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  • Kyle Tucker Agrees to a $240 Million, 4-Year Contract With the World Series Champion Dodgers

    Kyle Tucker has agreed to a $240 million, four-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to a person familiar with the deal, bolstering the team’s chance for a third consecutive World Series championship.

    Tucker can opt out of the deal after years two and three, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday night on condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical.

    Tucker’s $60 million average annual value would be the second-highest in baseball history, without factoring in deferred money, behind Shohei Ohtani’s $70 million in his 10-year deal with the Dodgers that runs through 2033.

    Tucker becomes the latest accomplished veteran scooped up by the deep-pocketed Dodgers, who will have seven of the majors’ 29 biggest contracts by average annual value in 2026. Los Angeles’ previous big move of the offseason was signing former New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz, widely considered to be the best reliever on the free agent market, to bolster their subpar bullpen.

    The Dodgers will welcome Tucker’s exceptional bat for the heart of their order, but he also fixes one of their few roster deficiencies as an everyday corner outfielder after Michael Conforto and several others largely struggled last season in left field. Tucker seems likely to play right field for Los Angeles, allowing the club to move Teoscar Hernández back to left.

    The Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays, who lost to the Dodgers in last year’s World Series, were believed to be in the mix for Tucker’s services. “Let me know when you see smoke,” Mets owner Steve Cohen posted on X on Thursday, before following with a second post clarifying that he was “waiting for a decision.”

    When healthy, Tucker is among the best all-around players in the majors. But he played in just 214 regular-season games over the past two years.

    He batted .266 with 22 homers and 73 RBIs with the Chicago Cubs last season. He was acquired in a blockbuster trade with Houston in December 2024 that moved slugging prospect Cam Smith to the Astros.

    Tucker was slowed by a pair of injuries in his lone season with the Cubs. He sustained a small fracture in his right hand on an awkward slide against Cincinnati on June 1. He also strained his left calf against Atlanta on Sept. 2.

    After getting off to a fast start with his new team, Tucker hit just .231 with five homers in 41 games after the All-Star break. He served as Chicago’s designated hitter in the playoffs as the Cubs eliminated San Diego in the first round before losing to Milwaukee in a five-game NL Division Series.

    Tucker, who turns 29 on Saturday, rejected a $22,025,000 qualifying offer in November, so his new deal means the Cubs will get a compensatory draft pick — likely in the No. 77-80 range.

    Tucker was selected by Houston with the No. 5 pick in the 2015 amateur draft. He played in three World Series with the Astros, winning a ring in 2022.

    He hit at least 29 homers and drove in at least 92 runs for three straight seasons from 2021-23. He won a Gold Glove in 2022 and led the AL with 112 RBIs in 2023.

    He was limited to 78 games in his final season with Houston because of a fractured right shin, but he hit .289 with 23 homers and 49 RBIs.

    The Tampa, Florida, native is a .273 hitter with 147 homers, 490 RBIs and an .865 OPS in 769 career games. He also has 119 steals in 135 attempts.

    AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum and AP Sports Writer Greg Beacham contributed to this report.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Anthony Davis Expected to Miss 6 Weeks in Latest Absence for Mavs but Won’t Need Hand Surgery

    DALLAS (AP) — Dallas Mavericks big man Anthony Davis will be sidelined about six weeks in his latest injury absence, although the 10-time All-Star won’t need surgery to repair ligament damage in his left hand.

    The determination to skip surgery came after a medical evaluation Tuesday, and Davis’ injury is expected to heal in about six weeks, the team said.

    Davis was injured defending Lauri Markkanen on a drive to the basket late in the Mavericks’ 116-114 loss to the Utah Jazz last week. The 32-year-old went to the bench in obvious pain before going to the locker room.

    It will be the second absence of at least a month this season for Davis, who missed 15 of the 16 games in November with a calf strain. He has also been sidelined by a groin injury and has now missed half of the Mavericks’ 40 games this season.

    Davis had an extensive injury history when since-fired general manager Nico Harrison traded superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers to get him almost a year ago.

    In his Dallas debut last February, Davis re-aggravated an abdominal injury he was nursing when the Lakers traded him. He missed the next 18 games. Davis has missed 40 of 71 Dallas games since that debut, including the two games in last season’s play-in tournament when Davis was on the court.

    Another lengthy absence is a significant development if the Mavericks want to consider trading Davis as a way to move on from the Doncic deal that has ended up being a significant setback for the franchise.

    It also could affect what Dallas decides to do about the return of Kyrie Irving. The nine-time All-Star guard tore the ACL in his left knee early last March, and a rough timeline for Irving’s return was sometime after the first of the year this season.

    While rookie No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg has shown plenty of promise, Dallas is an also-ran in the Western Conference playoff race. The Mavericks are well on their way to missing the postseason for the second consecutive year since reaching the 2024 NBA Finals led by Doncic and Irving.

    The possibility of Davis returning in six weeks could improve the prospects for a trade to a contender. He could return in time to ramp up for the playoffs and try to establish a future with the next organization.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Fisk University Postpones Basketball Game in Wake of Andre Bell’s Murder

    The Fisk University Bulldogs will not be playing this Thursday … after sophomore forward, Andre Bell, was shot and killed on a highway in Nashville, Tennessee, on Sunday.

    The HBCU’s Assistant Athletic Director, Scott Wallace, confirmed the decision to TMZ Sports on Tuesday … just two days after the Metro Nashville Police Department said Bell was tragically shot in the head on 1-65 North at the I-40 Interchange.

    Andre Bell shooting crash nashville.gov

    The Bulldogs’ game against Voorhees University has been postponed … but they will play Saturday against Talladega College.


    The team’s next home game isn’t until January 24 … and Wallace told us that’s when the sophomore class plans to pay tribute to Bell. They also have two graphics made in honor of Bell.

    Andre-Bell-logo-sub-1

    The MNPD’s investigation revealed that Bell and two of his friends left a gymnastics event and got on the highway to head back to campus. A dark sedan pulled up on the left side of Bell’s white Nissan Sentra, and opened fire.

    Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

    Andre was critically wounded and later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The shooting is still under investigation.

    Bell was only 20.

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  • DK Metcalf Can Redeem Himself In Playoffs After Fan Fight, Steelers SB Champ Says

    DK Metcalf
    Playoffs Offer Major Redemption After Fan Fight
    … Steelers SB Champ Says

    Published

    TMZSports.com

    DK Metcalf‘s season could’ve ended when the NFL suspended him two games for hitting a Lions fan — but it didn’t — and now he’s got a chance to make amends, according to a 2x Super Bowl champ!

    TMZ Sports talked to Charlie Batch, who not only played 11 seasons in Pittsburgh but now covers the team, and he says things could’ve gotten ugly if the Steelers lost to the Ravens and missed the playoffs.


    “If for whatever reason they did not win [against Baltimore] and they lost, and they couldn’t get anything going in the passing game, there would be direct blame for him,” Batch told us. “Now he gets the chance to right the ship and obviously create his own narrative as we head into playoff football.”

    Of course, the cause of the altercation between Metcalf and the fan is still disputed. The Lions supporter is adamant he simply called DK by his full name … while DK’s circle told Chad Johnson he used a racial slur.

    The fan, Ryan Kennedy, has since denied ever using any such language.

    Whatever happened, the NFL still hit Metcalf with a hefty punishment for his role in the ugly incident.

    Without their star receiver, Pittsburgh barely made the playoffs, losing their week 17 game against the Browns, before clinching the AFC North crown with a win over the Ravens, thanks to a missed field goal in the waning moments of the game.

    DK-metcalf-sub-getty-1

    The No. 4-seeded Steelers are hopeful that Metcalf’s return will spark a playoff run as they open at home against the No. 5 Houston Texans on Monday night.

    Metcalf has more than twice as many yards as any of the team’s other wideouts. He’s been productive in this postseason before, too — he has five touchdowns and 451 yards in four playoff games.

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  • Williams Scores 20 as No. 12 LSU Hands No. 2 Texas Its First Loss, 70-65

    BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Mikaylah Williams scored 20 points, capped by her 3 as the shot clock expired with 1:20 to go in the game, and No. 12 LSU handed second-ranked Texas its first loss this season, 70-65 on Sunday.

    After Williams’ late 3 made it 66-59, she jogged back toward the defensive end with both arms triumphantly held high as an announced sellout crowd in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center erupted. The Tigers (16-2, 2-2 SEC) never let Texas (18-1, 3-1) get closer than five points after that.

    Madison Booker scored 24 points, 14 after committed her fourth foul just 11 seconds into the fourth quarter. Kyla Oldacre had 16 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks. Jordan Lee added 12 points for the Longhorns.

    Flau’jae Johnson, Milaysia Fulwiley, ZaKiyah Johnson and Jada Richard each scored 10 points for LSU, which led the entire second half.

    Both teams scored far below their per game averages in a game defined by ramped-up and physical defensive play.

    LSU came in averaging 101.8 points per game and Texas 91.9.

    Texas committed 17 turnovers, with Booker losing the ball six times and Oldacre five.

    Johnson, who’d scored 25 in a victory at Georgia on Thursday, didn’t hit the 10-point mark against Texas until her driving scoop in transition as she was fouled hard and knocked to the floor by Oldacre. She converted the 3-point play to give LSU a 55-47 lead.

    Texas led briefly in the first half but never by more than four points.

    LSU, which led by as many as 13, took its first double-digit lead when Grace Knox hit consecutive layups to make it 43-32 after half way through the third period. The lead was still 11 when ZaKiyah Johnson and Fulwiley each hit layups to make it 50-39 after three quarters.

    Williams had 11 points and three steals during the first half. Her third steal, from Jordan Lee, sent Jada Richard breaking the other wat for a pull-up jumper at the halftime horn that made it 30-25.

    Texas is at No. 3 South Carolina on Thursday.

    LSU is at No. 5 Oklahoma on Sunday.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Matt LaFleur and the Packers Face Uncertain Future After Blowing Big Lead in Wild-Card Loss

    CHICAGO (AP) — At the very end of his seventh season as Green Bay’s coach, Matt LaFleur saw a team that lacked composure at big moments in a playoff game.

    It was an all-too-familiar scene for the Packers — one that will follow LaFleur for a long time.

    “We’ve got to look at it. We’ve got to talk. There’s a lot of pieces,” he said. “All you’re trying to do in the moment is, when mistakes are made, you’re correcting them. There’s not long discussions on the sideline. It’s just you correct the mistakes and you try to keep it moving. And I felt like just our team got a little bit disheveled in the second half.”

    Green Bay blew a 21-6 lead in the fourth quarter of a wild 31-27 loss to the Chicago Bears in the wild-card round of the playoffs on Saturday night. The collapse included two big misses by Brandon McManus on an extra point and a 44-yard field goal, along with a delay-of-game penalty coming out of a timeout and a fumbled snap on the final play of the game.

    It was the fifth consecutive loss for Green Bay (9-8-1), a season-ending slide that featured two dramatic losses at Chicago. The Packers blew a 16-6 lead in the final minutes of regulation in a 22-16 overtime loss to the Bears on Dec. 20.

    Green Bay dropped to 33-3 in the playoffs when it led by at least 10 points. The other losses were against the Seattle Seahawks in the 2014 NFC title game and the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2003 divisional round.

    “We had a game where we couldn’t finish it and let a team come back and beat us,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “So it’s very disappointing to end the season on a note like that. So, yeah, everybody is very disappointed. I’m very disappointed, and that’s it.”

    The tough finish could lead to major changes for Green Bay.

    LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst each have one year remaining on their contracts. Ed Policy, who took over as Green Bay’s president and CEO last summer, has said he’s “generally opposed” to the idea of having a coach or GM enter the final year of a contract without an extension.

