Rich Rodriguez started his new job Wednesday by watching Michigan practice, while terms of his buyout at West Virginia remained unresolved.

Rodriguez was introduced as coach Lloyd Carr's successor with the Wolverines on Monday morning, then returned to West Virginia.

His resignation as the Mountaineers' coach was moved up from Jan. 3 to midnight Tuesday, a West Virginia spokesman said.

Details and payment of Rodriguez's $4 million buyout in his West Virginia contract still must be worked out.

HOLLIDAY BACK: Florida assistant coach Doc Holliday was back in Gainesville, Fla., one day after interviewing for the West Virginia vacancy.

Holliday, Florida's safeties coach and associate head coach, met with West Virginia officials about succeeding Rodriguez.

"I went up and talked to them and that's about the extent of it," Holliday said.

SEMINOLES PRACTICE: Florida State practiced knowing that as many as 25 players won't be going to Nashville, Tenn., when the Seminoles play Kentucky on New Year's Eve in the Music City Bowl.

"We'll be just fine," quarterback Drew Weatherford said. "There are a lot of guys who have opportunities now who haven't had them in the past.."

Most of the suspended players are part of the academic scandal involving student-athletes who received improper assistance from academic support staff

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UCLA TALKING WITH NEUHEISEL: Four years after Rick Neuheisel left Washington with his reputation tarnished, the former UCLA quarterback has emerged as a candidate to become coach at his alma mater.

Neuheisel, the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, confirmed UCLA has contacted him about replacing the fired Karl Dorrell.

Neuheisel also coached at Colorado before going to Washington.

ETC.: Kansas coach Mark Mangino was named The Associated Press Coach of the Year. . . . Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman announced Tom Osborne would remain the school's athletic director until June 30, 2010. . . . A misdemeanor battery charge against Florida defensive end Jermaine Cunningham has been dropped. . . . Arizona State linebacker Morris Wooten will not play in the Holiday Bowl against Texas because of an unspecified team rules violation. Wooten, the team's sixth-leading tackler with 47, will be replaced by sophomore Mike Nixon. . . . Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy has hired Tennessee receivers coach Trooper Taylor to be the Cowboys' co-offensive coordinator. . . . Atlanta Falcons linebackers coach Brian VanGorder will take over as defensive coordinator at South Carolina. . . . Tennessee reserve linebacker Shane Reveiz will need surgery to treat an unspecified heart condition.

Poinsettia Bowl

Utah (8-4) vs. Navy (8-4), 7 MST tonight (ESPN) in San Diego

* Favorite: Utah by 71/2.

* Payout: Each school receives $750,000.

* Coaches: Kyle Whittingham (23-14 in third year at Utah) and Ken Niumatalolo (first game as Navy coach).

* Bowl records: Utah, 9-3; Navy, 6-6-1.

* Series history: First meeting.

* Stat that matters: The Utes' six-game bowl winning streak dating to 1999 is the second longest in the nation, and their .750 postseason winning percentage is the best in the nation among teams with 10 or more bowl appearances.

* Etc.: After a discouraging 1-3 start, the Utes fought their way to the bowl with a seven-game winning streak that ended, barely, at Brigham Young, when the Cougars scored the winning touchdown with 38 seconds to play. . . . QB Brian Johnson wants to atone for a particularly poor game (17-of-29, 129 yards, two interceptions) in the loss. . . . RB Darrell Mack (906 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns in the past eight games) likely will find room against a poor Midshipmen run defense (109th in Division I-A in scoring at 36.5 points a game). . . . After Paul Johnson left for Georgia Tech, Navy promoted longtime assistant Niumatalolo. His blocking schemes are considered to be the heart of a vaunted triple-option attack (led Division I-A with 351.5 rushing yards a game), which is expertly run by QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada (1,612 yards total offense). . . . Slot back Reggie Campbell was the star of Navy's record sixth straight win against Army with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and a 12-yard touchdown run among his 228 all-purpose yards. . . . In their past nine games against teams from BCS conferences and Notre Dame, the Midshipmen have given up 337 points but went 4-5.