Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press
UNDATED (AP) — Wisconsin has canceled its scheduled game at Nebraska on Saturday and paused all team activities for at least seven days after a dozen people within the program including coach Paul Chryst had tested positive for COVID-19. School officials said athletic director Barry Alvarez and chancellor Rebecca Blank made the decision in consultation with Big Ten officials. The game with Nebraska won't be rescheduled.
UNDATED (AP) — No. 3 Ohio State visits No. 18 Penn State in the game of the week in the Big Ten on Saturday. The Buckeyes are coming off a 35-point win over Nebraska and are a double-digit road favorite against the Nittany Lions. Justin Fields can continue building his Heisman Trophy credentials in prime time. Penn State is smarting after losing to Indiana in overtime and hasn't opened Big Ten play 0-2 since 2010. Iowa's offense will face a big test against a Northwestern defense that shut down Maryland. Rutgers goes for a 2-0 start as a 10-point underdog at home to Indiana.
UNDATED (AP) — There have been a lot of close games between No. 6 Oklahoma State and Texas. The last three meetings between the Cowboys and Longhorns have been decided by a combined 12 points. The undefeated Cowboys have allowed only 12 points a game. The Longhorns are the Big 12's highest-scoring team at 45 points a game. That is part of a full slate of Big 12 games on the last day of October. No. 16 Kansas State, with Oklahoma State the only teams without a Big 12 loss, goes to West Virginia. The Wildcats and Cowboys play next week.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Travis Kelce had just three catches for 31 yards last week, yet he had every bit the profound impact on the Kansas City Chiefs' blowout win over the Denver Broncos that he had the previous week in Buffalo. That's even without the two touchdown receptions he had against the Bills. Kelce is still defining himself eight years into a career that has already produced five trips to the Pro Bowl and a Super Bowl title. He was once considered merely a pass-catching superstar in the mold of Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski. But now the 31-year-old Kelce has emerged as a do-everything cog in the Chiefs' dynamic offense.
UNDATED (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals have declined Kolten Wong's $12.5 million option, making the Gold Glove second baseman a free agent. The 30-year-old Wong will receive a $1 million buyout. Wong, a first-round pick in the 2011 draft, made his big league debut in 2013 and spent his first eight seasons with St. Louis. Wong hit. 265 with a homer and 16 RBIs in 53 games during the pandemic-shortened season, helping the Cardinals make the playoffs for the second straight year. They were eliminated by San Diego in the NL wild card round.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Former Kansas forward Silvio de Sousa has been charged in a New Year's Day altercation a little more than a week after announcing that he was opting out of the upcoming season. The Kansas City Star reports that an assistant in the Douglas County District Attorney's office said that although the felony count of aggravated battery wasn't filed until Monday, the case was "reviewed promptly upon receipt." The assistant said the district attorney's office received an affidavit and reports from Lawrence police on Sept. 30 and an updated affidavit on Oct. 16. No attorney for De Sousa was listed in court records, and he could not be reached for comment.
UNDATED (AP) — Kirk Ferentz's best Iowa teams tend to improve by the week. That means the Hawkeyes better get going if they want to be a factor in the Big Ten West. The timetable is accelerated this season because of the conference's shortened schedule. Ferentz is looking for his team to make a big jump at home against Northwestern on Saturday after its season-opening loss at Purdue. The Wildcats are coming off a 40-point win over Maryland. Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras says he and his teammates need to be on their A game to win.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Roger Espinoza scored and Sporting Kansas City clinched a playoff berth with a 1-0 victory over FC Cincinnati on Wednesday night. Sporting Kansas City also moved into the Western Conference lead. Cincinnati lost its third straight match and was eliminated from playoff contention. Espinoza's shot from close range deflected off goalkeeper Spencer Richey's left foot in the 57th minute.
Update on the latest sports
MLB-WORLD SERIES-TURNER
MLB says Turner violated protocols when he returned to field
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Major League Baseball says Justin Turner risked the safety of others by violating coronavirus protocols when he celebrated the Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series win with his teammates and refused instructions from security to leave Globe Life Field.
