ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Baker Mayfield came home to Texas looking to keep his Tampa Bay Buccaneer...

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Baker Mayfield came home to Texas looking to keep his Tampa Bay Buccaneers on track for the playoffs.Instead, they'll need some help.Cooper Rush threw a touchdown pass and Brandon Aubrey kicked two 58-yarders among four field goals Sunday night, boosting the Dallas Cowboys to a 26-24 victory that cost the Bucs control of their playoff fate.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The end of a four-game winning streak left Tampa Bay (8-7) even with Atlanta atop the NFC South with two games remaining. The Falcons have the tiebreaker because they won both meetings with the Bucs, who are on a four-year playoff run."We lost, we fell back in the pack," coach Todd Bowles said. "We've got to eat it, can't spend too much time on it. We had our chances. We've got to take care of us and let everything else take care of itself."A three-year playoff streak for the Cowboys (7-8) ended when they were eliminated from postseason contention before the prime-time kickoff. Still, Dallas won for the fourth time in five games since a five-game losing streak that put those playoff hopes in peril.Dallas' hopes officially ended about four hours before the game when Washington scored in the final seconds to beat Philadelphia."There wasn't a whole lot of conversation about it," coach Mike McCarthy said. "I made the point before the game, 'Just play the way we always play. We're playing really dang good football these past four, five weeks. Let's grind this thing out.'"Mayfield, the former Texas high school standout playing not far from his Heisman Trophy-winning days at Oklahoma, was in position to lead a rally from a nine-point deficit late when he escaped a sack and shoveled the ball to Rachaad White in the final two minutes.<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1871052531041734800">DaRon Bland ripped the ball out of White's hands</a> before the Tampa Bay running back hit the ground at the Bucs 32, allowing the Cowboys to run out the clock.Mayfield threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns, including a 13-yarder to Ryan Miller that pulled the Bucs within two with 2:36 to go.The Bucs got the ball back with 1:40 remaining, but the next play was the big one from Bland, who forced his first turnover in an injury-plagued season a year after the cornerback set an NFL record with five interception returns for touchdowns.White initially was carrying the ball in one hand away from his body after getting it from Mayfield before pulling it into his body and Bland closed in."He had two hands on the ball, obviously you've got to be careful," Mayfield said. "The same thing happened to me earlier in the game. They made some plays when it mattered. It's all about the ball, and they did good taking it away."The Cowboys appeared in firm control when Jourdan Lewis took the ball away from Jalen McMillan for an interception at the Dallas goal line on a deep throw with about six minutes remaining.Dallas failed to get a first down after that turnover, and again after the Bucs pulled within two. The defense came through again, though."When we had to have it with the takeaways there in the fourth quarter, it's remarkable, just to see the bounce-back," McCarthy said.A Tampa Bay defense that allowed an NFL-low 15 points during the winning streak had trouble early trying to slow Rush and receiver CeeDee Lamb, who had a 100-yard first half for the second week in a row.Lamb, who has been battling a bum right shoulder most of the season, came down hard on it again on a 52-yard catch in the second quarter. After going to the bench, Lamb returned for a catch underneath and fought his way inside the 1-yard line to set up Ezekiel Elliott's plunge for a 20-7 Dallas lead.Lamb finished with 105 yards after getting 100 before the break a week after going for 105 first-half yards, and 116 total, in a 30-14 victory at Carolina. Rush threw for 292 yards with a 10-yard TD to Jalen Tolbert in the first quarter.Mayfield needed less than a minute on a drive to his 11-yard touchdown pass to Jalen McMillan in the final minute of the first half, but the Cowboys answered with Aubrey's second 58-yard field goal on the final play before the break for a 23-14 lead."I've said it all along, this group will not quit," Mayfield said. "That's the standard that we try to set. It'd be nice to not have to be in that situation, if we'd take care of business earlier in the game."Long-distance duelWith his three field goals of at least 50 yards, Aubrey has 14 for the season, an NFL record. Houston's Ka'imi Fairbairn has 13, so the record remains up for grabs.InjuriesTampa Bay WR Sterling Shepard was ruled out in the second half with a hamstring injury. ... Cowboys LB Eric Kendricks was inactive with a calf injury after going through a pregame workout.Up nextBuccaneers: Host Carolina next Sunday.Cowboys: At Philadelphia next Sunday.<h2>___</h2>AP NFL: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nfl">https://apnews.com/hub/nfl</a>

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 22: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scrambles under pressure from the Dallas Cowboys during the third quarter at AT&T Stadium on December 22, 2024 in Arlington, Texas.

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Bucs surrender control of playoff fate with SNF loss to Cowboys

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tyreek Hill has not shied away from accountability during one of the l...

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tyreek Hill has not shied away from accountability during one of the least productive seasons of his nine-year career.After a poor performance in Miami's 29-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Hill was candid about the reason for a puzzling decline in his connection with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa this season.“I feel like at the end of the day, I need those valuable reps with Tua,” Hill said. “Those vet (veteran) rest days are starting to show.”<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>It's common for NFL teams to give veteran players days off during the week, especially toward the end of the season when injuries seem to pile up. Hill has missed three practices over the past month for either rest or personal reasons, including this past Wednesday for what the team called rest/wrist. He has played through a wrist injury all season and was questionable entering Sunday's game.“There’s always pros and cons with any sort of rest," coach Mike McDaniel said. "Shoot, I want every player to play 100% of the practice snaps at full tilt every week. You have an imperfect formula of trying to figure out how to rest guys and what does best for their body. "I think the adjustment to getting more reps with Tua, that’s an easy one. You know what I’ll do? I’ll say, hey, get more reps, and then they’ll do it. But it’s the communication aspect, and you hate for guys to feel like they’re not properly tooled in any sort of situation. So you just adjust off that and make sure we get better from it, not worse.”Hill caught just 3 of 7 targets for 29 yards and a touchdown and had several drops, including one on third down that went through his hands on Miami's opening drive.“I completely blame myself for not getting my head around and not seeing the ball,” Hill said, “because if I see a ball, we’re talking cross-court, 70-yard touchdown."Tagovailoa and Hill also couldn't connect on two potential touchdowns. The first was tipped by a San Francisco defensive back just outside of Hill's grasp, the other was a drop that Hill again attributed to a lack of reps.“One thing I learned from Coach (Andy) Reid whenever I was in Kansas City,” Hill said, “I was blessed to be able to play under such a great head coach, is you can’t just show up on Sunday. You’ve got to be able to prepare yourself Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, even Saturday. Then when it’s Sunday, it’s easy."Hill is on pace for his least-productive season since 2019 with Kansas City, when he had 58 receptions, 860 yards and seven touchdowns. He currently has a team-high 834 yards receiving, six touchdowns and 70 catches — six receptions fewer than running back De'Von Achane and tight end Jonnu Smith, who lead the team. Hill also entered Sunday averaging just 57.5 yards per game, his fewest since averaging 37.1 yards his rookie season.That's a stark decline from last year, when Hill had 1,799 yards, 13 receiving touchdowns and 112.4 yards per game, which all led the NFL.Hill didn't have Tagovailoa throwing him the ball for four games earlier this season, when the quarterback went on injured reserve with a concussion. Hill saw a huge drop in his production during that span, with just 35 yards per game as the Dolphins averaged a league-worst 12 points.Tagovailoa agreed after Sunday's game that he and Hill need more reps together.“That’s the secret sauce to me being able to connect with all these guys,” Tagovailoa said. “You guys see Jonnu (Smith) here, that’s the secret sauce. If we miss a throw, if we’re off on a throw in the team practice we’ll get together in whatever time we have ... and we’ll get those reps made up. Telling him what I see and then him also telling me how he feels with running it. That has a lot to do with reps for sure.”___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 22: Tyreek Hill #10 of the Miami Dolphins talks with teammate Tua Tagovailoa #1 before playing the San Francisco 49ers at Hard Rock Stadium on December 22, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida.

