defeat. Steward Butler rushed for 233 yards

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KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Roger Clemens tried to get across a sense of urgency to Houston Astros pitchers Wednesday. "If its working for you, stay with it. If its not, you need to change something. Thats something I said," Clemens said. "Obviously its not working for some of you so you need to re-evaluate what youre doing." In his capacity as special assistant to the general manager, Clemens addressed a group of young pitchers who were often overmatched last season. With a staff significantly different from the one assembled this spring, the Astros posted a 4.79 ERA while losing 111 games. "If you need to stay and do some extra work, conditioning, whatever it might be, that will make you mentally tougher than the next guy," Clemens said. "I think with all the conditioning I did throughout my career, that made me feel like I had an edge." On the eve of the teams first full-squad workout, the Astros brought in the 51-year-old, seven-time Cy Young Award winner for a morning pep talk. "I think these guys have got to realize that its not only just about them, that everybodys rooting hard and they want em to do well," Clemens said. "Obviously when they do that, a lot of people are going to start coming through the turnstiles again to watch em." Clemens pitched three of his 24 major league seasons in Houston, winning the National League ERA title in 2005 when the Astros won the pennant. The years since have been lean, especially the past three in which the Astros lost 106, 107 and 111 games. Thats one of the reasons Clemens was brought back last year, according to general manager Jeff Luhnow. "He really understands our philosophy as an organization," Luhnow said. "Hes been a part of this organization for a long time and he sees eye-to-eye with everything that were doing and is able to communicate the messages." One of the messages is to no longer accept defeat. "Theres more than a handful of guys that have an opportunity and they need to take a big step forward," Clemens said. "In spring training everybodys all giddy right now, and then you start the season and everybody gets punched in the face. Its not a lot of fun. I think theyre kind of taking the kid gloves off em a little bit and asking a lot of em to step up." The catchers, too. "I asked those guys today to step up a little bit when the pitchers not doing very well, and to get after him a little bit, see if you can stroke his emotions, get his attention so hes not lethargic out there," Clemens said. "Theres a fine line there, but its time for some of these guys to really take a giant step forward." Veteran Chad Qualls, brought in to compete for the closer job, said Clemens got his points across. "Anytime somebody with his presence steps into a room, he just kind of demands your attention," Qualls said. "You always open up and listen to what he has to say because hes been through everything, the ups and the downs. He knows exactly what hes talking about." And at some point in the spring, it will go behind talking. "At my advanced stage, I still enjoy putting the cleats on and demonstrating when I can. I like the teaching aspect, and then to turn em loose and for them to get after it," he said. "I enjoy rooting for the underdog and trying to motivate guys and answer their questions when they have them." Notes: Relief pitcher Jesse Crain strained his right calf while exercising in a gym Tuesday. The Astros are awaiting the result of an MRI. "That will be some sort of setback; I dont know how many days," Luhnow said. ... First baseman Japhet Amador, who hit .368 with 36 home runs in the Mexican League, will not report to spring training until further notice because of a family emergency. Kyle Juszczyk Ravens Jersey . A groundswell for raising the number of playoff qualifiers to seven in each conference figures to get plenty of support from the 32 owners. Most notably, Arizonas Bill Bidwill, who saw his Cardinals go 10-6 and not get in, while Green Bay (8-7-1) qualified by winning the NFC North. Jeremy Zuttah Ravens Jersey . -- The anointed starting quarterback for the Oakland Raiders is strengthening his hold on the position this training camp instead of losing it. http://www.ravensjerseyscheapauthentic.com/. LOUIS -- The Atlanta Braves used a two-run rally in the ninth to end their road trip with a win. Eugene Monroe Ravens Jersey . The 24-year-old Raley was 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA for Chicago in his first two career starts after being called up from Iowa on Aug. 7. He was optioned to Iowa on Monday after losing 3-0 to Cincinnati in Chicago on Sunday. Elvis Dumervil Ravens Jersey . Mars announced Saturday that the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers will join him as part of his halftime show. Super Bowl halftime performers often have collaborators.Pasadena, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Kevin Hogan threw two touchdown passes to lead a balanced offensive attack as Stanford knocked off No. 9 UCLA with a 31-10 victory. Hogan completed 16-of-19 passes for 234 yards, Remound Wright rushed for 64 yards and two scores on 15 carries and Devon Cajuste