Greater Western Sydney could still front the AFL before Christm

The Big Ten appears to be returning to its running roots.A year after posting its lowest rushing average in six seasons, the Big Ten is nearing the halfway point of the season as the No. 3 running conference in the Bowl Subdivision.Mike Weber of Ohio State and Justin Jackson of Northwestern are the only Big Ten rushers among the top 25 nationally, yet five teams are running for more than 200 yards a game.The Big Ten average is 192 yards. Last year, the Big Ten was eighth out of 10 FBS conferences at 170 a game, the lowest mark since it averaged 152 in 2009.Leading the way is Ohio State, which is third nationally at 324 yards a game. Other than last weeks win over Indiana , when J.T. Barrett struggled with his passing, the Buckeyes have held big leads in the second halves of games and havent been forced to throw. Theyve run on 65 percent of their plays and have had no fewer than 48 rushing attempts in a game.The multi-faceted attack of Weber, Barrett and H-back Curtis Samuel has combined for a 6.5-yard per-carry average, and theyve done it behind an offensive line that has three new starters. Samuel also is the teams leading receiver.Curtis Samuel, I dont want to say hes a surprise, but hes assumed a critical role in this offense, Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said. Im pleased with where were at. Im not surprised because I think we have very good players who believe in what were doing.Maryland is running for 274 yards a game to rank ninth, with Lorenzo Harrison III and Ty Johnson combining for 142 yards a game and quarterback Perry Hills picking up 8.8 yards a carry.Michigan has one of the most improved ground games, averaging 255 yards to rank 14th in the nation. Last year the Wolverines were 83rd, at 158 a game.The Wolverines are doing it with a running back committee , with DeVeon Smith the starter and Ty Isaac, Karan Higdon and Chris Evans also getting significant carries.Coach Jim Harbaugh gave much of the credit to Tim Drevno, who doubles as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.The adjustments are made, the scheme is good, the players have been coached, Harbaugh said. Its multiple (defensive) fronts, and multiple adjustments could be made, and our backs make the adjustments. Our wide receivers make the adjustments and get on the people theyre supposed to block. Its really hard to do, and coach Drevno has done a tremendous job.Nebraska is running for 234 yards a game and Minnesota for 203. The Cornhuskers Terrell Newby is having his best season as a senior, and quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. has become more of a factor in coach Mike Rileys second season. Newby, averaging 65 yards a game, has been splitting time with Devine Ozigbo. But with Ozigbo slowed by an ankle injury, Newbys workload has increased. Armstrong is up to 12 carries a game and is averaging 59 yards.We felt like if we were going to be a factor in the league and be relevant that we had to run the ball more consistently and better, Riley said. It was a big emphasis for us. We want to continue that trend. Were just about halfway through the season, and that part of it has improved and we have to keep that as part of who we are.---Online:AP college football website: http://collegefootball.ap.org Eric Gagne Jersey . The head of USA Boxing came out swinging Tuesday with an open letter to Tyson -- a former Olympic hopeful himself -- that accuses the former heavyweight champion of trying to poach fighters who might be candidates for the U. Dave Roberts Jersey . 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Greater Western Sydney could still front the AFL before Christmas as they argue their innocence over the Lachie Whitfield affair.The league has confirmed that the expansion clubs scheduled meeting with the AFL Commission on Tuesday will not go ahead.Instead, the league has adjourned the hearing and the commission will now decide how it will proceed.The commission could still hear the matter, refer it to a subcommittee or involve the AFL tribunal.The AFL charged the Giants in late November with conduct unbecoming over the Whitfield case.The Giants insist they did nothing wrong, saying the fault lies with former club officials Graeme Allan and Craig Lambert.The club regards any pottential sanction stemming from this charge as unwarranted and inappropriate given the admissions by the former staff members that they acted outside their authority, the Giants said on November 24.dddddddddddd.The AFL has banned Whitfield for six months, while Allan and Lambert have been hit with 12-month penalties.As a result of his ban, Allan resigned from his new job as Collingwood football manager.The Giants risk losing draft picks over the affair.The case stems from allegations Lambert and Allan helped Whitfield try to evade a drugs test in 2015. 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