Junior Taylor Martinez was among three Big Ten quarterbacks who completed the Manning Award Watch List, the Allstate Sugar Bowl announced on Wednesday. Overall, Martinez is one of 25 quarterbacks on the watch list.

Martinez has been one of the nation’s best dual-threat quarterbacks the past two seasons, accounting for 5,559 yards of total offense to rank third on Nebraska’s career list. In addition to being a candidate for the Manning Award, Martinez also earned a spot on the preseason watch list for the Davey O’Brien Award

In 2011, Martinez set a school record for total offense by a sophomore totaling 2,963 yards and accounting for 21 touchdowns to rank third in the Big Ten in total offense per game. He threw for 2,089 yards and 13 scores while completing 56 percent of his passes. Martinez also rushed for 874 yards and nine touchdowns, including a trio of 100-yard efforts, to rank ninth in the league in rushing. He guided an offense which was 15th nationally in rushing while going 9-4 and earning a bid to the Capital One Bowl.

The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates’ bowl performances in its balloting. Ten finalists for the award will be announced on Monday, Nov. 26, and the winner will be announced on Wednesday, Jan. 9.

— Matt Smith, Nebraska Sports Information

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Alex Morgan scored twice, Abby Wambach and Carli Lloyd had a goal apiece and the U.S. women’s soccer team rallied from an early deficit Wednesday to open its Olympics with a 4-2 win over France.

The Americans trailed 2-0 after 14 minutes, allowing more goals they had allowed in any game since the World Cup final loss to Japan last year.

But Wambach answered in the 19th, Morgan in the 32nd, Lloyd in the 56th and Morgan again in the 66th in an Olympic soccer tournament that began two days before the opening ceremony and 400-plus miles away from London. Soccer is one of two sports that starts early so it can play a full slate of games.

The Americans next play Colombia on Saturday. The French will face North Korea.

LONDON (AP) — Two-time Olympic fencing champion Mariel Zagunis will carry the U.S. flag in the opening ceremony of the London Games.

The U.S. Olympic Committee says Zagunis won a vote of the 529-strong team ahead of Friday’s ceremony.

Zagunis says she is “extremely humbled by this incredible privilege.”

She was the first American to win a fencing gold in 100 years at the 2004 Athens Games.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The demolition of Rosenblatt Stadium, the longtime home of the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., has begun.

A large backhoe began knocking down pillars at the stadium entrance on Wednesday. Rosenblatt was home to college baseball’s premier event from 1950 to 2010, but has stood mostly idle the past two years.

Russ Mapes was among some 50 people who showed up to pay their final respects. The retired police officer watched his first game at the stadium in the early 1960s. He took a few pictures and left before the backhoe showed up. He said he couldn’t bear to watch.

The Omaha Zoo Foundation bought the property to expand the adjacent zoo. The series is now held at a new ballpark downtown.

NEW YORK (AP) – The semifinals and final of next year’s World Baseball Classic will be played at San Francisco’s AT&T Park.

First-round games will be played at Chase Field in Phoenix and Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Ariz., Major League Baseball said Wednesday. Salt River Fields is the home of Spring Training games for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Second-round games will take place at Marlins Park in Miami.

Japan, which won the first two tournaments in 2006 and 2009, has threatened not to participate because its demand for a larger share of revenue hasn’t been met.

NEW YORK (AP) – Hideki Matsui was been cut by the Tampa Bay Rays.

The 38-year-old Japanese star was designated for assignment on Wednesday to clear a roster spot for infielder Ryan Roberts. The Rays have 10 days to trade Matsui, release him or place him on waivers.

He is hitting .147 with two homers and seven RBIs in 95 at-bats.

Baltimore obtained Roberts on Tuesday from Arizona for minor league second baseman Tyler Bortnick.

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Minnesota at Chi White Sox 1:10 p.m.
Kansas City at L.A. Angels 2:35 p.m.
N-Y Yankees at Seattle 2:40 p.m.
Detroit at Cleveland 6:05 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Baltimore 6:05 p.m.
Oakland at Toronto 6:07 p.m.
Boston at Texas 7:05 p.m.

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Washington at N-Y Mets 11:10 p.m.
Chi Cubs at Pittsburgh 11:35 p.m.
Atlanta at Miami 11:40 p.m.
Milwaukee at Philadelphia 12:05 p.m.
San Diego at San Francisco 2:45 p.m.
Cincinnati at Houston 7:05 p.m.
L.A. Dodgers at St. Louis 7:15 p.m.
Colorado at Arizona 8:40 p.m. (LISTEN LIVE on ESPN Radio 1410)

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) – The Olympics are getting under way today, two days before the opening ceremony in London. The gold medal-favorite U.S. women’s soccer team opens group play against France in Glasgow, Scotland.

SEATTLE (AP) – Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez will be out of action for a while. A-Rod suffered a broken bone in his left hand last night when he got hit by a Felix Hernandez pitch in the eighth inning of New York’s 4-2 loss at Seattle.

NEW YORK (AP) – A person familiar with the situation tells the AP that the Miami Marlins are shipping former NL batting champion Hanley Ramirez to the L.A. Dodgers in a multi-player swap. The 28-year-old Ramirez is hitting .246 with 14 home runs and 47 RBIs.

