Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The NCAA struck back at the University of Kansas and its men’s basketball program Thursday, calling five Level I violations that are alleged to have occurred “egregious” and arguing that they undermine and threaten” college athletics. It was the latest in a series of back-and-forth filings that set up a likely infraction hearings. The case came out of an FBI investigation into college basketball corruption. It centers on whether two Adidas representatives were acting as boosters for the Jayhawks when they paid prospective recruits to lure them to the program.

UNDATED (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs will open defense of their Super Bowl championship by hosting Houston on Sept. 10 in the NFL’s annual kickoff game — pending developments in the coronavirus pandemic, of course. The Texans won a regular-season game at Arrowhead Stadium in 2019, then blew a 24-0 lead in the divisional round of the playoffs. Another highlight of the opening weekend will have Tom Brady’s regular-season debut with Tampa Bay against Drew Brees at New Orleans on Sept. 13 — the first matchup of 40-plus quarterbacks in NFL history. The opening of SoFi Stadium in the Los Angeles area that Sunday night has the Rams hosting the Cowboys.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals had an entire offseason and most of spring training to get to know Mike Matheny. But one unintended consequence of the coronavirus pandemic is they’ve gotten to know their new manager better than they could ever have imagined. Their virtual meetings, often several times a week, touch on baseball but also on the bigger picture of life in general. And when the Royals do gather again, Matheny hopes that they will be a closer-knit group because of it.