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New vision for the Astrodome

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astrodome has been in limbo, waiting for its chance at a second life since being shuttered more than 15 years ago.

It was a technological marvel when it opened in 1965. But its heyday has long passed and it hasn’t been home to a sports team since the Astros left in 1999 and it was closed to all events a decade later.

Over the years, ideas for its redevelopment and rebirth have been plentiful, everything from turning it into an indoor water park to flooding its sunken floor in order to reenact naval battle scenes. But none of these plans garnered enough public support or financing.

The latest proposal to refurbish the Astrodome was unveiled on Wednesday by a nonprofit focused on saving the beloved domed stadium. The group, the Astrodome Conservancy, proposes redeveloping the inside of the structure to create new areas for restaurants, retail, office and cultural spaces. But like the others before it, this plan could face a similar fate, with a $1 billion price tag and an initial lack of support from local entities that would need to give their OK for the project to go forward.

Beth Wiedower Jackson, the conservancy’s executive director, said that unlike previous proposals, her organization believes theirs is backed by data and would be economically viable in part because there would be enough private investment to support it.

“This is a big, big, bold vision. And those previous plans, even admitted by Harris County officials, were a first step towards a future Astrodome. And this is the full swing of the bat. And this gives people something to be excited about,” Jackson said.

The plan, Vision: Astrodome, proposes the construction of four state-of-the-art buildings inside the stadium that would offer spaces for restaurants, stores and offices. Similar spaces for shopping and eating would also be located around the Astrodome and connected to other facilities around the stadium. The Astrodome is at NRG Park, a 350-acre complex that includes NRG Stadium, located right next to the Astrodome and home to the NFL’s Houston Texans, as well as an arena and exhibition halls.

“The Astrodome is ready now for its next chapter, redevelopment,” said Phoebe Tudor, the conservancy’s chairman. “It is time for all of us in Houston to come together and do something hard, working together to repurpose the Astrodome.”

Nicknamed “the Eighth Wonder of the World,” the Astrodome ushered in a change in how people attended sporting events. It also hosted various cultural events, including concerts by Elvis and Tejano music star Selena as well as the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King in 1973.

Some people have called for its demolition. But a 2017 designation by the Texas Historical Commission as a state antiquities landmark essentially protects it from wholesale destruction. The stadium also maintains a strong foothold in the memories of many people both in and outside of Houston.

Rafi Kohan, whose 2017 book “The Arena” explores the place sports stadiums hold in American culture, said the Astrodome’s construction came at a time of incredible technological innovation in the United States, and it helped transform Houston from what some saw as a “backwoods cow town” into a leader in technology. Houston became the home of the space program with the opening of Johnson Space Center in 1964.

“There was and continues to be a lot of civic pride around the Astrodome, what it represented, the sort of space age feat, you know, in stadium form,” Kohan said.

Douglas Brinkley, a historian and professor at Houston’s Rice University, said the Astrodome has tremendous historical relevance and is worth saving.

“It’s been our fault that we’ve neglected it or not invested in it. But a turnaround is upon us right now. We’re going to get this done,” Brinkley said.

But whether there continues to be enough support in Houston to refurbish and save the Astrodome remains to be seen. It costs between $100,000 and $200,000 a year to maintain the stadium.

The Astrodome is owned by Harris County and managed by the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation.

The office of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the county’s top elected official, declined to comment on the conservancy’s proposal.

James Dixon, the sports and convention corporation’s chairman, said in a statement that he respects the conservancy’s efforts but “over the last few years, we have seen several concepts that, while thought-provoking, haven’t resulted in viable funding and maintenance solutions.”

Dixon said his organization and the county are working with other stakeholders on a plan for the future of NRG Park and “the solution for the Astrodome must be decided within that context.”

One of those stakeholders, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which holds its annual event at NRG Park and would have a say on what to do with the Astrodome, was not on board with the conservancy’s proposal.

“The proposed plan by the Astrodome Conservancy does not align with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s strategic vision and operational requirements,” Chris Boleman, the group’s president and CEO, said in a statement.

Trump issues early challenge to GOP Senate with defiant nominations

WASHINGTON (AP) — Just hours after Republican Sen. John Thune was elected as the incoming Senate majority leader on Wednesday, President-elect Donald Trump presented him with one of his first tests — an announcement that he intends to nominate controversial Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general.

The Florida Republican is one of the more universally disliked members of Congress, including among GOP lawmakers after he led the effort to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year. He has spent his congressional career agitating against the Justice Department and has been under a House Ethics investigation probing whether he engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, accepted improper gifts and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct. Gaetz denies the allegations.

Asked about the nomination as he left a Senate vote, Thune smiled and declined to answer. “That’s probably a good question for the chairman of the Judiciary Committee,” he said.

An hour earlier, the likely incoming chairman of the Judiciary panel, Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, also deflected, saying he doesn’t know Gaetz but will look at the nomination. “Don’t ask me any other questions,” Grassley said.

