Georgia’s Nick Chubb is out for the season because of knee injury

Georgia running back Nick Chubb is expected to miss the rest of the season after injuring his left knee Saturday in the Bulldogs’ loss at Tennessee.

“I think it’s pretty safe to say he’s out,” Coach Mark Richt said Sunday on his weekly teleconference.

The star back was injured on the first play from scrimmage in the 38-31 loss.

Georgia’s director of sports medicine said in a release Sunday that Chubb damaged several ligaments and cartilage, but did not have an acute cruciate ligament tear. Director Ron Courson added the damage is repairable, full recovery is expected and surgery will take place within two weeks.

Chubb came into the game with 13 consecutive 100-yard rushing games. After a two-yard run, he was hit by cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and later by linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin. Chubb was taken from the field and returned to watch the second half from the sideline.

Richt declined to speculate on a schedule for Chubb’s return.

“All rehab is tough, but the best news is that there was no damage to a nerve or anything vascular, like an artery,” Richt said. “That was the best news of all and of course the ACL not being damaged was great as well. Just like Ron said, we feel the damage is all repairable and that he can make a full recovery. It’s just going to be a matter of how much time, and we’re not quite sure of the timetable on that.”

Fellow sophomore Sony Michel will now pick up the rushing load for Georgia (4-2, 1-2 Southeastern Conference), which fell out of the top 25 on Sunday.

Michel rushed 22 times for a career-high 145 yards against Tennessee and caught three passes for 26 yards. But he fumbled on a kickoff return late in the second quarter to help Tennessee come back from a 24-3 deficit to outscore the Bulldogs 35-7 the rest of the way.

Maryland fires Edsall

Randy Edsall was fired as Maryland’s football coach Sunday, less than 24 hours after the team’s third straight lopsided defeat.

The dismissal comes in the middle of Edsall’s fifth season with the Terrapins. He is 22-34 since taking over in 2011.

Maryland (2-4, 0-2 Big Ten) has been outscored, 122-34, during its three-game losing streak. Including an earlier defeat against Bowling Green, Maryland’s four losses have come by an average of four touchdowns.

“We appreciate Randy’s tireless commitment to the University of Maryland,” Athletic Director Kevin Anderson said in a statement. “This was a difficult decision, but ultimately this is the best course of action for our football program moving forward.”

Offensive coordinator Mike Locksley will take over on an interim basis. Maryland has an off week before facing Penn State in Baltimore on Oct. 24.

New rankings released

Baylor is No. 2 and Utah is up to fourth behind No. 1 Ohio State in the Associated Press college football poll.

The Bears have their best ranking ever. They reached No. 3 three times previously, including once last season.

Voters spread first-place votes around to six teams in the top 25 released Sunday. The Buckeyes received 27, down 11 (38) from last week. Baylor has 13 and Utah has 16. No. 3 Texas Christian received three first-place votes and No. 5 Clemson and No. 9 Texas A&M each received one.

Ohio State started the season a unanimous No. 1, but as the Buckeyes have sputtered support has slipped. Ohio State pulled away from Maryland in the second half Saturday for a 49-28 victory.

Now, there isn’t much separation in the top four. The Buckeyes have 1,411 poll points, 21 more than Baylor. TCU is four points ahead of Utah.

UCLA moved up two spots to No. 18, while USC fell out of the top 25.

Canales is interim coach at North Texas

Mike Canales is getting a second chance as interim coach at North Texas.

The Mean Green’s offensive coordinator was chosen interim coach for the rest of the season Sunday, a day after Coach Dan McCarney was fired following a 66-7 homecoming loss to FCS team Portland State.

Canales also served as interim coach for the final five games of the 2010 season after former coach Todd Dodge was fired midseason. North Texas went 2-3.

North Texas (0-5) has a home game Thursday night against Western Kentucky.

The Mean Green finished 4-8 last year.