NEWS » the Red River Rivalry against the Sooners unranked for the fourth

SAN DIEGO -- Colin Kaepernick began the game by taking a knee during the national anthem. The veteran quarterback ended it with reason to hope hell have more games with the San Francisco 49ers.Kaepernick passed for 103 yards after kneeling in protest alongside teammate Eric Reid during the national anthem in the Niners 31-21 preseason victory over the San Diego Chargers on Thursday night.Kaepernick and Reid, a starting safety who wasnt playing, declined to stand for the anthem before a preseason game dedicated to military appreciation by the Chargers. Kaepernick has decided not to stand this season to draw attention to American racial injustice, minority oppression and a litany of additional concerns ranging from police brutality to military veterans rights.The message is that we have a lot of issues in this country that we need to deal with, Kaepernick said. We have a lot of people that are oppressed. We have a lot of people that arent treated equally, that arent given equal opportunities.Kaepernick then played a solid first half in his competition for the 49ers starting job, going 11 for 18. The veteran didnt have an interception or a touchdown pass, missing on two potential scoring throws in the waning seconds of the half. He also rushed four times for 38 yards.Less than four years after leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl, Kaepernick is in competition for the starting job with Blaine Gabbert, who didnt play in San Diego after getting extensive playing time in the first three preseason games for the Niners (2-2).Kaepernick hopes to be the 49ers starter, but he is likely also in competition for a roster spot after a disappointing 2015 season during which he lost his starting job and had extensive injury problems. Although Kaepernick realizes he still could be released, hes hopeful of a future with the Niners.This is a phenomenal organization, and Ive had great conversations here, Kaepernick said. Ive had great memories here, and this team has given me the opportunity to become the man I am today. Im grateful for that. Im thankful for that, and San Francisco has become my home.Niners coach Chip Kelly wouldnt say whether Kaepernicks play had improved his chances to win the starting job -- or to avoid being cut.Well make those decisions when we watch the film, Kelly said. That goes for everybody on the football team, not just Colin.Kaepernick didnt play in the current preseason until last week against Green Bay, when his refusal to stand for the anthem first gained attention.Kaepernick got only scattered boos before the game and during the anthem, but Chargers fans serenaded him while he led a 16-play, 85-yard scoring drive to open the game capped by DuJuan Harris 1-yard TD run.Christian Ponder passed for 101 yards and rushed for the go-ahead touchdown for San Francisco with 3:08 to play, improving his own chances for a prominent job in the Niners fluid quarterback picture.Marcus Rush got his fifth and sixth sacks of the preseason in the second half of a standout performance by the San Francisco linebacker. After Rush forced a fumble that led to Ponders TD run, he intercepted a deflected pass.Kelvin Taylor sealed the Niners win with a 10-yard TD run with 1:55 left.Kenneth Farrow rushed for 63 yards and a third-quarter touchdown for the Chargers (1-3), who rested their stars. Isaiah Burse caught a 17-yard TD pass from Mike Bercovici in the third quarter during strong performances by both roster hopefuls.Chargers fullback Chris Swain, a rookie from Navy, also scored on a 2-yard run in the second quarter.Farrow excelled in his competition for the third-string running back job, breaking off a 44-yard run on a third-quarter drive. He is hoping to secure a role after Branden Oliver was lost for the season with an Achilles tendon injury.I definitely had to step up tonight, being that there is a hole in the room, Farrow said. I feel like I did a good job, and well see what happens.ROOKIE WATCH49ers: QB Jeff Driskel threw interceptions on his first two passes of the third quarter, certainly damaging his hopes of winning a job from Ponder or Kaepernick.Chargers: DE Joey Bosa was on the sideline, but didnt play. The first-round pick staged a 31-day holdout before signing Monday. ... Bercovici passed for 75 yards with two interceptions.POSITION BATTLES49ers: CB Will Redmond appeared to have an inconsistent game in his attempt to earn a larger role. The rookie was playing in just his second preseason game after a knee ligament injury.Chargers: Burse looked sharp in his attempt to earn a job, catching five passes for 63 yards and returning kicks.INJURY UPDATE49ers: No apparent injuries.Chargers: LB Nick Dzubnar left the field slowly in the third quarter with medical personnel accompanying him. He returned to the game later.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFLFake Nike MLB Jerseys .4 million title. Ryan Riess emerged with the title after a session in which he started behind, but used expert skill to gather the chips to his side amid the unpredictability of no-limit Texas Hold em. Riess put his final opponent Jay Farber all-in with an Ace-King. Cheap Nike MLB Jerseys . -- Kyrie Irvings last-minute 3-pointer helped seal another victory for Cleveland -- and the Cavaliers longest winning streak since LeBron James left. https://www.mlbjerseyschina.us/ . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. 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The second-ranked Norwegian made her season debut after missing the LPGA Tours opening event last month in the Bahamas because of a shoulder injury.Clemson moved up two spots to No. 3 in The Associated Press college football poll after a dramatic victory against Louisville and is one of six Atlantic Coast Conference teams ranked, matching the Southeastern Conference for the most teams ranked.Alabama remained No. 1 and had 53 first-place votes and Ohio State held on to No. 2 after a weekend where 10 Top 25 teams lost.Louisville, also from the ACC, slipped four spots to No. 7. Its the first time since 2006 that the ACC has six ranked teams.Michigan remained No. 4, and No. 5 Washington moved up five spots after a dominant victory against Stanford. The last time the Huskies were ranked this high was 2000, when they won the Rose Bowl and finished No. 3 in the nation.No. 10 Miami, which moved up four spots, gives the ACC three in the top 10 to also match the SEC in that category.Ten ranked teams losing was the most in a regular-season week since Oct. 4, 2014, when 11 ranked teams went down, five to unranked teams. All the upheaval resulted in only four teams holding the same rankings they had last week: Baylor at No. 13 was the fourth, along with Alabama, Ohio State and Michigan.Joining the rankings were:No. 21 Colorado (4-1), which is ranked for the first time since Nov. 6, 2005. Fourth-year coach Mike MacIntyre, who came into the season with 10 victories at CU, has the Buffaloes off to their best start since that 2005 season when they also went 4-1 before finishing 7-6.No. 22 West Virginia, ranked for the first time this sseason and one of only two remaining unbeaten teams in the Big 12 with Baylor.ddddddddddddNo. 25 Virginia Tech, which slipped into the rankings for the first time since Sept. 7, 2014, during an off week.No. 17 North Carolina, which jumped back into the rankings after beating Florida State with a last-play field goal. The Tar Heels have won four straight since an opening loss to Georgia.No. 20 Oklahoma, back in the rankings after one week out.Falling out of the rankings were:Michigan State, which has lost consecutive games for the first time since 2012 and is unranked for the first time since October 2013.San Diego State, out after having its 13-game winning streak broken 42-14 at South Alabama.TCU, dropped out after losing at home to Oklahoma.Texas, gone after its second consecutive loss. The Longhorns made a huge jump into the rankings after week one, but head into the Red River Rivalry against the Sooners unranked for the fourth straight season.Georgia, after a crushing loss to Tennessee, which was its second straight and left the Bulldogs unranked.No. 18 Florida and No. 19 Boise State each moved up five places.?No. 23 Florida State fell 11 spots after losing the North Carolina, while No. 15 Stanford dropped eight spots after its first loss. No. 11 Wisconsin slipped three after losing at Michigan.The Associated Press contributed to this report. ' ' '