Hall of Fame coach Bill Maxwell passed away peacefully early Monday morning at the age of 80.

Maxwell dedicated his life to track and field, spending over 50 years working with the some of collegiate's best sprinters, jumpers and hurdlers with stints at Texas, LSU, Tennessee and Nebraska.&nbsp; In 1996, Maxwell made the move to Lincoln where he would spend the next 22 years as a Cornhusker.&nbsp; Maxwell went on to lead the Cornhuskers to 47 first-team All-Americans, 34 Conference Champions and three National Champions.&nbsp; Arguably seen as one of the top recruiters in the nation, Maxwell could be found making friendships across the globe with some of the top talent of his time.&nbsp; Throughout his career, Maxwell coached a total of 28 NCAA Individual Champions and more than 350 All-Americans.

Maxwell received numerous honors throughout his career including four Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year awards and was inducted into the USTFCCCA (United States Track &amp; Field Cross Country Coaches Association) Hall of Fame in 2015.

Fellow USTFCCCA Hall of Fame inductee and former Head Coach Gary Pepin remembers Maxwell as a “hard-nosed coach who had a heart of gold, who absolutely loved the kids that he coached.&nbsp; He was a tremendous member of our staff and lots of the success that our program had throughout his time here can be contributed to the success of the areas in which Coach Maxwell worked with.”

A native of Cairo, Ga., Maxwell received his bachelor’s degree from Florida State and began his coaching career at Columbia (Ga.) High School.&nbsp;

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsHall of Fame coach Bill Maxwell passed away peacefully early Monday morning at the age of 80.Maxwell dedicated his life to track and field, spending over 50 years working with the some of collegiate's best sprinters, jumpers and hurdlers with stints at Texas, LSU, Tennessee and Nebraska.&nbsp; In 1996, Maxwell made the move to Lincoln where he would spend the next 22 years as a Cornhusker.&nbsp; Maxwell went on to lead the Cornhuskers to 47 first-team All-Americans, 34 Conference Champions and three National Champions.&nbsp; Arguably seen as one of the top recruiters in the nation, Maxwell could be found making friendships across the globe with some of the top talent of his time.&nbsp; Throughout his career, Maxwell coached a total of 28 NCAA Individual Champions and more than 350 All-Americans.Maxwell received numerous honors throughout his career including four Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year awards and was inducted into the USTFCCCA (United States Track &amp; Field Cross Country Coaches Association) Hall of Fame in 2015.Fellow USTFCCCA Hall of Fame inductee and former Head Coach Gary Pepin remembers Maxwell as a “hard-nosed coach who had a heart of gold, who absolutely loved the kids that he coached.&nbsp; He was a tremendous member of our staff and lots of the success that our program had throughout his time here can be contributed to the success of the areas in which Coach Maxwell worked with.”A native of Cairo, Ga., Maxwell received his bachelor’s degree from Florida State and began his coaching career at Columbia (Ga.) High School.&nbsp;

Former husker Track and Field Coach Bill Maxwell passes away

Story by NU Athletic Communications

Gentry Scheve fired a second-round 67 to lead three Huskers among the top 20 to help the Nebraska men's golf team to third place in the team standings after the first day at the Purdue Fall Invitational.

Scheve, a senior from Emporia, Kan., charged into the top 10 during Monday's second round by recording seven birdies and eight pars to go with three bogeys on the par-71, 7,275-yard layout at the Ackerman-Allen Golf Course in West Lafayette, Ind.

Scheve's 67 (-4) followed an opening-round 73 (+2) to send him to the final round in a seven-way tie for eighth individually at 140 (-2).

Sophomore Quinn Yost (Farmington, N.M.) and junior Harry Crockett (Oxted, England) joined Scheve among the top 20 golfers in the 84-player field, as they finished the day at even-par 142 in a tie for 19th.

Yost nearly matched Scheve in the second round, carding a 68 (-3) with four birdies, 13 pars and a single bogey. Yost's second round came on the heels of an opening-round 75.

Crockett gave Nebraska its best opening round of the day with a 70 (-1), before adding a 72 in the second round.&nbsp;

Hamish Murray (Sydney, Australia) continued to play solid golf in his third consecutive appearance in the Nebraska lineup. Murray bounced back from a pair of first-round double bogeys with an eagle on the 547-yard par-5 16th hole. He sits in a tie for 27th at 143 (73-70) entering Tuesday's final round.&nbsp;

Senior Reed Malleck (York, Neb.) added strong scores of his own with an opening-round 74 (+3) before an even-par 71 in the second round. He heads to the final round tied for 37th at 145 (+3).&nbsp;

Nebraska's solid opening-day efforts have the Huskers hunting for the title in a 15-team field that features seven teams among the top 90 nationally in the most recent Golfstat rankings. The Huskers, who have climbed to No. 87 in the rankings, sit alone in third at 566 (-2) through 36 holes. NU is six shots back of co-leaders Illinois State and Northern Illinois (560). The Big Red own a one stroke lead over Central Arkansas, VCU and the hosts from Purdue in a tie for fourth.

Nebraska enters the final round with a three-shot edge over No. 9 Illinois.

The Purdue Fall Invitational concludes on Tuesday with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. (CT). Live updates and scoring can be found at HuskersGolf on Instagram and X, and Golfstat.com.&nbsp;

Purdue Fall InvitationalOct. 9-10, 2023West Lafayette, IndianaAckerman-Allen Golf Course (Par 71, 7,275 Yards)

Team Standings (Two Rounds)T1. Illinois State - 277-283=560 (-8)T1. Northern Illinois - 281-279=560 (-8)3. Nebraska - 290-276=566 (-2)T4. Central Arkansas - 278-289=567 (-1)T4. Purdue - 291-276=567 (-1)T4. VCU - 289-278=567 (-1)7. Illinois - 284-285=569 (+1)8. Ball State - 294-277=571 (+3)9. Miami (Ohio) - 284-288=572 (+4)10. UNLV - 289-284=573 (+5)11. Butler - 293-290=583 (+15)12. Western Kentucky - 292-293=585 (+17)13. Eastern Michigan - 294-294=588 (+20)14. Dayton - 301-291=592 (+24)15. DePaul - 302-291=593 (+25)

Individual Standings (Two Rounds)1. Valentin Peugnet, Illinois State - 67-66=133 (-9)2. Zach Place, Northern Illinois - 67-68=135 (-7)3. Ben Sluzas, Northern Illinois - 68-68=136 (-6)4. Jackson Buchanan, Illinois - 68-69=137 (-5)5. Max Henderson, Illinois - 72-66=138 (-4)T6. Veikka Viskari, VCU - 69-70=139 (-3)T6. Mattias Varjun, VCU - 72-67=139 (-3)T8. Gentry Scheve, Nebraska - 73-67=140 (-2)T8. *Ryan Voois, Illinois - 72-68=140 (-2)T8. Braxton Kuntz, Ball State - 71-69-140 (-2)T8. Josh Kirkham, Northern Illinois - 70-70=140 (-2)T8. Alex McCulla, Illinois State - 70-70=140 (-2)T8. Ben Sawaia, UNLV - 72-68=140 (-2)T8. Sam Easterbrook, Purdue - 73-67=140 (-2)

Nebraska IndividualsT8. Gentry Scheve - 73-67=140 (-2)T19. Quinn Yost - 74-68=142 (E)T19. Harry Crockett - 70-72=142 (E)T27. Hamish Murray - 73-70=143 (+1)T37. Reed Malleck - 74-71=145 (+3)

