PRO FOOTBALL JETS LOSE MAWAE TO TORN TRICEPS

Jets center Kevin Mawae, who has started every game for the last 10 years, will miss the rest of the season after tearing his left triceps against Buffalo, coach Herman Edwards said yesterday. The six-time Pro Bowler had started 177 straight games, third among active players behind Packers quarterback Brett Favre (210) and Chiefs guard Will Shields (196).

Mawae was hurt in the third quarter of the Jets’ loss to the Bills when Sam Adams, listed at 335 pounds, fell on his elbow. Mawae returned to the game for one series in the fourth quarter with his elbow heavily taped, but couldn’t push off. Edwards said an MRI exam con firmed the injury, and Mawae will get a second opinion before undergoing surgery next week. Mawae said he needs six months of rehab and anticipates being ready for off-season training activities in April.

When Mawae went out against the Bills, Jonathan Goodwin played center. But he and Vinny Testaverde had two bad exchanges, including a lost fumble. Left guard Pete Kendall played center late in the game, and offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger said Kendall would be the choice for the long haul with Goodwin taking over at guard.

In other injuries, cornerback Ty Law is questionable for Monday night’s game in Atlanta with back spasms, and backup safety Oliver Celestin is questionable with a bad left knee.

BRUSCHI TO RETURN TO PLAYING FIELD

Tedy Bruschi is ready to play football again, just eight months after a mild stroke left him unsure whether his life would ever return to normal. The Patriots linebacker said he’ll practice with the team Wednesday after doctors cleared him. Just 10 days before the stroke, Bruschi intercepted a pass in New England’s second straight Super Bowl victory last February 6.

“I came to the point where they tell me I can play. I feel like I can play. Shoot, I know I can play,” Bruschi said yesterday. “So let’s just play.”

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

USC, TEXAS TOP SEASON’S FIRST BCS STANDINGS

Southern California and Texas are nos. 1 and 2 in the first Bowl Championship Series standings of the season, released yesterday, just as they have been in the polls since the preseason.

USC has a BCS grade of .9923,giving the Trojans a solid cushion over the second-place Longhorns (.9591). Virginia Tech (.9067), Georgia (.8933), and Alabama (.8220) followed USC and Texas. Notre Dame (.3985) is 16th – the computer rankings were not kind to the Fighting Irish (4-2).

The BCS formula is the same as last season, with each poll counting for one-third of a team’s grade and the computer ratings making up the remaining third. The highest grade possible is 1.000.The difference this year is that the Harris poll has replaced the Associated Press Top 25. The Harris poll panel is comprised of former players, coaches, and administrators, along with some media members.

– Associated Press