Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Adrian Martinez ran for two touchdowns and threw for another and mistake-prone Nebraska rolled up 620 total yards in wearing down Rutgers 28-21 in the kickoff to Big Ten Champions Week. Dedrick Mills rushed for a career-high 191 yards and Wan'Dale Robinson ran for a touchdown and caught another as the Cornhuskers (3-5, 3-5) overcame four turnovers and denied Rutgers (3-6, 3-6) a Big Ten-best four wins in a season. Martinez finished 24 of 28 for 255 yards and carried 23 times for 157 yards as Nebraska outgained Rutgers 620 yards to 252 yards.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Miles McBride scored 18 points, including the go-ahead free throws with 21 seconds left, to lift No. 8 West Virginia to a 70-65 victory over Iowa State. Derek Culver had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Mountaineers, who scored the final six points. They overcame poor shooting in their conference opener by making 14 of 16 free throws over the final six minutes. West Virginia made just one field goal over the final eight minutes and shot 38% (21 of 55) for the game. Rasir Bolton scored a season-high 25 points for Iowa State, which couldn't overcome 21 turnovers.
UNDATED (AP) — Iowa State coach Matt Campbell is preparing for a different version of Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler in the Big 12 championship game. Rattler threw a late interception that helped Iowa State beat the Soooners 37-30 earlier in the season. The Sooners have won six straight since then. Rattler has only thrown three interceptions during the streak while becoming one of the nation's top quarterbacks. Campbell says Rattler was bound to improve. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley's previous three quarterbacks all are starters in the NFL.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Saints coach Sean Payton says quarterback Drew Brees "looked good" in his first practices since returning from injury this week and is slated to start against Kansas City. Brees has missed four games since a sack against San Francisco left him with multiple rib fractures and a punctured lung. Brees is the NFL's all-time leader in yards passing with 79,612. Brees' 565 career TDs rank second behind only the 571 thrown by Tampa Bay's Tom Brady. The Saints are 10-3 and tied atop the NFC with Green Bay. But the Packers own the tie-breaker for the NFC's No. 1 seed.
UNDATED (AP) — There's actually a ranking service to determines who the best clutch coach in the NFL is. The EdjSports Coach Rankings are an assessment of performance of every NFL head coach on such things as overall team strengths, execution and fourth-down decisions. The ratings give considerable weight to fourth downs because they often have a major impact on outcomes of games. They are pre-snap decisions that are totally attributable to the coach regardless of the outcome. And those ratings come up with Super Bowl champion Andy Reid. Indianapolis coach Frank Reich is second followed by Green Bay's Matt LaFleur.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Joanne Allen-Taylor had 23 points and 10 rebounds to help No. 22 Texas beat Drake 101-80. Audrey Warren added 18 points, Charli Collier scored 17 and Lauren Ebo had 14 for the Longhorns, who outrebounded Drake 39-29. Kyra Lambert had 11 points, eight rebounds, six assists and seven steals. Maddie Monahan scored a career-high 28 points on 11-of-15 shooting for Drake. Kierra Collier added 18 points and Allie Wooldridge set career marks with 13 points and 11 rebounds, recording her first double-double while also dishing out six assists.
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) — Eden Holt made a jumper at the buzzer, Cameron Holden had 24 points and 10 rebounds and UT Martin narrowly beat Southeast Missouri 69-67. Chris Harris led the Redhawks with 23 points.
BOONE, N.C. (AP) — Adrian Delph had 14 points as Appalachian State easily defeated Columbia International 77-41. Donovan Gregory added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Mountaineers, and Kendall Lewis chipped in 10 points. Jalen Brinson led the Rams with eight points.
Update on the latest sports
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-NEWS
Utah, Washington passing on bowl games
UNDATED (AP) — College football teams continue to say thanks but no thanks to any bowl game invitations.
Utah says its players have declined to accept any invitation to a bowl game. The Utes would become bowl eligible with a win Saturday against Washington State. Utah has won its last two games.
Washington announced it will not pursue a bowl bid after a COVID-19 outbreak kept the 3-1 Huskies from playing their regular-season finale against Oregon and the Pac-12 title game against USC. The school said the decision was for medical reasons. Washington's opt out of the bowl season leaves the Pac-12 with only three teams available to play in the postseason.