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsGentry Scheve fired a second-round 67 to lead three Huskers among the top 20 to help the Nebraska men's golf team to third place in the team standings after the first day at the Purdue Fall Invitational.Scheve, a senior from Emporia, Kan., charged into the top 10 during Monday's second round by recording seven birdies and eight pars to go with three bogeys on the par-71, 7,275-yard layout at the Ackerman-Allen Golf Course in West Lafayette, Ind.Scheve's 67 (-4) followed an opening-round 73 (+2) to send him to the final round in a seven-way tie for eighth individually at 140 (-2).Sophomore Quinn Yost (Farmington, N.M.) and junior Harry Crockett (Oxted, England) joined Scheve among the top 20 golfers in the 84-player field, as they finished the day at even-par 142 in a tie for 19th.Yost nearly matched Scheve in the second round, carding a 68 (-3) with four birdies, 13 pars and a single bogey. Yost's second round came on the heels of an opening-round 75.Crockett gave Nebraska its best opening round of the day with a 70 (-1), before adding a 72 in the second round.&nbsp;Hamish Murray (Sydney, Australia) continued to play solid golf in his third consecutive appearance in the Nebraska lineup. Murray bounced back from a pair of first-round double bogeys with an eagle on the 547-yard par-5 16th hole. He sits in a tie for 27th at 143 (73-70) entering Tuesday's final round.&nbsp;Senior Reed Malleck (York, Neb.) added strong scores of his own with an opening-round 74 (+3) before an even-par 71 in the second round. He heads to the final round tied for 37th at 145 (+3).&nbsp;Nebraska's solid opening-day efforts have the Huskers hunting for the title in a 15-team field that features seven teams among the top 90 nationally in the most recent Golfstat rankings. The Huskers, who have climbed to No. 87 in the rankings, sit alone in third at 566 (-2) through 36 holes. NU is six shots back of co-leaders Illinois State and Northern Illinois (560). The Big Red own a one stroke lead over Central Arkansas, VCU and the hosts from Purdue in a tie for fourth.Nebraska enters the final round with a three-shot edge over No. 9 Illinois.The Purdue Fall Invitational concludes on Tuesday with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. (CT). Live updates and scoring can be found at HuskersGolf on Instagram and X, and Golfstat.com.&nbsp;Purdue Fall InvitationalOct. 9-10, 2023West Lafayette, IndianaAckerman-Allen Golf Course (Par 71, 7,275 Yards)Team Standings (Two Rounds)T1. Illinois State - 277-283=560 (-8)T1. Northern Illinois - 281-279=560 (-8)3. Nebraska - 290-276=566 (-2)T4. Central Arkansas - 278-289=567 (-1)T4. Purdue - 291-276=567 (-1)T4. VCU - 289-278=567 (-1)7. Illinois - 284-285=569 (+1)8. Ball State - 294-277=571 (+3)9. Miami (Ohio) - 284-288=572 (+4)10. UNLV - 289-284=573 (+5)11. Butler - 293-290=583 (+15)12. Western Kentucky - 292-293=585 (+17)13. Eastern Michigan - 294-294=588 (+20)14. Dayton - 301-291=592 (+24)15. DePaul - 302-291=593 (+25)Individual Standings (Two Rounds)1. Valentin Peugnet, Illinois State - 67-66=133 (-9)2. Zach Place, Northern Illinois - 67-68=135 (-7)3. Ben Sluzas, Northern Illinois - 68-68=136 (-6)4. Jackson Buchanan, Illinois - 68-69=137 (-5)5. Max Henderson, Illinois - 72-66=138 (-4)T6. Veikka Viskari, VCU - 69-70=139 (-3)T6. Mattias Varjun, VCU - 72-67=139 (-3)T8. Gentry Scheve, Nebraska - 73-67=140 (-2)T8. *Ryan Voois, Illinois - 72-68=140 (-2)T8. Braxton Kuntz, Ball State - 71-69-140 (-2)T8. Josh Kirkham, Northern Illinois - 70-70=140 (-2)T8. Alex McCulla, Illinois State - 70-70=140 (-2)T8. Ben Sawaia, UNLV - 72-68=140 (-2)T8. Sam Easterbrook, Purdue - 73-67=140 (-2)Nebraska IndividualsT8. Gentry Scheve - 73-67=140 (-2)T19. Quinn Yost - 74-68=142 (E)T19. Harry Crockett - 70-72=142 (E)T27. Hamish Murray - 73-70=143 (+1)T37. Reed Malleck - 74-71=145 (+3)

Huskers in hunt at Purdue

Kelli Ann Strand unleashed a spectacular round of 66 (-6) to storm to the top of the leader board through 36 holes at the Dale McNamara Invitational on Monday.

Strand, a sophomore from Challis, Idaho, recorded six birdies to go with 12 pars in Monday's second round on the par-72, 6,246-yard layout at the Golf Club of Oklahoma in Broken Arrow. It followed an opening-round 70 (-2) for Strand that included five birdies, 10 pars and three bogeys.

The All-Big Ten golfer closed the day at 136 (-8) to sit in a tie for first with South Florida's Melanie Green, who carded rounds of 72 and 64. The second rounds for Green and Strand were the best rounds of the day among the 86 golfers in the field.

Strand helped the Huskers to a tie for fifth in the 14-team field through the first 36 holes at 583 (+7). Nebraska bounced back from an opening-round 301 (+13) for a 282 (-6) in the second round, which was the second-best round of the day for any team, trailing only South Florida's second-round 279.

The hosts from Tulsa own the top position in the team standings at 568 (-8), following rounds of 283 and 285. South Florida sits three shots back at 571, while Colorado State is third at 573 (-3). UTSA enters the final round in fourth at 574 (-2), while the Huskers sit in a tie with Sam Houston State in a tie for fifth at 583 (+7).

Senior Michaela Vavrova (Bojnice, Slovakia) helped the Huskers climb the team standings in the second round with an even-par 72, after an opening-round 74. She enters Tuesday's final round in a tie for 23rd at 146 (+2).

Defending tournament champion Miu Takahashi (Nasu-machi, Japan) bounced back from an 82 in the first round to card a 69 (-3) over the second round, which included an eagle on the 489-yard, par-5 13th hole. She ended the day in a tie for 53rd with Husker teammate Lena Hassert (Kreuzau, Germany), who managed rounds of 76 and 75 to finish the day at 151 (+7).

Freshman Arden Louchheim, whose opening-round 81 counted toward Nebraska's team score, recorded a 76 in the second round to end the day at 157 in 76th place.

Junior Andrea Velez (Pereira, Colombia), who is competing as an individual outside Nebraska's lineup, posted rounds of 74 and 75 to close Monday in a tie for 42nd at 149.

The Dale McNamara Invitational concludes with the final round on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. Live scoring will be available from GolfStat on Huskers.com.

Dale McNamara InvitationalOct. 9-10, 2023Broken Arrow, Okla.Golf Club of Oklahoma (Par 72, 6,246 Yards)

Team Standings (Two Rounds)1. Tulsa - 283-285=568 (-8)2. South Florida - 292-279=571 (-5)3. Colorado State - 289-284=573 (-3)4. UTSA - 290-284=574 (-2)T5. Nebraska - 301-282=583 (+7)T5. Sam Houston State - 297-286=583 (+7)7. Kennesaw State - 302-283= 585 (+9)8. Abilene Christian - 296-293=589 (+13)9. Brigham Young - 304-287=591 (+15)10. Southern Miss - 295-298=593 (+17)11. Cal Poly - 300-294=594 (+18)12. Oklahoma City - 309-287=596 (+20)13. Arkansas State - 307-291=598 (+22)14. Oral Roberts - 314-296=610 (+34)

Individual Standings (Two Rounds)T1. Kelli Ann Strand, Nebraska - 70-66=136 (-8)T1. Melanie Green, South Florida - 72-64=136 (-8)3. Cameron Carreon, UTSA - 69-68=137 (-7)4. Jenn David, Sam Houston State - 70-68=138 (-6)5. Sydney Seigel, Tulsa - 69-71=140 (-4)T6. Leonor Medeiros, South Florida - 73-68=141 (-3)T6. Jenni Roller, Tulsa - 71-70=141 (-3)T6. Andrea Bergsdottir, Colorado State - 71-70=141 (-3)T9. Nyah Kelly, Kennesaw State - 74-68=142 (-2)T9. Sofia Torres, Colorado State - 74-68=142 (-2)

Nebraska IndividualsT1. Kelli Ann Strand - 70-66=136 (-8)T23. Michaela Vavrova - 74-72=146 (+2)*T42. Andrea Velez - 74-75=149 (+5)T52. Miu Takahashi - 82-69=151 (+7)T52. Lena Hassert - 76-75=151 (+7)76. Arden Louchheim - 81-76=157 (+13)

Story by NU Athletic Communications<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696941435002.jpeg" alt="Kelli Ann Strand" />
 <figcaption>Kelli Ann Strand</figcaption>
 </figure>Kelli Ann Strand unleashed a spectacular round of 66 (-6) to storm to the top of the leader board through 36 holes at the Dale McNamara Invitational on Monday.Strand, a sophomore from Challis, Idaho, recorded six birdies to go with 12 pars in Monday's second round on the par-72, 6,246-yard layout at the Golf Club of Oklahoma in Broken Arrow. It followed an opening-round 70 (-2) for Strand that included five birdies, 10 pars and three bogeys.The All-Big Ten golfer closed the day at 136 (-8) to sit in a tie for first with South Florida's Melanie Green, who carded rounds of 72 and 64. The second rounds for Green and Strand were the best rounds of the day among the 86 golfers in the field.Strand helped the Huskers to a tie for fifth in the 14-team field through the first 36 holes at 583 (+7). Nebraska bounced back from an opening-round 301 (+13) for a 282 (-6) in the second round, which was the second-best round of the day for any team, trailing only South Florida's second-round 279.The hosts from Tulsa own the top position in the team standings at 568 (-8), following rounds of 283 and 285. South Florida sits three shots back at 571, while Colorado State is third at 573 (-3). UTSA enters the final round in fourth at 574 (-2), while the Huskers sit in a tie with Sam Houston State in a tie for fifth at 583 (+7).Senior Michaela Vavrova (Bojnice, Slovakia) helped the Huskers climb the team standings in the second round with an even-par 72, after an opening-round 74. She enters Tuesday's final round in a tie for 23rd at 146 (+2).Defending tournament champion Miu Takahashi (Nasu-machi, Japan) bounced back from an 82 in the first round to card a 69 (-3) over the second round, which included an eagle on the 489-yard, par-5 13th hole. She ended the day in a tie for 53rd with Husker teammate Lena Hassert (Kreuzau, Germany), who managed rounds of 76 and 75 to finish the day at 151 (+7).Freshman Arden Louchheim, whose opening-round 81 counted toward Nebraska's team score, recorded a 76 in the second round to end the day at 157 in 76th place.Junior Andrea Velez (Pereira, Colombia), who is competing as an individual outside Nebraska's lineup, posted rounds of 74 and 75 to close Monday in a tie for 42nd at 149.The Dale McNamara Invitational concludes with the final round on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. Live scoring will be available from GolfStat on Huskers.com.Dale McNamara InvitationalOct. 9-10, 2023Broken Arrow, Okla.Golf Club of Oklahoma (Par 72, 6,246 Yards)Team Standings (Two Rounds)1. Tulsa - 283-285=568 (-8)2. South Florida - 292-279=571 (-5)3. Colorado State - 289-284=573 (-3)4. UTSA - 290-284=574 (-2)T5. Nebraska - 301-282=583 (+7)T5. Sam Houston State - 297-286=583 (+7)7. Kennesaw State - 302-283= 585 (+9)8. Abilene Christian - 296-293=589 (+13)9. Brigham Young - 304-287=591 (+15)10. Southern Miss - 295-298=593 (+17)11. Cal Poly - 300-294=594 (+18)12. Oklahoma City - 309-287=596 (+20)13. Arkansas State - 307-291=598 (+22)14. Oral Roberts - 314-296=610 (+34)Individual Standings (Two Rounds)T1. Kelli Ann Strand, Nebraska - 70-66=136 (-8)T1. Melanie Green, South Florida - 72-64=136 (-8)3. Cameron Carreon, UTSA - 69-68=137 (-7)4. Jenn David, Sam Houston State - 70-68=138 (-6)5. Sydney Seigel, Tulsa - 69-71=140 (-4)T6. Leonor Medeiros, South Florida - 73-68=141 (-3)T6. Jenni Roller, Tulsa - 71-70=141 (-3)T6. Andrea Bergsdottir, Colorado State - 71-70=141 (-3)T9. Nyah Kelly, Kennesaw State - 74-68=142 (-2)T9. Sofia Torres, Colorado State - 74-68=142 (-2)Nebraska IndividualsT1. Kelli Ann Strand - 70-66=136 (-8)T23. Michaela Vavrova - 74-72=146 (+2)*T42. Andrea Velez - 74-75=149 (+5)T52. Miu Takahashi - 82-69=151 (+7)T52. Lena Hassert - 76-75=151 (+7)76. Arden Louchheim - 81-76=157 (+13)

