HOLLY, Mich. – Must See Racing Sprint Car Series presented by Engine Pro officials have announced a change to the tour’s 2020 season-opening weekend, scheduled for April 17-18.

Originally set to take place at South Carolina’s Anderson Motor Speedway, the two-day event will shift south and be held at Montgomery Motor Speedway in central Alabama.

The Southern Speed Shootout will mark the first time in Must See Racing’s history that the series will race at Montgomery, as well as the first time the series has sanctioned a race in Alabama in six years.

Brian Gerster won the most recent Must See Racing stop in the Yellowhammer State, an event at Mobile Int’l Speedway in March of 2014.

April’s pair of points-paying events will mark the first time unrestricted winged 410 sprint cars have competed at the half-mile Montgomery oval, which dates back to 1956 as a pavement track and operated as a dirt track for three years prior to being surfaced with asphalt.

“To put it simply, I’m really excited for Must See Racing to be making a visit to Montgomery Motor Speedway,” said track promoter Stan Narrison. “The entertainment value that Jim Hanks and his series bring to the table and the speed that unrestricted 410s will have when they fly around here in April is second-to-none. This two day weekend will be a can’t-miss event on our 2020 calendar and we can’t wait to get to April and welcome the cars and stars of Must See Racing to Montgomery for the first time.”

The all-time Montgomery sprint car track record of 15.038 seconds (119.697 mph) was set by Bobby Santos III on April 3, 2016, a mark that Must See Racing teams will no doubt be taking aim at during the Southern Speed Shootout as they look to open the new season on a strong note.

“At Must See Racing, we pride ourselves in leading the way when it comes to innovation in our race formats, diversity in scheduling and putting on exciting competition for the race fans, and we’re very excited to make our first trip to Montgomery Motor Speedway in April,” said Must See Racing President Jim Hanks. “After a 2019 season that was filled with new talent and a thrilling points battle that went down to the last race of the year, we look forward to continuing that momentum into the upcoming season with an exciting season-opening weekend in Alabama.”

For more information on Must See Racing, visit www.mustseeracing.com.

Updated 2020 Must See Racing Sprint Car Series Schedule (as of Nov. 25)

April 17 – Montgomery Motor Speedway – Montgomery, Ala.
April 18 – Montgomery Motor Speedway – Montgomery, Ala.
May 2 – Anderson Speedway – Anderson, Ind.
May 9 – Lucas Oil Raceway – Brownsburg, Ind.
May 23 – Anderson Speedway – Anderson, Ind. (Pay Less Little 500) *
June 13 – Lorain County Speedway – Lorain, Ohio
June 27 – TBA – TBA
July 18 – Lorain County Speedway – Lorain, Ohio
Aug. 6 – Golden Sands Speedway – Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
Aug. 7 – Golden Sands Speedway – Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
Aug. 22 – Owosso Speedway – Ovid, Mich.
Sept. 12 – Jennerstown Speedway – Jennerstown, Pa.
Oct. 16 – Ace Speedway – Altamahaw, N.C.
Oct. 17 – Ace Speedway – Altamahaw, N.C.

NEW YORK -- Toronto Maple Leafs forward Alexander Kerfoot has been suspended two games by the NHL for his hit on Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson.

Kerfoot will lose more than $37,000 in salary and miss games Wednesday in Detroit and Friday in Buffalo. He had no prior disciplinary history with the league.

He will be eligible to return when Toronto hosts Buffalo on Saturday.

In Saturday's game in Denver, Kerfoot cross-checked Johnson from behind and sent him crashing into the boards behind the Colorado goal in the second period. Kerfoot was assessed a minor penalty for boarding.

He has five goals and three assists in 22 games this season.

On the 10-year anniversary of the crash that sparked the Tiger Woods scandal, take a look back at the key moments that changed the golf landscape.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- A month ago, the story of Michigan's season was a radically different one, rife with unhappiness, uncertainty and, yes, even in Ann Arbor, growing questions from a loyal fan base about its handpicked coach and his long-term plans.

At tailgates large and small on a cold, sopping wet day in late October, the gloomy weather reflected the mood: The Wolverines stood on the brink of another lost season, a Big Ten championship already gone after disheartening losses against Wisconsin and Penn State.

Like a bad song playing on a loop, Jim Harbaugh's 1-10 record against top-10 teams became an inescapable part of the Michigan football soundtrack with No. 8 Notre Dame coming into town. Divisions formed between Harbaugh loyalists and those wondering whether he was, indeed, the coach who could finally make Michigan a champion again.

Anthony Wilson, who has been going to games since junior high school, kept dry under a Michigan tailgate tent with his three nephews. "Jim Harbaugh and his staff have done a good job," Wilson said. "We'd like to see it quicker, but I support him and I think we're headed in the right direction. Most want it a lot quicker. With social media and all of that, [with a lack of] success against top-10 teams, some of the fans are frustrated."

