Friday Sports Update (1/2)

College football’s national championship game teams are set, more bowl news, Gator sports and more in our Friday Sports Update…

** College football’s national championship semi-final games did not disappoint on Thursday.   Oregon advances with a 59-20 whipping of FSU while Ohio State also moves on with a thrilling 42-35 win over Alabama.   The championship game will be played in Dallas.

** In other bowl games on Monday, Missouri beats Minnesota 33-17 in the Citrus Bowl; Michigan State rallies to beat Baylor 42-41 in the Cotton Bowl; and Wisconsin beats Auburn 34-31 in the Outback Bowl.

** More bowl games today.   The Armed Forces, Taxslayer, Alamo and Cactus Bowls are all scheduled for today with Tennessee playing Iowa in the Taxslayer Bowl.

** Only two teams from the SEC West gets a bowl win with Texas A&M and Arkansas getting those wins.  Auburn, LSU, Alabama, Ole Miss and Mississippi State all lost.   Meanwhile, the SEC East so far has not been beaten with South Carolina, Missouri and Georgia getting wins.

** Of course, Florida plays it bowl game tomorrow against East Carolina; live coverage starts at 9 am.

** In Gator hoops, the Florida women’s team is at 8-5 on the year and it begins SEC play today by hosting LSU, 6-6 on the season.

** The Gator men’s basketball team hosts Connecticut Saturday trying to bounce back from a tough loss at FSU.

** The NFL playoffs begin this weekend.   Former Gator assistant and current Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is an early candidate to replace the fired Rex Ryan in New York and he could get other interviews as well.

** In the NBA, Cleveland’s LeBron James could miss up to two weeks with injuries.