usatoday--2020-11-14--These Caribbean hotel villas let you social distance in a luxurious island setting

The beach is just the beginning at a dazzling array of you-deserve-it villas in the Caribbean .
With social distancing and other safety protocols the new vacation norm amid the coronavirus pandemic , a holiday getaway in a private villa could just fit the bill .
So why not toss the budget to the breeze and live the dream in your very own secluded retreat under the tropical sun over the holidays ?
These Caribbean locales do n't currently require visitors to quarantine upon arrival unless otherwise noted , but be sure to check travel requirements before planning a trip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed .
Entry requirements : A negative test taken within 10 days of travel and approved travel authorization are required ( Details : https : //www.visitjamaica.com ) Smartly designed by Ralph Lauren , Round Hill Hotel and Villas west of Montego Bay has long hosted discerning guests like John F. Kennedy , who wrote his famous 1961 `` ask-not-what-you-can-do-for-your-country '' inauguration address in Villa 25 .
Nightly rates for a 2-Bedroom Deluxe Villa booked in the Villa Retreat package start at $ 1,849 including meals and non-motorized watersports .
From basketball courts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18-hole golf course , a stay in one of 74 perfectly posh villas at The Tryall Club ticks all the boxes .
Weekly rates for the 7-bedroom Dragonfly Villa with chef-prepared meals and butler service start at $ 22,500 .
On the north coast , hip beds for heads at GoldenEye include the storied Fleming Villa where British author Ian Fleming penned all 14 James Bond spy thrillers and where his original writing desk still stands .
Guilty pleasures include a pool , private beach , garden showers and claw foot tubs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at $ 6,365 .
Entry requirements : Negative test taken within five days and a health declaration completed in advance are required .
( Details : https : //stmaartenehas.com ) Steps from the sand , villas at the Coral Beach Club in Dutch Sint Maarten are crowd-free standalone havens of rejuvenation .
Weekly rates for a 4-bedroom Beachfront Villa with a private pool start at $ 9,286 .
In French St. Martin , there ’ s a lot of panache in the salty air at Villa Mirabelle with four bedrooms and access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Weekly rates start at $ 7,000 .
Entry Requirements : Negative test and advance travel authorization required .
Note that there is also a nightly , 12 a.m.-5 a.m. curfew in effect through Nov. 16 .
( Details : https : //travelauthorisation.turksandcaicostourism.com/public/ ) On the less-traveled Long Bay Beach in Providenciales , social distancing is a breeze and the living regal in the Villas at The Shore Club .
Nightly rates in a 6-bedroom , family-friendly villa with a whirlpool and sauna in the master bedroom start at $ 6,000 including VIP airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of bubbly .
There ’ s a lot of awesomeness under one roof at the Cabuya Villa with six bedrooms and an infinity edge pool that spills onto a secluded beach .
Nightly rates start at $ 4,300 .
Entry requirements : Quarantine is no longer required ; however , a negative test and Bahamas Health Visa are required in advance .
Effective Nov. 14 , travelers must also opt in to travel health insurance as part of the visa .
( Details : https : //www.bahamas.com/tourism-reopening ) Twenty minutes by air from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andros Island offers 18 suites and six villas .
With a premium on privacy , perks for the winter weary include ocean-facing reading nooks and a powdery white sandy beach with nary a footprint in sight .
Nightly villa stays start at $ 1,145 .
Entry requirements : Negative test taken within seven days , a minimum 5-day reservation and and a minimum 4-day quarantine at an approved resort .
On the fourth day , travelers can opt to take a COVID test to venture outside their resort .
( Details : https @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fronting Grand Anse Beach , Silversands Grenada features 43 suites and eight villas is anchored by a striking 100-meter pool , which is double the length of an Olympic pool and the longest in the Caribbean .
Nightly all-inclusive rates for a 4-bedroom Beachfront Villa with a pool and deck in front of the beach start at $ 8,000 .
Entry requirements : A negative test taken within three days is mandatory , along with completing travel and health questionnaires .
U.S. residents are also required to purchase of travel health insurance is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ //www.aruba.com/us/traveler-health-requirements ) Close to the lively Palm Beach strip , you ’ ll feel right at home in the 3-bedroom Palm Hills Villa with a pool , backyard garden and kitchen .
Lounge chairs and a poolside cabana sweeten the pot .
Nightly rates start at $ 325 .
Entry requirements : Negative test taken within seven days of travel and a travel authorization form are required .
( Details : www.stlucia.org/en/Covid-19/ ) With cinematic views of the mighty Piton Peaks and the Caribbean Sea , pampering is the priority at the Stonefield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1-bedroom villas , each with its own pool and outdoor showers .
Weekly rates , which include meals and shuttles to Sugar Beach start at $ 3,850 .
Overlooking Rodney Bay Marina , Water ’ s Edge Villas by Bay Gardens Resorts are Creole chic with waterfront terraces and beat-the-heat pools .
Upping the ante , unlimited play at the Splash Island Water Park on Reduit Beach is gratis .
Weekly stays in a 4-bedroom villa start at $ 3,500 .
Entry requirements : Anguilla is requiring visitors to have a negative test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel , pre-travel passenger and health forms and proof of medical insurance .
Visitors will be retested upon arrival in Anguilla and must remain in quarantine at their resort for 10 days .
While waiting out their quarantines , villa guests can enjoy beach and pool time , watersports and tennis .
( Details : https : //ivisitanguilla.com/escape/apply.html ) Herculean on the north coast , Long Bay Villas with butler service , pools and hot tubs are nothing short of spectacular .
The stark-white Sea , Sand and Sky Villas also share tennis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gym .
Weekly rates for the 5-bedroom Sky Villa start at $ 20,300 through Nov. 15 .
More like a mega-villa than a villa , 5-bedroom Antilles Pearl at the Altamer Resort is a seaside beauty with a 50-foot skywalk that hovers over the beach with its own pool and hot tub .
Weekly rates start at $ 30,000 , for longer stays ; monthly rates start at $ 110,000 .
Entry requirements : A Traveler ’ s Health Affidavit is necessary .
Negative test results are no longer required but visitors will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be selected for a breath test upon arrival .
( Details : www.godominicanrepublic.com/newsroom/coronavirus/ ) On the southeast coast in La Romana about an hour from Punta Cana , Casa de Campo Resort & Villas is the top pick for globetrotting luxury-seekers .
A sprawling community with a trio of Pete Dye golf courses , tennis and polo , its 22 villas are privacy perfection with pools and artfully designed indoor and outdoor living space .
Weekly rates for a 4-bedroom Oceanfront Villa with butler service starts $ 35,000 .

These Caribbean hotel villas let you social distance in a luxurious island setting
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19 travel tips: What to know before flying Are you flying for the first time since the pandemic began? Here are a few steps you can take in advance to ensure you don't get stuck at the airport. ProblemSolved, USA TODAY
The beach is just the beginning at a dazzling array of you-deserve-it villas in the Caribbean.
With social distancing and other safety protocols the new vacation norm amid the coronavirus pandemic, a holiday getaway in a private villa could just fit the bill. So why not toss the budget to the breeze and live the dream in your very own secluded retreat under the tropical sun over the holidays?
These Caribbean locales don't currently require visitors to quarantine upon arrival unless otherwise noted, but be sure to check travel requirements before planning a trip amid the pandemic as they may have changed.
Jamaica
Entry requirements: A negative test taken within 10 days of travel and approved travel authorization are required (Details: https://www.visitjamaica.com)
Smartly designed by Ralph Lauren, Round Hill Hotel and Villas west of Montego Bay has long hosted discerning guests like John F. Kennedy, who wrote his famous 1961 "ask-not-what-you-can-do-for-your-country" inauguration address in Villa 25. Nightly rates for a 2-Bedroom Deluxe Villa booked in the Villa Retreat package start at $1,849 including meals and non-motorized watersports.
From basketball courts, private pools and tee time on the 18-hole golf course, a stay in one of 74 perfectly posh villas at The Tryall Club ticks all the boxes. Weekly rates for the 7-bedroom Dragonfly Villa with chef-prepared meals and butler service start at $22,500.
On the north coast, hip beds for heads at GoldenEye include the storied Fleming Villa where British author Ian Fleming penned all 14 James Bond spy thrillers and where his original writing desk still stands. Guilty pleasures include a pool, private beach, garden showers and claw foot tubs. Nightly rates for the 5-bedroom villa start at $6,365.
Sint Maarten / St. Martin
Entry requirements: Negative test taken within five days and a health declaration completed in advance are required. (Details: https://stmaartenehas.com)
Steps from the sand, villas at the Coral Beach Club in Dutch Sint Maarten are crowd-free standalone havens of rejuvenation. Weekly rates for a 4-bedroom Beachfront Villa with a private pool start at $9,286.
In French St. Martin, there’s a lot of panache in the salty air at Villa Mirabelle with four bedrooms and access to a boat dock and petite beach. Weekly rates start at $7,000.
Turks and Caicos Islands
Entry Requirements: Negative test and advance travel authorization required. Note that there is also a nightly, 12 a.m.-5 a.m. curfew in effect through Nov. 16. (Details: https://travelauthorisation.turksandcaicostourism.com/public/)
On the less-traveled Long Bay Beach in Providenciales, social distancing is a breeze and the living regal in the Villas at The Shore Club. Nightly rates in a 6-bedroom, family-friendly villa with a whirlpool and sauna in the master bedroom start at $6,000 including VIP airport transfers, butler service and a bottle of bubbly.
There’s a lot of awesomeness under one roof at the Cabuya Villa with six bedrooms and an infinity edge pool that spills onto a secluded beach. Nightly rates start at $4,300.
The Bahamas
Entry requirements: Quarantine is no longer required; however, a negative test and Bahamas Health Visa are required in advance. Effective Nov. 14, travelers must also opt in to travel health insurance as part of the visa. (Details: https://www.bahamas.com/tourism-reopening)
Twenty minutes by air from Nassau, Caerula Mar Club on South Andros Island offers 18 suites and six villas. With a premium on privacy, perks for the winter weary include ocean-facing reading nooks and a powdery white sandy beach with nary a footprint in sight. Nightly villa stays start at $1,145.
Grenada
Entry requirements: Negative test taken within seven days, a minimum 5-day reservation and and a minimum 4-day quarantine at an approved resort. On the fourth day, travelers can opt to take a COVID test to venture outside their resort. (Details: https://covid19.gov.gd/)
On prime real estate fronting Grand Anse Beach, Silversands Grenada features 43 suites and eight villas is anchored by a striking 100-meter pool, which is double the length of an Olympic pool and the longest in the Caribbean. Nightly all-inclusive rates for a 4-bedroom Beachfront Villa with a pool and deck in front of the beach start at $8,000.
Aruba
Entry requirements: A negative test taken within three days is mandatory, along with completing travel and health questionnaires. U.S. residents are also required to purchase of travel health insurance is mandatory. (Details: https://www.aruba.com/us/traveler-health-requirements)
Close to the lively Palm Beach strip, you’ll feel right at home in the 3-bedroom Palm Hills Villa with a pool, backyard garden and kitchen. Lounge chairs and a poolside cabana sweeten the pot. Nightly rates start at $325.
Saint Lucia
Entry requirements: Negative test taken within seven days of travel and a travel authorization form are required. (Details: www.stlucia.org/en/Covid-19/)
With cinematic views of the mighty Piton Peaks and the Caribbean Sea, pampering is the priority at the Stonefield Villa Resort. There are a dozen 1-bedroom villas, each with its own pool and outdoor showers. Weekly rates, which include meals and shuttles to Sugar Beach start at $3,850.
Overlooking Rodney Bay Marina, Water’s Edge Villas by Bay Gardens Resorts are Creole chic with waterfront terraces and beat-the-heat pools. Upping the ante, unlimited play at the Splash Island Water Park on Reduit Beach is gratis. Weekly stays in a 4-bedroom villa start at $3,500.
Anguilla
Entry requirements: Anguilla is requiring visitors to have a negative test taken no more than five days before travel, pre-travel passenger and health forms and proof of medical insurance. Visitors will be retested upon arrival in Anguilla and must remain in quarantine at their resort for 10 days. While waiting out their quarantines, villa guests can enjoy beach and pool time, watersports and tennis. (Details: https://ivisitanguilla.com/escape/apply.html)
Herculean on the north coast, Long Bay Villas with butler service, pools and hot tubs are nothing short of spectacular. The stark-white Sea, Sand and Sky Villas also share tennis and basketball courts as well as a gym. Weekly rates for the 5-bedroom Sky Villa start at $20,300 through Nov. 15.
More like a mega-villa than a villa, 5-bedroom Antilles Pearl at the Altamer Resort is a seaside beauty with a 50-foot skywalk that hovers over the beach with its own pool and hot tub. Weekly rates start at $30,000, for longer stays; monthly rates start at $110,000.
Dominican Republic
Entry requirements: A Traveler’s Health Affidavit is necessary. Negative test results are no longer required but visitors will still undergo a temperature check and may be selected for a breath test upon arrival. (Details: www.godominicanrepublic.com/newsroom/coronavirus/)
On the southeast coast in La Romana about an hour from Punta Cana, Casa de Campo Resort & Villas is the top pick for globetrotting luxury-seekers. A sprawling community with a trio of Pete Dye golf courses, tennis and polo, its 22 villas are privacy perfection with pools and artfully designed indoor and outdoor living space. Weekly rates for a 4-bedroom Oceanfront Villa with butler service starts $35,000.


