October 26, 2021 3:51 am
HOUSTON (AP) – The Houston Astros are in the World Series for the third time in five years. They go into Game 1 against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night as the betting favorites in Las Vegas and sure to be cheered at home at Minute Maid Park. But everywhere else, they’re seen as villains, considered baseball’s biggest cheaters after using an illegal sign-stealing scheme on their way to winning the 2017 championship. Astros star Carlos Correa says the outside noise doesn’t motivate the team. There sure is a lot of it when they go on the road, where the team has been heckled, cursed and taunted all season.
October 25, 2021 4:01 am
UNDATED (AP) – The Baltimore Ravens have company atop the AFC North. Joe Burrow threw for a career-high 416 yards and three touchdowns, including a pivotal 82-yarder to rookie Ja’Marr Chase in the third quarter of Cincinnati’s 41-17 dismantling of the Ravens in Baltimore. Chase had eight catches for 201 yards, easily the most productive performance of his impressive debut season. He also set an NFL record for most yards receiving over his first seven career games. Lamar Jackson threw for 257 yards and ran for 88, but he was sacked five times as the Ravens had their five-game winning streak snapped. Both teams are 5-2, but the Bengals hold the tiebreaker after beating Baltimore.
October 25, 2021 3:56 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh finds itself in control of its own destiny in the ACC’s Coastal Division following a 27-17 win over Clemson. The 17th-ranked Panthers are 6-1 overall and 3-0 in the conference after downing the Tigers. Pitt has won four straight since a stunning home upset loss to Western Michigan last month. Senior quarterback Kenny Pickett helped organize a players-only meeting in the aftermath of the defeat. Pickett says the team talked about not letting an opportunity for a special season go to waste. Next up for Pitt is a visit from Miami.
October 25, 2021 3:57 am
UNDATED (AP) – Alabama inched up to No. 3 in The Associated Press college football behind top-ranked Georgia and No. 2 Cincinnati. The Bulldogs are a unanimous No. 1 for the third straight week in the AP Top 25 presented by Regions Bank and the Bearcats remain second. The Crimson Tide jumped up a spot past Oklahoma after blowing out Tennessee. The now fourth-ranked Sooners were shut out in the first half against Kansas before scoring 35 in the second half and pulling away late. No. 5 Ohio State and No. 6 Michigan both held their spots. Penn State dropped 12 spots to No. 20 after losing in a record nine overtime periods to Illinois. Oklahoma State fell from No. 8 to 15th after losing at Iowa State.
October 24, 2021 1:06 am
WASHINGTON, Pa. — Missed opportunities offensively plagued 11th ranked Washington & Jefferson in a 23-18 loss to Presidents’ Athletic Conference rival Westminster College Saturday afternoon in a matchup at Cameron Stadium. The Presidents forced two turnovers and blocked a punt for a safety to help build a 12-3 lead at the half but the offense sputtered most of the afternoon, wasting great field position and special teams plays. The game was typical of so many in recent memory between the two programs. The game was decided by seven points or less for a seventh consecutive meeting. Those seven meetings have been decided by a total of 37 points combined. W&J drops to 6-1 overall and 5-1 in PAC games. The win was the fourth straight in the head-to-head series for Westminster, who improves to 5-2 overall and 5-1 in league play.
INDIANA, Pa. — No. 5 California University of Pennsylvania scored 21 points in the fourth quarter, including the game-winning touchdown with 11 seconds left, to earn a 38-34 comeback win over No. 23 IUP in the 12th Coal Bowl on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action. With just over 90 seconds left in regulation, Cal U forced a three-and-out in its own territory after an unsuccessful onside kick attempt. Redshirt freshman Dominic Solomon, Jr. then recorded a pivotal punt block that was returned to the IUP 40-yard line with 35 seconds remaining. QB Noah Mitchell found Derek Lockhart for an 11-yard completion before connecting with Cam Tarrant for a 25-yard gain to the IUP 4-yard line. The Crimson Hawks then called a timeout before the Vulcans scored the game-winning touchdown with 11 seconds left, as Mitchell found Tyson Hill for a four-yard touchdown. Cal U completed the victory when Martin recorded an interception on the final play of the game. With the victory, the Vulcans improve to 7-0 overall with a 4-0 mark in divisional play. Cal U now holds sole possession of first place in the PSAC West standings with two weeks left in league action. Meanwhile, IUP drops to 4-2 this season behind a 4-1 record in conference play.
October 24, 2021 7:53 am
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett made the most of his Heisman Trophy showcase, throwing for 302 yards and two touchdowns as the 23rd-ranked Panthers topped Clemson 27-17 on Saturday. Pickett completed 25 of 39 passes to overtake Alex Van Pelt for the most career completions in school history. The fifth-year senior ran for two drive-extending dives late in the fourth quarter after the Tigers had drawn within 10. Senior linebacker SirVocea Dennis returned an ill-advised shovel pass by Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei 50 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter that gave the Panthers a 14-point lead they never really threatened to give away. Pitt (6-1, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) gained firm control of the ACC’s Coastal Division by winning its fourth straight following a stunning home upset loss to Western Michigan last month. Clemson (4-3, 3-2) saw its chances for another Atlantic Division title take a massive hit thanks in large part to an offense that remains very much a problem with Halloween looming.
