WILL MUSCHAMP

When you build a powerhouse program, it’s inevitable that others will try to copy your success.

Georgia's proud defense is seeking to redeem itself after the Bulldogs' ugly loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game.

Caleb Farley was the first top prospect to make the decision that has added a whole new layer of uncertainty to the annual crapshoot that is the NFL draft.

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn listens to an official's call during the second half of the team's NCAA college football game against Mississippi State, Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)Auburn has fired coach Gus Malzahn, who led the Tigers to the national championship game in his first season but could never replicate that success. They were also upset by a struggling South Carolina, which wound up firing coach Will Muschamp during the season. We will begin a search immediately for a coach that can help the Auburn program consistently compete at the highest level.””Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele will be interim coach. Auburn will owe Malzahn a $21.45 million buyout for the remaining four years of a seven-year, $49 million deal.

FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2020, file photo, NCAA President Mark Emmert testifies during a Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing on intercollegiate athlete compensation on Capitol Hill in Washington. And the sporting world hasn’t collapsed,” Emmert told AP. It recommended the creation of the National College Football Association, an independent body to oversee FBS. Major college football, the commission concluded, has created inequities across all NCAA sports and hinder the association's ability to govern equitably. Emmert called the recommendation “exactly the wrong thing to do.” He told AP he agrees football has "an outsized influence” over college sports.

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina fired football coach Will Muschamp on Sunday, the second time he's been let go from a Southeastern Conference program in midseason. The school said in a release that Muschamp has been “relieved” of his duties with the football program. “There is no doubt about that.”Tanner said he did a thorough assessment of the football program and decided it was time for a change. At South Carolina, Muschamp became the first coach to reach bowl games in his first three seasons and went 9-4 in his second season. South Carolina pulled off a stunning 20-17 overtime victory at then-third-ranked Georgia in 2019.

(AP) – Kellen Mond threw four touchdown passes to become Texas A&M’s career leader, Isaiah Spiller ran for 131 yards and the No. 7 Aggies routed South Carolina 48-3 on Saturday night. South Carolina has surrendered 1,071 yards and 100 points in losses to LSU and the Aggies its past two games. South Carolina linebacker Ernest Jones said the most disappointing thing was playing this poorly after a week off. South Carolina: The Gamecocks played without three defensive starters in lineman Aaron Sterling and defensive backs Shilo Sanders and R.J. Roderick.

The Champions Hockey League was due to begin next month in an already-shortened format with a knockout bracket and no round-robin. ___Senegal’s friendly soccer match against Mauritania has been canceled after eight members of the Mauritanian delegation tested positive for COVID-19. It says the results showed eight positive tests among the Mauritanian delegation. ___Slovakia coach Pavel Hapal has tested positive for the coronavirus and will miss the Nations League game against Israel on Wednesday. Two players, Milan Skriniar and Jaroslav Mihalik, and a staff member tested positive before Sunday’s Nations League against Scotland that Slovakia lost in Glasgow 1-0.

At the top of USA Today's most recent revenue rankings for college athletic departments are Texas and Texas A&M. Texas and Texas A&M have everything you need to put out a national championship-level football program. The Aggies and Longhorns refuse to play each other, but combine to form an Axis of Underachievers in the Lone Star State. In three games against Alabama under Fisher, the Aggies are 0-3 by a combined 144-75. For now, though, Texas and Texas A&M continue to prove the old adage that money can't buy happiness.

Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts hooked up for two more touchdowns, continuing their hot start and leading Florida to a 38-24 victory over South Carolina on Saturday. But the Gators had their way with South Carolina for three quarters in front of 15,120 socially distant fans in the Swamp. BRIGHT SPOTHarris was one of the few bright spots for South Carolina. "I just did what I had to do.”DROPPED PASSESA big reason South Carolina couldn’t keep up was dropped passes. Florida takes its “Kyle to Kyle Show” to Kyle Field to play Texas A&M next Saturday.

Before Miami won easily last year, the ‘Canes and ’Noles played five straight games decided by five points or fewer. A pandemic-altered college football season has helped put FSU-Miami in the spotlight again this weekend. The Big Ten and Pac-12 are still at least a month away, but the college football menu is starting to fill up. 7-6 — Lane Kiffin's record in his one SEC season as coach at Tennessee. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___South Carolinas highest paid head coaches are taking 10% salary cuts amid the coronavirus pandemic. Football coach Will Muschamp, mens basketball coach Frank Martin and womens basketball coach Dawn Staley are taking the cuts. Football coach Chris Creighton, mens basketball coach Rob Murphy, and womens basketball coach Fred Castro will be affected by the 7% cuts. ___The German basketball league plans to finish its season next month in a closed three-week tournament. The Premier League season was suspended in March with United fifth in the standings.

As the excitement level of specific college football seasons, 2019 has not been a good one for drama, thus far. Penn State 8-0, 13066. LSU (8-0, 4-0)GOOD WINS: @ Texas 45-38, vs Florida 42-28, vs Auburn 23-20REMAINING SCHED:11/9 @ #2 Alabama11/16 @ Ole Miss11/23 vs Arkansas11/30 vs Texas A&MPLAYOFF OUTLOOK: I think KSU will be No. Texas, Florida, and Auburn, with the Texas game being played IN Austin, are three very solid wins. This would explain the lack of segments on debate TV about "Four team playoff or eight team playoff....