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(AP Photo/Orlin Wagner, File)

(AP) -- Baylor coach Dave Aranda could see a weight being lifted off the shoulders of his players during a meeting Tuesday night, when word began to filter out that the Big 12 Conference would attempt to play football this fall.

"You could just see the joy," Aranda said. "Everyone was smiling. Guys were cracking jokes, were excited."

Months of uncertainty had finally given the Bears and their conference rivals the slightest bit of clarity. If all goes according to plan, they will take the field for a non-conference game next month, then begin a round-robin league schedule on Sept. 26 with the intention of crowning a Big 12 champion on Dec. 12 near Dallas.

Celtics sign Stevens to extension
BOSTON (AP) The Celtics have signed coach Brad Stevens to a contract extension, the team announced Wednesday. Terms of the new deal were not disclosed. The Celtics signed Stevens to a six-year deal when they hired him in 2013. They gave him an initial extension in 2016 that would have expired following next season. (MORE)

Giannis banned for finale for headbutt

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) Giannis Antetokounmpo has been suspended for Milwaukee's final game of the regular season, handed a one-game penalty Wednesday for headbutting Washington's Moe Wagner.

It's unknown if Antetokounmpo would have played in Thursday's game against Memphis anyway, given that the Bucks have already secured the No. 1 overall seed in the NBA playoffs that start next week. (MORE)

NFL positive test rate under 1 percent

The NFL extended daily coronavirus testing for players and staff until further notice even though the positive test rate from the first two weeks of camp has been less than 1 percent.

Under the original agreement between the league and the NFL Players Association, players and staff needed three negative tests in a four-day period before they could report to the facility and then daily testing for the next two weeks. (MORE)

Bills extend McDermott through 2025
The Buffalo Bills have signed coach Sean McDermott to a multiyear contract extension. A person with direct knowledge told the Associated Press the contract is a four-year extension that runs through the 2025 season. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Bills have not released that information. McDermott had two years remaining on his original deal. (MORE)

Augusta announces no fans at Masters
The Masters, known as much for the roars as the raw beauty of Augusta National, will be on mute this year. The club decided Wednesday there will be no spectators. That means all three majors in this year of COVID-19 will not have fans, and the silence figures to be most deafening at Augusta National when the Masters is played Nov. 12-15. (MORE)

Mattingly: Infected Marlins asymptomatic

Isles score 4 straight, rally past Caps

Ailing Judge may miss a few games

Kelly's suspension reduced to 5 games
LOS ANGELES (AP) Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly had his suspension for throwing pitches near the heads of Houston hitters reduced to five games on appeal. Kelly was originally penalized eight games by Major League Baseball on July 29, a day after throwing a 96 mph fastball near the head of Houston's Alex Bregman and two curveballs that brushed back Carlos Correa. (MORE)