FRIDAY SPORTS: Tigers sting Jackets; Gamecocks host Gators Saturday; Furman heads to Cullowhee

TL Hanna’s Martavis Bryant had 176 receiving yards, while Tahj Boyd tossed three touchdowns and ran for another as #8 Clemson rolled over Georgia Tech 55-31 Thursday night. Boyd had the 17th 300-yard game of his career. Boyd left the game in the fourth quarter with a collarbone injury. Doctors say the star quarterback will be okay to go when the Tigers face The Citadel next Saturday.

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Coming up Saturday, the South Carolina Gamecocks look to stay in the race for the SEC Eastern Division when they host the reeling Florida Gators at Williams Brice Stadium. Kick off is set for 7:00 PM. And, the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry renews as #25 Georgia faces #7 Auburn at Jordan Hare Stadium.

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Winners of its last two Southern Conference games, including a 35-17 triumph over 20th-ranked Samford last Saturday, Furman will look to continue its late season surge this Saturday when it travels to Cullowhee, N.C., to take on Western Carolina in a 3:30 p.m. Southern Conference contest at E.J. Whitmire Stadium. Coverage on 96.3 WGOG will begin with the Paladin Pre-Game Show at 2:30 PM. Furman (5-5, 4-2 SoCon), whose three-game SoCon win streak features triumphs over Appalachian State (27-10), Georgia Southern (16-14), and Samford, is currently tied for second place in the SoCon standings with Samford and Wofford.
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The Indianapolis Colts pulled out a 30-27 win over the Tennessee Titans in Nashville Thursday night, overcoming a 14-0 first-quarter deficit. Colts quarterback Andrew Luck was 23 of 36 for 232 yards and Adam Vinatieri kicked three field goals for the team, including one from 50 yards. Titans QB Ryan Fitzpatrick went 22 of 28 for 222 yards with one touchdown pass.

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Veteran guard Richie Incognito filed a grievance Thursday against the Miami Dolphins over his suspension for the bullying allegations against him by teammate Jonathan Martin. The NFL Players Association released a statement saying, “In the grievance, Incognito requests that the hearing be held on an expedited basis so that he can immediately resume playing for the team.” The NFL is investigating whether Incognito harassed or bullied Martin, who abruptly left the Dolphins last month to get help for emotional issues.

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High School football playoff action features feature top-ranked Daniel playing host to Clinton in Class AAA. Belton-Honea Path goes to Broome. Wren will host Chapman. In Class AA, Division I, Pendleton will host Newberry, while Crescent goes to Pelion.

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The Furman men’s basketball team will go in search of its third consecutive victory when it caps its season-opening three-game homestand on Friday night against 2013 NCAA Sweet Sixteen participant Florida Gulf Coast. Tip-off on YP Court at Timmons Arena is slated for 6 p.m. with coverage on 96.3 WGOG beginning at 5:30 PM. The Paladins, who improved to 2-0 with a 75-64 victory over Gardner-Webb on Tuesday night, will try to register their first 3-0 start to a season since the 2009-10 campaign and remain unbeaten under first-year head coach Niko Medved.

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Geoff Beans, a standout at Ottawa Hills High School in Toledo, Ohio, has inked a national letter of intent to join the Furman men’s basketball program next season, according to Paladin head coach Niko Medved.

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Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera won his second straight American League Most Valuable Player award Thursday in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, while Pittsburgh Pirates centerfielder Andrew McCutchen won in the National League. Cabrera led the majors in hitting at .348 and finished second with 44 home runs and 137 RBIs. McCutchen hit .317 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs.

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Major League Baseball will be expanding instant replay next season, voting unanimously Thursday to approve funding for it, and planning to okay the new rules in January after agreements with the umpires’ and players’ unions. Commissioner Bud Selig, who’d long opposed instant replay, said yesterday, “This is quite historic.” Starting in 2008, baseball had allowed replay only to determine whether potential home runs were fair or foul or cleared fences, but now, almost every decision will be subject to review, except calls for balls and strikes, checked swings and some foul tips. When a manager wants to challenge a call, he will notify an umpire, which will trigger a review in New York by what are likely to be current or retired umpires. There will be a maximum of two challenges per manager per game, but if the challenge is upheld, it won’t be counted against the manager’s limit.