Tiger Tale: Clemson routs ohio State to set up 'Bama rematch

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Deshaun Watson ran for two touchdowns and threw another and No. 3 Clemson crushed No. 2 Ohio State 31-0 Saturday night in the Fiesta Bowl to set up a rematch with Alabama for the College Football Playoff national championship.

Tigers coach Dabo Swinney had sold his team on making this a redemptive trip to the desert by winning at the site where they lost to Alabama in the national title game last season. With that taken care of, Clemson (13-1) now gets another crack at the top-ranked Crimson Tide in Tampa, Florida, on Jan. 9. The teams that started the season ranked Nos. 1 and 2 will most certainly ended it that way, too.

In what figures to be Watson's final college game, he will try to lead Clemson to its first national title since 1981. The junior and Heisman Trophy runner-up passed for 259 yards and ran for 57 against the Buckeyes (11-2), who could not keep Clemson's big and quick defensive line out of their backfield.

Freshman Clelin Ferrell had a sack among his three tackles for loss and Clemson allowed only 215 yards and nine first downs. The Buckeyes were shut out for the first time since 1993 against Michigan and Urban Meyer had one of his teams held scoreless for the first time in 194 games as a head coach.

Watson made it 24-0 with 2:06 left in the third quarter when he faked a pitch, cut through a hole and into the end zone from 7 yards out. He hopped through the back of the end zone and did a little dance in front of the Ohio State section.

The rest was a formality.

Much the way Alabama's defense suffocated Washington in the day's first semifinal, Clemson gave Ohio State no options. The Buckeyes came in averaging 258 yards rushing per game and finished with 88. J.T. Barrett threw for 127 yards and was intercepted twice.

The sellout crowd at University of Phoenix Stadium of 71,279 had far more Ohio State scarlet than Clemson orange at kickoff, but by the halfway point in the fourth quarter Tigers fans mostly had the place to themselves.

THE TAKEAWAY

Ohio State: In a rebuilding year with only six returning starters, the Buckeyes reached the playoff. Hard to call that a disappointment, but Ohio State's issues on the offensive line and limitations in the passing game were badly exposed by a Clemson defensive line that features a bunch of future NFL players. Expect some Penn State fans to again start asking why their team was picked for the playoff instead of the Big Ten champion Nittany Lions, who beat the Buckeyes in October.

Clemson: The Tigers seemed to spend much of the season trying to explain why they were not running roughshod over opponents. Expectations were so high after last season ended with stinging 45-40 loss in a classic national championship game against Alabama.

There were close calls for Clemson early in the season against Auburn and Troy and they needed some luck to beat North Carolina State in overtime. Watson was throwing more picks and an offense that welcomed back star receiver Mike Williams was not quite the unstoppable juggernaut so many expected.

But the best Clemson was the Clemson that showed up in the desert. And that Clemson has always been the team best equipped to beat Alabama.

UP NEXT

Ohio State: The immediate concern for the Buckeyes is figuring out which underclassmen will jump to the NFL. The most notable players who have decisions to make in the next two weeks are: Barrett, who will be a fifth-year senior next season; H-back Curtis Samuel; linebacker Raekwon McMillan and defensive backs Malik Hooker and Gareon Conley.

Clemson: Watson put on an all-time performance with 478 total yards against Alabama last season. This Tide defense is even better, but Clemson brings something new to the fight in Williams, who missed most of last season because of an injury. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound junior had six catches for 96 yards against Ohio State.

Alabama wears down Washington 24-7, returns to title game

ATLANTA (AP) — For Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide, it would be unimaginable to end a season any other way.

Once again, they'll be playing for a national title.

Going old school on playoff newcomer Washington, top-ranked Alabama relied on a stifling defense and the bruising runs of Bo Scarbrough to wear down the Huskies for a 24-7 victory Saturday in the Peach Bowl semifinal game.

Saban isn't satisfied.

He never is.

"We've got more miles to go," said Saban, who will be seeking his fifth national title in the last eight years at Alabama, a remarkable run that has stamped him perhaps the greatest coach in college football history.

The Crimson Tide (14-0) scored 10 points off turnovers, including Ryan Anderson's interception return for a touchdown late in the first half, and Scarbrough's 68-yard TD run in the fourth quarter finished off the Huskies.

Scarbrough totaled 180 yards and two scores, garnering offensive MVP honors.

Not bad for a backup.

"Whoever's hot, that's who's going to get the ball," Saban said. "He's been hot lately and he's going to get the ball."

Seeking its second straight title, Alabama heads to Tampa, Florida, for the Jan. 9 championship game and a rematch against Clemson.

"We're 1-0," linebacker Reuben Foster said. "Now it's time to focus on the next one and leave this behind us."

No. 4 Washington (12-2) reached the College Football Playoff with a remarkable turnaround season after struggling much of the last two decades — including an 0-12 debacle in 2008.

But Jake Browning and the Huskies' high-powered offense were no match for Alabama's top-ranked defense , even after an impressive drive gave them an early 7-0 edge.

The Tide began to exert its dominance late in the first quarter when Anthony Averett stripped the ball away from John Ross on a screen pass. Jonathan Allen recovered, giving Alabama possession at the Washington 40 and setting up Adam Griffith's 41-yard field goal for a 10-7 lead.

Anderson made an even bigger defensive play with just over a minute to go in the half. With the blitzing Foster bearing down on him, Browning desperately heaved a pass into the flats for Lavon Coleman. But Anderson peeled off to make the pick, knocked Coleman over in the process and was off to the end zone on a 26-yard return that made it 17-7 at the half.

For Alabama, it was the 11th defensive touchdown of the season.

"That's as good a defense as there is out there in college football," Washington coach Chris Petersen said. "They played like it."

Any hopes of a Washington comeback were snuffed out by Scarbrough, a starter at most schools but not for the deep, talented Tide. On a simple running play to the left, he appeared to be stopped by two players just short of the line of scrimmage.

But Scarbrough somehow managed to stay on his feet and — boom! — he was gone. Streaking down the field in front of the Alabama bench, he avoided another defender with a subtle deke, cut back toward the middle of the field at the Washington 30 and outran everyone to the end zone.

Scarbrough also scored Alabama's first touchdown with a bruising, 18-yard run.

STYMIED HUSKIES

Washington was held to a season-low for points and yards, even after a 64-yard opening drive capped by Browning's 16-yard TD pass to Dante Pettis.

The Huskies finished with 194 yards, below their previous low of 276 in a 26-13 loss to Southern Cal . That was also their lowest-scoring game of the season until they ran up against the Tide.

Browning finished 20 of 38 for just 150 yards. He was sacked five times and picked off twice.

HURTS STRUGGLES

Freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts had been a big part of the Alabama offense, but he didn't have much of an impact in the Peach Bowl.

The youngster was 7 of 14 for 57 yards passing, with three sacks. He ran 19 times for 50 yards.

CHASING BEAR

Saban, who won a BCS championship at LSU, has a chance to join Bear Bryant as the only coaches to capture six national titles in the poll era.

To some, he's already tied with the Bear.

One of Bryant's titles came in 1973 when the Tide was voted No. 1 in the final coaches' poll, which came out before the bowls. Alabama lost in the Sugar Bowl to Notre Dame, handing the Fighting Irish the No. 1 spot in The Associated Press poll .

UGLY ENDING

A scuffle broke out after Minkah Fitzpatrick's interception in the closing seconds, leading to a pair of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against Alabama.

Several Washington players were shaken up while chasing down Fitzpatrick, but they all managed to walk off the field while the officials sorted things out.

Two Alabama players — linebacker Reuben Foster and defensive back Ronnie Harrison — headed to the locker room before the game was over. But they were sent off by their coaches, not the officials.

"They were taking some cheap shots," Foster said.

UP NEXT

No matter how the Fiesta Bowl turned out, Alabama was set up to face a familiar opponent in the national championship game.

A year ago, the Tide beat Clemson 45-40 in a classic title showdown at Glendale, Arizona. Two seasons ago, Alabama was upset by Ohio State 42-35 in the Sugar Bowl semifinal, and the Buckeyes went on to capture the national championship.

Guice, LSU defense overwhelm Louisville in Cotrus Bowl

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — For much of the first half Saturday, LSU sophomore running back Derrius Guice found little room to work as Louisville's defensive front filled the gaps and swarmed to the ball.