    LaFleur, 46, declined to get into the specifics of his situation after the loss, but he said being Green Bay’s coach “means everything” to him. He also got a vote of confidence from his quarterback.

    “I definitely think Matt should be the head coach,” Love said. “I’ve got a lot of love for Matt, and I think he does a good job.”

    Love threw three of his four touchdown passes in the first half. The Packers had a 21-3 lead when McManus missed a 55-yard field goal on the final play of the second quarter.

    Love’s 23-yard TD pass to Matthew Golden made it 27-16 with 6:36 left, but McManus was wide left on the extra-point attempt. His missed 44-yard try would have provided a 30-24 lead in the final minutes.

    “It’s disappointing,” McManus said. “My role on the team is to make kicks and these guys pour in thousands of plays over the course of the season and I leave seven points on the board today. Like I said, it’s the most disappointing part of my career right now.”

    A delay-of-game flag coming out of a Green Bay timeout played a role in the drive stalling ahead of McManus’ final kick of the night. LaFleur called the penalty “inexcusable.”

    The Packers drove to the Bears 23 on their final possession, but offensive lineman Rasheed Walker was called for a false start before Love threw two incomplete passes. The timing on the final play was thrown off when Love dropped the snap.

    “We had a play called to be able to take a shot to the end zone,” Love said. “And then, depending on the coverage they were playing, how soft they were, trying to pick up an easy couple yards to the sidelines, that’s what we went to. When I fumbled the snap, couldn’t get that, it kind of turned into last-second Hail Mary.”

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Olympic Favorites Chock and Bates Win Record-Setting Seventh U.S. Figure Skating Ice Dance Title

    ST. LOUIS (AP) — Madison Chock and Evan Bates danced their way to a record-setting seventh U.S. Figure Skating title on Saturday night, showcasing their trademark creativity, athleticism and precision in their final competition before the Milan Cortina Olympics.

    The three-time reigning world champions, performing a flamenco-style dance to a version of the Rolling Stones hit “Paint It Black” from the dystopian sci-fi Western show “Westworld,” produced a season-best free skate and finished with 228.87 points.

    Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik were second with 213.65 points and Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko were third with 206.95, making those two pairs the likely choices to join Chock and Bates on the American squad for the upcoming Winter Games.

    U.S. Figure Skating will announce its selections on Sunday.

    “The feeling that we got from the audience today was unlike anything I’ve ever felt before,” said Chock, who along with Bates helped the Americans win team gold at the Beijing Olympics four years ago, but finished a disappointing fourth in the ice dance.

    They’ll be the heavy favorites to win gold next month in Italy.

    “I felt so much love and joy,” Chock continued, “and I’m so grateful for this moment.”

    The men’s medals also were to be decided on Saturday, though two-time world champion Ilia Malinin had built such a lead after his short program that the self-styled “Quad God” would have to stumble mightily to miss out on a fourth consecutive title.

    The real question is who will join Malinin on the Olympic team.

    The U.S. also has qualified the maximum of three men’s spots for the Winter Games, and competition is tight between second-place Tomoko Hiwatashi, fan favorite Jason Brown, Andrew Torgashev and Maxim Naumov to round out the nationals podium.

    There wasn’t much drama in the dance competition.

    At least for the top step.

    Yet sometimes the winning programs aren’t necessarily the ones that win over the crowd. And while they only finished fifth, the sister-brother duo of Oona Brown and Gage Brown — former world junior champions — earned the first standing ovation of the night for their moody, creative program set to selections from the film “The Godfather.”

    “I think that was one of the best — if not the best — performances we’ve had,” Gage Brown said afterward.

    The Browns ended a stretch in which most of the couples taking the ice made some kind of significant mistake.

    Then it was a parade of near-perfect programs, each couple trying to upstage the previous one.

    Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville were the first to knock the Brown siblings from first place, then reigning bronze medalists Caroline Green and Michael Parsons took over first place with their program, set to “Escalate” by Tsar B and “Son of Nyx” by Hozier.

    Carreira and Ponomarenko, the back-to-back U.S. silver medalists, knew that a podium spot would probably earn them a spot on the Olympic team. And they delivered with a sharp program inside the Enterprise Center in which the seemed to channel the characters from the 2006 psychological thriller film “Perfume: The Story of a Murder.”

    The 23-year-old Zingas and 24-year-old Kolesnik quickly assumed the top spot, but with Chock and Bates warming up on the ice as their scores were read, they knew it would probably be about a 4-minute stay in first place.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • No. 20 Louisville Beats Boston College 75-62 as Ex-G League Player London Johnson Is Made Available

    LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Sananda Fru had 19 points and 13 rebounds and missed just one of his nine field-goal attempts to lead shorthanded Louisville to a 75-62 win over Boston College on Saturday.

    The 20th-ranked Cardinals (12-4, 2-2 Atlantic Coast) struggled early without their top two scorers. Freshman Mikel Brown Jr. (16.6 ppg) missed his sixth straight game with a back injury and leading-scorer Ryan Conwell (19.9 ppg) was scratched before tipoff with a back injury.

    Louisville announced a few hours before the game that London Johnson, a 6-foot-3 guard who played three seasons in the NBA G League, would be available to play, although he did not enter the game. The 21-year-old has two seasons of eligibility.

    Boston College (7-9, 0-3) led by as many as 10 with 2:49 until halftime.

    Aly Khalifa gave Louisville its first lead, 44-43, on a 3-pointer with 14 minutes left. That was part of a 13-2 run to get back into the contest. A 14-3 run over a nearly four-minute span put the Cardinals in control.

    Fru scored 13 of his points after halftime. Adrian Wooley added 16 points for the Cardinals, who shot 56% in the second half and 49% overall.

    Fred Payne led Boston College with 22 points. The Eagles were looking for their first conference road victory since beating the Cardinals 67-61 on March 9, 2024.

    Boston College shot just 36.5% from the floor and 7 of 16 from the free-throw line.

    Coach Pat Kelsey got his 300th career win.

    Boston College: Visits Clemson on Tuesday.

