Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Vanderbilt's Sarah Fuller became the first woman to participate in a Power Five conference football game when she kicked off to start the second half against Missouri. Fuller kicked off the turf with a holder rather than using a tee, and she sent a low kick to the 35-yard line where it was pounced on by Missouri's Mason Pack. Fuller didn't get any other opportunities as Vanderbilt lost 41-0. The senior goalkeeper on the Vanderbilt soccer team joined the football team after helping the Commodores win the Southeastern Conference Tournament last weekend. Coach Derek Mason says Fuller was the best viable option because of COVID-19 protocols and restrictions.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Sarah Fuller made history, but her barrier-breaking kickoff was the only highlight for Vanderbilt as Missouri dominated the Commodores 41-0. Fuller became the first woman to participate in a Power 5 conference football game when she kicked off to start the second half. Fuller delivered a low kick that bounced to the 35-yard line, where Missouri pounced on it. She never got the chance to attempt a PAT or field goal, as the Tigers rarely allowed the Commodores to cross midfield.Larry Rountree rushed 21 times for 160 yards and three touchdowns.
WACO, Texas (AP) — John Mayers kicked a 30-yard field goal on the final play of the game and Baylor beat Kansas State 32-31. That ended the Bears' five-game losing streak. Charlie Brewer completed 31 of 39 passes for 349 yards and two touchdowns. The senior quarterback completed four passes in a row for 45 yards on the final drive after it initially appeared he had fumbled on a run on the first play. Kansas State has lost four in a row since starting 4-0 in conference play. Kansas State quarterback Will Howard threw a touchdown and ran for another, fellow true freshman Deuce Vaughn rushed for 102 yards with a score.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Max Duggan threw three touchdown passes while running 58 yards for another score, TCU piled up 337 yards rushing in all, and the Horned Frogs ground out an easy 59-23 victory over winless Kansas on Saturday night. Zach Evans ran for 100 yards on 12 carries, and Darwin Barlow added 83 yards rushing and a score, as the Horned Frogs (4-4, 4-4 Big 12) bounced back from a lopsided loss to West Virginia in which they failed to reach the end zone. The Jayhawks (0-8, 0-7) got virtually no production from Jalon Daniels and Thomas MacVittie before Miles Kendrick threw a pair of TD passes in relief.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kevin Samuel scored 16 points and tied his career high with 18 rebounds and TCU beat Tulsa 70-65 at the Hall of Fame Classic. Freshman Mike Miles scored nine of his 12 points in the second half and Francisco Farabello finished with 10 points for TCU (2-0). Keyshawn Embery-Simpson made a layup to trim Tulsa's deficit to 62-60 with 92 seconds left before Kevin Easley found Taryn Todd on the left wing for a 3-pointer to make it a five-point game with 1:09 to go. TCU made 5 of 6 from the free-throw line in the final minute to seal it. Rachal had 19 points and eight rebounds for Tulsa.
SAINT LOUIS (AP) — Javonte Perkins scored 32 points — 26 in the second half — and Jordan Goodwin posted his 25th career double-double and Saint Louis beat LSU 85-81. LSU's Cameron Thomas buried a 3 pointer with 1:59 left, added a layup with 47 seconds to go and LSU drew within 80-79. Saint Louis' Gibson Jimerson missed his 3 attempt seven seconds later, but Goodwin's 11th and final rebound of the game proved valuable. Ja'Vonte Smart of LSU fouled Perkins on this 3 attempt and he went to the foul line and made all three shots with 17 seconds left for an 83-79 lead. Thomas led the Tigers with 25 points
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Teddy Allen scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half when Nebraska pulled away for a 79-57 victory over North Dakota State. Allen, a junior JC transfer who began his career at West Virginia, was 9-of-17 shooting with five steals for 13 total in three games. Trey McGowens added 19 points and Lat Mayen and Dalano Banton 12 each with Banton grabbing nine rebounds and eight assists. Junior Jaxon Knotek had a career-high 16 points, 12 in the first half, to lead the Bison. Sam Griesel had nine points and 12 rebounds and junior Tyree Eady had a career-high 13 boards with seven points.