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Hill: Drops are because of lack of reps with Tagovailoa

TORONTO (AP) — Dillon Brooks scored 27 points, Jalen Green had 22 and the Houston Rockets won in ...

TORONTO (AP) — Dillon Brooks scored 27 points, Jalen Green had 22 and the Houston Rockets won in Toronto for the first time in more than five years by beating the struggling Raptors 114-110 on Sunday night.Alperen Sengun had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets, who hadn’t won in Toronto since Dec. 5, 2019. Current Rockets guard Fred VanVleet scored 20 points for the reigning NBA-champion Raptors in that game.Ja’Kobe Walter fouled out with a career-high 27 points and Chris Boucher and Ochai Agbaji each added 15 as Toronto’s losing streak reached seven. The Raptors have lost six straight at home.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Walter scored Toronto’s first 14 points of the game, a run that ended when Gradey Dick made a free throw with 7:06 remaining in the opening period.Jamal Shead had 11 points and a career-high 10 assists for the Raptors.Toronto’s RJ Barrett missed his second straight game because of an illness.TakeawaysRockets: VanVleet was injured when the Rockets lost at Toronto last season. In his first appearance as a visitor, he had eight rebounds and five assists but didn’t score until the final minute of the game. VanVleet shot 1 for 10, missing all five of his 3-point attempts.Raptors: Scottie Barnes had 10 rebounds but scored only six points. He shot 2 for 15 and went 0 for 8 from distance, missing his first eight field goal attempts.Key momentSengun fed Cam Whitmore for a one-handed alley-oop dunk that gave Houston a 99-91 lead, its biggest of the game at that point, with 6:58 left in the fourth quarter.Key statHouston allowed 23 points on 14 turnovers in the first half. It cleaned things up after the break, but its 21 turnovers were a season-worst.Up nextBoth teams play on the road Monday, with Houston in Charlotte and Toronto visiting New York.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 22: Dillon Brooks #9 of the Houston Rockets shoots against Ja'Kobe Walter #14 of the Toronto Raptors during the first half of their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on December 22, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

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Brooks scores 27, Rockets hand Raptors 7th straight loss

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa threw for 215 yards and a touchdown, Jason Sanders nail...

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa threw for 215 yards and a touchdown, Jason Sanders nailed five field goals, and the Miami Dolphins kept their playoff chances alive by beating the San Francisco 49ers 29-17 on Sunday.The 49ers were eliminated from the playoffs before the game because of wins by the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Commanders earlier Sunday. The loss ensured that last year's NFC champions will have a losing season for the first time since 2020.The Dolphins (7-8) helped their chances of making the playoffs for a third straight season, but will need to win their final two games and get help from losses by the Broncos, Chargers and Colts for that to happen.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Trailing by nine early in the fourth, San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy found tight end Eric Saubert for a 2-yard score that cut the lead to 19-17, but the Niners couldn't get past self-inflicted wounds.After punting the ball back to Miami with 6:45 left, San Francisco was hit with consecutive penalties for illegal substitution, unnecessary roughness and offsides to give Miami 25 yards, helping set up Sanders' 48-yard field goal that stretched the Dolphins' lead to five.The 49ers were penalized 11 times for 90 yards.Cornerback Kader Kohou then intercepted Purdy on the next drive, after the quarterback was pressured by defensive tackle Calais Campbell. Dolphins running back De'Von Achane sealed it with a 50-yard touchdown run. Tagovailoa finished 22 of 34. Purdy was 26 of 40 for 313 yards and two touchdowns.Tyreek Hill's inconsistent season continued. He caught just 3 of 7 targets for 29 yards and a touchdown, with drops on the first two drives of the game and another on a potential touchdown in the third.Jonnu Smith caught six passes for 62 yards to set the Dolphins' single-season franchise record for receptions (76) and receiving yards (802) by a tight end. Sanders was 5 of 5, including a 54-yarder, which made him 11 of 13 on field goals of 50-plus yards this year. San Francisco's Jake Moody missed a 41-yarder in the third.Deebo Samuel caught his first touchdown since Week 6 on a 16-yard score in which he muscled through several defenders on his way into the end zone.Miami moved into 49ers territory three times in the first half but settled for field goals before Hill's 3-yard touchdown catch from Tagovailoa that put the Dolphins ahead with 3:20 left in the second.Purdy then drove San Francisco 67 yards down the field to set up Moody's 21-yard field goal to cut Miami's lead to 13-10 at halftime.Injuries49ers: LB Dre Greenlaw (right calf), LG Aaron banks (knee) and LT Jaylon Moore (quad) left with injuries. ... DE Leonard Floyd played through a shoulder injury suffered in the first quarter. Dolphins: WR Jaylen Waddle did not play because of a knee injury suffered last week. ... CB Kendall Fuller (knee) and LB Jordyn Brookes (quad/knee) left in the second half.Up next49ers: Host Detroit on Monday Dec. 30.Dolphins: At Cleveland next Sunday.___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 22: Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins looks to throw a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers at Hard Rock Stadium on December 22, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida.

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Dolphins keep playoff hopes alive with win over 49ers

CINCINNATI (AP) — Aziz Bandaogo scored 15 points and No. 19 Cincinnati extended its winning strea...

CINCINNATI (AP) — Aziz Bandaogo scored 15 points and No. 19 Cincinnati extended its winning streak to four games with an 84-49 win over the Grambling State on Sunday.Dillon Mitchell added 13 points and seven rebounds, and Day Day Thomas finished with 12 points for the Bearcats (10-1).Ernest Ross scored 16 points, and Mikale Stevenson added 11 points and seven rebounds for Grambling (2-10), which lost its fifth straight game overall and seventh straight on the road.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Grambling closed the first half on a 9-0 run, cutting its deficit 37-24 at the break. But the Tigers were outscored 47-25 in the second half.TakeawaysGrambling State: The Tigers struggled to find consistent offense and ball distribution, shooting just 34% from the field and committing 16 turnovers with 10 assists.Cincinnati: Playing less than 48 hours after outlasting No. 22 Dayton on Friday night, the Bearcats jumped out to a 17-3 lead.Key momentSimas Lukosius hit a 3-pointer from the left wing to stretch the Bearcats' lead to 44-29 with 17:26 left in the second half. It was the first of three straight made 3s for the Bearcats, giving them a 50-29 lead. The Bearcats used a 20-4 run to put the game out of reach.Key statCincinnati finished with 17 assists and committed six turnovers. Only two of the turnovers came in the second half.Up nextGrambling State hosts the College of Biblical Studies on Dec. 30, while Cincinnati opens Big 12 play at Kansas State on the same day.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

CINCINNATI, OHIO - DECEMBER 20: Aziz Bandaogo #55 of the Cincinnati Bearcats celebrates after beating the Dayton Flyers 66-59 at the Heritage Bank Center on December 20, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

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No. 19 Cincinnati dominates Grambling State

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Nicole Hensley made back-to-back saves in the shootout and the Minnesota Fros...