Strand storms to lead in Oklahoma

Girls State Golf results day 1 

LINCOLN, Neb - Nebraska junior outside hitter Lindsay Krause was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday by the conference office.

Krause sparked the Huskers to a 3-1 win at Michigan State and a 3-0 sweep at Michigan with 3.43 kills per set on a .458 hitting percentage. She also added a team-high four service aces. Krause had a season-high 15 kills and just one error on 27 swings for a .519 hitting percentage in Saturday's win at Michigan. The Papillion, Neb., natve also had two aces and five digs. On Friday night, Krause posted nine kills with four digs and two aces while hitting .381. For the weekend, Krause totaled 24 kills and just two hitting errors on 48 swings.

LINCOLN, Neb - Nebraska junior outside hitter Lindsay Krause was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday by the conference office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696884277541.jpeg" alt="Lindsay Krause 2023" />
 <figcaption>Lindsay Krause 2023</figcaption>
 </figure>Krause sparked the Huskers to a 3-1 win at Michigan State and a 3-0 sweep at Michigan with 3.43 kills per set on a .458 hitting percentage. She also added a team-high four service aces. Krause had a season-high 15 kills and just one error on 27 swings for a .519 hitting percentage in Saturday's win at Michigan. The Papillion, Neb., natve also had two aces and five digs. On Friday night, Krause posted nine kills with four digs and two aces while hitting .381. For the weekend, Krause totaled 24 kills and just two hitting errors on 48 swings.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/lindsaykrause_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lindsaykrause_</a> calls it to complete the sweep in Ann Arbor! 🧹 <a href="https://t.co/V4xIV7JQ9o">pic.twitter.com/V4xIV7JQ9o</a>&mdash; Nebraska Volleyball (@HuskerVB) <a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerVB/status/1710841739005538757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Krause named Big Ten Player of The Week

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Due to impending weather the District Cross Country meet will be moved to Wednesday the 11th. It is still at 3:30 PM mountain and still in Ogallala.&mdash; Hershey Panthers (@HersheyPanthers) <a href="https://twitter.com/HersheyPanthers/status/1711432474608205931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Class C District Cross Country postponed till Wednesday 

Coach Rhule's breakdown of the Illinois game

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696867020400.png" alt="2023 All Class State Softball Brackets - Class C" />
 <figcaption>2023 All Class State Softball Brackets - Class C</figcaption>
 </figure>

Class C State Championship Softball bracket

Axtell, Neb. – Taytom Timbers recorded two birdies over the course of two days to finish tied for 40th individually at the Nebraska Intercollegiate golf tournament on Saturday.

"We had moments of very good golf," said head coach Will Peers. "The conditions were tough, but we compounded that with too many mental errors."

Teammate David Winkelmann opened the tournament with the third best round of any North Platte golfer. The freshman recorded 11 pars through 18 holes on the opening day, before following that up with nine pars in the final round to finish with a round score of 85.&nbsp;

Treyten York, Jayden Jones and Cole Kramer each closed out the two-day tournament by finishing in the top 50 amongst collegiate players.

The Knights will round out the opening half of their season at the McCook Community College Invite Oct. 12-13 at the Heritage Hills Golf Course in McCook.

North Platte Community College - 679 (+103)

Axtell, Neb. – Taytom Timbers recorded two birdies over the course of two days to finish tied for 40th individually at the Nebraska Intercollegiate golf tournament on Saturday."We had moments of very good golf," said head coach Will Peers. "The conditions were tough, but we compounded that with too many mental errors."Teammate David Winkelmann opened the tournament with the third best round of any North Platte golfer. The freshman recorded 11 pars through 18 holes on the opening day, before following that up with nine pars in the final round to finish with a round score of 85.&nbsp;Treyten York, Jayden Jones and Cole Kramer each closed out the two-day tournament by finishing in the top 50 amongst collegiate players.The Knights will round out the opening half of their season at the McCook Community College Invite Oct. 12-13 at the Heritage Hills Golf Course in McCook.North PlatteT40. Taytom Timbers – 83-86 (+25)T40. David Winkelmann – 84-85 (+25)T43. Treyten York – 86-84 (+26)T46. Jayden Jones – 83-88 (+27)T50. Cole Kramer – 92-92 (+40)Team StandingsBellevue University - 603 (+27)Southeast Community College - 613 (+37)Midland University - 622 (+46)Nebraska Wesleyan University - 623 (+47)Doane University - 626 (+50)Hastings College - 627 (+51)Concordia University - 634 (+58)Northeast Community College - 635 (+59)McCook Community College - 674 (+98)North Platte Community College - 679 (+103)

Timbers leads the way at Nebraska Intercollegiate

DENVER (AP) — For once, Nathaniel Hackett relished Russell Wilson's mistakes and basked in the boos raining down from the stands in Denver.

The former Broncos head coach and current Jets offensive coordinator was showered with hugs and handshakes from New York's players and staff Sunday after beating the Broncos 31-21 in his much-anticipated return.

They won behind Breece Hall's 72-yard touchdown run and Bryce Hall's 39-yard game-sealing scoop-and-score after Quincy Williams' second sack of the day, but it was Hackett who was presented with a game ball afterward.

“You know, it feels good to get a win in the league against anybody,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. ”But it was a special game for Hack, obviously, being here a year ago. We racked up over 400 yards on them, put up 31 points.”

Hackett's return took on the feel of a grudge match after Payton criticized him and his staff for the job they did last year in Denver, where he went 4-11 and was fired, particularly the way he handled Wilson during the QB's dismal 2022 season.

“It was good, to be honest. Mostly for Coach Hackett, I wasn't really worried about myself today,” said Breece Hall, whose long touchdown run on the Jets' second snap of the second half gave them the lead for good. "He stayed quiet, he stayed humble, respectful. So we wanted to come in and get a win today for him and we did that.

The Jets (2-3) overcame a sloppy, chippy first half to snap a three-game skid and hand the Broncos (1-4) their third home loss in three tries under Payton, who drew widespread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jets-broncos-saleh-hackett-payton-wilson-preview-3b8d729d6b5a57f9b200fadd74bac4f5">criticism for excoriating Hackett</a>&nbsp;and also throwing shade at the Jets in an interview with USA Today in July.

Payton deflected questions about the brouhaha all week and again in his terse postgame news conference.

“It's a fair question, but I think we already addressed that the next day. All right, thank you guys," Payton said just before leaving the podium.

After the game, the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/nyjets/status/1711162062758363474?s=20">Jets took their own swipe at Payton</a>&nbsp;in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter: “when you lose to the 'offseason champs'” — including a photo of comedian Kevin James, who portrayed Payton in a Netflix movie.

Although Wilson has mostly returned to form under Payton's tutelage, the Broncos are plagued by many of the same problems for which Payton blasted Hackett, and in the second half, the boobirds got as loud as they ever did last year.

The Broncos went three and out on four of their first five drives after halftime and the other possession resulted in a lost fumble on the second snap.

Then, Wilson led the Broncos to a touchdown and 2-point conversion to make it 24-21 late in the fourth quarter. Patrick Surtain II’s interception of Zach Wilson’s pass to Garrett Wilson gave the Broncos the ball back at their 3 with 2:14 left.

“Big-time players gotta make big-time plays,” Surtain said, adding he felt the Broncos “had a tremendous amount of momentum going into that drive.”

The Broncos were moving toward in field goal range when Williams collected his second sack. The ball popped loose toward the Jets sideline and Bryce Hall left the receiver he was covering, scooped up the bouncing ball and sealed it with his touchdown return.

A frustrated Payton, who watched his offense produce a net 18-yard loss on its first five second-half drives,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/PFN365/status/1711167690709078294?s=20">angrily addressed his quarterback</a>&nbsp;as Wilson retreated to the sideline, having gone 20 of 31 for 196 yards and two TDs with four sacks.

