Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) ā The Kansas City Chiefs have signed running back Le'Veon Bell two days after he was released by the New York Jets. The move adds another potential dynamic offensive player to an offense that already features Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Bell was cut by the Jets after a disappointing tenure in New York that lasted less than two full seasons. Bell and coach Adam Gase appeared to not mesh since the running back signed a four-year, $52.5 million contract with $35 million guaranteed last year as a free agent.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) ā Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen isn't sure whether he can throw a football farther than Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes. Two of the NFL's leading passers might have a chance to find out on Monday, when the Bills host the Chiefs in a game rescheduled because of COVID-19. Buffalo is 4-1 following a 42-16 loss to the Titans on Tuesday. The Chiefs have two extra days of rest on the Bills following a 40-32 loss to Las Vegas which snapped the defending Super Bowl champion's franchise-best 13-game winning streak.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) ā The Kansas City Chiefs will be without offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele and wide receiver Sammy Watkins when they visit the Buffalo Bills on Monday night for a game that was pushed back because of COVID-19 protocols. Osmele tore tendons in both of his knees and Watkins hurt his hamstring during Sunday's loss to the Raiders, which also ended the Chiefs' franchise-record 13-game win streak. Mike Remmers finished the game at guard and will get the start in Buffalo, coach Andy Reid said Thursday, and Mecole Hardman will take most of the snaps in Watkins's place.
UNDATED (AP) ā The COVID-19 pandemic is packing a punch in college football this week. Alabama coach Nick Saban tested positive and won't be on the sideline for his team's game against Georgia. Five games, three involving Top 10 teams, have been postponed. We won't get a better read on No. 7 Oklahoma State, which was supposed to visit Baylor and now is looking at three weeks between games. No. 8 Cincinnati's game at Tulsa has been scratched. LSU at No. 10 Florida also is off, meaning the struggling defending champion Tigers will stew over their loss at Missouri a while longer.
UNDATED (AP) ā Kansas hopes to have coach Les Miles back on the sideline Saturday at West Virginia. Miles announced last week that he tested positive for the coronavirus. He has quarantined at his home. Jayhawks athletic director Jeff Long says Miles is expected to return against the Mountaineers. West Virginia is allowing 15,000 fans after limiting attendance to the families of players and coaches in their first two home games. West Virginia has won six straight in the series. Both teams are looking for improved performances on offense. Winless Kansas ranks last in the nation in yards per completion.
UNDATED (AP) ā The mid-week news that Alabama coach Nick Saban tested positive for COVID-19 added a challenging backdrop for the season's first top 5 matchup. Saban likely will be communicating his marching orders and input from home while offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian is manning activities within the football building. The Crimson Tide sends quarterback Mac Jones and the nation's top scoring offense against linebacker Monty Rice and the No. 2 scoring defense. Two other SEC games were tentatively postponed until Dec. 12.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) ā University of Iowa students who want to establish intercollegiate women's wrestling and rugby programs have been added as plaintiffs to a lawsuit seeking more sports opportunities for female Hawkeyes. A lawsuit filed this month by members of the women's swimming and diving team seeks to stop the university from eliminating their program after this season. They argue that Iowa doesn't comply with a federal law that requires colleges to offer equal athletics opportunities to male and female students, and seek more roster spots for women. Plaintiff and freshman, Abbie Lyman, participated in wrestling at high school and had hoped to continue the sport in college.
Update on the latest sports
MLB-CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Astros extend season, Braves go up 3-1
UNDATED (AP) ā The Houston Astros have forced a Game 6 in the American League Championship Series.
Carlos Correa launched a walk-off home run to center field off Nick Anderson in the bottom of the ninth to end the Astros' 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. Houston wasted leads of 1-0 and 3-1 before Correa's sixth home run of the postseason.
Houston's offense began in the same manner it finished. George Springer opened the scoring by homering on the first pitch by John Curtiss in the bottom of the fifth. Michael Brantley added a two-run single that gave the Astros a 3-1 lead, but the Rays eventually tied it on solo blasts by Randy Arozarena (ah-RAH'-zah-RAY'-nah) and Ji-Man Choi.
Seven Houston hurlers combined on a seven-hitter. Ryan Pressly worked 1 1/3 innings to get the win.
Brandon Lowe (low) also homered for the Rays, who will make another attempt on Friday to win their first pennant in 12 years.
The Atlanta Braves are one win from ending a two-decade World Series drought after a 10-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series.
The Braves have a 3-1 series lead. A win Friday sends them to their first World Series since 1999.
Marcell Ozuna had four hits, including two solo homers and an RBI double in their decisive six-run sixth inning.
Braves starter Bryse (brys) Wilson was terrific over six innings, allowing just one hit while striking out five in his postseason debut. Wilson's only mistake was a third-inning, solo homer by Edwin Rios.
Three-time NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw took the loss when he didn't make it out of the sixth.
NFL-NEWS
Falcons shut facility after 2nd positive test
UNDATED (AP) ā The Atlanta Falcons say they have shut their facility following one new positive test for COVID-19.
Defensive tackle Marlon Davidson was placed on the COVID-19/reserve list this week. The addition of a second unidentified person caused the Falcons to act out of caution.
A team spokesman said the second person was not a player. The spokesman added that, barring any changes, the Falcons are expected to be back at their facility on Friday.
In other NFL news:
ā The Chiefs have signed Le'Veon (LEH'-vee-ahn) Bell, two days after he was released by the Jets. The move gives the defending Super Bowl champs greater running back depth behind Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who has been one of the league's most impressive rookies this season.
ā Patriots quarterback Cam Newton and cornerback Stephon Gilmore returned to practice for the first time since testing positive for the coronavirus. That puts both players on track to be in the lineup when New England hosts Denver on Sunday.
