LOS ANGELES — Southern California and Texas, the only unbeatens left in Division I-A, will decide the national title in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 4.

The Trojans (12-0) have won 34 straight games and could make history with an unprecedented third consecutive national title with a win over the Longhorns (12-0).

Major college football's two winningest coaches, septuagenarians Joe Paterno of Penn State and Bobby Bowden of Florida State, will meet in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 3.

Notre Dame is back in the BCS after a five-year absence and will face Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 2.

Georgia, which won the SEC title by beating LSU in the Georgia Dome on Saturday, will return to Atlanta to meet Big East champion West Virginia in the relocated Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2.

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Kansas State has hired Virginia offensive coordinator Ron Prince to replace Bill Snyder as head coach Sunday.Prince will become only the fourth black head football coach in Division I-A.

NEW YORK — The Florida Marlins were close to a trade Sunday night that would send catcher Paul Lo Duca to the New York Mets.Florida would receive minor league pitcher Gaby Hernandez and a second minor leaguer.Lo Duca would be the fifth major Marlins player to be traded since the end of the season. He hit .283 last season with six homers and 57 RBIs last season.

LOS ANGELES — Shortstop Rafael Furcal and the Los Angeles Dodgers have reached preliminary agreement on a $39 million, three-year contract.A switch hitter, Furcal batted .284 last season with 12 homers, 58 RBIs, 100 runs scored and 46 steals for Atlanta.

CLEVELAND — Free agent starter Paul Byrd is close to finalizing a $14.25 million, two-year contract with the Cleveland Indians.Byrd went 12-11 with a 3.74 ERA in 31 starts for the Los Angeles Angels last season.

SUN CITY, South Africa — Jim Furyk won the Nedbank Challenge in a four-way playoff Sunday, making a 9-foot birdie chip on the second extra hole.Furyk, who earned $1.2 million, closed with an even-par 72 to match Adam Scott (73), 2004 winner Retief Goosen (72) and Darren Clarke (69) at 6-under 282.Goosen was eliminated with a bogey on the first playoff hole, and Furyk then beat Clarke and Scott on the second extra hole.

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Croatia won its first Davis Cup title Sunday, with Mario Ancic beating Michal Mertinak of Slovakia 7-6 (1), 6-3, 6-4 in the decisive fifth match.Dominik Hrbaty defeated an ailing Ivan Ljubicic 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Ancic then downed Mertinak to clinch the best-of-five series between two first-time finalists.Croatia's Nikki Pilic became the first captain to win the trophy for different nations. He led Germany to Davis Cup titles in 1988, 1989 and 1993.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Christine Sinclair scored two goals and Portland beat UCLA 4-0 in the NCAA women's soccer national championship game on Sunday.The Pilots (24-0-2), who won their second title in three years, became the only team other than North Carolina to finish an unbeaten season with a championship.