BROOKINGS, S.D. (AP) — aley Greer scored 20 points, Myah Selland added 19 and South Dakota State defeated No. 15 Iowa 76-69 in a college women's basketball game. Greer, a graduate transfer from Colgate, had three of her four 3-pointers in the first half when the Jackrabbits took a 37-33 lead. Selland, who only played in nine games last season because of a foot injury, had 12 in the second half. South Dakota State went 13 for 13 from the foul line in the fourth quarterfor their 12th program win over a ranked opponent. Ashley Joens scored 35 points for the Cyclones.
Update on the latest sports
T25 FOOTBALL-SCHEDULE
Alabama blasts Auburn
UNDATED (AP) — Top-ranked Alabama had absolutely no problem winning the Iron Bowl without its head coach.
With Nick Saban sidelined by the coronavirus, Mac Jones passed for 302 yards and a career-high five touchdowns as the Crimson Tide manhandled No. 22 Auburn, 42-13. Alabama started a string of three straight touchdowns with Jones's 66-yard touchdown to DeVonta Smith, who had seven catches for 171 yards.
Najee Harris ran for 96 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown. John Metchie III caught a pair of scoring passes while assistant Steve Sarkisian ran the team in Saban's absence.
The Tide improved to 9-0 and dropped the Tigers to 5-3.
In other Top 25 games:
— Trevor Lawrence shook off a five-week absence by throwing for 403 yards and two touchdowns in leading fourth-ranked Clemson to a 52-17 romp over Pittsburgh. The Heisman Trophy candidate was back in action for the first time since October 24, missing two games due to a positive test for the coronavirus. Cornell Powell had five catches for 176 yards, including a 43-yard TD catch off a flea-flicker pass from Lawrence for the 8-1 Tigers.
— Fifth-ranked Texas A&M earned its fifth straight win as Isaiah Spiller ran for 141 yards and a touchdown in a 20-7 decision over LSU. Buddy Johnson returned an interception for a score, causing the Tigers to replace TJ Finley with Max Johnson. The Aggies limited LSU to 36 yards rushing and allowed just two of 16 third-down conversions.
— Sixth-ranked Florida is on the verge of a berth in the SEC title game following a 34-10 win over Kentucky. Kyle Trask found Kyle Pitts for three touchdowns, including a 56-yarder in which the tight end outraced a cornerback to the goal line. Trask has 34 TD passes this season, moving him past 2007 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow and into a tie for third on the school's single-season list.
— Michigan State handed No. 11 Northwestern its first loss of the season as Matt Coghlin made a tiebreaking 48-yard field goal with 3:35 left in the Spartans' 29-20 victory. MSU squandered a 17-0 lead and trailed 20-17 before rallying.
— Stevie Scott III ran for three touchdowns and Tim Baldwin Jr. ran for a season-high 106 yards as 12th-ranked Indiana stifled Maryland, 27-11. The Hoosiers improved to 5-1 with their fourth consecutive home win, but they finished the game without injured Michael Penix (PEH'-nihks) Jr.
— James Cook ran for 104 yards on just six carries as part of No. 13 Georgia's 45-16 assault on South Carolina. Three other Bulldogs had at least 77 yards on the ground as part of a 332-yard rushing attack.
— Coastal Carolina wrapped up the Sun Belt East Division title as C.J. Marable ran for 157 yards and three touchdowns to lead the 16th-ranked Chanticleers over Texas State, 48-14. The 9-0 Chanticleers had 572 yards of offense in extending their winning streak to 10 games, just three years after moving up to the Football Bowl Subdivision.
— No. 21 Oklahoma State outscored Texas Tech, 50-44 behind Dezmon Jackson, who rushed for career highs of 235 yards and three touchdowns. Jackson carried the load and the Cowboys racked up 317 yards on the ground while starting backs Chuba Hubbard and LD Brown sat out the game.
