THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” THURSDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2025

“THE SCOREBOARD”

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

STATE FINALS WEEKEND

FRIDAY, NOV. 28

CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP | 11 AM ET  
PIONEER (13-1) VS. SOUTH PUTNAM (12-2) 

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CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP | 3 PM ET 
FORT WAYNE BISHOP LUERS (9-5) VS. CASCADE (14-0)

PREVIEW: https://www.ihsaa.org/media/news/class-3a-football-state-championship-preview

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CLASS 5A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP | 7 PM ET 
MERRILLVILLE (11-2) VS. NEW PALESTINE (13-0) 

PREVIEW: https://www.ihsaa.org/media/news/class-5a-football-state-championship-preview

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SATURDAY, NOV. 29

CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP | 11 AM ET  
ANDREAN (12-1) VS. BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (14-0) 

PREVIEW: https://www.ihsaa.org/media/news/class-2a-football-state-championship-preview

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CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP | 3 PM ET 
FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER (12-2) VS. RONCALLI (11-3) 

PREVIEW: https://www.ihsaa.org/media/news/class-4a-football-state-championship-preview

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CLASS 6A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP | 7 PM ET 
WESTFIELD (11-2) VS. BROWNSBURG (13-0) 

PREVIEW: https://www.ihsaa.org/media/news/class-6a-football-state-championship-preview

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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL SCORES/SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY’S SCORES

BARR-REEVE 66          WASHINGTON             62         

BREMEN           63          ARGOS              19         

CARROLL (FORT WAYNE)     67          BELLMONT      44         

CENTERVILLE               70          EASTERN HANCOCK 63      

CLINTON PRAIRIE     51          FRANKFORT   38         

COLUMBIA CITY         62          WHITKO           39         

CONNERSVILLE          67          UNION COUNTY        19         

DEKALB            67          TIPPECANOE VALLEY             43         

DECATUR CENTRAL 74          TRI-WEST        54         

FAYETTE (OHIO)         59          HAMILTON      30         

FOREST PARK              74          PIKE CENTRAL 32     

FRANKTON     56          TAYLOR             49         

GUERIN CATHOLIC  62          INDIANAPOLIS RITTER 53  

HAMMOND NOLL      70          MUNSTER        63         

HAMMOND SCIENCE & TECH         48          WHITING 47  

HERITAGE       70          GARRETT         44         

HIGHLAND     59          CALUMET        54         

HUNTINGTON NORTH           73          NORTHFIELD 31         

INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 62          KIPP INDY LEGACY   57         

LAVILLE            58          WESTVILLE     49         

LEBANON        67          GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN  57         

LEO      52          FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA               45         

LOGANSPORT              66          PERU   53         

MARION           75          MISSISSINEWA           52         

MONROVIA     69          EMINENCE      30         

NEW CASTLE 66          OLDENBURG ACADEMY       37         

NOBLESVILLE              62          HAMILTON HEIGHTS              41         

NORTH KNOX               59          WHITE RIVER VALLEY             49         

NORTHEASTERN        68          SETON CATHOLIC     42         

NORWELL       66          FORT WAYNE NORTHROP   62         

OAK HILL         81          WABASH          40         

PARK TUDOR 70          UNIVERSITY   65         

PARKE HERITAGE      67          WEST VIGO    32         

PERRY CENTRAL        72          TELL CITY        41         

PLAINFIELD   79          AVON  64         

PLYMOUTH    55          JOHN GLENN                43         

RICHMOND   56          HAGERSTOWN           45         

ROCHESTER  48          CULVER            30         

ROSSVILLE     77          DELPHI             48         

SCOTTSBURG              73          AUSTIN             38         

SEEGER            61          LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC   46         

SHELBYVILLE               64          RUSHVILLE    36         

SHENANDOAH            83          DALEVILLE      46         

SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER)         83          MADISON        58         