"Because there is no success against top-10 teams on the road," his nephew, Chris McCollom, cut in. "So I disagree with him about Harbaugh. I don't support him. I did at first, but these last two years ... I don't support him anymore because he hasn't done anything for me to support."

On and on they went, pitched back-and-forth debates among friends and family, and on local radio, all the way up to kickoff. Then, perhaps the most unexpected outcome of all happened: Michigan dominated Notre Dame 45-14 to seize control of the narrative to its season.

A 44-10 pounding of rival Michigan State a few weeks later shifted the story to the one now unfolding: a resurgent, confident Michigan team with its eyes set on the biggest goal it has left -- ruining Ohio State's season. Ah yes, Ohio State. The team Harbaugh has been unable to beat in five years as head coach, the team against which success or failure is measured. Among all the questions Michigan has answered since Notre Dame, here is the one that remains: Does anything that happened over the past four weeks even matter if the Wolverines lose to Ohio State?

"You still have two-thirds, maybe even three-quarters of the fan base squarely in his corner," said John U. Bacon, whose most recent book, "Overtime: Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines at the Crossroads of College Football," goes inside the Michigan program. "Everyone's getting impatient about Ohio State and Big Ten titles, especially after Jim's first year, when you go from five wins to 10 wins. Everyone, perhaps even Harbaugh himself, is surprised he still hasn't beaten Ohio State, still hasn't won a Big Ten title. In many ways, that first year might have been the worst thing he could have done."

When Harbaugh took over for Brady Hoke in 2015, it was hard to find anyone who thought Michigan would double its wins total in just one season. Going 10-3 in Year 1 with a dominant win against Florida in the Citrus Bowl perhaps glossed over the hard work that remained for Harbaugh and his assistants and accelerated championship expectations.

Then, in 2016, Michigan lost against Ohio State in double overtime with a possible College Football Playoff spot on the line and it appeared the Wolverines were close to breaking through. Harbaugh, meanwhile, became one of the most visible coaches on social media, mostly for his subtweets at coaches across the country -- drawing criticism and raising eyebrows among many outside Michigan.

Beyond social media, though, Harbaugh made it clear he would do things his way, and it did not win him many friends in the process. He fought to make satellite camps an issue across college football. He took his team to spring practice at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, then decided he would take the players to destinations around the world, including France, Italy and South Africa. His recruiting methods seemed unconventional too, including well-documented sleepovers and tree climbing to win over prospects.

That bold, brash persona has dissipated in the intervening years, and so has his fiery sideline demeanor; but it has not made him any less of a target for those looking to take shots at him and his program, especially when Michigan loses. That is what happened at the end of last season, when Michigan squandered an opportunity for its first Big Ten championship since 2004 and a playoff spot with a 62-39 loss against Ohio State -- then followed that up with a blowout loss to Florida in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl.

Still, Michigan opened the 2019 season at No. 7, and all eyes were focused on Harbaugh once again. Could this finally be the year?

But after a disastrous performance against Wisconsin and heart-stopping loss to Penn State erased the Wolverines' championship hopes, some Michigan fans started to openly wonder about Harbaugh too. On the one hand, no one wants to go back to the Rich Rodriguez or Hoke eras. The fans realize Harbaugh had a deep hole to dig out from, and Michigan is in a far better place now than it was when he inherited the program. Harbaugh has three 10-win seasons, with the possibility for a fourth, plus two New Year's Six appearances since he arrived.

On the other hand, why has Harbaugh relied on transfer quarterbacks and not developed his own quarterback in five years? Why hasn't the gap closed with Ohio State, a team that has made head-coaching and quarterback transitions appear seamless? Why does Harbaugh keep losing assistants, particularly offensive coordinators? Why is it taking so long to win the Big Ten?

"Jim Harbaugh was brought here to compete for national championships and beat Ohio State and win Big Ten championships and we haven't done any of that, and this is Year 5 and these are his players," longtime Michigan fan Chad Anthony said. "There's accountability in that, but I ask all the other fans, 'If we shove Harbaugh out for whatever reason, who are we going to get that we can rally around that's going to be better and bigger than Jim Harbaugh?' And the old adage, 'If he can't do it, who can?'"

Bacon added, "This is a program that's been unstable for a decade. They tried the proven outsider, which did not work, and the unproven insider, which did not work. If Harbaugh doesn't work out, what's next, and what high-end coach in his right mind would take that job? If Harbaugh is not good enough for you, then what do you want?"

