Texas  A&M is denying that it has notified the Big 12 of its decision to leave the  conference.  In a statement, university spokesman Jason Cook said today: "As  of this morning, Texas A&M has not submitted a letter of withdrawal from the  Big 12 Conference." Cook declined further comment and it wasn't clear if his statement meant the university wouldn't be sending a letter in the future.

On  Monday, a New York newspaper reported that  Texas A&M president R. Bowen Loftin sent a letter to Big 12 board chairman Brady Deaton saying the Aggies would formally withdraw from the conference. The school's potential departure was discussed during a conference call Saturday between the Big 12 board of directors. The newspaper reported Monday that there are two stumbling blocks
for  the Aggies to join the SEC, including the school's exit fee from the Big 12, which has not been negotiated and could be upwards of $15 million. Nine of the 12 SEC school presidents also would have to vote to add the Aggies.

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS RESULTS FROM MONDAY

BOYS SOCCER: TRIGG COUNTY EDGED LYON COUNTY 5-4, MUHLENBERG COUNTY DEFEATED DAWSON SPRINGS 6-1, CALDWELL COUNTY OVER ST. MARY 7-5, MURRAY DEFEATED COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN 3-1.

TODAY’S GAMES: HOPKINSVILLE WELCOMES LONE OAK, MADISONVILLE GOES TO MARSHALL COUNTY, CALDWELL COUNTY AT DAWSON SPRINGS, HOPKINS CENTRAL HOSTS LYON COUNTY, UNION COUNTY WELCOMES REIDLAND, MUHLENBERG COUNTY TRAVELS TO BOWLING GREEN.

GIRLS SOCCER: CHRISTIAN COUNTY EDGED FORT CAMPBELL 2-1, LYON COUNTY OVER ST. MARY 4-3, OHIO COUNTY OVER APOLLO 5-1, OWENSBORO OVER MCLEAN COUNTY 8-1, OWENSBORO CATHOLIC SHUT OUT WARREN CENTRAL 8-0.

TODAY’S GAMES:   HOPKINSVILLE HOSTS TRIGG COUNTY, LOGAN COUNTY TRAVELS TO MUHLENBERG COUNTY, CALDWELL COUNTY AT HEATH, HOPKINS CENTRAL GOES TO HENDERSON COUNTY, MARSHALL COUNTY AT GRAVES COUNTY, WEBSTER COUNTY HOSTS UNION COUNTY, LYON COUNTY AT LONE OAK, CALLOWAY COUNTY MEETS ST. MARY, CRITTENDEN COUNTY HOSTS PADUCAH TILGHMAN, MURRAY HOSTS MAYFIELD.

VOLLEYBALL: HOPKINSVILLE DEFEATED TRIGG COUNTY TWO GAMES TO ONE, TODD CENTRAL OVER RUSSELLVILLE 2-1, MADISONVILLE OVER MUHLENBERG COUNTY 2-0, MCLEAN COUNTY OVER HOPKINS CENTRAL 2-1, GRAVES COUNTY DEFEATS CARLISLE COUNTY 2-0, COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN OVER MAYFIELD 2-0, UNION COUNTY OVER WEBSTER COUNTY 2-0, FULTON CITY OVER CALLOWAY COUNTY 2-0.

TODAY’S GAMES: CHRISTIAN COUNTY HOSTS BOWLING GREEN, TODD CENTRAL AT FORT CAMPBELL, HOPKINSVILLE WELCOMES MUHLENBERG COUNTY, RUSSELLVILLE HOSTS OHIO COUNTY, LOGAN COUNTY HOSTS WARREN EAST, CALDWELL COUNTY ENTERTAINS MADISONVILLE, CRITTENDEN COUNTY AT UNION COUNTY, WEBSTER COUNTY HOSTS LIVINGSTON CENTRAL, GRAVES COUNTY AT MAYFIELD, CALLOWAY COUNTY HOSTS REIDLAND.

