NCAA puts Auburn hoops on 4 years probation, suspends Pearl
The NCAA has placed the Auburn men’s basketball program on four years probation for unethical conduct involving former associate head coach Chuck Person and imposed a two-game suspension on coach Bruce Pearl for failing to monitor his assistant and adequately promote compliance.
Vaccine effort turns into slog as infectious variant spreads
As case numbers decline and states reopen, the potential final stage in the U.S. campaign to vanquish COVID-19 is turning into a slog, with a worrisome variant gaining a bigger foothold and lotteries and other prizes failing to persuade many Americans to get vaccinated.
Legislator being investigated for Weinstein backdrop on Zoom
Bickford apologized, calling it "inappropriate and in poor taste." Weinstein is a former Hollywood producer who faced accusations from more than 80 women that he sexually assaulted them. (Maine Legislature via Zoom via AP)AUGUSTA, Maine – A Maine legislator who appeared for Zoom meetings twice with a background that made a joking reference to convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein is being investigated by the Legislature’s human resources department. Both times, Bickford quickly changed the background to a lake, which is his typical background for Zoom meetings. “It was inappropriate and in poor taste.
UCF hires former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn to lead Knights
FILE - Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn argues a call during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Alabama in Auburn, Ala., in this Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, file photo. Central Florida hired Gus Malzahn as its football coach Monday, Feb. 15, 2021, a little more than two months after he was fired by Auburn. “I truly believe that this is a program of the future in college football,” Malzahn said. Arkansas State won a conference title that season before Malzahn returned to Auburn as head coach. Ad“This is one of the top 25 coaching jobs in all of college football,” Malzahn said.
No. 2 Baylor still undefeated after 84-72 win over Auburn
(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)WACO, Texas – This Baylor win was for Davion Mitchell, and the junior guard did his part against his former team. Mitchell swished a 3-pointer after losing a shoe and finished with 13 points and seven assists, helping the Bears stay undefeated with an 84-72 win over Auburn in the Big 12/SEC Challenge on Saturday. “And that’s OK, because Butler, and Teague and Davion Mitchell and Flagler are all really good,” Pearl said. "That conversation down the court, that was pretty cool.”AHEAD TO STAYButler made two free throws with 4:50 left in the first half for a 23-22 Baylor lead. Baylor: Baylor is 7-1 in Big 12/SEC Challenge games, the best record by any team in either league in the annual showdown.
Gators Breakdown: Florida to hire Auburn’s Wesley McGriff for role in secondary
The Gators stay in the SEC as they reportedly hire Auburn’s Wesley McGriff after moving on from Torrian Gray and Ron English. David Waters is joined by Jake Crain (The JBoy Show) to give a detailed look into Florida’s newest defensive back coach. Get Gators Breakdown merchandise at https://www.ebay.com/str/gatorsbreakdownLISTEN: Catch up on previous episodes of Gators BreakdownFollow David Waters on Twitter @GatorDave_SEC to stay plugged in, or click one of the following to tune in:Megaphone | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Google Podcasts | Stitcher
Ramsey leads No. 15 Northwestern past Auburn in Citrus Bowl
Peyton Ramsey threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score, and the 15th-ranked Wildcats clamped down defensively to beat Auburn 35-19 in the Citrus Bowl on Friday. Ramsey, a graduate transfer, totaled 291 yards passing and 50 yards rushing for Northwestern (7-2), which won its fourth straight bowl game. Ramsey put Northwestern ahead 14-0 on first-quarter TD passes of 35 yards to Chiaokhiao-Brown and 6 yards to Raine. COACHES OLD AND NEWFitzgerald and several Northwestern players were visibly emotional while celebrating with Hankwitz after the game. Northwestern: Fitzgerald has established the Wildcats as a consistent contender in the Big Ten and the future should be bright.
Auburn hires Boise State's Harsin to lead football program
25 San Jose State will face perennial conference powerhouse Boise State in the Mountain West championship on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020 in Las Vegas. “I’m incredibly excited and humbled for the opportunity to be at a place like Auburn University,” Harsin said in a statement. Malzahn led Auburn to the Southeastern Conference championship and into the national championship game in his first season, 2013. Harsin has a proven track record as a head coach, more so than any Auburn coach in recent memory. Boise State won at least nine games in each of his first six seasons.