Therein lies the push-pull at Michigan, and a more uncomfortable question no one wants to consider. Michigan is 22 years removed from its last national championship, and 15 years from its last Big Ten championship. Is this a program still capable of winning in a way that is commensurate with its tradition-rich history?

"That question's still out there," Bacon said. "It is unrealistic to think Michigan's going to do what Alabama and Clemson have done year in and year out, be in the playoff and compete for the national championship. Even Ohio State can't quite do that. It's harder in the North. It's harder in the Big Ten. It's harder when you have other priorities, as well."

That is a question even the biggest Harbaugh critics do not have a ready answer for, beyond naming Dabo Swinney or Nick Saban as coach (neither is coming to Ann Arbor). No one inside the Michigan administration has any appetite to lose Harbaugh, who has the full support of athletic director Warde Manuel. If Harbaugh goes, it will be his choice and his choice only.

And because he has stayed at Michigan longer than at any previous coaching job he has held, the speculation about whether he is ready to get back into the NFL seems to come around like clockwork every year. It happened again after the Penn State loss. Harbaugh sent a letter to the parents of recruits and current players in which he wrote, "the recent claims that I am 'pursuing an exit strategy' are total crap" and pledged his commitment to their sons.

The aftermath of that loss served to galvanize the team, which has blown out each opponent it has played since then. Perhaps the offense has finally gotten more comfortable with new coordinator Josh Gattis. Perhaps quarterback Shea Patterson is in a better position to make plays. Perhaps the defense has grown up. Harbaugh, who has praised the way his team has matured from week to week, compared it to growing crops.

"You can't plant potatoes one day and expect to eat potato salad the next day," he said.

Maybe not, but at certain point, you have to know whether the season will be bountiful, too. "I don't think we really had an option," offensive lineman Jalen Mayfield said. "You're playing at Michigan. You're expected to win, so to give up on a season would be really disappointing. Everybody knew what we had to do to clean up the minor details. We had no option but to respond."

The Wolverines have responded, but the biggest test comes Saturday, at home against an Ohio State team that has dominated the series in recent years. Since 2001, Michigan has beaten the Buckeyes just twice. In this decade alone, Ohio State has scored 30 or more points in eight of their nine meetings. In the one game it didn't, Michigan still lost.

Without question, this is the worst stretch Michigan has ever had against Ohio State in the history of their rivalry, adding an even greater urgency to their latest matchup.

The result may very well drive the ongoing conversation to one extreme or the other: a firm, strident belief Harbaugh can get the job done, or an ever-creeping doubt about where the program is headed.

The month of November is college football's fireworks show, and Rivalry Week is its grand finale. The majority of FBS teams are playing against their most bitter rivals, with stakes ranging from national title implications (Ohio State-Michigan) to division title hopes (Virginia Tech-Virginia) to good, old-fashioned nail-biters (the Egg Bowl and countless others).

After Tuesday and Thursday appetizers, the Rivalry Week feast gets rolling early on Friday. Let's take a chronological walk through this year's most interesting games -- what you should be watching, when and why.

All times Eastern

Tuesday

Western Michigan at Northern Illinois (7 p.m., ESPNU, ESPN App)

Western Michigan and Central Michigan are tied atop the MAC West standings, and since WMU owns the tiebreaker advantage, the Broncos need only a win against the worst NIU team in decades (the Huskies' No. 116 ranking in SP+ is their worst since 1981). Beware, though: NIU has won four MAC titles this decade, and old champs have a way of finding pride in strange moments.

SP+ projection: WMU 35, NIU 28

Other games: Ohio at Akron

Thursday

Ole Miss at Mississippi State (7:30 p.m., ESPN, ESPN App)

Plenty of schools find themselves in need of a win to reach six wins and bowl eligibility -- Boston College (at Pitt), Colorado (at Utah), Kent State (at Eastern Michigan), Michigan State (vs. Maryland), Missouri (at Arkansas), Nebraska (vs. Iowa), North Carolina (at NC State), Ohio (at Akron), Oregon State (at Oregon), Troy (vs. Appalachian State), UL Monroe (at Louisiana), perhaps Army (at Hawai'i) -- and many are facing bitter rivals.

The Egg Bowl, though, might top the win-and-you're-bowling list. Mississippi State has lost its direction in two years under head coach Joe Moorhead, and the fan base is all sorts of impatient. While he's probably not going to get fired with a loss against Ole Miss and a 5-7 finish, I, uh, wouldn't recommend it. And while four one-score losses have rendered Ole Miss 4-7, the Rebels are easily dangerous enough to beat their rivals and cause boos to ring even louder than the cowbells at Davis Wade Stadium.

