BOSTON (AP) — Michael Wacha remembered passing Will Middlebrooks a few years ago back in Texarkana, the small northeast Texas city where they grew up. “One of the guys that everyone looked up to,” Wacha said Tuesday. “Like he’s walking by, ‘That’s Will Middlebrooks there.’ It’s pretty crazy.”

Texarkana has a population of 36,411, according to the last U.S. census. That’s slightly fewer than the crowd that will jam into Fenway Park on Wednesday night to watch the old friends face each other when the Boston Red Sox host the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series opener.

Middlebrooks was a senior at Liberty-Eylau High School in 2007, when Wacha was a sophomore at Pleasant Grove High, about a 10-minute drive away. Now the pair will be in the spotlight as Series rivals. Wacha, 22, has been a sensation since joining the Cardinals’ rotation in September. The 25-year-old Middlebrooks has seen extensive action at third base for Boston during the last two seasons.

Big Ten football teams are getting two Saturdays off for the first time this year. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz says there are a lot of unprecedented things happening these days in college football because of conference expansion. The byes give players a chance to rest and relax during two weeks when the regular season starts in late August and ends after Thanksgiving. Coaches, meanwhile, evaluate their programs, players and plays before hitting the road for recruiting.

Teams — such as Indiana against Penn State — have taken advantage of having two weeks to prepare for a game they ultimately won. The Nittany Lions, coming off a bye, hope the extra time they had last week helps them upset No. 4 Ohio State on Saturday night.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa is as deep at tight end as any other position group on its roster. The Hawkeyes exploited that advantage against Ohio State — and wound up with one of their best passing efforts of the season.

Jake Rudock threw for 245 yards and career-high three touchdowns, including one each to tight ends C.J. Fiedorowicz and Jake Duzey, in a 34-24 road loss to the fourth-ranked Buckeyes.

The Hawkeyes (4-3, 1-2 Big Ten) used a significant number of sets against Ohio State that featured three tight ends. That could continue Saturday when Iowa hosts Northwestern (4-3, 0-3).

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads says sophomore quarterback Sam Richardson will start this week’s game against No. 19 Oklahoma State. The Cyclones initially listed Richardson and freshman Grant Rohach as co-starters against the Cowboys. But coach Paul Rhoads says Richardson will get the starting nod on Saturday.

Rhoads says Richardson’s knowledge of Iowa State’s offense was a key factor in that decision. Rhoads adds that Richardson needs to make smarter decisions and quicker judgments. Richardson, a redshirt sophomore, has started all six games for the Cyclones (1-5, 0-3). He has thrown for 1,255 yards and 10 touchdowns.