Wisconsin WR Cephus charged with felony sexual assault
MADISON, WIS. » Wisconsin wide receiver Quintez Cephus was charged with felony sexual assault on Monday, accused of misconduct involving two women at his apartment last April.
Cephus, a 20-year-old junior from Macon, Georgia, was suspended by the team shortly after he was charged with third-degree sexual assault and second-degree sex assault of an intoxicated victim. The charges were filed by the Dane County district attorney and Madison police said Cephus is accused of assaulting the two women on April 22.
Cephus said he was taking a leave of absence from the team on Saturday, posting a tweet that he believed prosecutors intended to file criminal charges against him stemming from an incident in April involving what he called a “consensual relationship.”
Cephus didn’t specify what he is accused of but denied any wrongdoing and said he has been wrongfully accused.
Madison police said they interviewed a woman at an emergency room on April 22 who said she was the victim of a sexual assault at Cephus’ apartment. Police said Cephus was cooperative after they contacted him.
Authorities said they learned early in the investigation that a second woman was also in the apartment that same day, and she said she was also the victim of sexual assault.
According to the criminal complaint, Cephus told police he did have sex with one of the women but said “It was all good. She was all into it.” Cephus also told police he and the second women had sex and that he and both women were “all in my room together.”
Cephus is due to make his first court appearance on Thursday.
Cheez-It becomes title sponsor of Cactus Bowl
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. » The Cactus Bowl is now the Cheez-It Bowl.
The multiyear title sponsorship deal was announced Monday.
The Cheez-It Bowl will be played on Dec. 26 at Chase Field, home of baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks in downtown Phoenix.
The Cactus Bowl temporarily moved to Chase Field in 2016 during renovations at Arizona State’s Sun Devil Stadium, site of the game from 2006-15. It is expected to remain at Chase Field through at least 2019.
Harbaugh: Patterson will start at QB for Michigan vs Irish
ANN ARBOR, MICH. » No. 14 Michigan will start quarterback Shea Patterson in the season opener at No. 12 Notre Dame.
Coach Jim Harbaugh made the announcement Monday. He had earlier said Patterson was simply one of four quarterbacks competing to take the first snap, along with Brandon Peters, Dylan McCaffrey and Joe Milton.
Most expected the decision to start the experienced Patterson, who appealed to the NCAA to play this season after transferring from Mississippi. He threw for 3,000plus yards with 23 touchdowns and 12 interceptions over 10 starts at Ole Miss.
Peters started four games last season with uneven results. McCaffrey, a redshirt freshman, and Milton, a true freshman, haven’t taken a snap in college.