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SEC hopes to mend fences between Florida, LSU

 
Published Dec. 3, 2016

ATLANTA — Two months after Hurricane Matthew led to the postponement and relocation of the Florida-LSU game, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said the league will try to repair any strained relationships caused by UF's resistance to moving the game and LSU's insistence on playing it in Tiger Stadium.

"Part of the job is to deal with those hard issues. That was a particularly hard issue," Sankey said Friday. "We'll work on those relationships, and we'll make sure that we make the most effective decisions together moving forward."

Sankey reiterated that the conference will have a new policy on weather-affected games next season. The league's athletic directors will discuss possible solutions at their next meeting in a week and a half.

UF INJURY UPDATES: Linebacker Jarrad Davis (ankle) is expected to return after missing the past three games. Davis warmed up last week at Florida State but did not play. Quarterback Luke Del Rio (shoulder) was limited Friday.

W. Michigan wins, waits

DETROIT — Western Michigan hopes it has done enough to secure a berth in the Cotton Bowl. Now, the No. 13 Broncos have to wait and see what Navy does in its final games.

Butch Hampton kicked five field goals as Western Michigan (13-0) beat Ohio 29-23 in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game.

Despite its record, Western Michigan hasn't yet secured the Group of Five's automatic berth into a New Year's Six bowl. Navy faces Temple today in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game, then plays its annual rivalry game against Army on Dec. 12. With two wins, the Midshipmen could conceivably pass the Broncos in the College Football Playoff rankings.

"We've done all we can do," quarterback Zach Terrell said.

The Broncos held on when linebacker Robert Spillane intercepted Greg Windham's pass with 51 seconds left and Ohio on the Western Michigan 37.

HELFRICH TALKED TO CHIP: In his first interview since he was dismissed as Oregon's coach, Mark Helfrich said he reached out to former coach Chip Kelly a couple of weeks ago when he thought he could be fired. Helfrich told ESPN Radio he contacted Kelly, now the San Francisco 49ers' coach, when it started "going south" for the Ducks and the rumors heated up, in the interest of trying to save his assistants' jobs.

REPORTS: HOUSTON TO INTERVIEW KIFFIN: Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin will interview for Houston's coaching job after today's SEC Championship Game against Florida, according to multiple reports.

Basketball

NO. 13 INDIANA 83, SIU-EDWARDSVILLE 60: Juwan Morgan scored a career-high 18 and added 10 rebounds for the host Hoosiers (6-1).

USF WOMEN 74, BUTLER 59: Laia Flores scored 13 of her career-high 18 in the second half for the visiting Bulls, who are 6-0 for the first time since 2012-13.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.