Auburn fires football coach Gus Malzahn after 8 seasons
Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn listens to an official's call during the second half of the team's NCAA college football game against Mississippi State, Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)Auburn fired football coach Gus Malzahn, ending an eight-year run that began with a trip to the national championship game. The Tigers also were upset by a struggling South Carolina, which wound up firing coach Will Muschamp during the season. “After evaluating the state of the Auburn football program, we’ve decided that it was time to make a change in leadership," Greene said in a statement. Auburn will owe Malzahn a $21.45 million buyout for the remaining four years of a seven-year, $49 million deal.
Demoralized health workers struggle as virus numbers surge
Doctors and nurses around the U.S. are becoming exhausted and demoralized as they struggle to cope with a record-breaking surge of COVID-19 patients that is swamping hospitals and prompting governors to clamp back down to contain the virus. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)Doctors and nurses around the U.S. are becoming exhausted and demoralized as they struggle to cope with a record-breaking surge of COVID-19 patients that is overwhelming hospitals and prompting governors to clamp back down to contain the virus. “We’re constantly looking for beds,” said Cassie Ban, an intensive care nurse at Indiana University Health. Health care workers will be among the first to start getting the nation’s first COVID-19 vaccine in the coming days after the Food and Drug Administration gave it the final go-ahead Friday. Each one of those numbers is the death of a person who wasn’t ready to go yet.”Although concerns remain about getting enough beds, masks and other equipment, many frontline health workers are most worried about staff shortages.
Mond, No. 5 Texas A&M finish strong in 31-20 win over Auburn
Kellen Mond passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third and the fifth-ranked Aggies scored 17 points in the fourth quarter of a come-from-behind 31-20 victory over Auburn on Saturday. Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher wasn't interested in speculating on how the win might affect his team's playoff chances. He completed 18 of 23 for 196 yards, highlighted by two TDs to Jalen Wydermyer, and ran for 60 yards. The Aggies ran for a season-high 313 yards and held a 16-minute advantage in time of possession. Auburn: Was outgained 168-21 in the fourth quarter.
AP Top 25: No. 2 Alabama closes gap with Clemson; Liberty in
2 Alabama heading into a huge ACC matchup at fourth-ranked Notre Dame this week. The rest of the top five remained the same, with Ohio State at No. 1 on their ballots had Clemson third behind Ohio State. Penn State had the fourth-longest active streak behind Alabama (205), Ohio State (138) and Clemson (94). 4 Notre Dame: Another “biggest game of the year” — until the next one.
Nix finds Williams for game winner as Auburn tops Ole Miss
Auburn wide receivers Anthony Schwartz (1) and Ze'Vian Capers (80) both reach for an errant pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
SEC threatens fines, suspensions for breaking mask protocols
A Sept. 30 memo after the opening weekend of the SEC season included a reminder to coaches to be mindful of masking up and following other sideline protocols. According to the latest memo, going forward SEC schools will be “assessed a $100,000 reduction in Conference revenue” for failure to adhere to requirements. Repeat offenders will face an increase in lost revenue by $100,000 per offense and even suspensions, the memo said. The NFL has fined several coaches $100,000 for improper use of face coverings and docked their teams $250,000. Georgia coach Kirby Smart acknowledged this week he had been talked to by the commissioner and others about keeping his mask on.
Stetson Bennett, No. 4 Georgia romp past No. 7 Auburn 27-6
Stetson Bennett threw for 240 yards and a touchdown, solidifying his hold on the quarterback job as No. Postal Service cap in an effort to get noticed, Bennett was never viewed as a starting candidate for the Bulldogs. No matter the time of year, Georgia kept the upper hand with a fourth straight victory over Auburn. Georgia star Richard LeCounte got the boot in the second period for a helmet-to-helmet collision with Auburn receiver Shedrick Jackson. His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/paulnewberry___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
Week 5 Preview: Top-25 matchups in SEC; ACC title rematch
including the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry, highlights the fifth week of the college football season. 4 Georgia on Saturday night as the second month of the season starts, but only the second week of SEC play. The first of three games that decide the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy might have sneaked up on college football fans. The Falcons will play six conference games to go along with Navy and Army. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
Nix, No. 8 Auburn pull away from No. 23 Kentucky, 29-13
Nix threw for 233 yards and three second-half touchdowns, including a pair to Williams, and No. 8 Auburn scored twice in the fourth quarter to pull away from No. 23 Kentucky for a 29-13 victory Saturday in the season opener. “Bo made a couple of really good throws for touchdowns,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. Auburn: Has to get better on third-down defense, giving up eight first downs on 10 Wildcats attempts in the first half.