SP+ projection: MSU 31, Ole Miss 26

Early Friday

Virginia Tech at Virginia (Noon, ABC, ESPN App)

Virginia has been the most consistent team in the dreadful ACC Coastal and is one win from its first division title. However, that one win will have to come against a rival the Hoos haven't beaten since 2003, when members of the current roster were as young as 2 years old. Last year's gut-wrenching, come-from-ahead loss was maybe the most painful in the streak and reminded us just how much of a mental hurdle losing streaks can become. To make matters worse, Virginia Tech has caught fire, winning its past three ACC games by an average score of 36-6 and jumping from 64th to 42nd in SP+ in a short time.

SP+ projection: UVa 27, Tech 23

Other games: Bowling Green at Buffalo, Kent State at Eastern Michigan, Miami (Ohio) at Ball State, Texas Tech at Texas, Toledo at Central Michigan

Friday afternoon

No. 19 Cincinnati at No. 18 Memphis (3:30 p.m., ABC, ESPN App)

Cincinnati has secured the AAC East title, and Memphis could do the same in the West with a win ... against Cincinnati, whom the Tigers would then face next week, as well. You could perhaps not blame the Bearcats for thinking about holding some tricks up their sleeve for next week, but they probably need a win to keep feeling good about their shots at the Group of 5's New Year's Six bowl bid.

SP+ projection: Memphis 35, Cincy 21

No. 17 Iowa at Nebraska (2:30 p.m., BTN)

Nebraska took out a month's worth of frustration on Maryland on Saturday, and the 54-7 win moved the Huskers to within a game of .500. To reach the postseason in this disappointing year, though, they'll have to beat an Iowa team that has defeated them four times in a row. Scott Frost is only 4-5 at home against Power 5 teams since taking over at his alma mater. This would be a great time for a real home-field advantage to materialize.

SP+ projection: Iowa 30, Nebraska 21

Washington State at Washington (4 p.m., Fox)

These teams were a combined 18-4 when they met in the 2017 and 2018 Apple Cups. This year, they're 12-10. Granted, they're a good 12-10 -- they're both in the SP+ top 30 and have dealt with a frustrating, and perhaps unsustainable, set of close losses (they have a combined 2-7 record in one-score finishes). But rivalry wins can change the tenor of a team's season. Is this the year Wazzu's Mike Leach finally gets one over on UW's Chris Petersen? Does Petersen salvage an unexpected transition year by moving to 6-0 against Wazzu?

SP+ projection: UW 37, Wazzu 29

Other games: Appalachian State at Troy, Arkansas State at South Alabama, Boise State at Colorado State, Missouri at Arkansas, West Virginia at TCU

Friday evening

USF at UCF (8 p.m., ESPN, ESPN App)

This rivalry hasn't produced many close games of late -- four of the past five meetings have been decided by at least 16 points -- but the last time USF headed to Orlando, the Bulls nearly pulled off an upset in one of the best games of the season. So maybe there's a little hope here, even late in a hopeless USF campaign?

SP+ projection: UCF 40, USF 12

Early Saturday

No. 2 Ohio State at No. 13 Michigan (Noon, Fox)

Saturday's early slate is maybe the most loaded of the year, especially when you factor in the start of the FCS playoffs. (Give ESPN+ a whirl this weekend and watch some of the FCS action -- especially Furman-Austin Peay and Kennesaw State-Wofford.)

That said, the floor belongs to The Game. Michigan could complete a stirring second-half turnaround by pulling off its first win over the Buckeyes in eight years -- not to mention Jim Harbaugh's first since he was the Wolverines' QB in 1986 -- and putting a dent into their rivals' national title stock. More likely, Ohio State could send the school up north back into the existential crisis from which it has recently begun to emerge. Either way, it's going to be a hell of a show.

SP+ projection: Ohio St. 30, Michigan 19

Other games: Charlotte at Old Dominion, Clemson at South Carolina, Florida International at Marshall, Georgia at Georgia Tech, Indiana at Purdue, Louisville at Kentucky, Middle Tennessee at Western Kentucky, New Mexico State at Liberty, Northwestern at Illinois, Texas State at Coastal Carolina, Tulsa at East Carolina, Wake Forest at Syracuse, Wyoming at Air Force.

Saturday afternoon

No. 5 Alabama at No. 15 Auburn (3:30 p.m., CBS)

Mac Jones has put up Tua-like numbers in his two starts this year (28-for-34, 510 yards, six TDs, no picks), though it's fair to say, since those starts were against Arkansas and Western Carolina, the bar was pretty dang low. (Like, so low it was just lying on the floor.) Still, if he looks the part at Jordan-Hare Stadium and Bama takes care of Auburn -- a team LSU and Georgia beat by only a combined 10 points -- the Tide's CFP case gets very strong, very quickly.

