January 3, 2026 4:14 am
The NFL’s regular season has reached its final weekend with plenty undecided in terms of the playoff picture, including the No. 1 seed in both the AFC and NFC. The Denver Broncos, New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars all have a shot at the No. 1 seed in the AFC, which includes a first-round bye and home-field advantage through the playoffs. The Broncos have the clearest path — if they beat the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, they’ll earn the top seed. The Seattle Seahawks face the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night with the NFC’s No. 1 seed, first-round bye and home-field advantage on the line.
January 3, 2026 4:11 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens visit the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night with the AFC North title at stake. Both teams have been uneven, with the Ravens at 8-8 and the Steelers at 9-7. The losing team will miss the playoffs. And whichever coach suffers that fate could face questions about his future. Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin and Baltimore’s John Harbaugh have faced each other 39 times in a rivalry that has lasted nearly two decades. But both coaches have come under scrutiny this season, with fans voicing displeasure about their underachieving teams.
January 2, 2026 4:25 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Kris Letang scored 58 seconds into overtime in his 1,200th NHL game and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-3. Sidney Crosby had two goals an and assist to extend his point streak to five games, and Blake Lizotte also scored for the Penguins in their third straight win. Pittsburgh has four wins in its last five games following an eight-game losing streak. Erik Karlsson had two assists to become the second active and 14th defenseman in NHL history to reach 900 points. Arturs Silovs stopped 24 shots for Pittsburgh. James van Riemsdyk and Alex DeBrincat had power-play goals for the Red Wings, and Andrew Copp also scored. Cam Talbot made 27 saves for the Red Wings, who had won five of six.
January 2, 2026 4:27 am
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Lamar Jackson says he’s expecting to play when the Baltimore Ravens take on the Steelers in Pittsburgh for the AFC North title Sunday night. Jackson returned to practice Wednesday and was a full participant, but he didn’t talk with reporters at the podium until Thursday. He said he’s feeling good after missing last weekend’s game at Green Bay because of a back injury. That was the fourth game this season Jackson has missed, the first three because of hamstring problems. The Ravens need a win this weekend to make the playoffs after they entered the season as a popular Super Bowl pick.
January 2, 2026 4:27 am
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Trinidad Chambliss passed for 362 yards and two touchdowns, and Lucas Carneiro kicked his third field goal of the game with 6 seconds left to put No. 6 Mississippi in front for good in a 39-34 victory over third-ranked Georgia in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal in the Sugar Bowl. In an unusual twist, Ole Miss was awarded a safety on its final kickoff when Georgia’s return team tried a cross-field lateral that hit the pylon. Gunner Stockton ran for two TDs and rallied Georgia from a 10-point, fourth quarter deficit before Chambliss drove the Rebels for Carniero’s decisive 47-yard kick in less than a minute.
January 2, 2026 4:28 am
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Fernando Mendoza threw three touchdown passes, Indiana’s defense thoroughly throttled Alabama, and the top-seeded Hoosiers roared into the College Football Playoff semifinals with a 38-3 victory in the 112th Rose Bowl. Mendoza passed for 192 yards in his first game since winning his school’s first Heisman Trophy, but the hard-nosed Hoosiers won the Rose Bowl for the first time in school history by dominating the Crimson Tide at the line of scrimmage. Indiana scored the game’s first 24 points before pouring it on with fourth-quarter rushing TDs from Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby, wrapping up a jubilant win in the 112th edition of the Granddaddy of Them All.
January 2, 2026 4:29 am
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Oregon dominated Texas Tech with a 23-0 victory in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Orange Bowl. Matayo Uiagalelei caused a fumble that set up a touchdown, and Jordon Davison rushed for two scores. Dante Moore threw for 234 yards, and Atticus Sappington kicked three field goals. Oregon, now 13-1, will face either Indiana or Alabama in the Peach Bowl on January 9. Texas Tech, which finished 12-2, struggled offensively, turning the ball over four times. This win marks Oregon’s first shutout of an AP-ranked opponent since 2012.
January 1, 2026 9:45 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Aaron Rodgers isn’t talking like someone ready to retire. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, who recently turned 42, hasn’t ruled out returning in 2026. Rodgers says he believes he’ll have options if he wants to play a 22nd season. The four-time MVP has thrown for more than 3,000 yards with 23 touchdowns for Pittsburgh, which hosts Baltimore in the regular-season finale with the AFC North title on the line. Rodgers has been largely healthy this season, save for a broken left wrist that forced him to miss a game. Rodgers says he thinks his decision will be based entirely on his desire to play and not his ability to play.
January 1, 2026 5:11 am
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Keionte Scott returned an interception 72 yards for a touchdown and No. 10 Miami shocked defending champion Ohio State 24-14 in the first College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl. The 12-2 Hurricanes never trailed after going into Wednesday night as 9 1/2-point underdogs. They have won two playoff games to get into football’s final four after needing an at-large berth to make the 12-team field. One more win and they will get to play for a national championship in their home stadium. Next up is a CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8. Third-ranked Ohio State finished 12-2, with losses in the Big Ten title game and the Cotton Bowl after an undefeated regular season.
January 1, 2026 10:41 am
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — As the Buffalo Bills bid farewell to their long-time home dubbed “The Ralph,” many cherished memories remain of the facility that opened in 1973. Bills vice president of security Chris Clark has had a front-row seat for just about everything that’s taken place at Highmark Stadium. He began his career as an Erie County sheriff directing traffic for Bills games in the 1970s. His time goes beyond the stadium’s construction on a site that was an abandoned farm field and former explosives testing and storage site. The Bills close their season by hosting the New York Jets on Sunday before opening the playoffs on the road. The team is moving to a new $2.1 million stadium set to open across the street next year.
