President Barack Obama Concerned about Football Safety

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- In an interview that will appear in the Feb. 11 issue of The New Republic, President Barack Obama stressed his concern about player safety in football.

Obama told The New Republic that if he had a son, he'd think long and hard about letting his son play football due to the amount of violence in the game.

"They can make some of these decisions on their own, and most of them are well-compensated for the violence they do to their bodies," Obama said of NFL players. "You read some of these stories about college players who undergo some of these same problems with concussions and so forth and then have nothing to fall back on. That's something that I'd like to see the NCAA think about."

Obama also said that if the NFL chooses to change the way the game is played, it might make the game, "a bit less exciting" but will help the players’ safety.

In wake of the interview, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello responded: "We have no higher priority than player health and safety at all levels of the game."

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Steve Spurrier Gets Two-Year Extension

Grant Halverson/Getty Images(COLUMBIA, S.C.) -- Steve Spurrier is going to be staying in South Carolina a bit longer.

The Gamecocks head football coach received a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the school until 2017.

For the first time in school history, South Carolina has recorded double-digit victories in back-to-back years. They also had six Southeastern Conference wins in two straight seasons under Spurrier.

This season, they started 6-0 and were ranked as high as third in the polls. However, two close losses on the road to LSU and Florida removed them from any championship talk. They did finish the regular season by defeating in-state rival Clemson that made Spurrier the all-time wins leader at the school.

The coach was grateful for the stability in the extension. "We have achieved a lot of goals, but we have not yet won the SEC championship," he said. "Hopefully, we can do that within the next couple of years."

South Carolina (10-2) will face Michigan (8-4) in the Outback Bowl.

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Beano Cook Dies at 81

Chris Graythen/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Beano "Cardinal of College Football" Cook, an ESPN college football studio commentator since 1986 and staple of the Pittsburgh sports scene, died late Wednesday night.  He was 81.

Before ESPN, Cook served as a studio commentator for ABC from 1982-85.  He worked as ABC's press director from 1966-74, the St. Petersbug Times newspaper, and the Miami Dolphins.

"He was one of a kind," George Bodenheimer, ESPN executive chairman, said in a statement. "There never was and never will be another Beano. His combination of humor, passion, love of college football and his engaging personality left an indelible mark on the sport and touched anyone who knew him."

In a recent interview with ESPN, Cook was asked what his last request would be before leaving this world.

"I know I'm going to die, I'm asking once the season starts, wait until the (BCS) championship game is over before you take me," Cook said of his last request. "I want to know who's No. 1, don't tease me."

Cook didn't get his request but left with the Alabama Crimson Tide ranked No. 1.  He lived in Pittsburgh 74 years of his life and never married.  Although, those who knew him would say his passion for college football was a marriage in itself.

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Pittsburgh Stuns No. 13 Virginia Tech

Justin K. Aller/Getty Images(PITTSBURGH) -- Pittsburgh finally got their first win of the season, and it couldn't have come at a better time.

The Panthers never trailed and ran way with an upset victory over No. 13 Virginia Tech on Saturday, 35-17. Head coach Paul Chryst got his first career victory as the Panthers took advantage of four turnovers by the Hokies.

Pittsburgh running back Ray Graham paced the offense by running for 94 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught a touchdown for the Panthers (1-2). Overall, Pitt rushed for 254 yards compared to 59 for the Hokies.

Virginia Tech (2-1) was coming off a blowout win over Austin Peay, but could not sustain any offense. Hokies quarterback Logan Thomas went 14 for 31 and 265 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. 

Pittsburgh quarterback Tino Sunseri had three touchdown passes and one interception. The Panthers led 21-0 in the second quarter. They had not led in a game since last December against Syracuse. 

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ABC Scoreboard Roundup - 8/31/12

Getty Images/Hemera(NEW YORK) -- AL: The Toronto Blue Jays (60-71) edged the Tampa Bay Rays (71-61), 2-1. 

The Baltimore Orioles (73-58) handcuffed the New York Yankees (75-56), 6-1. 

The Texas Rangers (78-53) got by the Cleveland Indians (55-77), 5-3.

The Detroit Tigers (70-61) dropped the Chicago Whitesox (72-59), 7-4.

The Oakland Athletics (74-57) annihlated the Boston Red Sox (62-71), 20-2.  

The Los Angeles Angels (70-62) pushed away the Seattle Mariners (64-69), 9-1. 

NL: The Chicago Cubs (51-80) got past the San Francisco Giants (74-58), 6-4. 

The New York Mets (62-70) blanked the Miami Marlins (59-73), 3-0. 

The Washington Nationals (80-51) destroyed the St. Louis Cardinals (71-61), 10-0. 

The Philadelphia Phillies (63-69) eluded the Atlanta Braves (74-58), 8-5 in ten innings. 