Russell Wilson is now 5-14 as Denver's starting quarterback after posting a 104-53-1 mark in Seattle.

Hall ran for 177 yards on 22 carries Sunday, a whopping 8 yards per carry. It was nearly a year ago when Breece Hall's promising rookie season ended at this very stadium when he blew out his left knee after scampering for a 62-yard score.

Zach Wilson, making his fourth straight start in place of the injured Aaron Rodgers, was 19 of 26 for 199 yards and the interception.

“You could see the emotion on his face a little bit,” Wilson said. "He was trying not to show it, but we all gave him big hugs. We told him we love him and we’re grateful to have him. Obviously, how things went for him this past year was tough. So you know it means a lot.”

Jets: RT Alijah Vera-Tucker left with a calf injury in the second half. “It’s a concern for sure,” Saleh said. When asked if it’s an Achilles tendon injury, Saleh said the Jets need to wait for the results of exams. Vera-Tucker was lost for the season last year in Denver when he tore a triceps.

Broncos: NT D.J. Jones injured a knee in the second quarter.

Jets: play the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday.

Broncos: visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night.

By,&nbsp;Arnie Stapleton&nbsp;AP Pro Football WriterDENVER (AP) — For once, Nathaniel Hackett relished Russell Wilson's mistakes and basked in the boos raining down from the stands in Denver.The former Broncos head coach and current Jets offensive coordinator was showered with hugs and handshakes from New York's players and staff Sunday after beating the Broncos 31-21 in his much-anticipated return.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696863497354.jpeg" alt="New York Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, front center, who was fired from the head coaching job of the Denver Broncos last year, celebrates as he leaves the field with offensive tackle Mekhi Becton after defeating the Broncos in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)" />
 <figcaption>New York Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, front center, who was fired from the head coaching job of the Denver Broncos last year, celebrates as he leaves the field with offensive tackle Mekhi Becton after defeating the Broncos in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)</figcaption>
 </figure>They won behind Breece Hall's 72-yard touchdown run and Bryce Hall's 39-yard game-sealing scoop-and-score after Quincy Williams' second sack of the day, but it was Hackett who was presented with a game ball afterward.“You know, it feels good to get a win in the league against anybody,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. ”But it was a special game for Hack, obviously, being here a year ago. We racked up over 400 yards on them, put up 31 points.”Hackett's return took on the feel of a grudge match after Payton criticized him and his staff for the job they did last year in Denver, where he went 4-11 and was fired, particularly the way he handled Wilson during the QB's dismal 2022 season.“It was good, to be honest. Mostly for Coach Hackett, I wasn't really worried about myself today,” said Breece Hall, whose long touchdown run on the Jets' second snap of the second half gave them the lead for good. "He stayed quiet, he stayed humble, respectful. So we wanted to come in and get a win today for him and we did that.“Better coach, better team, won.”The Jets (2-3) overcame a sloppy, chippy first half to snap a three-game skid and hand the Broncos (1-4) their third home loss in three tries under Payton, who drew widespread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jets-broncos-saleh-hackett-payton-wilson-preview-3b8d729d6b5a57f9b200fadd74bac4f5">criticism for excoriating Hackett</a>&nbsp;and also throwing shade at the Jets in an interview with USA Today in July.Payton deflected questions about the brouhaha all week and again in his terse postgame news conference.“It's a fair question, but I think we already addressed that the next day. All right, thank you guys," Payton said just before leaving the podium.After the game, the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/nyjets/status/1711162062758363474?s=20">Jets took their own swipe at Payton</a>&nbsp;in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter: “when you lose to the 'offseason champs'” — including a photo of comedian Kevin James, who portrayed Payton in a Netflix movie.Although Wilson has mostly returned to form under Payton's tutelage, the Broncos are plagued by many of the same problems for which Payton blasted Hackett, and in the second half, the boobirds got as loud as they ever did last year.The Broncos went three and out on four of their first five drives after halftime and the other possession resulted in a lost fumble on the second snap.Then, Wilson led the Broncos to a touchdown and 2-point conversion to make it 24-21 late in the fourth quarter. Patrick Surtain II’s interception of Zach Wilson’s pass to Garrett Wilson gave the Broncos the ball back at their 3 with 2:14 left.“Big-time players gotta make big-time plays,” Surtain said, adding he felt the Broncos “had a tremendous amount of momentum going into that drive.”The Broncos were moving toward in field goal range when Williams collected his second sack. The ball popped loose toward the Jets sideline and Bryce Hall left the receiver he was covering, scooped up the bouncing ball and sealed it with his touchdown return.A frustrated Payton, who watched his offense produce a net 18-yard loss on its first five second-half drives,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/PFN365/status/1711167690709078294?s=20">angrily addressed his quarterback</a>&nbsp;as Wilson retreated to the sideline, having gone 20 of 31 for 196 yards and two TDs with four sacks.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696863553902.jpeg" alt="Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson passes against the New York Jets during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)" />
 <figcaption>Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson passes against the New York Jets during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)</figcaption>
 </figure>Russell Wilson is now 5-14 as Denver's starting quarterback after posting a 104-53-1 mark in Seattle.Hall ran for 177 yards on 22 carries Sunday, a whopping 8 yards per carry. It was nearly a year ago when Breece Hall's promising rookie season ended at this very stadium when he blew out his left knee after scampering for a 62-yard score.Zach Wilson, making his fourth straight start in place of the injured Aaron Rodgers, was 19 of 26 for 199 yards and the interception.He, too, was happiest for Hackett.“You could see the emotion on his face a little bit,” Wilson said. "He was trying not to show it, but we all gave him big hugs. We told him we love him and we’re grateful to have him. Obviously, how things went for him this past year was tough. So you know it means a lot.”INJURIESJets: RT Alijah Vera-Tucker left with a calf injury in the second half. “It’s a concern for sure,” Saleh said. When asked if it’s an Achilles tendon injury, Saleh said the Jets need to wait for the results of exams. Vera-Tucker was lost for the season last year in Denver when he tore a triceps.Broncos: NT D.J. Jones injured a knee in the second quarter.UP NEXTJets: play the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday.Broncos: visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night.

Jets rally past Broncos 31-21 with long TD from Breece Hall and scoop-and-score from Bryce Hall

A pair of big innings powered the Nebraska softball team a 12-4 victory over Creighton on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Bowlin Stadium.

Creighton scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 3-1 lead before Nebraska responded by scoring 11 runs over its final three at bats.

Nebraska produced four hits in a five-run fourth inning that put the Huskers in front 6-3. After the Bluejays cut into the lead with a single run in the fifth, Nebraska put the game away with a six-run sixth inning that was highlighted by a three-run homer from Ava Bredwell.

Nebraska produced 12 hits in the game. The Huskers were opportunistic, going 7-for-13 with runners in scoring position and totaling six two-out RBIs. Bahl led the offense with a 3-for-3 day that included a run and an RBI. Andrews finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, Caitlynn Neal was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored and Emmerson Cope finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Ava Bredwell drove in a game-high three runs.

In the circle, Nebraska used four pitchers and did not allow an earned run. Cope got the start and allowed one unearned run on three hits in 2.0 innings. Caitlin Olensky earned the win, pitching 2.0 innings and giving up two unearned runs. Sarah Harness was charged with one unearned run in her lone inning of work, while Bahl picked up the save with 2.0 scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts.

Creighton threatened to score quickly in the top of the first inning with a pair of one-out singles, but Cope coaxed a pair of ground outs to escape the jam.

Nebraska then grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the inning. Andrews got things started with a leadoff single. Gray joined her on the base paths with a one-out walk. With runners on first and second and two outs, Bahl lined an RBI single down the left field line that scored Gray with the game’s first run.

In the top of the second, a leadoff hit batter, a passed ball and a ground out put the tying runner at third with one out. The Bluejays tied the game two batters later on a two-out RBI single just over Gray’s head at third base.

Creighton took advantage of a Husker error to score a pair of two-out runs in the top of the fourth and take a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the frame, Nebraska scored five times to take a 6-3 lead. The Huskers loaded the bases with no outs on pair of singles from Bahl and Neal and a hit batter. Cope then made it a 3-2 game with an RBI single down the right field line. After Creighton recorded a force out at home, Andrews produced a go-ahead two-run single up the middle that scored Alina Felix and Neal. An error and a sacrifice fly capped the inning with Nebraska enjoying a three-run lead.

Creighton came back with runners on first and third and no outs in the top of the fifth but Harness limited the damage to just one unearned run.

The Huskers put the game away with the six-run sixth inning. Samantha Bland began the inning with a single before the next two batters were retired. But with two outs, Gray walked and Bredwell followed with her three-run homer that made it 9-4. The rally continued as Peyton Cody had a pinch-hit double and a Creighton error put runners on first and third. A wild pitch scored Carter before a Neal singled brought home Ashley Smetter. Cope produced the game's final run with an RBI single.

