NCAA puts Auburn hoops on 4 years probation, suspends Pearl
The NCAA has placed the Auburn menโs basketball program on four years probation for unethical conduct involving former associate head coach Chuck Person and imposed a two-game suspension on coach Bruce Pearl for failing to monitor his assistant and adequately promote compliance.
Legislator being investigated for Weinstein backdrop on Zoom
Bickford apologized, calling it "inappropriate and in poor taste." Weinstein is a former Hollywood producer who faced accusations from more than 80 women that he sexually assaulted them. (Maine Legislature via Zoom via AP)AUGUSTA, Maine โ A Maine legislator who appeared for Zoom meetings twice with a background that made a joking reference to convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein is being investigated by the Legislatureโs human resources department. Both times, Bickford quickly changed the background to a lake, which is his typical background for Zoom meetings. โIt was inappropriate and in poor taste.
โItโs time to rise again:โ UCF announces Gus Malzahn as new head football coach
FILE - Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn reacts to a call during the second half of an NCAA college football game against LSU in Auburn, Ala., in this Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020, file photo. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)ORLANDO, Fla. โ The University of Central Florida has struck a deal to make former Auburn football coach Gus Malzahn the Knightsโ next head coach. He will replace Josh Heupel, who recently left to become the Tennessee Volunteersโ head coach, and he will be UCFโs ninth head football coach. Malzahn has been linked to the UCF job ever since the school hired athletics director Terry Mohajir, who worked with Malzahn at Arkansas State. Not only do I believe that heโs the best college football coach in state of Florida now, I believe heโll put together one of the best staffs in America.
UCF hires former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn to lead Knights
FILE - Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn argues a call during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Alabama in Auburn, Ala., in this Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, file photo. Central Florida hired Gus Malzahn as its football coach Monday, Feb. 15, 2021, a little more than two months after he was fired by Auburn. โI truly believe that this is a program of the future in college football,โ Malzahn said. Arkansas State won a conference title that season before Malzahn returned to Auburn as head coach. AdโThis is one of the top 25 coaching jobs in all of college football,โ Malzahn said.
No. 2 Baylor still undefeated after 84-72 win over Auburn
(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)WACO, Texas โ This Baylor win was for Davion Mitchell, and the junior guard did his part against his former team. Mitchell swished a 3-pointer after losing a shoe and finished with 13 points and seven assists, helping the Bears stay undefeated with an 84-72 win over Auburn in the Big 12/SEC Challenge on Saturday. โAnd thatโs OK, because Butler, and Teague and Davion Mitchell and Flagler are all really good,โ Pearl said. "That conversation down the court, that was pretty cool.โAHEAD TO STAYButler made two free throws with 4:50 left in the first half for a 23-22 Baylor lead. Baylor: Baylor is 7-1 in Big 12/SEC Challenge games, the best record by any team in either league in the annual showdown.
Ramsey leads No. 15 Northwestern past Auburn in Citrus Bowl
Peyton Ramsey threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score, and the 15th-ranked Wildcats clamped down defensively to beat Auburn 35-19 in the Citrus Bowl on Friday. Ramsey, a graduate transfer, totaled 291 yards passing and 50 yards rushing for Northwestern (7-2), which won its fourth straight bowl game. Ramsey put Northwestern ahead 14-0 on first-quarter TD passes of 35 yards to Chiaokhiao-Brown and 6 yards to Raine. COACHES OLD AND NEWFitzgerald and several Northwestern players were visibly emotional while celebrating with Hankwitz after the game. Northwestern: Fitzgerald has established the Wildcats as a consistent contender in the Big Ten and the future should be bright.
