Overtime

College Football

Gamecocks opener is moved up for TV

South Carolina's season opener against Central Florida has been moved up to Thursday, Sept. 1 and will be televised by ESPN.

The game, originally scheduled for Sept. 3, will be the first for new Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier, who was hired Nov. 23.

Kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m. at Columbia's Williams-Brice Stadium.

- Georgia Tech opens its 2005 football schedule Sept. 3 at Auburn, which posted a 13-victory perfect season last year on its way to a national No. 2 ranking in the final polls.

Georgia Tech's schedule includes eight bowl-eligible teams from last year, including Auburn.

- Clemson plays three of its first four games at home next season, including the season opener against Texas A&M on Sept. 3.

The second game of the season will be on the road at Maryland in the Tigers' Atlantic Coast Conference opener.

Clemson returns home for back-to-back games with Miami and Boston College.

Auto Racing

NASCAR changes up Daytona qualifiers

The unique qualifying format for the season-opening Daytona 500 has been given a facelift.

The front row for the race Feb. 20 will still be locked in after qualifying. Other than that, it's an all-new procedure for setting the starting lineup for the NASCAR Nextel Cup event.

Series director John Darby said the starting order for the two elimination races ñ each extended by 25 miles and renamed the Gatorade Duel ñ will be set by qualifying. The top 35 in points will be divided between the two, with the teams finishing in odd-numbered positions in 2004 in the first race and the even-numbered finishers in the second.

Starting positions in the 500-mile main event will be determined by results of the 150-milers.

Filling out the lineup will be the top two non-top-35 finishers from each of the twin events and the remaining fastest drivers from qualifying.

High Schools

Fox Creek names athletic director

Edgefield County's Fox Creek High School has named Gant Patteson to serve as the first athletic director for the school.

Patteson, a teacher at the school, will assume the additional athletic director duties at the school immediately.

In the 2005-2006 school year, Fox Creek will field six boys teams and six girls sports. The school will also have co-ed swimming and cross country teams.

College Basketball

USC Aiken downed by Francis Marion

In Florence, S.C., USC Aiken hit a cold-shooting spell at the start of the second half and lost to Francis Marion, 59-53 on Wednesday night.

Josh Poston led USC Aiken (5-9, 1-3 Peach Belt) with 11 points. The Pacers hit just 27.6 percent of its shots from the field (16 of 56).

Cycling

Inquiry is opened against Armstrong

French authorities have opened a preliminary inquiry into doping allegations made against six-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong in a book published last summer.

Judicial officials confirmed the probe Thursday but declined to give details, describing the case as confidential.

The investigation centers on a magistrate's interview with Armstrong's former British assistant, Emma O'Reilly.

Curling

Agency gives Marks two-year supension

Curler Mitchell Marks was suspended for two years for refusing to submit to a drug test, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said.

Marks, 22, of Madison, Wis., must forfeit all results and winnings since Oct. 30, the date he refused the test.

The suspension will be administered by the U.S. Curling Association.