THIS DAY IN SPORTS 2010 — Minnesota’s Kevin Love grabs a franchise-record 31 rebounds and scores 31 points, the NBA’s first Numbers Game 30-30 game in 28 years. Antelope Valley Press, Thursday, November 12, 2020 C3 College Football | COVID-19 College Football | Around the Pac-12 Virus postponements Pac-12’s morning starts have some fans hit SEC, Big Ten games By ANNE M. PETERSON In other words, East Coast tween Stanford and Oregon that Coast, the media and fans and the Associated Press Bias. started at 7:30 p.m. Eastern and other football coaches across the By RALPH D. RUSSO they have handled them- Before the start of the abbrevi- Because there are no fans in drew 1.7 million viewers. country to be able to watch what Associated Press selves throughout this ated Pac-12 season, there was a lot the stands so far this season to Utah coach Kyle Whittingham an exciting, and what a talented The pandemic wrecked entire pandemic,” Ohio of talk about early morning starts, grouse about early morning wake- was among the Pac-12 coaches conference the Pac-12 is.” more plans across college State coach Ryan Day some positive, some negative. up calls, it gave the league an who embraced the early starts. But some of the Pac-12’s football on Wednesday, said. Turns out, just one game opportunity to experiment with “As willing as we could possibly coach’s questioned the impact with No. 12 Georgia at Among the three SEC through the conference’s first start times. The season’s Novem- be. So whatever the maximum morning games might have on Missouri becoming the games still on for this Sat- three weeks has been scheduled ber start amid the pandemic also willingness level is, that’s where the players. fourth game postponed urday, Arkansas will visit for a morning start — USC’s meant there were fewer national we’re at,” Whittingham said Cardinal coach David Shaw in the Southeastern Con- No. 6 Florida without come-from-behind 28-27 win TV windows available. about the prospect of morning said he had gotten to know Wil- ference alone and No. 3 Razorbacks coach Sam over Arizona State last weekend. USC coach Clay Helton em- games. “It doesn’t bother us a bit. liam Dement, a prominent sleep Ohio State’s visit to Mary- Pittman after he tested It kicked off at 9 a.m. Pacific. braced the early start and the Our opinion has always been the researcher at Stanford who passed land canceled because of positive for the virus. Pitt- The league’s earliest start this widespread audience it afforded. sooner we get on the field, the bet- away in June, and understands a coronavirus outbreak man said he has had some weekend, and next, is 12:30 p.m. “That’s what you want. You ter. It provides no advantage for college students need proper sleep among the Terrapins. body aches, but is oth- local time. As it stands, those Pac- want to be able to play on the either team, they’re both kicking for maximum performance. “This is certainly a erwise doing OK. He is 12 After Dark games are more biggest stage with the brightest off at the same time.” “College kids don’t go to bed week unlike any other,” isolating in his guest house prevalent, with three set to start at lights,” he said. “To be able to Washington’s first-year coach at 9 o’clock at night. They’re just SEC Commissioner Greg with his dog. 7:30 p.m. or later this weekend. have that national scene be able to Jimmy Lake agreed. not built that way. They need their Sankey said. “I’ve repeat- “I’d be lying to you if The prospect of early start see us right off the bat, you’ve got “I used to live on the East sleep, and sleep enhances perfor- edly said (since March) I said I wasn’t somewhat times was raised last year to take to take that. That’s an advantage Coast, and it is hard to watch mance,” Shaw said. “A 9 a.m. that the circumstanc- depressed,” Pittman said. advantage of the 12 p.m. East- for you.” West Coast games because the kickoff is not getting up at 8 o’clock es around the virus will No. 24 Auburn at ern TV window, which would The game had 2.3 million times are just so different. We’re and rolling into the stadium to go. guide our decisions.” Mississippi State; No. 1 increase the league’s exposure. viewers