US colleges struggle to salvage semester amid outbreaks
Several teams in other leagues have had to postpone games because of outbreaks among players and staff. Ron DeSantis, alarmed by what he sees as draconian rules on college campuses, said he is drawing up a “bill of rights” for college students. The University of Wisconsin-Madison had seen more than 2,800 confirmed cases in students as of Friday. At Kansas State University, more than 2,200 students have been placed in quarantine or isolation since class began. But Mariscano said universities should expect college students to act like college students.
No. 7 Aztecs own 'The Map' as nation's last undefeated team
San Diego State's Yanni Wetzell drives past Fresno State's Nate Grimes during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fresno, Calif., Tuesday Jan. 14, 2020. 7 San Diego State Aztecs have “The Map” of the United States all to themselves. “When Auburn went down, we started getting the pictures of ‘The Map.’ San Diego State was the entire map, so it was pretty cool.”San Diego State fans have been enamored with the “The Map” on social media as their team has gotten off to the second-hottest start in school history. Since late December, San Diego State and Auburn split the map. “We cover the moon and Mercury and Mars and Jupiter, San Diego State on all of them.
Man arrested in disappearance of student Aniah Blanchard
Aniah Haley Blanchard, 19, of Auburn has been missing since Oct. 23, police say. (CNN) - A man wanted in connection with the disappearance of Alabama college student Aniah Blanchard has been arrested in Florida, authorities said Friday. Blanchard was last seen Oct. 23 in Auburn and her damaged SUV was found in Montgomery. The reward for helping to find Blanchard and any perpetrators involved in the case stands at more than $100,000. Kay Ivey's $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators involved in the disappearance of Aniah Blanchard," he said in a video posted to Twitter.
Malzahn: Auburn backup QB Joey Gatewood is transferring
Quarterback Joey Gatewood of Auburn scores a touchdown during the fourth quarter of their game against Kent State. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)AUBURN, Ala. - AUBURN, Ala. (AP) - Auburn backup quarterback Joey Gatewood, a former Bartram Trail High School star, has left the team and plans to transfer. Tigers coach Gus Malzahn said Wednesday Gatewood opted to enter the NCAA's transfer portal to give himself more time to find a school to compete for a starting job. Malzahn says Gatewood informed him of his decision before Tuesday's practice. The 6-foot-5, 233-pound redshirt freshman lost a battle for the starting job to freshman Bo Nix.
UFC fighter asks for help finding daughter who vanished in Alabama
(CNN) - A mixed martial artist is asking for the public's help finding his teen daughter after Auburn, Alabama, police said her vehicle was discovered abandoned an hour south, in Montgomery. Before it was found in Montgomery on Friday, her car was last seen about 12:30 a.m. (1:30 a.m. ET) Thursday near the intersection of Interstate 85 and South College Street, a main thoroughfare into downtown Auburn. She stands 5-foot-6-inches tall, weighs about 125 pounds and was last seen wearing a black dress, tan duck boots and black stockings. In posts on Instagram and Twitter, Harris pleaded for the public's help in finding his daughter.
Gators Breakdown: Talkin' with Troupe | UF-Auburn
Gators Breakdown is proud to bring on former Gators tight-end Ben Troupe for a News4Jax exclusive, "Talkin' with Troupe." LISTEN: Catch up on previous episodes of Gators BreakdownOn this edition, Ben discusses the hype surrounding Florida vs Auburn and, also, how the Gators still need to be able to run the ball. Follow @GatorDave_SEC to stay plugged in, or click one of the following to tune in:Megaphone | A pple Podcasts | YouTube | Google PlayCopyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.
Gators Breakdown: Perception of Florida can change vs Auburn
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - It hasn't been the smoothest of 5-0 starts, but that's where the Gators are heading into the top 10 match-up with Auburn. Should the Gators defeat the Tigers on Saturday, perception will change of Florida. LISTEN: Catch up on previous episodes of Gators BreakdownDavid Waters is joined by Will Miles (ReadandReaction.com) to discuss the magnitude of this game. Also, the guys hit on the continued offensive line struggles and returning players on defense. Follow @GatorDave_SEC to stay plugged in, or click one of the following to tune in:Megaphone | A pple Podcasts | YouTube | Google PlayCopyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.
Auburn player tumbles into Mississippi State's bulldog mascot
Auburn's JaTarvious Whitlow gets up close and personal with Mississippi State mascot Bully. (CNN) - Mississippi State University's bulldog mascot, Bully, is resting up Sunday after a football player from rival Auburn crashed into him on the sidelines during Saturday's game. That's when Auburn running back JaTarvious Whitlow came flying towards him after scoring a touchdown. She and Bully are doing nothing Sunday but resting, Pritchard said. The outcome for Mississippi State on Saturday was less positive, however.