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Nicole Hensley made back-to-back saves in the shootout and the Minnesota Frost earned their fourth straight victory with a 4-3 shootout win over the New York Sirens on Sunday.It was the fourth time in seven all-time meetings that a game between the teams was decided in OT and the second this season. New York won the season opener in St. Paul.Kendall Coyne Schofield scored two first-period goals to stake the Frost to the early lead and Taylor Heise beat Kayle Osborne, who relieved starter Abigail Levy in the New York net to start the second period, two minutes in to make it a 3-0 lead.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>But Osborne did not allow another goal in regulation and wasn’t seriously challenged in overtime while the Sirens staged a comeback. Brooke Hobson and Elizabeth Giguère each scored in the second period and Alex Carpenter pounced on a loose puck and lifted a shot over Hensley’s shoulder from deep in the face-off circle to tie the game midway through the third period.Hensley was brilliant in overtime, turning away four close-in, open shots by the Sirens (2-1-1-1), two of them on breakaway chances.Minnesota (4-0-1-0) got goals from Denisa Krizova, Grace Zumwinkle and Heise in the shootout. Noora Tulus and Carpenter each converted in the shootout for New York, but Hensley came up with a save on Sarah Fillier before stopping the final two shooters for the Sirens.Hensley finished with 33 saves on 36 shots to earn the win. Osborne made 18 saves on 19 shots over her 45 minutes in goal for New York. Carpenter’s two-goal effort lifted her past Coyne Schofield and into the league lead with four goals in her first five games and she now has a league-leading seven points.<h2>___</h2>AP hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/hockey

NEWARK, NJ - DECEMBER 22 : Nicole Hensley #29 of the Minnesota Frost makes a save during the first period of the PWHL game against the New York Sirens on December 22, 2024 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey

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Hensley stars in OT as league-leading Frost top Sirens in shootout

ATLANTA (AP) — Michael Penix Jr. felt a brief bit of apprehension as he ran down the tunnel, whic...

ATLANTA (AP) — Michael Penix Jr. felt a brief bit of apprehension as he ran down the tunnel, which was to be expected.Then he played like a veteran for the Atlanta Falcons.Penix’s first NFL start went about as smoothly as it could, helped greatly by a defense that returned two interceptions for touchdowns Sunday in a 34-7 rout of the New York Giants that bolstered Atlanta’s playoff hopes.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“It’s the game I’ve been playing since I was 5 years old,” the 24-year-old rookie said. “Obviously it’s different, it’s at a higher level, but you know it’s the same game. I’ve just got to go out there and execute. Once we hit the field, I was good.”Jessie Bates and Matthew Judon each had a pick-6 to carry Atlanta (8-7) to its second straight win after a four-game losing streak put its postseason hopes in jeopardy. The Falcons came into the week a game behind Tampa Bay in the NFC South and holding the tiebreaker edge over the Buccaneers, who were playing Sunday night at Dallas.Penix, the No. 8 overall pick in this year’s draft, got the call against the Giants (2-13) after the Falcons decided to bench turnover-prone Kirk Cousins, just nine months after signing him to a four-year, $180 million contract that included $100 million in guaranteed money.The left-hander was not at all overwhelmed by the moment, completing 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards — numbers that would’ve been better if not for at least three dropped passes, one of which Kyle Pitts bobbled right into the hands of a New York defender for Penix’s lone interception.“He went out and played almost flawless football,” coach Raheem Morris said. “He kept the game really clean.”The defense made things even easier for the new starter, throttling a New York team that struggled to put anything together with Drew Lock returning as the starting QB after missing the previous week with a heel injury.The Giants took their franchise-record 10th straight loss.“You can’t win a game when you throw two interceptions for touchdowns,” coach Brian Daboll said. “I’m just worried about this one. It wasn’t good enough.”With the Giants up 7-3 in the second quarter, Lock’s pass for Wan’Dale Robinson was easily swiped by Bates, who ran untouched the other way for a 55-yard touchdown return that put the Falcons ahead to stay.Judon put the game away on the second play of the second half, grabbing a ball that was batted in the air by Zach Harrison as Lock attempted to throw. The edge rusher took it 27 yards for another pick-6 that gave Atlanta a commanding 24-7 lead.It was only the second time in franchise history that Atlanta has returned a pair of interceptions to the end zone. Kenny Johnson did it by himself in a 47-41 victory over Green Bay on Nov. 27, 1983.Lock, on the other hand, became the first Giants quarterback since Eli Manning in 2007 to toss multiple pick-6s in a game. He also lost a fumble.Bijan Robinson had touchdowns runs of 2 and 4 yards for the Falcons. He finished with 94 yards on 22 carries and now has 10 rushing TDs on the season, becoming the first Atlanta back to reach double figures since Devonta Freeman during the 2016 Super Bowl season.Robinson wanted to keep the focus on Penix for making a difficult week much easier on those around him.“He carries himself super well,” the running back said. “I could tell in the game today he was as chill as possible.”Lock opened the scoring with a 2-yard TD pass to Tyrone Tracy, who made a dazzling one-handed catch while tiptoeing along the end line. But that was about the only highlight for the Giants, who are wrapping up one of the most dismal seasons in their storied history.Riley Patterson, taking over as Atlanta’s kicker after struggling Younghoe Koo went on injured reserve, made field goals of 52 and 37 yards after missing his first attempt from 43 yards.Keeping up the pressureAtlanta got another big game from its pass rush, which was credited with three sacks and six other hits on Lock.After being held to a league-low 10 sacks through their first 11 games, the Falcons have 16 sacks in four games since their bye week.“I was like, ‘It’s coming, I can see it in practice and how we’re practicing and how we’re getting better,’” Morris said. “But really over the last couple of weeks, they’ve cracked the code. They’re rushing together. When you get four guys all rushing together, that’s how it happens the best.”Injury reportGiants: ILB Micah McFadden (neck) and S Jason Pinnock (eye) both left the game. ... Tommy DeVito was cleared from concussion protocol and served as Lock's backup. Falcons: CB Antonio Hamilton (quad) was injured in the first half and didn't return. ... WR Drake London (hamstring) hobbled off in the second half.Up nextGiants: Host the Indianapolis Colts next Sunday before closing the season at Philadelphia on Jan. 5. If New York loses its last two games, it will mark the fewest wins in a season since a 2-12 mark in 1974.Falcons: Travel to Washington next Sunday to take on the Commanders in a game with huge playoff ramifications for both teams. ___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 22: Bijan Robinson #7 of the Atlanta Falcons celebrates after his rushing touchdown against the New York Giants with Michael Penix Jr. #9 during the third quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 22, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Penix wins debut as Falcons return 2 picks for TDs, beat hapless Giants

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Tamin Lipsey scored a season-high 20 points and No. 3 Iowa State extended its w...