GOLF:  HOPKINSVILLE DEFEATED MADISONVILLE 160-164 IN A MATCH MONDAY AT HOPKINSVILLE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB.  THE TIGERS WERE LED BY JACK GARDNER WITH 34 AND DAYTON JONES WITH 39.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HAS RELEASED ITS WEEKLY POLLS.

CLASS A: MAYFIELD IS NUMBER ONE THIS WEEK.

CLASS 2A: NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC 1^ST, OWENSBORO CATHOLIC 3^RD, MURRAY HIGH 8^TH, CALDWELL COUNTY 10^TH.

CLASS 3A: LOUISVILLE CENTRAL NUMBER ONE, PADUCAH TILGHMAN 4^TH, FORT CAMPBELL 6^TH, TRIGG COUNTY 10^TH.

CLASS 4A: HIGHLANDS FIRST, LONE OAK 9^TH , WITH FRANKLIN SIMPSON AND MADISONVILLE RECEIVING VOTES.

CLASS 5A: BOWLING GREEN 1^ST, CHRISTIAN COUNTY 4^TH, WARREN CENTRAL 5^TH.

CLASS 6A: TRINITY NUMBER ONE, HENDERSON COUNTY 8^TH.

COULD TEXAS A AND M FINALLY BE HEADED TO THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE? THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTED LAST NIGHT A AND M OFFICIALS HAVE SENT A LETTER TO THE BIG 12 BOARD SAYING THEY ARE PLANNING TO LEAVE THE CONFERENCE. AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT IS EXPECTED TODAY.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

WESTERN KENTUCKY FOOTBALL COACH WILLIE TAGGART ANNOUNCED MONDAY JUNIOR KAWAUN JAKES WILL START AT QUARTERBACK WHEN THE HILLTOPPERS MEET KENTUCKY THURSDAY IN NASHVILLE.  JAKED COMPLETED 51 PERCENT OF HIS PASSES LAST SEASON AND AVERAGED 140 YARDS PER GAME.

MEANWHILE, KENTUCKY COACH JOKER PHILLIPS SAID MONDAY OFFENSIVE LINEMEN STUART HINES AND MATT SMITH--WHO HAVE BOTH BATTLED INJURIES DURING FALL CAMP--WILL PLAY AGAINST WKU THURSDAY IN NASHVILLE, BUT NEITHER WOULD LIKELY START THE GAME.  COVERAGE FROM L-P FIELD BEGINS AT 6:30 ON LITE 98.7.

BEFORE PLAYING A SINGLE GAME AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, FRESHMAN SAFETY PAT MARTIN OF GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA IS REQUESTING TO TRANSFER.  THE KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL REPORTS IT WAS A MUTUAL DECISION BETWEEN HE AND VOLS COACH DEREK DOOLEY. DOOLEY SAID HE WOULD HELP MARTIN FIND A “BETTER FIT”. MARTIN SAID HE WAS DEALING WITH A “PERSONAL ISSUE” AND DECLINED FURTHER COMMENT.

THE TENNESSEAN SAYS VANDERBILT WILL GO WITH LARRY SMITH AS ITS STARTING QUARTERBACK WHEN THE COMMODORES HOST ELON SATURDAY. SMITH WILL BE THE STARTER FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE SEASON.

NFL

THE TENNESSEE TITANS WAIVED EIGHT PLAYERS MONDAY, INCLUDING DEFENSIVE TACKLE JOVAN HAYE. THE SEVEN YEAR PRO PLAYED FOR THE TITANS FOR THE LAST TWO SEASONS.

TITANS RECEIVER KENNY BRITT PRACTICED MONDAY, AND TOLD THE TENNESSEAN HE’S BETWEEN 90 AND 95 PERCENT FOR MAKING HIS PRE SEASON DEBUT THURSDAY NIGHT AT NEW ORLEANS.