Two months before Trump even takes office, he is already challenging those congressional Republicans to defy him as he nominates potentially controversial figures to his Cabinet — including Gaetz, former Democratic House Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and conservative media personality Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense. On Sunday, Trump even said in a post on X that he wants the new Senate leader to allow him to make appointments when the chamber is on recess, bypassing confirmation votes altogether.

“I think it’s a little bit of a test,” said Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, who called the Gaetz nomination a “Hail Mary” pass from Trump. Cramer said he sees Gaetz as a disruptive force in the House and has concerns about the “serious allegations” against him, but stopped short of saying he wouldn’t vote for his confirmation.

“It will take a lot of political capital to get him across,” Cramer said, adding that “there will forever be tension between the branches.”

What’s unclear is how much political capital Trump will have to expend to get his picks through — or whether it will even be necessary. Republicans will have a 53-seat majority in the Senate next year, giving them room to lose a few votes.

Immediately after his election as the incoming GOP leader, Thune suggested that the Senate will not fully relinquish its power to vet nominations — but kept the door open to Trump’s suggested changes.

“The Senate has an advise and consent rule in the Constitution,” Thune said, adding that Senate Republicans will do everything they can to get Trump’s nominees quickly in place.

“How that happens remains to be seen,” Thune said.

While Trump’s announcement about Gaetz sent an immediate shock wave around Capitol Hill, many Republican senators who will be tasked with confirming him were reluctant to publicly criticize the pick.

Texas Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Judiciary panel, said he didn’t know Gaetz “other than his public persona,” and said he won’t “prejudge any of these” nominations.

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, elected Wednesday as the incoming No. 2 Republican in the Senate next year, would only say that Trump “is going to continue to make his appointments. We’re going to continue to look forward to them coming to the Senate and have hearings and get his Cabinet confirmed as quickly as possible.”

“I’ve got nothing for you,” said Sen. Katie Britt, an Alabama Republican. “We’ll see,” said Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin when asked whether he would support Gaetz’s confirmation.

A few GOP senators praised Gaetz, who resigned from the House shortly after the announcement, ending the House Ethics investigation and making way for a replacement to be elected before the new Congress is sworn in Jan. 3.

“I’ve known Matt for a very long time, we’re friends,” said Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who was nominated for secretary of state Wednesday, but was instead flooded with questions about Gaetz. “I think he would do a very good job for the president.”

Gaetz is “a smart, clever guy,” said South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, though he said “he’ll have to answer some tough questions in the hearing, and we’ll see how he does.”

Other Republican senators, like Cramer, were skeptical while stopping short of saying they would oppose his nomination.

Gaetz “will have his work cut out for him,” said North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, adding that it should “make for a popcorn-eating confirmation hearing.”

Maine Sen. Susan Collins said she was “shocked” by Gaetz’s nomination.

“I recognize that the president-elect has the right to nominate whomever he wishes, but we in Congress have a responsibility under the Constitution and our advise and consent, which will lead to hearings, an FBI background check and an awful lot of questions being asked in this case,” Collins said.

Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and said last year that the Justice Department’s investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him.

Democrats were appalled.

“This nomination is the first test of whether Republicans are willing to stand up to Donald Trump and go with conscience and conviction as opposed to just politics,” said Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democratic member of the Judiciary panel.

New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., was even more blunt.

“People voted for cheaper eggs, not whatever the f@#€ this is,” he posted on X, referring to last week’s election.

Flurry of contract deals come as railroads, unions see Trump’s election looming over talks

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The flurry of contract agreements announced early this fall — including two more Wednesday — offer evidence that major railroads and their unions are working to avoid the standoffs that led them to a brink of a national strike two years ago.

Both sides are also now keenly aware that President-elect Donald Trump — who has a track record of supporting big businesses — would be the one ultimately appointing the people who would help resolve the contract dispute this time if they can’t work something out themselves.

“I think overall it may lead the unions and employers to want to bargain more intensively and come to agreements sooner,” said Todd Vachon, who teaches in the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations.

But it still won’t be easy to satisfy all the workers who remain concerned about the widespread job cuts and have seen much bigger raises in other labor disputes.

Current contracts don’t expire until July but the National Carriers Conference Committee group that negotiates on behalf of the railroads said in its statement at the start of the talks on Nov. 1 that it was hoping for an early resolution. And just Wednesday, the railroads announced two new tentative agreements with the Transportation Communications Union and the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen.

The railroads play such a crucial role in the economy that the president and Congress have the power to intervene because so many businesses rely on them to deliver their raw materials and finished goods. The Railway Labor Act that governs railroad contract talks dictates that if the two sides can’t reach an agreement, the dispute could wind up in the hands of a special board of arbitrators the president appoints that would hear from both sides and recommend a deal. That happened in 2022 — though the industry still reached the brink of a strike.

