January 1, 2022 3:51 am
UNDATED (AP) – Alabama has a chance to repeat, while Georgia will have a chance for revenge in the College Football Playoff national championship on Jan. 10 in Indianapolis. The Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs rolled to easy semifinal wins over Cincinnati and Michigan to set up a rematch of the Southeastern Conference title game back in early December. Alabama won that one, humbling Georgia 41-24. Still, the last two title games that have been regular-season rematches have seen the team that lost the first game come out on top. Nakobe Dean led an angry Georgia defense, and the third-ranked Bulldogs returned to their dominant ways, beating No. 2 Michigan 34-11 in the Orange Bowl. Stetson Bennett threw two touchdown passes, as Georgia became the first team in the eight-year history of the CFP to score on each of its first five possessions and led 27-3 at halftime. The Wolverines had rolled to their first Big Ten championship since 2004 without trailing by as many as seven points this season. Alabama smothered Cincinnati’s offense and beat the Bearcats 27-6 in the Cotton Bowl. Brian Robinson ran for a career-high 204 yards, while Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young threw three touchdowns for the Crimson Tide. The Bearcats had been undefeated and were the first non-Power Five team to make the four-team College Football Playoff.
December 31, 2021 3:52 am
ATLANTA (AP) – Payton Thorne’s 22-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Reed gave No. 11 Michigan State the lead with less than three minutes remaining and the Spartans overcame an 11-point deficit to beat No. 13 Pittsburgh 31-21 on Thursday night in the Peach Bowl. Linebacker Cal Haladay’s 78-yard interception return for a touchdown with 22 seconds remaining ended Pitt fill-in quarterback Davis Beville’s bid for a last-minute comeback in the game the Panthers played without star QB Kenny Pickett. Thorne threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes as Michigan State (11-2) rallied. Cam Bright returned a fumble recovery 26 yards for a touchdown 20 seconds into the second half for Pittsburgh (11-3). The Panthers lost fill-in starting quarterback Nick Patti to an injury in the first quarter.
December 31, 2021 3:58 am
UNDATED (AP) – DeMarcus Ware, Andre Johnson and Devin Hester are finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2022 all in their first year of eligibility. The 15 modern-day players who will be considered on Jan. 18 by the selection committee include tackle Tony Boselli and defensive lineman Richard Seymour. Other finalists announced Thursday are safety Leroy Butler, wide receivers Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne, linebackers Sam Mills and Zach Thomas. They are all finalists for the third time. Defensive linemen Jared Allen and Bryant Young and cornerback Ronde Barber are two-time finalists. Tackle Willie Anderson and linebacker Patrick Willis are first-time finalists.
December 30, 2021 2:30 pm
(WPXI) – Will Monday night’s game at Heinz Field be the last home game of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s career? “This is the most important game of the season for us right now,” Roethlisberger said during a press conference. “All signs are pointing to: This could be it. In terms of regular seasons, signs are pointing this way that this could be it.”There’s been speculation that Roethlisberger would retire after this season. “It’s 18 years. It’s almost half my life I’ve given to this city and this team and the fans. I know I still have it in the tank this week to go out there this week and next week and give it everything I have, and do everything I can to get us into the post season,” Roethlisberger said. “I can’t sit here all week and just be nostalgic and think about everything that my career has been when I just have to focus on this game. This is the most important game of the season for us right now.” “My focus is winning this game,” Roethlisberger said. “If it is indeed my last regular season game, it’s going to be one of the most important games of my career.”
December 30, 2021 3:55 am
UNDATED (AP) – No. 19 Clemson beat Iowa State 20-13 in the Cheez-It Bowl for coach Dabo Swinney’s 150th victory. D.J. Uiagalelei completed 21 of 32 passes for 187 yards and Mario Goodrich scored on an 18-yard interception return, while Will Shipley had a 12-yard touchdown run and finished with 61 yards rushing and 53 yards receiving for Clemson. Clemson won its sixth straight game to reach 10 victories for an 11th consecutive season. In other college football bowl games: Taulia Tagovailoa threw touchdown passes of 70 and 32 yards to Darryl Jones, and Maryland routed Virginia Tech 54-10 in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Tagovailoa was named the game’s MVP, finishing with 265 yards passing and his 26 touchdown passes this season tied the Maryland single-season record.
December 30, 2021 3:56 am
UNDATED (AP) – The NHL is following other leagues and the CDC by cutting COVID-19 isolation times to five days under certain conditions and where it is allowed by local laws. The change applies only in the U.S. because of stricter pandemic regulations in Canada.
December 30, 2021 3:53 am
UNDATED (AP) – The remainder of the world junior hockey championship in Canada has been canceled after a few positive tests prompted fears of a COVID-19 outbreak. The top tournament in the world for players under age 20 had completed nine games in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. But positive coronavirus test results among U.S. and Czech players had led to two games being forfeited, and another was imminent with Russia. Citing the spread of the coronavirus and the omicron variant, the International Ice Hockey Federation’s council determined the integrity of the event had been compromised by the forfeits.
December 29, 2021 3:49 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says he has no issue with offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s play-calling. The Steelers have struggled to score points in the first half in recent weeks, one of the main reasons they are in the middle of a 2-4-1 funk. Tomlin says he takes responsibility for the shortcomings and said Canada and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger are doing what they can to help the team get off to better starts. The Steelers are at 7-7-1, but still have a path to the playoffs if they can find a way to beat Cleveland and Baltimore in their final two games.
December 29, 2021 3:53 am
UNDATED (AP) – The NFL says Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster John Madden has died at age 85. Madden’s exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades. The league says he died unexpectedly on Tuesday morning and did not provide a cause. Coaching the renegade Oakland Raiders, Madden compiled a stellar 103-32-7 regular-season record and led his team to victory in the Super Bowl after the 1976 season. He became an even more impactful figure after he stopped coaching at age 42, entertaining millions who tuned in to NFL football. He also was the name behind the hugely popular sports video game, “Madden NFL Football.”
December 29, 2021 2:27 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) – The Holiday Bowl has become the fifth postseason college football game to be canceled. UCLA was forced to pull out just hours before kickoff because of COVID-19 issues with the team. The Bruins were scheduled to face No. 18 North Carolina State at Petco Park, the home of the San Diego Padres. The Hawaii, Military, Fenway and Arizona bowls have already been canceled with virus issues leaving teams without enough available players. The Sun and Gator bowls have had to scramble to find replacement teams. North Carolina State is the fifth Atlantic Coast Conference team to have its bowl disrupted.
