Reuters U.S. Sports Schedule at 2 PM EDT on Wednesday, Oct. 29

Oct. 29 (Reuters) - Reuters U.S. sports schedule at 2 PM ET on Wednesday: - - - - The duty editor is Steve Ginsburg, 202-898-8427 - - - - MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Giants, Royals go 7 KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Only the second World Series Game 7 in a decade brings to a dramatic conclusion the back-and-forth series as the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals meet at Kauffman Stadium. (BBO-ROYALS-GIANTS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 0007 GMT/8:07 PM ET game ends, by Alan Eskew, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - World Series: 5 things we know entering Game 7 KANSAS CITY, Mo. - What to watch in the seventh and deciding game. (BBO-ROYALS-GIANTS-NOTEBOOK/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by David Smale, 800 words) - - 2015 Power Rankings KANSAS CITY, Mo. - An early advance of the team's most likely to stand atop MLB in 2015 with rankings for all teams, 1-30. (BBO-COLUMN/, expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, by John Perrotto, 700 words) - - Free agency preview Kansas City and San Francisco were a case study in spendthrift baseball, and growing their own talent. But teams looking to invest on the free agency market will have a number of top-tier options. Includes free agent list by team (BBO-NEWS/, expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, by Rick Kaplan, 3,000 words) - - - - NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Jones: Cowboys QB Romo could sit IRVING, Texas - Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones voices concern but no long-term fear about QB Tony Romo's health. (FBN-COWBOYS-NEWS/, moved; will be led by 2300 GMT/7 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, by Art Garcia, 400-word first lede, 800-word writethru) See also: Cowboys LB Durant to IR (FBN-COWBOYS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 300 words) - - Week 9 Preview: Saints at Panthers Teams with losing records and potentially fatal flaws meet in Carolina for first place in the NFC South. (FBN-SAINTS-PANTHERS-NOTEBOOK/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Jeff Reynolds, 400 words) - - Patriots' Belichick prepares for Peyton again FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Head coach Bill Belichick has prepared for Marino and Montana, Elway and others, but none is more challenging than Peyton Manning. (FBN-PATRIOTS-NEWS/, expect by 2300 GMT/7 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 600 words) - - Falcons in scramble point at midseason FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - In the watered down NFC South, where the first-place team will be .500 after Thursday night's Panthers-Saints game, the Falcons aren't ready to rule out a playoff run. (FBN-FALCONS-NEWS/, expect by 2000 GMT/4 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 550 words) - - Redskins prepare for Vikings with QB questions ASHBURN, Va. - Robert Griffin III (ankle) might play at Minnesota - at least that's what coach Jay Gruden would like the Vikings to believe. (FBN-REDSKINS-NEWS/, expect by 2300 GMT/7 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, by David Elfin, 525 words) - - Bengals lose Burfict, hopeful Green can play Sunday CINCINNATI - Wide receiver A.J. Green could play Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the Cincinnati Bengals are expecting to be without linebacker Vontaze Burfict for at least two games. (FBN-BENGALS-NEWS/, expect by 0030 GMT/8:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - Miami eyes balance with Bolts coming to town DAVIE, Fla. - Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers trek to Miami to take on a Dolphins team going for balance. (FBN-DOLPHINS-NEWS/, expect by 2330 GMT/7:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 600 words) - - At 3-5, Bears at bye with no room for rest LAKE FOREST, Ill. - While the Chicago Bears send their players on a week of bye-week rest to recharge, coach Marc Trestman is under fire and burning the midnight oil searching for a way to bring what he calls "continuity football" out of his lagging operation. (FBN-BEARS-NEWS/, expect by 2030 GMT/4:30 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 600 words) - - NFL roundup News and notes from around the league. (FBN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 2345 GMT/7:45 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - COLLEGE FOOTBALL CFP committee is on right track While no major surprises came out of the debut College Football Playoff rankings, we learned at least three things. (FBC-COLUMN/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Guerry Clegg, 850 words) - - Numbers say Michigan State needs a hand EAST LANSING, Mich. - When you're No. 8 in the College Football Playoff rankings and have only one game left against another ranked team, you're relying on a lot of help to eventually reach the first ever Final Four, football style. (FBC-MICHIGANSTATE-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 800 words) - - Georgia's Gurley must sit until Nov. 15 The NCAA says Georgia Bulldogs running back Todd Gurley must sit out two more games for accepting more than $3,000 in cash from multiple individuals for autographed memorabilia. (FBC-GEORGIA-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 375 words) - - - - NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION TSX covers all NBA games. Key matchups highlighted below - - Wizards at Heat MIAMI - The new-look Miami Heat open the season against the Washington Wizards and young backcourt star John Wall. (BKN-HEAT-WIZARDS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/(PIX), expect ASAP after the 2330 GMT/7:30 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, by Walter