The two unions that inked deals Wednesday and several others among the 12 rail unions had already reached some agreements with CSX, Norfolk Southern and BNSF railroads even before the formal talks began between the unions and a coalition of railroads that includes Norfolk Southern, BNSF and Canadian National. The other major railroads — CSX, Union Pacific and CPKC — have decided to bargain individually with their unions.

“I think we all saw the perils of going through that again,” Norfolk Southern CEO Mark George said about the yearslong battle the industry engaged in last time that created “a lot of anxiety and uncertainty in the labor force.”

The industry has also made strides over the past two years toward addressing some of the quality-of-life concerns that nearly led to a strike in 2022 before Congress and President Joe Biden intervened. In the two years since the nation’s freight railroads nearly ground to a halt, the industry has offered paid sick time to 90% of them — at the urging of the Biden administration and other officials — and most railroads have promised to improve the unpredictable schedules of train crews who were generally on call 24-7 without any idea when their next day off might come.

As a result, the relationships between the major freight railroads and the dozen different unions that represent their workers have generally improved, though they remain strained at times.

The president of the largest rail union that represents conductors — SMART-TD — Jeremy Ferguson said, “We’ve come a long way in two years.” But many workers still feel overworked and underappreciated by the railroads after the job cuts made in the name of efficiency in recent years.

CSX’s CEO Joe Hinrichs, who has led the industry with the first sick-time deals and other efforts to show employees they are appreciated, said he’s optimistic about the prospects for deals.

“We’re in a dramatically different place than we were two years ago, that’s for sure,” Hinrichs said. “I think what’s gotten us there is just everyone stepping back at CSX and at the unions and saying, OK, no one was satisfied what happened last time. What are we going to do differently this time?”

A bunch of those early deals were ratified this fall, not long after the first ones were announced in the midst of the labor dispute that brought Canadian National and CPKC railroads to a halt for a few days in Canada. But more recently, deals that offer 18.8% raises and improved vacation and health benefits over five years have been getting voted down after workers at Boeing and the East Coast ports secured deals with much larger raises following their strikes.

Josh Hartford with the Machinist Union’s District 19 rail division said that with a deal with CSX already out for a vote when the longshoreman secured their big raises, there wasn’t enough time to explain why this contract — coming on the heels of the 24% raises rail workers received in their last contract — might be considered a good deal. The port workers had gone longer without a new deal before this one that includes 62% raises.

But Hartford said “the morale is still poor” on most railroads after all the cuts and there is a strong feeling among some workers that maybe they could get more if they fight longer, so the Machinists rejected that deal. Conductors have also voted down all but one small deal on part of BNSF they have considered so far, and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union has been unwilling to sign onto any of these early deals. Plus, the third largest union that represents track workers split on the deals it voted on so far.

So getting all the unions to agree won’t be easy. Consider that BLET is locked into a lawsuit with Union Pacific trying to get that railroad to deliver the schedule improvements it promised, and SMART-TD is headed into arbitration on scheduling issues at UP and crew size details at BNSF.

BLET union president Eddie Hall said his organization that represents engineers “wasn’t going to rush into deals that didn’t deliver.”

“Some of the deals that were reached early by other unions were hurried and failed to meet the needs of those railroaders who operate trains,” said Hall, who cited concerns about the expanding use of remote-control trains, the ever-increasing length of trains and the impact of all the job cuts.

But the pressure will be on the unions to settle because the Biden administration won’t be there anymore to lean on the railroads, said Virginia Commonwealth University professor Victor Chen, who studies labor issues as a sociologist.

“I expect the Trump 2.0 administration will continue with its earlier playbook of blocking unions at every turn. In negotiations, the unions will need to keep in the back of their minds that the White House will no longer step up for them the way that Biden did,” Chen said.

Satire publication The Onion buys Alex Jones’ Infowars at auction

AUSTIN (AP) – The satirical news publication The Onion won the bidding for Alex Jones’ Infowars at a bankruptcy auction, backed by families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims whom Jones owes more than $1 billion in defamation judgments for calling the massacre a hoax.

“The dissolution of Alex Jones’ assets and the death of Infowars is the justice we have long awaited and fought for,” Robbie Parker, whose daughter Emilie was killed in the 2012 shooting in Connecticut, said in a statement provided by his lawyers.

The Onion acquired the conspiracy theory platform’s website; social media accounts; studio in Austin, Texas; trademarks; and video archive. The sale price was not immediately disclosed. The Onion said its “exclusive launch advertiser” will be the gun violence prevention organization Everytown for Gun Safety.

“Everytown will continue to raise awareness on InfoWars’ channels about gun violence prevention and present actual solutions to our nation’s gun violence crisis, including bipartisan, common-sense measures and public safety initiatives backed by Everytown,” The Onion said in a statement Thursday.

Jones confirmed The Onion’s acquisition of Infowars in a social media video Thursday and said he planned to file legal challenges to stop it.

“Last broadcast now live from Infowars studios. They are in the building. Are ordering shutdown without court approval,” Jones said on the social platform X.