Also in college football:
— Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz has tested positive for COVID-19. The school says the 65-year-old does not have symptoms and will remain at home in isolation until Dec. 27. Ferentz is the 23rd FBS coach to reveal publicly that he tested positive for the virus.
T25 MEN'S BASKETBALL-SCHEDULE
Cougars top Aztecs in San Diego
UNDATED (AP) — BYU knocked off a top-25 men's basketball team on Friday despite blowing a 17-point lead.
Alex Barcello scored 22 points and Brandon Averette hit a huge 3-pointer with 51 seconds left in the Cougars' 72-62 win over No. 18 San Diego State. The game was tied at 61 until Matt Haarms made a baseline jumper to spark NYU's 11-1, game-ending run.
The Aztecs fell to 5-1 despite Matt Mitchell's career-high 35 points.
Checking out the rest of Friday's top-25 schedule:
— Jaden Springer contributed 21 points, six rebounds and six assists to lead 10th-ranked Tennessee's 103-49 dismantling of Tennessee Tech. Josiah-Jordan James and Victor Bailey Jr. scored 15 points each, while John Fulkerson added 13 points and six rebounds in the rout. After leading by 27 at halftime, the Vols went on a 17-1 run midway through the second half and got their lead to 76-33.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-FLORIDA-JOHNSON
Johnson releases update
UNDATED (AP) — Florida forward Keyontae Johnson has thanked everyone for their support in a video message Friday as he recovers in a Florida hospital.
It was his first public appearance since collapsing on the court at Florida State nearly a week ago.
Johnson released a 25-second video on Twitter and Instagram. He ended it by doing a Gator chomp that showed an IV line still connected to his right arm. He remains at UF Shands.
Johnson crumpled to the floor coming out of a timeout last Saturday and needed emergency medical assistance. Witnesses said Johnson was standing near midcourt and suddenly fell forward and landed on his face.
Elsewhere in college basketball:
— The Big East says a Dec. 30 game between St. John's and No. 7 Villanova has been postponed. Earlier this week, Villanova's game Saturday against No. 17 Virginia at Madison Square Garden was postponed due to a COVID-19-related pause by the Cavaliers. The Wildcats plan to fill that date with a home game against Saint Joseph's, a makeup of a Nov. 30 game postponed due a positive coronavirus test on the Hawks.
NFL-NEWS
Brees to play Sunday vs. Chiefs
UNDATED (AP) — The New Orleans Saints will have Drew Brees (breez) under center against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
Coach Sean Payton says Brees will play after missing four games with broken ribs and a punctured lung. Payton added that his record-setting quarterback has looked good in practices.
Payton said Brees would be wearing a protective vest over his torso, but the coach dismissed the idea that the Saints were rushing the 41-year-old QB back from injury.
In other NFL news:
— The Broncos canceled their walkthrough ahead of Saturday's game against Buffalo after strength and conditioning coach Loren Landow tested positive for the coronavirus. Landow tweeted that he was surprised by his test result and has had no symptoms of COVID-19. Landow is the fourth assistant coach on the Broncos staff to test positive for the virus this season.
— Rams safety Nick Scott and offensive tackle Bobby Evans will miss Sunday's game against the Jets due to coronavirus-related concerns. An unidentified Rams player tested positive Thursday, and five players missed practice. Scott and Evans went on the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday, while linebackers Justin Hollins and Ogbo Okoronkwo and center Brian Allen stayed away from the training complex.
— Julio Jones' lingering hamstring injury will keep him out of the Falcons' final home game of the season Sunday against the Buccaneers. The 4-9 Falcons also ruled out safety Riccardo Allen with a concussion, cornerback Darqueze Dennard because of a quad injury and defensive tackle Marlon Davidson with a knee issue.
— Dwayne Haskins is set to start at quarterback for Washington on Sunday against Seattle while Alex Smith recovers from a right calf injury. Haskins will be making his first start since a Week 4 loss to Baltimore. He relieved Smith in Washington's most recent game against San Francisco.
