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Tuscaloosa embraces

football again

Tuscaloosa, Ala., enjoyed a little normalcy yesterday with a raucous college football Saturday in a city rebuilding from tornadoes in April that killed 50 people within a few miles of the Alabama campus.

The Crimson Tide, wearing small ribbon stickers on their helmets, routed Kent State, 48-7. Tornado victims were honored in pregame and halftime ceremonies.

"It was great to get out here," offensive lineman Barrett Jones said. "So much had gone on in this offseason. We were really pleased to get back to football, what this town is famous for."

Many of the visitors journeyed to Tuscaloosa in July to help with disaster relief and were applauded by the crowd of 101,821 before the game. "That was real classy," Toledo quarterback Spencer Keith said.

Lightning ends game

Michigan beat Western Michigan, 34-10, in a game stopped late in the third quarter because of lightning in Ann Arbor. Both schools agreed to cancel the rest of the game with 1:27 left in the third during a second weather delay. Fans were encouraged to leave the stadium but it was not evacuated during the first delay. Linebacker Brandon Herron returned an interception 94 yards for a touchdown and the Wolverines also scored on a fumble return in coach Brady Hoke's debut . . . The Howard at Eastern Michigan game in Ypsilanti was postponed until Sunday at noon.-- AP