usatoday--2020-11-14--As MLB's minor league revamp wraps up, embattled franchises await fate: 'We are waiting and hoping'

The final few weeks of the most torturous year in the history of minor league baseball are proving just as gut-wrenching as the 11 months that preceded it .
Waylaid from within by Major League Baseball ’ s desire to gain total control of player development , and sidelined for all of 2020 by a global pandemic that cancelled its season and forced thousands of layoffs and furloughs , the owners , operators and executives of minor league baseball franchises now can only wait for an answer to a question that has roiled them all since late 2019 : Are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
That answer resides almost solely with MLB , which used the September expiration of its long-running Professional Baseball Agreement with Minor League Baseball to reassess and ultimately take control of how the minors are run .
The process was kick-started in October 2020 , when a list of 42 teams MLB was targeting for contraction was obtained by Baseball America .
While it was certainly just a working list , its revelation spread panic through the industry , with franchises threatened with losing their major league affiliations aiming to spit-shine facilities and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their new overlords , and others looking over their shoulders for fear they would join the damned as the shuffle played out .
It all pointed to an endgame now rapidly approaching : A final list of 140 teams that will retain a Professional Development License and the cachet that comes with an attachment to an MLB franchise .
A full release of affiliated clubs from MLB could come by the end of this month ; some franchises have already found out whether they hold a golden ticket , with New York ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that came as news to the losing franchises , prompting executives with the Yankees ’ Staten Island and Trenton ( N.J. ) affiliates to lash out at the club for their lack of transparency .
Others have been informed but not publicly revealed , while others still are left in a professional purgatory , hoping that this game of musical chairs ends with them having a place to sit .
“ Like all of the other teams and communities , ” says Jim Jaworski , general manager of the Florida State League ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waiting and hoping.
” The Daytona franchise , which was on the original contraction list , is one of dozens with deep ties to the game ’ s history – it plays its home games at Jackie Robinson Ballpark .
That ’ s the site of Robinson ’ s first game against white professional players on March 17 , 1946 , when the Montreal Royals played the parent Brooklyn Dodgers , after racial threats forced Brooklyn GM Branch Rickey to move the Royals ’ training camp from Sanford to Daytona Beach .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a transition that pits baseball ’ s lifeblood , along with an affordable and widespread access point in dozens of markets without major league franchises , against MLB ’ s desire for greater efficiency in player development .
“ Major League Baseball continues to work with Minor League owners to grow the game by building a new player development model that will better serve fans , players and communities throughout the United States and Canada , ” MLB said in a statement , “ while preserving baseball in the cities and towns where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both will prove challenging .
Yet even if MLB reaches its goals in the long term – providing better conditions and pay for its minor leaguers , while maximizing exposure to up-and-coming stars before they reach the big leagues – it won ’ t come without severing numerous emotional attachments of town to team in the near term .
The franchises that ultimately remain affiliated will have survived a highly political process that drew the attention of presidential candidates and state-level lawmakers enraged that millions of dollars from municipalities were or will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest draw : The chance for fans to see a future major leaguer for the price of a venti frappuchino .
The first rules of engagement involved several factors : Relationship with or proximity to a major league franchise , level of play and geography .
A good number of minor-league clubs are owned by their parent franchises ; the Atlanta Braves , for instance , own five of their affiliates and the Los Angeles Dodgers own their Class AAA team in Oklahoma City .
Clubs like that were never in danger .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s desire to streamline player development .
While the 2020 draft was a six-round affair largely because COVID-19 shut down amateur baseball almost entirely , future drafts will almost certainly shrink , likely from 40 to about 20 rounds .
And fewer draftees mean fewer minor league affiliates .
Now , rookie-level ball will largely take place at major league teams ’ spring training facilities in Arizona and Florida .
With that in mind , say goodbye to the short-season New York-Penn and Appalachian leagues as you knew them .
The Appalachian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will become a summer developmental league for collegiate players , in partnership with USA Baseball .
The New York-Penn may serve a similar role for rising collegiate seniors , according to Baseball America .
That circuit exemplifies the capricious nature of this process .
The Brooklyn and Hudson Valley ( N.Y. ) franchises will remain affiliated , per the preferences of the Mets and Yankees , and in fact are getting promoted to high Class A , joining a cluster of clubs for a new league in the mid-Atlantic .
Other New York-Penn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania and New England , won ’ t be so lucky .
The Lowell ( Mass . )
Spinners , for one , are slated to lose their affiliation with the Boston Red Sox that dates to 1996 .
Another X factor : The elevation of franchises from independent to affiliated ball .
The Yankees pivoted from Trenton to the Somerset ( N.J. ) Patriots , late of the independent Atlantic League .
A pair of higher-profile independent clubs , the St. Paul ( Minn. ) Saints and SugarLand ( Texas ) Skeeters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So add at least three more clubs to the extinction list .
Not that those who don ’ t make it will exit without a fight .
In Pennsylvania , Gov .
Tom Wolf sent a letter to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred in December 2019 , railing against the possibility that teams in Williamsport , State College and Erie would be cast aside .
All have poured municipal funds into stadium upgrades .
In Erie , a $ 12 million state grant had paved the way for significant upgrades to UPMC Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was revealed the SeaWolves were on the original list of teams slated for contraction .
Now , a club that ’ s been affiliated with MLB since 1995 and the Class AA home of the Detroit Tigers since 2001 is hopeful it has maneuvered its way off the bubble .
“ The SeaWolves have worked closely with the Tigers to understand MLB ’ s proposed new facility requirements , ” SeaWolves president Greg Coleman said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports .
“ Recent renovations to UPMC Park meet the majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met by a clubhouse renovation , which is expected to start soon .
We are confident that these recent and forthcoming enhancements will ensure Erie continues as the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers .
“ Many teams throughout MiLB will need to make significant upgrades to meet the new facility requirements .
We ’ re fortunate , thanks to support from Gov .
Wolf , Erie Events , and our state and local representatives , that we have a head start compared to most teams in meeting the new standards .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a supportive partner in the Tigers .
We have a strong , 20-year partnership , and we expect that relationship will continue for years to come.
” One of the Erie upgrades includes air-conditioned batting tunnels , a sign of the times .
When the contraction process began , targeted teams were given a somewhat nebulous guideline that “ facility upgrades ” would largely guide who remained within MLB ’ s realm .
Now , teams have a greater idea the specifics involved in running a minor-league franchise under MLB ’ s auspices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a minority owner of the Yankees who also owns two minor-league teams , as a liaison between the central office and minor-league franchises .
Last month , clubs received an updated list of facility and operational guidelines they are expected to meet .
According to two minor-league executives who have seen the list , they include expanded clubhouses and training facilities , lighting standards and on-site food preparation .
Games played on getaway days can not start after 4 p.m. And any trips longer than 350 miles will require plane travel , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the memo on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly .
Minor leaguers should be better taken care of 24 hours a day , and possibly better-paid .
Their woefully short salaries - many in Class A make around $ 1,200 per month in season - have prompted class-action lawsuits and inspired MLB to lobby Congress to avoid having ballplayers classified as employees .
Some franchises have taken it upon themselves to pay their own minor-leaguers more .
Meanwhile , enhanced per diems and daily amenities mean a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – though it still beats the alternative .
Beyond the loss of jobs and livelihoods , COVID-19 robbed many contraction-bound franchises of something else : A proper farewell .
From 1986 to 2019 , a bevy of cult heroes and All-Stars made their way through Burlington , North Carolina – from Jim Thome , Manny Ramirez and Bartolo Colon through its days as a Cleveland Indians affiliate , to World Series MVP Salvador Perez as a Royals affiliate .
But the Appalachian League franchise was likely never going to escape the loss of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the more abrupt .
“ The pandemic obviously couldn ’ t come at a worse time , for minor league and Major League Baseball , ” says new Royals owner Ryan Keur .
“ It was bloody in this industry .
COVID probably accelerated contraction talks and eliminated some of the fight some teams would have had .
“ You ’ re fighting not just contraction but a global pandemic .
Trying to survive and advance not just as a major league affiliate , but as a business.
” So Keur decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left his post as team president of the Daytona Tortugas and took over control of the Royals from longtime owner Miles Wolff , a prominent figure in minor league baseball whose ownership of the Durham Bulls in the years before Bull Durham shone a brighter light on the industry .
Keur had a previous stint in Burlington and has seen the industry morph before his eyes .
“ As we head down this path of ‘ One Baseball , ’ ” he says , referencing MLB ’ s desire to centralize numerous elements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handed down from the commissioner ’ s office , you sort of see how you fit in the puzzle.
” In Burlington , fans may actually see a larger number of future major leaguers .
Yet rather than following them on their path to Kansas City or Cleveland , it will instead be a pitcher from Vanderbilt , a shortstop from UCLA , an outfielder from Florida State calling Carolina his home for a summer .
Keur also envisions greater opportunities to market these players under centralized leadership – such as a league @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playoff games broadcast beyond a cult following watching a live stream .
“ You talk about growing the game , we feel the Appalachian League is a perfect opportunity for this , ” he says .
“ How do we grow the player ’ s brand before he becomes Mike Trout , before he becomes Bryce Harper ?
You knew Zion Williamson when he was 15 years old .
“ We can think differently about how we grow the minors.
” Not without some pain , of course .
The entity of Minor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MLB and maintain something close to its status quo .
Now , there ’ s an acceptance – grudging or otherwise – that the game will never be the same , for better or worse .
“ As 160 teams , there was a clear path to unity .
But as the months went on , you could see teams , organizations work a little more in silos , ” says Keur .
“ It really is a shame .
Minor league baseball has been decimated here and hopefully can restructure the pieces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities .
“ Hopefully , we ’ ll look back in five years and the 160 communities , thee sport of baseball can continue to grow .
”

