Energy Cup at Sam Boyd Stadium, winning the final two of the three main-event motos on the Ricky Carmichael-designed track. The Yoshimura Suzuki rider earned $100,000 in the motocross event.

“You don’t understand how special this is for me,” Stewart said. “I am speechless right now. This is a huge win for me and I am pretty happy. I know we are making the right steps to get our program to where it needs to be.”

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto won the first moto.

Vindicator staff/wire reports