November 30, 2023 4:04 am
There could be some awkward trophy ceremonies around college football’s championship weekend. From the Pac-12, where the winner is guaranteed to be one of the schools that helped collapse the conference, to the Big 12, where the commissioner was outwardly rooting against the favorite to win the championship game, to the Big Ten, where Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and the commissioner who suspended him could be sharing a stage, awkward handshakes are highly likely. The games themselves should provide high drama, too, as seven teams fight for four playoff spots.
November 29, 2023 3:39 am
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Filip Forsberg scored 14 seconds into overtime to give the Nashville Predators their sixth straight victory, 3-2 over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Michael McCarron scored twice and Juuse Saros made 29 saves for Nashville. Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust scored and Tristan Jarry made 23 saves for the Penguins, who have lost three of four. Forsberg skated the length of the ice and beat Jarry on the glove side for the game-winner. As Forsberg crossed the blue line, Nashville’s Ryan O’Reilly collided with Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby, creating space for Forsberg to skate into the slot.
November 29, 2023 3:41 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sean East II scored 21 points to lead four in double-figure scoring as Missouri beat Pittsburgh 71-64 in the ACC/SEC Challenge. Noah Carter added 13 points and eight rebounds for Missouri (6-2). Tamar Bates scored 12 points and Caleb Grill chipped in 10. East made three shots and Bates and Grill hit two apiece from long range. Blake Hinson made five 3-pointers and finished with 22 point for Pitt (5-2). Missouri had a 10-point lead with 5:21 remaining. Hinson made a pair of 3s during an 8-0 surge to cut the Pitt deficit to 64-62 with 2:30 left.
November 29, 2023 3:46 am
The four-team College Football Playoff is going out with the most crowded field of contenders and the most consequential championship weekend in the 10-year history of the system. Eight teams have at least a glimmer of hope to make the field. The penultimate CFP rankings were released Tuesday. Georgia remained No. 1. Michigan moved up a spot to second after beating Ohio State. Unbeaten Washington was third, followed by unbeaten Florida State. Oregon remained fifth, Ohio State slipped to No. 6, Texas was seventh and Alabama eighth. The field for the playoff will be announced Sunday.
November 28, 2023 4:44 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Cairo Santos made a 30-yard field goal for Chicago with 10 seconds left for his fourth of the game after a miss on the opening drive, and the Bears had four interceptions of Joshua Dobbs in a defense-dominated 12-10 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Justin Fields lost two fumbles in the fourth quarter. With excellent protection on third-and-10 near midfield he hit D.J. Moore for 36 yards to put the Bears at the 13 with 55 seconds left. They drained the clock to set up the winning kick and stop a 12-game losing streak against NFC North opponents.
November 28, 2023 4:46 am
The St. Louis Cardinals agreed with AL Cy Young runner-up Sonny Gray on a $75 million, three-year contract to anchor their staff heading into next season. Gray’s deal includes a $30 million team option for 2027 with a $5 million buyout, which could make the agreement worth $100 million over four seasons. The 34-year-old Gray went 8-8 with a 2.79 ERA for Minnesota last season. He turned down a qualifying offer from the Twins, and St. Louis will lose its second-highest draft pick next year for signing him. The Cardinals went 71-91 last season.
November 28, 2023 4:40 am
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — Hall of Fame players Jeff Bagwell, Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, Ted Simmons and Jim Thome are among 16 members of the contemporary era committee that will consider an eight-man Hall of Fame ballot that includes managers Jim Leyland, Lou Piniella, Cito Gaston and Davey Johnson. Manager Joe Torre and Commissioner Bud Selig also are on the committee that convenes Sunday along with Sandy Alderson, Bill DeWitt, Michael Hill, Ken Kendrick, Andy MacPhail, Phyllis Merhige, Sean Forman, Jack O’Connell and Jesus Ortiz. The ballot also includes umpires Joe West and Ed Montague, former National League President Bill White and former general manager Hank Peters.
November 27, 2023 10:44 am
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers fired coach Frank Reich with the team off to an NFL-worst 1-10 record in his first year in charge. The move came a day after the Panthers fell 17-10 to the Tennessee Titans for their fourth straight loss. Owner David Tepper hired Reich to fix one of the league’s worst offenses over the past few seasons and develop Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall draft pick. Instead, they are assured of a sixth straight losing season since Tepper bought the team in 2018 for $2.275 billion. Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor will take over as interim head coach.
November 27, 2023 4:35 am
CINCINNATI (AP) — Kenny Pickett threw for a season-high 278 yards and the Pittsburgh Steelers showed new life on offense days after firing offensive coordinator Matt Canada, beating the Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati Bengals 16-10. The Steelers totaled 421 yards, snapping a streak of 58 games without gaining 400 yards. Pat Freiermuth had a career-high 120 yards receiving as the Steelers outgained their opponent for the first time this season under interim offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner. Chris Boswell kicked two fourth-quarter field goals to keep the Bengals at bay. Cincinnati got a field goal from Evan McPherson just before the 2-minute warning, but the Steelers recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.
November 27, 2023 4:38 am
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Rookie Zay Flowers had a touchdown catch and ran for a game-sealing score late in the fourth quarter, Baltimore forced four turnovers, and the AFC-best Ravens beat the Los Angeles Chargers 20-10. Lamar Jackson threw for 177 yards and ran for 39 on 11 carries, becoming the fourth quarterback in NFL history to exceed 5,000 rushing yards. Baltimore is 9-3 and heads into its bye week one-half game ahead of Kansas City, Jacksonville and Miami for the best record in the conference. Justin Herbert was 29 of 44 for 217 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Chargers, who have lost three straight.