UNDATED (AP) – The results are in and A.J. Allmendinger is out. The Penske Racing driver has been suspended indefinitely by NASCAR after his backup sample confirmed a violation of the organization’s substance-abuse policy.

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Cleveland 3, Detroit 2
Tampa Bay 3, Baltimore 1
Oakland 7, Toronto 2
Boston 2, Texas 1
Chicago White Sox 11, Minnesota 4
Kansas City 4, L.A. Angels 1
Seattle 4, N.Y. Yankees 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Chicago Cubs 5, Pittsburgh 1
Philadelphia 7, Milwaukee 6
Atlanta 4, Miami 3
Washington 5, N.Y. Mets 2
Cincinnati 4, Houston 2
St. Louis 8, L.A. Dodgers 2
Arizona 6, Colorado 2
San Francisco 3, San Diego 2

The Colorado Rockies will lose yet another series, making it four straight since the All-Star Break. They’ve dropped the first two of three against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix after last night’s 6-2 defeat. Rookie southpaw Edwar Cabrera, making his second career start for the Rockies, was erratic in his three and a third innings, allowing just two runs but walking four and allowing four hits. Arizona broke the game open on Chris Young’s two-run homer in the fifth inning and added two more runs in the seventh on a Miguel Montero single. Michael Cuddyer hit a pair of solo homers for the Rockies in the losing effort. The Rockies hope to salvage one game from their trip to the Valley of the Sun tonight. ESPN Radio 1410 has all the action, with pregame coverage at 8:05 and the first pitch at 8:40.

When the Denver Broncos open their training camp today, they’ll do so with all seven of their 2012 draft picks under contract. The Broncos agreed to terms with quarterback Brock Osweiler and running back Ronnie Hillman yesterday. Osweiler, who was Denver’s second-round pick out of Arizona State, signed a four-year deal worth $3.1 million dollars. Hillman, the San Diego State standout who was selected in the third round, also inked a four-year deal. Hillman will be counted on as a backup to starting running back Willis McGahee right away, while Osweiler will ideally apprentice under Peyton Manning for the length of his rookie contract. The Broncos will have their first team meeting at their Dove Valley facility in suburban Denver this afternoon, prior to their first of 17 open-to-the-public practices on Thursday morning.

 — Seamus McKnight, Nebraska Sports Information

Nebraska women’s swimmers Shannon Guy and Bailey Pons recently earned Scholastic All-America recognition from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America.

Two of Nebraska’s leaders in the classroom and in the pool, the 2012 sophomores both claimed honorable-mention recognition to the CSCAA Scholar All-America Team.

In addition to earning CSCAA Scholastic All-America honors, Guy and Pons were both named Big Ten Distinguished Scholars following the season. The academic All-Big Ten selections were both named to the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll in both the fall and spring semesters of 2011-12.

Guy, an Omaha native and graduate of Millard West High School, posted 13 top-five finishes in the pool as a sophomore, including five victories. She also moved into the No. 2 spot in the Husker record books with a time of 54.23 in the 100-yard butterfly at the Big Ten Championships. During the summer of 2012, she participated at the U.S. Olympic Trials at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha.

Pons, a native of Cedar Falls, Iowa, added 14 top-five finishes on the year, including eight event titles. She was unbeaten in the 1,000-yard freestyle on the season and swam a personal-best in the 200-yard free at the Big Ten Championships.

Also, Nebraska Head Coach Pablo Morales announced the addition of Assistant Coach Patrick Rowan to the Husker women’s swimming and diving staff on Tuesday, July 24.

Rowan, a former volunteer assistant for the Huskers and a long-time coach in the Nebraska Aquatics program, rejoins the Nebraska staff after spending the past five years at Missouri. As an assistant for the Tigers, Rowan helped build the program into one of the nation’s top 15 programs.

“We are very excited to have Patrick come back to Nebraska,” Morales said. “He brings extensive and successful coaching and recruiting experience at the collegiate level.  Patrick has a tremendous work ethic and an unmatched passion for Nebraska. He will make an immediate impact on this program and play a key role in helping us achieve our Big Ten Conference and NCAA goals.”

A Nebraska native, Rowan helped orchestrate a steady rise into national prominence at Missouri. In his first season at MU, the Lincoln Southeast High School graduate helped the Tiger women’s team finish 38th at the 2008 NCAA Championships. After a 28th-place showing in 2009, the Tigers climbed to 23rd in 2011 before finishing 14th at the 2012 NCAA meet.

— Jeff Griesch, Nebraska Sports Information

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Gold medal at stake or nothing at all, the U.S. Olympic basketball team is too good for Spain.

Carmelo Anthony came off the bench to score 23 of his 27 points in the first half, and the Americans beat Spain 100-78 on Tuesday night in a rematch of the gold-medal game — and possible preview of the next one.

LeBron James added 25 and Kevin Durant had 13, including 10 in the first 3 ½ minutes of the third quarter to help the U.S. break open the teams’ final exhibition game before heading to London.

The teams played a memorable gold-medal game four years ago, the Americans pulling away for a 118-107 victory after leading by only four points with under 2½ minutes left.