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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The fireworks cracked and the towel-waving sellout crowd at Memorial Stadium roared to salute an Indiana team that won its 10th game for the first time in team history.

Curt Cignetti, the coach who orchestrated the most impressive first season in recent college football history, embraced his wife and granddaughter, and then his two daughters, as the fans chanted “Cig! Cig!” Indiana, a bottom-rung program that hasn’t even shared a Big Ten title since 1967 and never made the College Football Playoff, improved to 10-0 with a 20-15 win against defending national champion Michigan, which came in as an underdog to the Hoosiers for the first time since 1968.

But there was no field storm Saturday, and Cignetti and many others came away feeling more relieved than triumphant.

An Indiana team that had won each of its first nine games by 14 or more points and entered Saturday leading the nation in scoring margin (419 to 123) received its first true scare, as its 17-3 halftime deficit dwindled to two points and then five in the closing minutes. But Indiana’s defense carried the day, preventing Michigan from gaining a single first down on the game’s decisive possession. The Hoosiers, who debuted at No. 8 in the initial College Football Playoff ranking, dragged down by a schedule that has not included a Top 25 opponent, will take a perfect record to No. 3 Ohio State on Nov. 23.

“Not many style points there, not many people banging the drum, saying Indiana ought to be rated higher … and all that good stuff, but the Indiana Hoosiers are 10-0,” Cignetti said.

He later added: “I’m glad we won. I don’t like the way we played.”

Indiana appeared headed for its standard lopsided win, outgaining Michigan 228 to 94 in the first half and getting two touchdown passes from standout quarterback Kurtis Rourke. But the Hoosiers then endured their worst offensive quarter of the season, which included a Rourke interception near the goal line that led to a Michigan field goal, and only seven net yards on seven plays.

Michigan chipped away at the lead and had a chance to tie the score with 9:35 left, before Davis Warren‘s pass on a 2-point conversion attempt went incomplete. An Indiana offense that entered Saturday ranked second nationally in scoring (46.6 points per game) continued to stall, but Ke’Shawn Williams, returning punts only because primary returner Myles Price was injured, had a 22-yard runback to set up an IU field goal.

“I wasn’t too worried or too curious,” said Williams, who led Indiana in receptions (6) and receiving yards (70). “When you perform how we’ve performed all year, there’s never any doubt. We’re never on the sideline, like, ‘Damn, this might be it.’ We know when we get out there we do our thing, you know, we’re going to make some stuff happen.”

A Hoosiers defense that has significantly improved under Cignetti rose up yet again, forcing three incomplete passes and then stopping Michigan’s Peyton O’Leary one yard shy of the marker on fourth-and-10. Indiana held Michigan to 69 rushing yards on 34 carries and just one touchdown, which came on after Michigan had a short field.

Two Indiana runs sealed the win, aided by Michigan’s inexplicable decision not to call timeout immediately after a Ty Son Lawton rush.

“A lot of people will make an argument for Indiana, ‘Where should they be in the rankings? Should they be above this team,'” linebacker Aiden Fisher said. “We’ll leave that to them. That’s not something we really care about. What we care about the end of the day is making sure we’re walking off this field with the fans happy.”

Rourke completed only 3 of 10 passes for 16 yards and the interception in the second half, well below his production. He said the surgically repaired thumb on his throwing hand did not hinder him and continued to improve, but credited Michigan’s defense, saying Indiana had to be “near-perfect” to build its first-half lead.

“These are games that really test you as a team, see if you can hang on, you can win those tight games,” Rourke said. “We knew eventually that we would come to a game where it would be close. We’d have to see what we’re made of, so I’m really proud of how we handled it. Our defense stepped up in big times. It’s another big moment we’ve got for the season.”

Cignetti noted how Saturday marked the first game this sason where Indiana didn’t win with style points, adding, “Our numbers are through the roof.” Even brief down periods, like a 10-0 deficit last week at Michigan State, were answered with huge surges.

The narrow win against a Michigan team that came in with four losses — three in its previous four games could — cost Indiana in the next CFP rankings. But all of Indiana’s goals, unthinkable outside the program when the season kicked off, are all still on the table.

“Championship teams find a way to win football games,” Cignetti said. “I can’t say enough about these guys. I don’t throw many bouquets out there, but these guys have accomplished quite a bit.”

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Franco faces weapons charges after altercation

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Franco faces weapons charges after altercation

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco will face charges of illegal use and possession of a firearm related to his arrest in an armed altercation in the Dominican Republic countryside, public prosecutors said Tuesday.

Franco, 23, was arrested in San Juan de la Maguana, 116 miles west of Santo Domingo after what police said was an altercation Sunday in the parking lot of an apartment complex in which guns were drawn. He had been held for questioning by police but is expected to be granted provisional release Tuesday, with terms of his bail yet to be defined.

Prosecutors said a Glock with its magazine and 15 rounds of ammunition but no registration papers was found in Franco’s black Mercedes-Benz at the time of the altercation.

