COLLEGES
Football: Suspended Michigan State football Coach Mel Tucker has denied allegations of sexual harassment and stated that the intimate phone call he had with activist and rape survivor Brenda Tracy falls outside the scope of Title IX and school policy. In a statement released by a Detroit law firm, Tucker criticized Tracy for suggesting that their relationship was non-consensual and criticized the investigation into his behavior as flawed. Tucker also raised concerns that there may be ulterior motives behind the allegations against him, such as avoiding any association with Larry Nassar or due to his race or gender. The university’s athletic director has suspended Tucker without pay pending further investigation.
Liam Coen, offensive coordinator at the University of Maine and now at Kentucky, was hospitalized on Sunday due to a medical episode at the school’s football offices. His condition is currently reported as good, and he is expected to be released from the hospital on Monday. Coen recently rejoined Kentucky’s staff after a season with the Los Angeles Rams. No further details about the incident that led to his hospitalization have been provided.
In the AP poll, No. 1 Georgia and No. 2 Michigan maintained their positions, while Florida State moved up to No. 3 and Texas rose to No. 4 after defeating Alabama. Alabama dropped seven spots to No. 10, but continues its streak of consecutive appearances in the top 10 at 128.
BASKETBALL
NBA: Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. has been arrested and charged with assault and strangulation after allegedly attacking his girlfriend at a New York City hotel. Porter is accused of hitting the woman multiple times and strangling her. The woman was taken to the hospital with a cut on her face. The incident occurred in the early morning at a hotel near the United Nations. Porter remains in police custody, and it is unknown if he has legal representation at this time.
TENNIS
RANKINGS: Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic have both moved up to No. 1 in the rankings after their victories at the U.S. Open. This is Sabalenka’s first time holding the top spot in the WTA rankings, while Djokovic extends his record of being ranked No. 1 in the ATP for the 390th week. In the women’s singles rankings, Coco Gauff rose to a career-high No. 3, and she also claimed the top spot in doubles alongside Jessica Pegula.
SOCCER
DRUG SUSPENSION: Paul Pogba, once considered among the top midfielders in world soccer, faces a potential premature ending to his career after testing positive for testosterone. The Italy anti-doping agency has provisionally suspended Pogba, pending a trial and the testing of a backup sample. If found guilty, Pogba risks a suspension of up to four years, although a lesser ban may be considered if he cooperates with authorities.