Sports

By AP SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Penn State coach James Franklin believes college football needs a commissioner and he even has a candidate in mind: former Alabama coach Nick Saban. Franklin made the suggestion Sunday at Penn State’s College Football Playoff quarterfinals media day ahead of the Fiesta Bowl. The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions are preparing

By AP ATLANTA (AP) — As they prepare for Arizona State’s biggest game in nearly three decades, the guys who made it happen aren’t the least bit surprised to be rated a nearly two-touchdown underdog in the College Football Playoff. That’s a familiar position for the Sun Devils. They’ve been an underdog most of the

By JOE REEDY – AP Sports Writer Of all the things Chip Kelly is looking forward to in his return trip to Southern California, there is one that rises above everything else. “Gotta get more sunscreen looking at the weather report, because we haven’t seen the sun for a little while in Columbus,” said Kelly

By AP LILLE, France (AP) — Jonathan David is considering a new contract from Lille and says his chances of staying at the French club are “50-50.” The 24-year-old Canada striker is enjoying his fifth season at Lille and tops the league’s scoring charts with 11 goals from 15 games. He is out of contract

By AP WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka made a winning return to the court after an almost three month absence Monday in the first round of the ASB tennis classic in Auckland, undeterred by protests outside the stadium against her Israeli opponent. Osaka beat qualifier Lina Glushko 6-4, 6-4

By The Associated Press COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Kaylene Smikle scored 19 points to help No. 8 Maryland remain undefeated with a 72-66 victory over No. 19 Michigan State on Sunday. The Terrapins (12-0, 2-0 Big Ten) have their best start since 2018-19, when they also went 12-0. The Terps withstood a scrappy Michigan

By NOAH TRISTER – AP Sports Writer COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Maryland turned the ball over 25 times, blew a 17-point lead and was outrebounded in the second half. Coach Brenda Frese still had plenty to be happy about. “I thought it was a phenomenal game from two really competitive teams,” Frese said. “Credit

By NOAH TRISTER – AP Sports Writer COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Kaylene Smikle scored 19 points to help No. 8 Maryland remain undefeated with a 72-66 victory over No. 19 Michigan State on Sunday. The Terrapins (12-0, 2-0 Big Ten) have their best start since 2018-19, when they also went 12-0. The Terps withstood

By STEPHEN WHYNO – AP Sports Writer LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves got to celebrate two major accomplishments on the field Sunday night, proposing to longtime girlfriend Mikaela Worley after he and his teammates beat Atlanta in overtime to clinch a spot in the playoffs. “I hate losing, so there’s no

By STEPHEN WHYNO – AP Sports Writer The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with first baseman Josh Bell on a one-year contract worth $6 million according to a person familiar with negotiations. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity late Sunday because the deal was subject to a successful physical.

By STEPHEN WHYNO – AP Sports Writer LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Raheem Morris and the Atlanta Falcons left five timeouts unused, and they may have an extended chance to linger over those mistakes. The Falcons have run out of time to control their own path to the playoffs after mismanaging the clock multiple times in

By STEPHEN WHYNO – AP Sports Writer LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Jayden Daniels felt tired. Tired from a game that went well past 60 minutes. Tired from running all over the field for the better part of three-plus hours. It was all worth it after carrying the Washington Commanders into the playoffs. Daniels connected with

By DAVE CAMPBELL – AP Pro Football Writer MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings were ready to start their postgame ritual in honor of a ninth consecutive victory before realizing Sam Darnold was still missing from the raucous locker room because he was finishing his interview with the TV broadcasting crew. He was well worth

By W.G. RAMIREZ – Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — Brett Howden scored his 15th goal of the season and Ilya Samsonov stopped 31 shots as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Calgary Flames 3-0 on Sunday night. Howden redirected defenseman Alex Pietrangelo’s shot from the top of the slot late in the second period

By MARK LONG – AP Pro Football Writer JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Whoever ends up coaching the Jacksonville Jaguars next season, receiver Brian Thomas Jr. will be the team’s most dynamic rebuilding piece. Mac Jones threw two touchdown passes, including his fifth in as many games to Thomas, and the Jaguars beat the Tennessee Titans

