Michigan cancels Ohio State showdown
Citing a rising number of COVID-19 cases in its program, Michigan canceled its annual showdown with Ohio State on Tuesday as college football lurches toward the end of the season without one of its cornerstone rivalry games.
The season-ending grudge match known as “The Game” won’t be played for the first time in 102 years.
While outbreaks have disrupted more than 100 games across major college football since late August — the problems with the Wolverines were closely watched in part because the undefeated Buckeyes (5- 0) have championship goals again this season.
With two games already canceled, the Buckeyes under current conference rules need a sixth game to be eligible to play for a Big Ten championship Dec. 19 in Indianapolis against Northwestern.
TIDE, IRISH, TIGERS, BUCKEYES HOLD STEADY ATOP CFP RANKINGS >> For the third straight week, Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State held on to the top four spots in the College Football Playoff rankings.
The selection committee’s second- f rom- la st rankings had only a little movement in the top 10. Texas A&M is still fifth and Florida held at sixth.
Iowa State moved up a couple of spots to seventh after earning a spot in the Big 12 title game. Cincinnati slipped a spot to eighth after an idle week because of COVID-19 issues in the program.
MLB
WHITE SOX REUNITE WITH EATON, FINALIZE TRADE FOR LYNN >> The Chicago White Sox reunited with outfielder Adam Eaton and finalized a trade with the
Texas Rangers for workhorse starter Lance Lynn.
Eaton agreed to a oneyear deal that guarantees him $8 million and fills Chicago’s hole in right field, according to The Associated Press.
The signing of Eaton comes one day after the White Sox agreed to acquire Lynn from Texas for pitchers Dane Dunning and Avery Weems.
Eaton played for Chicago from 2014-16. He was dealt to the Washington Nationals at the 2017 winter meetings for current ace Lucas Giolito, Dunning and pitcher Reynaldo López. SANTANA GETS 2-YEAR DEAL FROM ROYALS >> The Kansas City Royals and free agent first baseman Carlos Santana have agreed to a twoyear, $17.5 million deal. Santana, 34, batted a career-low .199 with eight homers, 30 RBIs and a league-leading 47 walks in 60 games with the Cleveland Indians in 2020.
He made the American League All- Star team in 2019, finishing with a .281 average, 34 home runs and 93 RBIs.
FREEMAN, A BR EU WIN HANK AARON AWARDS FOR OFFENSE >> First basemen Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves and
José Abreu of the Chicago White Sox have won Hank Aaron Awards as the outstanding offensive performers in each league as voted by MLB.com.
Freeman, 31, was second in the NL in batting .341, OBP (.462), slugging percentage (.640) and OPS (1.102).
The 33-year- old Abreu hit .317 with 15 doubles, 19 homers and 60 RBIs during 60 games in the pandemic- shortened season.
College basketball
NO. 5 KANSAS 73, NO. 8 CREIGHTON 72 >> Ja len Wilson hit the go- ahead 3-pointer with 42 seconds remaining, then watched as Marcus Zegarowski missed the last of three free throws after fouling him with 1.1 seconds left, allowing fifth-ranked Kansas to escape with a victory over No. 8 Creighton.
Wilson finished with 2 3 point s a nd 10 re - bounds. Christian Braun scored 14 points, missing a foul shot that could have clinched the game with 12.5 seconds to go, and Dav id McCormack contr ibuted 13 point s as the Jayhawk s ( 5 - 1) won their fifth straight against the Bluejays.