Narrow path seen for college football

The NCAA’s chief medical officer says there is a narrow path to playing college sports during the coronavirus pandemic and if testing nationwide does not improve, it cannot be done.

Dr. Brian Hainline told CNN late Saturday that “everything would have to line up perfectly” for college sports to be played this fall. Much of the fall college sports season has been canceled, with conferences hoping to make up competitions, including football, in the spring.

Big Ten players continue to push the conference to overturn its cancellation of the fall season, while player parent groups from Iowa, Ohio State, Penn State and Nebraska have sent letters to Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren asking the conference to reverse course and seeking transparency into the decision.

The NCAA has no jurisdiction over major college football, so conferences are making their own calls. At the highest level of college football, four conferences, including the Big Ten and Pac12, postponed fall sports.

Six leagues, including the ACC, SEC and Big 12, are planning to play in the fall. NFL: Quarterback Alex Smith was activated off the physically unable to perform list by Washington’s NFL team. His right leg was broken in two places during a game in 2018. WNBA: In Bradenton, Fla., Natasha Howard had 12 points and 11 rebounds as the Seattle Storm beat the Connecticut Sun 9572 for their eighth straight win . ... Arike Ogunbowale scored 33 points to help the Dallas Wings defeat the Phoenix Mercury 9589 to snap a threegame skid . ... Cheyenne Parker scored 17 points and the Chicago Sky cruised 9267 over Atlanta, the Dream’s eighth straight loss. Tennis: Topseeded Simona Halep defeated thirdseeded Elise Mertens 62, 75 in the Prague Open final.

Jennifer Brady won her first WTA title at the Top Seed Open in Lexington, Ky., beating Jil Teichmann 63, 64.

Kei Nishikori, the 2014 U.S. Open runnerup, tested positive for the coronavirus and will pull out of the tuneup tournament in New York next week.