Villa, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Bulls at Knicks NEW YORK - Derek Fisher debuts as head coach of the New York Knicks in Carmelo Anthony's first game at Madison Square Garden since opting to re-sign with the team over the Chicago Bulls. Derrick Rose returns after two injury-shortened seasons. (BKN-KNICKS-BULLS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 0000 GMT/8 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, by Everett Merrill, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Thunder at Blazers PORTLAND - Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers welcome Russell Westbrook and the Kevin Durant-less Oklahoma City Thunder in the opener for both teams. (BKN-BLAZERS-THUNDER-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), The Sports Xchange, by Kerry Eggers, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - Lakers lose rookie Randle Lottery pick Julius Randle will postpone his rookie year to recover from a fractured leg after going down in the regular-season opener Tuesday. (BKN-LAKERS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Kerry Eggers and Jason Lloyd, 650 words) - - 10 things to watch in 2014-15 Upstarts in Portland and veterans in San Antonio, chemistry in Oklahoma City and a new bloom in Chicago. Here are 10 things to watch as the 2014-15 NBA season begins. (BKN-NEWS/PREVIEW, moved, The Sports Xchange, by Kerry Eggers and Jason Lloyd, 650 words) - - NBA Wrap: Bulls, Knicks kick off season of lofty expectations The Chicago Bulls, who have former MVP Derrick Rose back in the lineup, and the Carmelo Anthony-led New York Knicks open a season of heightened expectations for both teams when they clash at Madison Square Garden in one of 12 games on the opening night schedule. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 950 words) - - Today's NBA schedule at a glance Milwaukee at Charlotte, 7 PM ET Philadelphia at Indiana, 7 PM ET Brooklyn at Boston, 7:30 PM ET Washington at Miami, 7:30 PM ET Atlanta at Toronto, 7:30 PM ET Minnesota at Memphis, 8 PM ET Chicago at New York, 8 PM ET Detroit at Denver, 9 PM ET Houston at Utah, 9 PM ET Los Angels Lakers at Phoenix, 10 PM ET Golden State at Sacramento 10 PM ET Oklahoma City at Portland, 10:30 PM ET - - NBA Roundup The latest moves and news from the NBA. (BKN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 2200 GMT/6 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - - - COLLEGE BASKETBALL Clouds over Carolina CHARLOTTE - Roy Williams says he's "sick" over off-court controversy around the Tar Heels athletic program. That and more from ACC men's basketball media day. (BKC-NOTEBOOK/ (PIX), expect by 2300 GMT/7 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 750 words) - - - - GOLF Rose hopes Final Series can take him to No 2 in world Justin Rose wants to end the year as the world No. 2 and is targeting the European Tour's 'Final Series' to climb the rankings, starting with the BMW Masters in Shanghai on Thursday. (GOLF-EUROPEAN/, moved, by Sam Holden, 450 words) - - Westwood confident of PGA Tour success on favorite course KUALA LUMPUR - Lee Westwood ends a two-year European Tour title drought at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club in April and he is confident the venue can also help him return to the PGA Tour's winners circle this week. (GOLF PGA/WESTWOOD, moved, 425 words) - - - - NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE The Sports Xchange covers all NHL games. Key matchup highlighted below - - Bruins lose D Krug Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug will miss two to three weeks with a broken finger. (HKN-BRUINS-NEWS/, moved, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - Wings at Capitals WASHINGTON - The Washington Capitals hope to get more offense from Alex Ovechkin, who is scoreless in the past four games, with the Detroit Red Wings in town with an identical 4-2-2 record. (HKN-CAPITALS-REDWINGS-FIRSTLEDE-WRITETHRU/ (PIX), expect ASAP after the 2330 GMT/7:30 PM ET game, The Sports Xchange, 400-word first lede, 700-word writethru) - - NHL Wrap: Ovechkin's Capitals host Red Wings Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals host the Detroit Red Wings followed by a clash between the Edmonton Oilers and visiting Nashville Predators in the two games on the National Hockey League schedule. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 200 words) - - Today's NHL schedule at a glance Detroit at Washington, 7:30 PM ET Nashville at Edmonton, 10 PM ET - - NHL Roundup The latest moves and news from the NHL. (HKN-NOTEBOOK/, expect by 2200 GMT/6 PM ET, The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - - - SOCCER Dallas host Vancouver in MLS playoff opener The Major League Soccer playoffs kick off with FC Dallas playing host to the Vancouver Whitecaps in a single-game Knockout Round match to determine which team advances to the Western Conference semi-final against the Seattle Sounders. (SOCCER-MLS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, 200 words) - - - - AUTO RACING Hamilton aims to make it 10 in Texas AUSTIN, Texas - Lewis Hamilton will be aiming for a big win in Texas this weekend, even if the Formula One starting grid is the smallest he has ever known it with the absence of backmarker teams Marussia and Caterham. (MOTOR RACING-PRIX/(PREVIEW), moved, by Alan Baldwin, 675 words) - - - - TENNIS Chardy makes Federer fight for third round berth PARIS - Roger Federer keeps up his hopes of finishing the year as world No. 1 as he downs Frenchman Jeremy Chardy in the second round of the Paris Masters. (TENNIS-MEN/PARIS (PIX), moved; will be led, by Julien Pretot, 350 words) See also: Canada's Raonic safely through despite bathroom hiccup in Paris (TENNIS-MEN/PARIS-RAONIC, PIX) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (Expect by 0000 GMT/8 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words)