As MLB's minor league revamp wraps up, embattled franchises await fate: 'We are waiting and hoping'
Show Caption Hide Caption MLB's $8.3 billion debt will have major impact on free agency SportsPulse: Former NBPA Executive Director Charles Grantham stops by to discuss the MLB's $8.3 billion debt and how it will effect free agency and the future of the CBA. USA TODAY
The final few weeks of the most torturous year in the history of minor league baseball are proving just as gut-wrenching as the 11 months that preceded it.
Waylaid from within by Major League Baseball’s desire to gain total control of player development, and sidelined for all of 2020 by a global pandemic that cancelled its season and forced thousands of layoffs and furloughs, the owners, operators and executives of minor league baseball franchises now can only wait for an answer to a question that has roiled them all since late 2019:
Are you in, or are you out?
That answer resides almost solely with MLB, which used the September expiration of its long-running Professional Baseball Agreement with Minor League Baseball to reassess and ultimately take control of how the minors are run.
The process was kick-started in October 2019, when a list of 42 teams MLB was targeting for contraction was obtained by Baseball America. While it was certainly just a working list, its revelation spread panic through the industry, with franchises threatened with losing their major league affiliations aiming to spit-shine facilities and put on their best public face for their new overlords, and others looking over their shoulders for fear they would join the damned as the shuffle played out.
It all pointed to an endgame now rapidly approaching: A final list of 140 teams that will retain a Professional Development License and the cachet that comes with an attachment to an MLB franchise.
A full release of affiliated clubs from MLB could come by the end of this month; some franchises have already found out whether they hold a golden ticket, with New York’s Mets and Yankees revealing affiliate changes that came as news to the losing franchises, prompting executives with the Yankees’ Staten Island and Trenton (N.J.) affiliates to lash out at the club for their lack of transparency.
Others have been informed but not publicly revealed, while others still are left in a professional purgatory, hoping that this game of musical chairs ends with them having a place to sit.
“Like all of the other teams and communities,” says Jim Jaworski, general manager of the Florida State League’s Daytona Tortugas, “we are waiting and hoping.”
The Daytona franchise, which was on the original contraction list, is one of dozens with deep ties to the game’s history – it plays its home games at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. That’s the site of Robinson’s first game against white professional players on March 17, 1946, when the Montreal Royals played the parent Brooklyn Dodgers, after racial threats forced Brooklyn GM Branch Rickey to move the Royals’ training camp from Sanford to Daytona Beach.
It is one of many inflection points in a transition that pits baseball’s lifeblood, along with an affordable and widespread access point in dozens of markets without major league franchises, against MLB’s desire for greater efficiency in player development.
“Major League Baseball continues to work with Minor League owners to grow the game by building a new player development model that will better serve fans, players and communities throughout the United States and Canada,” MLB said in a statement, “while preserving baseball in the cities and towns where it is currently being played.”
Doing both will prove challenging. Yet even if MLB reaches its goals in the long term – providing better conditions and pay for its minor leaguers, while maximizing exposure to up-and-coming stars before they reach the big leagues – it won’t come without severing numerous emotional attachments of town to team in the near term.
MINORS: Affiliates blast Yankees' decision to abandon them
COHEN: New owner sees Mets winning World Series in 3-5 years
Winners and losers
The franchises that ultimately remain affiliated will have survived a highly political process that drew the attention of presidential candidates and state-level lawmakers enraged that millions of dollars from municipalities were or will be funneled toward stadiums that will lose their biggest draw: The chance for fans to see a future major leaguer for the price of a venti frappuchino.
The first rules of engagement involved several factors: Relationship with or proximity to a major league franchise, level of play and geography.
A good number of minor-league clubs are owned by their parent franchises; the Atlanta Braves, for instance, own five of their affiliates and the Los Angeles Dodgers own their Class AAA team in Oklahoma City. Clubs like that were never in danger.
Attrition, instead, started with MLB’s desire to streamline player development. While the 2020 draft was a six-round affair largely because COVID-19 shut down amateur baseball almost entirely, future drafts will almost certainly shrink, likely from 40 to about 20 rounds. And fewer draftees mean fewer minor league affiliates.
Now, rookie-level ball will largely take place at major league teams’ spring training facilities in Arizona and Florida.
With that in mind, say goodbye to the short-season New York-Penn and Appalachian leagues as you knew them. The Appalachian League, MLB announced in September, will become a summer developmental league for collegiate players, in partnership with USA Baseball. The New York-Penn may serve a similar role for rising collegiate seniors, according to Baseball America.
That circuit exemplifies the capricious nature of this process. The Brooklyn and Hudson Valley (N.Y.) franchises will remain affiliated, per the preferences of the Mets and Yankees, and in fact are getting promoted to high Class A, joining a cluster of clubs for a new league in the mid-Atlantic.
Other New York-Penn franchises, from Ohio to Vermont to Pennsylvania and New England, won’t be so lucky. The Lowell (Mass.) Spinners, for one, are slated to lose their affiliation with the Boston Red Sox that dates to 1996.
Another X factor: The elevation of franchises from independent to affiliated ball. The Yankees pivoted from Trenton to the Somerset (N.J.) Patriots, late of the independent Atlantic League. A pair of higher-profile independent clubs, the St. Paul (Minn.) Saints and SugarLand (Texas) Skeeters, are also expected to earn affiliations.
So add at least three more clubs to the extinction list.
Not that those who don’t make it will exit without a fight.
In Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf sent a letter to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred in December 2019, railing against the possibility that teams in Williamsport, State College and Erie would be cast aside. All have poured municipal funds into stadium upgrades.
In Erie, a $12 million state grant had paved the way for significant upgrades to UPMC Park – an outlay that came before it was revealed the SeaWolves were on the original list of teams slated for contraction.
Now, a club that’s been affiliated with MLB since 1995 and the Class AA home of the Detroit Tigers since 2001 is hopeful it has maneuvered its way off the bubble.
“The SeaWolves have worked closely with the Tigers to understand MLB’s proposed new facility requirements,” SeaWolves president Greg Coleman said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. “Recent renovations to UPMC Park meet the majority of the requirements. Additional standards will be met by a clubhouse renovation, which is expected to start soon. We are confident that these recent and forthcoming enhancements will ensure Erie continues as the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.
“Many teams throughout MiLB will need to make significant upgrades to meet the new facility requirements. We’re fortunate, thanks to support from Gov. Wolf, Erie Events, and our state and local representatives, that we have a head start compared to most teams in meeting the new standards. We’re also very fortunate to have a supportive partner in the Tigers. We have a strong, 20-year partnership, and we expect that relationship will continue for years to come.”
One of the Erie upgrades includes air-conditioned batting tunnels, a sign of the times. When the contraction process began, targeted teams were given a somewhat nebulous guideline that “facility upgrades” would largely guide who remained within MLB’s realm. Now, teams have a greater idea the specifics involved in running a minor-league franchise under MLB’s auspices. MLB has enlisted Peter Freund, a minority owner of the Yankees who also owns two minor-league teams, as a liaison between the central office and minor-league franchises.
Last month, clubs received an updated list of facility and operational guidelines they are expected to meet. According to two minor-league executives who have seen the list, they include expanded clubhouses and training facilities, lighting standards and on-site food preparation. Games played on getaway days cannot start after 4 p.m.
And any trips longer than 350 miles will require plane travel, according to the executives, who shared details of the memo on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
Minor leaguers should be better taken care of 24 hours a day, and possibly better-paid. Their woefully short salaries - many in Class A make around $1,200 per month in season - have prompted class-action lawsuits and inspired MLB to lobby Congress to avoid having ballplayers classified as employees. Some franchises have taken it upon themselves to pay their own minor-leaguers more.
Meanwhile, enhanced per diems and daily amenities mean a greater burden will fall on affiliated franchises – though it still beats the alternative.
Hard to say goodbye
Beyond the loss of jobs and livelihoods, COVID-19 robbed many contraction-bound franchises of something else: A proper farewell.
From 1986 to 2019, a bevy of cult heroes and All-Stars made their way through Burlington, North Carolina – from Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez and Bartolo Colon through its days as a Cleveland Indians affiliate, to World Series MVP Salvador Perez as a Royals affiliate.
But the Appalachian League franchise was likely never going to escape the loss of affiliation – and then COVID-19 made goodbye all the more abrupt.
“The pandemic obviously couldn’t come at a worse time, for minor league and Major League Baseball,” says new Royals owner Ryan Keur. “It was bloody in this industry. COVID probably accelerated contraction talks and eliminated some of the fight some teams would have had.
“You’re fighting not just contraction but a global pandemic. Trying to survive and advance not just as a major league affiliate, but as a business.”
So Keur decided to steer into the changes. He left his post as team president of the Daytona Tortugas and took over control of the Royals from longtime owner Miles Wolff, a prominent figure in minor league baseball whose ownership of the Durham Bulls in the years before Bull Durham shone a brighter light on the industry.
Keur had a previous stint in Burlington and has seen the industry morph before his eyes.
“As we head down this path of ‘One Baseball,’” he says, referencing MLB’s desire to centralize numerous elements of the sport, “with everything handed down from the commissioner’s office, you sort of see how you fit in the puzzle.”
In Burlington, fans may actually see a larger number of future major leaguers. Yet rather than following them on their path to Kansas City or Cleveland, it will instead be a pitcher from Vanderbilt, a shortstop from UCLA, an outfielder from Florida State calling Carolina his home for a summer.
Keur also envisions greater opportunities to market these players under centralized leadership – such as a league selection show on MLB Network, or playoff games broadcast beyond a cult following watching a live stream.
“You talk about growing the game, we feel the Appalachian League is a perfect opportunity for this,” he says. “How do we grow the player’s brand before he becomes Mike Trout, before he becomes Bryce Harper? You knew Zion Williamson when he was 15 years old.
“We can think differently about how we grow the minors.”
Not without some pain, of course.
The entity of Minor League Baseball hoped to hold strong against MLB and maintain something close to its status quo. Now, there’s an acceptance – grudging or otherwise – that the game will never be the same, for better or worse.
“As 160 teams, there was a clear path to unity. But as the months went on, you could see teams, organizations work a little more in silos,” says Keur. “It really is a shame. Minor league baseball has been decimated here and hopefully can restructure the pieces and continue to provide for our local communities.
“Hopefully, we’ll look back in five years and the 160 communities, thee sport of baseball can continue to grow.”


