LAS VEGAS -- Standing 5 feet 9 and weighing 165 pounds, Donnel Pumphrey was considered too small to play running back by many schools coming out of Canyon Springs High School in North Las Vegas.Rivals.com rated Pumphrey the fourth-best prospect in the state of Nevada. Scout.com gave him a two-star ranking. San Diego State had to beat out schools such as Oregon State, Duke and lukewarm interest from hometown UNLV to garner his services.But the spotlight will be a big one shinning on Pumphrey in the 25th annual Las Vegas Bowl when Mountain West champion San Diego State (10-3) plays Houston (9-3) on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC) at Sam Boyd Stadium, only an 18-mile drive from Pumphreys old high school.Pumphrey (6,290 yards) needs 108 yards to surpass Wisconsins Ron Dayne (6,397) as the all-time leading career rusher in FBS history.Dayne, speaking on the Wisconsin State Journals The Red Zone podcast last month, said he believes hes getting shortchanged however.Hes gonna have (an asterisk) by his name if he breaks the record anyway, said Dayne, who starred at Wisconsin from 1996-1999. They didnt use none of my bowl games.Valid point. The NCAA began counting bowl games toward regular season and career statistical totals in 2002, but it did not go back and add bowl totals for players who played before 2002. If it had, Daynes total, counting bowl games, would be 7,125, including 200 yards in the 2000 Rose Bowl.Records are made to be broken, Dayne said. Good luck to him, and I wish him the best.Pumphrey, a first team All-American by Walter Camp and Sports Illustrated, ranks second in the country in rushing yards (2,018), rushing yards per game (155.2) and all-purpose yards (2,229) despite not playing in the fourth quarter in four of the past seven games. He is the only player in NCAA history with at least 5,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards.Despite all those glossy numbers, he wasnt one of five players invited to New York for the recent Heisman Trophy ceremony, another reason for him to play with a chip on his shoulder.Im very disappointed. I think he deserves to be there, San Diego State coach Rocky Long said last week. I knew all along that it was a long shot because of a lot of things, us being a non-Power 5 program and being on the West Coast. Those are two big deterrents for him being invited, but its very disappointing. But hes the Heisman winner in our minds and heart.Houston promoted offensive coordinator Major Applewhite to become coach after Tom Herman departed to become Texas coach. Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, who had been serving as the interim coach since Herman accepted the Texas job Nov. 26, assumes his usual duties as defensive coordinator and then is expected to join Herman at Texas.The Cougars, who opened the season with a 33-23 upset of eventual Big 12 champion Oklahoma and also stunned then-No. 5-ranked Louisville and Heisman winner Lamar Jackson 36-10, saw their bid for a second straight New Years Six bowl berth go by the wayside when they lost to Navy 46-40 midway through the season.Houston also lost to SMU and Memphis and finished fourth (5-3) in the West Division of the American Athletic Conference.Cougars quarterback Greg Ward Jr. is playing the final game of his spectacular career and ranks fifth in school history in passing touchdowns (52) and passing yardage (8,476). Ward accounted for 31 touchdowns (22 passing, nine rushing) this season while throwing for 3,328 yards and rushing for 518 despite battling a shoulder injury.Houstons rushing defense, led by freshman nose tackle Ed Oliver (19.5 tackles for loss, five sacks) and senior outside linebacker Steven Taylor (72 tackles, 8.5 sacks), ranks third in the nation at 97.9 yards per game which makes Pumphreys quest to break Daynes rushing mark even more interesting. The Cougars limited opponents to 22.6 points per game.Senior cornerback Damontae Kazee (seven interceptions this season, school-record 17 in his career) and senior outside linebacker Calvin Munson (team-best 108 tackles) lead San Diego States defense. Kazee is the first cornerback in Mountain West history to win the defensive player-of-the-year award twice and the fifth player overall, joining Tank Carder (2010-11 at TCU), Jerry Hughes (2008-09 at TCU), Eric Weddle (2005-06 at Utah) and Kirk Morrison (2003-04 at San Diego State).Chris Paul Jersey . Belfort (24-10) needed just 77 seconds to down Henderson in the headlining bout of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson" event at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil. The fight served as a rematch of the pairs 2006 meeting, which Henderson won by decision. Kawhi Leonard Jersey . "Trying to breathe," he said with a grin. Bernier stopped 42 of 43 shots on Monday night, including all 22 in a hectic middle frame, his heroic performance propelling the Leafs toward an undue point in their final game before the Christmas break. https://www.clipperslockerroom.com/Paul-George-City-Edition-Jersey/ . But when it comes to determining if Raymond will find a place on the Leafs roster when training camp concludes in a week, well, that decision will ultimately fall to the head coach. Montrezl Harrell Clippers Jersey . