College-Football Update

Notes

■ The Southeastern Conference, trying to curb public criticism of officiating by its coaches, made an example of Florida's Urban Meyer yesterday and fined him $30,000 for saying that a hit on his quarterback, Tim Tebow, "should have been a penalty." Meyer's annual salary is $4 million.

The play in question came in the first quarter of Florida's victory last weekend against Georgia.

The SEC said last week that it would fine or suspend coaches who violate the SEC policy against public criticism of officials. Previously, the SEC had merely issued reprimands. Meyer is the first coach fined under the new policy.

■ Wide receiver Dez Bryant of Oklahoma State told ESPN.com that he plans to enter the 2010 NFL Draft, disclosing his intentions late Thursday after the NCAA rejected a final appeal by the school to reinstate him.

Bryant, a junior All-America, sat out the first five games while the NCAA investigated his offseason meeting with Deion Sanders, a former NFL player, at a Texas athletics center. Bryant admitted that he lied to an NCAA investigator about the meeting and later apologized.

Bryant told ESPN.com that entering the draft is "the best decision for me" and that he will start training for the NFL combine next week in Florida.

■ Safety Dekota Marshall of East Carolina appears to be finished for the rest of the season, and tight end Rob Kass could be after injuries in Thursday's loss to Virginia Tech.

Marshall took a hard hit near midfield on punt coverage early in the game and was carted off the field. Coach Skip Holtz said that Marshall broke both bones in a lower leg and will need surgery.

Kass was injured early in the second quarter when he fumbled after a catch and had several players fall on his right leg in the ensuing scramble. Kass was on crutches and wearing a knee brace after the game. Holtz says that the extent of Kass' injury is unknown, but it could keep him out the rest of the regular season.

■ The final regular-season ballot of every voter in the USA Today coaches' poll will remain public. The coaches had considered making those votes confidential, but Grant Teaff, executive director of the American Football Coaches Association, said yesterday that it will stay an open ballot. The poll helps decide which teams play in the BCS national championship game.

Ballots in The Associated Press' media poll are available to the public from the preseason to the final post-bowl vote.

State/area today

ACC

Virginia at Miami, noon

Maryland at N.C. State, 1 p.m.

Duke at North Carolina, 3:30

Wake Forest at Georgia Tech, 3:30

Florida State at Clemson, 7:45

Southern Conference

Elon at Western Carolina, 1 p.m.

Furman at Auburn, 1:30

Wofford at The Citadel, 3 p.m.

Georgia Southern at Samford, 3:30

Chattanooga at Appalachian, 3:30

MEAC

Delaware State at WSSU, 1 p.m.

S.C. State at Howard, 1 p.m.

N.C. A&T at Florida A&M, 3 p.m.

Norfolk State at Morgan State, 4 p.m.

Hampton at Bethune-Cookman, 4 p.m.

CIAA Championship (at Durham)

Bowie State vs. Fayetteville State, 1 p.m.

South Atlantic Conference

Tusculum at Carson-Newman, 1 p.m.

Lenoir-Rhyne at Catawba, 1:30

Wingate at Mars Hill, 1:20

Brevard at Newberry, 7 p.m.

Others

Guilford at Catholic, noon

South Carolina at Arkansas, 12:21

Gardner-Webb at Coastal Carolina, 12:30

UNC Pembroke at North Greenville, 1 p.m.

Shenandoah at N.C. Wesleyan, 1 p.m.

Campbell at Drake, 2 p.m.

Davidson at San Diego, 4 p.m.

Methodist at Greensboro, 7 p.m.

Late Thursday

Virginia Tech 16, East Carolina 3

Virginia Tech 6 7 0 3 -- 16

East Carolina 0 3 0 0 -- 3

VT -- FG Waldron 41, 8:59 (1Q)

VT -- FG Waldron 22, :00 (1Q)

VT -- T.Taylor 13 run (Waldron kick), 2:06 (2Q)

EC -- FG Hartman 24, :00 (2Q)

VT -- FG Waldron 31, 1:13 (4Q)

A -- 43,569

TEAM STATISTICS VT ECU

First downs 22 14

Rushes-yards 45-242 31-110

Passing 137 167

Comp-Att-Int 17-30-0 16-35-1

Return Yards 55 10

Punts-Avg. 7-44.9 8-46.5

Fumbles-Lost 2-1 2-2

Penalties-Yards 5-50 8-79

Time of Possession 34:57 25:03

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Virginia Tech, R.Williams 26-179, T.Taylor 11-61, Oglesby 6-13, Team 1-(minus 3), Roberts 1-(minus 8). East Carolina, Lindsay 13-69, G.Ruffin 3-13, Harris 5-10, Freeney 1-9, Jackson 2-7, Pinkney 6-2, Jordan 1-0.

PASSING -- Virginia Tech, T.Taylor 17-30-0-137. East Carolina, Pinkney 16-33-1-167, Jordan 0-2-0-0.

RECEIVING -- Virginia Tech, Coale 6-60, Boykin 3-17, R.Williams 3-9, Roberts 2-31, Boyce 2-11, Davis 1-9. East Carolina, Taylor 5-60, Freeney 4-50, Harris 3-45, Jenkins 1-6, Gidrey 1-3, Kass 1-3, Lindsay 1-0.