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Tamin Lipsey scored a season-high 20 points and No. 3 Iowa State extended its winning streak to seven games with a 99-72 win over Morgan State on Sunday.Lipsey, an Ames native, scored 12 out of his points in the first half as the Cyclones (10-1) raced to a 50-34 lead.Curtis Jones added 19 points off the bench after scoring just four points in Iowa State's last game, an 83-51 win over Omaha.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Keshon Gilbert scored 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting. Dishon Jackson added 12 points and tied his career highs in blocks and steals with five and two, respectively. Joshua Jefferson had his fifth double-double of the season with 11 points and 12 rebounds, along with three blocks and two steals. Milan Momcilovic finished with 10 points.Kameron Hobbs led the Bears (6-9) with 23 points, and Amahrie Simpkins scored 18 points. TakeawaysMorgan State: The Bears remain winless on the road, dropping their seventh straight.Iowa State: The Cyclones end non-conference play on a seven-game winning streak and get a break for the holidays before starting Big 12 play.Key momentAn 11-0 run in the first half helped Iowa State pull away from Morgan State.Key statThe Cyclones shot 56.3% from the field in the first half. The shot 3 for 10 from 3-point range.Up nextIowa State travels to Colorado on Dec. 30 to open up Big 12 play. Morgan State has a week off before traveling to Minnesota on Dec. 29.___Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

IOWA CITY, IOWA- DECEMBER 12: Guard Tamin Lipsey #3 of the Iowa State Cyclones goes down the court during the second half against guard Brock Harding #2 of the Iowa Hawkeyes, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on December 12, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa.

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No. 3 Iowa State's balanced scoring secures win vs. Morgan State

Manchester United was beaten 3-0 at home by Bournemouth for the second straight season in the Pre...

Manchester United was beaten 3-0 at home by Bournemouth for the second straight season in the Premier League to continue Ruben Amorim's turbulent start at Old Trafford, while title-chasing Chelsea was held to a 0-0 draw at Everton on Sunday.The optimism that might have been generated by a last-gasp 2-1 derby win at Manchester City last weekend has disappeared for United, which lost 4-3 at Tottenham in the English League Cup quarterfinals on Thursday before being handed a defeat to Bournemouth by the same score as 12 months ago."We were a bit nervous. I felt it in the stadium," said Amorim, who has won four and lost four in all competitions since starting his United tenure with a draw at Ipswich on Nov. 24.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Dean Huijsen, Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo scored for the visitors from the south coast as they climbed to fifth place in the standings, dropping Man City — the beleaguered defending champion — to seventh place after 17 games.United, which left out Marcus Rashford for the third straight match, sits in 13th place and will be in the bottom half of standings at Christmas for the first time since the 1989-90 season."We know how big it is at this club," United defender Lisandro Martinez told the BBC. "The expectation is very high, it's a process and you can see we are playing so well but we also concede goals and we have to work on that. I know the fans are impatient with us."Chelsea could have climbed above Liverpool into first place — for a couple of hours at least — with a win at Everton.However, a 0-0 draw ended the team's eight-match winning run in all competitions and meant Liverpool could push four points clear by beating Tottenham later Sunday.Nicolas Jackson headed against the post for Chelsea in the first half.Everton also held Arsenal 0-0 last weekend."Sometimes you have to play a different game and we are learning to play a different game," Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said. "They (Everton) are one of the best teams in Europe in terms of clean sheets."

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 22: Justin Kluivert of Bournemouth celebrates after he scores a goal to make it 2-0 from the spot during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and AFC Bournemouth at Old Trafford on December 22, 2024 in Manchester, England.

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Bournemouth soar into 5th place after humiliating Man United again

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A federal judge set a Jan. 8 hearing to hear NASCAR’s motion to throw out ...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A federal judge set a Jan. 8 hearing to hear NASCAR’s motion to throw out an antitrust lawsuit filed against the stock car series by Michael Jordan-owned 23XI Racing and Front Row MotorsportsThe two teams are <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-jordan-antitrust-lawsuit-talladega-ecf00cbe79c0ab5d366651a53d9652a3">suing NASCAR</a> and were granted a preliminary injunction Wednesday that will allow them to compete as chartered teams in 2025.U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth D. Bell said that “NASCAR fans (and members of the public who may become fans) have an interest in watching all the teams compete with their best drivers and most competitive teams.” NASCAR has indicated it will appeal his ruling and wants his injunction partially blocked pending the appeal.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The hearing is the latest in the legal brawl between the two Cup Series teams and the sanctioning body that began late last season. Judge Bell is set to decide other motions, as well. He also set a Sept. 19, 2025, deadline for discovery to be completed and set a trial date of Dec. 1 — after the completion of next season.23XI, the team owned by Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row refused in September to sign take-it-or-leave it charter renewal offers made by NASCAR. A charter is essentially a franchise and guarantees prize money, a spot in the field each week and other protections.The teams filed suit alleging NASCAR owners are “monopolistic bullies” and lost a bid <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-antitrust-lawsuit-jordan-23xi-front-row-328595a65bb42b6156e913385e7a15c5">in November</a> to be <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-lawsuit-c7d6bcc83599056285b20df54c4c4faa">recognized as “chartered” teams as the suit continues.</a>23XI and Front Row can now sign the charter agreements and still pursue their lawsuit. They also each were granted permission to purchase additional charters from Stewart Haas Racing, which is going from <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-stewart-haas-3ac91f8ac3a781ec6298e1b3097270a4">four Cup cars to one,</a> though NASCAR must approve the transfers to those teams.<h2>___</h2>AP auto racing: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing">https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing</a>

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 05: The Fox NASCAR logo on display prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum on February 05, 2023, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA.

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Judge sets January date to hear NASCAR's motion in antitrust suit

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Marcus Rashford was left out of the Manchester United squad for a thir...

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Marcus Rashford was left out of the Manchester United squad for a third straight match ahead of Bournemouth's visit in the Premier League on Sunday.Rashford was absent for the 2-1 win at Manchester City in the league last weekend as well as the 4-3 loss at Tottenham in the English League Cup in midweek. United manager Ruben Amorim cited "selection" reasons for Rashford's absence in both cases.On Tuesday, the 27-year-old Rashford discussed the possibility of leaving United in an interview with journalist Henry Winter that was published in a post on X.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"For me, personally, I think I'm ready for a new challenge and the next steps," Rashford was quoted as saying. "When I leave it's going to be 'no hard feelings.'"The 27-year-old Rashford, who is a graduate of United's famed academy, is under contract until 2028.