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. JaMychal Green Clippers Jersey . The news was first reported on Gonzalezs Twitter account and confirmed by the Rockies. Gonzalez has a six-week window before position players have their first workout at spring training in Arizona.KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Jalen Hurts and Bo Scarbrough each rushed for over 100 yards Saturday and No. 1 Alabama again got points from its defense and special teams in a 49-10 blowout of No. 9 Tennessee.Alabama (7-0, 4-0 SEC) earned its 19th straight victory overall and its 10th consecutive win in this annual series. Tennessee (5-2, 2-2) has lost its last 13 games against Southeastern Conference Western Division schools.It was the most lopsided victory by either team in this rivalry since a 51-0 Alabama victory in 1906.This is as proud of our team as Ive been all year long in terms of playing a complete game against a very good team, especially in a tough environment, Alabama coach Nick Saban said.Hurts, the Crimson Tides freshman quarterback, ran for 132 yards and three touchdowns as Alabama outrushed Tennessee 438-32. Scarbrough rushed for 109 yards on just five carries, including an 85-yard touchdown.Alabama posted its highest single-game rushing total since running for 451 yards in a 56-28 victory over Tennessee in 1986.The Tide also scored on Ronnie Harrisons 58-yard interception return and Eddie Jacksons 79-yard punt return. Alabama has 11 non-offensive touchdowns this season, including eight from its defense. The Tide entered the day leading all Football Bowl Subdivision teams in both categories.Tennessee had erased double-digit deficits in five of its first six games -- including a 45-38 loss at Texas A&M last week in which it forced overtime after trailing 28-7 -- but the Volunteers couldnt deliver a similar comeback this time.Alabama was too good and Tennessee was too hurt.Tennessee was playing a ranked opponent for the fourth straight week, a stretch that has taken a physical toll.Injuries decimated the Vols defense to such an extent that linebacker Elliott Berry, cornerback Baylen Buchanan and defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie made their first career starts.dddddddddddd McKenzie left in the first quarter after he appeared to hurt his shoulder.On offense, injuries sidelined guard Jashon Robertson and center Dylan Wiesman for the entire game and knocked out Brett Kendrick in the first quarter. The only starting lineman from last weeks loss to Texas A&M who played the majority of Saturdays game was right guard Jack Jones.Usually when you have a run on injuries, it usually affects one position group, two position groups, Tennessee coach Butch Jones said. Its affected every position group.THE TAKEAWAYThis game showcased the versatility of Alabamas rushing attack as the Tide threatened to have three 100-yard rushers in one game. Damien Harris rushed for 94 yards on 14 carries.Alabamas defense arguably was even more impressive as it suffocated a Tennessee offense that had gained 684 yards against Texas A&M one week earlier.Tennessee: The Vols off week comes at an ideal time as they attempt to get healthier. Even in a losing cause, Derek Barnett showed why he belongs in any conversation of the nations top defensive players. Barnett recorded a sack and forced a fumble to set up Tennessees first touchdown and later ended an Alabama scoring threat by making his first career interception.POLL IMPLICATIONSAlabama will certainly maintain its No. 1 ranking after this impressive victory. The question is how far Tennessee will drop after losing its second straight. The Vols will be out of the top 10. Will they stay in the top 15- or top 20?UP NEXTAlabama: In its third straight game against a ranked team, Alabama hosts No. 6 Texas A&M.Tennessee: The Vols have the week off before visiting South Carolina on Oct. 29 ' ' '