Nebraska wraps up its fall season next weekend when the Huskers host the Big Red Fall Classic on Saturday and Sunday at Bowlin Stadium (free admission).&nbsp;

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsA pair of big innings powered the Nebraska softball team a 12-4 victory over Creighton on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Bowlin Stadium.Creighton scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 3-1 lead before Nebraska responded by scoring 11 runs over its final three at bats.Nebraska produced four hits in a five-run fourth inning that put the Huskers in front 6-3. After the Bluejays cut into the lead with a single run in the fifth, Nebraska put the game away with a six-run sixth inning that was highlighted by a three-run homer from Ava Bredwell.Nebraska produced 12 hits in the game. The Huskers were opportunistic, going 7-for-13 with runners in scoring position and totaling six two-out RBIs. Bahl led the offense with a 3-for-3 day that included a run and an RBI. Andrews finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, Caitlynn Neal was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored and Emmerson Cope finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Ava Bredwell drove in a game-high three runs.In the circle, Nebraska used four pitchers and did not allow an earned run. Cope got the start and allowed one unearned run on three hits in 2.0 innings. Caitlin Olensky earned the win, pitching 2.0 innings and giving up two unearned runs. Sarah Harness was charged with one unearned run in her lone inning of work, while Bahl picked up the save with 2.0 scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts.Creighton threatened to score quickly in the top of the first inning with a pair of one-out singles, but Cope coaxed a pair of ground outs to escape the jam.Nebraska then grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the inning. Andrews got things started with a leadoff single. Gray joined her on the base paths with a one-out walk. With runners on first and second and two outs, Bahl lined an RBI single down the left field line that scored Gray with the game’s first run.In the top of the second, a leadoff hit batter, a passed ball and a ground out put the tying runner at third with one out. The Bluejays tied the game two batters later on a two-out RBI single just over Gray’s head at third base.Creighton took advantage of a Husker error to score a pair of two-out runs in the top of the fourth and take a 3-1 lead.In the bottom of the frame, Nebraska scored five times to take a 6-3 lead. The Huskers loaded the bases with no outs on pair of singles from Bahl and Neal and a hit batter. Cope then made it a 3-2 game with an RBI single down the right field line. After Creighton recorded a force out at home, Andrews produced a go-ahead two-run single up the middle that scored Alina Felix and Neal. An error and a sacrifice fly capped the inning with Nebraska enjoying a three-run lead.Creighton came back with runners on first and third and no outs in the top of the fifth but Harness limited the damage to just one unearned run.The Huskers put the game away with the six-run sixth inning. Samantha Bland began the inning with a single before the next two batters were retired. But with two outs, Gray walked and Bredwell followed with her three-run homer that made it 9-4. The rally continued as Peyton Cody had a pinch-hit double and a Creighton error put runners on first and third. A wild pitch scored Carter before a Neal singled brought home Ashley Smetter. Cope produced the game's final run with an RBI single.Nebraska wraps up its fall season next weekend when the Huskers host the Big Red Fall Classic on Saturday and Sunday at Bowlin Stadium (free admission).&nbsp;

Big innings power Huskers past Bluejays

The Tri-City Storm’s comeback efforts fell short Sunday evening at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in a 3-2 loss to the Sioux Falls Stampede. Nolan Roed scored each of the Storm’s two goals in the road loss. Tri-City returns to action on Friday, October 13th&nbsp;in another road battle against Sioux Falls. Puck drop for Friday’s matchup is scheduled for 7:05pm CT.

Christopher Pelosi scored his third goal of the season at 1:40 of Sunday’s opening period to give the Stampede a 1-0 lead in the matchup. The scoring play was assisted by Beckett Hendrickson and Tyler Borgula. Pelosi’s goal was the lone scoring play of the 1st&nbsp;period, and each team recorded 11 shots on net during the 1st&nbsp;period. The Storm trailed by a single goal entering Sunday’s middle period.

Kazimier Sobieski netted his first goal of the year at 5:21 of the 2nd&nbsp;period to increase the Stampede’s lead to two goals. Artur Cholach, and Will McDonough each recorded an assist on the play. Sioux Falls’ final goal of the battle was netted at 8:31 of the 2nd&nbsp;period. The goal was scored unassisted. Nolan Roed netted his first goal of the game, and second goal of the season, with less than two minutes to play in the 2nd&nbsp;period to bring the Storm within two goals of the Stampede’s lead. Roed’s goal was assisted by Artemi Nizameyev. The Storm was outshot 19-10 during the 2nd&nbsp;period, and faced a two-goal deficit entering Sunday’s final period.

Nolan Roed scored his second goal of the game, and third goal of the season, less than two minutes into the 3rd&nbsp;period. The scoring play was assisted by Artemi Nizameyev. Despite outshooting the Stampede 12-10 during Sunday’s 3rd&nbsp;period, the Storm couldn’t net a game-tying goal, and fell by a final score of 3-2. Sioux Falls outshot Tri-City by an overall margin of 40-33 during the matchup.

Despite making a career-high 37 saves in net during the battle, Ivan Zhigalov recorded the loss for the Storm. Michael Chambre picked up the win in goal for the Stampede after a 31-save-on-33-shot performance.

Tri-City hits the ice again on Friday, October 13th, in a road game against the Sioux Falls Stampede. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05pm CT. Skate to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stormhockey.com/" target="_blank">www.StormHockey.com</a>&nbsp;for individual game tickets and more information regarding the Tri-City Storm organization.

Story by Tri-City CommunicationsThe Tri-City Storm’s comeback efforts fell short Sunday evening at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in a 3-2 loss to the Sioux Falls Stampede. Nolan Roed scored each of the Storm’s two goals in the road loss. Tri-City returns to action on Friday, October 13th&nbsp;in another road battle against Sioux Falls. Puck drop for Friday’s matchup is scheduled for 7:05pm CT.Christopher Pelosi scored his third goal of the season at 1:40 of Sunday’s opening period to give the Stampede a 1-0 lead in the matchup. The scoring play was assisted by Beckett Hendrickson and Tyler Borgula. Pelosi’s goal was the lone scoring play of the 1st&nbsp;period, and each team recorded 11 shots on net during the 1st&nbsp;period. The Storm trailed by a single goal entering Sunday’s middle period.Kazimier Sobieski netted his first goal of the year at 5:21 of the 2nd&nbsp;period to increase the Stampede’s lead to two goals. Artur Cholach, and Will McDonough each recorded an assist on the play. Sioux Falls’ final goal of the battle was netted at 8:31 of the 2nd&nbsp;period. The goal was scored unassisted. Nolan Roed netted his first goal of the game, and second goal of the season, with less than two minutes to play in the 2nd&nbsp;period to bring the Storm within two goals of the Stampede’s lead. Roed’s goal was assisted by Artemi Nizameyev. The Storm was outshot 19-10 during the 2nd&nbsp;period, and faced a two-goal deficit entering Sunday’s final period.Nolan Roed scored his second goal of the game, and third goal of the season, less than two minutes into the 3rd&nbsp;period. The scoring play was assisted by Artemi Nizameyev. Despite outshooting the Stampede 12-10 during Sunday’s 3rd&nbsp;period, the Storm couldn’t net a game-tying goal, and fell by a final score of 3-2. Sioux Falls outshot Tri-City by an overall margin of 40-33 during the matchup.Despite making a career-high 37 saves in net during the battle, Ivan Zhigalov recorded the loss for the Storm. Michael Chambre picked up the win in goal for the Stampede after a 31-save-on-33-shot performance.Tri-City hits the ice again on Friday, October 13th, in a road game against the Sioux Falls Stampede. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05pm CT. Skate to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stormhockey.com/" target="_blank">www.StormHockey.com</a>&nbsp;for individual game tickets and more information regarding the Tri-City Storm organization.

Storm comeback falls short in road loss to Sioux Falls

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696856762396.jpeg" alt="RPAC Tournament" />
 <figcaption>RPAC Tournament</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696856822827.jpeg" alt="RPAC Tournament West Bracket" />
 <figcaption>RPAC Tournament West Bracket</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FRPACRundown%2Fposts%2Fpfbid07rRypabf8iXyGz1LWhkDdD55anSiXsHHj26KbNd3ZZsFa4wfAN551vgfDpuufWuKl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="422" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>

RPAC tournament bracket announcement 

Crofton 62, TCNE (Tri County Northeast) 6

Douglas County West 28, Columbus Lakeview 17

Dundy County Stratton 42, Hitchcock County 0

East Butler 48, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 6

Elkhorn Valley 38, Lutheran High Northeast 12

Fillmore Central 21, Grand Island Central Catholic 14

Hartington-Newcastle 40, Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 20

Johnson-Brock 64, Falls City Sacred Heart 20

Lourdes Central Catholic 58, Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer 22

Omaha Roncalli Catholic 28, Fort Calhoun 6

Shelby-Rising City 1, Cedar Bluffs 0 (Forfeit)

