OMAHA, Neb. — Calvin Jones, who rushed for more than 3,000 yards in three seasons at Nebraska and was with the Green Bay Packers when they won the Super Bowl after the 1996 season, has died. He was 54.

Police said Jones’ body was found in the basement of a house in north Omaha on Wednesday night. Police have not confirmed a cause of death pending an autopsy.

A friend of Jones, Jo Dusatko, told the Omaha World-Herald that carbon monoxide poisoning was suspected. She said the furnace in the home was not working and that Jones was using a generator in the basement.

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Husker legend and Super Bowl Champion, Calvin Jones.

Our hearts go out to the Jones family and he will be greatly missed. pic.twitter.com/fCsYkOvB4k

— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) January 24, 2025

Jones was a high school All-American at Central High School before he went to Nebraska, where he rushed for 3,166 yards and 40 touchdowns and was an All-Big Eight pick in 1992-93.

Jones and Derek Brown formed the tandem called the “We-Backs,” a nod to the Cornhuskers’ I-back position, with Jones the backup to Brown in 1991. Jones’ breakout that season came when he ran 27 times for a Big Eight freshman-record 294 yards and a school-record six touchdowns in a 59-23 victory over Kansas. His rushing total against the Jayhawks ranks No. 2 on the Nebraska single-game rushing chart.

Jones declared for the NFL draft in 1994 and was a third-round selection of the Raiders. He appeared in 15 games over two seasons with the Raiders and had a total of 27 carries for 112 yards and two catches for 6 yards. He appeared in one game for the Packers in 1996 but had no carries.

Coming off one of the best seasons in school history, South Carolina has rewarded football coach Shane Beamer with a new contract that will run through the end of 2030.

Beamer, who guided the Gamecocks to a 9-4 record this past season, will be paid $8.15 million this year with $100,000 raises annually, according to a term sheet of the deal obtained by ESPN. He was scheduled to make about $6.6 million this year under a previous extension he signed in 2023.

The new deal includes a $5 million buyout if Beamer leaves South Carolina in the first year, which drops by $1 million each year of the contract.

The South Carolina board of trustees approved Beamer’s extension during a meeting Friday.

“I’m proud to represent the University of South Carolina and to lead our football program as the head coach,” Beamer said in a statement. “As I’ve said before, this is my dream job. My family and I love being here. We’ve accomplished a lot on and off the field over the past four years, but we’re not satisfied. There’s more to do and we’re just getting started.”

The new deal makes Beamer the SEC’s ninth-highest paid coach, along with Oklahoma’s Brent Venables, according to contract figures from USA Today’s coaches salary database. Georgia’s Kirby Smart is the highest-paid coach in the league, with an annual salary of about $13.3 million.

Beamer, 47, has a 29-22 record since taking over the Gamecocks in 2021, the best record by a South Carolina coach in his first four seasons. He led the Gamecocks to bowl games in three seasons, including a 21-17 loss to Illinois in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31.

This past season, South Carolina won its final six regular-season games, knocking off then-No. 10 Texas A&M 44-20, then- No. 23 Missouri 34-30 and then-No. 12 Clemson 17-14.

It was only the eighth time in school history that the Gamecocks won at least nine games in a season.

Beamer was named SEC Coach of the Year by The Associated Press.

“The culture and commitment to excellence that Coach Beamer has built in our football program shows that we are headed in the right direction and on a strong upward trajectory,” South Carolina athletic director Jeremiah Donati said in a statement. “Coach Beamer has made clear his desire to be at the University of South Carolina and this extension shows our collective support for him as the leader of our football program.”

Las Vegas will host the College Football Playoff national championship game at Allegiant Stadium on Jan. 25, 2027, the CFP announced Friday.

“Las Vegas has shown the world they have amazing venues and boundless energy to host an event like the College Football Playoff National Championship in spectacular fashion,” CFP executive director Rich Clark said in a statement. “I can’t think of a better stage to crown the best team in college football in 2027.”

Las Vegas will become the third city in the Pacific time zone to host the CFP title game, joining the Bay Area (2019) and Los Angeles (2023). Miami will host the next national championship game on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium, a contest that will feature the winners of the Fiesta and Peach bowls, which will host the semifinals.

Sites have not been announced beyond 2027 in Las Vegas.

“Pairing the energy of Las Vegas with the College Football Playoff National Championship will make for a truly extraordinary event, both on and off the field,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “We appreciate the opportunity the CFP has provided us to welcome college football’s greatest athletes and biggest fans for an unmatched national championship experience in the city built for celebration.”