AP - Chris Nickson threw for a touchdown and ran for another and Vanderbilt finally beat a ranked opponent on its own field Thursday night, upsetting No. 24 South Carolina 24-17 in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.

AFP - Kevin Keegan on Thursday resigned as Newcastle United manager bringing to an end his second spell in charge of the crisis-hit English Premier League side.

AP - Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees are struggling to get back into the playoff race while the Los Angeles Angels are closing in on another postseason berth.

AP - Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano has right rotator cuff tendinitis and inflammation, an MRI confirmed Thursday, a potential obstacle to Chicago's chances of winning the World Series for the first time in a century.

AP - Jaguars offensive tackle Richard Collier is making gradual improvement from gunshot wounds but is "not out of the woods yet," his agent told a newspaper Thursday.

AP - That litany of health issues Novak Djokovic dealt with earlier in the week — hip, ankle, stomach and more — seemed a tad humorous to Andy Roddick.

AP - Daunte Culpepper summed up his thoughts Thursday in two words, which ushered in the start of a new era for the former Pro Bowl quarterback. "Farewell NFL," he wrote.

AP - The New York Giants won the Super Bowl with defense and they kicked off defense of that title with more of the same.

AP - Former Cincinnati quarterback Ben Mauk testified Thursday that a foot injury prevented him from playing or even practicing at times during his freshman season in 2003 at Wake Forest, where he played before transferring to Cincinnati.

AFP - Kevin Keegan on Thursday resigned as Newcastle United manager bringing to an end his second spell in charge of the English Premier League side.