    Louisville: Hosts No. 23 Virginia on Tuesday.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Defending Champion Crystal Palace Loses to 6th-Tier Macclesfield 2-1 in Massive FA Cup Upset

    MACCLESFIELD, England (AP) — Minnow Macclesfield beat title holder Crystal Palace 2-1 in one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup history on Saturday to reach the fourth round.

    Macclesfield is a team playing in the sixth tier of English soccer, five levels below its Premier League opponent, and took the lead when captain Paul Dawson headed in a cross from Luke Duffy in the 43rd minute.

    Isaac Buckley-Ricketts made it 2-0 in the 60th, prompting wild celebrations.

    Following a scramble in the penalty area the ball pinged to Buckley-Ricketts, who came through the Manchester City academy, and he deftly clipped the ball with the outside of his right foot past goalkeeper Walter Benítez.

    “I can’t believe it, we never thought we would be in this position,” Macclesfield coach John Rooney told broadcaster BBC. “We were incredible from the first minute. I thought we were deserved winners. I couldn’t be any prouder of the lads.”

    Rooney started and ended his playing career as a midfielder with the club — and is in only his first season coaching. He is the younger brother of former England and Manchester United star Wayne Rooney.

    Yeremy Pino curled in a last-minute free kick over the wall to leave Macclesfield facing a nervous six minutes of stoppage time as home fans broke out into chants of “Silkmen! Silkmen!” — the club’s nickname.

    Macclesfield held on against a Palace side whose dismal afternoon was summed up when U.S. central defender Chris Richards did a foul throw in the final minute of stoppage time, giving possession back to Macclesfield.

    The fans sprinted onto the field at Moss Rose — a modest 5,900-capacity stadium in northwest England — in celebration at the final whistle while Dawson and Duffy were carried aloft.

    The FA Cup has a long history of dramatic knockouts and huge upsets on the day, such as when non-league Hereford beat Newcastle 2-1 in a third round replay in 1972 or when underdog Palace beat overwhelming favorite Liverpool 4-3 in the 1990 semifinals.

    “I didn’t think it was possible but there is that little bit of hope that anything can happen on the day,” coach Rooney said.

    Dawson said Macclesfield “means the world to me” and called the victory “an immense achievement.”

    Palace manager Oliver Glasner had “no explanation” for what he’d just seen.

    “You don’t need tactics. In these kinds of games, you don’t need a manager,” he told the BBC. “If you just show what you’re capable of and having a little bit of pride, then you perform in a different way, but today we missed everything.

    Palace captain Marc Guéhi walked over to speak with the team’s traveling fans after the defeat.

    In an all-Premier League tie, Sunderland beat Everton on penalties after the match finished 1-1 following extra time.

    Enzo Le Fée put Sunderland ahead in the first half while fellow midfielder James Garner equalized for home side Everton in the 89th.

    Norway forward Jørgen Strand Larsen scored a hat trick as Premier League struggler Wolves routed fourth-tier Shrewsbury 6-1. The 2021 FA Cup winner Leicester, now playing in the second tier, won 2-0 at fourth-tier Cheltenham.

    Among Saturday’s later third-round matches, seven-time FA Cup winner Manchester City — the runner-up last season — took on third-tier Exeter, while Newcastle hosted Bournemouth and Tottenham faced Aston Villa in all-Premier League clashes.

    Also, eight-time champion Chelsea visited second-tier Charlton in the last game.

    Bournemouth sold Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo to City on Friday in a deal worth a reported 65 million pounds ($87 million).

    He thanked Bournemouth fans “for all the memories” in a full-page advertisement printed in the Bournemouth Echo newspaper.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Lindsey Vonn Impresses Again Leading World Cup Downhill and Set for 2nd Win of Olympic Season

    ALTENMARKT-ZAUCHENSEE, Austria (AP) — Lindsey Vonn showed again Saturday she is the standout downhill racer in this Olympic season.

    Kajsa Vickhoff Lie was second fastest and Vonn was jumping up cheering in the leader’s box when her teammate Jacqueline Wiles raced into third place, 0.48 back.

    High-ranked racers had completed their runs when the race was delayed for 25 minutes while Austrian prospect Magdalena Egger was airlifted from the course after crashing. Egger was runner-up in Vonn’s season-opening downhill win last month at St. Moritz, Switzerland.

    The standings were unofficial with lower-ranked racers yet to start.

    On a shortened course that took her fewer than 67 seconds to complete, Vonn still clocked 130 kph (81 mph) for one of the fastest speeds any women racer will hit this season.

    Vonn crossed the finish line with a look of determined satisfaction, punching the air with her right fist and nodding with short, sharp movements of her head.

    With each victory, Vonn will extend her record as the oldest race winner in the 60-season history of the World Cup circuit.

    The United States star later made a family video phone call alongside her coach Aksel Lund Svindal, the men’s downhill champion at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics where Vonn took bronze in the women’s race.

    Vonn was Olympic downhill champion at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games and shapes as a strong contender for the next gold medal race scheduled Feb. 8. It is at the storied Cortina d’Ampezzo slope where Vonn has excelled in her career.

    Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic champion, was outside the top-10 places Saturday trailing Vonn by 0.97.

    The defending Olympic champion, Corinne Suter, made her season debut Saturday after injuries and was more than a second slower than Vonn.

    Vonn will extend her lead in the season-long World Cup downhill standings, after finishing second and third in the other races. Saturday’s race was the fourth of nine scheduled downhills in the World Cup this season.

    She is chasing a ninth World Cup downhill season title a full 10 years after her eighth.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • National Championship Game Will Be a Homecoming for Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza

    ATLANTA (AP) — Indiana is headed to the national championship game for the first time in program history. For Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza, that means a chance to end a fairytale season in the place where his story first began.

    It’s been a historic season for Indiana, and Mendoza is largely to credit. Indiana won its first Big Ten title since 1967, beat Ohio State for the first time since 1988, earned the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff, won its first Rose Bowl, and in December, Mendoza became the program’s first Heisman Trophy winner.

