SPORTS BRIEFS: Baylor up to No. 2 in Top 25

Baylor moves up to No. 2 in Top 25

Ohio State stayed on top of the Associated Press college football poll released Sunday as Baylor moved up to No. 2.

Baylor, No. 2 last week, has its best AP ranking ever after the Bears routed Kansas 66-7 on Saturday.

Voters spread first-place votes around to six teams in the Top 25 poll. The Buckeyes received 27, down 11 votes from 38 last week. Baylor has 13 top votes and No. 4 Utah has 16.

No. 3 TCU dropped one spot and received three first-place votes after its 52-45 victory over Kansas State.

No. 5 Clemson and No. 9 Texas A&M each received one first-place vote.

Ohio State, which started the season a unanimous No. 1, pulled away from Maryland in the second half for a 49-28 victory Saturday.

LSU is ranked No. 6, followed by Michigan State, Florida, Texas A&M, Alabama, Florida State, Michigan, Ole Miss, Notre Dame and Stanford.

Oklahoma State is No. 16, followed by Iowa, UCLA, Oklahoma and Northwestern, Boise State, Toledo, California, Houston and Duke.

Maryland fires football coach Edsall

After days of rumors and speculation, Maryland coach Randy Edsall was fired Sunday after the Terrapins’ third straight loss by at least three 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.”

The move had been anticipated since reports came out last week that Edsall would be removed before the 2016 season. Maryland’s lackluster performance created rumblings among many of the alumni and boosters who are being counted on to help fund a new indoor football facility that will cost a projected $155 million to build.

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.

Maryland’s interim coach Mike Locksley is a strong recruiter but has had mixed results as a head coach and offensive coordinator.

Offensive coordinator Mike Locksley will serve as the interim head coach. Locksley has been with the Terrapins since 2012. He also coached at Maryland from 1997 to 2002.

“Having spent more than a decade with the Maryland football program over the course of his career, I feel Mike is best suited to effectively guide our program through the remainder of the 2015 season,” Anderson said.

Locksley, who has a career coaching record of 2-26 from three seasons at New Mexico, is scheduled to speak at a news conference Sunday afternoon.

Maryland has a bye week before facing Penn State in Baltimore on Oct. 24.

Fournette to auction jersey

The NCAA says LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette will be allowed to auction his jersey from Saturday’s 45-24 win over the Gamecocks, the proceeds of which will go to South Carolina flood victims according to ESPN.com.

Fournette, whose family was forced to live on a bridge for several days as flood waters overtook New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, read a prepared statement during a postgame interview where he announced the auction plan.

“I want to send my prayers, condolences and empathy to the people of South Carolina,” Fournette said. “What they are going through reminds me of what we went through, my people in New Orleans, Louisiana, went through 10 years ago with Hurricane Katrina. We played a game today, but the people in South Carolina right now are in need.”

The game was moved to Tiger Stadium in light of the flooding in South Carolina.

“I would like to auction off my game jersey as is to the highest bidder to help out the relief efforts,” Fournette said. “People of Louisiana not only care, but know firsthand what you in South Carolina are going through.”

There had been some question over whether NCAA amateurism rules forbid Fournette from auctioning the No. 7 jersey in which he made history by becoming the fastest to 1,000 yards in a season for LSU, a program that dates to 1893. A tweet by the NCAA affirmed it would be allowed.

LSU had earlier said it believed it could assist Fournette in auctioning the jersey without jeopardizing his amateur status.