KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee must stop opponents from running wild to stay in the Southeastern Conference title race.The 18th-ranked Volunteers (5-2, 2-2 SEC) are giving up 5.1 yards per carry and 215.3 yards rushing per game. They rank 105th out of 128 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in run defense and have looked particularly vulnerable during their current two-game skid.No. 9 Texas A&M rushed for 353 yards and No. 1 Alabama ran for 409 yards against Tennessee. The Vols allowed over 7 yards per carry in the 45-38 double-overtime loss to Texas A&M and yielded 8.5 yards per rush while falling 49-10 to Alabama .Thats been a point of emphasis -- stopping the run for the rest of the season, defensive tackle Kendal Vickers said. We know were capable of it. Weve just got to go out and execute.Tennessee has a chance to correct its issues on run defense Saturday at South Carolina (3-4, 1-4).South Carolina averages 106.9 yards rushing per game and 3.28 yards per carry to rank last in the SEC and 122nd nationally in both categories.The Gamecocks had 194 yards rushing and 201 yards passing last week in a 34-28 victory over Massachusetts . South Carolina coach Will Muschamp emphasized the need to avoid obvious passing situations Saturday that would enable Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett to wreak havoc.I think you always have to stay balanced, especially with a guy like Barnett, Muschamp said. He can change the game. We have to account for him in everything.When you stay balanced, it is very difficult on a defense because, you are sitting there thinking in your mind, `OK, I want to run a pass pressure and run an overload. Well, if they run it the other way weve got a problem. Thats why to me it is so important to be balanced in what you do.While South Carolina must watch out for Barnett, Tennessee must be careful to avoid allowing the big runs that have haunted this defense.Tennessee has given up six carries of at least 37 yards this season, with five of those long runs coming in the Vols last two games. Last year, Tennessee yielded six runs from scrimmage of at least 37 yards all season.In its last two games, Tennessee gave up an 85-yard run to Alabamas Bo Scarbrough and a 71-yard carry to Texas A&Ms Trayveon Williams, though the Williams carry ended in a fumble and touchback. The longest run from scrimmage Tennessee allowed last season was a 66-yarder by Georgias Sony Michel.Explosive plays to me in the run game are runs of 12 or 15 (yards) or more, Tennessee defensive coordinator Bob Shoop said. Ours arent 12 or 15 right now, theyre 25 or 30. Thats something weve got to get corrected, whether its pursuit of the football, whether its tackling or things like that.Injuries and off-field issues have hampered Tennessees front seven on defense and limited its cohesiveness.Defensive tackle Kahlil McKenzie tore his pectoral muscle against Alabama, sidelining him for the rest of the season. Defensive tackle Danny OBrien was dismissed from the team two days after the Texas A&M game. Linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, the teams leading tackler last year, played just four games before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.Linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. has played in just two games due to a high ankle sprain, though he is expected to return this week.Injuries arent solely to blame for Tennessees inability to stop the run. Players and coaches also have cited inconsistency, mental errors and miscommunication among other things.Tennessee didnt play last week, giving the Vols extra time to work out those issues.No matter what individuals are on the football field, you need to play together as one, Tennessee coach Butch Jones said.---AP Sports Writer Pete Iacobelli in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.---Online:More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org Clearance Balenciaga Shoes . The Clippers were angry about blowing a big lead; the Kings didnt like being in that kind of hole and nearly digging themselves out only to lose. Balenciaga Shoes China . It was hard for Luck to pull off another comeback, or even get into the end zone, while standing on the sideline. Rivers threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to rookie Keenan Allen and Nick Novak kicked four field goals to give the Chargers a 19-9 victory against the Colts on Monday night. http://www.cheapbalenciagashoes.com/ . The judges scored it 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 for Jones (19-1). It was the champions closest call. Despite the loss, it was a remarkable show by the confident Swedish challenger, who had the best of the early rounds and then hung on in the fourth and fifth. Cheap Balenciaga Outlet . Batiste, who briefly signed with the Eskimos in 2006, has spent time with several NFL teams including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. Wholesale Balenciaga . