December 20, 2025 4:26 am
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Ty Simpson passed for 232 yards and two touchdowns as No. 9 seed Alabama rallied to beat No. 8 Oklahoma 34-24 in the College Football Playoff first round. Alabama overcame a 17-point deficit. Freshman Lotzeir Brooks scored twice, marking his first touchdowns of the season. This is Alabama’s first playoff appearance under coach Kalen DeBoer. Oklahoma’s John Mateer threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns but had a costly interception. Alabama advanced to face No. 1 seed Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.
December 20, 2025 4:24 am
STATESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Federal investigators are trying to determine why a business jet carrying retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and six others crashed shortly after takeoff in North Carolina. The Cessna C550 hit light poles and trees before erupting into flames on Thursday, killing everyone on board. The plane had departed Statesville Regional Airport but crashed less than 10 minutes later while attempting to return. Investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder but have not identified the lead pilot. The plane’s speed and altitude fluctuated significantly, suggesting the crew experienced an issue. The Statesville airport remains closed during the investigation.
December 20, 2025 4:15 am
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are close to moving from Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri to a new stadium in Kansas. The Legislative Coordinating Council plans to meet Monday in Topeka, Kansas, to consider funding up to 70% of the project. The Chiefs and Kansas City Royals have played in Missouri for over 50 years, but their leases expire in January 2031. Voters in Jackson County rejected a sales tax extension last year to finance renovations. Kansas offers a potential new location at The Legends, a commercial area with existing infrastructure. Missouri risks losing another team after the Rams moved to Los Angeles.
December 20, 2025 4:14 am
MIAMI (AP) — Anthony Joshua knocked out Jake Paul in the sixth round of their heavyweight fight on Friday night. The two-time heavyweight champion displayed why he is one of the sport’s elite punchers when he dropped the fading Paul twice in the fifth round. Sensing the YouTuber was finished, Joshua rocked him with a right uppercut early in the sixth. The native of England then floored Paul with a combination to the head. Although Paul (12-2) reached his feet again, Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) finally crushed Paul’s upset dream when he dropped him a fourth time with a right to the head. Referee Christopher Young counted Paul out at 1:31 of the round in front of a capacity crowd of 19,600 at the Kaseya Center.
December 19, 2025 4:23 am
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Linus Ullmark made 24 saves for his first shutout of the season, Brady Tkachuk scored twice and the Ottawa Senators beat the Pittsburgh 4-0 on Thursday night to extend the Penguins’ losing streak to seven. David Perron and Claude Giroux also scored, with Perron reaching 800 career points. Arturs Silovs made 22 saves for Pittsburgh. The Penguins are 0-3-4 on the seven-game streak. They last won on Dec. 4.
December 19, 2025 4:25 am
SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks rallied to stun the Los Angeles Rams and take a one-game lead in the NFC West. Sam Darnold connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a touchdown in overtime, then hit a wide-open Eric Saubert for the winning 2-point conversion as the Seahawks beat the Rams 38-37. Seattle overcame a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit. The Seahawks went 3 for 3 on 2-point conversions. Matthew Stafford threw for 457 yards and three touchdowns for the Rams, and Puka Nacua had 225 yards receiving and two scores. The Seahawks are 12-3. They clinched a playoff spot and moved into position for the top seed in the NFC.
December 19, 2025 4:22 am
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kyndal Stowers and Logan Lednicky combined for 34 points to lead Texas A&M to a 29-27, 25-21, 25-20 sweep of Pittsburgh on Thursday, punching their ticket to the national championship game. The No. 3 seed Aggies (28-4) advance to the final for the first time in program history after never advancing past the Elite Eight. En route to the final, the Aggies knocked off two No. 1 seeds in a previously undefeated Nebraska team, and Pitt, along with No. 2 seed Louisville. Pitt had not been swept a single time this season before Thursday.
December 19, 2025 4:26 am
NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA players have authorized their union’s executive council to call a strike if necessary. That’s according to an announcement Thursday by the WNBPA. The union and league have been negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement for the past few months, extending the deadline a couple of times with the latest one set to expire Jan. 9. This move gives union negotiators another tool to use in talks. The union said there was overwhelming support in the vote to allow the executive council to call for a strike when it sees fit. Players and owners have been negotiating regularly.
December 18, 2025 2:52 am
PITTSBURGH — A Chicago-based investment company is close to buying the Pittsburgh Penguins from Fenway Sports Group. Multiple outlets, citing anonymous sources, report that the Hoffmann Family of Companies is nearing a deal to buy the Penguins from Fenway Sports Group. Financial details haven’t been released, though Forbes recently valued the team at around $1.7 billion. Any agreement would have to be approved by the NHL’s Board of Governors. The sale would end FSG’s brief ownership of the five-time Stanley Cup winners. FSG purchased the Penguins in late 2021.
December 18, 2025 4:40 am
In NCAA volleyball, it’s Final Four time with Texas A&M facing Pittsburgh and Wisconsin against Kentucky on Thursday. The winners advance to Sunday’s championship match. The Aggies and Badgers recently defeated top seeds Nebraska and Texas. Last year’s championship game drew 1.3 million viewers, and attendance records have been set annually since 2019, except for 2020. The national championship airs live on ABC for the third year. The sport’s growth includes daughters of former professional athletes, like Cari Spears, daughter of WNBA and NFL players. The NCAA anticipates continued growth and excitement in the sport.