Auburn's not going to be willingly pushed over, though. The Tigers held LSU and Georgia to season lows in yards per play and gave up 13 fewer points to LSU than anyone else has. They are fourth in defensive SP+, and while their offense looks as if it is led by a true freshman QB (because it is), they could pretty swiftly end Bama's backdoor title hopes.

SP+ projection: Alabama 30, Auburn 22

No. 12 Wisconsin at No. 10 Minnesota (3:30 p.m., ABC)

Wisconsin's back-to-back losses against Illinois and Ohio State briefly knocked the Badgers out of Big Ten contention, but Minnesota left the door open with its loss against Iowa. The Gophers could still make a CFP case, though, with a decisive win here and an upset of Ohio State.

You like big, burly manball? There's plenty of burliness to go around in this one, though the most intriguing matchup will take form when Minnesota decides to pass. The Gophers are dynamite through the air, but Wisconsin has one of the best pass defenses in FBS.

SP+ projection: Minnesota 29, Wisconsin 28

No. 14 Baylor at Kansas (3:30 p.m., ESPN, ESPN App)

It's unlikely, but there's still a path for Baylor to make its own CFP case: the Bears win out; Auburn beats Bama; Oregon or Colorado beats Utah; Minnesota loses again; etc. But before Baylor can advance down that path, it has to avoid losing focus against a Kansas team that has had some feisty moments.

Aside from a midseason bump the Jayhawks received from an offensive coordinator change, they have been about what they were projected to be -- they were 108th in SP+ in the preseason and are 101st now. But KU beat Boston College and Texas Tech and threw a scare into Iowa State and Texas. Les Miles has proved he still has some underdog fire to him.

SP+ projection: Baylor 41, Kansas 17

Southern Miss at Florida Atlantic (3:30 p.m., NFL Network)

Conference USA was destined to have the messiest title race in FBS, and it has come to pass. According to ESPN Stats & Information's FPI ratings, each of the five teams remaining in the hunt has at least an 18% chance of reaching the title game. And two of them are playing each other here. Lane Kiffin's fightin' FAU Owls have won eight of nine overall and have risen from 83rd to 53rd in SP+ in only six weeks.

SP+ projection: FAU 32, USM 23

Other games: BC at Pitt, Maryland at Michigan State, Miami at Duke, Notre Dame at Stanford, Oregon State at Oregon, Rice at UTEP, Rutgers at Penn State, Tulane at SMU, UConn at Temple, UAB at North Texas, UNLV at Nevada, Utah State at New Mexico, UTSA at Louisiana Tech, Vanderbilt at Tennessee

Saturday evening

Texas A&M at No. 1 LSU (7 p.m., ESPN, ESPN App)

In August, I named Texas A&M's Kellen Mond the most important player in college football for the 2019 season, I said he and LSU's Joe Burrow (No. 2 on my list) had a "potential game-changing leap in them and a shot at lots of contenders." Granted, it would have been stupendous had I flipped the order there, but Mond and A&M have one more shot at an upset after having already played four of SP+'s top 11 teams. (They're 0-4 against the top teams, with two one-score losses, and 7-0 against everyone else.)

SP+ projection: LSU 37, A&M 23

Colorado at No. 7 Utah (7:30 p.m., ABC, ESPN App)

Right now, it appears that, if Georgia loses to LSU in the SEC title game, and Minnesota doesn't go 2-0 against Wisconsin and Ohio State, the two most likely candidates for the No. 4 spot in the CFP rankings are Alabama and its 2009 Sugar Bowl conqueror, Utah. (Oklahoma and Baylor are still options, obviously, but the CFP committee hasn't been particularly impressed so far.) Since Utah plays on Saturday evening, we'll know how Bama fared in the Iron Bowl, and we'll have a decent idea of what Utah might need to do to keep pace.

This is a great opportunity for Utah to send a message to the CFP committee and a national TV audience -- the Utes have been damn near merciless since their September loss to USC, beating their past seven opponents, all conference foes, by an average score of 38-9. They were the best team in the Pac-12 even before Oregon's loss to Arizona State last week. Colorado is coming off its best performance since September, but the Buffs will have to play even better to have a chance.

SP+ projection: Utah 44, Colorado 15

No. 9 Oklahoma at No. 21 Oklahoma State (8 p.m., Fox)

Downside: Oklahoma State lost starting quarterback Spencer Sanders to a season-ending thumb injury last week, and while the Cowboys won at West Virginia without him, the passing game, now without Sanders and star wideout Tylan Wallace, was based almost solely around quick, short throws -- new starter Dru Brown averaged just 8.9 yards per completion.

Upside: The last time OSU beat OU (in 2014), it was with a backup QB of sorts -- true freshman Mason Rudolph was playing in only his second collegiate game, and the Pokes won in Norman anyway. That they didn't beat OU again once Rudolph actually had his sea legs is proof that rivalry games don't have to make sense. OU is wobbly after three consecutive narrow wins; can the Pokes pull off what Iowa State, Baylor and TCU couldn't?

SP+ projection: OU 40, OSU 27

UL Monroe at Louisiana (7:30 p.m., ESPNU, ESPN App)

Billy Napier's Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns are, well, ragin' at the moment. Projected 97th in SP+, they head into this rivalry battle at 9-2 and a staggering 29th. You should watch some of this game just to get a glimpse of what has become one of the Group of 5's best teams. You should also watch because this rivalry tends to produce close games. Five of the past six meetings have been decided by a touchdown or less, and ULM, one win from bowl eligibility, has a dangerous enough offense to perhaps throw a scare into the Cajuns with just a couple of breaks.

SP+ projection: UL 46, ULM 21

Other games: Florida State at Florida, Georgia State at Georgia Southern, Iowa State at Kansas State, Navy at Houston, North Carolina at NC State

Late Saturday

Army at Hawai'i (11:59 p.m., CBSSN)

Try to hold back the tears when you realize this is our last super-late-night Hawai'i home game of the year. That alone is reason to watch, but this matchup also packs some wonderful stylistic contrast. Hawai'i throws the ball 43 times per game, and Army runs it 58 times per game. The Black Knights prevailed over the Warriors in West Point last year, grinding the game down to single-digit possessions each and surviving 28-21 with a late red zone stand. But they've lost their close-game mojo this year and stand at just 5-6; Hawai'i, meanwhile, has won four of five and just clinched a spot in the MWC title game. Who will control the tempo this time?

SP+ projection: Army 32, Hawai'i 31

Other games: Arizona at Arizona State, BYU at San Diego State, Cal at UCLA, Fresno State at San Jose State

By Saturday night, we'll know all of the conference title game matchups and almost all of the bowl-eligible teams. The potential exceptions: Missouri, which inexplicably still hasn't heard back from the NCAA on its bowl-ban appeal (an act of downright cruel indecision/noncommunication from a governing board that's pretty good at being indecisive), and Army, which might still have work to do against Navy in mid-December.

We're close to knowing most of the answers to the questions we spent the eight-month offseason asking. But first, one giant whirlwind of anxious fans and smack talk.

Fionnuala McCormack triumphs in Abbotstown as sister Una Britton is third

A report on the Liverpool Cross Challenge, which incorporated the GB Euro Cross trials, can be found here, while coverage of Jess Piasecki’s 2:25:29 Florence Marathon win to move to third on the British women’s marathon all-time list is here. Other recent highlights are below.

Irish Life Health National Cross Country Championships, Abbotstown, November 24

Fionnuala McCormack won the women’s 8km race with her sister, Una Britton, in third, while Liam Brady claimed the senior men’s 10km crown.

McCormack ran away with the race early on and won in 28:41 from Mary Mulhare in 30:22 and Britton in 30:32.

There was a swift U-turn after the finish for McCormack as she left the course and sprinted back down alongside the finishing straight to cheer on her sister to her first senior cross country medal.

Sister sister! ?

Gold and bronze medallists Fionnuala McCormack and Una Britton react after the national cross country ?????

"It's a great day for our family, our club." pic.twitter.com/pggcHPl4vn

— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) November 24, 2019

In the senior men’s race there was a good lead pack for the first half until Brady pulled clear and held off Brian Fay, the first under-23 athlete, by five seconds. Sean Tobin finished third in 33:05.

It is Brady’s first national senior title to add to under-20 and under-23 crowns and after running 32:50 he said: “I wanted it. I badly, badly wanted it.”

Cross Internacional de la Constitución, Alcobendas, Spain, November 24

Burundi’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo won the senior men’s 10.080km in 29:23 ahead of Uganda’s Thomas Ayeko (29:27) and his fellow Burundian Rodrique Kwizera (29:31).

Kenya’s Eva Cherono won the senior women’s 8.040km in 27:10 from Bahrain’s 2017 world marathon champion Rose Chelimo (27:31) and Portugal’s Mariana Machado (27:39).

NCAA Cross Country Championships Division One, Indiana, USA, November 23

The men’s winner was Edwin Kurgat of Iowa State. Britain’s Patrick Dever finished 11th and helped Tulsa University to fifth place in the team standings, while Euan Makepeace was 15th as first scorer for Butler University.

In the women’s race, New Mexico’s Hannah Nuttall was the first British athlete home in 35th place. European under-23 10,000m sixth-placer Jodie Judd was 62nd for Florida State and Utah’s Poppy Tank 74th.

The race was won by Weini Kelati for New Mexico.

