SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Michael Wacha pitched six strong innings and Randal Grichuk hit a two-run homer as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the San Francisco Giants 5-2 Thursday night. The Giants were without staff ace Madison Bumgarner, a late scratch with flu symptoms, as they lost for the sixth time in seven games.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Chiefs have released veteran offensive lineman Jah Reid before Thursday night’s preseason finale against Tennessee, one day after acquiring former first-round pick Cam Erving in a trade with Cleveland. Most expected Erving to assume the swing tackle job that Reid has held down the past two seasons in Kansas City.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Nebraska is among a half-dozen teams switching to the 3-4 defense with the hope of having the same success with it as Big Ten rival Wisconsin. Associated Press research found that 48 of the 68 power-five conference teams and FBS independents still use the four-man front as their primary alignment.

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) – Mason Rudolph threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score to help No. 10 Oklahoma State beat Tulsa 59-24. Rudolph completed 20 of 24 passes with no interceptions. The senior joined Brandon Weeden as the only Cowboys quarterbacks to surpass 9,000 yards in career passing.

UNDATED (AP) – The Big 12 has the oldest and youngest coaches in major college football. Kansas State’s Bill Snyder is 77, and new Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley is 33. Riley is one of three 30-something coaches and the other two newcomers are both 42 – Baylor’s Matt Rhule and Tom Herman at Texas. The average age is just under 47, two years younger than any other power league.

UNDATED (AP) – Justin Crawford arrived before fall camp at West Virginia a year ago without the benefit of the program’s offseason conditioning. The junior college transfer sat out most of four games with ankle and knee injuries yet compiled 1,184 rushing yards. With Crawford getting six months of weightlifting and workouts in 2017, coach Dana Holgorsen is optimistic about the prospects for the Big 12’s top returning rusher. No. 22 West Virginia plays No. 21 Virginia Tech on Sunday in Landover, Maryland.

UNDATED (AP) – College football owns Labor Day weekend and has turned it into five-day football holiday. Week 1 features an unprecedented opener between No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 Florida State; No. 17 Florida putting a 27-game winning streak on the line against No. 11 Michigan; Heisman winner Lamar Jackson in an NFL stadium; and a couple of hot seat coaches meeting in the Rose Bowl.