Meyer starts toward repairing scandal damage

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer says he has sent letters and had conversations with families of players as a key step toward containing and repairing the scandal that led to his three-game suspension.

Meyer acknowledged Monday that the program's reputation has suffered and said he hopes more clarity about what happened will help mitigate the damage.

Meyer was questioned at length during a 55-minute news conference about his mismanagement of an assistant coach accused of domestic abuse.

The session would have normally been about his team's upcoming football game. The Buckeyes host Tulane on Saturday.

Meyer reiterated his contention that he did not turn his back on domestic violence allegations against wide receivers coach Zach Smith, who was fired in July.

Arkansas QB Storey to start at Auburn

Arkansas coach Chad Morris says Ty Storey will start at quarterback for Saturday night's game at No. 9-ranked Auburn.

Storey didn't play last week as the Razorbacks lost at home to North Texas, dropping their record to 1-2 this season.

Freshmen Connor Noland and John Stephen Jones both played to get some experience after Cole Kelley struggled with four interceptions.

South Dakota State coach apologizes for running up score

South Dakota State head football coach John Stiegelmeier says he regrets allowing his team to pile up 90 points against ArkansasPine Bluff.

SDSU set a school record for points in its 90-6 victory Saturday night.

The Jackrabbits had 926 yards of total offense — just shy of a Football Championship Subdivision record.

Stiegelmeier in remarks after the game said he was excited about the win but disappointed in how he managed the game. He said he should have slowed his team down earlier and taken out all passing plays.

Stiegelmeier said he should have been more respectful toward Arkansas Pine-Bluff and apologized.

Georgia's Holyfield gets advice from dad after big game

Elijah Holyfield's famous father offered some advice after the Georgia junior was stopped short of the goal line on a 66-yard run last week.

"He said I should have scored," Holyfield said of tips from his father, former boxing champion Evander Holyfield, after Georgia's 49-7 win over Middle Tennessee last week.

"He said I probably should have just kept running. He said trust your speed."

Holyfield ran for 100 yards as No. 2-ranked Georgia gained momentum for Saturday night's game at Missouri.

At 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds, Holyfield resembles his father in his looks and athletic strengths.

He's a physical runner and is tough to bring down, much like his father in the ring.

"He likes contact, and he's a bowling ball," said Georgia coach Kirby Smart on Monday. "He's hard to bring down. He's really tough."

Last week's surprise was Holyfield's explosive speed, including on the long run.

The skills made Holyfield Georgia's first 100-yard rusher this season.

He is the surprise leading rusher in a tailback committee still topped by

D'Andre Swift, who did not play after the Bulldogs' first two possessions last week.

Swift is still listed as the starter on Georgia's depth chart. Holyfield, who leads Georgia with 200 yards rushing, is bracketed with

Brian Herrien as Swift's top backups.