Marcus Rashford (10 Manchester United) warms up during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the London Stadium in Stratford, on October 27, 2024.

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Rashford left out of Man United squad for 3rd straight match

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard threw two touchdown passes to freshman Jeremiah Smith and Ohio ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard threw two touchdown passes to freshman Jeremiah Smith and Ohio State routed Tennessee 42-17 on Saturday night in a first-round College Football Playoff game, setting up a New Year’s Day rematch with No. 1 Oregon at the Rose Bowl.Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson rushed for two touchdowns apiece as the Buckeyes (11-2) gave their fans an early Christmas present that should quiet some of the outcry following the devastating fourth straight loss to Michigan three weeks ago.“You could tell from the jump that they had a look in their eyes that they were going to win this game,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Howard finished 24 for 29 for 311 yards, his second 300-yard game of the season. Smith had six catches for 103 yards, the sixth freshman to have over 100 receiving yards in a CFP game. Henderson paced the Buckeyes with“We really put together a full, all-out performance, and I think that’s what we needed to do and what we needed to show,” Howard said.Eighth-seeded Ohio State scored on its first three drives while forcing three straight Tennessee punts. The ninth-seeded Vols (10-3) finally got on the board with a second-quarter field goal and touchdown but couldn’t generate anything in the second half until getting a meaningless touchdown late in the game.″We didn’t play the way we needed to, we didn’t play well enough, and we didn’t coach well enough,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said.“They made some plays — that’s going to happen against a good team, but what we didn’t do is to come back and find a way to get back on the right side of it, and that’s offensively and defensively.”The 473 yards gained by Ohio State was the most surrendered by the Tennessee defense all season.The game-time temperature was 25 degrees and dropping in the first college football game played in December in 102-year-old Ohio Stadium.TakeawaysTennessee: Star running back Dylan Sampson was hampered by a hamstring injury and had just two carries for 6 yards. Receivers Squirrel White and Dont’e Thorton Jr. also were banged up. limiting the Vols’ offense.Ohio State: The Buckeyes did what they didn’t do against Michigan: get the ball on the boundary, throw deep to their most explosive players while establishing a run game.“We called this game more aggressively,” Day said. “There’s no question about that.”Defense cranks it upThe Buckeyes’ defense is statistically the best in the nation and certainly looked like it against Tennessee. The front dogged quarterback Nico Iamaleava and sacked him four times, twice by JT Tuimoloau. The Vols finished with 256 yards, but a big chunk of that came late when the game was already out of reach. They managed just 3.7 yards per play.Iamaleava finished just 14 for 31 for 104 yards, his lowest total of the season. He rushed a career-high 20 times for 47 yards.“I got after them at half time and challenged them, because I knew the way the game was going, as long as we did our job everything was going to turn out all right,” Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said. “So, I thought we came out strong in the second half.”Tennessee turns outThere was a large mix of Tennessee orange in the Ohio Stadium crowd of over 104,000, by far biggest fan turnout by an Ohio State opponent in recent memory. Vols fans certainly seemed to get their hands on more than the 3,500 tickets allotted to the school by the NCAA.Up nextThe Buckeyes advance to a second-round game against Oregon in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. They lost to the Ducks 32-31 on Oct. 12.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

COLUMBUS, OHIO - DECEMBER 21: TreVeyon Henderson #32 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs with the ball while defended by Jalen McMurray #6 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the first quarter in the Playoff First Round Game at Ohio Stadium on December 21, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio.

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Ohio State hammers Tennessee to book Oregon rematch in Rose Bowl

NEW YORK (AP) — Bruce Thornton scored 22 of his career-high 30 points in the second half and Ohio...

NEW YORK (AP) — Bruce Thornton scored 22 of his career-high 30 points in the second half and Ohio State cruised to an 85-65 victory over No. 4 Kentucky on Saturday in the CBS Classic at Madison Square Garden.John Mobley Jr. added 15 points and Aaron Bradshaw scored 11 for Ohio State (8-4), which shot 56.6% and scored 36 points in the paint.Otega Oweh hit a career-high 13 free throws and scored 21 points for Kentucky (10-2), which shot a season-worst 29.8%. Andrew Carr added 13 points and Jaxson Robinson had 10 as the Wildcats were held to their lowest point total this season.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Buckeyes fared much better in their second neutral-site game against a top-five team in a week. They were blown out 91-57 by No. 2 Auburn on Dec. 14 in Atlanta.After shooting 1 of 7 against Auburn, Thornton made 8 of 13 shots, including an off-balance jumper in the lane as the shot clock expired that put the Buckeyes up 64-51 with about 9 1/2 minutes left. He was 13 of 14 on free throws.TakeawaysOhio State: Bradshaw returned after missing six games while the school investigated a possible domestic incident at his off-campus apartment. Third-leading scorer Micah Parrish exited with a knee injury early in the second half.Kentucky: Lamont Butler struggled after a scoring career-high 33 points last week against Louisville. He was held to four points on 1-of-7 shooting before fouling out.Key momentOhio State led 39-30 at halftime after outscoring Kentucky 19-9 over the final nine minutes and holding the Wildcats to one basket in that span.Key statKentucky struggled immensely near the basket, missing 16 of 23 layups.Up nextOhio State hosts Indiana State on Dec. 29. Kentucky hosts Brown on Dec. 31.___ AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 21: Bruce Thornton #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes reacts against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half at Madison Square Garden on December 21, 2024 in New York City.

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Ohio State knocks off No. 4 Kentucky for Wildcats' 2nd loss of season

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Jaydon Blue had the biggest run in the biggest game of the season so far for...