ā The Chiefs will be without offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele and wide receiver Sammy Watkins when they visit the Buffalo Bills on Monday. Osmele tore tendons in both of his knees and Watkins hurt his hamstring during Sunday's loss to the Raiders.
ā Quarterback Baker Mayfield's sore ribs aren't the only concern this week for the Browns. Star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was sent home Thursday feeling ill. Coach Kevin Stefanski said the team acted out of caution because of COVID-19 concerns while preparing for this week's matchup against the unbeaten Steelers. Stefanski said Beckham did not test positive for the coronavirus.
NFL-OBIT-FRED DEAN
Fred Dean, fearsome pass rusher of 49ers' dynasty, dies
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ā Fearsome NFL pass rusher Fred Dean has died. The Pro Football Hall of Fame says the former San Francisco 49ers star died Wednesday night at age 68. Ex-teammate Dwight Hicks says Dean was hospitalized last week with the coronavirus and was on a ventilator.
Dean was a key part of the launch of the 49ers dynasty. He was an undersized pass rusher who began his career as a second-round pick with the San Diego Chargers in 1975 and ended it in the Hall of Fame after being named an All-Pro twice and making four Pro Bowls.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-COLLEGE SPORTS
Cincinnati-Tulsa postponed due to Bearcats' COVID-19 issues
UNDATED (AP) ā Cincinnati's game at Tulsa on Saturday has been postponed to Dec. 5 because of positive COVID-19 tests among Bearcats players.
The number of players who have tested positive or have been quarantined through contact tracing has not been revealed by Cincinnati. The school has not been making those numbers public throughout its testing of athletes.
The eighth-ranked Bearcats are next scheduled to play Oct. 24 at No. 17 SMU.
Overall, it is the fifth major college game that had been slated to be played this week to be rescheduled, and the fourth since Sunday.
Nick Saban won't be allowed to coach No. 2 Alabama from home against third-ranked Georgia per NCAA guidelines. The coach remains asymptomatic after testing positive for COVID, and the school says Saban is "doing fine." Saban also can't be in the stadium while testing positive for COVID-19.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-FSU-BOWDEN
Bowden released from hospital
UNDATED (AP) ā Former Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden has been released from a hospital after being treated for COVID-19.
A family friend said the 90-year-old college Hall of Famer was back home after a weeklong stay at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare.
He was hospitalized Oct. 6, three days after testing positive for COVID-19. He had received word of the positive test a few days after returning to his Tallahassee home from a lengthy hospital stay for an infection in his leg.
NBA-NEWS
Lue agrees to become next Clippers coach
UNDATED (AP) ā A person with knowledge of the situation says Tyronn Lue (TY'-rahn LOO) has agreed to become the next coach of the Los Angeles Clippers. The person tells The Associated Press that final terms are still being worked out.
Lue would replace Doc Rivers, who coached the Clippers for the last seven seasons. Lue was on Rivers' staff this season when the Clippers wasted a 3-1 lead over Denver and lost in the Western Conference semifinals.
Lue went 128-83 in parts of four seasons as coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, taking over at the midpoint of the 2015-16 season and leading them to their first NBA title. He left the Cavs after six games of the 2018-19 season.
In other NBA news:
ā Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is stepping down on his own accord, effective Nov. 1. The Rockets have made the playoffs 10 times since Morey was hired in 2007, including the last eight seasons for the longest active streak in the NBA. Morey caused an international uproar last year when he tweeted support for anti-government protesters in Hong Kong, which caused businesses in China to cut ties with the Rockets.
PGA-CJ OPEN
Hatton has lead in Vegas
LAS VEGAS (AP) ā Tyrell Hatton fired a 7-under 65 to take a one-shot lead through one round of the PGA's CJ Open at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas.
Hatton got off to a blazing start and was 5 under through his first five holes.
Xander Schauffele (SHOW'-flee) birdied the par-5 18th for a 66 that leaves him in a second-place tie with Russell Henley.
Jon Rahm and Tyler Duncan were another shot behind.
TENNIS-QUERRY-VIRUS
Querrey said to leave Russia despite positive virus test
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) ā Organizers of the St. Petersburg Open say U.S. tennis player Sam Querrey (KWEER'-ee) was placed in isolation by Russian authorities after testing positive for the coronavirus but left the country on a private plane.
The tournament says Querrey tested positive on Sunday, the day before main draw play started. He was withdrawn from the competition and was asked to isolate together at a hotel with his wife and young son.
In a statement, the tournament said Querrey did not open the door to doctors who came to examine the family on Monday, saying his baby son was sleeping. The statement added that the family then left the hotel before a second scheduled examination the next day.
2022 OLYMPICS-UIGHURS
More questions on human rights for Beijing Winter Olympics
UNDATED (AP)ā A coalition of human-rights groups has met with the International Olympic Committee over calls to pull the 2022 Winter Olympics out of Beijing.
The on-line meeting included the IOC member who heads up preparations for the Beijing Games and representatives of human-rights groups focused on Tibet, Hong Kong and the western region of Xinjiang.
The IOC says awarding the games to a county is not an endorsement of its political system.
The human-rights groups are asking why the Olympics should be held in China if the country has interned at least 1 million Uighur Muslims in work camps or re-education camps.
WORLD CUP-NO FANS
Swiss organizers plan for World Cup ski season without fans
BERN, Switzerland (AP) ā No fans, no race ceremonies and no promotional villages are being planned at World Cup ski events in Switzerland this season.
The Swiss ski federation says it is working with local organizers to have competitions without the public as coronavirus cases peak in the Alpine nation ahead of the winter sports season.
Crowds of about 30,000 typically attend Switzerland's signature races on back-to-back Saturdays in January to watch the men's giant slalom and men's downhill.