    After a five touchdown performance and 56-22 rout of Oregon in the Peach Bowl, there’s now just one item left on the check list for Mendoza and the Hoosiers — and that’s beating Miami on its home turf in the championship game.

    It will be a homecoming for the quarterback, who grew up in Miami and attended Christopher Columbus High School, roughly 30 minutes south of Hard Rock Stadium.

    Mendoza has performed well under bright lights, and the Peach Bowl was no exception. He finished the game completing 17 of 20 passes for 177 yards and five touchdowns. He added 28 rushing yards on six carries and had a passer rating of 241.8.

    Mendoza is familiar with the Hurricanes. He played for two years at California, including the program’s inaugural season in the ACC in 2024, before transferring to Indiana in 2025. He faced his hometown team once, in October 2024, and threw for 285 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in a 39-38 loss.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Trae Young Has a Fresh Start in Washington. His First Order of Business Is Getting Healthy

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Trae Young’s tan outfit nearly matched the color of Washington’s uniforms. And although he couldn’t take the court and help his new team, Wizards fans showed their appreciation.

    Young was introduced to the home crowd with a video during the first quarter of Friday night’s game against New Orleans. Earlier in the day, the trade that sent the high-scoring guard from Atlanta to Washington became official, and now Young can look forward to a fresh start after leaving the Hawks.

    “For me, DC is overlooked as far as a big market,” Young said. “In the NBA, I feel like this is a big market, and I just feel like I’m going to be able to come into an opportunity to be myself.”

    The first big question is when Young will play again. He missed Friday night’s game with knee and quadriceps issues and hasn’t appeared in a game since Dec. 27.

    Big market or not, the Wizards lost 64 games last season and 67 in 2023-24. They were 3-20 around mid-December but had won seven of their last 13 entering Friday night’s game. Washington has plenty of young players, and the development of second-year big man Alex Sarr has been encouraging, but the Wizards could use a true point guard to play alongside the likes of Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly, Tre Johnson and Kyshawn George, all of whom are between 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-8 and under 23 years old.

    Enter the 27-year-old Young, who for his career has averaged 25.2 points per game and 9.8 assists. After the Wizards spent two seasons bottoming out, his arrival gives Washington fans a star they can pin their hopes on. General manager Will Dawkins suggested the move won’t alter the patience the team has shown with its less experienced players.

    “As an organization, we have a long-term plan, and we’re not going to do anything to deviate from that,” Dawkins said. “I think Trae fits into what we’re trying to do based on the development of a lot of the younger players.”

    Washington could lose its first-round pick this year if it falls outside the top eight, but aside from that, there was little obvious downside to bringing in a four-time All-Star like Young, especially since the Wizards gave up no draft choices in the trade. Washington sent guard CJ McCollum, who coincidentally has the same birthday as Young but is seven years older, to Atlanta along with reserve forward Corey Kispert.

    Young has a player option for about $49 million for next season.

    “When you have a four-time All-Star, All-NBA player available, who wants to come to DC and help make it what we want it to be, it was an easy partnership and an easy decision,” Dawkins said.

    Although he led the Hawks to the conference finals back in 2021, Atlanta hasn’t even made the playoffs the past two seasons, and the light return for Young indicates where his stock was when the deal was made.

    “On behalf of the Hawks franchise, I’d like to thank Trae for how he embraced the city of Atlanta and represented the Hawks during his time here, on the court and in the community.” Hawks GM Onsi Saleh said in a statement. “Over more than seven seasons, including four All-Star appearances, he cemented himself as a fan favorite and one of the great players in our franchise’s history. We wish Trae and his family all the best.”

    Now Young will try to add to Washington’s recent history of dynamic point guards. After years with John Wall leading the way, the Wizards had Russell Westbrook for one remarkable season in which he averaged a triple-double and led Washington to its most recent playoff berth.

    But that was back in 2020-21, the same season the Hawks peaked with Young. He was in only his third season then.

    “It happened faster than I expected in my last place,” Young said, suggesting the Wizards could be capable of a similar rise.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Miami beats Ole Miss 31-27 in Fiesta Bowl

    GLENDALE, Ariz. — Carson Beck scrambled for a 3-yard touchdown with 18 seconds left, and Miami will head back home for a shot at its first national championship since 2001 after beating Mississippi 31-27 in an exhilarating College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday night.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Miami Hurricanes have advanced to the College Football Playoff championship game

    • Miami defeated Mississippi 31-27 in a CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl

    • Carson Beck put the Hurricanes ahead with a 3-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds left

    • Miami will play the winner of Friday’s other CFP semifinal between Indiana and Oregon at the Peach Bowl

    The 10th-ranked Hurricanes (13-2) had their vaunted defense picked apart by the sixth-ranked Rebels (13-2) in a wild fourth quarter, falling into a 27-24 hole after Trinidad Chambliss threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Dae’Quan Wright with 3 minutes, 13 seconds left.

    Beck, who won a national title as a backup at Georgia, kept the Hurricanes calm amid the storm, leading them down the field for the winning score — and a shot at a national title on their home field at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 19. Beck is 37-5 as a starter, including two seasons at Georgia.

    The sixth-seeded Rebels lost their coach before the playoffs, but not their cool.

    If anything, Lane Kiffin’s decision to bolt for LSU seemed to harden Ole Miss’ resolve, pushing the Rebels to the best season in school history — and within a game of their first national championship game.

    Ole Miss kept Miami within reach when its offense labored and took a 19-17 lead on Lucas Carneiro’s fourth field goal, from 21 yards.

    Malachi Toney, the hero of Miami’s opening CFP win over Texas A&M, turned a screen pass into a 36-yard touchdown that put Miami up 24-19.

    Chambliss’ TD pass to Wright put the Rebels back on top, but their improbable run came to an end when the defense couldn’t hold the Hurricanes.

    But what a run it was.

    With Pete Golding calling the shots after being promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach, and most of the assistants sticking around, the Rebels blew out Tulane to open the playoff and took down mighty Georgia in the CFP quarterfinals.