on Fox, which was down fortunate on the West Coast, we A 9 a.m. kickoff is a 6 a.m., 6:30 While the SEC will as- Alabama at LSU; and There have long been concerns for the timeslot, but it also took get to watch every single game at a.m. wakeup call. We’ve got to get sess rescheduling options, No. 5 Texas A&M at that night games, with a more place soon after networks called a decent time and a decent hour,” the pregame meal in, we’ve got to there are no open dates Tennessee were all called limited national audience, have the presidential race, sending he said. “And so I don’t mind the 9 get them moving around, we’ve built into the Big Ten’s off earlier this week. Both hurt the Pac-12’s teams and play- many potential viewers to the ca- o’clock games at all, I think they’ll got to get them taped an activat- nine-week schedule, and the Tigers-Bulldogs and ers when it comes to rankings and ble news channels. It still beat the be great. They’ll be great for the ed to warm up an hour before the teams must play at least Aggies-Volunteers games postseason awards. ABC broadcast of the game be- Pac-12, they’ll be great for the East game. So, I’m not a fan” six games to qualify to have been rescheduled for play for the league cham- Dec. 12. pionship. The Buckeyes In all, eight games MLB MLS COLLEGE FOOTBALL NFL MOTORSPORTS AL Cy Young Award Western Conference The AP Top 25 AMERICAN CONFERENCE are now down to seven across major college foot- W L T Pts GF GA The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press West NASCAR Cup Series Winners x-Sporting KC 12 6 3 39 38 25 college football poll, with first-place votes in W L T Pct PF PA Schedule-Winners games at most and No. ball have been called off 2020 — x-Shane Bieber, Cleveland Kansas City 8 1 0 .889 286 183 Feb. 9 — x-Busch Clash at DAYTONA (Erik 2019 — Justin Verlander, Houston x-Seattle 11 5 6 39 44 23 parentheses, records through Nov. 7, total 13 Wisconsin, which was so far this week including x-Portland 11 6 6 39 46 35 points based on 25 points for a first-place Las Vegas 5 3 0 .625 218 229 Jones) 2018 — Blake Snell, Tampa Bay Denver 3 5 0 .375 174 217 x-Minn. United 9 5 7 34 36 26 vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, Feb. 13 — x-Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 at favored to meet the Buck- Memphis at Navy, Air 2017 — Corey Kluber, Cleveland L.A. Chargers 2 6 0 .250 205 216 DAYTONA (Joey Logano) x-FC Dallas 9 6 7 34 28 24 and previous ranking: 2016 — Rick Porcello, Boston East Feb. 13 — x-Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 at eyes in the league champi- Force at Wyoming and 2015 — Dallas Keuchel, Houston x-LAFC 9 8 5 32 47 39 Record Pts Pv 1. Alabama (59) 6-0 1547 2 W L T Pct PF PA DAYTONA (William Byron) onship game, has already Louisiana-Monroe at 2014 — Corey Kluber, Cleveland x-San Jose 8 9 6 30 35 51 Buffalo 7 2 0 .778 242 233 Feb. 16 — DAYTONA 500 (Denny Hamlin) 2013 — Max Scherzer, Detroit x-Colorado 8 6 4 28 32 28 2. Notre Dame (2) 7-0 1464 4 3. Ohio St. (1) 3-0 1449 3 Miami 5 3 0 .625 222 161 Feb. 23 — Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy had two games canceled Arkansas State. Overall, 2012 — David Price, Tampa Bay Vancouver 9 14 0 27 27 44 New England 3 5 0 .375 166 194 Lube (Joey Logano) 2011 — x-Justin Verlander, Detroit 4. Clemson 7-1 1355 1 because of its own out- 55 games involving FBS LA Galaxy 6 12 4 22 27 46 5. Texas A&M 5-1 1223 7 N.Y. Jets 0 9 0 .000 121 268 March 1 — Auto Club 400 (Alex Bowman) 2010 — Felix Hernandez, Seattle Real Salt Lake 5 10 7 22 25 35 South March 8 — FanShield 500 (Joey Logano) 2009 — Zack Greinke, Kansas City 6. Florida 4-1 1213 8 break. teams have been can- Houston 4 10 9 21 30 40 7. Cincinnati 6-0 1208 6 W L T Pct PF PA March 15 — Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, 2008 — Cliff Lee, Cleveland Eastern Conference Tennessee 6 2 0 .750 232 201 Hampton, Ga. “Obviously, we are celed or postponed since 2007 — CC Sabathia, Cleveland 8. BYU 8-0 1101 9 W L T Pts GF GA 9. Miami 6-1 958 11 Indianapolis 5 3 0 .625 208 160 March 22 — Dixie Vodka 400, Homestead, 2006 — x-Johan Santana, Minnesota Houston 2 6 0 .250 193 242 Fla.