College football notebook: Bowl rotation kept at 6 games

That group of five conferences just won't have a bowl of its own.

The conference commissioners decided Monday during a meeting with university presidents in Denver that the new four-team playoff will rotate through six bowl games as originally planned.

In September, a proposal was put forth to add a seventh bowl game to the rotation that would match the best team from the Big East, Mountain West, Conference USA, Sun Belt and Mid-American Conference against a team from the Pac-12 or Big 12 when it did not host a semifinal.

But television networks weren't all that interested in paying in excess of $20 million a year more for a game that could potentially feature low-profile teams.

The commissioners considered incorporating that best-of-the-rest against the Pac-12 or Big 12 matchup within a six-bowl structure, but that would have locked up too many spots. Instead, a guaranteed bid was created to give the so-called group of five a place in the top games.

"This gives us an opportunity to compete," Big East commissioner Mike Aresco said.

The Big East benefits the most from the decision to add the automatic berth.

The rebuilding conference has automatic qualifier status in the Bowl Championship Series, but with the BCS going away.

Tuberville calls outburst 'unfortunate,' apologizes

LUBBOCK, Texas - Tommy Tuberville on Monday took full responsibility for losing his cool with a Texas Tech graduate assistant along the sideline during Saturday's win over Kansas.

The third-year coach said he had watched a replay of his outburst after the 41-34 victory and saw what had fans upset. He called his actions "unfortunate" and said he had apologized to Kevin Oliver, who works with special teams. Tuberville said he did not strike Oliver.

Video of the confrontation went viral on the Internet. It shows Tuberville angrily facing Oliver and appearing to strike him after the Red Raiders had difficulty getting the right personnel on the field.

Tuberville was hired to replace Mike Leach, who was fired in 2009 for alleged mistreatment of a player with a concussion.

Leach denies players abused

SPOKANE, Wash. - Washington State football coach Mike Leach denied his players are subjected to any type of abuse, as alleged by star receiver Marquess Wilson.

Wilson made the allegations in a letter he released Saturday in which he quit the team and also complained that the coaching staff would "belittle, intimidate and humiliate us."

Leach said during a Monday meeting with reporters: "There is no truth about it at all." He described Wilson as disgruntled.

Asked if there had been any actions by coaches that could be construed as abuse, Leach replied: "No, no, no. Next question."

Extra points

• University of Houston defensive back D.J. Hayden left a hospital Monday, six days after a hit in practice tore a major vein that feeds his heart and left him in critical condition.