GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida received a year of probation and football coach Dan Mullen was sanctioned Tuesday after the school and the NCAA agreed to resolve an infractions case involving impermissible contact with recruits last year. None of the infractions was deemed Level I, the most serious, but the NCAA said the head coach…… read more »
BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — The NFL will have to wait for BYU’s Zach Wilson — for a few days, at least. Wilson threw for 425 yards with three touchdown passes and two rushing scores as No. 13 BYU routed UCF 49-23 in the Boca Raton Bowl on Tuesday night. Wilson, considered a top prospect,…… read more »
By JOHN ZENOR Auburn hired Boise State’s Bryan Harsin as its head coach on Tuesday, luring him away from his alma mater and into the powerful Southeastern Conference. The 44-year-old Harsin is 69-19 with three Mountain West titles in seven seasons at Boise State, but winning in the SEC affords greater chances for playoff berths…… read more »
By RALPH D. RUSSO Seven years into its existence, the postseason system that replaced the Bowl Championship Series is starting to produce levels of frustration, and in some cases contempt, among fans and competitors that ultimately crushed the BCS. Texas A&M is upset about not making the final four. Indiana is mad about being left…… read more »
By TIM REYNOLDS And … it’s back. The NBA’s new season starts Tuesday with a pair of games; Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets welcoming Durant’s former team in Golden State, while the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers open with the Los Angeles Clippers in the renewal of rivals who share a building. For the…… read more »
By RALPH D. RUSSO Well, hope you’re happy, Mr. (or Miss) There Are Too Many Bowls guy (or gal). This long season through the pandemic has whittled the bowl lineup from the 43 that were originally scheduled to fewer than 30. That’s a lot less college football and there is no reason to be happy…… read more »
By MITCH STACY CINCINNATI (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers’ December swoon is looking more like a collapse. The Steelers lost their third straight — getting thumped 27-17 by the last-place Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night — after ripping off 11 straight wins to start the season. They couldn’t generate any offense early, and the opportunistic…… read more »
By RALPH D. RUSSO A season filled with uncertainty brought on by the pandemic will end with a perfectly predictable College Football Playoff. Alabama vs. Notre Dame. Clemson vs. Ohio State. Four of the bluest of blue bloods and the teams that have comprised the top four in the rankings for nearly two months. Notre…… read more »
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons ramped up their search for a general manager Friday by conducting virtual interviews with former Houston Texans GM Rick Smith and the team’s director of college scouting, Anthony Robinson. The Falcons are seeking a replacement for long-time GM Thomas Dimitroff, who was fired along with coach Dan…… read more »
By PAUL NEWBERRY ATLANTA (AP) — Tom Brady took a knee, then headed toward the Atlanta Falcons sideline to exchange a few words with Matt Ryan. It all looked so familiar. Yep, Brady did it again to Ryan and the Falcons. Rallying Tampa Bay from a pair of 17-point deficits, Brady recreated his Super Bowl…… read more »