Jones was broadcasting live from the Infowars studio Thursday morning and appeared distraught, putting his head in his hand at his desk.

Sealed bids for the private auction were opened Wednesday. Both supporters and detractors of Jones had expressed interest in buying Infowars. The other bidders have not been disclosed.

The Onion, a satirical site that manages to persuade people to believe the absurd, bills itself as “the world’s leading news publication, offering highly acclaimed, universally revered coverage of breaking national, international, and local news events” and says it has 4.3 trillion daily readers.

Jones has been saying on his show that if his detractors bought Infowars, he would move his daily broadcasts and product sales to a new studio, websites and social media accounts that he has already set up. He also said that if his supporters won the bidding, he could stay on the Infowars platforms.

Relatives of many of the 20 children and six educators killed in the shooting Jones and his company for defamation and emotional distress for repeatedly saying on his show that the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, was a hoax staged by crisis actors to spur more gun control. Parents and children of many of the victims testified that they were traumatized by Jones’ conspiracies and threats by his followers.

The lawsuits were filed in Connecticut and Texas. Lawyers for the families in the Connecticut lawsuit said they worked with The Onion to try to acquire Infowars.

Wembanyama shrugs off 50-point performance that leaves teammates in awe as Spurs top Wizards 139-130

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama scored a career-high 50 points in a performance that left his San Antonio teammates and the opposition in awe.

Wembanyama shrugged, wondering when he will do better after the Spurs’ 139-130 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

“Really, my first thought is, eventually I want the rest of our performances, the rest of our games to overshadow this one,” said Wembanyama, the top pick in the 2023 draft. “I wish, I want to make it so that in the future it’s just another one.”

It’s the pragmatism that has enabled Wembanyama to blossom into one of the league’s youngest superstars.

“Very impressive,” Spurs point guard Chris Paul said.

At 20 years 314 days, Wembanyama is the fourth-youngest player to score 50 points, trailing only Brandon Jennings (20/52), LeBron James (20/80) and Devin Booker (20/145).

“The big fella, man,” San Antonio wing Julian Champagnie said. “I mean obviously that’s not where it’s going to be every night, but when he comes out with that mindset, man, it’s hard to, it’s hard (for the opposition). Big praise to him, big shout out to him. He’s working on his game.

“So, we’re super proud of him and that’s what we expect from him.”

Wembanyama was 8 for 16 on 3-pointers, establishing a career high after setting and tying that mark with six 3-pointers in his previous two games.

Wembanyama started quickly against the Wizards, hitting 3-pointers from 25 and 28 feet as the Spurs raced to a 13-3 lead.

“Probably not (played against anyone) who does everything on a high level,” Washington center Jonas Valanciunas said. “Them shots, the 3-point shots, we did everything to take that away, but he still managed them.”

Wembanyama had 24 points in the first half, his highest production in a first half, and then matched his highest production for any half with 26 in the final two quarters against the Wizards.

Wembanyama is the first player in league history with 20 3-pointers and 25 blocks over a six-game span.

Wembanyama is the eighth player in San Antonio franchise history to score 50 points in a game. David Robinson holds the franchise record with 71 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on April 24, 1994.

That accomplishment may mean something later, but Wembanyama was already focused on the game Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers to open the Emirates NBA Cup.

“I love to celebrate the small wins and the big wins for a short amount of time, but tomorrow, we’re already locked in on the Lakers,” Wembanyama said.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Texas Rangers hire 2023 NL top manager Skip Schumaker as a senior adviser

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have hired former Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker as a senior adviser for baseball operations.

Texas announced Schumaker’s addition to its front office on Wednesday, when the team also signed right-handed pitcher Luis Curvelo to a one-year contract calling for the $760,000 minimum while in the major leagues and $90,000 while in the minors.

Schumaker was the 2023 NL Manager of the Year after Miami went 84-78 and made the fourth postseason appearance in club history. The Marlins slipped to 62-100 last season after the organization had parted ways with general manager Kim Ng, who was responsible for hiring Schumaker and building the roster that made the playoffs.

The Marlins and Schumaker mutually agreed that he would not return for the 2025 season. He led a roster decimated by trades and injuries to a 146-178 record over the past two seasons.

Before going to Miami, Schumaker was a bench coach for St. Louis, where he played for the Cardinals during their 2011 World Series championship over Texas. He played 11 big league seasons with St. Louis (2005-12), the Los Angeles Dodgers (2013) and Cincinnati (2014-15).

The 24-year-old Curvelo was 4-0 with three saves and a 2.57 ERA (19 ER over 66 2/3 innings) over 49 relief appearances this year for Double-A Arkansas in Seattle’s organization. He is seeking his big league debut.

Curvelo, who is from Venezuela, originally signed with Seattle as an international free agent in 2018.

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Desmond Claude scores 26 points, helps Southern Cal hold off UT Arlington 98-95

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Desmond Claude scored 26 points and made consecutive shots down the stretch to help Southern California beat UT Arlington 98-95 on Wednesday night.