The San Diego Padres (62-71) snuck by the Colorado Rockies (53-77), 5-4. 

The Cincinnati Reds (81-52) trounced the Houston Astros (40-92), 9-3. 

The Milwaukee Brewers (63-68) clobbered the Pittsburgh Pirates (70-61), 9-3. 

The Arizona Diamondbacks (66-67) beat out the Los Angeles Dodgers (70-63), 4-3 in eleven innings. 

Top 25 College Football: No. 13 Michigan State (1-0) defeated No. 24 Boise State (0-1), 17-13.

No. 21 Stanford (1-0) squeezed by San Jose State (2-0), 20-17.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

Big East Conference Looking to Add 14th Football Member

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images(EAST HARTFORD, CONN) -- The Big East Conference wants to add a 14th football team, newly appointed Big East commissioner Mike Aresco annonuced on Thursday night.

Aresco also confirmed that the conference is planning to have a championship game after next season.

West Virginia left the Big East for the Big 12 conference beginning this season.  Pittsburgh and Syracuse are leaving for the ACC beginning next season.

The completely revamped Big East conference will include Boise State and San Diego State for football, as well as Central Florida, SMU, Memphis, and Houston for all sports.

Temple also joined this year in all sports, immediately replacing West Virginia.

Navy will also join for football only in 2015, bringing the total number of teams to 13.

Aresco's ultimate goal as commissioner is to make sure the Big East is recognized as one of the top six football conferences in the nation.

"You have a pretty huge divide now between our conference and anything below us, and almost no gap between us and what they are calling the Big Five," Aresco said. "We say it's the Big Six. I'm not going to yield on that at all."

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio.

Alabama Receiver Chris Black to Undergo Shoulder Surgery

BananaStock(TUSCALOOSA, Ala.) -- Alabama Crimson Tide receiver Chris Black will have shoulder surgery after getting injured in practice. He is expected to miss 3-4 months.

The 5-foot-11 receiver, was the second ranked receiver in the 2012 ESPNU recruiting class.

Black was brought aboard with receivers Amari Cooper, Cyrus Jones and Eddie Williams to replace top wideouts Darius Hanks and Marquis Maze, both of whom are in the NFL.

Alabama opens their season September 1 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, against Michigan.

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Dana Holgorsen Agrees to New Deal with West Virginia

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images(MORGANTOWN, W.Va) -- Dana Holgorsen signed a six-year contract extension Wednesday to remain the head football coach at West Virginia.

Holgorsen will make $250,000 annually in base pay, but ultimately will earn $2.3 million this season after supplemental pay from the athletic department revenue and private sources.

Holgorsen will also receive a $200,000 raise in year two and three of the contract and $100,000 in years five and six. He will not receive a raise after year six. The contract also comes with a $2 million buyout.

"It's a significant commitment. From the University to Coach Holgorsen," Athletic director Oliver Luck said. "We're very excited that Dana is making a long term commitment to us and we're obviously excited about the season that's rapidly approaching"

Next season will be Holgorsen's second in Morgantown. He led the team to a 10-3 record last season, ending with a 70-33 victory over Clemson in the Orange Bowl.

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Montee Ball Attacked by 5 Men in Madison

Harry How/Getty Images(NEW YORK)  -- Wisconsin running back Montee Ball was attacked by five men early Wednesday morning near the university's campus in Madison.

Ball was walking with two friends when witnesses say the five attackers knocked Ball to the ground and started kicking him. Several people who saw the incident scared off the attackers. Ball was then taken to a hospital where it was determined he sustained facial injuries and a concussion according to the school.

"My concern right now is for Montee's health and well-being," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said in a statement. "Montee has been released from the hospital and is under the care and supervision of our sports medicine staff. We will continue to evaluate him as we approach the start of fall camp this weekend. I do expect Montee to make a full recovery."

Ball tweeted to his fans Wednesday, "I appreciate the support and thank you for the concerns.I will be okay! See you guys in September! #WiscONsin"

Ball, who will be a senior this season, rushed for 1,923 yards and an NCAA-record 33 touchdowns last season. He was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and tied Barry Sanders' NCAA record of 39 TDs overall.

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Buckley is First Player to Leave Penn State

Justin K. Aller/Getty Images(STATE COLLEGE, Pa.) -- Penn State backup safety Tim Buckley has transferred to North Carolina State, making him the first to transfer out of Penn State since the NCAA placed sanctions against the school July 23.

Buckley, a North Carolina native, will start practice with his new team when it opens its fall session Tuesday.

The 6-foot 202 pound Buckley is a former walk-on and redshirted last season at Penn State. That means Buckley will have four years of eligibility left.

“I am excited to be a member of the N.C. State Wolfpack,” Buckley said in a statement. “The opportunity to come here and play at my state university, so close to home, was something that I couldn’t pass up.”

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