But the second half of the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl was a different story.

The game slowed down and Guice took the time to let the blocks develop before hitting the holes. Finally he popped a 12-yard run off left tackle and then the big one came the next play when he burst up the middle, broke a tackle and then was off to the races for a 70-yard touchdown early in the third quarter that all but closed the door on the 15th-ranked Cardinals and sealed the 19th-ranked Tigers 29-9 victory at Camping World Stadium.

"As a running back you just have to be patient, you can't get upset, you can't get mad when things don't always go your way," said Guice, who earned the Citrus Bowl MVP after finishing his day with 138 yards and a rushing touchdown while also catching a 1-yard touchdown pass. "You just got to work and grind, go on the sidelines with the coaches and get everything fixed."

The spotlight has been on Guice since star running back Leonard Fournette announced earlier this month that he would not play in the Tigers' bowl game so that he can focus on getting his injured ankle healthy to begin his path toward an NFL career. Guice had filled in nicely for Fournette during the season and Saturday was no different as his clock-draining runs and the Tigers' (8-4) suffocating defense limited Louisville's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson.

"We had probably one of the best players in college football in Leonard Fournette get hurt, and he stepped in and didn't blink an eye," said LSU coach Ed Orgeron, who won his first official game as head coach since being relieved of the interim title last month. "He is one of the best players in America and I totally expect him to be the best player in America next year and we're fortunate to have him."

Guice made explosive plays running the ball and catching it, but his most memorable play may have come on special teams in the fourth quarter when he took a kickoff return 50 yards, steamrolling Cardinals kicker Blanton Creque near the sideline in the process. It was the perfect capper on a breakout season while delivering a glimpse of is in store for next season.

"LSU is Army U so when one man goes down you've got to step up," Guice said. "I feel like I've done a great job of stepping up this year."

KEY MOMENT

The Tigers sacked Jackson eight times and linebacker Arden Key was responsible for two of the sacks.

Key sacked Jackson for a safety late in the second quarter and then on the opening play of third quarter, he sacked Jackson again to establish a school record for sacks with 12.

TAKEAWAY

LSU: The Tigers defensive front was too fast and too dominant for Jackson and the Cardinals offense. Louisville was 0 for 13 on third-down conversions well into the fourth quarter before converting its first.

LOUISVILLE: Clearly the Cardinals' offense had not seen the type of speed on defense in the ACC they encountered against the SEC's LSU. The Tigers got to Jackson early and often from their base defense and with a variety of blitzes. Defensively, the Cardinals (9-4) struggled without starting secondary members Josh Harvey-Clemons (safety) and Trumaine Washington (cornerback) along with sack leader James Hearns (linebacker) all missing due to injuries.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

LSU: The Tigers looked overpowering on both sides of the football and will certainly see their stock sore from No. 19 in the AP poll after a convincing win over Louisville.

LOUISVILLE: The Cardinals suffered their third straight loss to conclude the season, which certainly makes it appear their No. 15 ranking was inflated. Louisville may remain in the Top 25 but it will be just barely.

UP NEXT

LSU: Now that the bowl season is over, the Ed Orgeron era begins in earnest. Matt Canada has been hired as the new offensive coordinator and can begin to install his system. His biggest decision will be at quarterback where Etling is returning with experience but the Tigers have two recruits coming in in pro-style quarterback Myles Brennan and dual-threat quarterback Lowell Narcisse.

LOUISVILLE: Led by the tremendous talent of Jackson, the Cardinals could contend for the ACC title and College Football Playoffs next season. But coach Bobby Petrino will definitely have more playmakers to help Jackson. The offensive line also has to get better in its protection of Jackson. The Cardinals lose a couple of talented seniors off the defense but the core returns, giving Petrino a chance to have his best team since returning.

No. 10 FSU wins wild Orange Bowl over No. 6 Michigan, 33-32

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Renegade, the horse that serves as Florida State's mascot, took an uncharacteristic tumble while prancing on the field before kickoff.

The horse got up and was just fine.

Hours later, Florida State collapsed — and like Renegade, recovered with a flourish.

Deondre Francois' 12-yard touchdown pass to Nyquan Murray with 36 seconds left put No. 10 Florida State ahead for good, and the Seminoles topped No. 6 Michigan 33-32 in a frantic, down-to-the-wire Orange Bowl on Friday night. It capped a simply wild final few minutes of a game that Florida State controlled most of the way before needing a rally in the final moments.

"The character on this team," Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said. "I've said it before. I'm as proud of this team as any I've coached."

Dalvin Cook rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown for Florida State (10-3), which led 17-3 and 20-6 early — and was up by 12 midway through the fourth quarter before falling behind. Francois completed only 9 of 27 passes but made the most of them, throwing for 222 yards and connecting with Murray for two scores.

"There's no team in the country like this team," Seminoles offensive lineman Alec Eberle said.

Chris Evans had a 30-yard touchdown run and Khalid Hill an 8-yard scoring catch in the final minutes for Michigan (10-3), which also got a defensive conversion when Josh Metellus ran a blocked extra point back after the second Francois-Murray TD.

But Michigan turned the ball over on its final possession, and the Seminoles held on to win after the teams combined for 23 points and two lead changes in the final 5:22.

"I love them. Love these guys," Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said. "Great group of competitors, great group of workers, and a great group of guys that find a way."

Well, almost, in this case.

The Wolverines played without Heisman Trophy finalist Jabrill Peppers, their do-everything guy who couldn't go because of a bad left hamstring, and lost standout tight end Jake Butt to what was believed to be a serious knee injury in the second quarter.

Wilton Speight was 21 for 38 passing for 163 yards for Michigan, which got a 14-yard interception return from Mike McCray for a touchdown.

Florida State was in total control, but the game turned midway through the fourth when Trey Marshall was ejected for targeting on a punt return — giving Michigan a short field on which to start its comeback.

Marshall missed an amazing finish.

"Best game of my life," Cook said.

Hill's scoring grab was Michigan's first offensive TD of the night, and Evans' run with 1:57 left gave the Wolverines their first lead.

It lasted 81 seconds.

"Coach Harbaugh kept saying it's going to happen, it's going to happen, just stay patient," Speight said. "And I think before that drive that we scored, he basically just said now is the time. We were able to capitalize and almost pull it out."

Florida State's Keith Gavin swung momentum back to the Seminoles with a 66-yard kickoff return right up the middle — setting up the drive where his team would take the lead for good.

Francois lobbed one up perfectly for Murray, and the Seminoles escaped.

"This game here took so many turns," Cook said. "But we kept fighting ... and things turned our way."

THE TAKEAWAY

Michigan: The Wolverines' three losses this season were by a combined five points. ... Michigan managed only 3.4 yards per play, and had players tackled for losses 15 times in the game. ... Michigan also played in the last Orange Bowl to be decided by a single point, the game on Jan. 2, 2000 when Tom Brady led the Wolverines past Alabama 35-34 in overtime.

Florida State: The Seminoles had 201 yards in the first quarter alone. That's more than Michigan allowed in any of four entire games from Sept. 24 through Oct. 22. ... Cook broke his own school single-season rushing record, finishing 2016 with 1,765. ... Florida State snapped a two-game bowl slide. There's never been a three-game bowl losing streak in school history. ... The ACC improved to 6-2 in this season's bowl games.

ORANGE RECORDS

Francois' scoring pass to Murray in the first quarter was the longest TD throw in Orange Bowl history, the 92-yarder topping the mark set in 1959 when Oklahoma's Brewster Hobby connected with Ross Coyle on what became a 79-yard score against Syracuse. Francois also was part of the shortest interception return for a TD in the game's history, when McCray ran his back 14 yards late in the third.

UP NEXT

Michigan: Another Sunshine State team awaits the Wolverines, with Michigan starting its 2017 slate Sept. 2 against Florida in Arlington, Texas.

Florida State: The Seminoles open their season Sept. 2 in Atlanta, against Alabama — in the new domed stadium being built for the NFL's Falcons.

Jackson powers Northwestern past Pitt in Pinstripe Bowl

By DAN GELATIN
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Jackson has the last name made for the bright lights at Yankee Stadium.

He had the kind of postseason game worthy of the setting.

