Florida's Tim Tebow will go for two against a pair of talented quarterbacks from the Big 12 when the Heisman Trophy is handed out Saturday night in New York.

Sam Bradford from Oklahoma and Colt McCoy from Texas joined Tebow as Heisman finalists announced yesterday.

The last time all the Heisman finalists were quarterbacks was 2001, when Nebraska's Eric Crouch won the award and QBs held the first six spots.

Tebow was the first sophomore to win the Heisman last year and is trying to become the second player to win it twice.

Archie Griffin won the Heisman as a junior in 1974 for Ohio State and again in 1975.

Tebow's Gators will play Bradford and the Sooners in the BCS national championship game Jan. 8 in Miami.

"It's a good thing I don't have a vote," Bradford said while attending an event with Tebow and McCoy in Orlando, Fla., where numerous college football awards will be handed out tonight. "I couldn't decide. It's just an honor to be one of the guys going up to New York."

LOMBARDI AWARD

Texas DE Orakpo wins: Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo won the Rotary Lombardi Award last night in Houston, the first Longhorn to take home the trophy in 24 years.

Orakpo is the first Houston native to win the Lombardi, awarded by the city's Rotary Club to the nation's top college lineman or linebacker. He's the third Texas player to win it, and the first since offensive tackle Tony Degrate in 1984. Texas defensive tackle Kenneth Sims won it in 1981.

The 6-foot-4, 260-pound Orakpo already won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded to the nation's top defensive player, and was the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year. Orakpo finished the regular season with 10.5 sacks, 15.5 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles.

Orakpo beat out Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis, Southern Cal linebacker Rey Maualuga and Alabama offensive lineman Andre Smith.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Florida's Mullen will be coach: Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen will be the new football coach at Mississippi State, moving from the Southeastern Conference champions to one of the league's perennial cellar dwellers.

Mullen will be introduced at a news conference this morning at the Starkville, Miss, campus. The 36-year-old has been an assistant coach for 14 years and spent the last eight with Urban Meyer at Bowling Green, Utah and Florida.

BUFFALO

Syracuse, Auburn eye Gill: Buffalo coach Turner Gill, fresh off an improbable Mid-American Conference title, is a candidate for coaching vacancies at Syracuse and Auburn.

University at Buffalo athletic director Warde Manuel told The Associated Press yesterday that he provided both schools permission to interview Gill. Manuel said no other schools have contacted him.

ALABAMA STATE

Placed on five-year probation: Alabama State's football program was placed on five years' probation by the NCAA yesterday for 17 violations, including allowing ineligible players to play and practice, and must forfeit all games won in the 2000 and 2001 seasons, including the 2001 Southwest Athletic Conference championship.

The NCAA also banned Alabama State from playing in the postseason in 2009.