"We have almost finished a new contract, and I'm excited about that," Tuberville said yesterday after his team arrived in New Orleans for its bowl game. "I'm excited about the future."

The extension is a far cry from last season when it became public that Auburn officials, including the university president, had covertly courted Louisville coach Bobby Petrino to replace Tuberville.

"We just now got our program going in full swing, and there's not a better place in the country to live and work and coach football," Tuberville said. "And I'm excited about being at Auburn a long time."

TEXAS

Coach Mack Brown to get raise at Texas

With Texas preparing for its first Rose Bowl, coach Mack Brown is in line for a raise.

Brown already is one of college football's highest-paid coaches with a salary of slightly more than $2 million a year. Athletic director DeLoss Dodds told The Associated Press yesterday that details of the new contract will be announced during the week.

"We like what we've got," Dodds said. "He's done a wonderful job with the program."

Brown declined to discuss details of his pending contract extension but said he was "excited about the talks."

Texas (10-1) has won at least 10 games the last four seasons and has become a Top 10 fixture in the rankings during his seven years.

The Rose Bowl will be Texas' first appearance in a Bowl Championship Series game. The Longhorns meet No. 13 Michigan (9-2) on Jan. 1.

MOTOR CITY BOWL

UConn defeats Toledo in bowl debut, 39-10

Dan Orlovsky wanted to linger as long as possible and savor the latest milestone for Connecticut football.

By the time he trotted to the sidelines in the closing minutes to a standing ovation, he had thrown for 239 yards and two touchdowns to lead UConn to a 39-10 win over Toledo in the Motor City Bowl at Detroit. It was the Huskies' first bowl appearance since becoming a full Division I-A team three years ago.

"I didn't want to come off the field," Orlovsky said. "Me being stubborn, I just wanted to play. But it was a great feeling to walk off the field and have the fans cheer like that."

Thousands of UConn fans were part of the record Motor City Bowl crowd of 52,552.

The Huskies (8-4) dominated in every phase of the game, holding the Rockets to a season-low 10 points.

The UConn defense held the Rockets (9-4) to just 78 yards on the ground. Toledo quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, who broke his throwing hand in the Mid-American Conference championship on Dec. 2, scored the Rockets only TD on a one-yard run.

The Huskies' special teams also shone in their bowl debut. Matt Nuzie kicked a career-best four field goals and added three extra points.