RUNNING BACK CHRIS JOHNSON WAS PLACED ON THE RESERVE/DID NOT REPORT LIST MONDAY. JOHNSON AND THE TITANS ARE STILL FAR APART ON A NEW CONTRACT FOR THE PRO BOWLER.

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS RESULTS FROM THE WEEKEND

VOLLEYBALL: CHRISTIAN COUNTY WENT FIVE AND ONE IN THE TOYOTA OF HOPKINSVILLE WEST KENTUCKY SMACKDOWN, LOSING IN THE GOLD MEDAL ROUND TO LIPSCOMB.  U-H-A WENT 2-3 IN THE TOURNAMENT, HOPKINSVILLE 0-2, TRIGG COUNTY 1-3 AND FORT CAMPBELL 0-1.

HERITAGE CHRISTIAN WENT 4-0 OVER THE WEEKEND TO WIN THE LADY WARRIOR INVITATIONAL AT H-C-A. RAY DECOURSEY WAS NAMED THE TOURNAMENT’S MOST VALUABLE PLAYER. THE LADY WARRIORS ARE NOW 10-0 ON THE SEASON.

GOLF: HENDERSON COUNTY WON THE CHRISTIAN COUNTY INVITATIONAL SATURDAY AT WESTERN HILLS. THE NORTHERN COLONELS FINISHED WITH A 313 SCORE, HOPKINSVILLE AND HOPKINS CENTRAL TIED FOR 2^ND WITH 323, BUT HOPTOWN GOT 2^ND FOLLOWING A SCORECARD PLAYOFF, CHRISTIAN COUNTY FINISHED 4^TH AND MADISONVILLE FINISHED 5^TH.

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS PLAYED IN THE CLASS A REGIONAL TOURNAMENT AT ARROWHEAD GOLF COURSE. TRIGG COUNTY WON WITH A 331 TOTAL, U-H-A PLACED 2^ND AT 333. IN GIRLS PLAY, ANNA MOORE FINISHED 2^ND WITH AN 85 AND QUALIFIED FOR THE ALL A STATE TOURNAMENT.

TODAY’S GAMES

VOLLEYBALL: HOPKINSVILLE TRAVELS TO TRIGG COUNTY, TODD CENTRAL WELCOMES RUSSELLVILLE, MADISONVILLE AT MUHLENBERG COUNTY, WEBSTER COUNTY TRAVELS TO UNION COUNTY, HOPKINS CENTRAL WELCOMES MCLEAN COUNTY, CALLOWAY COUNTY AT FULTON CITY AND GRAVES COUNTY GOES TO CARLISLE COUNTY.

BOYS SOCCER: TRIGG COUNTY WELCOMES LYON COUNTY, TODD CENTRAL HOSTS BUTLER COUNTY, CALDWELL COUNTY AT ST. MARY, DAWSON SPRINGS HOSTS MUHLENBERG COUNTY, MURRAY AT COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN.

GIRLS SOCCER: CHRISTIAN COUNTY HOSTS FORT CAMPBELL, LYON COUNTY WELCOMES ST. MARY, CRITTENDEN COUNTY HOSTS REIDLAND.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

WESTERN KENTUCKY AND KENTUCKY OPEN THE SEASON THURSDAY EVENING AT L-P FIELD IN NASHVILLE.  PRE GAME COVERAGE FOR THE GAME AIRS BEGINNING AT 6:30 ON LITE 98.7.  THE FIRST JOKER PHILLIPS CALL IN SHOW AIRS TONIGHT AT FIVE, FOLLOWED BY BIG BLUE SPORTS NIGHTLY AT SIX ON LITE 98.7

ALSO OPENING THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON THURSDAY NIGHT ARE THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS AND MURRAY STATE RACERS WHO MEET AT PAPA JOHN’S CARDINAL STADIUM IN LOUISVILLE. AUSTIN PEAY OPENS ITS SEASON SATURDAY AT CINCINNATI, VANDERBILT WELCOMES ELON AND TENNESSEE HOSTS MONTANA.

LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER BEING DISMISSED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE FOOTBALL TEAM, SAFETY JANZEN JACKSON HAS TRANSFERRED TO AN F-C-S SCHOOL. THE KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL REPORTS JACKSON WILL PLAY FOR MCNEESE STATE, LOCATED IN HIS HOMETOWN OF LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA.  JACKSON WAS DISMISSED FOLLOWING A NUMBER OF OFF THE FIELD PROBLEMS AT U-T, BUT IN A STATEMENT ISSUED AN APOLOGY TO THE VOLS PROGRAM AND EXPRESSED GRATITUDE MCNEESE STATE IS ALLOWING HIM TO CONTINUE HIS FOOTBALL CAREER.

NFL

THE TENNESSEAN REPORTS INJURED TENNESSEE TITANS WIDE RECEIVER KENNY BRITT MAY PLAY THURSDAY AGAINST NEW ORLEANS AT THE LOUISIANA SUPERDOME. BRITT HAS BEEN BOTHERED IN THE PRE SEASON WITH A HAMSTRING INJURY.  HOWEVER, COACH MIKE MUNCHAK SAYS TOP PRIORITY IS HAVING BRITT FOR THE SEASON OPENER SEPTEMBER 11^TH AGAINST JACKSONVILLE. BRITT RECEIVED GOOD NEWS OVER THE WEEKEND WHEN THE N-F-L ANNOUNCED IT WOULD NOT PUNISH HIM FOR RUN-INS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE OFF SEASON.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

TONIGHT’S GAMES: TRIGG COUNTY TRAVELS TO TODD CENTRAL, FORT CAMPBELL GOES TO RUSSELLVILLE, LOGAN COUNTY WELCOMES SOUTH WARREN, MURRAY HOSTS CALLOWAY COUNTY, HENDERSON COUNTY HOSTS EVANSVILLE NORTH.  FIND OUT ABOUT THESE AND OTHER SCORES TONIGHT ON THE KENTUCKY HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD SHOW AT 9:06 ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP AND WHOPAM.COM.

SATURDAY EVENING, THE TOYOTA OF HOPKINSVILLE-JERRY CLAIBORNE BOWL TAKES PLACE AT THE STADIUM OF CHAMPIONS. CHRISTIAN COUNTY MEETS CLARKSVILLE IN THE FIRST GAME AT FIVE. THE HERITAGE BANK PRE GAME SHOW BEGINS AT FOUR-30 ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP AND WHOPAM.COM.  HOPKINSVILLE WILL MEET CLASS FOUR A LONE OAK AT EIGHT,WITH THE HERITAGE BANK PRE GAME SHOW WILL BEGIN ABOUT SEVEN-30 ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP AND WHOPAM.COM.

THURSDAY’S HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS RESULTS

VOLLEYBALL: CHRISTIAN COUNTY IMPROVED TO 3-1 OVERALL/3-0 IN DISTRICT PLAY WITH A TWO GAMES TO NONE WIN OVER HOPKINSVILLE. NICOLE BROWN HAD NINE ACES AND FIVE KILLS TO LEAD CHRISTIAN COUNTY.  ELSEWHERE: MADISONVILLE DEFEATED U-H-A TWO GAMES TO NONE, CALDWELL COUNTY OVER CRITTENDEN COUNTY 2-0.

GIRLS SOCCER: UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS SHUTOUT CRITTENDEN COUNTY 10-0, WITH EDEN MACK SCORING FIVE GOALS. HOPKINSVILLE WAS ALSO A 10-0 WINNER OVER TODD CENTRAL WITH LEXIE BOZELL AND KELSEY HUMPHRIES SCORING THREE GOALS EACH.  ELSEWHERE: FORT CAMPBELL AND HOPKINS CENTRAL PLAYED TO A SCORELESS TIE, NO REPORT ON THE CHRISTIAN COUNTY/ST. MARY GAME.