"Big city. Big stage," he said. "We walked into Yankee Stadium and everything kind of really hit us."

Jackson made his case in the home of the Yankees to become Northwestern's Mr. December.

Unlike Hall of Fame slugger Reggie Jackson, the Wildcats' stud running back did his damage one step at a time instead of one swing. Jackson ran for 224 yards and three touchdowns to power Northwestern to only its third bowl victory, 31-24 over No. 22 Pittsburgh in the Pinstripe Bowl on Wednesday night.

"Justin's day will go down as one of the great performances by a Northwestern running back," coach Pat Fitzgerald said.

Jackson was the straw that stirred Northwestern's offense in the Bronx and helped etch this performance alongside the 1948 Rose Bowl and 2012 Gator Bowl victories in the program's oft-futile history.

Jackson, the game's MVP , was awed by the lights and monuments at the stadium. But it was a more discreet spot in the locker room Northwestern borrowed from the Yankees that really bowled over Jackson.

"Like, Derek Jeter has peed in that urinal," he said.

Jackson had TD runs of 8 and 16 yards in the second quarter, then went deep on a 40-yard burst in the third that left one defender face down on the turf following a fantastic fake and gave the Wildcats (7-6) a 21-17 lead.

Rallying without injured quarterback Nathan Peterman and running back James Conner, Pitt yanked the lead away in the fourth on a short TD pass before it collapsed the rest of the quarter.

The Wildcats turned a fourth-and-1 into a 21-yard play-action TD pass that made it 28-24 and a hit late field goal for a seven-point lead.

The Panthers (8-5), who had wins over No. 2 Clemson and Big Ten champion Penn State, still had time to spoil Northwestern's upset bid with a late drive for the tying score. Scott Orndoff failed to hang on to backup quarterback Ben DiNucci's strike in the end zone on third down. DiNucci had his fourth-down pass picked off by Jared McGee, who helped bust up the previous pass play, to clinch the win for the Wildcats.

Northwestern's defense made the stops late. Jackson carried the Wildcats to a celebration on a purple-glittered baseball field .

"We didn't tackle a really good tailback," Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said.

Jackson stiff-armed one defender, then bowled over a second for a 16-yard score that helped Northwestern take a 14-10 lead into halftime.

After some confusion over his final rushing total, Jackson fell just shy of setting the Pinstripe Bowl mark of 227 yards by Indiana's Devine Redding.

"We'll go over every yard," Fitzgerald said.

Peterman, who threw for 253 yards, gave Pitt a 17-14 lead on a 5-yard scamper in the third. Peterman's solid outing ended late in the quarter when he was sandwiched between two defenders and his head slammed the turf.

DiNucci was picked on Pitt's final drive with 30 seconds left in the game and the Wildcats would get their kicks from storming the field in a frenzy.

Conner, who capped a triumphant return from Hodgkin lymphoma, suffered a brutal helmet-to-helmet blow to the head late in the first half and did not return. Unlike some draft prospects, Conner played the bowl game even though he decided to skip his senior season and declare for the NFL draft. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Conner, who had 1,060 yards rushing and 20 total touchdowns entering the game, was far from a sure-fire early NFL pick.

"One of the defenders turned around and went for him, I guess, instead of going for the ball. Kind of interesting," Narduzzi said.

Conner was stuffed when he tried to go over the top on a failed fourth-down try in the first quarter.

THE TAKEAWAY

Northwestern: The Wildcats were stout all around. Clayton Thorson was 23 of 36 for 214 yards passing and had the winning TD pass. Garrett Dickerson caught the go-ahead TD and had five catches for 46 yards. The Wildcats can chalk this one up to a fantastic four: 4 for 4 on fourth-down conversions.

Pittsburgh: The Panthers may have pulled out a victory had their offensive stalwarts not been sidelined late with injuries. Losing to a 6-6 Big Ten definitely ends the year on a down note.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Pitt will fall out of the Top 25 and failed to finish the season ranked and with nine wins for the first time since 2009.

UP NEXT

Northwestern can only hope Jackson's latest breakout game in the national spotlight will propel the program to great heights in the loaded Big Ten.

Jackson led the Big Ten with 1,300 yards rushing and became the first Wildcat to rush for 1,000-plus yards in three straight seasons. He said he would return for his senior season. "You don't come here and not get a degree," he said.

Fitzgerald cracked: "There's no way. Your dad will kill you."

Pitt has to replace Conner in the backfield and find a new offensive coordinator. Pitt offensive coordinator Matt Canada called the shots for the final time before packing up for the same position at LSU.

Williams leads Utah past Indiana 26-24 in Foster Farms Bowl

By JOSH DUBOW
Associated Press

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Whenever it seems Joe Williams won't be available to Utah, he comes back and delivers.

Williams returned from a four-week retirement early in the season to help solidify a broken-down running back position. Then in the bowl game, he overcame an illness that forced him to miss a team meeting the night before and capped his career in style.

Williams ran for 222 yards and a touchdown, Andy Phillips kicked a 27-yard field goal with 1:24 to play and Utah beat Indiana 26-24 on Wednesday night in the Foster Farms Bowl for its 14th victory in its past 15 bowl games.

"We weren't positive we'd have him tonight. He showed a lot of toughness," coach Kyle Whittingham said. "I couldn't be more proud of Joe to end his career as a Ute on this note."

Williams had to check out of the game several times but shook off his own costly fumble to run for 64 yards on the final drive, setting up Phillips' fourth field goal of the night.

"We prepared well these last few weeks so I just had to go out there like (Michael) Jordan did in '97 in the flu game and just leave it all out there," Williams said.

Tyler Huntley ran for another score and the Utes (9-4) forced three turnovers to spoil Tom Allen's coaching debut at Indiana and improve Whittingham's bowl record to 10-1.

"We're carrying the mantle for hundreds of football players who have come through here and raised the bar to where it's at," Whittingham said. "We have to continue that tradition and this group did just that."

Allen took over the Hoosiers (6-7) after Kevin Wilson's sudden resignation this month. Allen had finished his first season at Indiana as defensive coordinator and is now tasked with rebuilding the team as he did in his one year with the defense.

He appeared to be off to a good start when the Hoosiers rallied from 10 points down to take a 24-23 lead early in the fourth quarter on Devine Redding's 3-yard run following a fumble by Utah's Zach Moss.

Indiana failed to capitalize on Williams' fumble when Griffin Oakes missed a 40-yard field goal attempt with 5:34 left. That set the stage for Utah's final drive.

Indiana's last-gasp chance ended when Richard Lagow was hit on a desperation heave near midfield, sending the Hoosiers to their fourth straight bowl loss since their last win in the 1991 Copper Bowl.

"I'm tired of being close," Wilson said. "I want to see us break through. But I just can't say enough about how hard our kids played, how hard they worked. They take a tough situation and really came out against a really good football team and had our chances. Just got to learn to finish."

THE TAKEAWAY

Indiana: Allen's debut started off well when Kyle Fulks fumbled the opening kickoff for Utah and Indiana turned that into a touchdown on a 7-yard pass from Lagow to Mitchell Paige. But the Hoosiers struggled on offense after that. Lagow went 14 for 39 for 188 yards and an interception. The receivers didn't help with several drops, but Lagow was often off-target or had passes batted down at the line of scrimmage.

"It was just the little things kept nipping us in the bud," All-America guard Dan Feeney said. "Fumbles here, interception there, we just never got rolling."

Utah: The Utes took advantage of the bowl game to get a good look at freshman quarterback Huntley, who could compete with Troy Williams for the starting job next season. Huntley completed a 36-yard pass to Fulks on his only throw but was used much more in the running game. Huntley finished with 23 yards on eight carries with the touchdown.

EMPTY SEATS

The bowl announced that 27,608 tickets were distributed, but far fewer people were actually in the stands. The upper deck at Levi's Stadium was tarped off for a game for the first time in the three-year history of the stadium and even then the stands still looked empty.

UP NEXT

Indiana: Allen viewed the preparation and bowl game as the start of his first full season in 2017. The Hoosiers will jump right into it, hosting Ohio State in the season opener on Aug. 31.

Utah: The Utes will have a far easier opener, getting FCS-level North Dakota at home on Aug. 31.

