Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) ā Le'Veon Bell once carried the ball a league-leading 321 times in a single season for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He doesn't figure to get nearly as many chances with the Kansas City Chiefs. That's just fine with the two-time All-Pro running back, though. Bell has been the focal point of defenses for the majority of his career, whether that was in Pittsburgh or during his short stint with the New York Jets. But now Bell's on a team with so much offensive firepower that he could only marvel while watching them beat the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. "I was just like,' This is unbelievable,'" Bell said.
UNDATED (AP) ā The game of the week in the Big Ten has No. 18 Michigan at No. 21 Minnesota on Saturday. The Wolverines' last four seasons have ended with consecutive losses and fans are getting antsy as Jim Harbaugh enters his sixth year. Michigan is breaking in a new quarterback, presumably Joe Milton, in the Little Brown Jug game. Iowa will have a new quarterback for the first time in four years, with Spencer Petras making his starting debut on the road against Purdue. No. 5 Ohio State is a 26-point favorite for its home game against Nebraska.
UNDATED (AP) ā No. 17 Iowa State is looking to improve to 4-0 in conference play for the first time in school history _ in any league, not only the Big 12. The Cyclones play at well-rested sixth-ranked Oklahoma State. The Cowboys, who are 2-0 in the Big 12, are coming off consecutive bye weeks after their scheduled open date was followed by their game last Saturday at Baylor being pushed back to December due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the Bears program. The Bears are back to play at Texas. No. 20 Kansas State, the only other Big 12 team without a league loss, hosts instate rival Kansas.
UNDATED (AP) ā DeVonta Smith could be tearing up the NFL instead of the Southeastern Conference. But he chose to stay in school, delaying NFL riches and essentially gambling on himself. He's not alone. The SEC has a bunch of players who made similar decisions, including Feleipe Franks, Najee Harris, Richard LeCounte, Kelly Mond, Kadarius Toney and Marco Wilson. Most of them have enjoyed some early season success, just not as much as Smith has at Alabama.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) ā A lawsuit says the son of a former University of Nebraska official is accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy three years ago. The lawsuit filed Wednesday by the mother of the boy alleges that Jack Eichorst assaulted the victim at a sleepover at the Eichorsts' home in October 2017. The Omaha World-Herald reports the lawsuit names Jack Eichorst and his parents. It seeks unspecified damages for emotional distress, pain and suffering of the alleged victim, as well reimbursement of medical and mental health counseling bills. Eichorst attorney Vince Powers says the allegations did not happen. Jack Eichorst was convicted of child pornography possession last year.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) ā No. 10 Florida is planning to return to its football facility Monday, nearly two weeks after the program shut down because of a COVID-19 outbreak. Coach Dan Mullen was one of more than two dozen Gators who tested positive for the coronavirus last week. He sounded congested as he said the team had a new positive Wednesday from testing the day before. Mullen remains quarantined at home, living mostly in his bedroom and adjacent office. The Gators host Missouri on Oct. 31. Mullen says he's concerned about the lengthy layoff. Florida will have gone three weeks between games.
Update on the latest sports
MLB-WORLD SERIES
Rays square series
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) ā The World Series is tied at a game apiece after Brandon Lowe (low) broke out of a three-week slump.
Lowe homered twice and had three RBIs as the Rays downed the Dodgers, 6-4. He put the Rays ahead with a first-inning blast and added a two-run shot that made it 5-0 in the fifth.
Lowe was hitting just .107 this postseason, including an 0-for-4 performance in Game 1.
Joey Wendle laced a two-run double and a sacrifice fly for Tampa Bay, which bounced back from Tuesday's 8-3 loss.
Rays starting pitcher Blake Snell had a no-hitter until Chris Taylor unloaded a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth. Snell followed that with a walk and another hit before leaving the game without a chance to pick up the victory.
Will Smith hit a solo homer in the sixth and Corey Seager did likewise in the eighth before the Rays' bullpen closed it out. Diego Castillo struck out the only batter he faced to pick up the save.
Tony Gonsolin took the loss.
The series continues Friday.
NBA-PELICANS-VAN GUNDY
Van Gundy agrees to become Pelicans' coach
UNDATED (AP) ā Stan Van Gundy has agreed to become the next coach of the New Orleans Pelicans. He will replace Alvin Gentry, who was let go after the Pelicans went 30-42 this season and missed the playoffs.
Van Gundy spent parts of 12 seasons coaching Miami, Orlando and Detroit, winning 58% of his games and going to the playoffs eight times. Now, he gets the chance to work with No. 1 overall draft pick Zion Williamson.