Claude made a layup and jumper to give USC a 94-90 lead with 19 seconds left. Jaxon Ellingsworth hit a 3-pointer to pull UTA to 94-93 with 12 seconds to go before Terrance Williams II and Saint Thomas each made a pair of free throws.

UTA made four 3-pointers during a 23-11 run to take its first lead of the second half, 69-68, with 11:54 remaining. Kade Douglas scored eight points and Ellingsworth added six during the stretch.

Williams answered with a layup and Kevin Patton Jr. added a one-handed dunk to put the Trojans ahead 72-69 with 10:30 left. Then neither team had more than a one-possession advantage until Claude put the Trojans up by four in the final seconds.

Claude was 9-of-12 shooting and made 8 of 9 free throws to go with eight assists and five rebounds. Josh Cohen scored 19 points and Williams finished with 18 for USC (3-0). Wesley Yates III added 14 points.

Jaden Wells scored 27 points and Ellingsworth had 19 for UTA (1-2). Wells made seven 3-pointers and Ellingsworth hit four for the Mavericks, who shot 16 of 24 (67%) from long range.

USC opened on a 17-5 run and led 51-42 at the break. Cohen scored 12 first-half points and Yates had 10. Wells made six 3-pointers and scored 20 points in the first half for the Mavericks.

It was the first meeting between the teams.

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A potential Big 12 elimination game when No. 20 K-State and ASU meet for 1st time since 2002

Things to watch this week in the Big 12 Conference:
Game of the week

Arizona State (7-2, 4-2 Big 12) at No. 20 Kansas State (7-2, 4-2, No. 16 CFP), Saturday, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)

The first meeting since the 2002 Holiday Bowl between Big 12 newcomer Arizona State and Kansas State could very well become an elimination game for a spot in the conference championship game. They are part of a four-way tie for third place behind No. 7 BYU and No. 18 Colorado with three games left in the regular season. After K-State, the Sun Devils return home to play BYU (9-0, 6-0, No. 6 CFP). Colorado’s only conference loss was to the Wildcats, who finish the season at Iowa State (which along with West Virginia is also 4-2 in league play). D.J. Giddens is five yards from becoming the fourth Kansas State player with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo already has 1,001 yards rushing, and could return after missing last week’s game with a shoulder injury.
The undercard

Baylor (5-4, 3-3) at West Virginia (5-4, 4-2), Saturday, 4 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Only undefeated BYU has a longer winning streak in the Big 12 than Baylor’s three in a row. The Bears, coming off an open date, go to West Virginia with the winner getting bowl eligible. The Bears went into this season with questions about the future of coach Dave Aranda, now 28-29 in his fifth season. Baylor has rushed for 855 yards and 10 TDs in its three-game winning streak. The Mountaineers are coming off back-to-back road wins at Arizona and Cincinnati, but are 2-3 at home.
Impact players

Kansas running back Devin Neal is now the career leader at his hometown university with 3,951 yards and 43 touchdowns rushing going into Saturday’s game at BYU. He ran for 116 yards and two TDs in a win over Iowa State last week to pass June Henley’s record marks of 3,841 yards and 41 TDs that had stood since 1996. It was also Neal’s school-record 18th 100-yard game.

Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders is one of only three FBS quarterbacks who rank top 10 nationally in passing yards (2,822), passing touchdowns (24) and completion percentage (72.9%). The Buffaloes host Utah, which is second in the Big 12 allowing only 175 yards per game and 10 TDs through the air. Two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter’s nine receiving TDs are tied for the Big 12 lead, and he is third with 69 catches.
Inside the numbers

Houston (4-5, 3-3) has matched its overall win total from last year’s Big 12 debut season, and exceeded the two conference wins after its upset win over Kansas State last week. The Cougars play at league newcomer Arizona (3-6, 1-5) on Friday night. … Rocco Becht has thrown a TD pass in 13 consecutive games for Iowa State (7-2, 4-2) to break Brock Purdy’s school record. … The Big 12 leads the nation with 13 games with the winning points scored in the final minute of the fourth quarter, and 24 lead changes in the fourth quarter.
No more opens

This will be the final weekend for open dates in the Big 12, with Oklahoma State (3-7, 0-7), TCU (6-4, 4-3), Texas Tech (6-4, 4-3) and UCF (4-6, 2-5) all having the weekend off. All 16 teams will play on each of the last two weekends of the regular season. There has been only one weekend (Oct. 18-19) since the first Saturday in September with a full slate of games in the league.

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No. 17 Clemson visits Pittsburgh in a key matchup for ACC title chase

Game of the week

No. 17 Clemson at Pittsburgh, Saturday at noon ET (ESPN)

The Tigers (7-2, 6-1 ACC) are part of the chase for a trip to the league title game and can’t afford a slip-up with No. 14 SMU (8-1, 5-0) still unbeaten in league play and No. 12 Miami (9-1, 5-1) hovering nearby. Dabo Swinney’s Tigers regrouped from a home loss to Louisville by winning at Virginia Tech, and now must win on the road again.

