COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS

FBS Notebook: Tennessee fires Jones as coach

The Sports Xchange

November 12, 2017 at 3:58 pm.

Nov 11, 2017; Columbia, MO, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones returns to the sidelines after an injury timeout during the first half against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field. Photo Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Nov 11, 2017; Columbia, MO, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones returns to the sidelines after an injury timeout during the first half against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field. Photo Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Tennessee fired fifth-year coach Butch Jones after another blowout loss, the school announced Sunday.

Athletic director John Currie told Jones on Sunday morning that he was being fired with two games left in the regular season.

Defensive line coach Brady Hoke will serve as interim head coach for the rest of the year. Hoke, the former head coach at Michigan, is in his first year at Tennessee.

Tennessee, winless this year in the SEC, was blown out 50-17 at Missouri on Saturday, its fifth loss in the past six games. Tennessee, 4-6 overall and 0-6 in the SEC, is in danger of missing a bowl game for the first time since 2013, Jones’ first season.

–Miami jumped up to No. 2 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll, equaling the program’s highest ranking since 2003.

The Hurricanes rose five spots after a 41-8 dismantling of then-No. 3 Notre Dame on Saturday. Miami was last ranked No. 2 in late October 2003.

The Hurricanes are one of just four remaining unbeaten teams. Top-ranked Alabama, No. 5 Wisconsin and No. 14 Central Florida are the others. Oklahoma moved up to No. 3 and defending national champion Clemson remained No. 4.

Georgia, which was ranked second, plummeted to seventh after being routed 40-17 by Auburn. The Tigers moved up four spots to No. 6. Ohio State is eighth, just ahead of Notre Dame, which dropped six spots. Oklahoma State rounds out the Top 10.

–Arkansas quarterback Cole Kelley was arrested for drunk and careless driving, according to police in Fayetteville, Ark.

The 20-year-old redshirt freshman refused to take a breathalyzer test before being booked at 8:47 a.m. CT Sunday. Coach Bret Bielema is aware of the incident.

Arkansas lost 33-10 to LSU on Saturday and Kelley was 3-of-10 passing for 36 yards and one interception in relief of starter Austin Allen. Kelley started the team’s previous four games when Allen was sidelined with a shoulder injury. He has thrown for 1,038 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions this season

–Darius Anderson, TCU’s leading rusher, might miss the remainder of the season with a right foot injury, according to coach Gary Patterson.

Anderson was injured in the second quarter of Saturday’s 38-20 loss at Oklahoma. The sophomore left the field favoring his right leg while being helped to the sidelines by trainers.

Anderson has rushed for 768 yards and eight touchdowns on 128 carries.

Without Anderson for the remaining regular season games against Texas Tech and Baylor, TCU will utilize Kyle Hicks and Sewo Olonilua in its backfield. Hicks has 473 yards and three rushing TDs while Olonilua has 171 yards and six TDs.

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