Georgia-Missouri becomes 4th SEC game postponed this week
The Southeastern Conference schedule for this weekend lost a fourth game to COVID-19 on Wednesday as No. 12 Georgia at Missouri was postponed because the Tigers are short on players.
“This is certainly a week unlike any other,” commissioner Greg Sankey said. “I’ve repeatedly said (since March) that the circumstances around the virus will guide our decisions.”
The SEC was able to play 95% of its games as scheduled through last week, Sankey said.
Among the three SEC games still on for this Saturday, Arkansas will visit No. 6 Florida without Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman on the sideline after he tested positive for the virus.
No. 24 Auburn at Mississippi State; No. 1 Alabama at LSU; and No. 5 Texas A&M at Tennessee were all called off earlier this week. Both the Tigers-Bulldogs and Aggies-Volunteers games have been rescheduled for Dec. 12.
In all, seven games across major college football have been called off so far this week including Memphis at Navy, Air Force at Wyoming and Louisiana-Monroe at Arkansas State.
LSU QB BRENNAN LIKELY OUT FOR SEASON >> LSU quarterback Myles Brennan likely is finished for the season as he continues to recover from an injury to his abdomen and hip, Oregron said.
“It doesn’t look like he’s going to be back, unless some miraculous thing happens,” Orgeron said.
He added Brennan could require surgery for the injury, which occurred Oct. 10 in a 45- 41 loss to Missouri.
Brennan, a junior, played in the first three games of the season. He completed 79 of 131 passes for 1,112 yards and 11 touchdowns with three interceptions.
OH IO STAT E - MARYLAND CANCELED >> The Big Ten football game between No. 3 Ohio State and host Maryland has been canceled because of an elevated number of COVID-19 cases within the Terrapins program. The game will not be rescheduled.
Maryland has halted team-related activities after eight players tested positive for COVID-19 over the last seven days.
PENN STATE RB BROWN TO
STEP AWAY FROM FOOTBALL >> Penn State running back Journey Brown elected to stop playing football after he was diagnosed with a condition that can impede blood flow to the heart.
Brown, a redshirt junior, learned of his diagnosis in October and has not played in any of the Nittany Lions’ three games this season. The condition, known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, was discovered after Brown took a COVID-19 test. Penn State head coach James Franklin said the condition is not COVID-19 related.
NBA
THUNDER ASSISTANT DAIGNEAULT PROMOTED TO HEAD COACH >> The Oklahoma City Thunder promoted assistant Mark Daigneault to head coach, handing the team over to the 35-year- old former coach of its G League team.
Daig neault replaces Billy Donovan, who now is coaching the Chicago Bulls. Daigneault coached the
Thunder’s G League team for five years.
Daigneault has big shoes to fill. Donovan took the Thunder to the playoffs all five years he spent in Oklahoma City. He was a finalist for NBA Coach of the Year this past season after his squad outperformed expectations and pushed the Houston Rockets to seven games in the first round of the playoffs.
Soccer
PULISIC TO MISS U.S. EXHIBITIONS >> American star Christian Pulisic will miss U.S. exhibition sat Wales today and against Panama in Austria next week. The 22-year-old midfielder and forward has not played a match for Chelsea since Oct. 28. He injured a hamstring on Oct. 31 during warmups before Burnley.
U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said Wednesday that Pulisic did on-field work during training this week but was not fit to play in a match.
Pulisic hurt a hamstring after scoring against Arsenal in the FA Cup final on Aug. 1 and returned to action Oct. 3.
SEATTLE’S MORRIS, LO -
DEIRO AMONG FIVE MVP FINALISTS >> Seattle Sounders teammates Jordan Morris and Nicolas Lodeiro were among the five finalists announced for the 2020 Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player award.
Joining the Seattle duo are Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Andre Blake, Toronto FC midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo and Los Angeles FC forward Diego Rossi.
No San Jose Earthquakes players were nominated for any of the league’s major awards.
MARADONA LEAVES HOSPI
TAL AFTER BRAIN SURGERY >> Diego Maradona was released from a Buenos Aires hospital, just over a week after undergoing brain surgery, and will continue his recovery in a private home.
His lawyer, Matias Morla, said the soccer legend will continue to receive treatment for alcohol dependency.
Men’s college basketball
AZTECS PICKED FIRST IN
MOUNTAIN WEST PRESEASON POLL >> San Diego State was picked first in the preseason men’s basketball media poll released Wednesday morning, ahead of Boise State and Utah State. They had 14 first-place votes to four for Boise State and two for Utah State.
The voting showed a clear break between the top and bottom half of the 11-team league. SDSU, Boise State, Utah State, UNLV and Colorado State were firmly in the top five. Then came the bottom six: Nevada, New Mexico, Fresno State, Wyoming, Air Force and San Jose State.
IOWA’S GARZA AMONG SIX NAMED ALL-AMERICA >> The Associated Press’ 202021 men’s basketball preseason All-America team is a crowded one with six players named to the first team. Oklahoma State freshman Cade Cunningham made the cut, as did Iowa senior Luke Garza, Baylor junior Jared Butler and Illinois junior Ayo Dosunmu. The final spot was a tie between Gonzaga senior Corey Kispert and Arizona State senior Remy Martin, creating the six-man team.