College Football Playoff expansion enters negotiation stage
College Football Playoff expansion has entered the negotiation stage
CFP expansion stalls as commissioners sort through issues
A plan to expand the College Football Playoff has stalled
AP Top 25 Reality Check: No. 1 rarely slips after ranked win
Four powerhouse programs looked vulnerable in victory this past weekend
Stat Watch: Spartans' Kenneth Walker top rusher in nation
The move to Michigan State has been a career booster for Kenneth Walker III
Commissioners to share feedback on CFP expansion proposal
The College Football Playoff management committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday to discuss the feedback members have received from campuses since a 12-team expansion plan was unveiled in June
COLUMNS
The Lonesome Polecat (state variant): Wethersfield! Wackiness! Words!
Them Wethersfield Eagles are off to a swell start.
MORE COLLEGE SPORTS
Local college notes
A weekly look at the region's local colleges, plus former local athletes continuing their careers at colleges outside the region.
Top 25 college football roundup
Bryce Young’s first collegiate road start was a rousing success, a three-touchdown performance that helped top-ranked Alabama hold off No. 11 Florida 31-29 in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams Saturday.
USC interim coach Williams out to turn connections into wins
Interim coach Donte Williams will try to use the bonds he's formed with players as a recruiter to salvage Southern California’s football season
SEC defenses flexing after 2020 championship game fireworks
Some Southeastern Conference defenses are flexing their muscles after 2020 being a defensive coordinator’s nightmare
UCONN FOOTBALL
Phommachanh earns right to lead UConn offense for second straight Saturday
True freshman quarterback Tyler Phommachanh will make his second straight start for UConn when the Huskies host Wyoming on Saturday at Rentschler Field.
Sources: UConn football coaching staff told they won't return in 2022
Sources at the University of Connecticut said Monday that the school administration informed UConn football coaches last week that they will not be returning next season.
UCONN WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
UConn women's basketball non-conference schedule announced
The UConn women's basketball team will once again compete in one of the toughest non-conference slates as the Huskies released their 2021-22 non-conference schedule Thursday.
UConn basketball teams to play in Never Forget Tribute Classic
The UConn basketball programs will take part in the fifth annual Never Forget Tribute Classic on Saturday, Dec. 11, at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
LOCAL ROUNDUP
Hatajik becomes "Barstool Athlete" while finishing football career at Georgtown
A 2018 East Lyme High School graduate, Dylan Hatajik is a senior wide receiver on the Georgetown University football team, which competes in the Patriot League at the FCS level. That makes him eligible, according to an NCAA policy enacted this...
Local roundup: New London boys roll to 5-1 ECC soccer win over Lyman
Jose Hernandez and Moise Sanchez-Melgar scored goals two minutes apart in the first half and New London used the quick burst as a springboard to Thursday's 5-1 victory over Lyman Memorial in an ECC Div. III boys' soccer match.
Local roundup: Ledyard knocks off Lyman in girls' soccer
Jess English had a goal and an assist as Ledyard knocked off unbeaten Lyman Memorial on Wednesday, 3-0, in a girls' soccer game.
PROFESSIONAL
Darnold, defense lead Panthers past Texans; McCaffrey hurt
Sam Darnold threw for 304 yards and ran for two touchdowns, and the Carolina Panthers eased past the Houston Texans 24-9 despite losing Christian McCaffrey to a hamstring injury early in the second quarter
MLB roundup
The Minnesota Twins beat Toronto 7-2 to bump the Blue Jays back in the AL wild-card race
ON THE AIR
Australian Rules Football
5 a.m. (Saturday), FS2 — AFL playoffs: Melbourne Demons vs. Western Bulldogs in Grand Final from Burswood, Australia.
Auto Racing
4:25 a.m., ESPN2 — Formula One Russian Grand Prix practice from Krasnodar Krai, Russia.
7:55 a.m., ESPNU — Formula One Russian Grand Prix practice from Krasnodar Krai, Russia.
7 p.m., FS1 — NHRA Midwest Nationals qualifying from Madison, Ill.
9 p.m., FS1 — NASCAR Truck Victoria's Voice Foundation 200 from Las Vegas.
4:55 a.m. (Saturday), ESPN2 — Formula One Russian Grand Prix practice from Krasnodar Krai, Russia.
Baseball
2 p.m., ESPN — MLB: St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs.
7 p.m., Ch. 61, NESN, ESPN, WFAN (660-AM), WEEI (103.7-FM) — MLB: New York Yankees at Red Sox.
8 p.m., SNY, WCBS (880-AM) — MLB: New York Mets at Milwaukee Brewers.
10 p.m., ESPN — MLB: Atlanta Braves at San Diego Padres.
Boxing
10:35 p.m., Showtime — Jarico O'Quinn vs. Saul Sanchez in a super flyweight bout from Broken Arrow, Okla.
Football
6 p.m., theday.com — High school: Fitch at New London.
6:30 p.m., CBSSN — NCAA: Middle Tennessee at Charlotte.
7 p.m., ESPN2 — NCAA: Wake Forest at Virginia.
7 p.m., ESPNU — NCAA: Brown at Harvard.
10 p.m., CBSSN — NCAA: UNLV at Fresno State.
10:30 p.m., ESPN2 — CFL: Saskatchewan Roughriders at British Columbia Lions.
Golf
8 a.m., Golf Channel — Ryder Cup from Kohler, Wis.
9 p.m., Golf Channel — LPGA: NW Arkansas Championship from Rogers. (taped today)
11 p.m., Golf Channel — Champions: Pure Insurance Championship from Pebble Beach, Calif. (taped today)
Horse Racing
12:30 p.m., FS2 — Racing from New York.
Rugby
5:30 a.m., FS2 — NRL playoffs: South Sydney Rabbitohs vs. Mangy-Warringah Sea Eagles from Milton, Australia.
Swimming
2 p.m., CBSSN — International Swimming League from Naples, Italy.
Tennis
6 a.m., Tennis Channel — ATP Moselle Open from Metz, France; WTA J&T Bank Open from Ostrava, Czech Republic; ATP Astana Open from Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.