January 7, 2020 3:52 am
UNDATED (AP) – A person with direct knowledge of the decision says the Dallas Cowboys and Mike McCarthy have agreed on a deal for the former Green Bay coach to replace Jason Garrett.
McCarthy interviewed over the weekend before the Cowboys had announced Garrett wasn’t returning. Garrett had an expiring contract coming off a make-or-break season that ended with Dallas missing the playoffs for the sixth time in his nine full seasons. The 56-year-old McCarthy won a Super Bowl with the Packers on the Cowboys’ home field nine years ago. Green Bay made nine trips to the playoffs in his 13 years.
January 7, 2020 3:51 am
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) – Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa says is entering the NFL draft. Tagovailoa, who had surgery on his right hip in November, announced his decision Monday. He ended two months of speculation regarding the star quarterback’s plans as he tries to return from a serious injury. Tagovailoa was projected as a potential No. 1 overall pick before the injury Nov. 16 against Mississippi State.
January 5, 2020 8:19 am
MONTREAL (AP) — Teddy Blueger set up Brandon Tanev’s overtime goal for the Pittsburgh Penguins with a shot that turned into a juicy rebound. The Montreal Canadiens were stunned that officials let it stand. Tanev scored a disputed goal in overtime, lifting the Penguins over the Canadiens 3-2 Saturday night. Bryan Rust tied it with a goal in the third period and Zach Aston-Reese also scored for the Penguins. Matt Murray made 26 saves. Tanev won it 1:49 into overtime after Blueger tried to stuff a shot but was blocked by goalie Carey Price’s right leg on a 2-on-1. Blueger may have knocked Price’s left leg pad as he swept across the top of the crease. Montreal thought he prevented Price from making the save on Tanev.
January 4, 2020 3:52 am
PITTSBURGH– Four Pittsburgh Steelers are being honored as AP All-Pros for 2019, including first team winners T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Watt was named for the first team as an edge rusher, while also being named to the second team as a linebacker. Cam Heyward was awarded the honor for the second time in his career after earning the same status in 2017. Rookie wide receiver Diontae Johnson was named to the second team as a punt returner.
January 3, 2020 3:44 am
UNDATED (AP) – Domingo German won’t pitch off a major league mound until June. The New York Yankees starting hurler will miss the first 63 games of the upcoming season as part of an 81-game ban for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. German was put on administrative leave on Sept. 19 while MLB investigated an alleged domestic violence incident involving his girlfriend, with whom he has at least one child. He missed the final nine games of the 2019 regular season and all nine of New York’s postseason games. Those missed games will count toward his ban. The right-hander was the Yankees’ winningest pitcher last season, going 18-4 with a 4.03 ERA in 24 starts and three relief appearances. German’s ban is the longest levied by MLB under its domestic violence policy for a player who was not formally charged. He has agreed not to appeal the punishment.
January 2, 2020 3:48 am
UNDATED (AP) – Alabama was among the favorites to reach the CFP semifinals when the college football season began, but a pair of late-season losses and an injury to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa dropped them out of contention. The disappointment didn’t cause the Crimson Tide from suffering a letdown before their bowl game on Wednesday. Mac Jones threw for three touchdowns and ninth-ranked Alabama capped an 11-2 season by blasting No. 17 Michigan, 35-16 in the Citrus Bowl. Jerry Jeudy became the first Alabama player to top 200 receiving yards in a bowl game as he accounted for six receptions for 204 yards and a TD. DeVonta Smith and Miller Forristall added touchdown grabs while the Crimson Tide outscored the Wolverines, 21-0 in the second half.
In other New Year’s Day bowl finals:
– The aerial duo of Jake Fromm and George Pickens led fifth-ranked Georgia’s offense in a Sugar Bowl victory over No. 7 Baylor, 26-14. Fromm completed 20 of his 30 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns. Pickens was busy while catching 12 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown as the Bulldogs finished the season 12-2. Matt Landers also had a scoring grab and Zamir White ran for 92 yards and a score.