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Jaydon Blue had the biggest run in the biggest game of the season so far for Texas. He had to fight through a nagging ankle injury and fumble problems to do it.Blue ran for 146 yards, dashing 77 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to help the Longhorns beat Clemson 38-24 on Saturday in the first round of the expanded College Football Playoff.Blue was first thrust into the starting role when training camp injuries knocked out C.J. Baxter and Christian Clark for the season. Blue missed a game with the ankle injury, then saw his carries reduced over several games because of fumble problems.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Texas (12-2), the No. 5 seed, advanced to the Jan. 1 Peach bowl to play Big 12 champion and No. 4 seed Arizona State.“You can’t win (the championship) if you don’t win the first one,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “We did that.”Blue already had a 38-yard touchdown earlier in the game. The second one came after Clemson had rallied from down 31-10 to within 31-24 on Cade Klubnik’s third touchdown pass.Blue scored on 38-yard cut-and-dash burst in the second quarter. On the second touchdown, he dove into the line, shook a tackler, and then outraced three more to the end zone with just 11 minutes left.He clutched the ball tightly to his chest when a defender tried to rip it away.“It was a sigh of relief after everything I’ve been going through,” Blue said. “I stayed patient, I saw a crease and it was everything (open) from there.”Sarkisian said Blue never lost the trust of the team.“Our staff, his teammates, believed in him,” Sarkisian said. “I just gave him a big hug and told him how proud I was.”Quintrevion Wisner added 110 yards rushing and two first-half touchdowns for Texas. Quinn Ewers passed for 202 yards and a touchdown.Klubnik, who grew up in Austin, passed for 336 yards and rallied the Tigers (10-4) in the second half against a Texas defense that had given up just four passing touchdowns all season.“We just got ourselves in too big a hole in the first half. Everything was uphill.” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “We just put it in Cade’s hands and let it rip.”The runner-up in the Southeastern Conference, Texas is the only one of last season’s four playoff teams to make the new 12-team field. Clemson won the ACC championship to make the playoff. The Tigers were the No. 12 seed in their first appearance since 2020 and seventh overall.“It’s not easy to get on this stage (again), and they earned it,” Sarkisian said. “It think college football got this one right. This idea of a home playoff game with a 12-team format was pretty special.”TakeawaysClemson: The Tigers had three big fourth-down chances in the fourth quarter. They turned the first one into a touchdown when Klubnik threw to T.J. Moore. But they came up short on the next two. Keith Adams Jr. was stuffed at the Texas 1 and Klubnik pass at the Texas 26 was incomplete with just over a minute left.“We’ve got big people,” Sarkisian said. “And they know how to play a physical brand of football.”Texas: The Longhorns had some injury scares that could be worrisome with more games ahead. Wisner, starting offensive tackle Cam Williams and center Jake Majors all left the field in two plays in the second quarter. Sarkisian said the coaching staff opted to keep Wisner and Majors out in the second half. Williams needed help to get off the field and will have tests on his knee overnight.Receiving recordTexas tight end Gunnar Helm caught six passes for 77 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown that saw him reach high and still get his feet down in the end zone. He has 55 catches on the season, breaking the previous school record for tight ends. The record was 54, set last season by J.T. Sanders.Up nextClemson will try to defend its ACC title next season and earn its eighth playoff berth.Texas moves on to face Arizona State in the next round. The Longhorns left the Big 12 before Arizona State joined that league this season.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

AUSTIN, TEXAS - DECEMBER 21: Jaydon Blue #23 of the Texas Longhorns runs the ball for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Clemson Tigers in the Playoff First Round Game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on December 21, 2024 in Austin, Texas.

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Texas downs Clemson to advance to Peach Bowl

BALTIMORE (AP) — Lamar Jackson was solid in Baltimore’s biggest game of the season so far.  Then,...

BALTIMORE (AP) — Lamar Jackson was solid in Baltimore’s biggest game of the season so far.Then, after one of the star quarterback’s rare slip-ups, one of his teammates delivered the play of the day.Jackson threw three touchdown passes and Marlon Humphrey scored on a fourth-quarter interception return to help the Ravens pull even with Pittsburgh atop the AFC North with a 34-17 victory over the Steelers on Saturday.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Pittsburgh (10-5) would have clinched the division with a victory, but now the teams are deadlocked after the Ravens (10-5) won for just the second time in the last 10 games in this series. Baltimore clinched a playoff berth. The Steelers had already done so.“It was cool to get a pick-6, but clinching a spot in the playoffs, to beat the Steelers, I’m just happy that the guys came in, put in the work, and we just took care of business,” Humphrey said. “I felt that this team has had our number over the years. Just take care of business, man. I felt like the performance we put on wasn’t perfect, but I felt like that’s what we were supposed to do.”Russell Wilson threw two touchdown passes, the second of which tied the game at 17 with 5:14 left in the third quarter. Jackson answered with a 7-yard scoring strike to Mark Andrews, and after Pittsburgh turned the ball over on downs, a 44-yard run by Derrick Henry put the Ravens in the red zoneThat drive came to nothing when Jackson was intercepted for just the fourth time this season, but then Humphrey — who was celebrating the recent birth of his son Duke — picked off Wilson and went 37 yards to the end zone to give Baltimore a cushion in a series that’s been razor-thin of late. The previous nine games between the Steelers and Ravens were decided by seven points or fewer.“My whole family’s in town to help out with my wife and everything,” Humphrey said. “I was texting her before. I’m supposed to go pick her up from the hospital, discharge her with the baby. So there’s a lot of just great things that happened this week.”Jackson improved to 2-4 against Pittsburgh as a starter. This was his first time facing the Steelers at home since 2020.“I feel like we’ve been busting our behind all season long, had ups and downs throughout this whole season, but to clinch a playoff against a great team like that, that’s great,” Jackson said. “That means we’re moving in the right direction.”Henry rushed for 162 yards.Pittsburgh entered the game with a plus-18 margin in turnovers, but the Ravens had the edge in that department Saturday. Baltimore recovered three of its own fumbles and had two big takeaways.“We didn’t control the run game. We never did. When you don’t, you’ve got to do some splash plays or win the turnover battle in a significant way, and we didn’t do that either,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “There were some balls on the ground that we didn’t get. Then obviously we turned the ball over going in -- it took seven points off the board -- and they had a pick-6. The rest is history, as they say.”Jackson found Isaiah Likely for a 9-yard touchdown to open the scoring. Wilson answered with a 1-yard scoring pass to MyCole Pruitt, and the Steelers appeared poised to take the lead when the veteran quarterback broke loose for a 19-yard run in Baltimore territory.But Ar’Darius Washington delivered a punishing hit on Wilson at the end of that play, jarring the ball loose. Kyle Van Noy recovered for the Ravens at the Baltimore 4.The Ravens then drove 96 yards and took a 14-7 lead on Jackson’s 14-yard touchdown toss to Rashod Bateman.Wilson threw a 12-yard TD to Cordarrelle Patterson to tie it in the third.MilestonesJackson set a team record with his 37th touchdown pass of the season, and he’s now up to a career high of 3,787 yards.Ravens receiver Zay Flowers had five catches for 100 yards, surpassing 1,000 on the season.Henry has exceeded 1,500 yards rushing for the fourth time. He’s now up to 1,607, a mark he’s only surpassed once — in his 2,027-yard campaign of 2020.InjuriesSteelers CB Joey Porter Jr. injured his calf, and WR Ben Skowronek hurt his hip. ... Baltimore RB Justice Hill left the game because of a concussion.Up nextBoth teams play on Christmas Day to wrap up stretches of three games in 11 days. Pittsburgh hosts Kansas City on Wednesday and Baltimore plays at Houston.<h2>___</h2>AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl <h2> </h2>

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 21: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens looks to hand off during the second quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium on December 21, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland.