usatoday--2020-11-14--'Time to get to work': Mark Kelly prepares to join Senate in early December, hopes to use John McCai

As a retired Navy combat pilot and NASA astronaut , Mark Kelly has navigated treacherous airspace and commanded a space shuttle .
As a retired Navy combat pilot and NASA astronaut , Kelly is used to hazardous journeys .
But his training didn ’ t prepare him for navigating the complex corridors , cloakrooms , and centuries-old traditions of the U.S. Senate when he traveled to Capitol Hill to see the chamber where he will serve for the first time .
There Kelly entered the intimate chamber , along with other incoming senators , for an up-close look at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
With his win over Sen. Martha McSally , R-Ariz. , he will join Sen. Kyrsten Sinema , D-Ariz. , and Arizonans will be represented by a pair of Democrats for the first time in 67 years .
Before getting lost in the maze of buildings and hallways , Kelly sat in the desk of Sen. Ben Cardin , D-Maryland , along with seven members of the freshmen class as he heard from the Senate staffers about the rules and traditions of the Senate .
“ I will say after 21 months of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to folks in places where they live and work throughout Arizona — it ’ s sort of abstract , ” he told The Arizona Republic on Friday .
“ And then within a week , I find myself sitting there on the Senate floor and that ’ s when it becomes just very , very real , that the election is over and now it ’ s time to get to work.
” Kelly ousted McSally in Arizona ’ s special Senate election and will serve the remainder of the term initially won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McCain , R-Ariz. , who died two years later .
Kelly hopes to work at the desk once used by McCain , and before him , the late former Sen. Barry Goldwater , R-Ariz. Kelly said he spoke to McCain ’ s widow , Cindy McCain , about working from that desk in his eventual Senate office .
The history that desk holds — and the seat he will soon occupy — is meaningful to him .
“ I mean , this is John McCain , and somebody that I looked up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flight school , ” Kelly said .
“ He was the example of how you serve your country under the most challenging circumstances .
He was a hero of mine when I was young , and we often don ’ t get to meet our heroes .
It ’ s also much less often that you eventually get to call them a friend and to be elected to his United States Senate seat , that — that ’ s a very big deal for me.
” McSally , who was eventually appointed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , called Kelly to concede Friday .
Her call came nine days after The Associated Press called the race for Kelly the winner and days after it had become apparent that , despite ongoing vote-counting , she would not pull off a surprise come-from-behind victory .
Kelly was on the other line when her call , from a Tucson-based area code , came through .
He dialed the number back .
McSally was on the other end of the line .
They spoke for five to 10 minutes , he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ Really very nice and positive , and we were talking about how we can best work together here over the next three to four weeks.
” Kelly said McSally understood that he and his transition team were working on an accelerated timeline and that he would be sworn into office before the new group of elected senators and wanted to help make the transition as soon as possible .
Kelly is eligible to take the oath of office as soon as Arizona certifies its election results , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take office in early December .
Asked if he was surprised that it took McSally so long to concede , Kelly downplayed the weight of the tradition .
“ Well , I mean , this concession thing is , I mean , it 's not like a formal part of the process , ” he said .
“ I think it 's important that people when they 're going to make this call , they do it on their own .
… That it occurred over a week , you know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s fine with me.
” Kelly also heard from Ducey on Friday afternoon .
Kelly began transitioning to the Senate last week , after assembling a team he considers representative of the state ’ s demographics and the issues he wants to confront first .
That team is also helping him make staffing decisions for his offices in Washington , D.C. , and back home in Arizona .
The team is helping come up with suggestions for the committees he is interested in serving on .
He wants his experience as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activist to guide his work in the chamber .
Those suggestions will be put forward to Senate leadership in the coming weeks , he said .
“ The requests that we make will ultimately be focused on Arizona , but also focused on my own personal experiences , ” he said .
The powerful Senate Armed Services Committee is high on his list .
When he died , McCain chaired that committee .
Goldwater was Armed Services chairman in the 1980s .
McSally served on it during her tenure in the chamber .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ advocating for a financial stimulus package to help families , small businesses , local governments , health care workers and tribal communities reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic .
Throughout his campaign , Kelly called on a gridlocked Congress to pass additional relief .
He said it is unacceptable for Congress to kick the issue to next year .
“ We 've got hundreds of thousands of individuals who have families that are trying to get by on $ 240 a week of unemployment benefits — that does n't work , '' Kelly said.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way our government should function to say , ‘ This can wait.
’ It can ’ t wait.
” President Donald Trump ’ s administration , the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives and the GOP-controlled Senate should pass a bill to deliver relief as soon as possible , he said .
Kelly will have a vote on the government ’ s next spending package , and perhaps on judicial nominees .
Though he ’ s just days out from his own election win , Kelly already has jumped into the fray for others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help the Democratic candidates in Georgia ’ s two runoff races .
Those contests will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate and are crucial to advancing Democratic President-elect Joe Biden ’ s policy agenda .
“ They ’ re going to be very competitive , both of them .
And I think the outcome is uncertain , ” Kelly said .
It ’ s also unclear how Kelly will navigate the state ’ s electoral cross-currents .
His win , along with Biden ’ s , heartened Arizona Democrats .
At the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Legislature in GOP control and Republicans beat back efforts to take another congressional seat .
“ I don ’ t think that partisanship in either side is good , ” he said .
“ I like to see elections that are somewhat close ; I always thought our election would be close .
I ’ ve got to convince Republicans and independents and Democrats to vote for me to be successful .
… I 'm going to represent every single Arizonan to the best of my ability into the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they voted for me .
”

Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Arizona Republic

'Time to get to work': Mark Kelly prepares to join Senate in early December, hopes to use John McCain's desk
Show Caption Hide Caption Reporter Yvonne Wingett Sanchez interviews U.S. Sen.-elect Mark Kelly Republic politics reporter Yvonne Wingett Sanchez interviews U.S. Sen.-elect Mark Kelly. Brian Snyder, Arizona Republic
As a retired Navy combat pilot and NASA astronaut, Mark Kelly has navigated treacherous airspace and commanded a space shuttle.
As a retired Navy combat pilot and NASA astronaut, Kelly is used to hazardous journeys.
But his training didn’t prepare him for navigating the complex corridors, cloakrooms, and centuries-old traditions of the U.S. Senate when he traveled to Capitol Hill to see the chamber where he will serve for the first time.
There Kelly entered the intimate chamber, along with other incoming senators, for an up-close look at the space he will occupy to represent Arizona. With his win over Sen. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., he will join Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Arizonans will be represented by a pair of Democrats for the first time in 67 years.
Before getting lost in the maze of buildings and hallways, Kelly sat in the desk of Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Maryland, along with seven members of the freshmen class as he heard from the Senate staffers about the rules and traditions of the Senate.
“I will say after 21 months of campaigning — campaigns are about reaching out to folks in places where they live and work throughout Arizona — it’s sort of abstract,” he told The Arizona Republic on Friday. “And then within a week, I find myself sitting there on the Senate floor and that’s when it becomes just very, very real, that the election is over and now it’s time to get to work.”
Kelly ousted McSally in Arizona’s special Senate election and will serve the remainder of the term initially won in 2016 by the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who died two years later.
Kelly hopes to work at the desk once used by McCain, and before him, the late former Sen. Barry Goldwater, R-Ariz.
Kelly said he spoke to McCain’s widow, Cindy McCain, about working from that desk in his eventual Senate office. The history that desk holds — and the seat he will soon occupy — is meaningful to him.
“I mean, this is John McCain, and somebody that I looked up to when I was a 22-year-old pilot in flight school,” Kelly said. “He was the example of how you serve your country under the most challenging circumstances. He was a hero of mine when I was young, and we often don’t get to meet our heroes. It’s also much less often that you eventually get to call them a friend and to be elected to his United States Senate seat, that — that’s a very big deal for me.”
McSally, who was eventually appointed by Gov. Doug Ducey to the seat, called Kelly to concede Friday. Her call came nine days after The Associated Press called the race for Kelly the winner and days after it had become apparent that, despite ongoing vote-counting, she would not pull off a surprise come-from-behind victory.
Kelly was on the other line when her call, from a Tucson-based area code, came through. He dialed the number back.
McSally was on the other end of the line. They spoke for five to 10 minutes, he said.
“It was a good call,” he said. “Really very nice and positive, and we were talking about how we can best work together here over the next three to four weeks.”
Kelly said McSally understood that he and his transition team were working on an accelerated timeline and that he would be sworn into office before the new group of elected senators and wanted to help make the transition as soon as possible.
Kelly is eligible to take the oath of office as soon as Arizona certifies its election results, which is scheduled for Nov. 30. He expects to take office in early December.
Asked if he was surprised that it took McSally so long to concede, Kelly downplayed the weight of the tradition.
“Well, I mean, this concession thing is, I mean, it's not like a formal part of the process,” he said. “I think it's important that people when they're going to make this call, they do it on their own . … That it occurred over a week, you know, 10 days after the election, that’s fine with me.”
Kelly also heard from Ducey on Friday afternoon.
Kelly began transitioning to the Senate last week, after assembling a team he considers representative of the state’s demographics and the issues he wants to confront first. That team is also helping him make staffing decisions for his offices in Washington, D.C., and back home in Arizona.
The team is helping come up with suggestions for the committees he is interested in serving on. He wants his experience as an engineer, veteran, astronaut and gun-safety activist to guide his work in the chamber. Those suggestions will be put forward to Senate leadership in the coming weeks, he said.
“The requests that we make will ultimately be focused on Arizona, but also focused on my own personal experiences,” he said.
The powerful Senate Armed Services Committee is high on his list. When he died, McCain chaired that committee. Goldwater was Armed Services chairman in the 1980s. McSally served on it during her tenure in the chamber.
Kelly’s immediate focus is on advocating for a financial stimulus package to help families, small businesses, local governments, health care workers and tribal communities reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout his campaign, Kelly called on a gridlocked Congress to pass additional relief. He said it is unacceptable for Congress to kick the issue to next year.
“We've got hundreds of thousands of individuals who have families that are trying to get by on $240 a week of unemployment benefits — that doesn't work," Kelly said. " … That’s just not the way our government should function to say, ‘This can wait.’ It can’t wait.”
President Donald Trump’s administration, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives and the GOP-controlled Senate should pass a bill to deliver relief as soon as possible, he said.
Kelly will have a vote on the government’s next spending package, and perhaps on judicial nominees.
Though he’s just days out from his own election win, Kelly already has jumped into the fray for others: He is splitting campaign donations to help the Democratic candidates in Georgia’s two runoff races.
Those contests will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate and are crucial to advancing Democratic President-elect Joe Biden’s policy agenda.
“They’re going to be very competitive, both of them. And I think the outcome is uncertain,” Kelly said.
It’s also unclear how Kelly will navigate the state’s electoral cross-currents.
His win, along with Biden’s, heartened Arizona Democrats.
At the same time, voters kept the state’s Legislature in GOP control and Republicans beat back efforts to take another congressional seat.
For his part, Kelly sees opportunity.
“I don’t think that partisanship in either side is good,” he said. “I like to see elections that are somewhat close; I always thought our election would be close. I’ve got to convince Republicans and independents and Democrats to vote for me to be successful. … I'm going to represent every single Arizonan to the best of my ability into the United States Senate, regardless of whether or not they voted for me.”
Follow Yvonna Wingett Sanchez on Twitter @yvonnewinget


usatoday--2020-11-14--The best Black Friday 2020 mattress deals to shop from Nectar, Awara and more

— Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed ’ s editors .
Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission .
Let ’ s face it : 2020 hasn ’ t been the easiest of years .
For many , stress has prevented a solid eight hours of sleep , and the products that we use—mattresses , bedding and pillows—should help make it easier—not the other way around .
That ’ s why these Black Friday mattress sales couldn ’ t have come at a better time .
Need help finding products ?
Sign up for our weekly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can unsubscribe at any time .
Those on the hunt for the perfect place to rest their head each night can save big at tons of Reviewed-approved retailers .
From a deal on our all-time favorite boxed mattress at Nectar to discounts on customer-loved brands , such as Tuft & Needle , these post-Turkey Day-themed sales are seriously substantial .
And while it might seem a little scary to make such a big purchase online , many of these sites have super forgiving return policies and trial periods , along with high-tech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find the best mattress for your sleeping needs .
All in all , it ’ s a mostly risk-free process .
Ahead , check out the seven best Black Friday mattress deals going on in honor of Black Friday 2020 .
At Leesa , you can save up to $ 500 on your mattress and nab two free pillows with your purchase with no code necessary .
This sale is live through Sunday , November 22 , and extends to our pick for the best upgraded mattress-in-a-box , the Leesa Hybrid .
Normally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sale from $ 899 .
We thought this bed had a pretty impressive comfort level with a `` luxury feel '' , especially because it was equally as supportive as it was soft .
The Leesa Legend mattress , meanwhile , is the most steeply discounted , as it drops by up to $ 500 from $ 1,699 to $ 1,549 .
With your mattress purchase , you ’ ll receive a 10-year-long warranty , along with free , no-contact delivery and a risk-free 100-night trial period .
Although we ’ ve yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it 's one of the most popular mattresses our readers have bought this year , and the site ’ s Black Friday sale is simply too good to pass up .
From now until Sunday , December 6 , shoppers can shave $ 300 off their mattress purchase , plus , they 'll get 25 % off all accessories .
The retailer will even plant 300 trees in your honor once you complete your order !
Awara ’ s organic latex Hybrid mattress , which has a solid 4.5-star rating from nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is on sale from $ 899 , giving you up to $ 300 in savings .
It features premium , Sri Lanka latex and wrapped coil springs , which are constructed to provide contour , bounciness and overall optimal support throughout the night .
You can test the mattress out for an impressive 365-night period , and the company also offers free shipping and returns .
Nectar ’ s post-Turkey Day savings haven ’ t begun quite yet , but the brand ’ s Original mattress is the best we ’ ve ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the retailer ’ s ongoing promotion .
Through Sunday , November 15 , folks can snag $ 399 worth of free accessories with any mattress purchase : That means you ’ ll get a mattress protector ( $ 99 ) , a sheet set ( $ 150 ) and two premium pillows ( $ 150 , currently out of stock for separate purchase ) , all free of charge .
We recommend purchasing the Nectar memory foam mattress , once $ 798 and on sale from $ 499 , for its comfy balance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lightweight feel and lengthy 365-night trial period .
You ’ ll even get no-contact free shipping and returns .
For a limited time , shoppers can enter code BF30 at checkout to save 30 % on mattresses and snag free pillows at Amerisleep .
Although we haven ’ t tested out the brand ’ s bedding just yet , its most popular mattress , the AS3 , has a near-perfect rating from more than 6,600 Amerisleep shoppers .
The best-selling bed is designed to fit your specific sleep needs and body contours thanks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support .
It normally retails from $ 1,149 , but you can now nab it from $ 804 with the coupon code , saving you up to $ 720 at checkout .
With your purchase , you ’ ll also receive two free memory foam pillows ( valued at $ 130 ) , which feature shredded , moldable memory foam .
From now through Monday , November 30 , you can majorly save on tons of cozy goodies at Casper : Bundles are 30 % off , while mattresses are discounted by 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and bedding at 10 % off .
The brand ’ s Original mattress , for instance , is normally priced from $ 595 , but you can save between $ 89 to $ 194 on it right now depending on the size you choose .
Featured in our list of the best mattresses in a box , we liked the breathable , open-cell top layer included in this 10-inch thick bed with four layers of foam .
The Casper mattress topper , meanwhile , was our No.1 pick for toppers thanks to its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can snag this Reviewed-approved pick , normally from $ 195 , from $ 176 , giving you up to $ 35 in savings .
There are tons of opportunities to save on Purple ’ s best-tested mattresses this Black Friday , The Original mattress , which is uniquely designed thanks to its squishy gel material , is $ 100 off ( note that twin and twin XL sizes are $ 50 off ) .
Meanwhile , the Hybrid Premier is $ 200 off , the Hybrid is $ 150 off and the kid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can save even more when you shop the retailer ’ s bundles .
For instance , you can save $ 200 when you purchase two Harmony pillows , a set of sheets and a mattress protector , and you can check out the site ’ s other bundles on sale here .
So comfortable was this mattress in testing , it eliminated our tester 's back pain—she even ended up buying one for herself .
While the Black Friday sale hasn ’ t officially started over at Tuft & Needle , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Veteran ’ s Day through Sunday , November 15 .
You can use this promotion on everything from mattresses to bedding to pillows .
We found ourselves to be most thrilled with the brand ’ s Original mattress , which earned its place as the best value pick in our roundup of best mattresses-in-a-box .
As one of the least expensive options we tried , its comfort and support levels were still otherworldly : It contains two levels of foam ( a soft , 3-inch top layer with cooling graphite and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , plus , our tester found that it mitigated movement impressively well .
The Original mattress typically retails from $ 350 , but you can save up to $ 75 on it thanks to this holiday discount .
( Psst : We also love the brand ’ s Original pillow , once $ 75 , and on sale from $ 67.50 , which we featured in our roundups of the best pillows and the best pillows for side sleepers ! )
The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Instagram for the latest deals , reviews , and more .
Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time .