The commissioner's office said Wednesday that it is starting a full investigation of the 35-year-old third baseman.
Turner was pulled from Tuesday night's game following the seventh inning after MLB was notified that he had tested positive for COVID-19. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Turner was quarantined in a doctor's office off to the side. But he later returned to the field and took down his mask to pose for a team photo on the field.
The commissioner's office said it will consult with the players' association as part of its investigation. The union was in the process of gathering facts on the events.
The Dodgers won their first World Series championship since 1988 with a 3-1 victory over Tampa Bay in Game 6 on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, Blake Snell spent nearly 10 minutes discussing a disappointing end to the World Series before concluding with a message to the rest of the Tampa Bay Rays.
The 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner doesn't want his teammates to be satisfied with finishing second to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He wants everyone to take some time off to wind down from the playoff run, then show up for spring training hungry and ready to finish the job next season.
Elsewhere in the majors:
— What figures to be a down and perhaps brutal market for baseball free agents in the offseason following the pandemic began Wednesday when a dozen players were told their contract options had been declined, among them St. Louis Cardinals Gold Glove second baseman Kolten Wong. The 30-year-old Wong will receive a $1 million buyout. Wong, a first-round pick in the 2011 draft, made his big league debut in 2013 and spent his first eight seasons with St. Louis. Wong hit. 265 with a homer and 16 RBIs in 53 games during the pandemic-shortened season.
— The Washington Nationals have declined 2021 club options on right fielder Adam Eaton and right-handed starter Aníbal Sánchez. The team also declined its part of mutual options for next season on infielder Howie Kendrick and first baseman Eric Thames. Those moves allow all four players to become eligible for free agency, although Kendrick said last month he wasn't sure whether he would retire or try to play another year. Eaton, Sánchez and Kendrick were members of Washington's 2019 championship team. Four other members of that title-winning club became free agents: Ryan Zimmerman, Asdrúbal Cabrera, Sean Doolittle and Kurt Suzuki. Brock Holt also became a free agent.
— The Colorado Rockies have declined infielder Daniel Murphy's $12 million option, bringing a close to his two-year stint with the team. Murphy will receive a $6 million buyout. The 35-year-old hit .269 with 16 homers and 94 RBIs in 172 games with the Rockies.
— The Mets have declined 2021 options on catchers Wilson Ramos and Robinson Chirinos and on infielder Todd Frazier, allowing all three to become eligible for free agency. Ramos gets a $1.5 million buyout rather than a $10 million salary for next year, completing a contract that guaranteed him $19 million for two seasons. Chirinos gets a $1 million buyout rather than a $6.5 million salary. Frazier gets a $1.5 million buyout rather than a $5.75 million salary.
NFL-NEWS
Bear's Robinson in concussion protocol
UNDATED (AP) — Chicago Bears star receiver Allen Robinson is in the NFL's concussion protocol, throwing his status for this week's game against the New Orleans Saints into question. He was hurt late in their lopsided loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night and left the game. Robinson's face hit the field when he was tackled on a helmet-to-helmet play by safety Nick Scott. The Bears lost 24-10 and fell out of the NFC North lead.
In other NFL news:
— Denver Broncos offensive line coach Mike Munchak was absent from Wednesday's practice for COVID-19 reasons, two days after running backs coach Curtis Modkins returned from a bout with the novel coronavirus. All 11 offensive linemen on the roster and practice squad were present during the open period. The Broncos host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
— -Broncos running back Melvin Gordon apologized Wednesday for his drunken driving arrest two weeks ago. Gordon says he kept silent about he matter until now for legal reasons and not because he was ambivalent about his arrest. Gordon also blamed rust for his two fumbles in Denver's 43-16 loss to Kansas City on Sunday.
— The Dallas Cowboys have released defensive tackle Dontari Poe in another move to shake up a disappointing defense. Poe and defensive back Daryl Worley were released a day after defensive end Everson Griffen was traded to Detroit. The Cowboys are last in the NFL in run defense.