    They faced a different kind of storm in the Hurricanes.

    Miami has rekindled memories o.f its 2001 national championship team behind a defense that went from porous to nearly impenetrable in its first season under coordinator Corey Hetherman.

    The Hurricanes walled up early in the Fiesta Bowl, holding Ole Miss to minus-1 yard.

    One play revved up the Rebels and their rowdy fans.

    Kewan Lacy, the nation’s third-leading rusher, burst through a hole up the middle for a 73-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter — the longest run allowed by Miami’s defense since 2018.

    The Hurricanes seemed content to grind away at the Rebels in small chunks offensively, setting up CharMar Brown’s 4-yard touchdown run and a field goal.

    Miami unlocked the deep game just before halftime, taking advantage of a busted coverage for a 52-yard touchdown pass from Beck to Keelan Marion.

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  • Anthony Edwards, the 3rd-Youngest Player in NBA History to Reach 10,000 Career Points: ‘It’s Cool.’

    MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards became the third-youngest player in NBA history to reach 10,000 career points, when the Minnesota Timberwolves star swished a 13-foot fadeaway jumper from the baseline midway through the fourth quarter against Cleveland on Thursday night.

    Edwards, at 24 years and 156 days old, was beaten to the mark by just LeBron James (23 years, 59 days) and Kevin Durant (24 years, 33 days). Edwards is one of seven players who’ve hit 10,000 points before age 25, with Kobe Bryant, Luka Doncic, Tracy McGrady and Carmelo Anthony also in that group.

    “To be honest, it’s cool, but I know I’ve got a lot more to go, so it’s really nothing, for real,” Edwards said after the 131-122 victory over the Cavaliers. “I’m kind of sick that I got in front of Kobe. I wished I would’ve waited like 100 days or something, but yeah, it’s all good.”

    Edwards had 25 points, nine assists and seven rebounds as the Timberwolves finished with season highs in field goal shooting (51 for 89, 57%) and 3-point shooting (20 for 38, 53%) percentages. Edwards shot 10 for 20 from the floor and 4 for 7 from 3-point range.

    “The scoring comes natural to him in a lot of ways,” coach Chris Finch said, reflecting on the first 40-point game of Edwards’ career that came at Phoenix late in his rookie season. “At that point in time you knew there was something inside him where he could get to that.”

    Edwards, who was the first overall pick in the 2020 draft, made his debut at age 19. He reached the 10,000-point mark in 412 games, the 28th-fastest in NBA history and the seventh-fastest among active players behind Doncic (358), James (368), Joel Embiid (373), Durant (381), Trae Young (390) and Donovan Mitchell (410). Only two other players have scored 10,000 points for the Timberwolves: Kevin Garnett and Karl-Anthony Towns.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Ole Miss, Miami to play for spot in FBS national championship game

    GLENDALE, Ariz. — Mississippi has kept winning despite its coach bolting for another program.

    Miami has rekindled the glory days of its 2001 national championship with a ferocious defense and steady quarterback.

    One will play for a national championship after Thursday night’s Fiesta Bowl, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET.

    What You Need To Know

    • Miami and Ole Miss will play in the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday night for a spot in the CFB championship

    • The Hurricanes are having their best season since they won the 2001 national championship

    • The Rebels have continued their successful season even after Lane Kiffin left to coach LSU after the regular season

    • The outcome could be determined by quarterbacks Carson Beck of UM and Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss

    Ole Miss (13-1) spent the last half of the regular season wondering if coach Lane Kiffin would stick around or leave for LSU. Once the coach did head out, the sixth-seeded Rebels kept winning to reach the College Football Playoff semifinals.

    Defensive coordinator Pete Golding took over as coach, and many of the assistants expected to join Kiffin in Baton Rouge stuck around to see the Rebels through the rest of the playoffs. Ole Miss and its high-scoring offense blew out Tulane in its opening CFP game and then outlasted mighty Georgia 39-34.

    Miami (12-2) is in the midst of its best run since winning the 2001 national title.

    The 10th-seeded Hurricanes have done it with a defense that went from mediocrity to one of the stingiest in the FBS under first-year coordinator Corey Hetherman. Miami gave up its fewest points since the 2001 national championship team — fourth nationally at 13.07 per game. The Hurricanes have been even stingier in the CFP, holding Texas A&M and Ohio State to a combined 17 points.

    Like most big games, the Fiesta Bowl will likely come down to which quarterback plays best.

    Miami’s Carson Beck is a proven winner, earning a national championship as a backup at Georgia before two stellar seasons as the starter. He’s been a perfect fit since transferring to Miami, throwing for 3,313 yards and 27 touchdowns on 74% passing with 10 interceptions.

    Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss took a circuitous route to the playoffs.

    With limited options out of high school, the dual-threat quarterback opted to play at Ferris State, leading the Bulldogs to a Division II championship last season. Chambliss has been superb since taking over as starter three games into this season, racking up 4,180 total yards and 29 touchdowns.

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  • Florida, UCF land new quarterbacks in portal; former USF star heads to Auburn

    FLORIDA — Florida and Auburn have new quarterbacks to pair with new head coaches, and UCF has added a passer from the 2025-26 College Football Playoff for 2026.

    What You Need To Know

    • Alonza Barnett III, who led James Madison to the College Football Playoff, will play for UCF coach Scott Frost in 2026

    • Former Georgia Tech quarterback Aaron Philo is transferring to Florida

    • Gators running back Jaden Baugh also has signed a new contract to stay with Florida

    • Ex-USF quarterback Byrum Brown will join former Bulls coach Alex Golesh at Auburn next season

    Alonza Barnett III, who led James Madison into the 2025-26 College Football Playoff and was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, will join Scott Frost’s Knights team in 2026. Barnett threw for 2,806 yards with 23 passing touchdowns while adding 589 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground and led the Dukes to the Sun Belt championship this past season. Through his redshirt junior season, he notched 5,433 career passing yards with 49 touchdowns and rushed for 1,075 yards and 23 touchdowns.

