Sports

By JOHN WAWROW AP Sports Writer ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills starter Josh Allen doesn’t dispute the comparisons he has drawn to Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Allen recalls being a youngster and marveling at Big Ben’s ability to shed blockers and make throws on the run. Where the comparisons end for Allen

By LARRY LAGE AP Sports Writer DETROIT (AP) — Dan Campbell is taking over a team that isn’t supposed to win much this year and is leading a franchise as synonymous with losing as any in the NFL over the last several decades. The Campbell era in Detroit begins Sunday at home against the San

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer The Big 12 Conference is moving quickly to add new schools. Trustees at Central Florida and Cincinnati have called special meetings for Friday related to conference membership. Both of those schools have been identified as potential Big 12 members along with BYU and Houston. The Big 12 is losing

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Two accomplished, 33-year-old veteran quarterbacks are making their debuts with new teams Sunday night at SoFi Stadium. And that’s where the similarities end. Matthew Stafford is the Los Angeles Rams’ future, their hopes of playing in a home Super Bowl resting squarely on his shoulders.

By The Associated Press Sporting a new No. 25 ranking, Auburn hosts FCS Alabama State in the second game under coach Bryan Harsin. The Tigers opened Harsin’s tenure with a 60-10 win over Akron. The Southwestern Athletic Conference’s Hornets are coming off a 14-13 overtime win over Miles. They only have to travel an hour

By TERESA M. WALKER AP Pro Football Writer NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee defensive coordinator Shane Bowen has a countdown going on for the Titans’ defense, ticking off the days and hours until kickoff against the Arizona Cardinals in the season opener. It’s the first chance at redemption for a unit eager to forget 2020.

By GARY B. GRAVES AP Sports Writer Missouri visits Kentucky in the first matchup of SEC schools. An early East Division lead is at stake for the schools, which were picked to finish third and fourth respectively in a preseason media poll. The host Wildcats are coming off a 45-10 rout of Louisiana Monroe in

By The Associated Press No. 24 North Carolina will look to regroup from an opening-week loss when it hosts Georgia State on Saturday. The Tar Heels fell 14 spots in the AP Top 25 after losing at Virginia Tech. UNC had trouble replacing the production lost with two running backs now in the NFL. The

By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says there will be growing pains early in the season for his team’s new-look offense. The Steelers will have four rookies in the lineup against Buffalo, including running back Najee Harris and center Kendrick Green. Roethlisberger says it “may not be

By The Associated Press Arizona State inched up to No. 23 in the latest AP Top 25 poll after beating Southern Utah last weekend. Now the Sun Devils host UNLV in a game that they’re heavily favored to win. Arizona State will try to play a cleaner game than in the opener. Despite the big

By TOM CANAVAN AP Sports Writer EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Coming off bad seasons, the Denver Broncos and New York Giants used free agency and the draft to put themselves in position to end playoff droughts. Despite a 5-11 record in 2020, expectations are high for the Broncos to end a run of four

By The Associated Press Miami fell to No. 22 in the AP Top 25 this week and plays host to Appalachian State on Saturday night. The Hurricanes need a win to stay in the AP Top 25 and avoid their second 0-2 start in the last 43 seasons. The Hurricanes also opened 0-2 in 2019.

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tom Brady calmly ran out from a smoke-filled tunnel, leading the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers onto the field Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys in front of a full stadium for the first time since COVID-19 upended the world and changed the way

By The Associated Press This marks the 101st meeting between No. 21 Utah and BYU. Or the 95th. The reason for the six-game discrepancy has to do with the fact BYU officially began playing intercollegiate football in 1922, according to the school. There were six scrimmages or games between the Utes and BYU Academy, a

By BRANDON GDULA numberFire The start-or-sit dilemma is part of managing a fantasy football team. Having the foresight to start the wide receiver who goes for 100 yards and a touchdown in a matchup while sitting a receiver against a shutdown cornerback is one of the keys to victory.

By The Associated Press Newly ranked Mississippi returns home to face FCS team Austin Peay after a short week of preparation. The 20th-ranked Rebels defeated Louisville 43-24 Monday night in Atlanta. They’re trying to keep those good feelings going against an Austin Peay team that opened with a win over Chattanooga. Ole Miss coach Lane

By JOE HARRIS Associated Press ST. LOUIS (AP) — Tyler O’Neill hit a tiebreaking homer, Cardinals relievers combined for five scoreless innings, and St. Louis salvaged a split of its four-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 2-1 win. The Cardinals climbed within three games of the San Diego Padres for the final

By DAN GREENSPAN Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California defensive end Korey Foreman played a limited role as a pass rusher in his first college game. But the five-star recruit might have to start this week against Stanford because of an injury to redshirt senior Nick Figueroa.  The No. 14 Trojans are expecting

By The Associated Press Virginia Tech will look to build off its opening win against No. 24 North Carolina when Middle Tennessee comes to Lane Stadium on Saturday. The teams have never met. The Hokies vaulted to No. 19 in the Top 25 off the victory against the Tar Heels after receiving no votes in

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic enters his U.S. Open semifinal against Alexander Zverev needing two wins to complete the first calendar-year Grand Slam by a man in more than a half-century. So what makes Djokovic so great? Other players might mention the way he returns serves or his