College football news: Jameis Winston’s DNA matches sample found on accuser
Police haven’t accused the quarterback of the nation’s second-ranked team with a crime. Evidence shows he had an encounter with a woman who’s accused him of one.
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
A DNA test has connected Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston with a woman who accused him of sexual assault, according to a report by ESPN's Mark Schlabach:
A DNA analysis completed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Tuesday confirmed that DNA provided by Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston matched the sample taken from the underwear of a woman who has accused him of sexual battery.
According to the DNA analysis report, a copy of which was viewed by ESPN.com on Wednesday, the Florida state crime lab determined that the chances of the DNA in the woman’s underwear are a match for someone other than Winston was one in 2.2 trillion.
As Schlabach points out, the positive test does not prove that Winston assaulted the woman or committed any other crime, but it does confirm that Winston’s DNA was found on the accuser on the day she alleged that she had been sexually assaulted.
Winston’s lawyer responded by criticizing law enforcement for leaking the test results to the public and claiming Winston has two affidavits from witnesses backing his side of the story.
Reports surfaced last week, connecting Winston with a sexual assault investigation from December 2012. Winston has not talked with police in connection with the investigation, and a recent statement from the victim’s family claims a Tallahassee detective discouraged her from pursuing the case. Tallahassee police denied these claims Wednesday night, saying the accuser stopped cooperating with the investigation in February 2013. The State Attorney, who took over the investigation earlier this month, has been in contact with the woman.
Winston is widely considered a top candidate for the 2013 Heisman Trophy, and his Florida State Seminoles are undefeated this season.
O’Bannon v. NCAA
Word came out Wednesday that the NCAA filed suit against Electronic Arts and the Collegiate Licensing Company on November 4, seeking to stop the proposed settlement between EA, CLC, and players who filed suit for use of their likenesses in EA’s college sports games. The NCAA, which alleges in the suit that Electronic Arts did not hold insurance sufficient to cover the costs and damages in the O’Bannon case, is also seeking reimbursement of attorney fees and payment of any judgment against it for the video game franchises.
Northern Illinois remains unbeaten
No. 16 NIU left Toledo with a 35-17 win, clinching the MAC West for the fourth year in a row. The Huskies finish the season next week at home against lowly Western Michigan, meaning their first-ever unbeaten regular season is all but assured.
NIU will face the winner of Nov. 29’s Buffalo-Ball State game in the MAC Championship Dec. 6, and a third straight conference title could send the Huskies back to a BCS bowl for the second year in a row.
Coaching searches
USC interim head coach Ed Orgeron is not out of the hunt for the full-time position at the end of the season, according to Trojans athletic director Pat Haden:
Pat Haden: ``What Ed had done has been absolutely remarkable. He is clearly in our eyesight. But my job is to find the best coach of #USC.''
— InsideUSC (@InsideUSC) November 20, 2013 Orgeron has racked up a 5-1 record since taking over for the fired Lane Kiffin in September, and led the Trojans to an upset win over No. 5 Stanford last weekend. Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin, and former Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith have also been connected with the coaching search.
Injuries
Baylor running backs Lache Seastrunk and Glasco Martin could return for the Bears' crucial Big 12 game against Oklahoma State this weekend. Both players suffered injuries in Baylor's win over Oklahoma and were unavailable against Texas Tech last week. Seastrunk has run for 888 yards and 11 scores this year, while Martin has 319 yards on 75 carries.
Elsewhere, South Carolina halfback Mike Davis is questionable for this weekend's game against Coastal Carolina with "a series of minor injuries." With backup halfback Brandon Wilds nursing a hamstring injury, Shon Carson is set to make his first collegiate start.
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