The Latest: NHL's COVID-19 list at season-low three players
(Sarah Stier/Pool Photo via AP)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The list of players in the NHLโs COVID-19 protocol dropped to a season-low three, despite the additions of Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby and Nashvilleโs Ryan Johansen. San Joseโs Tomas Hertl is the only other player on the list after entering his seventh day in the protocol. ___Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby will miss Tuesday nightโs game against Philadelphia after being placed on the COVID-19 protocol list. The news comes a day after the NHL had a season-low four players in the COVID-19 protocol. AdTuesday nightโs game will be the first game with fans in attendance at PPG Paints Arena since last March.
COLLEGE CORNER: New bowl, new team
UTSA head football coach Jeff Traylor addresses the media Sunday, December 20, 2020 after finding out the Roadrunners will face the No. Last Sunday, UTSA accepted the invitation to face SMU in their second bowl appearance in program history. That bad news turned into something better for head coach Jeff Traylor and the Roadrunners. UTSA had already accepted a bid to play in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl the day after Christmas. โObviously, they are nationally ranked, they beat Iowa State, barely lost to Coastal Carolina, beat UAB,โ said head coach Jeff Traylor Sunday evening.
Indiana-Purdue cancel rivalry game again; bowl called off
The Indiana-Purdue rivalry game has been canceled again. It will be the first time in-state rivals have not met in a football season since the Spanish flu pandemic forced cancellations in 1918 and 19. Now, their rivalry game for the Old Oaken Bucket has been canceled for the second time in two weeks โ and the third time this season. โAs we stated last week, we know the history and tradition of this great rivalry game and how much it means to our current students, alumni and fans," they said Tuesday. The Hoosiers haven't won a bowl game since 1991 and Allen believes that would be a good way to wrap up a historic season.
The Latest: Ohio State women's basketball pauses
17 Ohio State womenโs basketball team canceled Saturdayโs game against Iowa because of a spike in positive COVID-19 tests in the Buckeyes program. The status of Ohioโs State road game against Maryland on Dec. 23 is still to be determined. ___Saint Louis and North Carolina State have agreed to meet Thursday in St. Louis as part of a two-game menโs basketball series. The Beach didnโt open its season until Dec. 4 and six of its seven games scheduled this month are road games. USC postponed its Pac-12 opener at home against Stanford over the weekend when it first reported the positive COVID-19 test.
BOWL BOUND: UTSA accepts invite to play bowl game this Saturday
SAN ANTONIO โ For the second time in the 10-year history of UTSA football, the Roadrunners will play in a bowl game after accepting an invitation to the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl to face SMU. โWeโre excited to accept an invitation to play in the Frisco Bowl,โ said head coach Jeff Traylor. We love to play football. โWeโve never won a bowl game before. I believe If we were to win 8 games that would tie for the most wins in school history.โUTSA will face SMU in the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl.
Cal-Washington game canceled after player's positive test
California doesnโt have the minimum number of scholarship players available for the game as a result of the positive test and the need for other players to isolate under contact tracing protocols, the Pac-12 said in a statement Thursday. Wilcox had said Wednesday night that the game was in jeopardy because of the large number of players needing contact tracing. The school said the player with a positive test is asymptomatic. This marked the first positive test on Calโs football team since practices began last month. This is the fourth time a Tulsa game has been postponed or canceled because of COVID cases.
Cowboys sign QB Gilbert from Browns after Prescott injury
FRISCO, Texas โ The Dallas Cowboys signed quarterback Garrett Gilbert off Clevelandโs practice squad Tuesday after Dak Prescottโs season-ending ankle injury. Gilbert played at Texas and SMU before he was drafted by the Rams, who were then in St. Louis, in the sixth round in 2014. Dallas is the seventh organization for Gilbert, who has played in six games and thrown six passes in his career. The son of former NFL quarterback Gale Gilbert played parts of five games behind Baker Mayfield in Cleveland last season. Prescott's gruesome injury came in the third quarter against the Giants when his lower right leg got caught under defensive back Logan Ryan.
Spectators and staff execute Texas State Athletics health and safety measures in football home opener
SAN MARCOS The Texas State Bobcats football program ushered in a new season Saturday in what was ultimately a 31-24 hard-fought loss to SMU. But the season opener at Bobcat Stadium looked different from years prior: the athletic department implemented several new health and safety measures designed to combat COVID-19 this football season. Steven Granados, the Director of Marketing and Guest Experience for Chartwells Higher Education, caterer and concessions vendor for Texas State Athletics, said the company has installed protective barriers and QR codes in place of menus. Im super impressed, said Strutters Captain and Texas State senior, Macey Phillips. I know not a lot of other universities are as capable of doing what were doing today so Im super excited and hope that it works out.
SMU holds on to win first game at Texas State, 31-24
SAN MARCOS, Texas Shane Buechele threw for 367 yards and a touchdown and SMU held on despite two second-half turnovers to win its first game at Texas State, 31-24 on Saturday in the season opener for both teams. Buechele threw a 51-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Roberson Jr. in the third quarter that gave the Mustangs the lead for good, 24-21 late in the third quarter. Brady McBride was 21-of-39 passing for 227 yards and two touchdowns in his first start at Texas State. Calvin Hill ran for 100 yards and Brock Sturges added 95 yards rushing and a 4-yard touchdown run for Texas State. McDaniel fumbled the ball to the Bobcats early in the fourth but Texas State turned it back over two plays later with a fumble.