Ward’s big night leads Houston to rout
Greg Ward Jr. threw for a career-high 389 yards and accounted for five touchdowns in just more than three quarters to help sixthranked Houston beat visiting Connecticut, 42-14, on Thursday night.
The victory was a bit of redemption for the Cougars, whose only loss last season came in a 20-17 defeat by the Huskies when they were 10-0.
Ward didn’t start that game because of an ankle injury, and there was a scary moment early in the second quarter when he took a hard hit in the midsection by Junior Joseph on a flea-flicker and had to leave the game.
But he missed only one play before returning and showed no ill effects from the blow, leading the Cougars (5-0, 2-0 American Athletic Conference) on three more touchdown drives in the half to leave Houston up 28-7 at halftime.
Ward and Joseph got in each other’s faces after another hit by the linebacker on a touchdown throw by Ward later in the second quarter, and it earned Joseph an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Ward had touchdown runs of 30 and 10 yards and threw scoring passes of three, 15 and four yards. He was replaced by Kyle Postma with 12 minutes remaining.
Noel Thomas had a career-high 135 yards receiving and a touchdown for Connecticut (2-3, 0-2).
Alabama’s Williams is arrested
Alabama linebacker Tim Williams was charged with carrying a pistol without a permit. Campus police arrested Williams on the misdemeanor charge at about 1 a.m. Thursday in his vehicle in a grocery store parking lot two days before the topranked Crimson Tide’s game with Kentucky.
Court documents show that officers smelled marijuana coming from Williams’ parked car, and found a bag containing the drug in the center console and a Glock 41 pistol under the driver’s seat.
Passenger Tykheem Dunaway said he was holding the marijuana for a man named Brandon Chicken, according to the court filings. Williams told police that he bought the gun while at home in Louisiana three weeks earlier and was given a temporary permit. He didn’t have the permit with him but did produce a receipt. Williams was released on $300 bond.
“This kind of behavior is not condoned in our program,” Alabama Coach Nick Saban said in a statement. “We are currently in the process of reviewing all of the information. Once we have a complete understanding of the situation, we will determine what we need to do in terms of the appropriate discipline.”
ACC moves title game to Orlando
The Atlantic Coast Conference is moving its championship game on Dec. 3 to Orlando’s Camping World Stadium.
Orlando emerged as a possible location after the ACC joined other sports leagues in pulling out of North Carolina amid backlash over controversial state House Bill 2. The law requires transgender people to use restrooms at schools and government buildings corresponding to the sex on their birth certificates. It also excludes gender identity and sexual orientation from local and statewide anti-discrimination protections.
Etc.
Wisconsin kicker Rafael Gaglianone is out for the season after undergoing surgery for a back injury. He missed the Badgers’ 30-6 win at Michigan State last Saturday because of his injury. ... Duke won’t have leading rusher Jela Duncan when the Blue Devils play Virginia this week. Coach David Cutcliffe said that Duncan would be out with an unspecified leg injury but that he hoped the length of time he misses “is shorter than longer.” Duncan ranks eighth in the ACC in rushing, averaging 78.5 yards a game.