Pat Narduzzi’s Panthers (7-2, 3-2) have fallen out of the AP Top 25 after a loss at SMU and a home loss to Virginia, a skid that have also dropped them back in the chase for a title-game berth.
The undercard

Boston College at No. 14 SMU, Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

SMU must keep winning to control its own destiny in reaching the ACC title game in its first season in the league, though the Tigers, Hurricanes and Mustangs don’t play one another in the expanded 17-team ACC.

SMU’s lone loss this year came to now-No. 7 BYU (18-15) at home on Sept. 6.

BC (5-4, 2-3) is a win from bowl eligibility in its first season under Bill O’Brien.
Impact player

North Carolina DL Beau Atkinson. The Tar Heels went on a sudden run of bringing down quarterbacks before last week’s open date, racking up 17 sacks in road routs of Virginia and Florida State. Atkinson had two against the Cavaliers and 3.5 against the Seminoles, putting him in the top 20 nationally entering Saturday’s visit from Wake Forest as UNC goes for bowl eligibility.

Louisville RB Isaac Brown. The freshman has been productive all season and is coming off a 151-yard day in the Clemson win. Brown enters Saturday’s trip to Stanford having rushed for 800 yards and seven touchdowns on the season.
Inside the numbers

North Carolina ranks fourth in the Bowl Subdivision ranks at 3.56 sacks per game. … California leads the ACC in scoring defense (19.3) and is ranked 23rd in FBS, while the Bears have the league’s No. 2-ranked total defense (327.9 yards). … The league has four players averaging at least 100 yards rushing in UNC’s Omarion Hampton (130.9), Clemson’s Phil Mafah (109.0), Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten (105.7) and SMU’s Brashard Smith (100.7). … The ACC has three of the five players in FBS who have thrown for at least 23 touchdown passes in Cam Ward (No. 1 with 32), Clemson’s Cade Klubnik (tied for third with 24) and Syracuse’s Kyle McCord (23 entering a trip to Cal).
Sliding Seminoles

Florida State opened the year as the preseason league favorite and carrying at No. 10 ranking in the AP Top 25. But the Seminoles (1-9, 1-7) head into an open date after a 52-3 loss to No. 8 Notre Dame and must beat either Charleston Southern next weekend or visiting rival Florida on Nov. 30 to avoid the program’s first 10-loss season since 1974, which was two seasons before coaching great Bobby Bowden’s arrival.

Before now, Florida State had never lost more than six ACC games since joining the league for the 1992 season.

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SEC teams warned by league about a practice to slow down high-tempo offenses

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina coach Shane Beamer had a final farewell for Mississippi last month as Rebel after Rebel went down on the ground with injuries, some serious, some minor, and created stoppages that slowed things down.

“First of all,” Beamer said after the Gamecocks’ 27-3 loss on Oct. 5. “I certainly hope all those guys are OK.”

Sincere or sarcastic? Who’s to say when Beamer quickly cut himself off and focused postgame comments on other topics. But there’s no doubt he and others around the Southeastern Conference are tired of injury interruptions for players who may or may not be hurt.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey took matters into his own hands with a memo to members last week to knock it off.

“As plainly as it can be stated: Stop any and all activity related to faking injuries to create time-outs,” Sankey wrote in the memo, a copy of which was shared with The Associated Press.
Coaches happy for reminder

Amen, said LSU coach Brian Kelly, who called the warning shot from Sankey “timely.”

Sankey, Kelly said, was standing out among “people in college football in making it clear that this kind of nonsense, which is a word that was used, needs to stop. It’s silly.”

Sankey’s memo said creating injury timeouts on either side of the ball is “not acceptable and is disrespectful to the game of football.”

There would be financial punishments for transgressors, Sankey reiterated. First offense costs a head coach a $50,000 fine. Get caught a second time and the fine increases to $100,000. A third offense brings the coach a one-game suspension.

Any staff member is subject to the same punishments if found to signal or direct a player to feign an injury. A player cited in such an incident could receive a public reprimand.
Nothing new about SEC’s stance

All this was laid out to teams before the season, Beamer said. He recalled reading the rules to his coaches and players.

“Here’s the policy in this league, and I ain’t paying the fine,” Beamer told them.

Ole Miss and coach Lane Kiffin have been front and center in the practice. Fans at Williams-Brice Stadium booed loudly back in October whenever a Mississippi player laid out on the field, believing they were play-acting.

Receiver Tre Harris, then leading the SEC in receptions and yardage, got hurt in the first half and did not return. Defensive lineman JJ Pegues, who had two touchdowns on offense for the Rebels, left in the fourth quarter with what appeared to be a shoulder injury. The boos were loud during both stoppages.

Both played the following week in a loss at LSU.

