Sanders wants NFL-style scrimmages

With FBS programs planning for a 105-man roster limit this fall, American Football Coaches Association executive director Craig Bohl said he sees the day coming when the NCAA allows NFL-style intersquad practices and scrimmages. “If a couple programs choose to explore this, I think it’s going to be something that could have some real legs to it,” Bohl told the AP earlier this week. Colorado coach Deion Sanders recently suggested a school be allowed to host a team from another school for a few days of joint practices before they play an exhibition game, possibly as a replacement for the traditional intrasquad spring game. Syracuse coach Fran Brown, in response to Sanders, said in a social media post he would be willing to take his team to Colorado for a three-day visit. Bohl said “there is quite a bit of appetite” among coaches to hold intersquad practices and scrimmages, even still this spring. The impetus is the 105-man roster limit, which likely will become official next month with the expected final approval of the House vs. NCAA antitrust lawsuit settlement.

Shiffrin caps season with slalom win

Mikaela Shiffrin smoothly navigated a bumpy course to easily win the women’s slalom Thursday at the World Cup finals in Sun Valley, Idaho. The first-run leader, Shiffrin found another burst to finish in a combined time of 1 minute, 45.92 seconds and beat Lena Duerr of Germany by 1.13 seconds. Andreja Slokar of Slovenia took third. Shiffrin glided through the course with a large crowd cheering her through every gate. The American ski racing standout closed out the World Cup slalom season the same way she started it — with a win. It was an injury-marred season for Shiffrin, who competed in only the slalom at the finals. The 30-year-old Shiffrin worked her way back from a serious giant slalom crash in Killington, Vermont, in late November, where she suffered a deep puncture wound that caused severe trauma to her oblique muscles. The crash led to emotional trauma, too, leaving her with post-traumatic stress disorder in the GS. This season has also included a memorable milestone for Shiffrin when she won her 100th career World Cup race in February.

Argentina hopes Messi plays in WC

Argentina is proving it can win without Lionel Messi, just in case he opts not to play in the 2026 World Cup. After Argentina secured a spot in next year’s competition, the main question now is whether the 37-year-old star will play in his sixth tournament and try to win back-to-back titles. “We will see, there’s plenty of time,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. “... He will decide it whenever he wants, let’s not drive him crazy with this.” On Tuesday, hours after Argentina qualified for the next World Cup, it went out and handed Brazil its worst-ever loss World Cup qualifying — a 4-1 thrashing. That was days after Argentina’s 1-0 win at Uruguay. Both wins came without Messi, who captained Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title in Qatar. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had been ruled out after sustaining a low-grade adductor muscle injury. Still, after Tuesday’s win at Monumental de Nunez Stadium, midfielder Rodrigo de Paul seemed to speak for the whole country. “The best of our teams is always when the No. 10 is playing,” De Paul said, “because he is the greatest of all time.” —AP