Adams Central 21, Aurora 19Ainsworth 64, St. Mary's 6Anselmo-Merna 44, Hyannis 6Aquinas Catholic 56, Archbishop Bergan 7Arapahoe 54, Southern Valley 8Ashland-Greenwood 54, Boys Town 7Auburn 14, Syracuse 0BDS 60, Diller-Odell 20Battle Creek 30, Cedar Catholic 12Beatrice 14, Crete 7Bellevue West 53, Bellevue East 14Bertrand 34, Maywood-Hayes Center 0Bishop Neumann 50, Louisville 0Bloomfield 56, Wausa 12Boone Central 35, ONeill 0Boyd County 42, CWC 0Bridgeport 90, Morrill 20Broken Bow 34, Minden 18Cambridge 36, Bayard 34Central Valley 78, Burwell 6Chase County 25, Mitchell 20Cody-Kilgore 36, Sioux County 8Crofton 62, TCNE (Tri County Northeast) 6Cross County 58, Clarkson/Leigh 12Doniphan-Trumbull 42, Gibbon 12Douglas County West 28, Columbus Lakeview 17Dundy County Stratton 42, Hitchcock County 0EPPJ 60, Niobrara/Verdigre 8East Butler 48, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 6Elkhorn South 45, Grand Island 10Elkhorn Valley 38, Lutheran High Northeast 12Fillmore Central 21, Grand Island Central Catholic 14Franklin 58, Harvard 22Fullerton 64, Giltner 28Garden County 56, Banner County 0Gothenburg 42, Holdrege 14Gretna 45, Papillion-LaVista South 26Hampton 77, Heartland Lutheran 20Hartington-Newcastle 40, Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 20Hastings 29, Scottsbluff 28Hastings St. Cecilia 42, Wood River 19Hay Springs 53, Crawford 14Hemingford 64, Kimball 6Hershey 30, Valentine 20Hi-Line 58, Alma 32Homer 20, Wakefield 6Howells-Dodge 46, Winside 20Humphrey St. Francis 60, Walthill 0Johnson-Brock 64, Falls City Sacred Heart 20Kenesaw 36, Blue Hill 24Lawrence-Nelson 76, Silver Lake 44Lewiston 59, Dorchester 6Lincoln Christian 36, Falls City 16Lincoln North Star 22, Norfolk 19Lincoln Northwest 27, Lexington 14Lincoln Southeast 21, Millard West 10Lourdes Central Catholic 58, Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer 22Malcolm 47, Lincoln Lutheran 3McCook 57, Alliance 16McCool Junction 64, Superior 20Mead 52, Omaha Christian Academy 8Millard South 14, Columbus 10Nebraska City 28, Raymond Central 26Nebraska Lutheran 44, Palmer 36Neligh-Oakdale 44, North Central 22Norfolk Catholic 49, Ponca 0North Platte 76, Lincoln Northeast 22Oakland-Craig 70, Tekamah-Herman 27Omaha Burke 49, Omaha Benson 0Omaha Roncalli Catholic 28, Fort Calhoun 6Omaha Skutt Catholic 55, Ralston 0Omaha Westside 56, Kearney 0Ord 34, Kearney Catholic 20Osceola 12, High Plains Community 6Overton 38, Ansley-Litchfield 28Papillion-LaVista 28, Omaha Central 7Pawnee City 44, Sterling 13Paxton 66, Wallace 50Pender 53, Lyons-Decatur Northeast 13Pierce 42, Central City 35Plainview 62, Summerland 34Platteview 54, Omaha Concordia 6Plattsmouth 70, Omaha Buena Vista 0Potter-Dix 80, Creek Valley 0Sandhills/Thedford 74, Leyton 8Sandy Creek 74, Heartland 16Shelby-Rising City 1, Cedar Bluffs 0 (Forfeit)Sidney 26, Cozad 21Southwest 54, Brady 20Stanton 67, Bancroft-Rosalie 14Stuart 54, Santee 14Sutton 44, Nebraska Christian 35Thayer Central 62, Freeman 14Twin Loup 34, Elm Creek 30Twin River 67, Madison 26Wahoo 32, Scotus Central Catholic 0Weeping Water 20, Elmwood-Murdock 6West Point-Beemer 28, Wayne 14Wilber-Clatonia 49, Centennial 6Wilcox-Hildreth 36, Shelton 31Wisner-Pilger 28, Guardian Angels Central Catholic 8Wynot 1, Osmond 0 (Forfeit)York 27, Seward 0

Area Football scores from Oct. 6th

1.11&nbsp;Marcus Hernandez&nbsp;17:46.96&nbsp;Bertrand

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10947/cross-country"></a>2. 10&nbsp;Kael Garrett&nbsp;17:48.27&nbsp;Medicine Valley

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10984/cross-country"></a>3. 12&nbsp;Griffin Stemper&nbsp;18:55.43&nbsp;Alma

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/11136/cross-country"></a>4. 9&nbsp;Max Hanson&nbsp;18:59.62&nbsp;Wallace

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10817/cross-country"></a>5. 9&nbsp;Landon Drews&nbsp;19:15.46&nbsp;Paxton

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10754/cross-country"></a>6. 10&nbsp;Nolan Pfeil&nbsp;19:16.34&nbsp;Alma

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/11136/cross-country"></a>7. 10&nbsp;Isaac Hamilton&nbsp;19:44.24&nbsp;Southern Valley (Oxford)

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10748/cross-country"></a>8. 11&nbsp;Luke Larson&nbsp;19:45.24&nbsp;Bertrand

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10947/cross-country"></a>9. 12&nbsp;Wyatt Jackson&nbsp;19:52.08&nbsp;Cambridge

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10962/cross-country"></a>10. 10&nbsp;Brady Ahlemeyer&nbsp;20:00.84&nbsp;Cambridge&nbsp;

1. 11&nbsp;Tayley Becker&nbsp;21:48.87&nbsp;Southern Valley (Oxford)

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10748/cross-country"></a>2. 11&nbsp;Ashley Robertson&nbsp;21:55.68&nbsp;Wallace

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10817/cross-country"></a>3. 12&nbsp;Dajana Garrison&nbsp;22:17.34&nbsp;Wallace

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10817/cross-country"></a>4. 11&nbsp;Ryleigh Hanson&nbsp;22:26.14&nbsp;Wallace

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10817/cross-country"></a>5. 12&nbsp;Brenna Deterding&nbsp;22:39.14&nbsp;Cambridge

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10962/cross-country"></a>6. 10&nbsp;Elliana Robertson&nbsp;23:09.52&nbsp;Wallace

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10817/cross-country"></a>7. 12&nbsp;Ainsley McConnell&nbsp;23:12.14&nbsp;Paxton

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10754/cross-country"></a>8. 9&nbsp;Natalie Jorgensen&nbsp;23:15.40&nbsp;Paxton

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10754/cross-country"></a>9. 12 Chayse Keith&nbsp;23:37.08&nbsp;Hitchcock County

<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/19573/cross-country"></a>10. 11&nbsp;Rachel Harris&nbsp;24:12.14&nbsp;Cambridge

Boys Results:1.11&nbsp;Marcus Hernandez&nbsp;17:46.96&nbsp;Bertrand<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10947/cross-country"></a>2. 10&nbsp;Kael Garrett&nbsp;17:48.27&nbsp;Medicine Valley<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10984/cross-country"></a>3. 12&nbsp;Griffin Stemper&nbsp;18:55.43&nbsp;Alma<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/11136/cross-country"></a>4. 9&nbsp;Max Hanson&nbsp;18:59.62&nbsp;Wallace<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10817/cross-country"></a>5. 9&nbsp;Landon Drews&nbsp;19:15.46&nbsp;Paxton<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10754/cross-country"></a>6. 10&nbsp;Nolan Pfeil&nbsp;19:16.34&nbsp;Alma<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/11136/cross-country"></a>7. 10&nbsp;Isaac Hamilton&nbsp;19:44.24&nbsp;Southern Valley (Oxford)<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10748/cross-country"></a>8. 11&nbsp;Luke Larson&nbsp;19:45.24&nbsp;Bertrand<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10947/cross-country"></a>9. 12&nbsp;Wyatt Jackson&nbsp;19:52.08&nbsp;Cambridge<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10962/cross-country"></a>10. 10&nbsp;Brady Ahlemeyer&nbsp;20:00.84&nbsp;Cambridge&nbsp;Girls Results:1. 11&nbsp;Tayley Becker&nbsp;21:48.87&nbsp;Southern Valley (Oxford)<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10748/cross-country"></a>2. 11&nbsp;Ashley Robertson&nbsp;21:55.68&nbsp;Wallace<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10817/cross-country"></a>3. 12&nbsp;Dajana Garrison&nbsp;22:17.34&nbsp;Wallace<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10817/cross-country"></a>4. 11&nbsp;Ryleigh Hanson&nbsp;22:26.14&nbsp;Wallace<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10817/cross-country"></a>5. 12&nbsp;Brenna Deterding&nbsp;22:39.14&nbsp;Cambridge<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10962/cross-country"></a>6. 10&nbsp;Elliana Robertson&nbsp;23:09.52&nbsp;Wallace<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10817/cross-country"></a>7. 12&nbsp;Ainsley McConnell&nbsp;23:12.14&nbsp;Paxton<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10754/cross-country"></a>8. 9&nbsp;Natalie Jorgensen&nbsp;23:15.40&nbsp;Paxton<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/10754/cross-country"></a>9. 12 Chayse Keith&nbsp;23:37.08&nbsp;Hitchcock County<a href="https://www.athletic.net/team/19573/cross-country"></a>10. 11&nbsp;Rachel Harris&nbsp;24:12.14&nbsp;Cambridge&nbsp;Team Results:1.&nbsp;Wallace&nbsp;62.&nbsp;Cambridge&nbsp;233.&nbsp;Paxton&nbsp;254.&nbsp;Bertrand&nbsp;445.&nbsp;Hitchcock County&nbsp;476.&nbsp;Maxwell 58&nbsp;&nbsp;

RPAC Invitational results for Cross Country

CHICAGO (AP) — Dick Butkus, a fearsome middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears, has died, the team announced Thursday. He was 80.

According to a statement released by the team, Butkus' family confirmed that he died in his sleep overnight at his home in Malibu, California.

Butkus was a Hall of Famer whose bone-rattling tackles made him one of the most intimidating players in NFL history. He was the quintessential modern linebacker, a disruptive force who roamed sideline to sideline and left a trail of broken opponents behind.

He was a first-team All-Pro selection five times and made the Pro Bowl in eight of his nine seasons before knee injuries forced his retirement at age 31. Despite a short career, Butkus came to define his position. He routinely ranks among the NFL’s top 100 players.