– Justin Herbert scored his third rushing touchdown of the day on a thrilling 30-yard run with 7:41 to play, pushing seventh-ranked Oregon to a 28-27 victory over No. 11 Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. Brady Breeze returned the first of his two fumble recoveries 31 yards for an early touchdown and used the second to set up Herbert’s go-ahead TD and help the Ducks finish 12-2. Jonathan Taylor rushed for 94 yards and Quintez Cephus caught seven passes for 59 yards and a score. But the Badgers lost despite controlling the ball for over 38 minutes and outgaining the Ducks, 322-204.
– No. 16 Minnesota earned a 31-24 victory over ninth-ranked Auburn in the Outback Bowl as Tyler Johnson had 12 receptions for 204 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson became the Golden Gophers’ career leader in receiving yards while Tanner Morgan completed 19 of 29 passes for 278 yards, two scores and one interception. Receiver Seth Green tossed a 1-yard touchdown pass to Bryce Witham on fourth-and-inches midway through the second quarter.
December 30, 2019 2:53 am
BALTIMORE (AP) — Slogging through the rain without several notable stars and with very little at stake the Baltimore Ravens relied upon a strong defensive performance to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 28-10 and finish the regular season riding a 12-game winning streak. Baltimore’s first touchdown followed a fumble by Steelers quarterback Devlin Hodges, who was held in check the entire game. The Ravens also scored on special teams after Pittsburgh punter Jordan Berry dropped the wet football near his end zone. The Steelers finished the season with three straight losses and were eliminated from playoff contention. Tennessee beat Houston, clinching the second wild card spot and finalizing the AFC playoff field. #1 Baltimore and #2 Kansas City will have first-round byes. #3 New England will host #6 Tennessee while #5 Buffalo travels to #4 Houston. The NFC teams have been determined but the final order of finish won’t be known until the end of Sunday night’s San Francisco at Seattle game. The schedule for Wild Card Weekend (Jan. 4-5) will be announced by the NFL on Monday. You can hear every playoff game and Super Bowl 54 on WJPA-AM (1450).
December 29, 2019 7:56 am
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — All-America linebacker Micah Parsons led the big blitz for Penn State, and he had Brady White all wrapped up when the Memphis quarterback suddenly flipped away the ball — right into the hands of Garrett Taylor. On a day when the Nittany Lions’ defense gave up its most points and yards all season, Taylor turned that gift into a 15-yard interception return for a touchdown in a 53-39 victory over the Group of Five Tigers on Saturday in the highest-scoring Cotton Bowl ever. Journey Brown ran for 202 yards with two long touchdowns, but the Parsons-created pick-six came three plays after Brown was stopped short on a fourth-and-1. Taylor put the No. 13 Nittany Lions (11-2, No. 10 CFP) up 45-36 going into the fourth quarter of the 84th Cotton Bowl. Brown was the offensive MVP and Parsons, with 14 tackles and two sacks, was the game’s top defensive player. Both had gone back and forth about that possibility during practice this week. Freshman running back Noah Cain added 92 yards and two touchdowns rushing for Penn State, which won for the 30th time in its 50 bowl appearances. The Nittany Lions had 529 total yards. Brown got his 202 rushing yards on 16 carries, including a tackle-shredding 32-yard touchdown early and a 56-yard score when he went up the middle virtually untouched.
December 28, 2019 3:45 am
BALTIMORE (AP) – The Baltimore Ravens have already clinched the top seed in the AFC playoffs and will rest several key starters in Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers. That doesn’t mean the Ravens don’t have incentive to win. Baltimore has long been locked in a rivalry with the Steelers and could possibly knock Pittsburgh out of the playoff hunt. The Steelers can get in with a loss, but their best path to the postseason is to win Sunday and have Tennessee lose to Houston. Quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Mark Ingram are among those Ravens who are expected to be inactive.
December 27, 2019 3:46 am
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Penn State has hired Kirk Ciarrocca as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He held the same role for Big Ten foe Minnesota for the past three seasons. Ciarrocca replaces Ricky Rahne, who was named the head coach at OId Dominion earlier this month. Penn State plays Memphis in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday. Ciarrocca grew up as a Nittany Lions fan and has deep ties to Pennsylvania. He guided the Gophers’ offense to a breakout year as quarterback Tanner Morgan set single-season program records for yards and touchdowns.