October 24, 2021 7:56 am
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Over the course of an unprecedented nine overtimes, Illinois survived Penn State’s botched attempt at a trick play, lost its quarterback and a powerful running back to injury, and failed to gain just three measly yards again and again. The Illini came out victorious in the NCAA’s first ever nine-overtime game, edging the seventh-ranked Nittany Lions 20-18 on Washington’s 2-point conversion catch from Brandon Peters to end a string of goal-line stalemates under college football’s recently rewritten overtime rules. The sides were tied at 10 after regulation, exchanged field goals in the first two overtimes, then began to alternate one-and-done drives from the 3-yard line in the third OT as part of a format tweaked ahead of the 2021 season. Penn State tried to win it then and there with a variation of the famed “Philly Special” play the Eagles used to win Super Bowl LII. Quarterback Sean Clifford — still suffering from an unspecified injury sustained Oct. 9 against Iowa — was wide open near the goal line on the trick play, but tight end Tyler Warren’s pass attempt missed its mark. Quarterback Artur Sitkowski missed a receiver on Illinois’ first try, and both defense held firm for the four OTs that followed. Illinois attempted three more passes that fell incomplete, and Josh McCray was stopped at the goal line in the seventh overtime. Meanwhile, Clifford missed his next two 2-point passes while Noah Cain was stuffed to start the fifth and seventh overtimes. Sitkowski — normally the backup — was injured in the sixth OT and replaced by Peters, the regular starter who had been sidelined by injury. McCray, who had 142 yards on 24 carries, also left and didn’t return after being pulled down and slamming his helmet off the grass. Finally in OT No. 8, Isaiah Williams ran one in to put Illinois up 18-16, only to have Cain keep the game alive with a 2-point run of his own. In the ninth OT, Clifford’s pass to Parker Washington was broken up by linebacker Khalan Tolson. Peters then found Washington near the back of the end zone for the winning completion.
October 24, 2021 7:52 am
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins were missing several key regulars, but they didn’t have any problem with a high-powered Toronto team stuck in an early slump. Drew O’Connor scored twice, his first career two-goal game, and the Penguins routed the Maple Leafs 7-1 on Saturday night. O’Connor, who is tied for the NHL scoring lead among rookies, got his second and third goals of the season. Marcus Pettersson also scored and added two assists for a career-high three points. The Penguins, playing without five of their best players, including Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, broke a 1-all tie with a four-goal second period. Evan Rodrigues scored his third goal, while Jason Zucker and Brian Boyle both got their second of the season. Mike Matheson also scored his first for Pittsburgh, which has 23 goals, produced by an NHL-most 14 different players this season. Tristan Jarry made 28 saves for the Penguins, who have scored at least four goals in all but one game this season.
October 23, 2021 1:31 am
Canon-McMillan lost at Norwin, keeping the Big Macs from clinching a playoff berth. CM needs to win against Central Catholic next week or have Hempfield upset Norwin to make the 6A playoffs. Peters Township kept its 5A playoff hopes alive with the Indians’ win over West Allegheny. PT clinches a berth with a win next week at South Fayette. Trinity couldn’t stop Laurel Highlands, crushing playoff hopes for the Hillers and Ringgold. McGuffey kept its Century Conference title hopes alive with a home win over Beth-Center, setting up next week’s showdown at Wash High. Chartiers-Houston is also alive for a share of the title, rallying past Waynesburg. Beth-Center clinches a playoff spot with a home win vs. Waynesburg. Charleroi & Waynesburg are also still alive for the fourth spot.
Fort Cherry forfeited its game at Cornell and dropped into a three way tie for the last three 1A Big Seven playoff spots. The Rangers host Burgettstown with the winner making the playoffs. California and Mapletown clinched playoff berths with wins. Monessen and Avella play next week with the final 1A Tri-County South berth going to the winner.
Week 8 schedule/results:
6A Norwin 16, Canon-McMillan 7
5A Peters Township 30, West Allegheny 7
4A Laurel Highlands 39, Trinity 34
4A West Mifflin 24, Ringgold 8
2A Wash High wins by forfeit vs. Frazier
2A McGuffey 35, Beth-Center 8
2A Chartiers-Houston 27, Waynesburg 24
1A Burgettstown 12, Union 8
1A Cornell wins by forfeit vs. Fort Cherry
1A Carmichaels 63, Avella 22
1A Mapletown 50, Bentworth 15
1A California 23, Monessen 0
1A West Greene 56, Jeff-Morgan 8
Non-Conference
Albert Gallatin 50, Charleroi 16
October 23, 2021 3:58 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh and star quarterback Kenny Pickett have a chance to make a statement when ACC power Clemson visits Heinz Field on Saturday. The Panthers are 5-1 and ranked 23rd in the AP Top 25 thanks in large part to Pickett. The fifth-year senior has 21 touchdowns and just one interception through six games. Pickett has struggled in his career against Clemson. He is 0-2 against the Tigers and has played poorly both times. Pickett says he’s doing his best to tune out the hype surrounding the game so the Panthers can focus on taking another step toward an ACC Coastal Division title.