Mississippi acknowledged last month the attention it has received for suspected feigned injuries. It said it has “provided relevant medical information” for the SEC to review and will answer questions about recent games.
Faking it in sports

Faking injuries has been part of sports for some time. Think of soccer on the world stage where a player rolls around in supposed pain until running again a minute or two later.

Injury timeouts in college football give that players’ team a chance to regroup while slowing a high-tempo offense. Or it can give an offense getting dominated by a defense a few moments for coaches to come up with a counter.

The real world results mean four-hour games, frustrated fans and very little officials can do to halt it.

Kiffin said this week he was glad for Sankey’s crackdown.

“I know some people say, ‘OK, that sounds weird,’ coming from me. We’re a tempo offense,” Kiffin said. “I’ve been saying this for years, OK, that faking an injury hurts us more than anybody — us and Tennessee — probably more than anybody in America.”
Gaining an edge

Such tactics straddle the line between gamesmanship and cheating, depending who you ask.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning said he purposely put 12 men on the field on defense to draw a penalty — and drain the clock of precious seconds — as Ohio State desperately drove for a go-ahead field goal in the top-ranked Ducks’ 32-31 victory last month. The clock ran out on the Buckeyes next snap.

Florida coach Billy Napier said his team does not feign injuries.

“We don’t believe in doing it,” he said.

Still, there’s video of Gators linebacker George Gumbs Jr. making a tackle against Tennessee, rising quickly and jogging to the line of scrimmage when he appears to look to Florida’s sideline and instantly goes down with an apparent injury. A few minutes later, he’s up and walking off.

Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack understands the hand-wringing from fans and opposing teams. But a player who’s hurt should stay on the field to get assistance and give his coaches time for the proper substitute.

“Our guys need to understand, if they’re hurt in a game, never come off the field,” Wommack said.

Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea was grateful for Sankey’s reminder on a tactic he says he won’t ever buy into.

“Never do we cross a line of trying to game the system that way,” he said.

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AP Sports Writers John Zenor in Birmingham, Alabama; Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas; Charles Odum in Atlanta; Brett Martell in New Orleans; Mark Long in Jacksonville, Florida; and Teresa Walker in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report.

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No. 6 Tennessee at No. 11 Georgia latest league matchup with huge CFP implications

Things to watch this week in the Southeastern Conference.
Game of the week

No. 6 Tennessee at No. 11 Georgia, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

This one is the latest in what seems like a weekly potential elimination game for the SEC championship game and a spot in the expanded College Football Playoff.

Should the Vols (8-1, 5-1 SEC; No. 7 CFP ) win at Georgia, it would be the Bulldogs’ third loss this year, which last happened in 2018 in Kirby Smart’s third season. Maybe a great team with three losses can still into the national championship bracket, but the Bulldogs would be much better off not testing that notion and they are currently not in the CFP bracket as it is.

Georgia (7-2, 5-2; No. 12 CFP) has had its way with Tennessee the past seven years, winning every matchup by 14 points or more. The Vols last won Between The Hedges in 2016, 34-31.

Tennessee has won its past four games, including a 24-17 win over Alabama three weeks ago. Georgia returns home after more than a month away, a stretch that included a 28-10 loss at Ole Miss a week ago. The Bulldogs are 14-3 under Smart after a loss and the last time they lost two straight came in 2016.
The undercard

No. 24 Missouri (7-2, 3-2) at No. 23 South Carolina (6-3, 4-3), Saturday, 4:15 p.m. ET (SEC Network)

The Gamecocks, who’ve won three in a row including the past two over ranked opponents, are the current SEC team no one in the league wants to face. South Carolina’s dominating defense and revived run game have sparked the recent surge with convincing wins against Oklahoma (35-9), then-No. 10 Texas A&M (44-20) and then-No. 24 Vanderbilt (28-7).

A win over Missouri, a top 10 team earlier this season, would be the first time South Carolina had beaten three straight ranked teams after losing their past eight vs. Top 25 opponents.

The Tigers have won three of their past four, including a wild finish where Zion Young returned a fumble 17 yards for a touchdown with 22 seconds left for their 30-23 win over Oklahoma.
Impact player

South Carolina RB Raheim “Rocket” Sanders has fueled the Gamecocks in recent weeks. The Arkansas transfer, who ran for more than 1,443 yards for the Razorbacks two years ago, finally looks fully healthy after a knee injury limited him to six games last year. Sanders has run for 381 yards and had six of his 10 TDs this season in the past four games.
Inside the numbers

South Carolina is seeking a winning SEC season for the first time since 2017. … Georgia has a 28-game home win streak that dates to 2019 and is the longest in the FBS. … Tennessee center Cooper Mays, a fourth-year starter, has gone 23 straight games without allowing a sack. … Florida has rushed for 100 or more yards in eight straight games against this week’s opponent in No. 21 LSU. … Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe has led his team to seven wins over Top 25 opponents, including last week’s 42-13 win at LSU. … No. 3 Texas is looking for its 10th straight road win when it plays at Arkansas. That’s the Longhorns longest such run since winning 15 in a row from 2003-06.
Cupcake time?

