AP Sports SummaryBrief at 1:36 p.m. EST

Source: Man United does 'due diligence' on Pochettino becoming its next coach MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United is working on a potential deal to have U.S. men’s team coach Mauricio Pochettino to replace Michael Carrick, who is under pressure after a dismal start to the season. United is in 18th place in the Premier League standings after 10 rounds, the club’s worst start in the modern era. A source told The Associated Press that preparations to appoint Pochettino have been carried out as a matter of “due diligence.” Pochettino, who has coached in the Premier League before, is under contract with the U.S. team through the 2030 World Cup. Astros bring back former catcher Brad Ausmus as their manager after Joe Espada exit HOUSTON (AP) — Brad Ausmus was named manager of the Houston Astros on Wednesday. New general manager Randy Flores made the announcement, which brings Ausmus back to the place where he spent 10 years of his playing career. He replaces Joe Espada, whose contract wasn’t renewed after the Astros were swept by the Chicago White Sox in a Wild Card series. Ausmus is the 21st manager in franchise history. This is the third managerial job for Ausmus, who managed the Angels in 2019 and spent 2014-17 leading the Tigers. He most recently worked as the bench coach for the Yankees from 2024 through last season. Former NFL coach Rex Ryan turns himself in after alleged Nashville hit-and-run NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Former NFL coach Rex Ryan has turned himself in for allegedly hitting pedestrians with his car in Nashville and leaving the scene. Nashville police say two pedestrians had the right of way crossing a main street last week when Ryan allegedly turned at a red light, running over their feet. Ryan faces charges of leaving the scene of an accident, failing to give information or render aid and failing to obey a traffic control signal. Ryan turned himself in early Wednesday and was later released. Ryan is a former head coach of the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets and is now an analyst on ESPN’s NFL pregame show. Inside the numbers: Blowouts are common, close games rare so far in this NBA season MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is seeing an unprecedented number of blowouts this season, with an average winning margin of 13.8 points per game. This is the most lopsided start in league history. So far, there have been more games decided by 30 or more points than by three points or less. Chicago is being outscored by 16.7 points per game, which could set a record. Meanwhile, elite scorers like Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry, and Victor Wembanyama are averaging more than one point per minute. This feat has only been achieved by Wilt Chamberlain in the 1961-62 season. NCAA warns multiple transfers tied to sharply lower graduation rates in college football The NCAA has released data showing that the graduation rate for Bowl Subdivision football players who transferred more than once are 27% lower than those who stayed at one school. This data, shared with The Associated Press on Wednesday, is seen as a warning sign amid ongoing legal battles over eligibility and player movement. The statistics analyzed the six-year graduation rate for around 36,000 athletes who enrolled in college in the 2018-19 school year. NCAA President Charlie Baker says this highlights the negative impact of court-imposed transfer rules on academic outcomes. College football picks: No. 8 Texas, No. 10 Texas Tech will go down this weekend Football Bowl Subdivision teams are taking care of the ball better than they have through a 10th week of a season in at least a quarter century. The average of 2.2 giveaways per game and interception rate of 2.3% are lowest at this point in a season since at least 2000 and the fumble rate of 1.8% is the lowest since at least 2013. That's according to Sportradar. Nebraska is yet to lose a fumble and South Florida is yet to throw an interception. Arch Manning leads Texas into his bayou backyard for a key matchup with LSU AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Arch Manning has been to LSU's Tiger Stadium many times for epic night games in a building with the ominous nickname of Death Valley. Manning is a native son of the Bayou State. For kids like him, LSU games were the center of the football universe. Manning returns to the LSU campus on Saturday night as quarterback of the Texas Longhorns, starring in Act III of the Manning family legacy tour. Manning already has a road win at Tennessee and a home win over Mississippi. A night game at LSU with both teams fighting to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive could be the wildest of them all. After crashing out at the Olympics, Ilia Malinin starts the long road back to the next Winter Games Ilia Malinin is back on the ice, nine months after winning his third world championship and 10 months after a shocking performance at the Milan Olympics, where the heavily favored American crashed off the podium altogether. The 21-year-old Malinin will make his season debut on Friday night at Skate America, in Everett, Washington. It's the first of two Grand Prix assignments for Malinin, and the first step in a four-year trek toward the next Winter Games in France. Malinin's short program is a tribute to those in the figure skating community who were killed when their American Airlines flight collided with a military helicopter in January 2025. Lopsided divisions leave 6-3 Packers in last place and 3-5 Panthers in first place Back-to-back wins have the Green Bay Packers on a roll with a 6-3 record headed into the second half of the NFL season. The Carolina Panthers have lost three straight and have the opposite record with a 3-5 mark. Yet amazingly, the Packers currently sit in last place in the historically tough NFC North, while the Panthers are in first thanks to another season of mediocrity for the NFC South. By the Numbers: The NFL’s Germany push rolls on as the Lions and Patriots head to Munich MUNICH (AP) — The Detroit Lions and New England Patriots square off Sunday in Munich for what will be the NFL’s sixth regular-season game in Germany. Munich hosted the first one in 2022 and again in 2024. Frankfurt has staged two games — in back-to-back weeks in 2023. Berlin joined the party last season. Germany is the NFL’s biggest European market, and more games are already under contract. Berlin is set to host again in 2027 and 2029; and Munich in 2028.