Warandecross, Tilburg, Netherlands, November 24

Denmark’s Anna Emilie Møller, a student at St Mary’s University in Twickenham, won the senior women’s 8km by half a minute, clocking 26:48 ahead of Georgia’s Valeriya Zhandarova (27:19). Sweden’s Samrawit Mengsteab was third (27:35).

The senior men’s 10km was won by home favourite Mike Foppen in 30:01 ahead of ANA athlete Rinas Akhmadeyev in 30:02. Italy’s Nekganet Crippa, the older brother of Yemaneberhan, was third in 30:04.

La Rochelle Marathon, France, November 24

Kenya’s Emmanuel Oliaulo ran 2:08:22 for the race’s second fastest ever winning time. Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta was second in 2:11:26.

Marion Kibor completed a Kenyan double by winning the women’s race in 2:29:56 ahead of Eunice Muchiri in 2:31:38.

Tuskys Great 10km, Eldoret, Kenya, November 24

World under-20 10,000m champion Rhonex Kipruto and world 10,000m bronze medallist Agnes Tiropwon in 28:23.8 and 32:22.2 respectively.

Wolverton 5, Milton Keynes, November 24

Leopoldo Burguete won the men’s race in 24:11 ahead of Liam Dee with 24:22.

Rafaela Fonseca claimed the women’s race win in 28:43 ahead of Elle Roche in 29:30.

Great win for Leopoldo Burguete at the Wolverton 5 in MK. Finishing in 24.11 ahead of Liam Dee (24.22). First MKAC man to win in 55 year history of the race!! Podium completed by Paul Mizon (24.44). I came 7th in PB 26.04. @FastRunning @AthleticsWeekly Pic Brian Graves. pic.twitter.com/DwrU4aSzuq

— Running Elliot (@runningelliot) November 24, 2019

Fraternity & Sorority Cups, Trent Park, November 23

Alex Lepretre won his third successive Fraternity Cup, while Lucy Anne Charles led all the way in the Sorority Cup over the approximately 5-mile course.

Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets won the team awards.

South of the Thames Team Race, Morden Park, November 23

Aldershot club-mates Joe Morwood and Emily Wicks took the individual honours on an overcast and damp day.

Kent AC dominated the team contests, taking three of the top four places in the men’s race and also winning the women’s event.

Gloucester 10km, November 24

Jonathan Hopkins took the men’s title in 29:27 ahead of Peter Le Grice in 29:53, while Rachel Felton won the women’s race in 34:37 from Heidi Tregenza in 35:47.

‘Their support will help the event scale new heights’ says Keir
By DONNA HELMER – Squash Mad Correspondent

England Squash has announced that AJ Bell will be continuing as title sponsor for the 2020 AJ Bell British National Squash Championships to be staged in Nottingham from the February 12-16, 2020.

The latest agreement sees AJ Bell extend its relationship with England Squash and increase its presence in the sport, having previously sponsored the 2013 and 2017 AJ Bell World Championships, the 2017 AJ Bell European Championships as well as last year’s AJ Bell British National Championships which were also staged at the University of Nottingham.

The championships are expected to attract a star-studded line-up that will descend on the University of Nottingham for the UK’s flagship event. The five-day tournament will be held at the £40 million state-of-the-art David Ross Sports Village which comprises six glass-back squash courts and one of only four all-glass squash courts in England.

England Squash Chief Executive Officer Keir Worth said: “We’re thrilled next year’s British National Squash Championships has again attracted the support of AJ Bell as title sponsor. We are grateful for their continued support of squash and their investment will significantly help next year’s event to scale new heights and provide an unforgettable event for players and spectators.”

AJ Bell Marketing Director Billy Mackay added: “We are delighted to be able to support England Squash as they bring this fantastic event to the University of Nottingham once again. It is a great opportunity for squash fans in and around the city to watch top level squash in the comfort of a first-class sport facility and will hopefully build upon the extensive interest and coverage in the event and sport generally.”

The 2020 AJ Bell British National Championships will see Britain’s finest players competing for the coveted titles including defending champions James Willstrop and Tesni Evans, alongside England No.1 Sarah-Jane Perry, Wales No.1 Joel Makin and Scotland No.1 Greg Lobban.

Entry to the 2020 championships is now open at englandsquash.com 

Report by DONNA HELMER (ES). Edited by ALAN THATCHER.

Picture courtesy of England Squash 

Northampton Saints defence coach Alan Dickens has left the club to become the new England Under-20 head coach.

Former scrum-half Dickens, 43, has been at the club since 2008 also as a player, academy boss and attack coach.

He was interim Saints head coach in the second half of 2017-18 after director of rugby Jim Mallinder was sacked.

Dickens will lead England at next year's Six Nations and World Under-20 Championships, replacing Steve Bates - who left the role in July.