Fans fill limited capacity Camping World Stadium for VRBO Citrus Bowl
ORLANDO, Fla. โ For its third and final bowl game of the 2020 football season, Orlando hosted Northwestern and Auburn for the VRBO Citrus Bowl. Camping World Stadium previously hosted the Cheez-It Bowl and the Cure Bowl in December. This game, like all the bowl games in Central Florida, required major adjustments for safety precautions, including social distancing markers, limited seating, and masks required throughout. โI think these bowl games, although an economic impact will be felt, the broadcast to the country about how Orlando is safely open for business,โ he said. โI think it is a powerful message.โCapacity inside the stadium was capped at about 20%, which amounts to about 13,000 fans.
Auburn hires Boise State's Harsin to lead football program
25 San Jose State will face perennial conference powerhouse Boise State in the Mountain West championship on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus, File)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. โIโm incredibly excited and humbled for the opportunity to be at a place like Auburn University,โ Harsin said in a statement. Harsin has a proven track record as a head coach, more so than any Auburn coach in recent memory. Boise State won at least nine games in each of his first six seasons.
โRelieved:โ US health workers start getting first COVID-19 shots
Relieved,โ said critical case nurse Sandra Lindsay after getting a shot in the arm at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York. But we also recognize that this end is in sight,โ said Dr. Chris Dale of Swedish Health Services in Seattle. Plus, the shots can cause temporary fever, fatigue and aches as they rev up peopleโs immune systems, forcing hospitals to stagger employee vaccinations. A wary public will be watching closely to see whether health workers embrace vaccination. While effective against COVID-19 illness, itโs not yet clear if vaccination will stop the symptomless spread that accounts for half of all cases.
Auburn fires football coach Gus Malzahn after 8 seasons
Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn listens to an official's call during the second half of the team's NCAA college football game against Mississippi State, Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)Auburn fired football coach Gus Malzahn, ending an eight-year run that began with a trip to the national championship game. The Tigers also were upset by a struggling South Carolina, which wound up firing coach Will Muschamp during the season. โAfter evaluating the state of the Auburn football program, weโve decided that it was time to make a change in leadership," Greene said in a statement. Auburn will owe Malzahn a $21.45 million buyout for the remaining four years of a seven-year, $49 million deal.
Demoralized health workers struggle as virus numbers surge
Doctors and nurses around the U.S. are becoming exhausted and demoralized as they struggle to cope with a record-breaking surge of COVID-19 patients that is swamping hospitals and prompting governors to clamp back down to contain the virus. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)Doctors and nurses around the U.S. are becoming exhausted and demoralized as they struggle to cope with a record-breaking surge of COVID-19 patients that is overwhelming hospitals and prompting governors to clamp back down to contain the virus. โWeโre constantly looking for beds,โ said Cassie Ban, an intensive care nurse at Indiana University Health. Health care workers will be among the first to start getting the nationโs first COVID-19 vaccine in the coming days after the Food and Drug Administration gave it the final go-ahead Friday. Each one of those numbers is the death of a person who wasnโt ready to go yet.โAlthough concerns remain about getting enough beds, masks and other equipment, many frontline health workers are most worried about staff shortages.
Mond, No. 5 Texas A&M finish strong in 31-20 win over Auburn
Kellen Mond passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third and the fifth-ranked Aggies scored 17 points in the fourth quarter of a come-from-behind 31-20 victory over Auburn on Saturday. Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher wasn't interested in speculating on how the win might affect his team's playoff chances. He completed 18 of 23 for 196 yards, highlighted by two TDs to Jalen Wydermyer, and ran for 60 yards. The Aggies ran for a season-high 313 yards and held a 16-minute advantage in time of possession. Auburn: Was outgained 168-21 in the fourth quarter.
AP Top 25: No. 2 Alabama closes gap with Clemson; Liberty in
2 Alabama heading into a huge ACC matchup at fourth-ranked Notre Dame this week. The rest of the top five remained the same, with Ohio State at No. 1 on their ballots had Clemson third behind Ohio State. Penn State had the fourth-longest active streak behind Alabama (205), Ohio State (138) and Clemson (94). 4 Notre Dame: Another โbiggest game of the yearโ โ until the next one.
