NEW YORK — Notre Dame is a victory from playing for the Bowl Championship Series title. Alabama and Georgia each need two, and might have to go through each other.

A day after Oregon and Kansas State lost to give up control of the BCS race, the Fighting Irish (.9973) moved into first place in the standings for the first time.

"Now we don't have to answer questions about style points or politics," Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said. "Now we have a chance to play for the national championship this week."

Notre Dame (11-0), ranked No. 1 in both polls and by the computer ratings, needs only to beat slumping rival USC on Saturday in Los Angeles to earn its first trip to the BCS title game. Trojans quarterback Matt Barkley won't play; he suffered a sprained right shoulder late in Saturday's 38-28 loss at UCLA.

Alabama (.9333) and Georgia (.8763) also have rivalry games Saturday. The Crimson Tide, second in the BCS, hosts Auburn and the Bulldogs play Georgia Tech at home.

If the favorites win, the Southeastern Conference championship game will be a national semifinal of sorts, with the winner advancing to the Jan. 7 BCS title game.

Florida (.8434) of the SEC is fourth in the BCS heading into a game at 10th-place Florida State.

Tennessee

fires Dooley

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee athletic director Dave Hart said Derek Dooley improved the program during his three-season tenure as the Volunteers' coach — just not enough to keep the job.

Dooley, 44, was fired Sunday after posting a 15-21 record. Dooley was 4-19 in SEC games and 0-15 against Top 25 teams.

Tennessee (4-7, 0-7 SEC) is 1-14 in the SEC over the last two years.

Note

• Minnesota's leading receiver, A.J. Barker, quit the team and sent an occasionally profane email of more than 4,100 words to coach Jerry Kill that detailed their conflict about treatment of the junior's sprained right ankle.

Barker said he was forced to practice by Kill on Tuesday, but he was unable to get through warm-ups. An MRI test Wednesday revealed ligament tears and a bone bruise, he said.

A day later, according to walk-on Barker, Kill shouted at him in front of the team and said he wasn't working hard enough on his rehab.