College Football Notebook | Florida's Meyer sweeps rivals

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida linebacker Dustin Doe grew up about an hour from the school's campus, occasionally watching the Tennessee-Florida rivalry on television. He played a small part in the series last year as a freshman, getting in on special teams and making a tackle.

Doe's experience is limited. His knowledge is considerably broader.

"This is why you come to the University of Florida — to play in big games," Doe said. "Big games can make you or big games can break you."

Doe must have been listening intently to Urban Meyer this week, because the third-year Florida coach treats rivalry games different from all others.

There is more intensity in practice. And there is no arguing with the results. Defending national champion Florida is perfect in six rivalry games under Meyer, beating Tennessee, Georgia and Florida State each of the past two years.

The No. 5 Gators (2-0) want to make it 7-0 today when they host the No. 22 Volunteers (1-1).

Meyer often avoids calling a rival by name.

This week, he has primarily called Tennessee "the team we're playing this week."

Friday's game

At Troy 41, Okla. St. 23

Omar Haugabook passed for a career-high 371 yards and a touchdown and ran for 49 yards and two scores as the Trojans (1-2) upset the Cowboys (1-2), who were listed as 10-point favorites.

Troy, from the Sun Belt Conference, has won twice in 10 games against Big 12 Conference teams.

Notes

• Demetrius Jones, the Notre Dame sophomore quarterback who lost the starting position to Jimmy Clausen after a poor performance in the opener, didn't travel with the team to Michigan for today's matchup of 0-2 teams.

"At 2:30 today, while boarding the bus to Michigan, I was notified that Demetrius Jones had decided not to make the trip," Fighting Irish coach Charlie Weis said in a statement. "I have not spoken to Demetrius and can only say that he missed the team bus. Any additional comment would be without all the facts."

• Offensive lineman Cord Howard was cleared to play for the rest of the season after sitting out No. 15 Georgia Tech's first two games because of an unspecified academic issue.

The Yellow Jackets host No. 21 Boston College today.

• New Mexico has received notice from the NCAA of four potential rules violations involving three members of the Lobos' coaching staff. Athletic director Paul Krebs declined to identify the coaches but said two of the coaches are no longer on staff. No allegations are directed at head coach Rocky Long.

The coaches allegedly helped four prospective student-athletes and a student-athlete enrolled at New Mexico to improperly obtain credits through correspondence courses at Fresno Pacific University in California. Two of the five athletes ended up playing for the Lobos.

• After missing two games with injuries, 59-year-old linebacker Mike Flynt will take the field for Sul Ross State today for the first time in 37 years. Flynt will suit up for the Lobos when they face Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas.

Flynt last played for Sul Ross in 1970. He was kicked off the team before the 1971 season because of a fight and didn't get over the regret of missing his senior season.

• Sarah Thomas is scheduled to become the first female official to work a major-college game when Memphis hosts Jacksonville State of Alabama today.