Ertz accounts for 3 TDs, K-State tops Texas A&M 33-28

By KRISTIE RIEKEN
Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) — Kansas State was unbeatable against teams from Texas in the regular season, and that didn't change on Wednesday night in the Texas Bowl.

Jesse Ertz threw for 195 yards and a touchdown and ran for two more scores in Kansas State's 33-28 victory over Texas A&M. He had 67 yards rushing to give him 1,012 this season.

The victory improved the Wildcats to 5-0 against teams from the Lone Star State this season after they downed Texas Tech, Texas, Baylor and TCU earlier this year.

"I think that's a really cool thing to accomplish," said Ertz, who was named MVP. "It gives the fans some bragging rights."

Ertz had a 79-yard touchdown pass and scoring runs of 1 and 5 yards to help give Kansas State its fourth straight win and first bowl victory since the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.

"They're a good defensive football team and we didn't do anything we hadn't done all year, but we may have done some things a little better," Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said.

The Wildcats (9-4) led 33-21 after Ertz bulled into the end zone on a 1-yard run with nine minutes left. Ertz set up the score with a 20-yard run two plays earlier.

"It was a case tonight where either we stopped (Ertz) or gave up the home run," Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said. "Consistency level was an issue. We gave up the three big plays in the first half and couldn't get enough stops."

The Aggies (8-5) cut it to 33-28 on Josh Reynolds' 15-yard TD reception about a minute later.

Texas A&M attempted to convert a fourth-and-8 with about two minutes left, but Trevor Knight's pass was short, to give Kansas State the ball back and allow the Wildcats to run out the clock.

Reynolds had a Texas A&M bowl-record 12 receptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns and Knight threw for 310 yards with three touchdowns and one interception as A&M dropped its second straight bowl game.

"He's a heck of a player," Sumlin said. "Last year at this time he decided to come back, and I think it was worth it for him. I think he's improved as a route runner, he's got great hands. I think it was worth it coming back. He's increased his value."

Texas A&M got to 23-21 when Reynolds made a 4-yard touchdown catch with about seven minutes left in the third quarter. A 25-yard field goal by Ian Patterson extended Kansas State's lead to 26-21 with about three minutes remaining in the quarter. A highlight of that drive came on a 36-yard run John Silmon.

The Aggies took a 7-0 lead when Keith Ford scored on a 7-yard run on their first possession.

Kansas State tied it when Ertz connected with Byron Pringle and he dashed down the field for a 79-yard touchdown run later in the first quarter.

The Wildcats took the lead when Ertz stiff-armed Justin Evans on a 5-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. But Myles Garrett blocked the extra point to make it 13-7.

A 3-yard reception by Ricky Seals-Jones put A&M back on top 14-13 soon after that. But Kansas State regained the lead with a 40-yard field goal before pushing the lead to 23-14 on a 52-yard run by Dominique Heath just before halftime.

THAT'S A NO NO: Kansas State's cornerback Donnie Starks received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at the end of the first half when he threw Reynolds to the ground and then squatted over him and pressed his crotch to the receiver's chest. Reynolds then punched at the crotch of Starks, but he was not penalized. The penalty was enforced on the opening kickoff of the second half.

Reynolds got a bit of revenge for the play when he caught his touchdown pass in the third quarter over Starks and stared him down after making the grab.

HANDLING GARRETT: Kansas State did a good job of neutralizing Texas A&M star defensive end Myles Garrett . The junior, who is expected to declare for the draft and many believe could be the top overall pick in April, blocked an extra point in the second quarter. But he was unable to do much else while facing near-constant double teams and finished with one tackle.

"(Left tackle) Scott Frantz we had lined up against him," Snyder said. "He's a newcomer for us, and that probably gave him a great deal of confidence. He played well against him. He probably played as well as anyone who played against him this year."

NO GATORADE FOR SNYDER: Snyder got a bucket of confetti dumped on his head near the end of the game. The 79-year-old coach said that was a nice way to celebrate and that his players knew better than to douse him with Gatorade. "I think they realized that we could go back to the hotel and celebrate or we can go back to the hotel and run (laps) around the hotel all night," he joked.

UConn fires football coach Diaco after 3-9 third season

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — UConn fired football coach Bob Diaco on Monday after his third losing season, choosing to cut ties rather than allow Diaco to rebuild a struggling offense.

Diaco will be relieved of his duties effective Jan. 2, university officials said.

The move was surprising in its timing a month after the Huskies season ended but it made financial sense for the university. The buyout on Diaco's contract drops from $5 million to $3.4 million after Jan. 1.

"I believe a new leader for our program and student-athletes is needed to build long-term success," athletic director David Benedict said.

Diaco said he hoped things would have played out differently but that he'll continue to root for UConn to succeed.

The Huskies were 11-26 under Diaco in three seasons, including 3-9 this season. UConn's best finish under Diaco was last year, at 6-7 and a losing trip to the St. Petersburg Bowl.

The bowl season was a four-game improvement over Diaco's first season, giving UConn fans a hopeful sign for future seasons and prompting the university to give Diaco an extension. But the Huskies slid back badly this season and decided to make a change.

Without mentioning the buyout, Benedict said the timing of the move may be surprising but the program needs a change in direction.

UConn officials say the search for a new coach will begin immediately.

Diaco was Notre Dame's defensive coordinator when he was hired by UConn to replace Paul Pasqualoni, who was fired four games into his third season.

While at Notre Dame, Diaco was the 2012 winner of the Frank Broyles Award, given to the top assistant college football coach in the country. He was a semifinalist for the award in 2011.

Diaco coached the Huskies to wins in three of their last four regular season games of the 2015 season, including a win over Houston, which was ranked No. 13 in the Associated Press Poll at the time of the game.

The Huskies finished this season losing their last six games. Diaco replaced his offensive coordinator midway through the season, and switched quarterbacks with three games to go, burning the redshirt of star recruit Donovan Williams.

Blocked FG helps Mississippi State hold off Miami 17-16

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Mississippi State's sideline erupted in celebration, relieved to escape with a victory to end a challenging season.

Nick Fitzgerald rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns in another strong performance by the dual-threat quarterback; however, the heavily favored Bulldogs had to block a field goal in the closing seconds to hold off Miami (Ohio) 17-16 in the St. Petersburg Bowl on Monday.

"Great game. Not exactly how we drew it up," coach Dan Mullen said after defensive tackle Nelson Adams got a hand on Nick Dowd's potential game-winning kick that would have helped Miami finish a stunning turnaround from a 0-6 start to the season to a winning record.

Instead, both the Bulldogs (6-7) and the RedHawks (6-7), who won six straight games to become bowl eligible , finished with losing marks.

"You know what, it's been an interesting year. We've battled. Throughout the year we've lost some tough games on the final play of the game," Mullen said. "I told the guys in the locker room afterward, we're here because we didn't give up. We found a way to go make that final play. Even though we missed a lot of opportunities, we made the final play when it mattered."

Fitzgerald, who led the Southeastern Conference in total offense, scored on runs of 2 and 44 yards on the way to his eighth 100-yard rushing performance of the season. The redshirt sophomore also completed 13 of 26 passes for 126 yards.

Gus Ragland threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns for Miami. He also threw his first interception of the season early in the fourth quarter, and Mississippi State turned the mistake into a 36-yard field goal that put the Bulldogs ahead with 12:03 remaining.

"We were one play ahead of them for most of the game, if not more than one, but they were one play ahead of us at the end," Miami coach Chuck Martin said. "We had opportunities. When you look at it, it didn't need to come down to that last kick, but it did. They made one more play than us. Tough way to end. That's sports, and that's competition."

The RedHawks drove the ball deep into Bulldogs territory on their next two possessions, turning the ball over on downs at the Mississippi State 32 midway through the fourth quarter and reaching the 17 before Dowd had his kick blocked with 5 seconds left.

James Gardner and Ryan Smith caught TD passes for Miami, which also had an extra-point blocked in the opening half.

"We had noticed on film that the kicker kind of did line drives. All that was going through my head was get your hands up as quick as you can," Adams said. "It's been a tough year for us. The only thing going through my mind was make a play, make something happen, and that's what I did."

