Santa Maria Times from Santa Maria, California • B1

TimCS SPORTS EDITOR: ELLIOTT STERN email elliottsternisantamariatimes.com www.santamariatimes.com On TV today National Hockey League 5 p.m. Phoenix at Chicago (VERSUS) NFL Monday Night Football 5:30 p.m. San Diego at Jacksonville (ESPN) Complete schedule B2 Sports SECTION MONDAY December 5, 2011 Rematch: LSU vs. 'Bama in BCS title game No. 1 LSU vs.

No. 2 Alabama Jan. 9 at 5:30 p.m. (ESPN) By Ralph D. Russo ASSOCIATED PRESS Play it again, LSU and Alabama.

The Crimson Tide edged out Oklahoma State in the final round of voting Sunday and will play the top ranked Tigers in the BC national championship game on Jan. 9 in New Orleans (5:30 p.m. onESPN). Undefeated LSU is the only team to beat Alabama all year, and the top BCS official sees a do -over as a perfectly good title game "Absolutely, if they're 1 and 2 and they are in all the polls released today," executive director Bill Hancock said. Still, it's not exactly a game the public was clamoring for at least outside of Southeastern Conference territory.

And it will do nothing to quiet the critics of the Bowl Championship Series or the calls for a college football playoff. Like it or not, the BCS has ensured the SEC home to both schools will run its streak Alabama (11-1) finished second in both the Harris and coaches' polls by a wide enough margin to make up for the fact that Oklahoma State was ahead in the computer rat -ings. The Cowboys (11-1) champions of the Big 12 will play in the Fiesta Bowl against Stanford from the Pac -12 The other BCS matchups are: Michigan vs Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl Clemson vs. West Virginiain the Orange Bowl. Oregon vs.

Wisconsinin the Rose Bowl. No BCS busters made it into the big money games this year, teams such as Boise State TCU or Houston, whichhad a chance but lost in the Conference USA championship on Sat -urday to Southern Mississippi. The Cougars will now play Perm State which dropped to the Ticket City BowlinDallas. See BCS B2 of national championships to six in a row. The Cowboys made a late surge by beating Oklahoma 44-10 on Saturday night, and closed the gap between themselves and Alabama in the polls But it was not enough to avoid the first title game rematch in the 14 -year history of the BCS.

The Tigers (13-0) beat the Tide 9 6 in overtime on Nov. 5 in Tuscaloosa. "This couldbe atotalty different type of game Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "There's so many good players onboth sides of the ball for both teams "There's so much opportunity for this game to play out completely different and have a completely different flavor than the first game." Associated Press Fresno State fired coach Pat Hill Sunday after the Bulldogs finished with a 4-9 record this season. Hill's record at Fresno State was 112-80 going to 11 bowl games in 15 seasons.

Pat Hill out as Fresno St. coach By Josh Dubow ASSOCIATED PRESS NFL WEEK 13: 49ers, Packers are first to clinch playoff spots Fresno State fired coach Pat Hill on Sunday, a day after the Bulldogs matched a school record for losses in the final game of his 15th season. Hill built a reputation at Fresno State as a giant killer with the mantra of playing anybody, anywhere anytime But in recent years the Bulldogs struggledboth in conference play andin meetings against major teams and fans stoppedpackingBultdog Stadium. See FRESNO ST. B2 Associated Press Associated Press Tiger Woods reacts after winning the Chevron World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club, Sunday, in Thousand Oaks.

Tiger Woods ends two-year victory drought By Doug Ferguson associated press THOUSAND OAKS After going more than two years and 2 6 tournaments without awin, and after so much turmoil in his personal life and with his golf game, Tiger Woods stood over a 6 -foot birdie putt Sunday to win the Chevron World Challenge and felt as though nothing had changed. Finally, the outcome was familiar, too. Woods poured in the putt to cap off a birdie -birdie finish at Sherwood, close with a 3 -under 69 and beat former Masters champion Zach Johnson by one shot The win ended a drought that lasted 749 days, and might have signaled a change that Woods is on his way back He swept his arm across the air, yelled through the din of the gallery and slammed his fist in a celebration that was a long time coming. Relief? Satisfaction? Vindication? See GOLF B2 San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Joe Staley (74) dumps Gatorade on head coach Jim Harbaugh during the fourth quarter of Sunday's game against the St. Louis Rams in San Francisco.