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. DraftKings and FanDuel, the two dominant players in the daily fantasy sports industry, are finalizing terms of a merger, multiple sources with knowledge of the discussions told ESPN on Friday. The long-rumored deal was described as imminent and could be announced as early as this week, after details are finalized.Prior media reports in recent weeks said the companies merger was imminent, but sources told ESPN that the companies financial settlements this week with the New York attorney generals office were a key obstacle that needed to be cleared. The sources said some of the major merger details discussed this week included the newly joined companys executive leadership, the name of the company, whether one site or two will be used, and where the company headquarters will be located. FanDuel has offices in New York and Scotland, and DraftKings is based in Boston. One highly placed source told ESPN that the recent merger discussions called for the two rivals to share roughly equally the revenue and expenses of the newly tied-in company.As we have stated previously, a potential combination would be interesting to consider, a DraftKings spokesperson told ESPN. However, as a matter of policy, we dont comment on rumors or speculation, and there can be no assurances at this time that any discussion about a combination would result in an agreement or merger.A FanDuel spokeswoman declined comment.Bloomberg is reporting that DraftKings CEO Jason Robins will become the CEO of the new DraftKings-FanDuel company.FanDuel had no comment on the report. ESPN has reached out to the DraftKings for comment.FanDuel CEO Nigel Eccles and Robins have had a famously frosty relationship, which many observers have pointed to as a holdup to a merger. But Eccles told ESPN over the summer that his relationship with Robins had improved, as the companies worked together to fight challenges from regulators and lobby for legal clarity in states.Each has publicly acknowledged merger discussions, which, according to sources, have been taking place since January.Combined, the two firms cover 90 to 95 percent of the daily fantasy market. Legal experts have questioned whether a merger would be blocked by regulators such as the FTC because of the two companies dominant market share.There are of course good arguments about why such a merger is in fact in the interest of the consumer: pooled liquidity, higher prize pools, etcetera, said Jeff Ifrah, a prominent gaming attorney and founding partner of Ifrah PLLC. But that has not always been enough to shut down FTC scrutiny.Ifraah added that the companies likely will need to answer questions about whether consumers under the joined company would have to pay higher prices or would receive a lower-quality product.ddddddddddddIn late August, ESPNs Outside the Lines reported on the daily fantasy industrys struggles after DraftKings and FanDuel blanketed the airwaves a year ago with a $750 million advertising and marketing blitz. The ad buys seized the attention of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and other federal and state authorities across the country.Ever since, both companies have been saddled with tens of millions of dollars in legal fees and lobbying costs, putting their financial health into question. The New York Times reported last week that FanDuel recently laid off 60 workers and that both companies have struggled to meet their day-to-day obligations. Both companies are months behind on paying vendors, lawyers and lobbyists, sources told ESPN.This week, DraftKings and FanDuel agreed to separate $6 million settlements with the New York attorney general over deceptive, misleading advertising. In the settlement agreement, Schneidermans office said it considered the financial condition of the companies in determining the amount and schedule for the settlement payments.Combined, the companies processed $3 billion worth of contest fees in 2015. DraftKings valuation was estimated at nearly $2 billion in July 2015, after a $300 million funding round, but it has since been cut dramatically. In September, DraftKings announced a $153 million round of debt-to-equity funding with Revolution Growth, a venture capital firm co-founded by Ted Leonsis, owner of the?Washington Wizards?and?Washington Capitals. FanDuel also raised $55 million in a loan from investors in recent months, which also will be converted into equity, The Wall Street Journal has reported.After the tumultuous year, the daily fantasy industry eyed the NFL football season as an opportunity to get back on track. DraftKings and FanDuel are marketing the game to new players by shifting focus from the financial part of fantasy sports to its social aspects. DraftKings said participation in its newly enhanced offerings that allow friends to compete against friends in private leagues were up threefold from last season. The company also pointed to new sponsorships, including with Paramount Pictures, which sponsored DraftKings free games, another new emphasis this season. ' ' '