BOYS SOCCER: HOPKINSVILLE DEFEATED FORT CAMPBELL 3-1, ST. MARY DEFEATED CHRISTIAN COUNTY 7-4, CALDWELL COUNTY EDGED LYON COUNTY 3-2, MADISONVILLE AND OWENSBORO PLAYED TO A SCORELESS TIE.

GOLF: A FOUR WAY MATCH AT WESTERN HILLS THURSDAY SAW CHRISTIAN COUNTY, HOPKINSVILLE AND U-H-A ALL SCORE 155, WITH MUHLENBERG COUNTY SHOOTING 158. THE 5^TH PLAYER SCORE BROKE THE TIE WITH HOPKINSVILLE WINNING THE MATCH. DAYTON JONES AND JACK GARDNER LED THE TIGERS WITH 36 EACH, T-J FERRY LED CHRISTIAN COUNTY WITH 37 AND U-H-A LED BY JOHN STEVENSON WITH 38.  THE FOUR SCHOOLS ALSO PLAYED A GIRLS MATCH WITH MUHLENBERG COUNTY WINNING WITH 86, CHRISTIAN COUNTY 88, U-H-A 98 AND HOPTOWN 99. ANNA MOORE SHOT 43 FOR U-H-A, TWO CHRISTIAN COUNTY PLAYERS MADDIE PELLETIER AND KELSEA THOMAS TIED WITH 44 AND JESSICA SHELTON LED HOPKINSVILLE WITH 46.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

THE COURIER JOURNAL REPORTS LOUISVILLE FRESHMAN KEVIN WARE’S ACADEMIC STATUS IS IN DOUBT. COACH RICK PITINO SAID THURSDAY WARE MAY NOT BE ELIGIBLE UNTIL JANUARY, WITH THE NC-AA EXPECTED TO MAKE A DECISION IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.  WARE—WHO FIRST COMMITTED TO TENNESSEE BEFORE BRUCE PEARL WAS FIRED—THEN COMMITTED TO CENTRAL FLORIDA, BUT BOLTED IN JUNE WHEN THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTED HIS RECRUITMENT THEIR WAS LINKED TO A STREET AGENT.

SEVERAL KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE SCHOOLS WILL PARTICIPATE IN ESPN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL MARATHON WHICH TIPS OFF THE SEASON NOVEMBER 15^TH.

KENTUCKY’S GAME WITH KANSAS IN MADISON SQUARE GARDEN WILL TIP OFF AT EIGHT P-M HOPKINSVILLE TIME. MOREHEAD STATE WILL PLAY COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON AT EIGHT A-M LOCAL TIME, BELMONT WILL PLAY MEMPHIS AT 11 A-M LOCAL TIME AND AUSTIN PEAY’S GAME WITH CAL WILL BE ON ESPN 2 AT NINE P-M HOPKINSVILLE TIME.  LOUISVILLE’S WOMEN WILL PLAY DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPION TEXAS A AND M AT THREE P-M LOCAL TIME ON ESPN U, WITH TENNESSEE’S LADY VOLS TO MEET MIAMI AT FIVE P-M ON ESPN 2.

NFL

TENNESSEE TITANS COACH MIKE MUNCHAK TELLS THE TENNESSEEAN THE TITANS AND HOLDOUT RUNNING BACK CHRIS JOHNSON ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WORKOUT THEIR DIFFERENCES, AS HE SAID THURSDAY DIVORCE(MEANING A TRADE) IS NOT AN OPTION.   THE FOURTH YEAR RUNNING BACK MET WITH TITANS OFFICIALS WEDNESDAY AND WAS OFFERED A NEW DEAL, BUT THE TWO SIDES ARE STILL FAR APART. JOHNSON SAYS HE WILL KEEP WORKING OUT IN ORLANDO AND WILL LET HIS AGENT JOEL SEGAL HANDLE NEGOTIATIONS. THE TITANS PLAY THE CHICAGO BEARS IN THEIR 3^RD PRE SEASON GAME TOMORROW NIGHT AT L-P FIELD.