Big 12 to play football this fall
The Big 12 Conference reaffirmed its decision to press on with college football and other fall sports Wednesday, joining the Atlantic Coast and Southeastern Conferences in taking the field amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The move came one day after the Big Ten and Pac-12 announced they would not be participating this fall. There is a chance the other two Power Five leagues will push their seasons to the spring, but that remains to be determined.
In the meantime, the Big 12 board of directors approved a plan to begin fall sports after Sept. 1 with football playing a schedule in which each team can play one nonconference game before league play begins Sept. 26. The schools will play each other to give them 10 total games with the Big 12 title game scheduled for Dec. 12.
The league’s schools have agreed to enhanced COVID-19 testing that includes three tests per week in “high contact” sports such as football, volleyball and soccer. Rigorous testing that includes echocardiograms, a cardiac MRI and blood tests will be required before athletes can return to play. All nonconference opponents also must adhere to Big 12 standards.
The Big East joined the growing list of conferences not playing sports in the fall. The conference announced that men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross-country, volleyball and field hockey won’t be contested.
The conference will assess alternative options to stage fall sports contests during the spring of 2021.
“While we are disappointed to put our fall sports on hold until the spring this is the best course of action given the continued circumstances with the COVID-19 pandemic, DePaul athletics director Jean Lenti Ponsetto said.
The Big South Conference decided to delay its fall sports seasons with the hopes of playing in the spring. But it will allow football-playing members to schedule up to four nonconference games in the fall at their own discretion.
Notre Dame tested 117 football players for COVID-19 and two tested positive.
MLB Dodgers’ Kelly gets suspension reduced
Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly had his suspension for throwing pitches near the heads of Astros hitters reduced to five games on appeal. Kelly was originally penalized eight games by MLB on July 29, a day after throwing a 96 mph fastball near the head of the Astros’ Alex Bregman and two curveballs that brushed back Carlos Correa.
Yankees star Aaron Judge was out of the lineup Wednesday night because of tightness in his lower body and it was uncertain whether the oft-injured slugger would return for the start of a weekend series against the Red Sox.
NBA Westbrook might miss start of playoffs
Rockets guard Russell Westbrook has a strained muscle in his right quadriceps and his availability for the start of the NBA playoffs is uncertain.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was suspended for the Bucks’ final game of the regular season after head-butting the Wizards’
Moritz Wagner on Tuesday night.
The Celtics signed coach Brad Stevens to a contract extension. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Pacers coach Nate McMillan agreed to a one-year contract extension.
MISCELLANEOUS Bruins win game delayed 15 hours
Patrice Bergeron scored early in the second overtime and the Bruins beat the Hurricanes 4-3 in Game 1 of their first-round series that was postponed 15 hours to a rare late-morning start. The game scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday night started the next morning at 10 after the Blue Jackets-Lightning series opener went five overtimes.
The Masters, rescheduled for November, will be held without spectators or guests because of the coronavirus pandemic.