Here is the latest SEC sports news from The Associated Press:
UNDATED — The NCAA latched on to a grassroots movement and made Election Day an off day for college athletes across the country. Prioritizing voting over sports has drawn praise, though it is an inconvenience for football teams. Some coaches say their players voted long ago. The day off probably has more value symbolically as a way to emphasize the importance of being civic-minded than practically helping athletes cast ballots.
ATHENS — Defensive back Richard LeCounte has been moved out of intensive care in an Athens hospital as he recovers from injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident that will keep him out of No. 5 Georgia’s game against No. 8 Florida. Coach Kirby Smart says defensive lineman Julian Rochester also will not play against Florida due to a knee injury. Two starters, safety Lewis Cine and defensive tackle Jordan Davis, have not been ruled out. Smart says wide receiver George Pickens and running back Kenny McIntosh could play against Florida after being held out of last week’s win at Kentucky with injuries.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Southeastern Conference has fined Florida football coach Dan Mullen $25,000 for his role in a benches-clearing brawl against Missouri. The league also issued half-game suspensions for Missouri linebacker Chad Bailey, offensive lineman Dylan Spencer and defensive lineman Markell Utsey. Each of them will sit out the first half of Missouri’s next game, against No. 5 Georgia on Nov. 14. Florida defensive lineman Zach Carter and linebacker Antwuan Powell, who were ejected for fighting, will be suspended for the first half against the Bulldogs on Saturday in Jacksonville. Missouri linebacker Tre Williams won't be punished further.
OXFORD, Miss. — Mississippi freshman Damarcus Thomas was injured in practice Monday and had to be taken by helicopter to a hospital in Memphis after initially being unable to move. Assistant athletic director for sports medicine Pat Jernigan said Thomas was being released from the hospital and his medical tests came back normal. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said Thomas initially didn’t have “any feeling in his entire body.” Kiffin said that Thomas's family was called from the practice field.
UNDATED — Four times in the 84-year history of The Associated Press college football poll, there has been a tie for No. 1, and not since August 2002. If a single voter who placed Clemson No. 1 and Alabama No. 2 had instead on Sunday swapped the Tigers and Crimson Tide, the Top 25 would have had tie number five. Alas, a chance for an odd piece of poll history was missed. Clemson stayed No. 1 and Alabama stayed No. 2, but they were separated by a mere two points. For this week, Reality Check was with the ever so slight consensus that left Clemson on top this week. There has never been a three-way tie at No. 1 in poll history, but Reality Check sees Clemson, Alabama and Ohio State as 1a, b and c.