and Michael Rector each hauled in a TD pass for Stanford (7-5, 5-4 Pac-12), which has won seven straight games against UCLA. Brett Hundley threw for 146 yards and a score on 17-of-32 passing for the Bruins (9-3, 6-3), who had a five-game winning streak come to an end. UCLA wouldve clinched the Pac-12 South title with a victory, but now the winner of the Arizona-Arizona State game will represent the division against Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship game on Dec. 5. Thomas Duarte made four catches for 63 yards and a touchdown and Paul Perkins ran for 116 yards on 17 carries for the Bruins. Final Score: (12) Arizona 42, (13) Arizona State 35 Tucson, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) - The public address announcer at Arizona Stadium never relayed the results of the game in Pasadena. Arizonas focus was sorely on its in-state rival, and the Territorial Cup is now back in its hands. The Wildcats are hoping to add another trophy to their collection next week. Nick Wilson ran for three scores and Samajie Grant hauled in both of Anu Solomons two touchdown passes as the 12th-ranked Wildcats defeated No. 13 Arizona State 42-35 on Friday afternoon. The victory over the Sun Devils, coupled with No. 8 UCLAs loss to Stanford, wrapped up the Pac-12 South and punched Arizonas ticket into the Pac-12 title game in Santa Clara against No. 3 Oregon next Friday. Stanford put the finishing touches of a 31-10 rout of the Bruins at the Rose Bowl just minutes prior to Mike Bercovicis 4th-and-12 pass with 1:07 remaining into a crowd of Arizona players falling incomplete. Final Score: (17) Missouri 21, Arkansas 14 Columbia, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - Maty Mauk threw for 265 yards and led two long fourth-quarter touchdown drives that rallied No. 17 Missouri to a 21-14 victory over Arkansas and an appearance in the SEC Championship Game. The Tigers (10-2, 7-1 SEC) sewed up their second consecutive SEC East title by scoring 18 unanswered points -- 15 of which came in the final quarter -- to overcome a 14-3 first-half deficit and run their winning streak to six games. Mauk threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Jimmie Hunt to cap a 98-yard series that tied the game with 12:41 left, with Marcus Murphy putting Missouri ahead on a 12-yard run with 4:38 remaining. Mauk completed 25-of-42 attempts with an interception and the one touchdown, while Bud Sasser caught nine passes for 127 yards and threw for a key 2-point conversion tthat aided the comeback.dddddddddddd Russell Hansbrough added 91 rushing yards on 20 carries, and Missouris defense pitched a shutout in the second half to deny Arkansas (6-6, 2-6) a third straight win over a ranked opponent. Final Score: Western Kentucky 67, (19) Marshall 66 (OT) Huntington, WV (SportsNetwork.com) - Marshalls bid for a perfect season went by the wayside Friday when Brandon Doughtys two-point conversion pass to Willie McNeal in overtime gave Western Kentucky a 67-66 victory over the 19th- ranked Thundering Herd. Marshall trailed throughout the majority of the defensively challenged contest, falling behind 14-0 early and trailing by 21 in the second quarter. The Thundering Herd, though, rallied for 10 points in the final 5 1/2 minutes of regulation to force overtime and went ahead for the first time all day on the second play of the extra period when Rakeem Cato hit Hyleck Foster with a 25-yard touchdown pass. It took just two plays for Western Kentucky to answer, as Doughty found Jared Dangerfield in the back of the end zone from 25 yards away. The Hilltoppers decided to go for the victory and Doughty easily hit McNeal in the right front corner of the end zone. Doughty threw for 491 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions for Western Kentucky (7-5, 4-4 C-USA), which won its final four games of the regular season. Leon Allen ran for 237 yards with a touchdown on 33 carries for the Hilltoppers. Cato also lit it up with 417 yards passing and seven touchdowns, but he was intercepted four times in defeat. Steward Butler rushed for 233 yards with two touchdowns for the Thundering Herd (11-1, 7-1), who will still play for the Conference USA championship next weekend. Final Score: Air Force 27, (21) Colorado State 24 Colorado Springs, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - Will Conant booted a 39-yard field goal as time expired and Air Force played spoiler with a 27-24 win over 21st- ranked Colorado State on Friday. Colorado State faced a 3rd-and-2 from the Air Force 42 with under a minute remaining when Jasen Oden Jr. was stopped for no gain. The Rams gambled on fourth down, but Dee Hart was also stood up and the Falcons took over with 38 seconds to play. On 3rd-and-4 of the ensuing possession, Nate Romine fired to Garrett Brown for 26 yards, setting up Conants game-winner. Romine, who made his first start of the season, was only asked to throw 15 times for the run-heavy Falcons (9-3, 5-3 MW). He completed just six passes for 135 yards while racking up a team-high 61 yards and a touchdown on the ground. D.J. Johnson and Shayne Davern also scored on the ground for Air Force, which finished the regular season with a 6-0 record at Falcon Stadium. China Jerseys ' ' '