TAKEAWAY

While there's a tendency to minimize the importance of games played before New Year's weekend, Mississippi State and Miami both felt fortunate to be in St. Petersburg for Christmas. The Bulldogs had a losing record for the first time since 2009 — Mullen's first season in Starkville — but qualified for a postseason berth because of the program's NCAA Academic Progress Rate.

Miami's rebound from a poor start was one of the feel-good stories of the year. Finishing in a bowl game against an SEC opponent attracted additional national attention for the RedHawks and also figures to help in recruiting.

"Like I told the guys a couple of weeks ago, if we invited Mississippi State down to spring practice to scrimmage us for 60 minutes, I don't think they'd come. So a pretty good opportunity for Miami football to play Mississippi State and go against some guys that don't look like the guys we normally go against," Martin said. "I thought our kids definitely took advantage of that and made the most of today."

PERSEVERANCE

Miami became the first team in NCAA history to start 0-6 and finish the regular season 6-6. The senior class that entered school in 2013 had a 5-37 record before the RedHawks began their six-game winning streak in mid-October.

"They should put statues of those guys outside of our stadium," Ragland said.

UP NEXT

Miami: The turnaround following the 0-6 start carried the RedHawks to a share of the MAC East Division title and provides a solid foundation to build on next season with 13 starters returning, including Ragland. Gardner had an outstanding sophomore season as well, finishing with 45 receptions for 750 yards and six TDs.

Mississippi State: Despite finishing with a losing record for only the second time in eight seasons under Mullen, the Bulldogs think they have a promising future with Fitzgerald at quarterback. In addition to throwing for 2,413 yards and 21 touchdowns, the sophomore rushed for 1,385 yards and 16 TDs after beginning his career as a backup behind Dak Prescott.

Boston College builds lead, holds off Maryland for 36-30 win

By LARRY LAGE
Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — Patrick Towles threw two touchdown passes and caught a pass for a score in the first half, helping Boston College build a big lead in a 36-30 win over Maryland in the Quick Lane Bowl on Monday.

The Eagles (7-6) led by 16 at halftime, 23 points early in the third quarter and had to force Maryland to turn the ball over on downs late in the game to seal the victory.

The Terrapins (6-7) had the ball at their 35 with 1:48 left, but didn't gain a yard before Harold Landry helped to finish them off with a possession-ending sack.

Boston College was ahead 29-13 at halftime after Towles threw a 49-yard TD pass to Michael Walker. On a reverse and pass from receiver Jeff Smith, the quarterback scored on a 20-yard TD catch in the second quarter.

The Terrapins made some big plays on offense, but four turnovers, sacks and poor field position proved to be costly. In the first half, Perry Hills threw an interception, lost a fumble and was sacked four times. On the Terrapins' first snap of the second half, Hills handed off to Ty Johnson and the running back's fumble was recovered in the end zone by Boston College.

With 4:02 left, the Terrapins got to the Boston College 1 with a chance to cut into their nine-point deficit and Hills lost a fumble after bobbling a snap. They got the ball back less than a minute later when Boston College's Jon Hilliman fumbled at his 6, and were forced to settle for a field goal.

BIG PLAYS

Johnson had 62- and 30-yard TD runs in the first half. Hills threw a 63-yard TD pass to Teldrick Morgan and a 52-yard pass to Levern Jacobs for a score to get Maryland within nine points. Johnson had a 29-yard run early in the fourth quarter to give Maryland the ball in Eagles territory, but it turned the ball over on downs at their 41.

SHINING STAR

Landry was the only player in the game on The Associated Press All-America team, earning second-team honors, and showed why he merited the recognition. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound junior entered with 15 sacks, tying with Florida State's DeMarcus Walker for the most in the nation, and had 1 1/2 of his team's eight sacks. Landry also had a one-handed interception and deflected passes on consecutive plays on Maryland's drive late in the fourth quarter that ended with a fumble.

MISSING FOR MARYLAND

The Terrapins were without their leading tackler, linebacker Shane Cockerille, who was ruled ineligible. School officials declined to provide details before the game.

TAKEAWAY

Maryland: DJ Durkin, a first-year head coach, has built a career on defense and special teams. The Terrapins struggled on defense against a previously offensively challenged team, giving him plenty to work on in the offseason.

Boston College: The Eagles were impressive on offense in the first half, scoring 29 points and gaining 238 yards, with a creative mix of plays through the air and on the ground before appearing to relax and regress.

UP NEXT

Maryland: With Hills out of eligibility, the Terrapins will have North Carolina transfer Caleb Henderson and highly touted freshman Kasim Hill competing for the job. Maryland will play Sept. 2 at Texas in Tom Herman's coaching debut with the Longhorns.

Boston College: The Eagles also will be looking also be looking for a new quarterback. To replace the departing Towles next season, Connor Strachan and Darius Wade will have a shot in the spring and summer to take the first snap when Boston College opens the 2017 season Sept. 1 at Northern Illinois.

Duke suspends guard Grayson Allen for intentional trip

Duke University's Men's Basketball team has suspended Grayson Allen indefinitely after the guard intentionally stuck out his leg and tripped an Elon's Steven Santa Ana on Wednesday night.

Allen later apologized for the incident, but it was enough to get him suspended.

“We have had the opportunity to thoroughly review the incident involving Grayson Allen from last night’s game against Elon," Duke Men's Basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a statement on Thursday. "As I stated last night, the incident was unacceptable and inexcusable. He took an important step last night by apologizing in person to Steven Santa Ana and Coach Matt Matheny. As a program, we needed to take further steps regarding his actions that do not meet the standards of Duke Basketball. To that end, we have determined that Grayson will be suspended from competition for an indefinite amount of time."

"It's a learning experience," Krzyzewski told The Dan Patrick Show on Thursday. "I'm going to use it as that, as a teaching moment. And a teaching moment does not stop by giving one game. Or maybe that's what it is. I don't know that right now.

"Maybe it's three [games]. Maybe it's two weeks. I don't know. He won't play until I feel good about the entire situation and where he is at. That's my responsibility as his coach and as a teacher of young men."

Allen was defending Santa Ana late in the first half of Duke's 72-61 victory. Santa Ana drove past him on the baseline, and Allen stuck his right leg out, sending Santa Ana to the floor.

Allen was assessed a technical foul.

"I made a really bad play. I'm sorry to him, Santa Ana," Allen, a junior, told reporters after the game. "I'm sorry to the officials who had to call that. I'm sorry to my team. It was selfish and taking away from them. I'm not proud of that at all."

Allen is averaging 16.0 points per game -- down from 21.6 last season. Since the start of last season, Allen is averaging 20.2 points per game.

Grambling St blocks kick, stops North Carolina Cenrtal 10-9

ATLANTA (AP) — Grambling State won the Celebration Bowl when it blocked an extra-point kick set back 15 yards by an excessive celebration with just over two minutes left, holding off North Carolina Central 10-9 Saturday.

Joseph McWilliams surged in and swatted Brandon McLaren's 35-yard try with 2:14 remaining to preserve the Tigers' edge.

Down 10-3, North Carolina Central had a chance to pull even after Quentin Atkinson shook loose and caught a 39-yard touchdown pass from scrambling Malcolm Bell. But Atkinson took off his helmet while reveling with the crowd, drawing a personal foul penalty.

"I kind of felt fault for that," Atkinson said. "I do want to apologize to my team for that because that was a selfish act. I'm not selfish, but it was the heat of the moment and I was excited to bring the team back with an outstanding play."

Bell called Atkinson's mistake "kind of a bonehead play" but said the team also was hurt by other mistakes in the game.

Martez Carter's 32-yard touchdown run to open the second half gave Grambling State (11-1) its first lead. The Tigers earned the bowl bid by winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship to complete a dramatic resurgence by the program.

The Eagles (9-3) won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference under third-year coach Jerry Mack.

Trailing 3-0 at halftime, Grambling State opened the third quarter with a run-first plan. Following five power runs by 240-pound running back Jestin Kelly, the 175-pound Carter looked extra-quick on his sharp cuts through the line on his touchdown run for a 7-3 lead.

"Jestin Kelly, he's a ground-and-pound type guy," Carter said. "He wore those guys down. I'm just a home-run hitter, man. He wore them down and then they put me in. What else are you going to do? You take those blows from him and then try to take me."

The Tigers threw only one play-action pass for a short gain on the touchdown drive.