Police said the firearm was registered to Branly Fernando Lugo Rodríguez, who Franco said was his uncle.

The armed altercation occurred Sunday between Franco, another man and the father of that man over Franco’s relationship with a woman prosecutors said lived in the apartment complex. The dispute took place in the parking lot of the apartment complex after Franco arrived there.

There were no injuries, and the involved parties agreed they will not press charges.

No court date has yet been set for Franco’s arraignment. The use and possession of illegal firearms carries a maximum sentence of three to five years plus a fine.

Franco, who was placed on indefinite administrative leave from Major League Baseball on Aug. 22, 2023, is due to stand trial in the Dominican Republic on Dec. 12 in a separate case involving charges of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation against a minor and human trafficking that could result in a sentence of up to 20 years.

Franco was placed on MLB’s restricted list in July, sources had told ESPN, after prosecutors in the Dominican Republic accused him of having a sexual relationship with a then-14-year-old girl.

He is also under an MLB investigation under its domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy until the case is resolved.

The court summoned Franco and the mother of the girl for the trial after an investigation that opened in 2022. The case will be heard by a panel of three or five judges.

Franco cannot leave the Dominican Republic under his bail agreement as he awaits the trial, but he is free to travel within the country, police confirmed.

The Rays gave Franco an 11-year, $182 million extension in 2021, just 70 games into his major league career.

He made the All-Star team for the first time in 2023.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Rays’ home can’t be fixed in time for ’25 season

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Rays' home can't be fixed in time for '25 season

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A detailed assessment of the hurricane damage to Tropicana Field concludes that the home of the Tampa Bay Rays is structurally sound and can be repaired for about $55.7 million in time for the 2026 season.

The 412-page report released Tuesday by the city of St. Petersburg, which owns the building, found that the basic structure of the domed stadium “does not appear to have been adversely affected” by Hurricane Milton’s winds, which shredded most of its fabric roof.

“The primary structure is serviceable and capable of supporting a replacement tension membrane fabric roof,” said the report by Hennessy Construction Services.

Eighteen of the ballpark’s 24 fabric panels failed when Milton roared ashore Oct. 9, the report found. There was also damage to interior parts of the Trop, as it’s known for short, from rainwater and other storm-related causes. The ballpark opened in 1990 and has been the Rays’ home since their inception in 1998.

The Rays did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment. Since the ballpark, under this damage and repair assessment, would not be ready until the 2026 season, the Rays must find another place to play next year.

Major League Baseball wants the Rays to remain in the area near their fan base if at all possible, with several Tampa Bay-area spring training sites suggested. These include ballparks in Clearwater (Phillies), Tampa (Yankees), Dunedin (Blue Jays), Sarasota (Orioles), Lakeland (Tigers) and the Rays’ own spring training home in Port Charlotte. Most of these locations host minor league teams in the summer.

Tropicana Field is already scheduled to be demolished when a new, $1.3 billion ballpark is finished in time for the 2028 season. With unforeseen costs to the city and Pinellas County from two hurricanes — vast amounts of debris removal, damage to parks and infrastructure — two of the main financial sources for the new ballpark could reconsider those plans or decide not to repair the Trop at all.

The St. Petersburg City Council will discuss the report at its Nov. 21 meeting.

“We have so much need across the city,” council member Brandi Gabbard said at a meeting last week. “I love the Rays. I love Tropicana Field. It’s not about not wanting to do this. It’s about a balance of priorities.”

The council recently approved $6.5 million to clean up the ballpark and protect it from any further damage, including waterproofing areas such as the press box, seating areas and scoreboard.

The city does have an insurance claim for the damage and repairs, but it includes a $22 million deductible and probably would cover only part of the overall costs. That means taxpayer dollars would have to be used.

The planned new Rays ballpark is part of a $6.5 billion project that will include affordable housing, a Black history museum, retail and office space, and restaurants and bars. The project is known as the Historic Gas Plant District, which was once a thriving Black community but was displaced by construction of the ballpark and an interstate highway.

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BC start QB James over Castellanos against SMU

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BC start QB James over Castellanos against SMU

Boston College will start Grayson James over Thomas Castellanos at quarterback against SMU this weekend, coach Bill O’Brien announced during his press conference Tuesday.

O’Brien said the decision is “what’s best for the team right now” and said Castellanos “wasn’t real thrilled with that. He’s taken a couple days.”

James entered the game last week against Syracuse in the third quarter and helped lead a 37-31 victory.

Boston College hosts ACC leader SMU on Saturday, needing one more win to reach bowl eligibility.

Castellanos was just 2-of-7 for 14 yards with a touchdown an interception at that point in the game. James went 5-of-6 for 51 yards with a touchdown pass.

Castellanos has struggled at times this season, particularly in the passing game. James started one game earlier in the year in place of the injured Castellanos, going 19-of-32 for 168 yards with a touchdown and interception in a 21-20 win over Western Kentucky.

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