— Levi Lewis passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more in less than three quarters of No. 23 Louisiana-Lafayette's 70-20 thrashing of winless Louisiana-Monroe. Running backs Trey Regas and Elijah Mitchell each rushed for more than 90 yards and scored one touchdown apiece as the Ragin' Cajuns picked up their fifth straight win.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-VANDERBILT-FEMALE KICKER
Vanderbilt goalkeeper is first woman to play in Power 5 game
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Vanderbilt goalkeeper Sarah Fuller has become a pioneer by becoming the first female to play in a Power 5 football game.
Fuller came onto the field to start the second half and delivered a low squib kick that was grabbed at the Missouri 35. It was her only attempt in the Commodores' 41-0 loss at Missouri.
Coach Derek Mason made clear that Fuller kicked for the Commodores due to need, not for history or publicity. COVID-19 protocols and restrictions left Mason with very few options, prompting him to reach out to the soccer team for help.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
Virginia Tech outlasts Villanova in OT
UNDATED (AP) — Villanova was unable to get through the first week of the men's basketball season without losing.
Keve Aluma scored 22 points and Nahiem Alleyne added 20 as Virginia Tech upset the third-ranked Wildcats, 81-73 in overtime.
Tyrece Radford added eight points and 13 rebounds for the Hokies, who didn't know they would be playing the nation's third-ranked team until early Friday morning.
The game was tied until Villanova scored 11 straight points in the second half. But the Wildcats needed a pair of free throws from Justin Moore in the final second of regulation to extend the game.
Villanova's loss comes one day after No. 4 Virginia's one-point loss to San Francisco.
In other ranked hoops action:
— MaCio Teague (teeg) dropped 21 points as second-ranked Baylor won its delayed season opener, 112-82 over Louisiana-Lafayette. Davion Mitchell finished with 18 points for the Bears, who shot 56.3% from the floor and 15-for-27 from 3-point range. The Bears were without coach Scott Drew because of a positive COVID-19 test.
— Ninth-ranked Duke a bit rusty in its season opener as the Blue Devils committed 22 turnovers in an 81-71 victory against Coppin State. Freshman Jalen Johnson had 19 points, 19 rebounds and four blocks for the Blue Devils, who shot 53% to overcome a series of bad passes. Fellow rookie DJ Steward contributed 24 points in front of an empty Cameron Indoor Stadium.
— No. 13 Michigan State beat Notre Dame 80-70 as Aaron Henry contributed 14 points, eight rebounds, four blocks and three assists. The Spartans closed the first half with a 17-0 run over seven-plus minutes and scored the first nine points of the second half to take a 22-point lead.
NFL-NEWS
Detroit Lions fire Patricia, Quinn
UNDATED (AP) — The Detroit Lions have fired coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn, ending the team's attempt to replicate the success the two enjoyed in New England. Detroit was routed at home by Houston, 41-25 on Thanksgiving following a shutout loss to Carolina.
Detroit was 6-10 under Patricia in 2018 and won just three games last year. The Lions are 4-7 this season.
In other NFL news:
— The Broncos won't have any of their four quarterbacks available when they face the Saints on Sunday because of coronavirus concerns. Starter Drew Lock, backup Brett Rypien (RIH'-pehn) and practice squad veteran Blake Bortles were deemed high-risk close contacts with No. 3 quarterback Jeff Driskel on Wednesday, the day before Driskel tested positive for COVID-19. A person familiar with the league's investigation said the four quarterbacks apparently weren't wearing their masks the whole time they were together as required by the league's pandemic protocols.
— The Colts will be without running back Jonathan Taylor on Sunday after the rookie was put on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. He is one of three Indy starters sitting out because of COVID when Indianapolis as Indy hosts Tennessee for the AFC South lead.
— Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (TOO'-ah tuhng-ah-vy-LOH'-ah) has been downgraded to doubtful for Sunday's game at the Jets due to a thumb injury. The move means Ryan Fitzpatrick will likely make his first start since Miami's Oct. 18 win over the Jets.