"Northampton Saints has not only been a huge part of my coaching career so far, it's been a huge part of my life," Dickens said.

"I'm thrilled to take on this important role with the RFU. The most exciting thing for me is seeing young players progress within their clubs, and ultimately then into the England first team squad," he told England Rugby.

Dickens was England Saxons defence coach on their tour of South Africa in 2016 and will be replaced at Northampton on an interim basis by academy coach Jake Sharp.

Scotland prop Gordon Reid has no regrets about running into a smoke-filled Ayrshire house - despite the man he rescued then "legging it down the road like Usain Bolt".

Reid, who plays for Ayrshire Bulls, had returned outside after checking if anyone else was in a neighbour's house.

The man he had helped escape was no longer there.

"If I didn't go back and kids were in there, I couldn't live with that," the 32-year-old told BBC Scotland.

Reid, who posted a video of himself on Instagram with a gas mask after the fire service arrived, still does not know who the man was and is waiting to learn the cause of the fire.

"We're just new to the area," said the former Glasgow Warriors and London Irish prop, who has 37 Scotland caps.

"We don't know many of our neighbours. Nobody knows who stays in that bungalow, because we asked a few neighbours.

"I was pretty gutted he just ran off. I had to go back in there and he didn't even help me, but I'm just glad he's safe hopefully and he didn't breath in too much smoke."

'I've put myself in more danger on the rugby field'

Reid spotted his neighbour's door ablaze as he was checking the source of burning plastic he thought was coming from his tumble drier.

"Flames were going up his house," he said. "I thought, 'let's go for it' and grabbed a bucket of water and tried to put it out and banged on the window.

"I got no reply, so I went through the door shouting, 'is anybody there?' The first room I went into, I saw him and I grabbed him and took him outside."

Reid went back into the building for a third time, despite the protestations of his four-year-old daughter, before the fire service arrived.

"You are risking your life a bit, but you don't think anything dangerous is going to happen to yourself," he said. "You act on the moment as you don't want anyone to die.

"I like to think anyone would have done the same in my shoes. I've probably put myself in more danger on the rugby field.

"You couldn't see your hand in front of you, the smoke was so thick. I was just relieved it was not my tumble drier and I wouldn't have my wife shouting at me and having to fork out £300."

SHREVEPORT, La. – After making limited starts over the course of the past two seasons, Garrett Alberson is looking to return to the driver’s seat on a full-time basis next year.

“Ronnie and Terri Stuckey have been amazing to me over the past several years. From providing me with a great job at Stuckey Enterprises to even allowing me to race one of their cars on multiple occasions, they’ve been like family to me,” said Alberson, who relocated from New Mexico to Louisiana in 2014 to work for the Stuckeys. “However, after spending the past two years primarily turning wrenches on Earl Pearson Jr.’s car, my passion to return to driving is stronger than ever. I want to turn my focus back to being a driver, while I’m still young.

“Furthermore, my wife [Dani] and I don’t have any kids, so we are relatively free to move wherever need be in the country to get my driving career back on track.”

Alberson began his season in January by entering six races in a team car to Pearson during the annual Wild West Shootout at FK Rod Ends Arizona Speedway. Alberson’s best finish was an eighth, which came in the miniseries finale. His struggles in the driver’s seat made him realize that he needed to start racing regularly again to stay sharp.

“I quickly realized in Arizona that I was really rusty in the driver’s seat, and in this sport if you’re going to be competitive on any level, you have to race regularly to stay on top of your game,” Alberson continued. “I had already promised Ronnie [Stuckey] that I would crew on the Black Diamond House Car for one more year [2019], so I wanted to definitely deliver on that promise.”

While Alberson has talked to a few teams about local opportunities, he’s currently seeking a ride that will allow him to compete on a regional basis. He’s open to relocating from his current residence in Louisiana to pursue opportunities.

“I’m honestly opening to moving anywhere right now. Obviously, I’d love to have a ride somewhere in a hotbed of racing, like Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa, or Ohio, but I’m prepared to move to wherever my best opportunity might be,” Alberson noted.

Experience as well as a relentless, work ethic are some of the strongest benefits that Alberson has to offer a perspective team.

“Over the past several years I’ve been blessed to get to learn from some of the best racers and industry leaders in our sport. Furthermore, I’ve collectively got a decade of Dirt Late Model experience in both the driver’s seat and the crew aspect,” Alberson shared. “Last but not least, I recognize that this isn’t a cheap sport, so my ultiamtely goal for any team that I drive for is to always make the experience drama free and enjoyable for the car owner.”

In addition to finding a full-time ride, Alberson is hoping to find a ride for the 14th Annual Keyser Manufacturing Wild West Shootout at FK Rod Ends Arizona Speedway on Jan. 11-19.