The 49ers won 26-0 to clinch the NFC West and the team's first playoff spot since 2002. San Francisco is playoff bound 0 26 Rams 49ers 49ers rout Rams to clinch NFC West crown be exact for Gore and Smith, and six for Davis. Star linebacker Patrick Willis he 's been waiting five The 49ers trounced the beat-up St. Louis Rams 26 0 on Sunday to become the NFL's second team to se -cure a playoff berth behind unbeaten defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay. Jim Harbaugh's focused bunch wrappedup that long-awaited division title for a once -proud franchise determined to return to the glory days of Jerry Rice and Joe Montana, Steve Young and Roger Craig.

The 49ers are NFC West champs and back in the playoffs for the first time since 2002. "We want to make it to the championship. It's something we've been wanting for a long time Davis said. "This is the reason why I'm here. It means a lot to me See 49ers B3 By Janie McCauley associated press SANFRANCISCO Vernon Davis pulled on ablack "NFC West champions" hat to dress up his suit and tie for a snazzy night on the town with some San Francisco offensive teammates.

They were off for a cele -bratory steak dinner at one of the city's hotspots. This meal for Davis, Frank Gore, Alex Smith and many others has been years in the making. Seven, to KTwBmmWWW St, Louis 0 Oakland 14 Detroit 17 Cincinnati 7 Baltimore 24 Ht lw Em MM San Francisco 26 Miami 34 New Orleans 31 Pittsburgh 35 Cleveland 10 P9HBHflHHflH Dallas 13 Denver 35 Atlanta 10 Indianapolis 24 Tennessee 23 fffnfSjlfuSWWlflm Arizona 19 OT Minnesota 32 Houston 17 New England 31 Buffalo 17 HHfMS)9HHfl Green Bay 38 Kansas City 10 Carolina 38 N.Y. Jets 34 San Diego Tonight N.Y. Giants 35 Chicago 3 Tampa Bay 19 Washington 19 Jacksonville onESPN Resurgent Dolphins rip Raiders games.

In the past five weeks they've outscored opponents 139-54, with the lone loss a one -point defeat at Dallas on Thanksgiving. "We couldn't run. We couldn't stop the run. We didn't pass very well," coach Hue Jackson said. "Just a bad day at the office." The rout takes some luster off Oakland's next game against unbeaten Green Bay.

Miami a team that totaled four touchdowns during one five -game stretch secured the victory with a 21-point third quarter, including two TDs in a 20 -second span. The Dolphins led 34- 0 before Palmer threw two touchdown passes in the last eight minutes. By the final period, the Dolphins were feeling frisky. Bush took a jarring hit from linebacker Aaron Cur -ry trying to catch a pass then showed his resilience by rolling onto his stomach and doing five pushups By Steven Wine associated press MIAMI MiamiDolphins cor-nerbackVontae Davis blitzedfrom the blind side for his first career sack, then dashedupfield in jubilation. A dazed arson Palmer rose slowly, looked back at Davis and did a double take as if startled to discover his tackier was a 5-foot-ll cornerback.

The Dolphins are full of surprises lately. Once woeful Miami won for the fourth time in the past five games Sunday by beating Oakland 34-14. Reggie Bushranfor 100 yards and a touchdown, Matt Moore had a hand in two TDs and Kevin Burnett returned an interception 34 yards for Miami's final score The surge by the Dolphins (4-8) comes after they lost their first seven "We've been on a wild ride here," Moore said. "We've had ourups and downs," Bush added, "but I couldn't be more proud." The Raiders (7-5) fell into a tie with Denver atop the AFC West, and the Raiders 14 Dolphins 34 Associated Press Miami Dolphins cornerback Sean Smith (24) blocks a pass intended for Oakland Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey during Sunday's rout ended their three-game winning streak. Oakland fell to 6 -25 in regular-season games in the Eastern Time Zone since December 2002.

See RAIDERS B3 game in Miami. The Dolphins defeated the Raiders 34-14. I.