January 1, 2023 7:55 am
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Max Duggan accounted for four touchdowns, TCU returned two interceptions for scores and the third-ranked Horned Frogs withstood a frenetic second-half surge by No. 2 Michigan to win the Fiesta Bowl 51-45 and advance to the College Football Playoff national championship. TCU, the most unlikely team to ever reach the four-team playoff in its nine-year history, has one more game to play in its improbable season and it will come against No. 1 Georgia, a 42-41 semifinal winner over No. 4 Ohio State, on Jan. 9 for the national championship at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The Horned Frogs will try to win the program’s first national championship since 1938.
January 1, 2023 7:54 am
ATLANTA (AP) — Quarterback C.J. Stroud and No. 4 Ohio State came up just short, and this one has to hurt. After dominating No. 1 Georgia for most of the first three quarters, the Buckeyes ended their season early Sunday with a second straight loss. The first one, to archrival Michigan on Nov. 26, was bad enough, but the sting of dropping a national semifinal 42-41 in the Peach Bowl after leading the Bulldogs by 14 in the fourth quarter must feel worse. It wasn’t until Noah Ruggles’ 50-yard field-goal try, a career-long attempt for the fifth-year graduate student, sailed well left that Ohio State (11-2) had its fate sealed.
December 31, 2022 4:11 am
EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Ben Sauls kicked five field goals, including a 47-yarder in the final seconds, and Pitt beat No. 18 UCLA 37-35 in a back-and-forth Sun Bowl. The Panthers, playing without five starters who opted out of the game, took advantage of five UCLA turnovers, including four interceptions. UCLA grabbed a 35-34 lead on T.J. Harden’s 8-yard touchdown run with 34 seconds remaining. The late scoring drive started at the UCLA 25-yard line with less than two minutes left. Pitt then drove down the field, using two spikes to stop the clock, and kicked a field goal for the win.
UCLA (9-4) grabbed a 35-34 lead on T.J. Harden’s 8-yard touchdown run with 34 seconds remaining. The late scoring drive started at the UCLA 25-yard line with less than two minutes left, and was keyed by a 34-yard run by Harden.
Pitt quarterback Nick Patti had completions of 18 yards to Jared Wayne and 17 yards to Bub Means on the ensuing drive. After spiking the ball to stop the clock, Patti scrambled for 11 yards to the UCLA 29-yard line. After another spike with 10 seconds left, Sauls came on to kick the game-winner.
Sophomore Rodney Hammond Jr., the game’s MVP, rushed for 89 yards and two TDs for the Panthers, who were without running back Israel Abanikanda, the nation’s leader in total TDs with 22. “We were down a few guys and just found a way to win a football game,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. “One way or another, our guys found a way to get it done. I couldn’t be more proud of this team.”
December 31, 2022 4:11 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Jamarius Burton scored a career-high 31 points, Blake Hinson had seven points in the final minute and a half and Pittsburgh knocked off No. 25 North Carolina 76-74. Burton was 14 of 17 from the field and had six rebounds. Pitt win its fourth straight game and is unbeaten in Athletic Coast Conference play. Pitt went ahead for good with 1:28 remaining when Hinson made a 3-pointer. North Carolina made it 74-72 on Tyler Nickel’s layup with two seconds left but Pitt ran out the clock to end the Tar Heels’ four-game winning streak.
December 30, 2022 3:51 am
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Dak Prescott threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns to Dalton Schultz as the Dallas Cowboys beat the banged-up and resting Tennessee Titans 27-13 for their sixth win in seven games. The Cowboys posted their first back-to-back 12-win seasons since 1994 and 1995, when Dallas won its last of the franchise’s five Super Bowl titles. Fans were chanting “Let’s go Cowboys!” throughout the game. The Titans lost their sixth straight hours after placing quarterback Ryan Tannehill on injured reserve. They gave Joshua Dobbs his first NFL start after signing him Dec. 21 off Detroit’s practice squad.
December 30, 2022 3:48 am
SAO PAULO (AP) – Pelé, Brazil’s mighty king of soccer, has died. He was 82. Since 2021, he had been undergoing treatment for colon cancer discovered during a routine medical exam. Pelé was one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century. He won a record three World Cups with Brazil and was the standard-bearer of “the beautiful game” with the national team and his club Santos. His exuberance and mesmerizing moves transfixed generations of fans around the globe. His flair personified his country’s samba-style elegance. Late in his career, he helped popularize soccer in North America by joining the New York Cosmos.
December 29, 2022 3:55 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Jake Walman scored at 2:13 of overtime and the Detroit Red Wings overcame an early four-goal deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on Wednesday night. Walman, off the rush, tipped a rebound behind goaltender Casey DeSmith for his second goal of the season. Pittsburgh was coming a 5-1 road loss to the New York Islanders less than 24 hours earlier, while Detroit played its first game since Dec. 21. The Penguins started strong with four goals on 12 first-period shots.
December 29, 2022 2:23 am
(WPXI) – Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week on Wednesday after a ferocious performance against the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday in Pittsburgh’s 13-10 win. This is Heyward’s first such honor this season, but his play over the last two weeks has been All-Pro worthy. Heyward has racked up 3.5 sacks and 14 pressures over the last two games. Against the Raiders, he registered two QB Hits, 2 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, and seven pressures on the day. It was a performance worthy of such an honor as Heyward continues to get better as the season goes on.
December 29, 2022 3:57 am
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) – Las Vegas Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said on Wednesday that Jarrett Stidham will start the final two games at quarterback in place of Derek Carr. McDaniels cited the struggles of the offense over the past month as the reason for the switch. McDaniels also said defensive lineman Chandler Jones and linebacker Denzel Perryman were placed on season-ending injured reserve. Jones has an elbow injury and Perryman a shoulder injury. The Raiders host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
December 29, 2022 3:58 am
The Boston Red Sox and right-hander Corey Kluber have agreed to a $10 million, one-year contract. A person familiar with the negotiations confirmed the deal to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract for the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner was pending a successful physical. It also includes an $11 million club option and various performance bonuses and escalators. The 36-year-old Kluber had a 10-10 record and a 4.34 ERA in 31 starts for Tampa Bay this year.
