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AUBURN, Ala. -- Before the Auburn Tigers even started fall camp, amid already diminished expectations, they lost their most productive player.Tigers coach Gus Malzahn dismissed tailback Jovon Robinson hours before the first practice, leaving a team already seeking a quarterback with another significant void in the backfield.How well those two jobs get filled will go a long way toward deciding whether Auburn and Malzahns fast-paced offense rebound strongly or continue going in the wrong direction.Malzahn said the leadership is as strong as any team hes had. Theyve got a chip on their shoulder and theyve got something to prove, he said.That starts with the offense, which ranked 110th in passing offense and 94th in total yards thanks largely to the struggles of quarterbacks Jeremy Johnson and Sean White. The result was just a pair of Southeastern Conference wins two seasons after winning a league title and making the national championship game.Robinson emerged as the top runner late in the season though Peyton Barber topped 1,000 yards. Malzahn did not elaborate on the reasons for his dismissal, but it leaves sophomore Kerryon Johnson as the only returning back who logged a carry last season. Fullback Kamryn Pettway has moved to tailback, and Johnson is joined by freshman Kam Martin, a late addition who was released from his scholarship with Baylor.Weve been one of the better rushing teams in our league, I guess, for six years and well continue to be that, Malzahn said.Theyre going to need to be strong on the ground again with no established quarterback and having to replace two of the top three players in an already-thin receiving corps.Defensively, the line is well-stocked with highly rated recruits, including tackle Montravius Adams and end Carl Lawson, who has star potential but has battled injury problems. Guards Alex Kozan and Braden Smith anchor the offense.Graduate transfer T.J. Neal, who started 25 games for Illinois the past two seasons, joins Tre Williams at linebacker. Safety Rudy Ford has led the Tigers in tackles two straight years and cornerback Carlton Davis had a promising freshman season.SEASON OPENEROpening with national runner-up Clemson and quarterback Deshaun Watson, a Heisman Trophy finalist, is a huge challenge for a team trying to rebuild in a number of areas. The good news is its the first of five straight home games.WHOS THE QB? Junior college transfer John Franklin III is trying to challenge Johnson and White, who both had uninspiring stints as the starter last season. Franklin is the biggest running threat, but never won the starting job at either Florida State or junior college and has little experience. Multiple receivers from a strong signing class at the position will also have to step up in the passing game.STEELES DEFENSEKevin Steele is the teams third defensive coordinator in as many years and fourth in five seasons. The veteran former LSU, Clemson and Alabama coordinator is one of five new assistants on Malzahns staff.PREDICTIONThe Tigers have been at their best when outsiders arent expecting much from them -- and at their worst when theyre drawing loads of preseason buzz. After two straight disappointing seasons, they fall in the former category now while picked toward the bottom of the SEC West. There are a few games that seem like toss-ups, but 7-5 seems like a reasonable outcome. To blow past that win total would require improved quarterback play from last season and strides from the defense, plus the emergence of Kerryon Johnson or another tailback as a reliable go-to runner.---AP college football website: collegefootball.ap.org Cheap Air Max NZ Free Shipping . Calgary scored on the first shift, and Michael Cammalleri scored twice as the Flames cruised to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. 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Getting set to go their separate ways for a short Christmas break, the Raptors coach credited his team for their effort on a seemingly impossible three-game road trip, urging them to build on that success when they get back to work at the end of the week. STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The white out in the stands became the white out on the field as Penn State fans mobbed their Nittany Lions. Well after the biggest victory of the post-Joe Paterno era was over, the cries of We Are! Penn State! echoed underneath 56-year-old Beaver Stadium and bounced off its big rusty metal beams.It felt like the good ol days for Penn State football and Happy Valley was downright ecstatic Saturday night after the Nittany Lions upset No. 2 Ohio State 24-21.Obviously these types of wins are important, coach James Franklin said. To be honest with you, I dont want to spend a lot of time thinking about the big picture right now, I just want to soak this all in. I just want to enjoy tonight.Grant Haley returned a blocked field goal 60 yards for a touchdown with 4:27 left in the fourth quarter and the Nittany Lions sacked J.T. Barrett twice on Ohio States final possession to seal a milestone victory for Penn State:- First against Ohio State since 2011.- First over a ranked team under Franklin.- First against a top-five team since 1999 against Arizona.- First against a top-two team since 1990 against No. 1 Notre Dame.- First in Beaver Stadium against a team ranked so high since 1982 against No. 2 Nebraska.Penn State (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) took its first lead against the Buckeyes when Marcus Allen leaped high to block Tyler Durbins 45-yard field goal attempt and Haley made the scoop and sprint to the end zone.Its something you dream about as a kid, Haley said. Just running to the end zone and falling, it was a huge sigh of relief, like, everything, all the hard work this teams put in coming into play against the No. 2 team in the country.The crowd of 107,280 at Beaver Stadium, almost all dressed in white, went nuts after Penn State took the lead, and then thousands poured out onto the field when the clock hit 0:00.The Buckeyes (6-1, 4-1 Big Ten) had their 20-game road winning streak snapped and the Big Ten East race that looked like an inevitable march toward an Ohio State-Michigan showdown on Nov. 26 in Columbus, Ohio, took a bit of a detour. Two seasons ago the Buckeyes bounced back from an early loss and won the national chhampionship.dddddddddddd Last season one loss turned out to be enough to eliminate Ohio State from the College Football Playoff.Feel the same as Michigan State last year, Ohio State defensive end Sam Hubbard said.The Buckeyes are in much better position to recover.Penn State is now in the mix, but the Wolverines and Buckeyes still have the advantage in the division. If they all finish 8-1 in the conference and the Buckeyes beat Michigan, Penn State -- which has already lost to the Wolverines -- would be eliminated from three-way tiebreaker because of a worse overall record.The Nittany Lions will worry about that later.This isnt a fluke win, linebacker Jason Cabinda said. This is who we are. This is who we believe we can be and will continue to be.THE TAKEAWAYOhio State: The Buckeyes became the highest ranked team to lose to an unranked team this season. Problems with the passing game left them unable to put Penn State away. Barrett was 28 for 43 for 245 yards and he was sacked six times as the Buckeyes, especially right tackle Isaiah Prince, struggled to protect their quarterback.I think we put our O-line in bad spots early on in drives, so were in second and long and then we had to pass and that harmed us, Barrett said.Penn State: The Nittany Lions got Cabinda and fellow linebacker Brandon Bell back from injury, and the defense played it best game of the season. Bell (19 tackles) and Cabinda (12 tackles) were all over the field and defensive end Garrett Sickels had 2.5 sacks.POLL IMPLICATIONSOhio State: How far will the Buckeyes fall? At least behind most of the unbeaten teams and maybe behind Louisville. Figure somewhere around No. 7 or 8.Penn State: The Nittany Lions have not been ranked since 2011, but that could change on Sunday.UP NEXTOhio State: The Buckeyes return home after two straight road games to face Northwestern, which is on a three-game winning streak.Penn State: The Nittany Lions visit Purdue. Penn State has won seven straight meetings.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '