NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma is ready to push its Sugar Bowl upset over Alabama into the past.

The Sooners appear to be in position to contend for a national title, with significant experience returning and a strong freshman class. They start practice Aug. 5 in preparation for the Aug. 30 opener against Louisiana Tech.

Oklahoma should to be especially strong on defense, where 11 players with at least five career starts return from a unit that led the Big 12 in total defense and pass defense. Defensive coordinator Mike Stoops says the unit can be even better this year. Last year, the Sooners switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4. This year, there is a greater sense of familiarity for coaches and players that should allow the team’s improved athletic ability to shine.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Running back Ray Rice of the Ravens has received a two-game suspension from the NFL following his offseason arrest for domestic violence.

Rice will miss the season opener against AFC North champion Cincinnati on Sept. 7 and the Sept. 11 game on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Rice was arrested following an altercation in which he allegedly struck then-fiancee Janay Palmer.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Blake Griffin has withdrawn from playing for the U.S. national basketball team this summer.

The Los Angeles Clippers star was one of 19 players selected to the roster from which the World Cup team will be chosen.

Griffin said Thursday that he wants to dedicate all his energy on improving and preparing for the upcoming NBA season.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Daniel Cormier will fight champion Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title at UFC 178, replacing injured Alexander Gustafsson.

The UFC announced the new matchup Wednesday night for Jones, the promotion’s pound-for-pound star.

UFC 178 is Sept. 27 at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.

Cormier (15-0) is a former U.S. Olympic wrestler who excelled as a heavyweight before moving down to 205 pounds this year. He was scheduled for knee surgery in July, but put it off.

Cormier already has a vocal public rivalry with Jones (20-1). Both fighters traded insults on social media immediately after the bout was announced.

Gustafsson (16-2) injured his knee in training, the UFC says. He was scheduled to meet Jones in a rematch of their memorable 2013 bout in Toronto.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA enforcement director is firing back at criticism.

Jonathan Duncan’s comments come two days after Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby called the enforcement system “broken” and suggested that “cheating pays.” Bowlsby said he was upset no major Division I cases had been heard by the infractions committee over the past year.

Duncan says cases are moving at or above traditional averages. Duncan told The Associated Press he expects 21 notices of allegations to go out before the end of this year. Usually, there are about 20 major cases annually.

He says the NCAA has looked into roughly 5,000 secondary violations, a record high. And he estimates the infractions committee could hear an average of one major case per month next year.

NEW YORK (AP) — Hall of Fame football star Jim Brown is running out of time to retrieve his 1964 NFL championship ring and has sued a memorabilia dealer in New York.

The Los Angeles resident filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Manhattan federal court against Lelands.com and Lelands Collectibles Inc.

The lawsuit seeks to halt the sale of the ring in an online auction that ends Friday. It also seeks unspecified damages over broadcast remarks Lelands founder Joshua Evans made about Brown.

Evans says Brown’s claims “are entirely without merit.”

The lawsuit says the ring is priceless to the former Cleveland Browns player. The bidding was around $59,000 Wednesday afternoon.

Brown rushed for 12,312 yards and scored 106 touchdowns in nine seasons before retiring at the peak of his career in 1965.

CHICAGO (AP) — Mike Moustakas scored the tiebreaking run in the top of the ninth inning when White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers could handle a throw home and the Kansas City Royals beat Chicago 2-1 Wednesday in the rubber game of a three-game series.

Moustakas triggered the decisive rally with a lead-off single off Zach Putnam (3-2), the last of four White Sox pitchers. Alcides Escobar bunted Moustakas over before Aoki flared a single to center field.

Adam Eaton’s strong throw beat Moustakas to the plate, but Flowers lost control of the ball when the runner slid into him. Flowers was charged with an error on the play.

Wade Davis (6-2) pitched a scoreless inning and Greg Holland retired the side in order in the ninth inning for his 26th save.

CHICAGO (AP) — Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer was removed from Wednesday’s game with the Chicago White Sox because of decreased grip strength in his right hand.

The Royals made the announcement after Hosmer was lifted for a pinch hitter in the eighth inning.

Hosmer had missed the previous two games after being hit in the hand with a pitch on Sunday. Billy Butler, who played first base during Hosmer’s absence, took over for Hosmer.

Hosmer was 0 for 2, ending a 16-game hitting streak. It was the longest active streak in the majors.

Pro Bowl running back Jamaal Charles has reached a two-year contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs.

A person familiar with the contract said the deal will keep Charles in Kansas City through the 2017 season. He spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity because the team has not disclosed details.

The six-year NFL veteran ran for 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns last year as the Chiefs reached the playoffs. He also had 70 catches for 693 yards and seven more TDs as Kansas City went 11-5 before losing to Indianapolis in an AFC wild-card game.

DENVER (AP) — Jorge De La Rosa struck out a season-high 11 as he pitched efficiently into the eighth inning and the wobbly Colorado bullpen held off Washington’s late rally, helping the Rockies snap a seven-game skid with a 6-4 win over the Nationals on Wednesday.

De La Rosa (11-6) was one strikeout away from matching his career high set in 2009. The hard-throwing lefty allowed two runs — one earned — before being lifted for a reliever with one out in the eighth.

Stephen Strasburg (7-8) settled in after a shaky start, giving up four runs — three of which were in the first — and nine hits over 5 1-3 innings.

De La Rosa had his four-seam fastball dancing all day. He struck out Bryce Harper three times.

The Nationals were just 1 of 14 with runners in scoring position off De La Rosa.