By FRED GOODALL – AP Sports Writer TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers played like a team determined to do whatever’s necessary to make the playoffs. Baker Mayfield and the offense purred, the defense tightened after yielding a touchdown just before halftime, and special teams stood out, too, in a 48-14 rout of

By TOM CANAVAN – AP Sports Writer EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Snapping a franchise-record 10-game losing streak, winning for the first time at home this season and ending the Indianapolis Colts’ slim playoff hopes Sunday didn’t salvage the season for the New York Giants. The main positive in the 45-33 win that Drew Lock

By JOHN WAWROW – AP Sports Writer ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen reflected on Buffalo’s many offseason critics and doubters when asked about the Bills achieving their latest milestones while sewing up the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the unraveling and undisciplined New York Jets on Sunday. It was

By DAN GELSTON – AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley normally would have tossed his game-used cleats to the kid who asked for the pair as the star Philadelphia Eagles running back ran off the field and back to the locker room. Sorry, kid. Not today. Barkley kept his mucked-up cleats for good

By The Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 27 points before being one of six people ejected after a fight in the final minute of the Miami Heat’s 104-100 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night. Herro was thrown to the ground by the Rockets’ Amen Thompson with 35 seconds left and

By DAN GELSTON – AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nick Sirianni wore the hat given to NFC East champions as he sat at the podium and considered all the greatness that his Eagles still could accomplish this season. Personal goals, sure. Saquon Barkley has Eric Dickerson’s NFL rushing record in sight. Team goals, absolutely.

By The Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sam Darnold added another exploit to his career-altering season, passing for a personal-best 377 yards and three touchdowns as the Minnesota Vikings hung on to beat the Green Bay Packers 27-25 on Sunday for their ninth consecutive victory that put them one win from the NFC’s top seed

By DAVE CAMPBELL – AP Pro Football Writer MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The top of the NFC standings are towering over the Green Bay Packers as they move toward the playoffs, casting a long shadow shaped like Vikings, Lions and Eagles over what has been an otherwise-promising season on both sides of the ball. For as

By TOM WITHERS – AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — Tyler Huntley stepped in for Tua Tagovailoa and stepped up for the Dolphins. Miami still has a playoff pulse. Huntley scrambled for a touchdown and threw for one while starting for the injured Tagovailoa, and the Dolphins stayed in the AFC wild-card race heading into

By AP Jayden Daniels dazzles again as Commanders clinch a playoff spot by beating Falcons 30-24 in OT LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — The Washington Commanders clinched a playoff spot by beating the Atlanta Falcons 30-24 in overtime. Jayden Daniels ran for a season-high 127 yards and threw for 227 and three touchdowns to make the

By ROB MAADDI – AP Pro Football Writer The NFC’s No. 1 seed will come down to the final game of the regular season when the Detroit Lions host the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday night. The winner takes the NFC North and gets a first-round playoff bye and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl. The

By The Associated Press TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jake Evans scored for the career-high fifth consecutive game and the surging Montreal Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 on Sunday night. Christian Dvorak, Joel Armia, Brendan Gallagher and Alex Newhook also scored to help the Canadiens win for the fifth time in six games. Sam

By DAN GREENSPAN – Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anze Kopitar scored twice, Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist, and the Los Angeles Kings got their seventh straight home win by beating the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 on Sunday night. Kevin Fiala and Warren Foegele also scored for the Kings, who trailed 4-2

By AP CHICAGO (AP) — Blackhawks defenseman Alec Martinez and forward Craig Smith could return in time for the NHL Winter Classic. Martinez and Smith participated in the team’s optional morning skate ahead of Sunday night’s 5-1 loss to the Dallas Stars. Martinez was placed on injured reserve on Dec. 13 because of a neck

By JAY COHEN – AP Sports Writer CHICAGO (AP) — Matt Duchene and Jamie Benn each had a goal and two assists, and the Dallas Stars beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-1 on Sunday night. Jason Robertson, Evgenii Dadonov and Wyatt Johnston each had a goal and an assist for Dallas, which had lost three of