CHICAGO (AP) — Dick Butkus, a fearsome middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears, has died, the team announced Thursday. He was 80.According to a statement released by the team, Butkus' family confirmed that he died in his sleep overnight at his home in Malibu, California.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/BxVt7EfV9Q">pic.twitter.com/BxVt7EfV9Q</a>&mdash; Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1710063953781440885?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Butkus was a Hall of Famer whose bone-rattling tackles made him one of the most intimidating players in NFL history. He was the quintessential modern linebacker, a disruptive force who roamed sideline to sideline and left a trail of broken opponents behind.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Dick Butkus was a legend who embodied what it means to be a Chicago Bear. Our hearts go out to his family and friends. <a href="https://t.co/8UEVuuZLwi">pic.twitter.com/8UEVuuZLwi</a>&mdash; Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1710063847359287777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>He was a first-team All-Pro selection five times and made the Pro Bowl in eight of his nine seasons before knee injuries forced his retirement at age 31. Despite a short career, Butkus came to define his position. He routinely ranks among the NFL’s top 100 players.

Dick Butkus, Hall of Fame Chicago Bear, dies at 80

Nebraska (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten) at Illinois (2-3, 0-2), Friday, 8 p.m. ET (FS1)

Line: Illinois by 3 1/2, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/ncaaf">FanDuel Sportsbook</a>.

Each team desperately needs a victory to stay in contention for the Big Ten West title, and to bounce back from a humbling defeat last week. Nebraska was pounded at home 45-7 by No. 2 Michigan in front of more than 87,000 fans, the 392nd consecutive sellout in Lincoln. Illinois lost 44-19 at Purdue.

Illinois’ turnover-prone and slow-starting offense against Nebraska’s defense. Illinois QB Luke Altmyer has thrown seven interceptions, and the Illini have lost four fumbles. Illinois has scored just 10 points in the first quarter this season. Altmyer is Illinois’ leading rusher with 278 yards. Reggie Love III (258 yards) missed the Purdue game with a foot injury and will be a game-time decision Friday.

Nebraska: Virginia transfer Billy Kemp IV is a dangerous pass catcher who is tied for seventh nationally among active receivers with 209 career receptions. He has 1,967 receiving yards in his career. Kemp played in 50 games in five years at Virginia. He’s eligible to play this fall because the NCAA granted Virginia football players who were in their final year of eligibility an additional year. Kemp ranks No. 4 at Virginia in career pass receptions (192) and No. 10 in career receiving yards (1,774).

Illinois: Isaiah Williams leads the Big Ten in receptions (30) and receiving yards (446), and he’s tied for the most first-down catches (20) with Penn State’s KeAndre Lambert-Smith. Williams has at least one catch in all 30 games since he switched from quarterback before the start of the 2021 season, and at least three catches in 19 straight games. His 162 career receptions rank fifth all-time at Illinois.

Illinois leads the nation with four blocked kicks (two on field goal attempts, two on punts). All-American Jer’Zhan Newton has the two field goal blocks. ... Nebraska’s trip to Illinois is the only road game for the Huskers in a six-game stretch. ... Nebraska won six of the first seven Big Ten games it played against Illinois, but the Illini have won three in a row since then. ... Illinois beat Nebraska 30-22 on Aug. 28, 2021 in the Huskers’ last visit to Champaign. That game was Bret Bielema’s first as the Illini coach. ... A fire Tuesday night in a maintenance area under the horseshoe portion of the seating area at Memorial Stadium caused concern mid-week, but a structural engineering firm inspected the area and declared it safe, according to an Illinois spokesman.

Nebraska (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten) at Illinois (2-3, 0-2), Friday, 8 p.m. ET (FS1)Line: Illinois by 3 1/2, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/ncaaf">FanDuel Sportsbook</a>.Series record: Nebraska leads 13-6-1.WHAT’S AT STAKE?Each team desperately needs a victory to stay in contention for the Big Ten West title, and to bounce back from a humbling defeat last week. Nebraska was pounded at home 45-7 by No. 2 Michigan in front of more than 87,000 fans, the 392nd consecutive sellout in Lincoln. Illinois lost 44-19 at Purdue.KEY MATCHUPIllinois’ turnover-prone and slow-starting offense against Nebraska’s defense. Illinois QB Luke Altmyer has thrown seven interceptions, and the Illini have lost four fumbles. Illinois has scored just 10 points in the first quarter this season. Altmyer is Illinois’ leading rusher with 278 yards. Reggie Love III (258 yards) missed the Purdue game with a foot injury and will be a game-time decision Friday.PLAYERS TO WATCHNebraska: Virginia transfer Billy Kemp IV is a dangerous pass catcher who is tied for seventh nationally among active receivers with 209 career receptions. He has 1,967 receiving yards in his career. Kemp played in 50 games in five years at Virginia. He’s eligible to play this fall because the NCAA granted Virginia football players who were in their final year of eligibility an additional year. Kemp ranks No. 4 at Virginia in career pass receptions (192) and No. 10 in career receiving yards (1,774).Illinois: Isaiah Williams leads the Big Ten in receptions (30) and receiving yards (446), and he’s tied for the most first-down catches (20) with Penn State’s KeAndre Lambert-Smith. Williams has at least one catch in all 30 games since he switched from quarterback before the start of the 2021 season, and at least three catches in 19 straight games. His 162 career receptions rank fifth all-time at Illinois.FACTS &amp; FIGURESIllinois leads the nation with four blocked kicks (two on field goal attempts, two on punts). All-American Jer’Zhan Newton has the two field goal blocks. ... Nebraska’s trip to Illinois is the only road game for the Huskers in a six-game stretch. ... Nebraska won six of the first seven Big Ten games it played against Illinois, but the Illini have won three in a row since then. ... Illinois beat Nebraska 30-22 on Aug. 28, 2021 in the Huskers’ last visit to Champaign. That game was Bret Bielema’s first as the Illini coach. ... A fire Tuesday night in a maintenance area under the horseshoe portion of the seating area at Memorial Stadium caused concern mid-week, but a structural engineering firm inspected the area and declared it safe, according to an Illinois spokesman.

Nebraska and Illinois each look for first Big Ten win on Friday night

Big Ten Unveils Future Football Opponents

The Big Ten Conference announced on Thursday the football opponents for the 2024 through 2028 seasons. The Big Ten will maintain a nine-game conference schedule with the expansion of the conference to 18 schools beginning with the 2024 season.

Nebraska will continue to play Iowa each year in the new scheduling cycle, with the Heroes Game one of 12 protected annual matchups across the conference.&nbsp; The Big Ten’s scheduling model also ensures that all 18 schools play each conference opponent at least twice—one home and one away—in the five-year period. Nebraska faces eight teams twice in the five-year cycle and eight opponents three times in addition to the annual matchups with Iowa.

In the first season of the five-year schedule in 2024, Nebraska will play host to Illinois, Rutgers, UCLA and Wisconsin in Big Ten home games, while traveling to Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Purdue and USC.&nbsp; The game dates for the 2024 Big Ten Conference schedule are expected to be announced later this fall.

Below is the yearly breakdown of Nebraska’s Big Ten opponents from 2024 to 2028, and a listing of how many times Nebraska faces each Big Ten school between 2024 and 2028.

Home:&nbsp;Illinois, Rutgers, UCLA, Wisconsin

Away:&nbsp;Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Purdue, USC

Home:&nbsp;Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, USC

Away:&nbsp;Maryland, Minnesota, Penn State, UCLA

Home:&nbsp;Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State, Washington

Away:&nbsp;Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State, Oregon, Rutgers

Home:&nbsp;Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon, Purdue, Rutgers

Away: Northwestern, Ohio State, Washington, Wisconsin

Home:&nbsp;Northwestern, Penn State, UCLA, Wisconsin

Away:&nbsp;Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Purdue, USC

Big Ten Unveils Future Football OpponentsThe Big Ten Conference announced on Thursday the football opponents for the 2024 through 2028 seasons. The Big Ten will maintain a nine-game conference schedule with the expansion of the conference to 18 schools beginning with the 2024 season.Nebraska will continue to play Iowa each year in the new scheduling cycle, with the Heroes Game one of 12 protected annual matchups across the conference.&nbsp; The Big Ten’s scheduling model also ensures that all 18 schools play each conference opponent at least twice—one home and one away—in the five-year period. Nebraska faces eight teams twice in the five-year cycle and eight opponents three times in addition to the annual matchups with Iowa.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668135507264.jpeg" alt="Memorial Stadium will host Illinois, Rutgers, UCLA &amp; Wisconsin next season |Photo from Nebraska Athletics Department" />
 <figcaption>Memorial Stadium will host Illinois, Rutgers, UCLA &amp; Wisconsin next season |Photo from Nebraska Athletics Department</figcaption>
 </figure>In the first season of the five-year schedule in 2024, Nebraska will play host to Illinois, Rutgers, UCLA and Wisconsin in Big Ten home games, while traveling to Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Purdue and USC.&nbsp; The game dates for the 2024 Big Ten Conference schedule are expected to be announced later this fall.Below is the yearly breakdown of Nebraska’s Big Ten opponents from 2024 to 2028, and a listing of how many times Nebraska faces each Big Ten school between 2024 and 2028.Future Nebraska Big Ten Opponents2024Home:&nbsp;Illinois, Rutgers, UCLA, WisconsinAway:&nbsp;Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Purdue, USC2025Home:&nbsp;Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, USCAway:&nbsp;Maryland, Minnesota, Penn State, UCLA2026Home:&nbsp;Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State, WashingtonAway:&nbsp;Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State, Oregon, Rutgers2027Home:&nbsp;Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon, Purdue, RutgersAway: Northwestern, Ohio State, Washington, Wisconsin2028Home:&nbsp;Northwestern, Penn State, UCLA, WisconsinAway:&nbsp;Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Purdue, USC

Nebraska Football Conference schedule for 2024-2028 released

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Randy Gregory missed more games than he played during his 18-month stint in Denver, where he had almost as many surgeries (two) as sacks (three).