— The Titans have activated three-time Pro Bowl punter Brett Kern and cornerback Tye Smith from injured reserve. That allows Kern to punt Sunday in Indianapolis in a showdown for the top of the AFC South with the Colts. Linebacker David Long is off the reserve/COVID-19 list, but cornerback Chris Jackson now on the list.
— The Steelers have placed running back James Conner on the reserve/COVID-19 casting further doubt on the ability to pull off a rescheduled game currently set for next Tuesday night. Conner leads the unbeaten Steelers with 645 yards rushing and five touchdowns. He joins three other Steelers on the COVID-19 list. The Steelers are also down two coaches due to what the club called an "illness."
— Raiders running backs coach Kirby Wilson won't work Sunday because of COVID-19-related reasons. Senior offensive assistant John Morton will handle Wilson's duties against the Falcons.
— Browns chief of staff Callie Brownson will handle game-day duties for Cleveland's tight ends tomorrow in Jacksonville, a first in team history for a female. She will fill in for coach Drew Petzing, who didn't travel to Florida with the team after his wife, Louisa, gave birth to the couple's first child. Brownson is one of a handful of female coaches currently working in the NFL.
— The Saints have placed starting left tackle Terron Armstead on their COVID-19 reserve list. That leaves Armstead ineligible for Sunday's game against the Broncos in Denver.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-NBA
NBA gives teams health protocols for season
UNDATED (AP) — The NBA is telling teams that players who test positive for the coronavirus this season may have to miss nearly two weeks in some instances before being allowed to return to the court.
That's according to a 63,000-word document still needs to be ratified by the league and the Players Association. All players who will be part of training camp need to begin a testing program by Monday. Teams can begin holding mandated group workouts sometime between Dec. 4 and Dec. 6.
Players, coaches and other key staff are expected to be tested daily in most cases.
Preseason games begin Dec. 11 and regular-season contests start Dec. 22.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-COLLEGE SPORTS
Virus-related cancellations mount
UNDATED (AP) — Ohio State says it is not clear when the Buckeyes can get back on field as the team deals with a COVID-19 outbreak.
The cancellation leaves the Big Ten's best team precariously close to being ineligible to play for the conference title. Conference rules require teams to play at least six games in this abbreviated season to be eligible to play in the conference championship game. The minimum could drop if the average number of games played by all Big Ten teams falls below six.
The third-ranked Buckeyes are scheduled to play at Michigan State next Saturday.
In other virus-related college football news:
— For the second straight week, Florida State had a home football game postponed on the day it was scheduled to be played. The Atlantic Coast Conference called off Saturday night's game against Virginia because of COVID-19 issues within Florida State's program.
— The Mountain West Conference canceled Saturday afternoon's game between Boise State and San Jose State because of an "upward trend of coronavirus cases and contact tracing" in the Broncos program. The cancellation came a few hours before kickoff.
— Middle Tennessee canceled its home football game against Florida Atlantic due to COVID-19 cases, contact tracing and injuries inside the Blue Raiders. Middle Tennessee will be working with Conference USA for rescheduling a game between teams that have played each other every season since 2003.
F1-BAHRAIN GP
Hamilton takes Bahrain pole
SAKHIR, Bahrain (AP) — Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton set a track record at the Bahrain Grand Prix on his way to a record-extending 98th career pole position.
The seven-time F1 champion looked in total control as he set a time of 1 minute, 27.264 seconds under the floodlights. He finished about .3 seconds ahead of his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.
BOXING-TYSON-JONES
Tyson, Jones fight
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mike Tyson showed glimpses of his destructive prime during the 54-year-old boxing icon's return to the ring for a lively exhibition bout with 51-year-old Roy Jones Jr.
Both fighters had impressive moments Saturday night during a fight that was unofficially ruled a draw by the WBC judges at ringside.
Tyson and Jones fought eight two-minute rounds, and both emerged smiling and apparently healthy from a highly unusual event at Staples Center.