UNDATED (AP) — Ohio State, LSU, Alabama and Penn State are the top four in the College Football Playoff selection committee's first rankings of the season. Next up were defending national champion Clemson, Georgia and Oregon. The 13-member committee will produce four more sets of rankings each Tuesday before the only ones that really count come out on selection Sunday, Dec. 8.
NEW YORK (AP) — Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky's latest freshman star, scored 26 points and the second-ranked Wildcats opened the season with a 69-62 victory against No. 1 Michigan State in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden. The Nos. 1 and 2 teams opened their seasons against each other for the first time since 1975 and the Wildcats made their case to be top-ranked next week.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — There will be plenty of talk about Juwan Howard's accomplishments as a player at Michigan, but the former Fab Five standout will be focused on his new challenge. Brought back to the Wolverines after John Beilein's departure, Howard has to replace the winningest coach in the history of the program.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota and football coach P.J. Fleck have agreed on a contract extension through the 2026 season. The deal, pending final approval by the Board of Regents, will pay the 38-year-old Fleck $4.6 million in 2020. That's more than a 25% raise from his current contract. The new deal also includes a $10 million buyout owed to the university if Fleck were to leave before Dec. 31, 2020. The Gophers are 8-0 this season, on a 10-game winning streak that's tied for the third-longest in the FBS.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Jalen Smith had 16 points and 11 rebounds, Darryl Morsell scored 15 and No. 7 Maryland launched a season of high hopes by defeating Holy Cross 95-71. Taking full advantage of their height and depth, the Terrapins placed four players in double figures, finished with a 47-33 rebounding advantage and scored 64 points in the paint.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Jordan Ford scored 26 points, Malik Fitts added 16 and No. 20 Saint Mary's hung on to beat Wisconsin 65-63 in overtime in the season opener for both teams. Saint Mary's led the entire second half before Wisconsin closed the gap and took a brief lead in overtime. But Fitts' basket with 55 seconds to play gave the Gaels the lead for good. Wisconsin had a chance to win it, but Aleem Ford's deep 3-pointer at the buzzer was short.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Jon Teske had 17 points and 13 rebounds, and Michigan turned Juwan Howard's debut into a success, holding off Appalachian State 79-71 in the former Fab Five standout's first game as the Wolverines' coach. Howard returned to the school he helped reach two Final Fours as a player, taking over as coach this past offseason after John Beilein left for the NBA.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (AP) — Lamar Stevens scored 10 of his 17 points in the first half and Penn State pulled away from Maryland-Eastern Shore 84-46 in the opener for both teams. Myles Dread added 15 points with five 3-pointers and Mike Watkins chipped in 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Nittany Lions who improved to 8-1 in season openers under coach Patrick Chambers.