A report in the Orlando Sentinel indicates former LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu has checked himself into a rehab center in Houston and will not play football this season. Mathieu was dismissed from the LSU team last Friday for violation of the team’s substance abuse policy.

The NCAA is expanding the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs from 20 to 24 teams beginning in 2013. The new format calls for eight teams to receive seeds and earn first round byes. Those teams will host second round games against first round winners. Ohio Valley Conference schools are members of FCS.

The Lexington Herald Leader reports Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari has assigned roster numbers for the incoming class of Wildcats. Nerlens Noel will wear the number 3, which Terrence Jones wore the last two seasons. Alex Poythress will wear number 22, Willie Cauley-Stein will wear number 15, Archie Goodwin will wear number 10, and Wright State transfer Julius Mays will get 34.

Major League Baseball this evening has St. Louis hosting Pittsburgh, Cincinnati welcoming the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta hosts Los Angeles.

Six pre season games in the NFL this evening include the Tennessee Titans in Tampa to meet former Christian County standout Keith Tandy and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Also this evening: Buffalo at Minnesota, Jacksonville at New Orleans, Miami at Carolina, Detroit at Baltimore and Oakland at Arizona.