AP National Sports

RREYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Iceland’s national soccer team played Romania in the first match since the team was rocked by a series of sex abuse scandals that saw the country’s entire soccer association board resign after it was accused of covering assault allegations. Outside the Laugardalsvöllur stadium in the capital Reykjavík, protesters held banners expressing

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS Associated Press SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A former player for Washington State University contends in a lawsuit that his civil rights were violated when he was kicked off the football team after complaining about potential exposure to COVID-19 and for joining an association of Black students. Kassidy Woods of Addison, Texas,

By The Associated Press Defending national champion Alabama and No. 14 Miami open their seasons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Hurricanes are led by quarterback D’Eriq King. Sophomore quarterback Bryce Young makes his first career start for preseason No. 1 Alabama. Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban has won all 14 season openers at Alabama.

BY ANDREW DAMPF AP Sports Writer GUIDONIA, Italy (AP) — The Ryder Cup occupied a big portion of Henrik Stenson’s thoughts after grabbing a share of the lead in the first round of the Italian Open. And it wasn’t just about his late push to qualify for Europe’s team at this month’s event at Whistling

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — The Browns are AFC North bottom dwellers no more. After ending two long postseason droughts in 2020, Cleveland is going for its first division title since 1989 this season. The Browns have never won the North, finishing last 13 times in the 19 years since the

By TERRY TOWERY Associated Press CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — New Illinois coach Bret Bielema took the first step last week toward restoring relevance to a tired football program by beating favored Nebraska in an early Big Ten conference matchup. But questions linger in Champaign. What does that win mean in the grand scheme of things?

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer BEREA, Ohio (AP) — The Browns’ defense is getting healthy just in time for a matchup against Patrick Mahomes and those high-scoring Chiefs. Cornerback Greedy Williams, safety Grant Delpit and linebacker Sione Takitaki all returned from injuries and practiced on Thursday before coach Kevin Stefanski sent the Browns off

By JOHN WAWROW AP Sports Writer ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills won’t renew their lease with the state and county without a partially publicly funded agreement in place for a proposed new $1.4 billion stadium, team executive Ron Raccuia tells Buffalo’s WBEN-Radio. Raccuia says the topic of relocation has not been raised

By HANK KURZ Jr. AP Sports Writer North Carolina will have to come out of the gate quickly. The 10th-ranked Tar Heels open the season at Virginia Tech in a matchup with more than the usual amount of meaning because they are ACC Coastal Division rivals, and contenders. The league is also part of other

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Former Alabama player and assistant coach Jim Fuller, who worked as both athletic director and head coach for Jacksonville State, has died after suffering from complications due to COVID-19. He was 76. Fuller died Wednesday night at his home in Texas, Jacksonville State athletic director Greg Seitz said. He confirmed that

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Flyers have signed forward Joel Farabee to a $30 million, six-year contract extension. Farabee’s extension kicks in with the 2022-23 season. He was scheduled to become a restricted free agent after this season. The 21-year-old Farabee led the Flyers with 20 goals and had 38 points in 55 games. He

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Hockey Writer Chris Pronger has been out of hockey for more than a year now and has no immediate desire to return. The Hall of Fame defenseman worked in the NHL’s department of player safety after his playing days were over and tried a front office job with the Florida Panthers.

By JEFF WALLNER Associated Press CINCINNATI (AP) — No. 8 Cincinnati has hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff and has big games on the nonconference schedule at No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 17 Indiana. But none of that will matter if the Bearcats don’t take care of business in the season opener against

ALTU D’EL GAMONITEIRU, Spain (AP) — Primoz Roglic moved closer to clinching his third consecutive Spanish Vuelta title after increasing his lead on the final test in the high mountains. Roglic finished second in the demanding 18th stage behind Miguel Ángel López. López held off a late attack by Roglic to claim the stage that

By JEROME PUGMIRE AP Sports Writer ZANDVOORT, Netherlands (AP) — Max Verstappen will not tell his home crowd how to behave at this Sunday’s Netherlands Grand Prix, even if they jeer Lewis Hamilton more than at previous races. While Verstappen will be cheered on by raucous supporters Hamilton will be playing away from home on

By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Mark Emmert is now the second-longest tenured leader in the long history of the NCAA. Over 11 years, he has guided the NCAA through a period of unprecedented change amid relentless criticism. Emmert is the face of an unpopular and seemingly ineffective bureaucracy and

By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Mark Emmert is now the second-longest tenured leader in the long history of the NCAA. Over 11 years, he has guided the NCAA through a period of unprecedented change amid relentless criticism. Emmert is the face of an unpopular and seemingly ineffective bureaucracy and

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer Fully vaccinated NBA players and coaches are not expected to be subject to regular coronavirus testing this season. The league made that announcement to its teams Thursday. Exceptions to that policy will include situations such as a player or coach showing symptoms generally associated with the coronavirus or being

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — Documents obtained by The Associated Press show two senior Olympic officials from Kuwait have been targeted by the U.S. Department of Justice for suspected racketeering and bribery related to FIFA and international soccer politics. Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah is reputed to be the “kingmaker” of

By JEROME PUGMIRE AP Auto Racing Writer ZANDVOORT, Netherlands (AP) — George Russell knows if he will race for Mercedes alongside seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton next year, it’s just he can’t say it. The Williams driver paused for several seconds when pressed about his seat for 2022. He says “I know where I’ll be