The best Black Friday 2020 mattress deals to shop from Nectar, Awara and more
— Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.
Let’s face it: 2020 hasn’t been the easiest of years. For many, stress has prevented a solid eight hours of sleep, and the products that we use—mattresses, bedding and pillows—should help make it easier—not the other way around. That’s why these Black Friday mattress sales couldn’t have come at a better time.
Need help finding products? Sign up for our weekly newsletter. It’s free and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Those on the hunt for the perfect place to rest their head each night can save big at tons of Reviewed-approved retailers. From a deal on our all-time favorite boxed mattress at Nectar to discounts on customer-loved brands, such as Tuft & Needle, these post-Turkey Day-themed sales are seriously substantial. And while it might seem a little scary to make such a big purchase online, many of these sites have super forgiving return policies and trial periods, along with high-tech surveys and questionnaires that can help you find the best mattress for your sleeping needs. All in all, it’s a mostly risk-free process.
Ahead, check out the seven best Black Friday mattress deals going on in honor of Black Friday 2020.
1. Leesa
At Leesa, you can save up to $500 on your mattress and nab two free pillows with your purchase with no code necessary. This sale is live through Sunday, November 22, and extends to our pick for the best upgraded mattress-in-a-box, the Leesa Hybrid. Normally $999, it's currently on sale from $899. We thought this bed had a pretty impressive comfort level with a "luxury feel", especially because it was equally as supportive as it was soft. The Leesa Legend mattress, meanwhile, is the most steeply discounted, as it drops by up to $500 from $1,699 to $1,549. With your mattress purchase, you’ll receive a 10-year-long warranty, along with free, no-contact delivery and a risk-free 100-night trial period.
Shop Leesa Black Friday 2020 Mattress Deals
2. Awara
Although we’ve yet to test Awara’s mattress out, it's one of the most popular mattresses our readers have bought this year, and the site’s Black Friday sale is simply too good to pass up. From now until Sunday, December 6, shoppers can shave $300 off their mattress purchase, plus, they'll get 25% off all accessories. The retailer will even plant 300 trees in your honor once you complete your order! Awara’s organic latex Hybrid mattress, which has a solid 4.5-star rating from nearly 500 shoppers, once $1,199, is on sale from $899, giving you up to $300 in savings. It features premium, Sri Lanka latex and wrapped coil springs, which are constructed to provide contour, bounciness and overall optimal support throughout the night. You can test the mattress out for an impressive 365-night period, and the company also offers free shipping and returns.
Shop Awara Black Friday 2020 Mattress Deals
3. Nectar
Nectar’s post-Turkey Day savings haven’t begun quite yet, but the brand’s Original mattress is the best we’ve ever tested, so we had to include the retailer’s ongoing promotion. Through Sunday, November 15, folks can snag $399 worth of free accessories with any mattress purchase: That means you’ll get a mattress protector ($99), a sheet set ($150) and two premium pillows ($150, currently out of stock for separate purchase), all free of charge. We recommend purchasing the Nectar memory foam mattress, once $798 and on sale from $499, for its comfy balance between firmness and plushness—not to mention the lightweight feel and lengthy 365-night trial period. You’ll even get no-contact free shipping and returns.
Shop the Nectar Black Friday 2020 Mattress Deals
4. Amerisleep
For a limited time, shoppers can enter code BF30 at checkout to save 30% on mattresses and snag free pillows at Amerisleep. Although we haven’t tested out the brand’s bedding just yet, its most popular mattress, the AS3, has a near-perfect rating from more than 6,600 Amerisleep shoppers. The best-selling bed is designed to fit your specific sleep needs and body contours thanks to an even mix of comfort and support. It normally retails from $1,149, but you can now nab it from $804 with the coupon code, saving you up to $720 at checkout. With your purchase, you’ll also receive two free memory foam pillows (valued at $130), which feature shredded, moldable memory foam.
Shop Amerisleep Black Friday 2020 Matress Deals
5. Casper
From now through Monday, November 30, you can majorly save on tons of cozy goodies at Casper: Bundles are 30% off, while mattresses are discounted by 15%. You can also nab pillows and bedding at 10% off. The brand’s Original mattress, for instance, is normally priced from $595, but you can save between $89 to $194 on it right now depending on the size you choose. Featured in our list of the best mattresses in a box, we liked the breathable, open-cell top layer included in this 10-inch thick bed with four layers of foam. The Casper mattress topper, meanwhile, was our No.1 pick for toppers thanks to its quick expansion and durable-yet-supportive design. You can snag this Reviewed-approved pick, normally from $195, from $176, giving you up to $35 in savings.
Shop the Casper Black Friday 2020 Mattress Deals
6. Purple
There are tons of opportunities to save on Purple’s best-tested mattresses this Black Friday, The Original mattress, which is uniquely designed thanks to its squishy gel material, is $100 off (note that twin and twin XL sizes are $50 off). Meanwhile, the Hybrid Premier is $200 off, the Hybrid is $150 off and the kid mattress is $25 off, and you can save even more when you shop the retailer’s bundles. For instance, you can save $200 when you purchase two Harmony pillows, a set of sheets and a mattress protector, and you can check out the site’s other bundles on sale here. So comfortable was this mattress in testing, it eliminated our tester's back pain—she even ended up buying one for herself.
Shop Purple Black Friday 2020 Mattress Deals
7. Tuft & Needle
Black Friday has officially started over at Tuft & Needle. The company is offering 10% off sitewide for its pre-Black Friday sale. You can use this promotion on everything from mattresses to bedding to pillows. We found ourselves to be most thrilled with the brand’s Original mattress, which earned its place as the best value pick in our roundup of best mattresses-in-a-box. As one of the least expensive options we tried, its comfort and support levels were still otherworldly: It contains two levels of foam (a soft, 3-inch top layer with cooling graphite and a firm 7-inch layer at the bottom), plus, our tester found that it mitigated movement impressively well. The Original mattress typically retails from $350, but you can save up to $75 on it thanks to this holiday discount. (Psst: We also love the brand’s Original pillow, once $75, and on sale from $67.50, which we featured in our roundups of the best pillows and the best pillows for side sleepers!)
Shop Tuft & Needle Black Friday Mattress Deals
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usatoday--2020-11-14--Trump election lawsuit in Arizona's Maricopa County dismissed, outcome wouldn't have affected races

An attempt by Republican officials to have more Maricopa County ballots reinspected by hand , possibly changing final vote tallies , has failed .
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Daniel Kiley on Friday dismissed claims filed on behalf of Donald Trump 's campaign , the Republican National Committee and the Arizona Republican Party as moot , meaning further legal proceedings are pointless .
The scope of the lawsuit had narrowed since Republican officials filed it Saturday , alleging “ potentially thousands '' of Arizona voters had been disenfranchised on Election Day .
They claimed Maricopa County poll workers had systematically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — which happen when voters mark more options than allowed in a particular race — instead of allowing voters to make that choice themselves .
The plaintiffs had asked election officials to go back and identify all ballots with overvotes cast in partisan races in Maricopa County on Election Day , to manually inspect those ballots and to discard votes only in cases when “ it is impossible to positively determine the voter ’ s choice.
” But after a six-hour hearing Thursday , Trump attorney Kory Langhofer narrowed that ask significantly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's challenge of election results push US toward 'loss of democracy' At that point , he said , plaintiffs sought only a reinspection of overvoted ballots in cases where the number of overvotes was greater than the margin of the winning candidate 's victory .
The judge seemed amenable to considering the request , saying he would take it under advisement .
County officials had estimated just 960 or so ballots cast were at issue .
But lawyers for the defendants argued there was nothing in state law authorizing such a review .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ already been tabulated , and `` counting ballots that have already been counted is a recount . ''
Arizona does not allow recount requests and has strict criteria for automatic recounts .
By Friday morning , Langhofer had filed a motion acknowledging the outcome of the lawsuit would have no impact on Arizona ’ s presidential results .
He noted a favorable ruling would , at most , be relevant in two down-ballot races .
Attorneys representing election officials also filed a notice Friday morning saying Maricopa County planned to finish counting ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court dismiss Plaintiffs ’ claims as moot . ''
During a brief afternoon hearing , the parties agreed the 432 ballots Maricopa County had left to record and upload were unlikely to change the outcomes of any results .
`` The plaintiffs ' claims are dismissed as moot , '' Kiley said .

Trump election lawsuit in Arizona's Maricopa County dismissed, outcome wouldn't have affected races
Show Caption Hide Caption Concession speeches: A look back on history Scott Farris, author of "Almost President: The Men Who Lost the Race but Changed the Nation," describes the tradition of offering a concession speech. USA TODAY
An attempt by Republican officials to have more Maricopa County ballots reinspected by hand, possibly changing final vote tallies, has failed.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Daniel Kiley on Friday dismissed claims filed on behalf of Donald Trump's campaign, the Republican National Committee and the Arizona Republican Party as moot, meaning further legal proceedings are pointless.
The scope of the lawsuit had narrowed since Republican officials filed it Saturday, alleging “potentially thousands" of Arizona voters had been disenfranchised on Election Day.
They claimed Maricopa County poll workers had systematically overridden ballots with possible "overvotes" — which happen when voters mark more options than allowed in a particular race — instead of allowing voters to make that choice themselves.
The plaintiffs had asked election officials to go back and identify all ballots with overvotes cast in partisan races in Maricopa County on Election Day, to manually inspect those ballots and to discard votes only in cases when “it is impossible to positively determine the voter’s choice.”
But after a six-hour hearing Thursday, Trump attorney Kory Langhofer narrowed that ask significantly.
Consequences of election challenges: Trump campaign's challenge of election results push US toward 'loss of democracy'
At that point, he said, plaintiffs sought only a reinspection of overvoted ballots in cases where the number of overvotes was greater than the margin of the winning candidate's victory.
The judge seemed amenable to considering the request, saying he would take it under advisement. County officials had estimated just 960 or so ballots cast were at issue.
But lawyers for the defendants argued there was nothing in state law authorizing such a review. They said the ballots in question had already been tabulated, and "counting ballots that have already been counted is a recount."
Arizona does not allow recount requests and has strict criteria for automatic recounts.
By Friday morning, Langhofer had filed a motion acknowledging the outcome of the lawsuit would have no impact on Arizona’s presidential results. He noted a favorable ruling would, at most, be relevant in two down-ballot races.
Attorneys representing election officials also filed a notice Friday morning saying Maricopa County planned to finish counting ballots by 3 p.m. and requesting "the Court dismiss Plaintiffs’ claims as moot."
During a brief afternoon hearing, the parties agreed the 432 ballots Maricopa County had left to record and upload were unlikely to change the outcomes of any results.
"The plaintiffs' claims are dismissed as moot," Kiley said.
Follow Matia Poletta on Twitter @mpolletta.


usatoday--2020-11-14--Nevada Gov. Sisolak tests positive for COVID-19. Here's what we know.

RENO , Nev. — Gov .
Steve Sisolak announced Friday he has tested positive for COVID-19 , saying he has no symptoms and will begin a 10-day quarantine at his home in Carson City .
`` Today as part of my regular COVID testing , I underwent a rapid test and returned a positive result , '' Sisolak told reporters during a call Friday afternoon .
`` I am not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms and I have returned to my residence to begin the quarantine process . ''
To confirm the diagnosis , Sisolak , 66 , also took a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's genetic material .
Sisolak undergoes weekly coronavirus testing .
His last negative test was Nov. 6 .
He also tested negative on Nov. 2 .
`` It 's nearly impossible to pinpoint where I contracted the virus , '' Sisolak said .
His positive test comes as Nevada is experiencing a surge in coronavirus cases .
The state marked a new daily record for new cases on Friday , reporting 1,857 infections .
Sisolak said he is cooperating with disease investigators from the Carson City Health and Human Services Department , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days .
Disease contact tracers also are beginning their work to identify who Sisolak has been in close contact with over the past week .
Sisolak has had two public events since Monday , including a press conference on Tuesday and a ribbon-cutting event for the new DMV in Reno .
`` Most days I get driven from the mansion to the capitol and back , '' he said .
`` I had one off-site , the ribbon-cutting of the DMV in Reno and then a press conference .
Those were the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just in my office . ''
A slate of dignitaries , politicians and journalists attended the DMV ribbon-cutting on Monday , just one day before Sisolak held a press conference asking Nevadans to stay home except for essential travel amid an alarming surge in coronavirus cases .
Those at the Monday DMV event included Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve , U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei and state Sen. Ben Kieckhefer .
On a call with a handful of state reporters , Sisolak reiterated that he is not experiencing any symptoms , but said he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been tired since March when we started fighting COVID , '' he said .
`` This puts a spotlight on ( the fact ) you can take all the precautions and it 's possible you can still contract the virus . ''
Since the pandemic began , governors in Missouri , Virginia , and Oklahoma have tested positive for COVID-19 .
Ohio 's governor tested positive , then negative , in August .
Sisolak has had two staff members test positive since October , including his pandemic response director , Caleb Cage .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as it gets anywhere in the world ' for COVID-19 Following Sisolak 's positive test , his staff began working from home on Friday .
`` The governor remains in constant contact with his staff and his cabinet and the work of the Governor ’ s Office will continue remotely , '' his spokeswoman said in a press release .
In a written statement , Sisolak said his positive result should `` underscore the importance of Nevadans to stay at home as much as they possibly can at this time .
There were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nevada yesterday and cases are growing at a rate of 1.3 % or , 1,402 new cases per day . ''
Schieve told the Reno Gazette Journal she will quarantine for 14 days and will undergo testing after Monday 's DMV ribbon-cutting with Sisolak .
`` I am feeling fine , '' she said .
`` I am going to follow strict protocols and quarantine for 14 days .
I will test randomly and will work remotely .
`` I can ’ t stress enough how important it is to wear a mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Today ’ s news certainly shows us that none of us are immune to contracting Covid-19 . ''
Kieckhefer had planned to be flying home from Las Vegas on Friday afternoon .
Instead , he decided he 'd better drive after getting a call from Sisolak .
`` He called me earlier today and told me I was considered a close contact ( because of the DMV event ) , '' Kieckhefer said .
`` So , I 'm doing what I can to protect other people . ''
Kieckhefer said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will self-isolate .
`` We maybe bumped elbows and said a few words , but I did n't have a whole lot of interaction with him , '' Kieckhefer said of the governor .
`` I feel fine and will be following the necessary protocols . ''

Nevada Gov. Sisolak tests positive for COVID-19. Here's what we know.
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19: Americans wait in long lines for tests as new spike hits People waited in long lines in places like St. Louis and L.A. to get a COVID-19 test. USA TODAY, Storyful
RENO, Nev. — Gov. Steve Sisolak announced Friday he has tested positive for COVID-19, saying he has no symptoms and will begin a 10-day quarantine at his home in Carson City.
"Today as part of my regular COVID testing, I underwent a rapid test and returned a positive result," Sisolak told reporters during a call Friday afternoon. "I am not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms and I have returned to my residence to begin the quarantine process."
Nevada first lady Kathy Sisolak tested negative on Friday.
To confirm the diagnosis, Sisolak, 66, also took a PCR test, which detects the virus's genetic material.
Sisolak undergoes weekly coronavirus testing. His last negative test was Nov. 6. He also tested negative on Nov. 2.
"It's nearly impossible to pinpoint where I contracted the virus," Sisolak said.
His positive test comes as Nevada is experiencing a surge in coronavirus cases. The state marked a new daily record for new cases on Friday, reporting 1,857 infections.
Sisolak said he is cooperating with disease investigators from the Carson City Health and Human Services Department, who have recommended he remain isolated for 10 days.
Disease contact tracers also are beginning their work to identify who Sisolak has been in close contact with over the past week.
Sisolak has had two public events since Monday, including a press conference on Tuesday and a ribbon-cutting event for the new DMV in Reno.
"Most days I get driven from the mansion to the capitol and back," he said. "I had one off-site, the ribbon-cutting of the DMV in Reno and then a press conference. Those were the only two events I had that were not just in my office."
A slate of dignitaries, politicians and journalists attended the DMV ribbon-cutting on Monday, just one day before Sisolak held a press conference asking Nevadans to stay home except for essential travel amid an alarming surge in coronavirus cases.
Those at the Monday DMV event included Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve, U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei and state Sen. Ben Kieckhefer.
On a call with a handful of state reporters, Sisolak reiterated that he is not experiencing any symptoms, but said he is feeling tired.
"But I've been tired since March when we started fighting COVID," he said. "This puts a spotlight on (the fact) you can take all the precautions and it's possible you can still contract the virus."
Since the pandemic began, governors in Missouri, Virginia, and Oklahoma have tested positive for COVID-19. Ohio's governor tested positive, then negative, in August.
Sisolak has had two staff members test positive since October, including his pandemic response director, Caleb Cage.
More: The Dakotas are 'as bad as it gets anywhere in the world' for COVID-19
I was happy to participate in a socially distanced @NevadaDMV grand opening today in Reno. The large facility features a drive-thru kiosk! I am so glad this facility is already connecting so many Nevadans to services. pic.twitter.com/Xib6BcskCY — Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) November 9, 2020
Following Sisolak's positive test, his staff began working from home on Friday.
"The governor remains in constant contact with his staff and his cabinet and the work of the Governor’s Office will continue remotely," his spokeswoman said in a press release.
In a written statement, Sisolak said his positive result should " underscore the importance of Nevadans to stay at home as much as they possibly can at this time. There were more than 1,800 new cases identified in Nevada yesterday and cases are growing at a rate of 1.3% or, 1,402 new cases per day."
Schieve told the Reno Gazette Journal she will quarantine for 14 days and will undergo testing after Monday's DMV ribbon-cutting with Sisolak.
"I am feeling fine," she said. "I am going to follow strict protocols and quarantine for 14 days. I will test randomly and will work remotely.
"I can’t stress enough how important it is to wear a mask and continue to follow all CDC guidelines. Today’s news certainly shows us that none of us are immune to contracting Covid-19."
She also wished Sisolak a "speedy recovery."
Kieckhefer had planned to be flying home from Las Vegas on Friday afternoon. Instead, he decided he'd better drive after getting a call from Sisolak.
"He called me earlier today and told me I was considered a close contact (because of the DMV event)," Kieckhefer said. "So, I'm doing what I can to protect other people."
Kieckhefer said he planned to be tested on Saturday and will self-isolate.
"We maybe bumped elbows and said a few words, but I didn't have a whole lot of interaction with him," Kieckhefer said of the governor. "I feel fine and will be following the necessary protocols."
Follow Anjeanette Damon on Twitter @AnjeanetteDamon
Election 2020 sparks Pa. COVID spike: COVID-19 cases surged in Pennsylvania after Trump visits, Biden celebrations


usatoday--2020-11-15--College football winners and losers from Week 11: Penn State drops to 0-4, Michigan continues to flo