Honorary all-Gator Bowl team announced ahead of 75th game
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - An honorary team has been announced in celebration of the 75th annual Gator Bow, paying tribute to some of the best performers throughout the history of the game. The gator Bowl Sports Board of Trustees made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon. "As we begin to discuss plans for celebration of the 75th Gator Bowl game, it was important to our planning committee to pay tribute to the iconic players who have filled our game with rich tradition and history," said Gator Bowl Sports Chairman Rich Thompson. Members of the team were selected based on their performance by position. The players include:Archie Manning (QB), Mississippi26th Gator Bowl: Mississippi vs. Auburn26th Gator Bowl: Mississippi vs. Auburn Floyd Little (RB), Syracuse22nd Gator Bowl: Syracuse vs. Tennessee22nd Gator Bowl: Syracuse vs. Tennessee Larry Csonka (FB), Syracuse22nd Gator Bowl: Syracuse vs. Tennessee22nd Gator Bowl: Syracuse vs. Tennessee Fred Biletnikoff (WR), Florida State20th Gator Bowl: Florida State vs. Oklahoma20th Gator Bowl: Florida State vs. Oklahoma Andre Rison (WR), Michigan State44th Gator Bowl: Michigan State vs. Georgia44th Gator Bowl: Michigan State vs. Georgia Ken MacAfee (TE), Notre Dame32nd Gator Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Penn State32nd Gator Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Penn State Mark May (T), Pittsburgh36th Gator Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. South Carolina36th Gator Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. South Carolina Greg Skrepenak (T), Michigan46th Gator Bowl: Michigan vs. Mississippi46th Gator Bowl: Michigan vs. Mississippi Dean Dingman (G), Michigan46th Gator Bowl: Michigan vs. Mississippi46th Gator Bowl: Michigan vs. Mississippi Zeke Smith (G), Auburn11th Gator Bowl: Auburn vs. Vanderbilt11th Gator Bowl: Auburn vs. Vanderbilt Maxie Baughan (C), Georgia Tech15th Gator Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. Arkansas15th Gator Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. Arkansas Ed Reed (DB), Miami55th Gator Bowl: Miami vs. Georgia Tech55th Gator Bowl: Miami vs. Georgia Tech Tony Lilly (DB), Florida39th Gator Bowl: Florida vs. Iowa39th Gator Bowl: Florida vs. Iowa Hugh Green (DE), Pittsburgh36th Gator Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. South Carolina36th Gator Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. South Carolina Jack Youngblood (DE), Florida25th Gator Bowl: Florida vs. Tennessee25th Gator Bowl: Florida vs. Tennessee Wilber Marshall (LB), Florida39th Gator Bowl: Florida vs. Iowa39th Gator Bowl: Florida vs. Iowa Donovin Darius (DB), Syracuse51st Gator Bowl: Syracuse vs. Clemson51st Gator Bowl: Syracuse vs. Clemson Mark McLaurin (DB), Mississippi State73rd Gator Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Louisville73rd Gator Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Louisville Matt Millen (DT), Penn State32nd Gator Bowl: Penn State vs. Notre Dame32nd Gator Bowl: Penn State vs. Notre Dame Ndamukong Suh (DT), Nebraska64th Gator Bowl: Nebraska vs. Clemson64th Gator Bowl: Nebraska vs. Clemson Ryan Shazier (LB), Ohio State67th Gator Bowl: Ohio State vs. Florida67th Gator Bowl: Ohio State vs. Florida Lawrence Taylor (LB), North Carolina35th Gator Bowl: North Carolina vs. MichiganThe players will be honored throughout the football season and during the 75th TaxSlayer Gator Bowl game, which will be played Thurs.
Gators Breakdown: Opponent Preview - UK, UT, AU, LSU
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Part two of Gators Breakdown opponent previews feature the first four SEC teams on the schedule: Kentucky, Tennessee, Auburn, and LSU. LISTEN: Catch up on previous episodes of Gators BreakdownDavid Waters is joined by Will Miles to break down the first half of the SEC schedule. Follow @GatorDave_SEC to stay plugged in, or click one of the following to tune in:Megaphone | A pple Podcasts | YouTube | Google PlayCopyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.
Gators Breakdown: Opponent Preview - UK, UT, AU, LSU
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Part two of Gators Breakdown opponent previews feature the first four SEC teams on the schedule: Kentucky, Tennessee, Auburn, and LSU. LISTEN: Catch up on previous episodes of Gators BreakdownDavid Waters is joined by Will Miles to break down the first half of the SEC schedule. Follow @GatorDave_SEC to stay plugged in, or click one of the following to tune in: