Jeff Hart

Alabama coach Nick Saban didn't rule out the possibility Wednesday of All-America left tackle Andre Smith returning for his senior season. An NCAA spokeswoman, meanwhile, said the governing body has spoken with university officials and determined that it is an internal matter.

The Georgia men

As the Atlanta Falcons prepare to visit Arizona in a wild-card game Saturday, owner Arthur Blank is delighted in the two obscure hires he made last January. Coach Mike Smith and GM Thomas Dimitroff are the two men most responsible for drafting quarterback Matt Ryan third overall and for turning around a once-pitiful franchise.

Former Auburn football Terry Bowden returned to coaching Wednesday at Division II North Alabama. The 52-year-old Bowden, the son of Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, brings a 111-53-2 record to North Alabama, which finished the 2008 season 12-2 and reached the semifinals of the Division II playoffs.

Sergei Samsonov's backhanders kept the Carolina Hurricanes moving forward under new coach Paul Maurice. Samsonov scored two goals with his backhand and added an assist to lead Carolina past the Atlanta Thrashers, 3-1 on Wednesday night.

Vanderbilt used to be called the worst team in the Southeastern Conference. Cellar dwellers. The private school that just didn't belong in a power football league. No more. Vanderbilt won a bowl game for the first time in exactly 53 years, with Bryant Hahnfeldt kicking a 45-yard field goal with 3:26 left Wednesday for a 16-14 win over Boston College in the Music City Bowl.

Two members of Georgia Tech's defensive line have another game waiting after Wednesday night's Chick-fil-A Bowl against LSU.

Jets quarterback Brett Favre reportedly has a torn biceps tendon in his right arm that will not need major surgery to repair, ESPN said Tuesday.

The Class AA No. 3-ranked Buford girls basketball team took home the title of the Deep South Classic Tuesday night routing Class AAAAA Peachtree Ridge 55-25 in the championship game.

Xavier used an 18-0 second-half run to turn a six-point deficit into a 12-post lead en route to a 56-44 win over Georgia before a crowd of 4,534 at Stegeman Coliseum on Tuesday night.