— Matthew Stafford is questionable for Detroit's game Sunday at Tennessee due to thumb and rib injuries that limited him in practice Friday. Wide receiver Kenny Golladay is out, along with offensive lineman Tyrell Crosby, defensive lineman Da'Shawn Hand and cornerback Darryl Roberts.
— The Dolphins' top three pass catchers are questionable for Sunday's game against New England. DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki and Jakeem Grant rank 1-2-3 in yards receiving this year and all practiced on a limited basis Friday.
— The Jaguars could be without both starting cornerbacks at Baltimore on Sunday. Coach Doug Marrone ruled out Sidney Jones because of an Achilles tendon injury and is unsure whether Tre Herndon will be cleared in time to make the trip. Herndon was placed on the COVID-19 list Wednesday.
— NBC broadcaster Al Michaels will not work Sunday night's game between the Browns and Giants in keeping with NBCUniversal's COVID-19 safety protocols. The network did not say if Michaels had tested positive or had been in contact with someone who had tested positive.
NHL-UPCOMING SEASON
NHL tentatively sets up 56-game schedule
UNDATED (AP) The National Hockey League and players reached a tentative deal Friday to hold a 56-game season in 2021, beginning on Jan. 13. The situation is pending the approval of each side's executive board and Canadian health officials.
The NHL Players' Association's board is meeting Friday night to discuss, while the league's Board of Governors could vote on the plan soon.
Training camps for last season's seven non-playoff games would open Dec. 31 and then Jan. 3 for the other 24 teams. It's unclear whether teams would play in their home arenas or in "hub" cities, though an all-divisional schedule is expected.
Exhibition games aren't expected to be included in the leadup to the new season.
Sportsnet in Canada first reported the tentative agreement.
MLB-RAYS-WACHA
Rays sign Wacha
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The American League champion Tampa Bay Rays have signed right-hander Michael Wacha (WAH'-kuh) to a one-year, $3 million contract.
The 29-year old Wacha is 60-43 with a 4.01 ERA over eight major league seasons. After seven years with the Cardinals, he went 1-4 with a 6.62 ERA with the Mets this year.
Wacha gives the Rays pitching depth after they lost Charlie Morton, who signed a a $15 million, one-year contract with the Braves last month.
NBA-JAZZ-SALE
NBA approves sale of Jazz
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The NBA's Board of Governors unanimously approved the sale Friday of the Utah Jazz to a group led by technology entrepreneur Ryan Smith, ending the Miller family's 35-year run as owners of the franchise.
Smith is a cofounder of the Utah-based firm Qualtrics, which was sold to SAP for $8 billion in an all-cash deal finalized last year.
Larry and Gail Miller bought 50% of the Jazz in May 1985 for $8 million, then bought the remaining 50% the following year for $14 million. The Miller family will retain a stake in the franchise.
LPGA-CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Ko leads through 36
NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Top-ranked Jin Young Ko is the leader through two rounds of the LPGA Tour's CME Group Tour Championship, putting herself in position to win the season money title in only four events.
Ko shot a 5-under 67 on Friday take a one-stroke lead over defending champion Sei Young Kim and 2018 winner Lexi Thompson in the season-ending event.
USOPC-COMMISSION
Olympians Bellingham, Bremer named to congressional panel
UNDATED (AP) — Olympic gold medalist and former U.S. Olympic Committee executive Norm Bellingham and Olympian Eli Bremer have been named to a congressional committee to study possible reforms in America's Olympic system. Also chosen by Representative Doug Lamborn of Colorado were athlete agent Peter Carlisle and former Defense Department inspector general Joe Schmitz.
They will make up a quarter of the 16-person commission being created as part of a law passed this year that seeks reforms of the federation now known as the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
COLLEGE SPORTS-OHIO STATE-SEXUAL ABUSE
Number of sexual misconduct victims at OSU grows
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State University has tallied hundreds more instances of alleged decades-old sexual misconduct by now-deceased team doctor Richard Strauss. That brings the total to more than 2,000, according to its latest campus crime data disclosed under the federal Clery Act.
Hundreds of men allege Strauss abused them during his two-decade tenure at the school.