There was no College Football Playoff impact when Penn State met Nebraska , but do n't underestimate the stakes at play : One of these two winless teams had the chance to remake its season .
That team would be Nebraska , which went into halftime up 27-6 and then held on to beat Penn State 30-23 and drop the Nittany Lions to a shocking 0-4 .
After being blown out by Ohio State and losing to Northwestern , Nebraska is now 1-2 with the chance to even its record in next Saturday 's matchup against Illinois .
Part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Big Ten is due to opt-outs and injuries .
Star linebacker Micah Parsons decided this summer to sit out this season and prepare for the upcoming NFL draft .
Running back Journey Brown was forced to retire from football entirely after being diagnosed with a heart condition .
Another issue was the inability this offseason to build an offense under new coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca .
The lack of timing and comfort in this offensive scheme has been obvious through four games .
Ranked seventh in the preseason Amway Coaches Poll , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher than fourth in the Big Ten 's East division .
There 's even the potential to finish as low as sixth or seventh , though that would entail losing to Rutgers and Michigan State — unlikely , you 'd think , except nothing about the Nittany Lions ' season has gone according to plan .
Here are the rest of Saturday 's winners and losers : Led by quarterback Ian Book 's 368 yards of total offense and four touchdowns , the Fighting Irish experienced no hangover from last week 's thrilling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 45-31 .
While the Eagles hung around early , Notre Dame scored 21 points in the second quarter to head into halftime ahead 31-16 .
After an off week , the Irish close with North Carolina , Syracuse and Wake Forest before a projected rematch with Clemson to determine the ACC champion .
Trailing 24-13 late in the third quarter , Miami rallied to beat Virginia Tech 25-24 and remain in contention for the playoff .
For the Hokies , the meltdown comes one week after a painful loss to Liberty and will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fuente .
Now 7-1 , the Hurricanes have already exceeded last season 's win total under second-year coach Manny Diaz .
The Hoosiers avoided an upset against Michigan State to start 4-0 in Big Ten play for the first time since 1987 .
The 24-0 win included another good showing from quarterback Michael Penix Jr. , who finished with 320 yards and two scores .
Indiana 's defense held Michigan State to 191 yards of offense and forced four turnovers , giving the Spartans 14 on the season .
One issue : With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Hoosiers ' running game continues to sputter .
Miami was n't the only ACC contender to pull off a second-half comeback .
Down 21 points to Wake Forest with five minutes left in the third quarter , the Tar Heels scored the next 35 points and beat the Demon Deacons 59-53 .
After falling behind 45-24 , UNC scored on drives of 75 , 74 , 89 and 81 yards to take the lead .
Sophomore quarterback Sam Howell threw for 550 yards and six touchdowns , while the two offenses combined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Florida 's senior quarterback made up ground in the Heisman race by tossing six touchdowns in the Gators ' 63-35 win against Arkansas , giving him at least four scores in every game this season .
Trask now has 28 touchdowns , the most in the country , and barring injury will break the program 's single-season record held by Danny Wuerffel , who threw for 39 scores in winning the Heisman and leading the Gators to the national championship in 1996 .
Purdue did something no team had done to Northwestern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second half .
( Ten points , in fact . )
It still was n't enough .
The Wildcats beat the Boilermakers 27-20 to join Indiana as the only 4-0 teams in the Big Ten — a strange sentence fit for 2020 — heading into next week 's game against Wisconsin , which has the potential to decide the West division .
Despite giving up points in the second half for the first time , this defense delivered once again : Northwestern has now allowed three passing touchdowns against eight interceptions and held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You think it ca n't get any worse for Michigan , and then Saturday comes along .
The latest disaster , a 49-11 loss to Wisconsin , saw the Wolverines gain one yard of offense in the first quarter and fall behind 28-0 by halftime .
In the end , Michigan allowed 341 yards on the ground and made a change at quarterback , with redshirt freshman Cade McNamara replacing an ineffective Joe Milton .
From Wisconsin 's perspective , the easy win reinforces the Badgers ' reputation as a legitimate contender for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ohio State 's greatest threat in the Big Ten .
For Michigan , it 'll be another week spent questioning the program 's direction under Jim Harbaugh .
SMU coughed up a significant halftime lead against Tulsa and lost 28-24 , dramatically decreasing the Mustangs ' odds of reaching the American championship game and competing for a New Year 's Six bowl .
Ahead 24-7 after 30 minutes , the Mustangs ' normally reliable offense disappeared , allowing Tulsa room to make up ground and move ahead with just over two minutes left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hurricane are the favorite to meet Cincinnati for the conference title .
Army has feasted on no-name opponents for two months and been pushed around by legitimate Group of Five competition .
Case in point : Tulane forced three turnovers and rode a balanced offense to a 38-12 win against the Black Knights , who will fall out of this week 's Amway Coaches Poll .
Army 's six wins have come against Middle Tennessee State , Louisiana-Monroe , Abilene Christian , The Citadel , Texas-San Antonio and Mercer .
The two losses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wave , have come by a combined 40 points .
After breaking through in 2019 under current Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule , the Bears have reversed course under Rhule 's replacement , Dave Aranda , and seem headed to finish ahead of only Kansas in the Big 12 standings .
Baylor allowed the game 's final 12 points , including a field goal as time expired , to lose to Texas Tech 24-23 .
Now 1-5 , the Bears ' only win came against the Jayhawks .
After falling behind 35-16 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Colorado in a 35-32 loss , dropping Stanford to 0-2 .
The Cardinal have given up 35 or more points in two straight games against Pac-12 competition for the first time since 2016 .
On the flip side , Colorado is now 2-0 under Karl Dorrell , erasing many of the misgivings over the school 's decision to hire the former UCLA coach in February .

College football winners and losers from Week 11: Penn State drops to 0-4, Michigan continues to flounder, Hoosiers stay hot
There was no College Football Playoff impact when Penn State met Nebraska, but don't underestimate the stakes at play: One of these two winless teams had the chance to remake its season.
That team would be Nebraska, which went into halftime up 27-6 and then held on to beat Penn State 30-23 and drop the Nittany Lions to a shocking 0-4.
After being blown out by Ohio State and losing to Northwestern, Nebraska is now 1-2 with the chance to even its record in next Saturday's matchup against Illinois.
Part of Penn State's plummet to the bottom of the Big Ten is due to opt-outs and injuries. Star linebacker Micah Parsons decided this summer to sit out this season and prepare for the upcoming NFL draft. Running back Journey Brown was forced to retire from football entirely after being diagnosed with a heart condition.
Another issue was the inability this offseason to build an offense under new coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. The lack of timing and comfort in this offensive scheme has been obvious through four games.
Ranked seventh in the preseason Amway Coaches Poll, the Nittany Lions will likely finish no higher than fourth in the Big Ten's East division. There's even the potential to finish as low as sixth or seventh, though that would entail losing to Rutgers and Michigan State — unlikely, you'd think, except nothing about the Nittany Lions' season has gone according to plan.
Here are the rest of Saturday's winners and losers:
WINNERS
Notre Dame
Led by quarterback Ian Book's 368 yards of total offense and four touchdowns, the Fighting Irish experienced no hangover from last week's thrilling win against Clemson and beat Boston College 45-31. While the Eagles hung around early, Notre Dame scored 21 points in the second quarter to head into halftime ahead 31-16. After an off week, the Irish close with North Carolina, Syracuse and Wake Forest before a projected rematch with Clemson to determine the ACC champion.
Miami (Fla.)
Trailing 24-13 late in the third quarter, Miami rallied to beat Virginia Tech 25-24 and remain in contention for the playoff. For the Hokies, the meltdown comes one week after a painful loss to Liberty and will only increase the scrutiny on coach Justin Fuente. Now 7-1, the Hurricanes have already exceeded last season's win total under second-year coach Manny Diaz.
Indiana
The Hoosiers avoided an upset against Michigan State to start 4-0 in Big Ten play for the first time since 1987. The 24-0 win included another good showing from quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who finished with 320 yards and two scores. Indiana's defense held Michigan State to 191 yards of offense and forced four turnovers, giving the Spartans 14 on the season. One issue: With just 113 yards on 39 carries, the Hoosiers' running game continues to sputter.
North Carolina
Miami wasn't the only ACC contender to pull off a second-half comeback. Down 21 points to Wake Forest with five minutes left in the third quarter, the Tar Heels scored the next 35 points and beat the Demon Deacons 59-53. After falling behind 45-24, UNC scored on drives of 75, 74, 89 and 81 yards to take the lead. Sophomore quarterback Sam Howell threw for 550 yards and six touchdowns, while the two offenses combined for 1,348 yards and 60 first downs.
Kyle Trask's Heisman campaign
Florida's senior quarterback made up ground in the Heisman race by tossing six touchdowns in the Gators' 63-35 win against Arkansas, giving him at least four scores in every game this season. Trask now has 28 touchdowns, the most in the country, and barring injury will break the program's single-season record held by Danny Wuerffel, who threw for 39 scores in winning the Heisman and leading the Gators to the national championship in 1996.
Northwestern
Purdue did something no team had done to Northwestern this season: score points in the second half. (Ten points, in fact.) It still wasn't enough. The Wildcats beat the Boilermakers 27-20 to join Indiana as the only 4-0 teams in the Big Ten — a strange sentence fit for 2020 — heading into next week's game against Wisconsin, which has the potential to decide the West division. Despite giving up points in the second half for the first time, this defense delivered once again: Northwestern has now allowed three passing touchdowns against eight interceptions and held opponents to 3.6 yards per carry.
LOSERS
Michigan
You think it can't get any worse for Michigan, and then Saturday comes along. The latest disaster, a 49-11 loss to Wisconsin, saw the Wolverines gain one yard of offense in the first quarter and fall behind 28-0 by halftime. In the end, Michigan allowed 341 yards on the ground and made a change at quarterback, with redshirt freshman Cade McNamara replacing an ineffective Joe Milton. From Wisconsin's perspective, the easy win reinforces the Badgers' reputation as a legitimate contender for the New Year's Six and potentially Ohio State's greatest threat in the Big Ten. For Michigan, it'll be another week spent questioning the program's direction under Jim Harbaugh.
SMU
SMU coughed up a significant halftime lead against Tulsa and lost 28-24, dramatically decreasing the Mustangs' odds of reaching the American championship game and competing for a New Year's Six bowl. Ahead 24-7 after 30 minutes, the Mustangs' normally reliable offense disappeared, allowing Tulsa room to make up ground and move ahead with just over two minutes left. With the win, the Golden Hurricane are the favorite to meet Cincinnati for the conference title.
Army
Army has feasted on no-name opponents for two months and been pushed around by legitimate Group of Five competition. Case in point: Tulane forced three turnovers and rode a balanced offense to a 38-12 win against the Black Knights, who will fall out of this week's Amway Coaches Poll. Army's six wins have come against Middle Tennessee State, Louisiana-Monroe, Abilene Christian, The Citadel, Texas-San Antonio and Mercer. The two losses, to unbeaten Cincinnati and the Green Wave, have come by a combined 40 points.
Baylor
After breaking through in 2019 under current Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule, the Bears have reversed course under Rhule's replacement, Dave Aranda, and seem headed to finish ahead of only Kansas in the Big 12 standings. Baylor allowed the game's final 12 points, including a field goal as time expired, to lose to Texas Tech 24-23. Now 1-5, the Bears' only win came against the Jayhawks.
Stanford
After falling behind 35-16, a late charge came up just short against Colorado in a 35-32 loss, dropping Stanford to 0-2. The Cardinal have given up 35 or more points in two straight games against Pac-12 competition for the first time since 2016. On the flip side, Colorado is now 2-0 under Karl Dorrell, erasing many of the misgivings over the school's decision to hire the former UCLA coach in February.