Grambling State's defense later set up more points. Arkez Cooper sacked Bell, forcing a fumble recovered by Malcolm Williams at the Eagles 25. The turnover set up a 26-yard field goal by Jonathan Wallace.

McLaren's 23-yard field goal provided the only points of the first half. The kick capped a 13-play drive and followed a dropped 6-yard pass in the end zone by Atkinson on third down.

McLaren missed a 34-yarder late in the half.

THE TAKEAWAY

Grambling State: The Tigers placed a cap on their continued strong progress made in three years under coach Broderick Fobbs, who won seven and nine games, respectively, in his first two years. Fobbs, who played for former coach Eddie Robinson, showed on the national stage the program has returned to prominence as a force among historically black colleges.

North Carolina Central: Despite being a two-touchdown underdog, the Eagles played even with Grambling State, posting a shutout in the first half.

UP NEXT

Grambling State: The Tigers will return a good talent base, including Devante Kincade at quarterback, as they try to defend their SWAC championship. They'll need to replace six starters on offense and 10 overall. Key losses from the defense include noseguard Blain Winston and leading tacklers Guy Stallworth and Cooper.

North Carolina Central: The Eagles must replace nine senior starters, including six on offense, as they look to defend their MEAC championship. Freshman Naiil Ramadan was listed as the top backup to Bell at quarterback. The Eagles also lose four of their five starting offensive linemen, with only left tackle Nick Leverett returning. The Eagles have not released their 2017 schedule.

Houston WR Allen suspended for Las Vegas Bowl

By DAN GREENSPAN
Associated Press 

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Houston wide receiver Chance Allen has been suspended for Saturday's Las Vegas Bowl against San Diego State for a violation of team rules.

Allen, a senior who started his college career at Oregon, leads the Cougars with six touchdown receptions this season. Allen ranks second on the team with 56 receptions for 815 yards.

Sophomore Isaiah Johnson is expected to start in place of Allen.

The Houston Chronicle was first to report Allen's suspension.

NCAAB Top 25 Capsules (December 17, 2016)

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- T.J. Leaf had 25 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and fellow freshman Lonzo Ball added 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists as No.2 UCLA overpowered UC Santa Barbara 102-62 on Wednesday night.

Aaron Holiday had 20 points for the Bruins (11-0), who led by 24 points at halftime and were never threatened by the outmanned Gauchos (1-7).

It was the fifth time this season the Bruins scored at least 100 points.

Ami Lakoju had 12 rebounds and 11 points, and Gabe Vincent added 10 points for the Gauchos.

Santa Barbara outrebounded UCLA 50-46 but shot only 30.1 percent (25 of 83).

The Bruins played their second consecutive game without starting center Thomas Welch, who is out with a bruised right heel.

---

No. 4 BAYLOR 89, SOUTHERN U. 59

WACO, Texas (AP) - Johnathan Motley had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Baylor.

The Bears (9-0) hadn't played since a 76-61 win over then-No. 7 Xavier on Dec. 3, but scored 15 of the game's first 18 points and shot 64 percent in the first half to put it away early.

Jared Sam and Shawn Prudhomme scored 24 points each to lead Southern (4-6). They combined to shoot 18 for 27 from the field, but the rest of the Jaguars combined to make five field goals.

---

No. 14 WISCONSIN 73, GREEN BAY 59

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Nigel Hayes scored 24 points to lead Wisconsin.

Zak Showalter added 16 points, including a career-high four 3-pointers, and Ethan Happ had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Badgers (10-2).

The Badgers were a little lethargic to start and trailed Green Bay 12-11 almost 9 minutes into the game. But they reeled off a 20-4 run that included a nearly 5-minute scoreless drought for the Phoenix (4-6).

Green Bay cut the lead to seven early in the second half. But Wisconsin responded with a 25-8 run that blew the game open.

Kerem Kanter led Green Bay with 18 points.

---

No. 19 ARIZONA 64, GRAND CANYON 54

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - Kobi Simmons scored 13 points and Rawle Alkins added 11 points and eight rebounds for Arizona.

Arizona (9-2) started ragged, built a 16-point lead in the first half and allowed Grand Canyon to claw most of the way back due to a rash of turnovers.

The Wildcats had 19 turnovers overall and struggled shooting in the second half before wearing down the Antelopes for their 39th straight non-conference home win.

Grand Canyon (5-5) kept No. 11 Louisville within reach until late last week and did the same against Arizona.

DeWayne Russell had 19 points, but had to work for it against the physical Wildcats. He hit 8 of 21 shots, including 1 of 7 from 3-point range.

Oscar Frayer scored all 16 of his points in the second half for Grand Canyon.

---

No. 20 SAINT MARY'S 73, WESTERN KENTUCKY 51

MORAGA, Calif. (AP) - Jock Landale had 15 points and 13 rebounds and Saint Mary's jumped to a quick lead it never relinquished.

Evan Fitzner scored eight of his team's first 12 points as the Gaels took control from the tip. He finished with 11 points and three 3-pointers, while Emmett Naar had 14 points and six assists.

Landale went 7 for 13 from the field and is shooting 65 of 99 - 65.6 percent - on the season for the Gaels (8-1), who used a late 13-2 run in the first half for a 38-24 lead.

Justin Johnson and Que Johnson each scored 11 points to lead Western Kentucky (4-6).

Turner: Colorful NBA sideline reporter Craig Sager, 65, dies

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

Craig Sager, the longtime NBA sideline reporter famous for his flashy suits and probing questions, has died after a batter with cancer, Turner Sports announced Thursday. He was 65.

"Craig Sager was a beloved member of the Turner family for more than three decades and he has been a true inspiration to all of us," Turner President David Levy said in a statement. "There will never be another Craig Sager. His incredible talent, tireless work ethic and commitment to his craft took him all over the world covering sports."

Levy's statement did not say when or where Sager died.

Sager, who worked basketball games for TNT for nearly a quarter-century, revealed in March 2016 that his leukemia was no longer in remission. He said doctors told him the typical prognosis was three to six months to live, but "I am receiving the best treatment in the world and I remain fully confident I will win this battle."

Sager first announced in April 2014 that he had been diagnosed with leukemia, and he missed the playoffs and much of the following season as he underwent two bone marrow transplants.

His battle with cancer brought out the soft side of Gregg Popovich, the prickly San Antonio Spurs coach with whom he had many memorable exchanges during in-game interviews.

Sager sported suits in every color of the rainbow and plenty of shades not found in nature, from teal to fuchsia to magenta. He would match plaid blazers with paisley ties or striped shirts - all in bold hues.

Kevin Garnett once told him to burn an entire outfit. In a 2016 interview with HBO's "Real Sports," Sager recalled how Popovich reproached him for trying to stand out. Sager explained to him: "Coach, you don't understand. If I'm not wearing bright colors and if I don't feel lively, it's not me."

Sometimes lost in the glare of his wardrobe was Sager's relentless nature as a reporter. Every time Popovich would give a terse non-answer, an unfazed Sager would pepper him with another question.

During the 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend, Popovich described Sager as "an iconic figure in the NBA."

"He does a great job," the coach added. "His sense of humor is obvious. We have a lot of fun going back and forth with that."

Sager's persistence was on display at the start of his career, when the 22-year-old found himself in the middle of one of the most famous moments in sports history. Making $95 a week in 1974 as the news director at WSPB - a Braves-affiliated AM radio station in Sarasota, Florida - Sager risked getting fired by deciding to hop a flight to Atlanta for a game with Hank Aaron a home run away from breaking Babe Ruth's career record.

With a last-minute credential, Sager was stuck in the third-base photographers' well. As the historic homer sailed out of the park, Sager, without thinking, sprinted onto the field and wound up chasing Aaron down the third-base line. When Aaron's teammates mobbed him at home plate, Sager can be seen in his trench coat in the middle of the scrum.

The next day, Sager caught a 5 a.m. flight to Sarasota to be back in time for his morning drive responsibilities, and his tapes from the game wound up in Cooperstown.

During his career, Sager would work as a reporter on the Olympics, Major League Baseball playoffs, NFL and NCAA Tournament, among other sports. But he was indelibly connected to the NBA. His popularity around the sport was evident as he went through the cancer treatments.

