Sports

By STEVE REED – AP Sports Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Two years ago, the Carolina Panthers had Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold on their roster. They deemed neither player good enough to be their franchise QB. The Panthers cut Mayfield late in the 2022 season and Darnold was allowed to walk in free agency

By AP PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers and their struggling defense could be at full strength for the regular-season finale against Cincinnati. Coach Mike Tomlin said Monday that he is hopeful cornerback Joey Porter Jr. will be available when the Steelers (10-6) host the Bengals (8-8) on Saturday night. Porter missed a 29-10 loss

By AP NEW YORK (AP) — UCLA climbs 7 spots to No. 15 in the AP Top 25; top 13 teams remain unchanged, starting with No. 1 Tennessee.

By AP OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — James Hagens watched Macklin Celebrini closely last season as the player eventually picked No. 1 at the NHL Draft went about his business on the ice in impressive fashion. Hagens was perhaps even more focused on how Celebrini stayed sharp amid all the attention. “Never let anything affect him,”

By KRISTIE RIEKEN – AP Sports Writer HOUSTON (AP) — When Baylor and LSU face off in the Texas Bowl on Tuesday, it will be the first meeting between the teams since the 1985 Liberty Bowl. But they do have some familiarity with one another. Baylor coach Dave Aranda spent 2016-19 on the LSU staff,

By DAN GELSTON – AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — At some point this week, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni will decide if he’s going for it or punting — will Saquon Barkley get his shot at breaking Eric Dickerson’s NFL season rushing record, or will Philadelphia’s star running back sit out a meaningless finale and

By DOUG FEINBERG – AP Basketball Writer UConn coach Geno Auriemma moved into a tie with Tara VanDerveer for the most appearances with one school in the women’s basketball AP Top 25 as the Huskies remained seventh in the poll Monday. Auriemma has now led UConn to 627 appearances in the poll in his 40

By AP LONDON (AP) — Referees will make in-stadium announcements on the outcome of video reviews in the semifinals of this season’s English League Cup, the organizers said on Monday. It will be the first time such a system is used in English soccer. Arsenal faces Newcastle and Tottenham plays Liverpool next month in the

By AP NEW YORK (AP) — UCLA, South Carolina, Notre Dame top women’s AP Top 25; Auriemma ties VanDerveer for most poll appearances at one school.

By CURT RALLO – Associated Press SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — When quarterback Riley Leonard transferred from Duke to Notre Dame for the 2024 season, he immediately went to work building chemistry with his new teammates. He brought six Fighting Irish receivers to his home in Fairhope, Ala., to get to know each other and

By ROB MAADDI – AP Pro Football Writer The New York Giants lost by winning. A rare victory — 45-33 over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday — knocked the Giants out of control for the coveted No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft. So much for Shedeur Sanders’ Giants-themed cleats unless New York trades

By AP EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Harrison Bailey is expected to start at quarterback for Louisville in the Sun Bowl against Washington, which means there won’t be a final trip to Texas for Tyler Shough before he pursues an NFL career. Before his final college season with the Cardinals (8-4), Shough spent three injury-plagued

By The Associated Press Dec. 31 1961 — Paul Hornung, on leave from the Army, scores 19 points to lead the Green Bay Packers to a 37-0 win over the New York Giants for their seventh NFL championship. Green Bay’s Bart Starr throws three touchdown passes in the first title game ever played in Green

By DAN GELSTON – AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley is down to his final game to try to break Eric Dickerson’s season rushing record. Can Barkley actually topple the 40-year-old mark of 2,105 yards set by the Los Angeles Rams great? Absolutely — if he plays. The Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC

By AP BERLIN (AP) — Union Berlin is bringing former club favorite Steffen Baumgart back as coach to take over from the fired Bo Svensson after its lackluster start to the Bundesliga season. The Köpenick-based club said Monday that Baumgart, a former forward who scored 22 goals in two seasons at Union, will take charge

By AP MILAN (AP) — AC Milan hired Sérgio Conceição as its new coach on Monday, hours after the Serie A club fired Portuguese compatriot Paulo Fonseca. The 50-year-old Conceição has been given an 18-month contract. Conceição, who played in Serie A with Lazio, Parma and Inter Milan, coached Porto for six seasons before stepping

By BETH HARRIS – AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — JuJu Watkins scored 31 points, making 13 of 14 free throws, and No. 4 Southern California beat No. 23 Michigan 78-58 on Sunday night in the Trojans’ Big Ten home opener. Watkins had five rebounds, seven assists, three steals and three blocks. Kiki Iriafen

By DANIELLA MATAR – AP Sports Writer BORMIO, Italy (AP) — The weekend’s ski racing in Bormio showed precisely why the men’s downhill for the 2026 Olympics will be one of the toughest in the past 30 years. American skier Bryce Bennett says he has “trauma” from racing down the fearsome Stelvio slope, while Italian

By AP BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Exchanging smiles, laughs and flashy shots, Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios teamed up in doubles on Monday as they both returned to the court in preparation for the Australian Open. The two former Wimbledon final opponents reached the second round of the Brisbane International with a 6-4, 6-7 (4),

By AP UNDATED (AP) — The Rose Bowl between eighth-seeded Ohio State and top-seeded Oregon in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal has many subplots for Chip Kelly. The game in the venerable stadium is a homecoming for Kelly, who resigned from UCLA in February after six seasons to become Ohio State’s offensive coordinator. With Kelly

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 AP CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Freshman Ian Jackson scored a season-high 26 points, RJ Davis added 23 points, including five 3-pointers, and North Carolina beat Campbell 97-81 in the Tar Heels’ final nonconference game of the season. Elliot Cadeau added 12 points and a career-high 12 assists, Drake Powell also scored 12 points

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