UNDATED (AP) — EA Sports has revealed an image of the College Football 25 cover that features Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and Colorado two-way player Travis Hunter. The video-game developer said the game will be released on July 19. EA Sports unveiled the standard cover Thursday after a photo of its deluxe edition was leaked last week. All three cover athletes are active players. They said name, image and likeness money played no role in their decision to accept the cover offer. EA Sports College Football 25 will be EA’s first college football game in over a decade.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the association representing athletic directors of Football Bowl Subdivision schools is stepping down this fall after more than eight years as president and CEO. Tom McMillen has led LEAD1 since 2015 and will remain in his position through June 30 and transition to a part-time role through Sept. 30. LEAD1 represents the interests of the 133 schools that play the highest level of Division I football and attempts to develop consensus among their athletic directors as they address issues affecting college athletics. A national search will be conducted for his successor.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 27 points to pull the Minnesota Timberwolves out of their mid-series slump and deliver a flawless 115-70 victory over the Denver Nuggets to force a Game 7 in this roller-coaster playoff matchup. Jaden McDaniels pitched in 21 points and lockdown defense, and Mike Conley had 13 points in his return from injury. Big men Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid combined for 38 rebounds and a relentless effort to keep NBA MVP Nikola Jokic to a relatively quiet 22 points. The decisive game for a spot in the Western Conference finals is in Denver on Sunday.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Chris Kreider had a third-period hat trick to help the New York Rangers erase a two-goal deficit and beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 to close out the second-round playoff series in six games and advance to the Eastern Conference Final. Kreider single-handedly erased the Hurricanes' 3-1 lead entering the final period. He had the winner when he tipped in Ryan Lindgren’s pass to make it 4-3 at the 15:41 mark. Barclay Goodrow added an empty-netter. Martin Necas, Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho scored for Carolina, which had won two straight after falling into a 3-0 hole.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Xander Schauffele has set the PGA Championship record with a 62. He also ties a major championship record that he shared last year in the U.S. Open. Schauffele took advantage of rain-softened conditions at Valhalla. And he's been playing some good golf. Schauffele was runner-up last week in the Wells Fargo Championship. Schauffele played the back nine in 31. He ran off three birdies in a four-hole stretch on the front nine to get in range of the record. The previous mark at the PGA was a 63. One of those was Jose Maria Olazabal at Valhalla 10 years ago.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Tiger Woods fired a 1-over par 72 during the opening round of the PGA Championship. The 15-time major champion faltered late. He was 1-under heading into his final two holes before a pair of three-putts led to bogeys that pushed him into plus territory. Woods arrived at Valhalla having not played since his last-place finish at the Masters last month. The 48-year-old Woods says it took him a few holes to get the competitive juices flowing. When he arrives at the course for the second round he will try to avoid missing the cut for the fourth time in his last seven visits to the PGA.
BOSTON (AP) — Rays reliever Jason Adam was forced out of Thursday night’s game at Fenway Park in the ninth inning when pitching coach Kyle Snyder headed to the mound with Tampa Bay out of visits. After a long delay, Erasmo Ramírez entered with two runners on and retired Romy González on a game-ending groundout to save a 7-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox. Rays manager Kevin Cash took full responsibility for the mistake and said he was glad it didn't cost his team the game.
NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL is distancing itself from Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, saying “his views are not those of the NFL as an organization.” Butker served as the commencement speaker at Benedictine College, a private Catholic liberal arts school, last week and said most of the women receiving degrees were probably more excited about getting married and having children. The NFL says “Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity. His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”
SPRING, Texas (AP) — Gymnastics star Simone Biles says she is better equipped to handle the challenges that await as she prepares for a third Olympics. The 27-year-old became a touchstone for the discussion around mental health at the Tokyo Games in 2021 when she pulled herself out of several competitions because of mental trauma that made it difficult for her to compete. Biles says she now works with a therapist regularly, even during meets, to help her deal with whatever may come. The seven-time Olympic medalist begins preparations for Paris at the U.S. Classic in Hartford, Connecticut.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Marcus Ericsson returned to the Indianapolis 500 with zero regrets but ended Thursday with a violent collision late in the first full day of practice. Ericsson hit a curb with just over two hours remaining in the session, causing his car to spin and hit the wall three different times. Before the crash, Ericsson had moved past the controversial ending to last year’s race that cost the Swede a second consecutive win in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” He will try to win his second Indy 500 in three years on May 26 after last year's controversial runner-up finish.
THURSDAY SCORES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final N.Y. Yankees 5 Minnesota 0
Final Tampa Bay 7 Boston 5
Final Houston 8 Oakland 1
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Pittsburgh 5 Chicago Cubs 4
Final N.Y. Mets 6 Philadelphia 5
Final Cincinnati 7 L.A. Dodgers 2
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Final Minnesota 115 Denver 70
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Final N-Y Rangers 5 Carolina 3