EUGENE, Ore. » Oregon’s Chip Kelly has been voted AP Coach of the Year after leading the second-ranked Ducks to an undefeated record and a spot in the BCS national championship game in just his second season as the team’s leader.

Kelly received 24 of 55 votes from the AP football poll panel to beat out his title-game counterpart, Gene Chizik of Auburn, who had 17 votes.

Stanford’s Jim Harbaugh was third with five votes. TCU’s Gary Patterson, last year’s winner, and Mark Dantonio of Michigan State each received three votes. Nevada’s Chris Ault, Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy and Mike Haywood, who led Miami, Ohio, to a Mid-American Conference championship before taking the top job at Pittsburgh last week, each received a vote.

Return helps Louisville

Justin Burke threw for two touchdowns and Jeremy Wright scored on a 95-yard kickoff return last night to help Louisville beat Southern Mississippi 31-28 in the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Burke tossed scoring passes of 11 yards to Cameron Graham and 10 yards to Josh Chichester while the Cardinals (7-6) erased a 14-point first-half deficit, then produced a go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter.

Austin Davis threw 205 yards and two TDs to become Southern Mississippi’s career TD pass leader, moving ahead of Brett Favre and Lee Roberts in the Golden Eagles record book with 53 in three seasons.

Vols report violation

Tennessee reported secondary violations to the NCAA after discovering 36 student-athletes were given special treatment at the Knoxville bar where a fight involving Volunteers football players broke out in July.

Tennessee officials began investigating possible extra benefits after the owners of Bar Knoxville said following the July 9 bar brawl that Vols athletes were not required to pay cover charges on Thursdays when other patrons were charged between $5 and $10.

Boise State regroups

Austin Pettis and his teammates say all the right things, if only because they have no other choice. No need to disrespect Utah in Las Vegas, even if they would rather be smelling roses.

What might have been for Boise State ended with two missed field goals against Nevada that cost the Broncos an expected bid to the Rose Bowl. Now they must overcome crushed expectations and perform like a BCS team against the No. 20 Utes today in the MAACO Bowl to try and set the stage for another magical run next season.