Former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville is checking out the open head coaching job at Texas Tech.

Texas Tech athletics department spokesman Chris Cook said yesterday that Tuberville was expected to meet with university and athletic department administrators.

Tuberville, 55, stepped down at Auburn in December 2008, ending a 10-year tenure that included a perfect season and No. 2 ranking in 2004.

Athletics director Gerald Myers has said he could decide on a new coach by the end of the week. He also said interim coach Ruffin McNeill will be strongly considered for the permanent job.

McNeill took over after Texas Tech suspended and then fired Mike Leach amid allegations of mistreating receiver Adam James after the player suffered a concussion. McNeill led the Red Raiders to a 41-31 win over Michigan State in the Alamo Bowl on Saturday.

FLORIDA STATE

APPEAL DENIED

The NCAA has upheld its decision to vacate up to 14 victories from former football coach Bobby Bowden as part of Florida State's penalty in an academic cheating scandal.

Bowden, 80, retired as major college football's second most winningest coach with 389 wins after Florida State's 33-21 Gator Bowl victory over West Virginia, Jan. 1.

Twenty five football players were among the athletes who cheated on an online test in a music history course from the fall of 2006 through summer 2007 or received improper help from staffers who provided them with answers to the exam and typed papers for them.