SC SMALL COLLEGE ROUNDUP
South Carolina State opens MEAC play at Hampton
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) β South Carolina State coach Buddy Pough opens up what he thinks is the most important part of the Bulldogs schedule as they head to Hampton for their first Mid-Eastern Conference game.
Pough also is glad to be back to familiar opponents after a tough non-conference schedule that saw them lose big to Clemson and Coastal Carolina.
Furman is also in conference action, hosting Western Carolina. The Paladins have won 15 of the last 16 games against the Catamounts.
In other games Saturday involving South Carolina’s Football Championship Subdivision teams The Citadel hosts Gardner-Webb; Coastal Carolina hosts Elon; Charleston Southern is at Charlotte and Wofford hosts Virginia-Wise.
PLAYER DIES-LAWSUIT
Hartsville player’s family sues over death
DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) β The family of a Hartsville High School football player who died during a game two years ago has sued the Darlington school district and a number of other organizations.
Eighteen-year-old Ronald Rouse died at the school stadium during a game Oct. 5, 2012, from complications of an enlarged heart.
Multiple media outlets reported that the Rouse’s family’s wrongful death lawsuit seeks damages to be determined by a jury.
The lawsuit contends that the school board failed to ensure Rouse’s safety by allowing what it calls a “culture of winning at all costs” to allow their decision to play Rouse in a game dangerous to his health.
School District communications director Audrey Childers said the district does not talk about pending litigation.
T25-FLORIDA STATE-NC STATE
Winston, No. 1 Seminoles travel to face Wolfpack
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) β Florida State has had plenty of trouble at North Carolina State β especially when carrying a national ranking.
The top-ranked Seminoles have lost their last two games in Raleigh heading into Saturday’s game, including one two years ago that was their last Atlantic Coast Conference loss.
Overall, ranked FSU teams have lost five of seven in Raleigh dating back to 1998.
Florida State (3-0, 1-0 ACC) has won 16 straight against league opponents since the 2012 loss and owns a school-record 19 straight wins overall. Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jameis Winston is back from a one-game suspension for making lewd comments about female anatomy on campus last week.
The Wolfpack (4-0) have already surpassed last season’s win total against a soft opening schedule and beat Presbyterian 42-0 last week.
DUKE-MIAMI
Duke’s offense to test Miami’s defense β again
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) β Duke has scored 93 points against Miami in the last two seasons. And that’s not in basketball, either.
In Miami’s football history, only one other program β Syracuse, with 99 β has scored more points against the Hurricanes in a two-year span than the Blue Devils have in the last couple matchups between the clubs.
They meet again on Saturday night, with it serving as the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for Duke (4-0, 0-0) and a return to league play for Miami (2-2, 0-1).
It’s yet another test for Miami’s embattled defense, which was shredded by the Blue Devils’ running game last season and allowed Nebraska to pile up yards on the ground with what seemed like ease last weekend.
NASCAR-TONY STEWART
Stewart unsure if he’ll race sprint cars again
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (AP) β Tony Stewart found no greater joy than escaping his everyday life and climbing behind the wheel of a sprint car.
But in the wake of the death of Kevin Ward Jr., Stewart is unsure if he will ever race a sprint car again. Ward was killed when Stewart’s car struck him as Ward walked on an upstate New York dirt track.
Stewart spoke to The Associated Press in his first interview since a grand jury decided against charging the NASCAR star in Ward’s death. He could face a civil lawsuit.
“I would say it’s going to be a long time before you ever see me in a sprint car again, if ever,” Stewart said. “I don’t have any desire at this moment to get back in a car.”
NASCAR-NEWMAN-SPONSOR
Quicken Loans returns as Newman sponsor in 2015
DOVER, Del. (AP) β Mortgage lender Quicken Loans will return as Ryan Newman’s primary sponsor in 2015.
Quicken Loans did not say how many races it will sponsor for the No. 31 Chevrolet. The 2015 season will mark the fourth year Quicken Loans has teamed with Newman. Newman drives for Richard Childress Racing and is 12th in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship standings.
Newman calls Quicken Loans “loyal partners for several years” who have “become like family to me.”
WAKE FOREST-LOUISVILLE
Louisville set to host Wake Forest in ACC matchup
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) β Louisville’s offensive fortunes now lie in the handsβ and feet β of freshman quarterback Reggie Bonnafon.
Coach Bobby Petrino has named Bonnafon his starter for Saturday’s game against Wake Forest (2-2, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference). The Louisville native will make his first collegiate start in place of injured sophomore Will Gardner (knee), but has already played extensively for the Cardinals (3-1, 1-1).
Bonnafon ran for two touchdowns and passed for another in a rout of Murray State and replaced an ineffective Gardner for nearly two quarters in a loss at Virginia. Some thought he might be Louisville’s starter after a tight QB competition in fall camp before Petrino chose the more experienced Gardner.
With Gardner sidelined, Bonnafon is now in charge of a Cardinals offense seeking consistency.
NASCAR-QUALIFYING
Havick wins 7th pole of year, topping Dover field
DOVER, Del. (AP) β Kevin Harvick turned a lap at 162.933 mph to win the pole Friday at Dover International Speedway, leading the field for the third Chase race.
Led by Harvick, Chase for the Sprint Cup championship drivers took the top four spots and six of 10. Kyle Busch starts second, followed by Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski.
Jeff Gordon is sixth and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson is eighth. The rest of the Chase field has Kasey Kahne 12th, Matt Kenseth 14th, Joey Logano 16th, Carl Edwards 18th, Ryan Newman 20th, Aric Almirola 21st, Kurt Busch 22nd, Dale Earnhardt Jr. 25th, Greg Biffle 27th, and AJ Allmendinger 28th.
Four drivers will be eliminated after every third race, and a win guarantees a driver an automatic berth into the next round. The first cutoff race is Dover.
PANTHERS-INJURIES
Rivera: Williams set to play, backups hurting
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β Panthers coach Ron Rivera says that while DeAngelo Williams is expected to play Sunday at Baltimore, the team’s backup running backs are still hurting.
Williams practiced for a third straight day on Friday and is listed as probable for the Ravens after missing the last two games with a hamstring injury.
Backup Jonathan Stewart attempted to practice Friday with a sprained knee but Rivera didn’t sound optimistic about his chances of playing, saying “he didn’t have what he needed as a running back.” Stewart is listed as questionable.
Third-string running back Fozzy Whittaker (hamstring) is doubtful.
If Stewart and Whittaker are inactive, Darrin Reaves would serve as Williams’ primary backup.
Rivera said outside linebacker Thomas (hip) looked good in practice, but will be a game-time decision.
