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Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott apologizes but says he doesn’t regret remarks

Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott speaks to reporters during the Buckeyes preseason media day on Aug. 16.

Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott speaks to reporters during the Buckeyes preseason media day on Aug. 16.

(Paul Vernon / Associated Press)
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Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott apologized for the critical comments he made Saturday about play calling after the Buckeyes’ 17-14 loss to Michigan State and said it was the wrong time to make it known that he would not be returning to school next season.

In a long apology posted Monday on Twitter, Elliott said, “My intentions were not to point fingers at anyone for OUR failures. I was caught up in emotions. I hope everyone can understand how strongly I love this team and this university and how much I wanted to win that game but I do not regret anything I said.”

Buckeyes Coach Urban Meyer said Elliott would not be disciplined and that he agreed that the junior, who has rushed for 1,458 yards, should have carried the ball more than 12 times. Meyer said he wished Elliott’s comments would have been made in private instead of during a postgame interview, but that Elliott came to him and apologized.

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“Zeke has always been a very emotional competitor,” Meyer said, adding that Elliott has been good student and a loyal and selfless member of the team.

“It’s sealed, as far as our team and the team room is concerned in the locker room,” Meyer said. “That kid you’re talking about, he’s one of my favorite of all times. He’s good to go. And we’re going to do our best to get ready to play this week.”

No. 8 Ohio State plays at No. 12 Michigan on Saturday.

Mayfield suffered concussion

Oklahoma confirmed that quarterback Baker Mayfield suffered a concussion in Saturday’s 30-29 victory over TCU and the Sooners are optimistic he will be able to play this week against Oklahoma State.

Mayfield took a helmet-to-helmet hit from linebacker Ty Summers early in the second quarter. Mayfield finished the quarter but didn’t play in the second half after acknowledging he had a headache.

Coach Bob Stoops said that the Heisman Trophy hopeful successfully went through concussion protocol Sunday and will be monitored the rest of the week to see if he’ll be ready to play Saturday.

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Falk on mend

Injured Washington State quarterback Luke Falk was doing well and might be able to play in Friday’s Apple Cup against Washington, WSU Athletic Director Bill Moos said.

Falk, the leading passer in the Pac-12, appeared to suffer a head injury and was carried off the field during No. 20 Washington State’s victory over Colorado on Saturday.

Coach Mike Leach refuses to discuss injuries, so the extent of Falk’s injury was not clear.

Firings

Syracuse fired Coach Scott Shafer two days after the team’s eighth consecutive loss.

Shafer, whose team is 3-8 after finishing 3-9 last season, will coach Saturday’s season finale against Boston College.

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Montana State Coach Rob Ash has been fired after nine seasons. His teams were 70-38 but only 2-7 against rival Montana.

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Austin Peay fired Kirby Cannon after a winless season left the Governors with a 1-34 record in the coach’s three seasons.

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Etc.

Britain Covey, Utah’s leading receiver, suffered a leg injury in Saturday’s loss to UCLA and will sit out this week’s season finale against Colorado. Coach Kyle Whittingham, whose team already was without injured rushing leader Devontae Booker, said he did not know if Covey would be able to play in a bowl game.

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Nebraska Coach Mike Riley said that preparation for Friday’s game against third-ranked Iowa was “business as usual” while police and the university investigate a report of a sexual assault at a house shared by players.

Riley said that quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr., receiver Jordan Westerkamp and tight end Trey Foster would practice as usual this week. Asked if he had been assured there would be no university-imposed suspensions before the game, Riley said, “I haven’t been assured of anything.”

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The NCAA football oversight committee will provide guidelines for matching bowls with sub.-500 teams if there are not enough bowl-eligible teams to fill the record 80 postseason spots available this year.

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LSU Coach Les Miles considers talk about his job security “off limits” as the Tigers prepare to host Texas A&M on Saturday night.

Miles, whose team has lost three consecutive games for the first time since he arrived at LSU in 2005, did not say whether he had met with top athletic department administrators about his future, saying the only instruction he had received was to continue doing his job.

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