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College football notes: Bo Pelini not concerned with job status

Nebraska coach Bo Pelini’s message to the school administration after Friday’s game against Iowa: ”If they want to fire me, go ahead. I believe in what I've done.”Eric Francis/Getty Images

Bo Pelini said he hasn’t been told if he’ll return for a seventh season as Nebraska’s head coach and that he isn’t spending any time worrying about it.

‘‘If they want to fire me, go ahead,’’ Pelini told reporters after the Cornhuskers’ 38-17 loss to Iowa Friday ended Nebraska’s regular season at 8-4. ‘‘I believe in what I've done. I don’t apologize to you. I don’t apologize to anybody, myself or this staff. My record, our record since I've been here, speaks for itself. And this program is heading in a good direction.

‘‘You choose not to think so, that’s your prerogative. All I know is myself, this staff, the people who have been associated with this program since I've been here can look themselves in the mirror and feel good about what they've done.’’

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Though Pelini is 57-24 at Nebraska, his performance has been heavily scrutinized in the wake of bad losses to UCLA and Minnesota.

Pelini’s volatile sideline antics, which have been kept under wraps most of the season, were back in full force Friday. He was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct in the third quarter after he protested a pass-interference call on linebacker Zaire Anderson. Pelini took off his hat and nearly hit linesman Steve Matarante as he punched the air with his left fist.

Junior receiver Kenny Bell said he and his teammates support Pelini.

‘‘I would play for Bo Pelini against Satan himself,’’ Bell said, ‘‘and a team of demons at the gates of the underworld.’’

Don Brown garners honors

BC defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Don Brown has been nominated for a Broyles Award, honoring the top assistant coach, the Rotary Club of Little Rock announced. Brown, whose defense checks in 11th among all FBS teams with 33 sacks, has been instrumental for an Eagles program that has achieved seven wins and bowl eligibility on the heels of consecutive losing seasons in 2011 (4-8) and 2012 (2-10). The winner will be announced Dec. 10 . . . Governor John Kasich wants Ohioans to avoid using the dreaded letter ‘‘M'’ on Saturday when No. 3 Ohio State faces archrival Michigan. Kasich declared the game day as ‘‘Scarlet Letter Saturday’’ in honor of Ohio State’s rivalry game with the Wolverines.

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Duke on precipice

With each win in a historically successful season, Duke coach David Cutcliffe said his team would have to follow up with an even bigger win the following week. That approach has brought the No. 24 Blue Devils within a win of an improbable Coastal Division championship and a ticket to the Atlantic Coast Conference title game. It all depends on whether they can beat surging rival North Carolina Saturday on the road. The Blue Devils (9-2, 5-2 ACC) have won seven straight to tie the program’s season record for victories, while the Tar Heels (6-5, 4-3) have won five straight to dig out from a 1-5 start and become bowl eligible. If Duke can beat North Carolina for the second straight year, the Blue Devils will face No. 2 Florida State in Charlotte next week for the ACC title.

Iron Bowl the headliner

There are plenty of other appetizing rivalry games on the plate for Saturday. Top-ranked Alabama (11-0, 7-0) travels to face No. 4 Auburn (10-1, 6-1) in the Iron Bowl. The winner heads to the Southeastern Conference championship game . . . No. 10 South Carolina (9-2) hosts sixth-ranked Clemson (10-1) in the battle for Palmetto State bragging rights. The Gamecocks also have a shot to make the SEC title game if No. 19 Texas A&M defeats fifth-ranked Missouri . . . Also on tap is the annual Bayou Classic. Grambling (1-10, 1-7 SWAC), which made history this season for the players’ protest of their travel and training conditions, faces Southern (7-4, 6-2) at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

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