SPORTS DIGEST || Former PSU coach awarded $7.3 million

Former PSU coach awarded $7.3 million

BELLEFONTE, PA.

A jury has ruled in favor of a former Penn State assistant football coach in his defamation case against the university, awarding him over $7 million in damages.

Jurors deliberated about four hours before returning with their decision Thursday night.

Mike McQueary claims he was defamed by a statement the school president released the day Jerry Sandusky was charged with child molestation. He also says he was retaliated against for helping with the Sandusky investigation and misled by school administrators.

Penn State argued McQueary’s reputation was harmed by public opinion about his decision not to go to police or child-welfare authorities when he saw Sandusky sexually abusing a boy.

The jury awarded McQueary compensatory damages of about $2.3 million. He also was awarded $5 million in punitive damages.

No. 25 Virginia Tech fends off Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH

Jerod Evans shook off a right ankle injury to throw for a career-high 406 yards and two touchdowns and lead No. 25 Virginia Tech to a 39-36 victory over Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

Joey Slye tied the school and Atlantic Coach Conference records by making six field goals to help the Hokies (6-2, 4-1) beat the Panthers (5-3, 2-2) on the road for the first time in 17 years.

Isaiah Ford’s 10 receptions included his school-record 23rd receiving touchdown.

Evans left briefly in the third quarter after getting his right leg rolled up on but returned to overwhelm one of the nation’s worst pass defenses. Bucky Hodges caught six passes for 145 yards and a touchdown and Cam Phillips added 109 yards receiving as Virginia Tech all but ended Pitt’s hopes of an ACC Coastal Division title.

Akron allows record yards in defeat

BUFFALO, N.Y.

Jordan Johnson ran for a Buffalo-record 282 yards in the Bulls’ 41-20 victory over Akron on Thursday night.

Tatum Slack sacked Akron’s Thomas Woodson on a fourth-and-7 play to preserve the Bulls’ 34-20 lead with 5:44 left.

Johnson put it out of reach 54 seconds later with a 39-yard scoring run. On that play, Johnson passed Alan Bell’s previous single-game rushing mark of 266 yards set against Duquesne in 1991.

Johnson covered all 63 yards on Buffalo’s final scoring drive and 50 of the Bulls’ 64 yards on the drive that made it 34-20 with 9:34 left.

Tyree Jackson threw a touchdown pass and ran for two more scores for Buffalo (2-6, 1-3 Mid-American).

Johnson had a 61-yard TD run to make it 17-3 in the second quarter. He has 24 carries.

JoJo Natson scored on a 79-yard punt return and a 33-yard reception for the Zips (5-4, 3-2).

Ohio gets first road win at Toledo since 1967

TOLEDO

Dorian Brown had career highs with 212 yards rushing and 29 carries and Ohio beat Toledo 31-26 on Thursday night for the Bobcats’ first road victory over the Rockets since 1967.

Ohio (6-3, 4-1 Mid-American) led 31-20 on Brown’s 51-yard TD run with 8:08 left in the game and the Bobcats held the Rockets at midfield in the final minute for the first win in the series since 1988.

Quinton Maxwell passed for 159 yards and two touchdowns and the Bobcats never trailed.

Impact beat D.C. United in MLS playoffs

WASHINGTON

Matteo Mancosu scored twice and the Montreal Impact beat D.C. United 4-2 in an MLS Cup Playoffs knockout match Thursday night.

The fifth-seeded Impact will host the top-seeded New York Red Bulls on Sunday in the first game of the two-leg Eastern Conference semifinals.

Laurent Ciman scored early, and Ignacio Piatti made it 4-0 for the Impact in the 83rd minute.

Lamar Neagle and Taylor Kemp scored for fourth-seeded United, both after the 89th minute.

Staff/wire report