— Carlos Dunlap has been traded from the Cincinnati Bengals to the Seattle Seahawks. The 31-year-old Dunlap has spent his entire career with the Bengals and was a Pro Bowl selection in 2015 and 2016.
— The Houston Texans placed second-year offensive lineman Max Scharping on the NFL's COVID-19 reserve list hours after they closed their practice facility Wednesday.
— Jimmy Orr, a sure-handed wide receiver who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Colts, has died. He was 85. Orr passed away Tuesday night. His death was confirmed by a funeral home in Brunswick, Georgia Wednesday.
Over 13 NFL seasons, Orr caught 400 passes for 7,914 yards and 66 touchdowns over 149 games.
NBA-ROCKETS-SILAS
AP sources: Rockets hiring Stephen Silas to replace D'Antoni
HOUSTON (AP) — Two people with knowledge of the deal say the Houston Rockets and Stephen Silas have an agreement for the Dallas assistant to replace Mike D'Antoni as coach.
The hiring of the son of former NBA player and coach Paul Silas completes a significant change in the leadership of the team the with the league's longest active playoff streak at eight seasons. Daryl Morey decided not to return as general manager after D'Antoni's departure. Silas inherits a roster led by former MVPs James Harden and Russell Westbrook.
Houston recorded 50-win seasons in each of D'Antoni's first three years and had a shot at another when the pandemic shut down the regular season last March. The Rockets beat Oklahoma City in the first round of the playoff bubble in Florida this year before losing to the champion Los Angeles Lakers in five games, the third second-round exit in D'Antoni's four seasons.
In other NBA news:
—Toronto Raptors rookie Terence Davis has been arrested in New York City on charges including assault after police say he hit his girlfriend in the face. Police say the incident occurred Tuesday night at a luxury high-rise. Davis was released on his own recognizance after being arraigned Wednesday.
T25-WISCONSIN-NEBRASKA CANCELED
No. 9 Wisconsin cancels Nebraska game; Chryst tests positive
UNDATED (AP) — The pandemic hit Big Ten football just two weeks into its season Wednesday as No. 9 Wisconsin canceled its game at Nebraska and paused team activities for at least a week after a dozen people in the program — including coach Paul Chryst — tested positive for COVID-19.
Athletic director Barry Alvarez and Chancellor Rebecca Blank made the decision in consultation with Big Ten officials. Alvarez said the team had only one positive test two days before Friday's season-opening 45-7 victory over Illinois and 12 positive tests afterward.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-BOSTON MARATHON
2021 Boston Marathon postponed at least until the fall
BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Marathon has been postponed once again. The Boston Athletic Association says it won't hold the race as scheduled in April because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers say it will be put off "at least until the fall of 2021."
This year's marathon was initially postponed from April until the fall and later canceled outright. It was to be the 124th edition of the world's oldest and most prestigious annual 26.2-mile race.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-AHL
AHL moves season start to Feb. 5
UNDATED (AP) — The American Hockey League moved its projected start of next season back to Feb. 5 in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. So says president and CEO Scott Howson.
The AHL's board of governors finalized that projected start date during a brief conference call. The AHL is the top minor league affiliate for the NHL, which is targeting a Jan. 1 start for the season.
NASCAR-TEXAS
Kyle Busch wins in Texas
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Kyle Busch won for the first time this season to extend a 16-season streak when he won the NASCAR playoff race at Texas. The race finished Wednesday, three days after it started.
Busch finished ahead of penalized teammate Martin Truex Jr., who missed a chance to secure a spot in the championship.
Busch, the reigning Cup champion who is already out of contention for this year's title, finished 0.468 seconds ahead of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate.
The last chance to get in the championship four is Sunday at Martinsville, where Truex won in June.
There are spots for three other drivers to join Joey Logano for a run at the championship in the season finale Nov. 8 at Phoenix.