Jadeveon Clowney, the No. 1 overall prospect in the country, committed to in-state South Carolina from his school auditorium at South Pointe High School. Clowney choose South Carolina over Clemson and Alabama during an announcement made on ESPN's Sportscenter. "I chose them because it's close to home," Clowney said from the podium. "I chose them because I have friends there and my mom can come see me all the time. I can't wait to play with Gerald Dixon [a South Pointe teammate who signed with South Carolina] and with all those boys."

A donor who demanded the return of $3 million from the University of Connecticut because he was unhappy with the hiring of its new football coach has agreed to let the school keep the money. Robert Burton and the university agreed to move past their differences after UConn Board of Trustees Chairman Larry McHugh met with him and his family, McHugh said in a news release. "I felt that it was important to pay a visit to them and have a dialogue," McHugh said. "I am very pleased that in a very short period of time he and his family were able to reconnect with UConn, recognizing all the good UConn does for its students and our state."

TCU turned down a Rose Bowl rematch with Wisconsin to begin the 2011 season. Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said on a Madison sports radio station that he was approached about playing host to TCU on Sept. 3. "I was contacted probably a week, maybe a week and a half after the bowl game about the opportunity to play TCU in our opener," Bielema said. "It was something that was going to be broadcast and made a big deal. It took me all of about point-five seconds to say, 'Yes.' " TCU defeated Wisconsin 21-19 in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte confirmed that he declined the offer of a rematch. "We already have Baylor for our opening game," Del Conte said. "A team supposedly Wisconsin played last year doesn't want to go back there. A third party was shopping the game around to other teams. I have no interest in playing a one-[time] game."

Former Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier will begin visiting transfer choices Monday and has narrowed his options to Kansas State, Washington, Arizona, Miami and Montana. Forcier said he hopes to do all of his visits next week, probably starting with Kansas State or Miami. He backed up Michigan's Denard Robinson last season after starting ahead of him when they were both freshmen in 2009.

Cyrus Kouandjio, the No. 3 player in the ESPNU 150, signed a national letter of intent with Auburn on Wednesday, the first day players were eligible to formally commit. His decision will pit him against older brother Arie, who is a freshman offensive lineman at Alabama. "The Iron Bowl is going to be crazy," said Kouandjio, a 6-foot-7, 325-pound offensive tackle from Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic. "I can't even imagine what it's going to be like to look across the field and see my brother on the other side. I mean, it's Auburn versus Alabama. It doesn't get any bigger than that."

Former Iowa football players are voicing support for Hawkeyes strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle. The university is investigating how 13 current players came to be hospitalized with a muscle disorder following a series of grueling workouts. Colts linebacker Pat Angerer, in a statement posted on the National Football Post website, said he was "tired of all the negative attention" being focused on the team's strength and conditioning program. The 13 players were hospitalized a week ago with rhabdomyolysis, a stress-induced syndrome that can damage cells and cause kidney problems.