Sep 1, 2020 3 min read

Pitt kickoff times set

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Tuesday the kickoff times for Pitt’s opening two football games.

The Panthers’ Sept. 12 season opener against Austin Peay will kick off at 4 p.m., and their Sept. 19 game against Syracuse will have a noon start.

Both games will be played at Heinz Field and televised by the ACC Network.

In the NFL

Running back Leonard Fournette is now a free agent.

Fournette went unclaimed after Jacksonville waived him Monday. Fournette’s representatives responded by formally filing a grievance against the Jaguars in an effort to recoup the $4.17 million in base salary he was initially guaranteed for this season.

Jacksonville voided all remaining guarantees in Fournette’s rookie deal late in 2018. The void only came into play because the Jags parted ways with the fourth overall pick in the 2017 draft.

n The Cleveland Browns finally had something go their way on the injury front.

Starting linebacker Mack Wilson does not need surgery for his hyperextended left knee and is expected to play this season, a much-needed, positive development for a team that has been roughed up by injuries in training camp.

Wilson hurt his knee while breaking up a pass on Aug. 18. He was carted off the field and there was fear the second-year linebacker from Alabama might be done for the 2020 season. But after getting a second medical opinion, an operation was ruled out.

n NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reiterated the league’s support for players fighting for racial justice and protesting police violence.

Citing a police officer shooting Jacob Blake in the back on Aug. 23 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Goodell said the incident has “brought forth more feelings of anger, frustration, anguish, fear for many of us in the NFL family.”

The investigation into the police shooting of Blake, who is Black, is ongoing.

Favorite to start on outside at Derby

Kentucky Derby favorites will need to take the long route toward winning the Run For The Roses.

Tiz the Law is the 3-5 morning-line favorite for the 146th Derby and will attempt to become the first winner from the No. 17 post position drawn for Saturday’s rescheduled marquee race for 3-year-olds. The best finish in 41 starts from that spot was a second place by Forty Niner in 1988 and two thirds.

All the race favorites will break from the outside at Churchill Downs. Second choice Honor A. P. – at 5-1 odds – drew the No. 16 post. Authentic is the 8-1 third choice from the far No. 18 slot, which last year earned 65-1 long shot Country House the glory when the colt crossed the finish line second before being awarded the victory after Maximum Security was disqualified for interference.

No tailgating at Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech and the town of Blacksburg say tailgating will be prohibited in the fall in university and town-owned parking areas.

The joint announcement was made Tuesday and applies to all fall athletic events at Virginia Tech.

The school says it will monitor all parking lots on game days and that university police will notify fans setting up tailgates that it is prohibited.

Town officials say they will enforce ordinances put in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic.