Associated Press

The national notebook ...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Bobby Bowden has a one-game lead over Joe Paterno as major college football's winningest coach — but only because Florida State accepted a forfeit win years ago and Penn State refused.

And with Paterno, 81, and Bowden, 78, in the twilight of their careers, that technicality could wind up deciding who finishes No. 1 — although both coaches claim the race doesn't matter. Paterno could catch Bowden at 373 wins Saturday when he opens his 43rd season at Penn State against Coastal Carolina. Bowden also starts his 43rd season as a major college head coach and his 33rd at Florida State when the Seminoles face Western Carolina Sept. 6.

"It's just Joe and I right now," Bowden said. "If it happens that I win more than him, that's good. If he wins more than me, it won't bother me. I keep up with it, but I'm not infatuated with it."

CLEMSON REMARK

CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson's defensive coordinator has apologized for jokes he made about Alabama's recruiting practices.

Fourth-year assistant Vic Koenning says he was joking with reporters Monday night when he discussed seeing high-profile Alabama receivers Julio Jones and B.J. Scott each driving a Cadillac Escalade.

Koenning apologized on Tuesday, saying he does not make it a practice to worry about other teams' recruiting and has never had any problem with Alabama's practices.

Ninth-ranked Clemson faces the 24th-ranked Crimson Tide Saturday night in Atlanta.

EAST CAROLINA

GREENVILLE— Skip Holtz and East Carolina agreed to a new contract Tuesday that will last through the 2013 season.NEW QBS

COLUMBIA, S.C. — What's new at South Carolina and North Carolina State can be found under center.

Both the Gamecocks and Wolfpack will feature first-time starting quarterbacks when they open their seasons against each other Thursday night at Williams-Brice Stadium.

South Carolina will go with fourth-year junior Tommy Beecher, a Concord native. N.C. State counters with redshirt freshman Russell Wilson.

OHIO STATE

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The most talked-about player on Ohio State has never played a down in scarlet and gray and won't start in the season opener on Saturday against Youngstown State.

Terrelle Pryor, acclaimed as the top quarterback recruit in the country last winter, is listed as No. 3 on the Buckeyes' depth chart.

Coach Jim Tressel said Tuesday that he was hoping all three would get to play in the opening half against Youngstown State.MAUK UPDATE

CINCINNATI — The NCAA said Tuesday that it's still considering quarterback Ben Mauk's latest appeal for more playing time, contrary to what it told his lawyer a day earlier.

VIRGINIACHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The identity of Virginia's starting quarterback will remain a mystery until the Cavaliers take the field Saturday against No. 3 Southern Cal.

ORE IN D2

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — Former Virginia Tech running back Branden Ore has transferred to Division II West Liberty for his senior season.

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