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Lamar shines as Ravens beat Steelers to clinch playoff berth

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 260 yards and a touchdown while running for a s...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 260 yards and a touchdown while running for a score on his ailing ankle, and the Kansas City Chiefs took a big step toward securing the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs with a 27-19 victory over the Houston Texans on Saturday.The AFC West champion Chiefs (14-1), who have won four straight against the AFC South champ Texans (9-6), can clinch the postseason bye if Buffalo loses to or ties New England on Sunday. If the Bills win, Kansas City can wrap it up by beating Pittsburgh on Christmas Day.Xavier Worthy had seven catches for 65 yards and a touchdown, Kareem Hunt ran for 55 yards and another score, and Marquise Brown had five catches for 45 yards for Kansas City in his first game this season after recovering from a shoulder injury.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>C.J. Stroud had 244 yards and two touchdown passes with two interceptions for Houston, though one of those TD throws came at great expense. Tank Dell, who had six catches for 98 yards, hurt his left knee on the play and was carted from the field.Dalton Schultz also had a TD reception for the Texans. Joe Mixon was held to 57 yards rushing.There were questions early in the week about whether Mahomes would play after sustaining a high ankle sprain late in last week’s win over Cleveland. But the two-time MVP was off the injury report by Friday, and Mahomes showed no problems on the Chiefs’ opening drive Saturday, finishing it off with a 15-yard scramble to the end zone.It was merely the start of a back-and-forth first half.The Texans answered with a 33-yard field goal, then went on a 13-play, 82-yard drive that ended with Stroud’s touchdown toss to Schutlz. But the Chiefs quickly regained the lead when Hunt barreled into the end zone, and they tacked on a field goal after Stroud’s second interception to lead 17-10 at the break.Dell was hurt on the Texans’ opening drive of the third quarter. He came across the back of the end zone and made a spectacular catch but collided with teammate Jared Wayne on his way to the ground. He immediately grabbed his left knee, and Stroud was tearful and visibly shaken as one of his top wide receivers was loaded on a cart and driven from the field.Ka’imi Fairbairn promptly missed the extra point, and any momentum Houston might’ve had disappeared.Kansas City marched the other way, relying heavily on Worthy, who touched the ball four times on the drive. He finished it off with an 8-yard reception, giving the first-round a season-high for receiving yards and his eighth touchdown.The teams matched fourth-quarter field goals, and the Texans took over trailing 27-19 with just over five minutes to go.They promptly went three-and-out and Kansas City ran out the clock from there.Taylor timePop star Taylor Swift was on hand for the Chiefs’ regular-season finale. She has been spending more time with her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, in Kansas City since she wrapped up her Eras Tour on Dec. 8 in Vancouver, British Columbia, including making a surprise visit to Children’s Mercy Hospital.InjuriesHouston: OG Shaq Mason (left knee) left on the fourth play of the game. FS Jimmie Ward (foot) was hurt late in the first half.Kansas City: LB Jack Cochrane (ankle) left in the first quarter. RT Jawaan Taylor (knee) left in the third quarter and DT Chris Jones sustained a minor calf injury in the fourth.Up nextThe Chiefs head to Pittsburgh and Houston welcomes Baltimore for the NFL’s doubleheader on Christmas Day. ___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - DECEMBER 21: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs yells prior to a game against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 21, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.

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Chiefs beat Texans to close in on No. 1 seed

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Dominic DeLuca and Tony Rojas returned interceptions for touchdowns and...

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Dominic DeLuca and Tony Rojas returned interceptions for touchdowns and Penn State toyed with mistake-prone SMU in a 38-10 victory on Saturday in the opening round of the College Football Playoff.The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions (12-2) advanced to face fourth-seeded Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve by hounding Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings into three turnovers, including a pair of ill-thrown floaters in the first half DeLuca and Rojas converted into Pick-6s that sent the white-out crowd at wintry Beaver Stadium into a frenzy and SMU (11-3) into a funk from which it never recovered.Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen ran for scores for the Nittany Lions. Drew Allar completed 13 of 22 passes for 127 yards while playing every meaningful snap after backup Beau Pribula — who occasionally and effectively spelled Allar throughout the year — entered the transfer portal earlier this week.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Jennings, whose electrifying play fueled SMU’s undefeated regular-season sprint through the ACC, finished 20 of 36 for 195 yards with a late touchdown and three picks. He began the day by missing a wide-open tight end Matthew Hibner at the goal line to end the Mustangs’ promising opening possession, and things only got worse from there.His flip to Brashard Smith on SMU’s second drive sailed over the running back’s head and into the arms of an awaiting DeLuca, who raced 23 yards to the end zone to give Penn State the lead. Early in the second quarter, Jennings scrambled to his right and threw against his body into triple coverage. Rojas snagged it and weaved 59 yards to stake the Nittany Lions to a 14-0 lead they never came close to squandering.The defense’s early strike gave Allar and Penn State’s running game time to get settled. Allen finished off a nine-play 75-yard drive with a 25-yard touchdown dash to make it 21-0. Singleton then bulled over from a yard out late in the first half to make it 28-0.And unlike the ACC title game against Clemson — when the Mustangs roared all the way back from a 17-point second-half deficit to tie it before <a href="https://apnews.com/article/smu-clemson-acc-championship-cfp-score-c93f0c83e32a5f48c2819067405c7e0a">falling on the final snap</a> — this time there would be no rally.The last two quarters were mostly a chance for the crowd of over 106,000 that braved temperatures in the low-20s with a pretty steady breeze to soak in the kind of big game victory that hasn’t happened quite as often as they would like during James Franklin’s largely successful 11-year tenure.With one test now passed, another big one awaits in the desert on the last day of 2024.<h3>Takeaways</h3>SMU: Just like 10th-seeded Indiana on Friday, the Mustangs didn’t do much to validate the CFP selection committee’s decision to put them in over bluebloods Alabama and Miami. SMU’s historic first season in the ACC after coming over from the American Athletic ended with a disappointing thud.Penn State: The defense bounced back from a shaky performance in the Big Ten title game against Oregon by throttling an offense that came in averaging 38.5 points and 443 yards a game.<h3>Up next</h3>SMU: will try to back up their audacious ACC debut next fall, when their conference slate includes games against Miami, Clemson and Louisville.Penn State: Will try to win a 13th game for the first time in the program’s 131-year history when it heads to the Fiesta Bowl, a game in which the Nittany Lions are 7-0 all-time.<h2>___</h2>Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up <a href="https://www.apnews.com/newsletters">here</a>. AP college football: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll">https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll</a> and <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/college-football">https://apnews.com/hub/college-football</a>

STATE COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 21: Dani Dennis-Sutton #33 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates after a sack during the second quarter against the Southern Methodist Mustangs in the Playoff First Round Game at Beaver Stadium on December 21, 2024 in State College, Pennsylvania.

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Penn State rolls SMU to book Fiesta Bowl date with Boise State

BERLIN (AP) — Florian Wirtz starred and Patrik Schick scored four goals as Bayer Leverkusen route...

