BC-AP Sports Preview Digest
Some of the sports stories The Associated Press is covering Thursday. A full Sports Digest will be sent about 3 p.m. All times EDT
- CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Super Bowl champion Giants will be without four key players - notably Hakeem Nicks and Ahmad Bradshw - when they play Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers. Game starts 8:20 p.m.
- Two weeks into the NFL season and more points have been scored than in any such span. The reason? It could be a number of things: no-huddle offenses, bigger tight ends, replacement officials.
- ATLANTA - Opening round of the Tour Championship. Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Nick Watney, Phil Mickelson and Brandt Snedeker can capture the FedEx Cup title by winning the Tour Championship.
- PRATTVILLE, Ala. - Lexi Thompson begins her title defense of the Navistar Class where last year at age 16 she became the LPGA Tour's youngest winner at the time.
- DETROIT - The Athletics play the Tigers in a game between second-place teams looking to make a run at their division leaders. Game starts 1:05 p.m.
- GENEVA - International Ice Hockey Federation president tells the AP he welcomes the attention on his league stemming from the lockout, but worries that the player influx may affect the integrity of the season.
- HARRISBURG, Pa. - Penn State plans to bring in the man who ran the Sept. 11 victim fund and other major compensation programs as it attempts to settle claims by Jerry Sandusky's child molestation victims.
- The director of ``Hoop Dreams'' is taking on concussions with his latest film. ``Head Games,'' which opens Friday, is an unflinching look at the biggest health crisis in sports.
- FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - New documents in Arkansas football coach John L. Smith's bankruptcy show he has debts of more than $25 million and assets of just over $1.2 million.
- BOISE, Idaho - In the lone game involving the Top 25, No. 24 Boise State is home against BYU. These regional powers have met only twice before and it's been eight years since their last game. Game starts 9 p.m.
- TUCSON, Ariz. - Might as well forget the clock when No. 4 Oregon and No. 22 Arizona meet this weekend. This should be the fastest game in the West - or anywhere else.