NFL-NEWS
Panthers put Slye, 3rd OL on COVID-19 list
UNDATED (AP) ā The Carolina Panthers have added kicker Joey Slye and offensive tackle Trent Scott to the COVID-19 reserve list, bringing their total number of players on the list to four. Scott becomes the third reserve offensive lineman to be placed on the COVID-19/reserve list in the last six days, joining Tyler Larsen and Michael Schofield.
The moves don't necessarily mean those players have tested positive; they could have come in close contact with someone who has tested positive.
The Panthers practiced as usual Wednesday in preparation for their game Sunday at New Orleans.
In other NFL news:
ā The Raiders sent all five starting offensive linemen home as part of coronavirus contact tracing after right tackle Trent Brown was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list with a positive test. The Raiders held practice without their starting five as they prepare for a home game against Tampa Bay.
ā A'Shawn Robinson has been designated to return to practice with the Rams this week. He's been on the non-football injury list for unspecified reasons at the start of training camp. The decision moves the new defensive tackle closer to his debut for Los Angeles.
ā Jets quarterback Sam Darnold returned to practice for the first time since spraining his throwing shoulder. He could have a chance to play Sunday against the Bills after missing the last two games.
ā A person with direct knowledge of the deal says the Jets have traded outside linebacker Jordan Willis to the 49ers. The Jets are also sending a 2021 seventh-round draft pick to the 49ers for a sixth-round selection in 2022.
ā Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores says he regrets that his players found out about the team's switch to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (TOO'-ah tuhng-ah-vy-LOH'-ah) through social media rather than from him. Tagovailoa, the fifth pick in the April draft, will make his first NFL start on Nov. 1 against the Los Angeles Rams after the Dolphins' bye this week.
ā Washington will allow only friends and family in attendance at FedEx Field on Sunday against the Cowboys, even after Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan allowed teams to fill outdoor stadiums to 10% capacity. At 10% capacity, roughly 8,000 fans would be allowed, something that remains possible later this season.
ā Veteran defensive end/linebacker Aaron Lynch has unretired and been reinstated to Jacksonville's roster. Lynch walked away in August after just a few days of training camp.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NEWS
Penn State coach Pat Chambers resigns after investigation
UNDATED (AP) ā Penn State's Pat Chambers has resigned following an internal investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct by the Nittany Lions' basketball coach. The 49-year-old Chambers had been at the school for nine years and was coming off the team's best season under his directions.
Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour said in a statement that assistant coach Jim Ferry was being elevated to interim coach for the coming season.
NCAA basketball season starts Nov. 25.
In other college basketball news:
ā Kentucky has announced that the NCAA and Southeastern Conference have granted transfers Olivier Sarr and Jacob Toppin immediate eligibility to play this season. Both post players provide experience for the Wildcats, whose only returning regular is sophomore forward Keion Brooks Jr. The 7-foot Sarr played three years at Wake Forest and averaged 13.7 points, nine rebounds and 1.2 blocks last season.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-LSU-PENALTIES
Tigers impose penalties involving Beckham, booster
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) ā LSU has self-imposed penalties for NCAA rules violations by the football program that include a reduction of scholarships and a two-year ban from its athletic facilities for Browns star and former Tigers receiver Odell Beckham Jr. That's according to a report by Sports Illustrated.
LSU acknowledged it was working with the NCAA and had self-imposed penalties but provided no other details.
Beckham was seen handing out cash to LSU players on the field after last year's College Football Playoff national championship game, a violation that is considered minor. A more serious violation involves an LSU booster paying $180,000 that was embezzled from a charity to the father of a former LSU football player.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTS
Former Masters champ Scott tests positive for coronavirus
UNDATED (AP) ā Former Masters champion Adam Scott has tested positive for the coronavirus and has pulled out of the Zozo Championship at Sherwood.
Scott is the second high-profile golfer to test positive in as many weeks. World No. 1 Dustin Johnson tested positive last week in Las Vegas.
In other virus-related developments:
ā Phil Mickelson was planning to play the Houston Open a week before the Masters. That was before the tournament announced it was selling 2,000 tickets a day. That was enough for Mickelson to say he probably would play on the PGA Champions Tour that week in Phoenix. Mickelson says if the Charles Schwab Cup Championship also has limited spectators, then he probably would go to Houston.
ā Maria Torres has withdrawn from the LPGA Tour event in Georgia this week because her caddie tested positive for the coronavirus. Torres says she has no symptoms but is self-isolating because of their contact.
NASCAR-RPM-JONES
Jones lands iconic No. 43 with RPM
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) ā Richard Petty Motorsports will enter the next chapter of its storied history with driver Erik Jones.
The pairing gives Petty a proven winner to replace Bubba Wallace, who is leaving at the end of the season. His departure could have crippled the cash-strapped Petty organization, but the team instead landed one of the top available talents.
Jones was dropped by megateam Joe Gibbs Racing in August after six seasons.