FanHouse College Sports 2

Football forever altered the course of Brian Stokes' life, but not until after he had served two tours in Iraq as a Marine.

His military experience also forever altered the course of his life, but not until long after football had already kicked Stokes to the curb.

A big battle last week in college football was over an eye gouge and whether Tim Tebow was the victim of a late hit.

You'll forgive Bob Chappuis for not getting all caught up in it.

About 65 years ago, he was Tim Tebow. Only he spent his junior season trying to evade German patrols, not Georgia linebackers.

With all due respect to the Yankees for winning their 27th world championship, last week's most astounding accomplishment goes to Elizabeth Lambert.

She succeeded where Pele, Beckham, Posh Spice and the United Nations and others failed. Lambert made Americans care about soccer.

Not just soccer, but women's soccer. And she didn't have to take off her shirt to do it.

LA JOLLA, Calif. -- A college pole vaulter has died after missing the landing pad during practice at the University of California, San Diego's La Jolla campus.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office says 19-year-old Leon Roach landed head first on concrete during a training jump Saturday.

Roach immediately became unresponsive, according to the coroner's report.

He was pronounced brain dead at a hospital. An autopsy is pending.

Stanford is No. 1 -- for the 15th consecutive year.

Stanford has won its 15th consecutive Learfield Sports Directors' Cup in recognition of the country's top intercollegiate athletic program. The Cardinals had 10 top-five national finishes this season, taking home the men's gymnastics and women's rowing championships; placing second in women's volleyball and men's water polo; third in men's cross country, men's swimming, women's soccer, women's basketball, and women's water polo; and fourth in women's swimming.

North Carolina, Florida, Southern California and Michigan rounded out the top 5. The Pac-10 was the big winner, placing eight schools in the top 24. And, for trivia buffs, can you guess the last team other than Stanford to win the Director's Cup? It was UNC in 1993-94. Stanford finished second.