College football notebook: Army getting Independence Bowl slot

[October 25, 2019]  Army football is guaranteed a slot in the Independence Bowl in 2020, 2022 and 2024, provided the Black Knights are bowl eligible.

The Shreveport, La.-based contest also will feature a Pac-12 team during the 2020-25 bowl cycle, though other conferences or independents could be added to the rotation. Army is an independent and not affiliated with a conference.

The Black Knights last played in the Independence Bowl in 1996, a 32-29 loss to Auburn.

"Army football is ecstatic to be partnering with our friends at the Independence Bowl for the next bowl cycle," athletics director Mike Buddie said in a statement. "Having played in Shreveport previously, we are well aware of how the community embraces this bowl and our cadet-athletes will thoroughly enjoy the experience."

--Connecticut has scheduled nine games so far for the 2020 football season -- its first as an FBS independent -- with four of the opponents coming from Power 5 conferences.

The Huskies are leaving the American Athletic Conference and moving to the Big East, which doesn't have a football component, after the 2019-20 academic year.

The schedule includes games against Big Ten schools Illinois and Indiana, Ole Miss from the Southeastern Conference and Virginia of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Rounding out the schedule thus far, with plans for three additional games, are regional opponent UMass plus Army, Liberty, San Jose State and Maine.

--Marshall suspended junior safety Brandon Drayton after he was charged with felony strangulation and domestic assault.

Drayton, 22, was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Huntington, W.Va., after a university police officer witnessed him assaulting a woman, authorities said.

Drayton allegedly grabbed the woman by the neck and shoulder area and yelled at her. The victim had visible red marks on her neck and chest area, according to the criminal complaint. He was being held at the Western Regional Jail on $55,000 bond.

--Middle Tennessee's leading tackler Reed Blankenship will miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury.

The junior safety sustained the injury in the third quarter of the Blue Raiders' 33-30 loss at North Texas on Saturday.

Blankenship leads the Blue Raiders with 58 tackles in seven games, including a season-high 13 stops against Florida Atlantic on Oct. 12. He has two interceptions and one fumble recovery.

--New Mexico suspended senior quarterback Sheriron Jones indefinitely and coach Bob Davie declined to say why, but a media report could provide the reason. KOB-TV in Albuquerque reported Wednesday that Jones was arrested Oct. 18 after he allegedly exposed himself to a woman in a campus parking garage.

The TV station said the alleged victim saw Jones drive past her several times and she asked him if he was OK. His reply was, "No, can you give me 10 seconds?" As she approached his car, she saw him masturbating and reported the incident to university police, according to the report.

Jones, who is sharing playing time this season with redshirt sophomore Tevaka Tuioti, has completed 44.7 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and seven picks.

--Field Level Media

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