Nix finds Williams for game winner as Auburn tops Ole Miss
Auburn wide receivers Anthony Schwartz (1) and Ze'Vian Capers (80) both reach for an errant pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
SEC threatens fines, suspensions for breaking mask protocols
A Sept. 30 memo after the opening weekend of the SEC season included a reminder to coaches to be mindful of masking up and following other sideline protocols. According to the latest memo, going forward SEC schools will be โassessed a $100,000 reduction in Conference revenueโ for failure to adhere to requirements. Repeat offenders will face an increase in lost revenue by $100,000 per offense and even suspensions, the memo said. The NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, earlier this week issued a similarly stern warning to follow protocols as the league grapples with positive cases. Georgia coach Kirby Smart acknowledged this week he had been talked to by the commissioner and others about keeping his mask on.
Stetson Bennett, No. 4 Georgia romp past No. 7 Auburn 27-6
Stetson Bennett threw for 240 yards and a touchdown, solidifying his hold on the quarterback job as No. Postal Service cap in an effort to get noticed, Bennett was never viewed as a starting candidate for the Bulldogs. No matter the time of year, Georgia kept the upper hand with a fourth straight victory over Auburn. Georgia star Richard LeCounte got the boot in the second period for a helmet-to-helmet collision with Auburn receiver Shedrick Jackson. His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/paulnewberry___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
Week 5 Preview: Top-25 matchups in SEC; ACC title rematch
including the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry, highlights the fifth week of the college football season. 4 Georgia on Saturday night as the second month of the season starts, but only the second week of SEC play. The first of three games that decide the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy might have sneaked up on college football fans. The Falcons will play six conference games to go along with Navy and Army. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
Nix, No. 8 Auburn pull away from No. 23 Kentucky, 29-13
Nix threw for 233 yards and three second-half touchdowns, including a pair to Williams, and No. 8 Auburn scored twice in the fourth quarter to pull away from No. 23 Kentucky for a 29-13 victory Saturday in the season opener. โBo made a couple of really good throws for touchdowns,โ Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. Auburn: Has to get better on third-down defense, giving up eight first downs on 10 Wildcats attempts in the first half.
US colleges struggle to salvage semester amid outbreaks
Several teams in other leagues have had to postpone games because of outbreaks among players and staff. Ron DeSantis, alarmed by what he sees as draconian rules on college campuses, said he is drawing up a โbill of rightsโ for college students. The University of Wisconsin-Madison had seen more than 2,800 confirmed cases in students as of Friday. At Kansas State University, more than 2,200 students have been placed in quarantine or isolation since class began. But Mariscano said universities should expect college students to act like college students.
No. 7 Aztecs own 'The Map' as nation's last undefeated team
San Diego State's Yanni Wetzell drives past Fresno State's Nate Grimes during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fresno, Calif., Tuesday Jan. 14, 2020. 7 San Diego State Aztecs have โThe Mapโ of the United States all to themselves. โWhen Auburn went down, we started getting the pictures of โThe Map.โ San Diego State was the entire map, so it was pretty cool.โSan Diego State fans have been enamored with the โThe Mapโ on social media as their team has gotten off to the second-hottest start in school history. Since late December, San Diego State and Auburn split the map. โWe cover the moon and Mercury and Mars and Jupiter, San Diego State on all of them.
Group stops search for UFC fighterโs missing stepdaughter
AUBURN, Ala. โ A Texas-based nonprofit that works to find missing people across the country has called off its search for UFC heavyweight Walt Harris' missing stepdaughter. Destinie Duvall of Texas EquuSearch tells WRBL-TV that that the horse-mounted search group is heading home after using โevery resource availableโ to search for 19-year-old Aniah Blanchard in Auburn, Alabama. Blanchard was last seen on Oct. 23 at an Auburn gas station. Surveillance video puts him at the gas station at the same time as Blanchard. Duvall said the search is suspended until the group is summoned to follow a new lead.