    UCF’s starting quarterback for most of last season, Tayven Jackson, entered the transfer portal.

    Georgia Tech’s Aaron Philo announced his commitment to the Gators on Tuesday and will follow former Yellow Jackets offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner from Atlanta to Gainesville. Philo is expected to compete with redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr. for the starting job to replace departed DJ Lagway. Philo, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound junior, worked with Faulkner the past two seasons, serving as backup to Haynes King and appearing in eight games.

    The Gators got more good news from the transfer portal when they won a bidding war with Texas for running back Jadan Baugh, who rushed for 1,170 yards and caught 33 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns at Florida last season. Other high-profile players returning to the Gators include top tackler Myles Graham, leading receiver Vernell Brown III and wide receiver Dallas Wilson.

    Philo joins former Tech teammate Bailey Stockton, a receiver and brother of Georgia quarterback Gunnar Stockton, and Penn State offensive lineman TJ Shanahan as key guys to pick Florida since the transfer portal opened Friday. The Gators are rebuilding under new coach Jon Sumrall.

    South Florida’s Byrum Brown, meanwhile, announced he is following former Bulls coach Alex Golesh to Auburn.

    Brown reposted on his Instagram account an On3 post announcing that the quarterback is making the move. Brown has thrown for 7,690 yards and 61 touchdowns while also rushing for 2,265 yards and 31 scores over the last four seasons at South Florida. 

    He completed 66.3% of his passes for 3,158 yards with 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season. He also rushed for 1,008 yards and 14 touchdowns on 175 carries while helping South Florida go 9-3 in the regular season.

    At UCF, other key players who are staying with the Knights are defensive tackles Horace Lockett Jr., who had entered the transfer portal, and RJ Jackson and defensive backs Braeden Marshall and Antione Jackson.

    In addition to Barnett, the transfer portal so far has brought the Knights running back Landen Chambers from Central Arkansas; offensive lineman Cooper Terpstra from Michigan State; offensive lineman Brady Wayburn from UConn, offensive lineman Tyler Gibson from Charlotte; offensive lineman Henry Tabansi from Buffalo; linebacker Tackett Curtis from Wisconsin; and defensive backs Kahmel Johnson from Wayne State and Caleb Flagg from Missouri.

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  • Rodgers and Steelers Win AFC North, Beating Ravens 26-24 After Loop Misses Kick at Buzzer

    PITTSBURGH (AP) — Aaron Rodgers threw a go-ahead touchdown pass to Calvin Austin III with 55 seconds left, and the Steelers beat the Ravens 26-24 on Sunday night when Baltimore’s Tyler Loop missed a 44-yard field goal as time expired, giving Pittsburgh the AFC North title.

    Pittsburgh (10-7) will host Houston (12-5) in the opening round of the playoffs on Monday, Jan. 12, following an electric fourth quarter that saw four lead changes, including three in the final four minutes.

    The Ravens were poised to swing the lead back their way one last time after Lamar Jackson connected with Isaiah Likely for a 28-yard gain that put the Ravens within Loop’s range.

    The rookie’s kick never had a chance, sailing well to the right of the goalposts as the Steelers poured onto the field to celebrate their first division title in five years.

    Rodgers passed for a season-high 294 yards and his 26-yard toss to Austin made it 26-24. Chris Boswell missed the extra point, giving the Ravens a chance to win with a field goal.

    Jackson, dealing with a painful back contusion, passed for 238 yards and three scores, including a pair to Zay Flowers in the fourth quarter. Each of Flowers’ TDs put Baltimore in front.

    Pittsburgh responded each time, and will now welcome the Texans while looking to end a playoff victory drought that stretches to the 2016 AFC championship game.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Bills Celebrate Home Finale With 35-8 Rout of the Jets in Potential Final Game at Highmark Stadium

    ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — After taking the first snap, Josh Allen headed to the sideline and joined the 70,000-plus fans to watch backup Mitch Trubisky throw four touchdown passes as the Buffalo Bills bid a likely farewell to their long-time home with a 35-8 rout of the New York Jets on Sunday.

    Gabe Davis caught two touchdown passes and Ty Johnson had a TD run and a scoring catch in an outing during which the playoff-bound Bills (12-5) rested a majority of their starters.

    Buffalo’s defense, meantime, manhandled an injury-depleted and backup-filled Jets offense that was blanked through 3 1/2 quarters and finished with 122 yards offense and nine first downs.

    The win, coupled with the Los Angeles Chargers’ loss at Denver, led to Buffalo moving up one spot in clinching the No. 6 seed. The Bills will travel to play the AFC South champion Jacksonville Jaguars in the wild-card round next weekend.

    It’ll be the third playoff meeting between the teams, with Jacksonville winning both. The Jaguars defeated Buffalo 30-27 in what stood as Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly’s final game in 1996. More recently, the Jaguars beat Buffalo 10-3 in 2017 in the Bills first playoff appearance after ending a 17-year postseason drought.

    It was the latest blowout loss for the Jets (3-14), who closed their first season under coach Aaron Glenn losing five straight in which they were outscored by a combined 188-54.

    They became the NFL’s first team to lose by 23 or more in five consecutive games in one season.

    The outing turned into an afternoon-long celebration for the Bills and their fans, many of whom stayed throughout in Buffalo’s final regular-season home game at the 53-year-old Highmark Stadium. The Bills, next season, are moving across the street to their new $2.1 billion facility.

    The team honored its past with Kelly and fellow Hall of Famers Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed addressing the crowd. Even 100-year-old Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy delivered his familiar line of, “Where would you rather be than right here, right now,” in a video message broadcast on the scoreboard during half time.

    By then, the outcome was essentially sealed with Buffalo leading 21-0 in a half the Jets were limited to four first downs and 63 yards offense.

