Thursday Sports in Brief

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NFL

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Bills-Titans game has been moved from Sunday to Tuesday night as long as Tennessee has no more positive tests for COVID-19 in the interim, a person with direct knowledge of the switch tells The Associated Press.

The NFL also is rescheduling Sunday’s Broncos-Patriots game from Sunday to Monday night after New England had a smaller outbreak of COVID-19, the person said Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the league and teams had not officially announced the changes.

Buffalo is scheduled to host Kansas City next Thursday, and that game will be rescheduled.

MLB

NEW YORK (AP) — The teams for the National League Division Series are set, and the Houston Astros have to wait another day to find out their opponent in the AL Championship Series.

The Atlanta Braves closed out the Miami Marlins in three games in their best-of-five NL series, and the Los Angeles Dodgers eliminated the San Diego Padres in sweep.

The Braves and Dodgers will meet for the National League pennant in Arlington, Texas, in a best-of-seven series starting Monday.

In the American League, the Houston Astros eliminated the Oakland Athletics in four games and advanced to the player the winner of the series between the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays for a chance to go the World Series. The series begins Sunday.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey is threatening schools with $100,000 fines and individuals with suspensions if coaches fail to keep masks on during games as the league tries to play through the coronavirus pandemic.

A memo from Sankey to conference coaches and athletic directors, dated Oct. 6, includes a section on “Masks and Sideline Hygiene.” The memo was obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday and first reported by ESPN.

WACO, Texas (AP) — Baylor is pausing football activities to evaluate recent positive tests for COVID-19 but still hopes to play its next game at home against Oklahoma State next week, the school said Thursday.

Baylor reported 10 new cases among athletes across all sports in its most recent update Monday. The school said it had 10 active cases, including six with people experiencing symptoms.

The number of cases being monitored is 18, and that includes close contacts, the school said.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas coach Les Miles tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday and is quarantining in his home, where he plans to fulfill his head coaching responsibilities remotely as the Jayhawks spend a week off before visiting West Virginia.

Miles announced his positive test in a joint statement with athletic director Jeff Long, who said the positive test came back through routine testing.

AUTO RACING

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Clint Bowyer will retire at the end of the NASCAR season and join the Fox Sports booth as an analyst.

Bowyer, in his 15th full season, heads into Sunday’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway facing elimination from the playoffs. He’s ranked 11th in the 12-driver field that will be trimmed by four for the next round.

Bowyer has 10 career Cup wins and finished a career-best second in the 2012 standings. He’s made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A Twitter post that NHRA had lost its title sponsor drew the attention of Camping World and led to a partnership that took just 12 days to complete.

Marcus Lemonis was tagged in a tweet about Coca-Cola severing its 19-year sponsorship of NHRA.

The CEO of Camping World replied to the post he was interested in the drag racing series and negotiations began almost immediately.

The multi-year deal was announced this week and helped NHRA position itself for a 2021 rebound from the pandemic.

SOCCER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ben Olsen is out as head coach of D.C. United amid a disappointing season but the team said he will likely have a new role in the organization.

Olsen has led D.C. United for the past decade. But the team has won just two matches since it returned from the MLS is Back tournament in Florida and sits at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

Assistant Chad Ashton will serve as interim coach, United said Thursday.

Olsen played for D.C. United from 1998 to 2009 and took over as head coach in 2010. The team went 113-137-84 during his tenure and made the playoffs in five of the last six years. United won the U.S. Open Cup in 2013.

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More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


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