Four SEC teams will host games against non-conference opponents they are favored to beat handily this week. Those include Auburn against Louisiana-Monroe, Kentucky against Murray State, No. 9 Alabama against Mercer and Texas A&M against New Mexico State. There will be four more such games on Nov. 23, the next-to-last week of the regular season.
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Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a stroke earlier this month, is expected to make full recovery

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Basketball Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich is recovering from what the San Antonio Spurs described as a mild stroke, though there is no timetable for the NBA’s longest-tenured coach to return to the sideline.

Popovich had the stroke on Nov. 2 at the arena where the Spurs play, the team said Wednesday, and has already started a rehabilitation program with belief that he will make a full recovery. The team released no other details, including what aftereffects of the stroke — if any — that he is dealing with.

“It’s a difficult time for everyone,” Spurs general manager Brian Wright said. “Coach Pop has been the leader of this organization for the last three decades. We all have come across or know people that just have a different aura, a difference presence about them. Clearly, he’s one of those people. When we walk into the building each and every day, we feel that leadership, we feel that presence and so not having him there’s clearly a void. And we miss him.”

The 75-year-old Popovich is the NBA’s all-time win leader who has led the Spurs to five championships, plus guided USA Basketball to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. He is in his 29th season as coach of the Spurs.

“He’s doing well. He’s doing well. … He’s tough, he’s a fighter and he’s going to work,” Wright said. “We’re all here for him, but he’s doing OK.”

Assistant coach Mitch Johnson has been the acting head coach in Popovich’s absence. The Spurs beat Washington 139-130 on Wednesday night, the the seventh straight game in which Johnson has filled in for Popovich.

“Mitch has been great,” Spurs rookie Stephon Castle said Wednesday, before the team announced the details about Popovich’s health. “Even when Pop was here, he’s always had a voice in our huddles and in our locker room. Our philosophies haven’t been changed.”

Victor Wembanyama, who scored a career-high 50 points in the win over the Wizards, said the team first learned about Popovich’s stroke before the team’s announcement.

“Of course I’m a bit worried about Pop,” Wembanyama said. “At the same time, I haven’t talked to him, but I know what mindset he’s on right on. I know he’s working like crazy, probably to come back with us as soon as possible. I trust him. I trust the people taking care of him right now. I hope he’s not going to be away from us for too long.”

A stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or if a blood vessel in the brain bursts. That deprives the brain of oxygen which can cause brain damage that can lead to difficulty thinking, talking and walking, or even death. Strokes may lead to difficulty speaking, paralysis or loss of movement in certain muscles, memory loss and more.

It is unknown if Popovich is dealing with any aftereffects of the stroke.

Stroke was the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than half a million Americans have a stroke every year.

The Spurs were playing the Minnesota Timberwolves at home on Nov. 2, and Popovich’s medical episode occurred there in the hours before that game. Johnson took over for that night’s contest, which the Spurs won, after the team said Popovich was not feeling well.

Johnson and Popovich spoke on Nov. 3, and on Nov. 4 Johnson said Popovich is “in good spirits … he’ll be OK. He is OK.” The Spurs had not released much in the way of details since, prior to Wednesday’s announcement about the stroke.

Wright raved about the way Johnson and the Spurs have bonded and dealt with the absence of the team’s leader.

“It’s exactly what Coach Pop would want us to do,” Wright said. “And so, it’s on all of us to play our part, to play our role, to continue to lean on each other, support one another and be there for one another.”

Popovich is one of only three coaches to win the NBA coach of the year award three times, Don Nelson and Pat Riley being the others. He’s one of five coaches with at least five NBA titles; Phil Jackson (11), Red Auerbach (9), John Kundla (5) and Riley (5) are the others.

Popovich has been part of the Spurs for nearly 35 years. He was an assistant coach from 1988 through 1992, then returned to the club on May 31, 1994, as its executive vice president for basketball operations and general manager. He made the decision to fire coach Bob Hill and appoint himself coach on Dec. 10, 1996.

He’s been the Spurs’ sideline boss ever since.

“We look forward to the day that we can welcome him back,” Wright said.

Popovich’s 29-year run with the Spurs is a span the likes of which has been nearly unmatched in U.S. major pro sports history.

Connie Mack managed the Philadelphia Athletics for 50 years, George Halas coached the Chicago Bears for 40 years and John McGraw managed the New York Giants for 31 years. Those three tenures — all wrapping up well over a half-century ago — are the only ones exceeding Popovich’s run with the Spurs; his 29-year era in San Antonio to this point matches the tenures that Dallas Cowboys’ Tom Landry and the Green Bay Packers’ Curly Lambeau had in those jobs.

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Reynolds reported from Miami.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

A $1 billion proposal is the latest plan to refurbish and save the iconic Houston Astrodome