Cardale Jones emerges as Ohio State QB, guides win over Virginia Tech
College football: Braxton Miller looks very comfortable at wide receiver, and Cardale Jones picked up right where he left off.
Miller scored two touchdowns, including an electrifying 53-yard run, and the star-studded Buckeyes began their title defense with a 42-24 victory over Virginia Tech Monday in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Jones, whose status as the starter was not known until he came out for the first offensive series, threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as Ohio State avenged a 35-21 home loss to Virginia Tech last season and earned its 14th straight win overall.
The Hokies, meanwhile, lost more than the game, with quarterback Michael Brewer shelved by a left shoulder injury in the third quarter. Brewer is key to Virginia Tech’s hope for a resurgent season.
Virginia Tech trailed 21-17 and had driven into Buckeyes territory when Brewer left.
• Utah’s Hatfield reinstated after suspension: Utah coach Kyle Whittingham is reinstating suspended cornerback Dominique Hatfield, saying he served enough punishment.
Hatfield was dismissed from the team, but not the school, in July after he was charged with aggravated robbery and theft. Those charges were dropped, but Hatfield was charged with misdemeanor assault in August stemming from a fight during a party. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge, and a hearing is set for Sept. 21.
2-time Horse of Year Wise Dan retired
Horse Racing: Wise Dan, a two-time Horse of the Year who was preparing for a comeback from an ankle injury, has been retired after his trainer noticed a problem with a tendon.
Trainer Charlie LoPresti told Woodbine officials that the 8-year-old gelding has a tendon tear that wasn’t related to the ankle injury Wise Dan sustained after his victory in the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland last October.
He was named Horse of the Year in 2012 and 2013, and ended his career with 23 victories in 31 starts and earnings of $7,552,920.
• Nyquist wins Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity: Nyquist won the $300,000 Del Mar (California) Futurity by 3 3/4 lengths, giving trainer Doug O’Neill another promising 2-year-old heading into next year.
Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Nyquist ran 7 furlongs in 1:23.28 as the 1-2 favorite, Gutierrez’s third winner Monday.
It was Paul Reddam’s 13th victory at Del Mar’s summer meet, which leads the owners’ standings.
• Horse euthanized, jockey injured after fall: Jockey Corey Nakatani was thrown from his mount when it fell in the third race Monday at Del Mar.
Tirpitz fell on the stretch turn, tossing Nakatani to the turf. The 3-year-old gelding and the jockey lay on the turf near the rail while the race finished. Track workers rushed to hold up green screens that shielded the horse and jockey from the view of fans.
Trained by J. Eric Kruljac, Tirpitz was later euthanized.
Nakatani was taken to a hospital for examination of a shoulder issue.
Brooks, Yedlin to be with national team
Miscellany: Defenders John Brooks and DeAndre Yedlin will be with the U.S. national soccer team for next month’s playoff against Mexico for a berth in the 2017 Confederations Cup rather than with the under-23 men’s team at Olympic qualifying.
U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said he was not sure whether Stanford forward Jordan Morris would be with the national team or the under-23s.
• Bolt pulls out of Van Damme, focuses on Olympics: Usain Bolt declared his season over. The Jamaican pulled out of Friday’s Van Damme Memorial in Brussels, unwilling to risk any injury problems that might compromise his preparations for next year’s Rio de Janeiro Games.
“I am already thinking about next year and the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio,” he said in a statement.
• Lawsuit against Boise State advances: A 4th District Court judge in Boise will allow two former female athletes’ lawsuit against Boise State University to go to trial.
The two former students sued the school in 2014, alleging athletic officials ignored their reports of sexual assault and harassment by a star male athlete in the track and field program.
• Beckman wins Funny Car at U.S. Nationals: Jack Beckman got his sixth Funny Car win of the season at the U.S. Nationals in Brownsburg, Indiana.
It was Beckman’s 21st career win, but his first at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.
• Rodriguez take lead of Vuelta: Joaquim Rodriguez took over the lead of the Spanish Vuelta after a grueling 16th cycling stage won by Frank Schleck of Luxembourg in the northern mountains of Ermita de Alba, Spain.
Rodriguez attacked on the last uphill push of the stage to turn a one-second deficit into a one-second lead over Italian Fabio Aru, who ceded him the red leader’s jersey.
• Russia, Germany win world championships: Russia’s Roman Vlasov and German Frank Staebler won titles Monday in the opening session of the wrestling world championships in Las Vegas.
Staebler defeated Korea’s Ryu Han-Soo at 145 pounds, and Vlasov beat Denmark’s Mark Madsen at 165 pounds.