Sager got to cover his first NBA Finals in 2016 through an unusual arrangement between TNT and ESPN, which invited him to join its coverage. He marked the occasion by wearing a blazer with a royal blue floral print. In an interview with LeBron James after Game 6, the Cavaliers star turned the tables to giddily ask Sager a question: "How in the hell do you go 30-plus years without getting a finals game?"

Bulls star Dwyane Wade also sold paisley ties during the 2016 playoffs to raise money to combat blood cancers.

Earlier that season, Sager called the support he received from Commissioner Adam Silver, coaches, players and fans "humbling."

"It's been very uplifting, very therapeutic," he said.

And Sager loved everything about his job.

"I try to get there three hours before the game, talk with the ushers and the security guards, the coaches and the fans," Sager said in 2015.

A native of Batavia, Illinois, Sager attended Northwestern, where walked onto the football and basketball teams and served as the school's "Willie the Wildcat" mascot for three years.

He worked at several TV and radio stations in Florida after college before spending two years in Kansas City. Sager joined CNN in 1981 after handling the network's first live remote report during the 1980 baseball playoffs.

Sager was in Dallas for a game in April 2014 when he felt ill and sought treatment from Mavericks team physician Dr. Tarek O. Souryal, who had previously performed Sager's knee surgery. With a dangerously low hemoglobin count, Sager had six blood transfusions over a 24-hour period before returning to Atlanta.

Top 25 Capsules (December 15, 2016)

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- T.J. Leaf had 25 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and fellow freshman Lonzo Ball added 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists as No.2 UCLA overpowered UC Santa Barbara 102-62 on Wednesday night.

Aaron Holiday had 20 points for the Bruins (11-0), who led by 24 points at halftime and were never threatened by the outmanned Gauchos (1-7).

It was the fifth time this season the Bruins scored at least 100 points.

Ami Lakoju had 12 rebounds and 11 points, and Gabe Vincent added 10 points for the Gauchos.

Santa Barbara outrebounded UCLA 50-46 but shot only 30.1 percent (25 of 83).

The Bruins played their second consecutive game without starting center Thomas Welch, who is out with a bruised right heel.

---

No. 4 BAYLOR 89, SOUTHERN U. 59

WACO, Texas (AP) - Johnathan Motley had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Baylor.

The Bears (9-0) hadn't played since a 76-61 win over then-No. 7 Xavier on Dec. 3, but scored 15 of the game's first 18 points and shot 64 percent in the first half to put it away early.

Jared Sam and Shawn Prudhomme scored 24 points each to lead Southern (4-6). They combined to shoot 18 for 27 from the field, but the rest of the Jaguars combined to make five field goals.

---

No. 14 WISCONSIN 73, GREEN BAY 59

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Nigel Hayes scored 24 points to lead Wisconsin.

Zak Showalter added 16 points, including a career-high four 3-pointers, and Ethan Happ had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Badgers (10-2).

The Badgers were a little lethargic to start and trailed Green Bay 12-11 almost 9 minutes into the game. But they reeled off a 20-4 run that included a nearly 5-minute scoreless drought for the Phoenix (4-6).

Green Bay cut the lead to seven early in the second half. But Wisconsin responded with a 25-8 run that blew the game open.

Kerem Kanter led Green Bay with 18 points.

---

No. 19 ARIZONA 64, GRAND CANYON 54

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - Kobi Simmons scored 13 points and Rawle Alkins added 11 points and eight rebounds for Arizona.

Arizona (9-2) started ragged, built a 16-point lead in the first half and allowed Grand Canyon to claw most of the way back due to a rash of turnovers.

The Wildcats had 19 turnovers overall and struggled shooting in the second half before wearing down the Antelopes for their 39th straight non-conference home win.

Grand Canyon (5-5) kept No. 11 Louisville within reach until late last week and did the same against Arizona.

DeWayne Russell had 19 points, but had to work for it against the physical Wildcats. He hit 8 of 21 shots, including 1 of 7 from 3-point range.

Oscar Frayer scored all 16 of his points in the second half for Grand Canyon.

---

No. 20 SAINT MARY'S 73, WESTERN KENTUCKY 51

MORAGA, Calif. (AP) - Jock Landale had 15 points and 13 rebounds and Saint Mary's jumped to a quick lead it never relinquished.

Evan Fitzner scored eight of his team's first 12 points as the Gaels took control from the tip. He finished with 11 points and three 3-pointers, while Emmett Naar had 14 points and six assists.

Landale went 7 for 13 from the field and is shooting 65 of 99 - 65.6 percent - on the season for the Gaels (8-1), who used a late 13-2 run in the first half for a 38-24 lead.

Justin Johnson and Que Johnson each scored 11 points to lead Western Kentucky (4-6).

Villanova tops new AP Top-25 for NCAA Basketball

The Associated Press on Monday released their latest Top-25 Poll for the NCAA College Basketball.

Below is the poll.

Updated NCAAB Top-25:
1. Villanova
2. UCLA
3. Kansas
4. Baylor
5. Duke
6. Kentucky
7. North Carolina
8. Gonzaga
9. Indiana
10. Creighton
11. Louisville
12. West Virginia
13. Virginia
14. Wisconsin
15. Purdue
16. South Carolina
17. Xavier
18. Butler
19. Arizona
20. Saint Mary's (Cal.)
21. Notre Dame
22. Oregon
23. Florida State
24. Southern California
25. Cincinnati

Alabama OC Lane Kiffin tio head coach FAU, will stay with 'Bama throughout CFB

Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin has agreed to become FAU's next head football coach, ESPN's Chris Low and Brett McMurphy on Monday.

Low also reported that Kiffin plans to remain as Alabama's offensive coordinator throughout the College Football Playoff. Alabama was ranked No. 1 of the CFB Playoff's Bowl Game Rankings, as well as No. 1 on the Associated Press' last Top-25 Poll.

Army beats Navy 21-17 to end 14-year losing streak in series

David Ginsburg
Associated Press

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Army football team and its fans around the world can finally rejoice.

No longer will they have to listen to barbs from Navy or lament another missed opportunity in the biggest game of the year.

At long last, The Streak is over.

Army ended a 14-year run of frustration against the Midshipmen, using an overpowering running game and opportunistic defense to carve out a long overdue 21-17 victory Saturday.

With future commander in chief Donald Trump looking on, the Black Knights blew a 14-point lead before quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw scored on a 9-yard run with 6:42 left to give Army the win it had been waiting for since 2001.

The Black Knights' 14-game losing streak was the longest by either academy in a series that began in 1890. Army (7-5) now trails 60-50-7 in one of the nation's historic rivalries.

"We heard for a long time here at West Point about the streak and all that," Army coach Jeff Monken said. "It feels good to be a part of the team that put that to an end."

Navy (9-4) was coming off a physical 34-10 loss to Temple in the American Athletic Conference title game and had only one week to prepare for Army with a new quarterback, sophomore Zach Abey, who was making his first college start. Abey took over Will Worth, who broke his foot against Temple.

Abey ran for two touchdowns but passed for only 89 yards and was intercepted twice. Navy had four turnovers, three in the first half.

"I take a lot of responsibility for the game," Abey said. "Obviously, in the first half I made some bad decisions. I feel horrible for the seniors."

This senior class at Navy has accounted for 37 wins, most ever at the Academy over a four-year period. But they'll never forget this defeat.

"It hurts a little bit. It hurts a lot a bit," senior receiver Jamir Tillman said. "We will take this loss into the offseason and use this as inspiration and run with it."

That was a mantra chanted by the Black Knights for the past 14 years. Not anymore.

"I'm just happy for our seniors," Monken said. "The sense of pride that they'll have to go on, having beaten Navy, having beaten our biggest rival in their senior year. It's great for everybody in that locker room. I want them to enjoy it."

By halftime, Army led 14-0 and owned a 14-1 advantage in first downs.

After watching from the Navy side of the field before halftime, Trump visited the TV booth on the Army side in the third quarter. The interview with the president-elect coincided with a big shift in momentum.

"In the second half we made some adjustments, and those helped us out pretty well," Navy defensive end Amos Mason said.

Andy Davidson lost a fumble on the Black Knights' first possession of the second half and the Midshipmen recovered at the Army 32. A screen pass for 16 yards set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Abey to get Navy to 14-7.

