Sports

NEW YORK (AP) - Pepsi has scored the Super Bowl halftime show.

The soda giant says it struck a multiyear deal with the National Football League to sponsor the big game's musical performance. Financial terms and the exact duration of the deal were not disclosed.

The Purchase, N.Y.-based company also bought 60 seconds of ad time during the big game, which has seen record ratings for the past three years. Pepsi last sponsored the show in 2007, when Prince performed.

PepsiCo Inc.'s reunion with the nation's biggest sporting event comes at a time when the company is working to put some fizz back in sales of its flagship soda. Earlier this year, Pepsi announced a global marketing campaign intended to rekindle the company's long ties with pop culture and music.

NEW YORK (AP) - Moody's Investors Service says it may cut its rating on Penn State's credit as the university deals with the fallout from the Jerry Sandusky child sexual-abuse case and sanctions against the school's football team.

The agency has an 'Aa1' rating on Pennsylvania State University's credit. That is its second-highest possible rating. The firm said a recent report by former FBI Director Louis Freeh and sanctions levied by the NCAA could hurt student enrollment and fundraising for the university.

Moody's says Penn State has about $1 billion in debt.

The announcement comes a day after the NCAA fined Penn State $60 million, banned the school from playing in postseason bowl games for four years, and stripped the team of dozens of scholarships.

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) - Robert Griffin III has agreed to terms on a contract with the Washington Redskins.

Griffin's agent, Ben Dogra, told The Associated Press that the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback agreed to terms and will be in Redskins rookie camp on Wednesday.

Griffin was the second pick in the draft out of Baylor.

He is due for a four-year contract worth about $21 million, roughly two-thirds of which would be the signing bonus. The deal includes a club option for a fifth year.

Griffin wasn't considered a holdout because training camp doesn't officially begin until July 26. Now he can be on the field this week with fellow newcomers after signing a contract.

BALTIMORE (AP) - If the Baltimore Orioles are to remain a contender in the AL East, they're going to do it with pitching.

Although the Orioles staggered into the All-Star break with two straight shutout defeats, All-Star closer Jim Johnson says the success of the team in the second half will depend on the pitching staff. He says, "If we make the pitches, we know our offense can score us some runs."

Right fielder Nick Markakis will be back in the lineup Friday after missing five weeks with a wrist injury. He should enhance an attack that features All-Stars Adam Jones and Matt Wieters, along with newcomer Jim Thome.

Baltimore reached the midpoint with a 45-40 record. If the playoffs were to start now, the Orioles would be a wild-card team.

    
DETROIT (AP) - Next season's Winter Classic between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs will include two alumni games, featuring around 100 players from the storied franchises.
 
    
Representatives from both teams announced preliminary rosters at a news conference Wednesday at Comerica Park, where the alumni games are scheduled to take place Dec. 31. The 2012-13 editions of the Red Wings and Maple Leafs will play Jan. 1 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.
 
    
Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, Chris Chelios and Larry Murphy are among those expected to appear for the Red Wings at the alumni games. Darryl Sittler, Doug Gilmour and Wendel Clark are among those lined up to represent the Maple Leafs.

No matter, now. The baseball season is about to heat up. A group of underdogs in Pittsburgh, Washington and Baltimore have an even better chance of getting to the postseason this year thanks to the expanded playoff format.

Over the next few weeks the contenders and pretenders will separate and the trade chatter will increase. Are the last-place Phillies going to fold up the tents and become sellers? Are the first-place Pirates going to add an arm or a bat to chase their first division title since 1992?

And all eyes will be on some key players to see if Matt Kemp, CC Sabathia and Evan Longoria can overcome injuries and return to get their teams to the playoffs.

By LUKE MEREDITH

AP Sports Writer

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Iowa coach Fran McCaffery has signed a new seven-year deal to remain with the Hawkeyes.

Iowa athletic director Gary Barta said Tuesday that McCaffery will be paid at least $1.66 million a year with a base salary of $1.3 million starting next season.

McCaffery could make up to $1.86 million per season if the Hawkeyes reach the NCAA tournament.

McCaffery left Siena to join the Hawkeyes before the 2010 season. His original contract was for six years and started at roughly $1.1 million per year.

Iowa won 18 games and reached the NIT in 2011-12. The Hawkeyes return three starters next season and bring in a freshman class featuring prized recruits Adam Woodbury and Mike Gesell.

By MARK SCOLFORO

Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A Penn State investigation into whether university officials helped cover up that Jerry Sandusky was molesting children will be released Thursday.

The review is being led by former FBI director and federal judge Louis Freeh. Freeh on Tuesday announced the timeframe for the release of the report.

The report was commissioned by university trustees in November, about two weeks after the former assistant football coach was arrested on molestation charges.

The study is expected to disclose what occurred within the university, including any role longtime head coach Joe Paterno may have played when school officials fielded complaints about Sandusky in 1998 and 2001. Paterno was fired in the wake of his former assistant's arrest and died in January.

Trustee Ken Frazier has said the goal was to find out "who knew what, when," and to make recommendations for policy and procedural changes.