AP National Sports

By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin has plenty of reasons to believe its offense will bounce back from its ineffective 2020 performance. Quarterback Graham Mertz has more pass-catching targets now that Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor are healthy again. Head coach Paul Chryst is calling plays again. Chez Mellusi has

By MARK LONG AP Pro Football Writer JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — There’s more uncertainty than usual surrounding the AFC South and it extends beyond Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson. The NFL’s lone division with two playoff teams in each of the last four years is dealing with significant changes heading into the 2021 season. Two new

By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pitt senior quarterback Kenny Pickett is looking to make the most of his decision to return for a fifth season instead of going to the NFL. Pickett was leaning toward entering the NFL draft before changing his mind last December. The 23-year-old says the chance to

PETE IACOBELLI AP Sports Writer CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Clemson’s newcomers on offense will get an early test this weekend when the third-ranked Tigers face No. 5 Georgia in the season opener for both teams. Clemson will begin what it hopes is another championship run without their two biggest offensive weapons the past three seasons

By MAURICIO SAVARESE AP Sports Writer SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil is waiting for nine footballers based in England to arrive for World Cup qualifiers this week. The Brazilian Football Confederation says 21 players have already gathered in Sao Paulo for upcoming matches against Chile, Argentina and Peru. Meanwhile, Argentina has almost all 30 members

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Hockey Writer Connor McDavid is again focusing on improving his defensive play to become a better all-around player. He was the unanimous selection as the NHL’s most valuable player last season. The Edmonton Oilers captain only took a few weeks off after his team was swept out of the first round

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Detroit Lions backup quarterback Tim Boyle broke his right thumb in the team’s preseason finale and needs surgery. Lions coach Dan Campbell made the announcement Monday, adding the team is hopeful it was not a season-ending injury. Boyle was hurt Friday night in a loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Detroit

By AL LESAR Associated Press KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee coach Josh Heupel has named Joe Milton as the Volunteers’ starting quarterback four days before the season opener against Bowling Green. Milton arrived on campus this spring after three years at Michigan. He beat out Harrison Bailey and Hendon Hooker who transferred from Virginia Tech.

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Miami safety Avantae Williams is back on the roster following the dropping of battery charges. The Hurricanes say the second-year freshman will not make his on-field debut until the second half of the season at the earliest. Williams was dismissed from the team earlier

By The Associated Press  Two-time U.S. figure skating champion Alysa Liu will compete at the Nebelhorn Trophy next month in the final qualifying competition for the Winter Olympics. The event is set for Sept. 21-25 in Oberstdorf, Germany. Based on the results at the ISU World Championships this year, the United States earned two Olympic

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Andy Murray showed that even at age 34 and with an artificial hip he can push the best tennis players in the world. He would rather have won against No. 3 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas on Day 1 at the U.S. Open, of course. Murray lost

By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy was a bit out of place for the Las Vegas Raiders’ preseason finale in San Francisco based on his pedigree. Coach Jon Gruden kept nearly all his big-name players at home to focus on decisions at

By JOHN WAWROW AP Sports Writer ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills relieved a logjam at defensive end by trading Darryl Johnson to the Carolina Panthers. Buffalo acquired a sixth-round pick in the 2022 draft in a trade completed a day before NFL teams are required to cut their rosters to 53 players.

By CHARLES ODUM AP Sports Writer ATLANTA (AP) — Don’t expect the New Orleans Saints to cede bragging rights in the NFC South too easily. Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the defending Super Bowl champions though they didn’t finish on top of the division last season. The Saints enter the 2021 season

By ERIC OLSON AP Sports Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Creighton has hired Marcus Blossom away from Holy Cross to be its new athletic director.  Blossom was Holy Cross’ athletic director for two years after five years at Boston College as senior associate athletic director for business and administration. Blossom follows Bruce Rasmussen, who retired

By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Pro Football Writer Quarterbacks Dak Prescott of Dallas and Carson Wentz of Indianapolis are among the NFL stars seeking bounce-back seasons in 2021. Both had setbacks with injuries in training camp. Prescott is set for the opener, and Wentz could be good to go then. Cincinnati QB Joe Burrow, New York

MIAMI (AP) — Miami Marlins pitching prospect Jake Eder is scheduled to undergo reconstructive elbow surgery and might be sidelined until 2023. Eder was a fourth-round pick in 2020 out of Vanderbilt and is ranked as one of baseball’s top 100 prospects. A 22-year-old left-hander, Eder went 3-5 with a 1.77 ERA over 15 starts

By STEVEN WINE AP Sports Writer MIAMI (AP) — As speculation swirls regarding the Miami Dolphins’ interest in embattled quarterback Deshaun Watson, coach Brian Flores says the team wants players with “high character.” The Dolphins have declined to confirm or deny reports they have engaged in trade talks to acquire Watson. The Houston Texans’ star

By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Top two overall draft picks Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson are set to step right in and become starting NFL quarterbacks in Week 1 of their rookie season. Mac Jones will join them after beating out Cam Newton for the job in New

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The New Orleans Saints are at the home of another NFL team after being displaced by Hurricane Ida. Saints players and staff, along with about 120 family members, relocated to North Texas in advance of the storm that made landfall south of New Orleans on