UCLA, USC square off in Pac-12 South | College football

College football

UCLA, USC square off

Although UCLA isn't exactly grateful for its humiliating 50-0 loss to USC last year, the Bruins are eager to show the Trojans how they have grown.

The rivals meet Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., and the winner represents the Pac-12 South in the conference-championship game.

For the first time in more than a decade, No. 17 UCLA (8-2 overall, 5-2 Pac-12) has more victories and a higher ranking than No. 21 USC (7-3, 5-3) entering their game.

Jim Mora, a former Seahawks coach, is in his first season at UCLA. The Bruins have lost 12 of their last 13 against USC, where coach Lane Kiffin is in his third season.

Tennessee gets probation extension

The NCAA extended Tennessee's probation by two years as part of additional penalties handed down after a ruling former assistant coach Willie Mack Garza provided impermissible travel and lodging to a former prospect.

Garza worked at Tennessee on former coach Kiffin's staff.

Baseball

Jays, Melky Cabrera

reportedly have a deal

Melky Cabrera reportedly is set to join the Toronto Blue Jays in his return from a drug suspension.

A person familiar with the negotiations said the free-agent outfielder and the Blue Jays have reached agreement on a two-year contract worth $16 million.

Cabrera, 28, was leading the National League in hitting at .346 for the San Francisco Giants when he drew a 50-game suspension Aug. 15 for a positive testosterone test.

The Giants didn't put Cabrera on their postseason roster on the way to winning the World Series, even after he became eligible at the start of the National League Championship Series.

Japan waits on Ichiro

Japanese home-run king Sadaharu Oh, a special adviser to the national team, said he accepts Japan might have to defend its title at next year's World Baseball Classic without star outfielder Ichiro.

Ex-Mariner Ichiro, who was instrumental in helping Japan win the WBC in 2006 and 2009, is reportedly considering sitting out the 2013 event. Japanese baseball officials invited Ichiro to join the 2013 team, but don't expect a response until the 39-year-old knows where he will play in the majors next season.

He was traded from the Mariners to the New York Yankees in July.

Auto racing

Logano leads qualifiers

Joey Logano won the pole for NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida on Sunday, with championship contenders Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson not far behind.

Keselowski will start third. He takes a 20-point lead into the finale over five-time champion Johnson, who will start 10th.

Buescher has truck title

James Buescher secured the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title with a 13th-place finish in the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead-Miami.

Cale Gale won the race.

Elsewhere

? Ai Miyazato of Japan shot an 8-under-par 64 for a one-shot lead at the LPGA Titleholders in Naples, Fla. Miyazato was at 10-under 134, one stroke ahead of South Korean Na Yeon Choi (68).

? Russ Cochran shot a 7-under 65 at Del Monte for a share of the Pebble Beach Invitational lead with fellow 50-and-older Champions Tour player Kirk Triplett.

Triplett, a Pullman High School graduate, shot a 69 at Del Monte to match Cochran at 9-under 135.

? Michael Campbell of New Zealand shot a 6-under 64 to lead the Hong Kong Open by one stroke after two rounds. Rory McIlroy, ranked No. 1 in the world, missed the cut with a 5-over total.

? A judge in Atlanta set bond at $100,000 for Chamique Holdsclaw, an ex-WNBA standout who was in jail on assault and weapons charges.

She is accused of firing a shot into a car belonging to 29-year-old Jennifer Lacy, who plays for the WNBA Tulsa Shock. Police say Holdsclaw, 35, also used a bat to smash the car's windows.

? Tomas Berdych beat Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3 to give the Czech Republic a 1-1 tie with Spain after the opening singles matches in the best-of-five Davis Cup final in Prague.

Seattle Times news services

Source: http://seattletimes.com/html/othersports/2019700125_digs17.html?syndication=rss

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