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ESPN ADDS SUGAR TO GROWING BOWL HAUL

 
Published Nov. 15, 2012

Times wires

NEW YORK - The Big 12 and SEC agreed to a 12-year deal with ESPN for the rights to the Sugar Bowl.

ESPN and the leagues didn't disclose financial terms of the deal. But the Associated Press reported it's about $80 million per year through 2026.

ESPN already has a 12-year deal for about $80 million per season with the Pac-12 and Big Ten for the rights to the Rose Bowl.

ESPN's 12-year deal with the ACC and the Orange Bowl, which hasn't been officially announced, is reportedly worth about $55 million per season. The Orange Bowl and ACC are working on a deal that would give the other spot in the game for an SEC team, Big Ten team or Notre Dame.

The Big 12 and SEC recently picked the Sugar Bowl as the site of their game, previously known as the Champions Bowl, that starts in the 2014 season.

The champions of each conference will play in the game unless they are selected for a semifinal game in another bowl for the four-team playoff that also starts that season. In that case, other teams from the conferences will meet.

The Sugar Bowl will be one of six sites in the playoff rotation along with the Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl and three more bowls still to be announced. How often each bowl hosts a semifinal is still to be determined. ESPN's deal with the Sugar Bowl calls for it to broadcast the game even in the seasons it hosts playoff games.

ESPN is still working on a 12-year deal for the entire playoff package of 24 semifinals and 12 national championship games - along with the other three host bowls - that has been reported to be worth about $500 million per season.

The deals are for 12 seasons because the university presidents authorized the four-team playoff to last that long before changes can be made.

Big 12 reprimands Texas Tech coach

LUBBOCK, Texas - The Big 12 said it issued Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville a public reprimand for his sideline outburst at a graduate assistant during Saturday's double-overtime win against Kansas.

The conference said commissioner Bob Bowlsby issued the reprimand orally and a letter also will be sent to the school.

Tuberville said he has apologized to Kevin Oliver and didn't mean to strike him, knocking off his headset and cap. The incident happened after the Red Raiders had difficulty getting the right personnel on the field.

Gov. Would have run: Even Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley is being asked about the play-calling late in Alabama's loss to Texas A&M on Saturday. Down 29-24 but with the ball at the Aggies 6, the Tide threw it three times. The last, on fourth and goal from the 2, was intercepted. Said Bentley: "I would actually have run the ball four straight times."

Georgia: Linebacker Chase Vasser will have surgery for a torn labrum in his left shoulder and miss the rest of the season. After being suspended for the first two games, he had 19 tackles, including four for losses, in five games (two starts) before missing the past three with the injury.

Texas A&M:Freshman Thomas Johnson, the team's third-leading receiver, is missing, campus police said. The department said Johnson, who has 30 catches for 339 yards and a touchdown, was last seen leaving his residence about 5 p.m. Monday. He went to high school and has family in Dallas, and police said he might have traveled to the area.

Ball St. 52, Ohio 27: Jahwan Edwards ran for 169 yards and a score and Horactio Banks 135 and a score to lead the host Cardinals (8-3, 5-2 MAC) past the Bobcats (8-3, 4-3).