College Football | Florida coach Urban Meyer says refs missed late hit on Tim Tebow

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Urban Meyer believes Southeastern Conference officials missed a late hit on Tim Tebow in Saturday's game against Georgia.

Meyer said Wednesday the crew calling the game should have flagged Bulldogs linebacker Nick Williams for knocking his quarterback to the ground well after he had gotten rid of the football.

Meyer sent video of the play to the league's coordinator of officials. Meyer declined to reveal what the SEC told him, saying he didn't "want to step out of line." Last week the SEC changed its discipline policy about coaches publicly criticizing officials, making the punishment either a fine or a suspension.

Meyer told reporters on the SEC conference call the play was directly in front of the referee.

Notes

• University of New Mexico president David Schmidly said an attorney representing an assistant football coach sent a letter offering "continued media silence" in exchange for a $500,000 settlement in a dispute with head football coach Mike Locksley. Schmidly said the overture was rejected.

Receivers coach J.B. Gerald claims he was punched and choked by Locksley and sustained a split lip. Locksley admitted grabbing Gerald's collar but maintains he never threw a punch.

Schmidly said he "wouldn't be surprised" if Gerald files a civil lawsuit against the university.

• With all the negative attention "weighing heavy on his heart," Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes asked to serve a full-game suspension for apparently trying to gouge the eyes of a Georgia running back. Spikes will sit out Saturday's game against Vanderbilt.

• A Hartford man has been charged with lying to police investigating the stabbing death of UConn football player Jasper Howard. A police report says that De'Quan Muhammad, 18, twice denied to police any knowledge of the Oct. 18 stabbings outside a UConn dance, but "he told more than one person that he had witnessed the altercation."

• The replacement for the Cotton Bowl game has been lined up. The Dallas Football Classic is planned for New Year's Day 2011. The plan calls for using teams from the Big Ten to play teams from Conference USA and the Big 12 on a rotating basis. The Cotton Bowl game is moving to the new Cowboys Stadium this season. That prompted officials to come up with a replacement game for the 77-year-old Fair Park venue.