FOOTBALL
GSU game on ESPN
STATESBORO — ESPN will broadcast Georgia Southern’s game this Saturday against Old Dominion in the Football Championship Subdivision quarterfinals. Kickoff from S.B. Ballard Stadium is set for noon.
The Eagles (9-3) reached the quarterfinals with 24-16 victory over Central Arkansas on Saturday and will play the Monarchs for a second straight season. GSU defeated ODU 55-48 in the second round of the FCS playoffs a year ago.
The Georgia Southern Athletic Foundation has partnered with Burns World Travel to provide fans a travel package for the game. The package includes travel by bus, a hotel room for Friday night and a ticket to the game.
To reserve a seat, contact Patty Burns at 912-489-4040 or pburns@burnsworldtravel.com. The deadline to reserve a seat is 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Notre Dame atop AP poll
NEW YORK — Notre Dame ended the regular season as the No. 1 team in The Associated Press college football for the first time since 1988, the last championship season for the Fighting Irish.
The Irish (12-0) completed their regular season last week and will play No. 2 Alabama in the BCS championship game in Miami on Jan. 7. Notre Dame is a unanimous No. 1 for the second straight week.
The Tide held its spot in the rankings after beating Georgia 32-28 in the Southeastern Conference title game Saturday.
Ohio State (12-0), which is banned from the postseason because of NCAA sanctions, moved up a spot to No. 3. Florida is No. 4, Oregon is fifth and Georgia fell to sixth.
Northern Illinois jumped to No. 16 after beating Kent State for the Mid-American Conference title. Kent State dropped seven spots to No. 25.
Louisville, the Big East champion, moved back into the rankings at No. 22.
No. 24 San Jose State is ranked for the first time since Nov. 24, 1975.
Texas and Oklahoma State dropped out of the rankings.
Complete poll, 16
GOLF
Blanks 2nd at Q-School
LA QUINTA, Calif. — Kris Blanks is alone in second place with one round to play today in the final stage of the PGA Tour qualifying tournament at PGA West.
Blanks, a former assistant pro at The Landings Club in Savannah, is at 22 under, one stroke behind Steven Bowditch in the six-round event. Blanks, a resident of Jupiter, Fla., opened Sunday with a bogey before reeling off birdies at NOs. 4, 5, 9, 10, 11 and 14.
Savannah’s Mark Silvers is tied for 73rd at 9 under (70-69-70-72-70).
The top 25 finishers and ties receive 2013 PGA Tour cards. The next 50 and ties earn Web.com Tour cards. Everyone else gets conditional status on the Web.com Tour.