BERLIN (AP) — Florian Wirtz starred and Patrik Schick scored four goals as Bayer Leverkusen routed Freiburg 5-1 on Saturday to keep the pressure on Bundesliga leader Bayern Munich over the winter break.Wirtz, who has yet to extend his Leverkusen contract, set up a hat trick for Schick and scored his seventh league goal of the season.Leverkusen dominated but needed patience before Schick broke the deadlock with a chip over the goalkeeper right before the break.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Wirtz, who'd played Schick through, score after the break when he displayed brilliant close control to elude a defender before firing the ball inside the near post from a narrow angle.Vincenzo Grifo pulled one back four minutes later, but Wirtz floated in a precise cross for Schick to head Leverkusen’s third in the 67th, then laid the ball back for Schick to fire Leverkusen’s fourth in the 74th."For a striker, it's a dream to have this player behind you," Schick said of Wirtz.Schick scored again with a header to a corner three minutes later — the only goal that didn't involve Wirtz.Leverkusen stayed four points behind Bayern after its eighth straight win across all competitions.Leverkusen resumes its league defense at Borussia Dortmund on Jan. 10, while Bayern visits Borussia Mönchengladbach on Jan. 11.<h3>Frankfurt goalkeeper's woes</h3>Brazilian goalkeeper Kaua Santos endured a game to forget as his Eintracht Frankfurt was shocked by 10-man Mainz 3-1.Frankfurt had 34 shots at goal compared to nine by the visitor, which played with a man less from the 21st after captain Nadiem Amiri was sent off for catching Ellyes Skhiri's right ankle with his studs.Santos had already conceded an unfortunate own goal. The 'keeper played out a short pass to Skhiri, who was immediately under pressure from two Mainz players. Skhiri sent the ball looping back toward Santos, who deflected it onto the crossbar, from where it rebounded back off Santos' arm and in.Mainz's Paul Nebel then scored with a deflected shot for 2-0, and Santos was at fault again when a botched pass invited another Mainz attack. Nebel grabbed his second goal in the 58th.Rasmus Kristensen, who struck the crossbar in the first half, scored Frankfurt's consolation in the 75th."We were already there for Kaua as a team on the field," Frankfurt defender Robin Koch said of Santos' bad day. "He's a young player, these things happen. But he's a good guy, he'll come out of it and the same will help him with his development."Regular goalkeeper Kevin Trapp and reserve Jens Grahl were out with illness.<h3>Stuttgart stunned at home</h3>Johannes Eggestein fired promoted St. Pauli to a 1-0 win at Stuttgart, last season's runner-up. Stuttgart had won its last four games across all competitions.Union Berlin's winless run stretched to nine games across all competitions as Bo Svensson's team slumped to a 4-1 defeat at Werder Bremen.Holstein Kiel ended its five-game losing run by routing Augsburg 5-1, and Borussia Monchengladbach won at Hoffenheim 2-1.There were tributes with silences before all the games for the victims of an attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg the night before."There are always more important things than football," Freiburg coach Christian Gunter said.<h2>___</h2>AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Freiburg's Italian midfielder #32 Vincenzo Grifo and Bayer Leverkusen's German midfielder #10 Florian Wirtz (R) vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match between Bayer Leverkusen and SC Freiburg in Leverkusen on December 21, 2024.

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SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) — Ivan Juric was hired as the manager of Southampton on Saturday and wa...

SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) — Ivan Juric was hired as the manager of Southampton on Saturday and was quickly challenged with the task of preserving its place in the Premier League.Juric replaced Russell Martin, who was fired last week with his team on the bottom of the table."We remain focused on fighting for survival ... and believe this appointment will provide us with the grit and determination needed to improve results on the pitch," Southampton said in a statement.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The 49-year-old Juric signed an 18-month contract.Most recently, he had a two-month spell at Italian giant Roma.Southampton has lost six of its last seven games and is nine points from safety."It's a really big challenge but I'm very optimistic because I saw a team that can do better," Juric said. "I want an aggressive team and I think that fans of Southampton will like that."___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 20: Southampton FC unveil the new men's first team manager, Ivan Juric, at St Mary's stadium on December 20, 2024 in Southampton, England.

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Southampton turn to Juric in bid to maintain Premier League status

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Lindsey Vonn took a low-risk approach and finished 14th in a super...

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — <a href="https://apnews.com/article/lindsey-vonn-skiing-comeback-931e432e2203bfcf53042ac3f40df477">Lindsey Vonn</a> took a low-risk approach and finished 14th in a super-G on Saturday to mark her <a href="https://apnews.com/article/lindsey-vonn-skiing-comeback-931e432e2203bfcf53042ac3f40df477">return to World Cup skiing</a> at age 40.Vonn crossed the line 1.18 seconds behind Austrian winner Cornelia Huetter.It was the American standout’s first World Cup race after nearly six years of retirement.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“This was the perfect start,” Vonn said. “Today is just the first step and I’m not looking for more. Today I really needed to get to the finish. I wanted to have a solid result. And that’s exactly what I did.”Vonn lost time early in her run but nearly matched the top finishers in the middle and bottom section of the Corvaglia course.When she reached the finish and saw her time, Vonn flashed a wide smile and waved to the crowd.“I didn’t risk anything with the line. I was a little bit conservative in some sections, but overall I skied really well. Now I just need my top section to be a little faster and I’ll be in really good shape,” said Vonn, who is planning to race another super-G in St. Moritz on Sunday.Vonn had to cut her career short in 2019 due to a series of crashes and injuries, but then she had knee replacement surgery in April and had two titanium pieces inserted into her right knee. Her knee feels better than it has in years, so she decided to come back.Vonn left the tour with 82 World Cup wins — the record for a woman at the time and within reach of the then all-time Alpine mark of 86 held by Swedish standout Ingemar Stenmark. The women’s record held by Vonn was eclipsed in January 2023 by American teammate <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mikaela-shiffrin-3d28bee5ef6f7dd543fe42b288fc6f68">Mikaela Shiffrin</a>, who now has an outright record 99 wins.Shiffrin, who shares the record of five wins in St. Moritz with Vonn, isn’t racing this weekend as she recovers from abdominal surgery to clean out a puncture wound she sustained in a crash last month.Vonn took advantage of a new wild card rule that allows former champions to enter races without the necessary points.Eight-time overall World Cup champion <a href="https://apnews.com/article/alpine-skiing-hirscher-comeback-soelden-ee72939f6f0afc4a1f5545cb6341d7f9">Marcel Hirscher</a> also took advantage of the wild card rule and returned this season after five years away. But then Hirscher tore his left ACL while training in giant slalom and announced earlier this month that <a href="https://apnews.com/article/hirscher-ski-comeback-injury-2c1ee2c2aa79165fd1a662eebc03361f">his comeback season was done</a>.Vonn is attempting to enter unchartered territory in terms of success at an advanced age in women’s skiing.The oldest woman to win a World Cup race was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/alpine-skiing-shiffrin-gutbehrami-soelden-austria-c821523cdd48e089980cb3c867af429d">Federica Brignone</a>, the Italian who won the giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, in October to start this season, at age 34.The oldest man to win a race was Didier Cuche at 37 in a super-G in Crans Montana, Switzerland, in 2012.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-fis-alpine-skiing-world-championships-aleksander-aamodt-kilde-b505b22fb8e0bc3c93b6f7262c3b9047">Johan Clarey</a> set the record for the oldest podium finisher with a second-place result in the famed Hahnenkamm downhill in Kitzbuehel, Austria, at age 42 in January 2023.___AP skiing: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing">https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing</a>

US' Lindsey Vonn competes in the Women's Super-G race as part of the FIS Alpine ski World Cup 2024-2025, in St. Moritz on December 21, 2024.

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Vonn finishes 14th in super-G in return to World Cup skiing at age 40

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