The Broncos (1-3) parted ways with the immensely talented but often-unavailable pass rusher Wednesday, deciding to release him — even though they're on the hook for the $10.9 million remaining on his 2023 salary — if they couldn't find a trade partner.

“We just felt with some of our younger players and where we're going, it was best for our team right now,” said coach Sean Payton, who disputed any notion that Gregory had asked for his release. “We just felt like these other guys were playing better.”

Gregory's departure came 72 hours after he appeared disinterested in a game at Chicago after losing his starting job to second-year linebacker Nik Bonitto, who ignited Denver's first victory of the season with a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Broncos/status/1708564432043811257?s=20">strip-sack</a>&nbsp;of Justin Fields that turned into the game-tying touchdown from Jonathon Cooper.

Gregory's benching came a week after he was shut out at Miami, where he failed to register a single tackle and had no sacks or pressures of Tua Tagovailoa, who led the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-broncos-dolphins-tyreek-hill-tua-tagovailoa-7b63c4ac5c48e0f4156a8a4574de5c72">Dolphins' 70-20 onslaught</a>&nbsp;in one of the biggest blowouts in NFL history.

Several Broncos said there were no hard feelings toward Gregory, whom they affectionately called by his initials.

“R.G. for me has been a great teammate,” safety Justin Simmons said. “He's been a great friend and it was awesome just watching him play in Dallas all those years he was going crazy. So, a great man and teammate. It's just the business side of the NFL. And I'm always rooting for R.G.”

Another veteran pass rusher, Frank Clark, expressed similar sentiments, calling Gregory “a great player, obviously a great teammate. He’s done a great job ever since he’s been in the league of being a pro. He had some mistakes here and there just like all of us, but a hell of a player, hell of a teammate.”

Gregory was close to re-signing with Dallas last year before Broncos general manager George Paton offered him a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-broncos-dallas-cowboys-von-miller-nfl-sports-d05b6860f8096affbae9a7d123ccc46e">five-year, $70 million deal</a>&nbsp;that included $28 million in guarantees.

Much of the fanbase preferred a reunion with Von Miller, who had expressed a desire to return to Denver after helping the Rams win the Super Bowl following his midseason trade to Los Angeles in 2021.

Paton said at the time that Gregory was his top choice in free agency and he never called Miller, who wound up signing a megadeal with the Bills, where his productive 2022 season was cut short by a knee injury.

Paton's prized free agent, however, missed 11 games last season and he proved a bad fit for Payton and his staff this year.

Gregory played in just 10 of a possible 21 games during his time in Denver. He was limited to a half dozen games last season because of a knee injury after he missed all of training camp following shoulder surgery. He had two sacks last year and one this season.

Gregory has stayed out of trouble since being activated from the commissioner’s exempt list on Oct. 20, 2020, the last of his four substance-abuse suspensions including one that sidelined him for the entire 2019 season.

Although Gregory didn’t have any off-the-field issues in Denver like he did during his suspension-filled seven-year stint in Dallas, his production on the field never lived up to his lofty contract.

The Broncos' pass rush is expected to get a boost with Clark (hip) and Baron Browning (knee) close to returning to action, although it's unlikely they'll play Sunday against the New York Jets (1-3) in a game that features the return of Nathaniel Hackett, whom&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/behind-call-payton-broncos-hackett-777e12db30ef1b6f776ad524403494ef">Payton trashed</a>&nbsp;in July for the work he did in Denver last season, particularly with quarterback Russell Wilson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696473833731.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Randy Gregory missed more games than he played during his 18-month stint in Denver, where he had almost as many surgeries (two) as sacks (three).The Broncos (1-3) parted ways with the immensely talented but often-unavailable pass rusher Wednesday, deciding to release him — even though they're on the hook for the $10.9 million remaining on his 2023 salary — if they couldn't find a trade partner.“We just felt with some of our younger players and where we're going, it was best for our team right now,” said coach Sean Payton, who disputed any notion that Gregory had asked for his release. “We just felt like these other guys were playing better.”Gregory's departure came 72 hours after he appeared disinterested in a game at Chicago after losing his starting job to second-year linebacker Nik Bonitto, who ignited Denver's first victory of the season with a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Broncos/status/1708564432043811257?s=20">strip-sack</a>&nbsp;of Justin Fields that turned into the game-tying touchdown from Jonathon Cooper.Gregory's benching came a week after he was shut out at Miami, where he failed to register a single tackle and had no sacks or pressures of Tua Tagovailoa, who led the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-broncos-dolphins-tyreek-hill-tua-tagovailoa-7b63c4ac5c48e0f4156a8a4574de5c72">Dolphins' 70-20 onslaught</a>&nbsp;in one of the biggest blowouts in NFL history.Several Broncos said there were no hard feelings toward Gregory, whom they affectionately called by his initials.“R.G. for me has been a great teammate,” safety Justin Simmons said. “He's been a great friend and it was awesome just watching him play in Dallas all those years he was going crazy. So, a great man and teammate. It's just the business side of the NFL. And I'm always rooting for R.G.”Another veteran pass rusher, Frank Clark, expressed similar sentiments, calling Gregory “a great player, obviously a great teammate. He’s done a great job ever since he’s been in the league of being a pro. He had some mistakes here and there just like all of us, but a hell of a player, hell of a teammate.”Gregory was close to re-signing with Dallas last year before Broncos general manager George Paton offered him a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-broncos-dallas-cowboys-von-miller-nfl-sports-d05b6860f8096affbae9a7d123ccc46e">five-year, $70 million deal</a>&nbsp;that included $28 million in guarantees.Much of the fanbase preferred a reunion with Von Miller, who had expressed a desire to return to Denver after helping the Rams win the Super Bowl following his midseason trade to Los Angeles in 2021.Paton said at the time that Gregory was his top choice in free agency and he never called Miller, who wound up signing a megadeal with the Bills, where his productive 2022 season was cut short by a knee injury.Paton's prized free agent, however, missed 11 games last season and he proved a bad fit for Payton and his staff this year.Gregory played in just 10 of a possible 21 games during his time in Denver. He was limited to a half dozen games last season because of a knee injury after he missed all of training camp following shoulder surgery. He had two sacks last year and one this season.Gregory has stayed out of trouble since being activated from the commissioner’s exempt list on Oct. 20, 2020, the last of his four substance-abuse suspensions including one that sidelined him for the entire 2019 season.Although Gregory didn’t have any off-the-field issues in Denver like he did during his suspension-filled seven-year stint in Dallas, his production on the field never lived up to his lofty contract.The Broncos' pass rush is expected to get a boost with Clark (hip) and Baron Browning (knee) close to returning to action, although it's unlikely they'll play Sunday against the New York Jets (1-3) in a game that features the return of Nathaniel Hackett, whom&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/behind-call-payton-broncos-hackett-777e12db30ef1b6f776ad524403494ef">Payton trashed</a>&nbsp;in July for the work he did in Denver last season, particularly with quarterback Russell Wilson.

Broncos release former Husker Gregory after disappointing stint in Denver

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have decided to part ways with pass rusher Randy Gregory, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team won't have anything to say about the matter until coach Sean Payton's post-practice news conference Wednesday afternoon.

Gregory's release comes just 18 months after he signed a five-year, $70 million contract that included a $14 million salary this season, $10.9 million of which he is still due.

Gregory proved an ill fit on Payton's roster and he was benched last week in favor of second-year pro Nik Bonitto, whose&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Broncos/status/1708564432043811257?s=20">strip-sack of Justin Fields</a>&nbsp;in the fourth quarter led to Jonathon Cooper's scoop-and-score for the game-tying touchdown in Denver's 31-28 comeback win over Chicago. He also had two tackles for loss and two QB hits.

Also, the Broncos (1-3) are expecting pass rushers Baron Browning (knee) and Frank Clark (hip) back on the field soon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696450321156.jpeg" alt="Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields passes under pressure from Denver Broncos linebacker Randy Gregory during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)" />
 <figcaption>Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields passes under pressure from Denver Broncos linebacker Randy Gregory during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)</figcaption>
 </figure>ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have decided to part ways with pass rusher Randy Gregory, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday.The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team won't have anything to say about the matter until coach Sean Payton's post-practice news conference Wednesday afternoon.Gregory's release comes just 18 months after he signed a five-year, $70 million contract that included a $14 million salary this season, $10.9 million of which he is still due.Gregory proved an ill fit on Payton's roster and he was benched last week in favor of second-year pro Nik Bonitto, whose&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Broncos/status/1708564432043811257?s=20">strip-sack of Justin Fields</a>&nbsp;in the fourth quarter led to Jonathon Cooper's scoop-and-score for the game-tying touchdown in Denver's 31-28 comeback win over Chicago. He also had two tackles for loss and two QB hits.Also, the Broncos (1-3) are expecting pass rushers Baron Browning (knee) and Frank Clark (hip) back on the field soon.Gregory played in just 10 of a possible 21 games during his time in Denver. He was limited to six games last season because of a knee injury after he missed all of training camp following shoulder surgery. He had two sacks last year and one this season.