By ED PUSKAS

Tribune Chronicle

Random thoughts while wondering if Urban Meyer would fare better in the NFL than Steve Spurrier, the last Florida Gators coach to give it a try, did:

The Cleveland Browns tried the college-to-pro thing with Butch Davis, but at least he had been an NFL coordinator. But Meyer is a winner, and he has North Coast roots.

The Browns could do worse than Meyer if they don't lure Bill Cowher out of retirement.

Meyer appears to have guided Florida into another BCS title game after the Gators' 31-20 victory over previously unbeaten Alabama on Saturday, but perhaps the nation's most successful college football coach is Mount Union's Larry Kehres.

The Purple Raiders' 41-14 victory over Cortland (N.Y.) State has them in the Division III national semifinals for the 14th consecutive season.

Mount Union will host Wheaton (Ill.) on Saturday.

Former Warren G. Harding football coach Thom McDaniels has resigned after two seasons at Massillon Jackson, according to a Canton Repository report.

McDaniels was 9-11 with the Polar Bears after seven seasons with the Raiders and 16 years at Canton McKinley.

Harding boys basketball transfer Angel Gonzalez has received rave reviews after the Raiders' first two regular-season games.

The junior from Puerto Rico is 6-foot-4, can play inside or away from the basket and seems to have a good court sense about him.

It looks like Gonzalez is a great addition to a team with returning standouts Sheldon Brogdon, Desmar Jackson and Fred Williams.

Dallas Stars enforcer Sean Avery, suspended for offensive comments he made about his former girlfriends, now says he ''needs help'' with anger management and a pattern of anti-social behavior on and off the ice.

Isn't it strange how people who need help only seem to realize it after they're hit with some penalty or criminal charges?

A potential new NRA slogan: ''Guns don't shoot people, clumsy NFL receivers with weapons tucked into their sweatpants shoot people.''

Why does Plaxico Burress seem predisposed to getting himself into bad situations?

With the Southeastern Conference and Big 12 Conference championship games providing no real drama Saturday, it appears the Ohio State Buckeyes will return to their home away from home in the Arizona desert.

BCS projections late Saturday night had the Buckeyes meeting the Texas Longhorns in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., on Jan. 5.

The Indians might be out of the Casey Blake sweepstakes. Reports out of Minnesota indicate the Twins have offered Blake - who played for them before he joined the Tribe - a two-year deal worth $6 million annually.

The offer reportedly also contains an option for a third season. The Indians were thought to be considering a one-year offer for the versatile Blake.

Oklahoma crushed Missouri, 62-21, in the Big 12 title game Saturday night. In the process, the Sooners set an NCAA record by exceeding 60 points for the fifth consecutive game.

Late in the fourth quarter, Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford - who is set to have surgery on ligaments in his left thumb - was throwing deep to the end zone as the Sooners scrambled to get that last score and set the record.

Maybe what goes around will come around, and Florida will drop 60 on Oklahoma in the BCS title game.

epuskas@tribtoday.com