    And a majority of the fans were still on hand, and rose to their feet at the final 2-minute warning to sing along to what’s become their victory theme song: “Mr. Brightside.” As Trubisky took a knee coming out of the break, a large cheer rose through the stadium with fans tossing up snow like confetti in a lengthy cheer. They continued to stay to sing Buffalo’s traditional “Shout!” song and then “Iris” by the hometown Goo Goo Dolls.

    Trubisky finished 22 of 29 for 259 yards.

    The loss secured New York the No. 2 pick in the draft.

    Undrafted rookie Brady Cook, making his fourth straight start, went 11 of 22 for 60 yards and a 2-yard touchdown pass to fullback Andrew Beck with 7:33 remaining.

    The Jets became the NFL’s first team to finish a season without a defensive interception. And New York finished with just four takeaways, breaking the NFL-low record of seven set by San Francisco in 2018.

    Allen, nursing a sore right foot, took the first snap to extend his starting streak to 135 (including playoffs) — the NFL’s longest active run among quarterbacks.

    James Cook who entered as the NFL’s rushing leader finished with 15 yards to up his total to 1,564. The only player capable of catching Cook is Baltimore’s Derrick Henry, who has 1,469 yards rushing, entering the Ravens game against Pittsburgh.

    Bills tight end Dawson Knox entered needing 7 yards receiving to reach 400 and earn a $100,000 bonus. With three TDs this season, the seventh-year player was also one score away from another $100,000 bonus. He achieved both with a game-opening 17-yard touchdown.

    Jets: LB Quincy Williams left in the second half with a hand injury.

    Bills: K Matt Prater aggravated a quadriceps injury in the first half.

    Bills: Open wild-card round at Jacksonville.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Djokovic Cuts Ties With Players’ Group He Co-Founded Due to Concerns Over Transparency, Governance

    Novak Djokovic has cut ties with the Professional Tennis Players Association, the players’ union he co-founded, saying “it has become clear that my values and approach are no longer aligned with the current direction of the organization.”

    The 24-time Grand Slam champion launched the breakaway organization alongside Canadian player Vasek Pospisil in 2021.

    The PTPA last March launched legal action against the women’s and men’s tours, the International Tennis Federation and the sport’s integrity agency, accusing the organizations of “systemic abuse, anti-competitive practices, and a blatant disregard for player welfare.”

    Djokovic said he “will continue to focus on my tennis, my family, and contributing to the sport in ways that reflect my principles and integrity.

    “I wish the players and those involved the best as they move forward, but for me, this chapter is now closed.”

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  • As Hurricanes Navigate the CFP Challenge, the Echoes From the Past Tend to Inspire

    CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Miami defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. doesn’t say much. He just plays.

    “They don’t got the energy we got, bro,” Bain said. “They don’t want it how we want it.”

    And with that, Bain got his “Joaquin said dominate” moment that surely will go into Hurricane lore. Miami (12-2, CFP No. 10 seed) had more than enough of the energy that Bain was speaking of, beat Ohio State 24-14 and moved into Thursday’s CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl against Mississippi (13-1, CFP No. 6 seed).

    It was at a game in 2001 — Miami’s last national championship season — when eventual Pro Football Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed gave a now-famous speech to teammates at halftime in Tallahassee, a game the Hurricanes were leading rival Florida State 21-13. Reed’s shoulder was banged up, and the Seminoles seemed to have the momentum.

    Reed turned and faced his teammates before they returned to the field, quoting offensive lineman Joaquin Gonzalez for emphasis.

    “I’m hurt, dawg. Don’t ask me if I’m all right. Hell, no,” Reed shouted. “Joaquin said dominate and we’re not doing it.” He said a little more, turned and ran out of the tunnel. What happened over the next few minutes showed how much Reed’s words mattered to teammates.

    Miami scored four touchdowns in the third quarter, blowing out Florida State and eventually finishing the season as 12-0 national champions. Reed didn’t seek the spotlight in those days, much in the same way Bain doesn’t seek it now.

    “To come out and speak in front of the entire team, when that’s not necessarily something that he does all the time, you know he means it,” Miami quarterback Carson Beck said. “I think there’s weight behind that. That’s something that’s coming from the heart, something that you know he needs to say to the team. Shoot, it had me juiced. I was ready to roll out there and go die for those boys. Obviously, I think it’s an iconic moment that we’ll always remember as a team.”

    It’s a balancing act for Miami coach Mario Cristobal, who played on two national title teams when he was a Hurricanes offensive lineman. He welcomes back the alumni, while simultaneously making sure the current team keeps looking forward.

    “I think just the entirety of the Miami Hurricanes family from years past, showing up and supporting our team and getting back involved with the university, is absolutely awesome,” Cristobal said. “It also gives our players a chance to experience that brotherhood that we have always spoken about so strongly of.”

    At Miami, the names from the past — like Reed — still inspire.

    Michael Irvin — another Hall of Famer — has been a regular on the Miami sideline for the past couple of seasons, and Cristobal has welcomed the sort of energy he brings. When running back Mark Fletcher Jr. fumbled the ball away early in the Ohio State game, it was Edgerrin James — another Hall of Famer — who got into his ear and calmed him down. And when Beck was warming up for the game, he was starstruck when he saw Ray Lewis — another Hall of Famer — just a few feet away.

    “I literally just looked at him and just shook his hand and he introduced himself,” Beck said. “And then he’s like, ‘Yo, go win us the ball game.’ And I was like: ‘Well, now I have to. We literally have to go score. Like, I can’t let this dude down.’”

    Sometimes, the impact of those past Miami stars comes even when they’re not physically there.

    Keionte Scott, the standout from Miami’s secondary who had a game-changing interception return for a touchdown against Ohio State, slept inside the indoor practice facility during fall camp and found himself gazing at the roof over the field at the banners showing the names of all the Hurricanes’ past All-Americans.

    He was looking up at those same banners Sunday when he explained the story.

    “It’s a different feeling,” Scott said. “It’s a testimony to how much The U means to them. It just shows me how much The U was able to do for them. They could be doing anything in the world and they’re supporting their team and they’re supporting their college. It’s just something that makes you want to go harder.”

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