Minutes later, the Midshipmen got a field goal after a replay overturned a lost fumble by Abey at the Army 11.

A 41-yard touchdown run by Abey gave Navy the lead with 12:42 remaining. But Army wasn't done.

The Black Knights put together a 12-play, 80-yard drive that lasted nearly seven minutes and ended with Bradshaw's TD.

"It was a great feeling," the junior quarterback said. "I can't describe it. It just felt amazing. Our team worked really hard for this to happen today."

Bradshaw went 2 for 4 for 35 yards and an interception in Army's first win in Baltimore since 1944.

Davidson ran for 87 yards and two first-half scores, and Kell Walker carried 16 times for 94 yards.

NEVER QUIT

Some teams might fold after letting a two-touchdown lead vanish. Not Army.

"When they took the lead 17-14 ... maybe some teams get that look in their eye of doubt, or concern," Monken said. "But I think our guys just knuckled down and were determined that they were going to win."

FAREWELL VERNE

This was the final game in the broadcasting career of 76-year-old Verne Lundquist. He was cheered by the crowd during a live shot on the scoreboard.

THE TAKEAWAY

Army: The Black Knights appear to be on the upswing under Monken, now in his third season. They're headed to a bowl game and have a victory over Navy to celebrate.

Navy: The Midshipmen are staggering to the end of the season after a 9-2 start. The loss to Temple was tough to take, but this was much, much worse.

UP NEXT

Army: The Black Knights meet North Texas in the Heart of Dallas Bowl, Army's first postseason action since 2010.

Navy: The Midshipmen face Louisiana Tech in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 23. It will be Navy's 13th bowl appearance in the last 14 years.

Top 25 Capsules (December 10, 2016)

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- Bam Adebayo scored 16 points, Malik Monk added 15 and No. 6 Kentucky scored 21 straight points in a first-half run to beat Valparaiso 87-63 on Wednesday night.

Needing to rebound after Saturday's upset by then-No. 11 UCLA, Kentucky (8-1) turned a 4-all tie into a 29-9 lead behind that big run over 8:51, holding the Crusaders scoreless for 7 minutes during that stretch. Valparaiso (7-2) shot 23 of 67 from the field (34 percent), including 28 percent in the first half.

Derek Willis added 12 points and Isaiah Briscoe 10 for Kentucky, which shot 46 percent after making just 41 percent against UCLA.

High-scoring Valparaiso forward Alec Peters scored 16 of his 23 points in the second half for the Crusaders, who had their four-game winning streak snapped eight days after upsetting No. 21 Rhode Island.

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No. 7 NORTH CAROLINA 83, DAVIDSON 74

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - Justin Jackson matched his career high with 27 points and hit a career-best seven 3-pointers for North Carolina.

Luke Maye added an early burst by scoring all of his career-high 10 points before halftime for the Tar Heels (9-1), who played without top point guard and No. 2 scorer Joel Berry II.

Jack Gibbs - ranked seventh nationally by averaging 23.3 points - finished with 30 points for the Wildcats (5-3), who trailed by 16 midway through the second half before making a late push to get within three in the final 2 minutes.

But Kennedy Meeks answered with two free throws, then Isaiah Hicks followed with two more after getting a big rebound in traffic with 52 seconds left to help UNC hang on.

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No. 8 GONZAGA 98, WASHINGTON 71

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - Nigel Williams-Goss scored 23 points for Gonzaga in a resumption of the cross-state rivalry.

Przemek Karnowski added 17 points and Jordan Mathews had 14 for Gonzaga (9-0), which dominated from the opening minutes.

Freshman Markelle Fultz had 25 points and 10 rebounds for Washington (4-4), which has lost three straight. The Huskies came in averaging 88 points per game.

Noah Dickerson had 12 points and 15 rebounds for Washington, which shot just 30 percent for the game. Gonzaga shot 53 percent.

Williams-Goss, who played for Washington before transferring to Gonzaga and becoming eligible this season, made 9 of 13 shots against his former team.

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No. 10 CREIGHTON 77, NEBRASKA 62

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Maurice Watson Jr. scored a season-high 25 points and Cole Huff added 13 as Creighton dominated the second half.

The Bluejays (9-0) have won 15 of 18 meetings with the Cornhuskers (5-4), including the last six by double digits.

Creighton led 31-30 at halftime and held Nebraska scoreless for 6 1/2 minutes in the second half while going up 51-37 and grew the lead to 21 in the last 3 minutes.

Tai Webster had 16 points and Ed Morrow had 13 rebounds for the Huskers.

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No. 11 LOUISVILLE 74, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 51

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Mangok Mathiang scored 15 points to lead Louisville.

The 6-foot-10 senior got the Cardinals (8-1) off to a hot start as he scored the team's first seven points, and Louisville settled in from there, extending the lead to 21-4 in the game's first 8 minutes. In making six of nine shots, Mathiang finished two points shy of his career high in just 22 minutes.

As Southern Illinois (5-4) had no one taller than 6-9, Louisville used its size to its advantage. The Cardinals blocked nine shots and outrebounded the Salukis 43-31.

Sophomore Deng Adel posted his first double-double for Louisville, as the 6-7 forward finished with 12 points and a career-high 12 rebounds.

Sean O'Brien led the Salukis with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

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COLORADO 68, No. 13 XAVIER 66

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - Derrick White scored 23 points and had a crucial block with 13 seconds remaining to help Colorado.

Xavier Johnson added for 18 points for the Buffaloes (7-2), who have posted consecutive wins over ranked teams for the first time since 2013. They knocked off a ranked Texas team at the Legends Classic in New York last month.

Colorado was 1-5 against ranked teams last season.

Trevon Bluiett tied a career high with 27 points for Xavier (7-2), which has lost two straight.

Spurred on by the shooting of White and Johnson, the Buffaloes went on a 12-0 run midway through the second half. They kept Xavier scoreless for more than 6 minutes during the pivotal stretch.

It was a frenzied ending, though, with Xavier getting several good looks. White swatted one of those away - his only block of the game.

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No. 15 WEST VIRGINIA 90, WESTERN CAROLINA 37

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Esa Ahmad scored 14 points for West Virginia.

West Virginia (7-1) didn't slack off after a close road win at No. 14 Virginia on Saturday. The Mountaineers forced 34 turnovers against Western Carolina, a week after setting a school record by forcing 40 against Manhattan.

West Virginia scored the game's first seven points and used a 16-0 run to build a 25-point lead midway through the first half. Western Carolina went scoreless over the final 7:39 and trailed 46-12 at halftime.

By then, Western Carolina (3-6) had 19 turnovers to far surpass its season average. And West Virginia's pressure defense was just getting started. A 26-4 run by the Mountaineers followed early in the second half.

Jevon Carter added 13 points for the Mountaineers, who had 21 steals.

Western Carolina's Haboubacar Mutombo was limited to six points, six under his team-leading average.

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INDIANA ST. 72, No. 16 BUTLER 71

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) - Brenton Scott made one of two free throws with 0.8 seconds left and finished with 25 points to help Indiana State to the upset.

Matt Van Scyoc scored 23 points and had six 3-pointers, both career highs, as the Sycamores (5-4) won their third straight to snap a four-game losing streak in the series.

Coach Greg Lansing set a school record by picking up his fifth career victory over a ranked team. Lansing had been tied with Bill Hodges, who coached Larry Bird, and the late Royce Waltman.

Andrew Chrabascz had 18 points for Butler (8-1) and Tyler Lewis added 15. The Bulldogs came into the game as one of 11 unbeaten teams left in Division I.

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No. 17 WISCONSIN 78, IDAHO ST. 44

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Bronson Koenig scored 21 points and Ethan Happ had 12 points and 12 rebounds for Wisconsin.

The Badgers (8-2) scored the first 10 points and opened up a 21-3 lead as the Bengals (1-8) could only muster a single 3-pointer in the opening 11 1/2 minutes. Wisconsin led 35-16 at halftime.

Nigel Hayes added 11 points for the Badgers, who had a 44-14 edge in points in the paint and outscored Idaho State 23-5 in points off turnovers. Wisconsin won its fourth straight game.

The Badgers held Bengals leading scorer Ethan Telfair (19.8 ppg) to two points on 1-of-9 shooting, with his only basket coming with 5:57 left in the game.