SULLIVAN        54          SOUTH KNOX               52         

TECUMSEH    70          SOUTH SPENCER      62         

TERRE HAUTE NORTH           69          MOORESVILLE            46         

TRI        53          KNIGHTSTOWN          39         

TRITON CENTRAL      70          MORRISTOWN 33     

TRITON             68          OREGON-DAVIS         35         

VALPARAISO  67          GARY WEST   66          OT

VINCENNES LINCOLN           53          MOUNT VERNON (POSEY)  33         

WES-DEL         51          CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN             31         

WEST WASHINGTON              70          SALEM               39         

WHITELAND  70          COLUMBUS EAST      69         

WISCONSIN LUTHERAN      68          PIKE     65          OT

WOODLAN     48          CENTRAL NOBLE       41         

CHICAGO HEIGHTS TOURNAMENT

LINCOLN-WAY CENTRAL (ILL.)        48          HAMMOND CENTRAL 35    

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INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL SCORES/SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY’S SCORES

CHESTERTON              32          LAKE CENTRAL           24         

CONCORD     31          TRI-TOWNSHIP           26         

EAST CENTRAL            62          GREENSBURG             50         

EASTBROOK  37          BLUE RIVER VALLEY 24         

EASTERN (PEKIN)      64          HENRYVILLE  37         

GUERIN CATHOLIC  65          INDIANAPOLIS RITTER          28         

HAGERSTOWN           69          WINCHESTER              35         

KANKAKEE VALLEY   58          SOUTH BEND RILEY 41         

LANESVILLE   41          SOUTH CENTRAL (ELIZABETH)        39         

MACONAQUAH          41          NORTH MIAMI              29         

MADISON        56          SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER)         44         

MONROVIA     66          EMINENCE      44         

MORGAN TWP.            62          HEBRON          31         

NORTH JUDSON         43          KNOX  21         

PORTAGE         34          MICHIGAN CITY         26         

PROVIDENCE               62          CORYDON CENTRAL              51         

SILVER CREEK             83          NORTH HARRISON   45         

TRI        44          KNIGHTSTOWN          32         

TRITON CENTRAL      61          MORRISTOWN            19         

VALPARAISO  62          MERRILLVILLE             13         

WARREN CENTRAL   28          INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL             22         

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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS WRESTLING RESULTS:

https://indianamat.com/index.php?/dualresults.html/boys-dual-results/&d=36

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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS WRESTLING RESULTS:

https://indianamat.com/index.php?/dualresults.html/211_girls-dual-results

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MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES/SCHEDULE

#8 ALABAMA 115 UNLV 76

#24 VANDERBILT 83 WESTERN KENTUCKY 78

#20 TEXAS TECH 82 NEW ORLEANS 50

#15 IOWA STATE 95 SYRACUSE 64

#3 HOUSTON 66 NOTRE DAME 56

#19 KENTUCKY 104 TENNESSEE TECH 54

KANSAS 81 #17 TENNESSEE 76

#21 AUBURN 85 #14 ST. JOHN 74

#6 LOUISVILLE 104 NEW JERSEY TECH 47

#7 MICHIGAN 101 #12 GONZAGA 61

TEXAS 102 #23 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 97

GRAND CANYON 68 UTAH 58

BOWLING GREEN 81 VIRGINIA MILITARY 48

BUFFALO 73 BUCKNELL 71

BELLMONT 87 TOLEDO 72

MIAMI OHIO 82 UNC GREENSBORO 71

VCU 78 S. FLORIDA 66

USC 88 ARIZONA STATE 75

SOUTHERN INDIANA 64 VALPARAISO 56

VIRGINIA TECH 66 COLORADO STATE 64

SETON HALL 75 WASHINGTON STATE 61

NORTHERN COLORADO 71 AIR FORCE 53

EASTERN MICHIGAN 64 CINCINNATI 56

FRESNO STATE 76 PEPPERDINE 53

LOUISIANA TECH 75 INDIANA STATE 73

ST. MARY’S 70 WICHITA STATE 65

RHODE ISLAND 90 TEMPLE 75

MEMPHIS 74 SOUTHERN 58

WYOMING 101 DENVER 59

NEW MEXICO 93 ALABAMA STATE 87

BAYLOR 91 SAN DIEGO STATE 81

IOWA 59 GRAND CANYON 46

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WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES

OHIO STATE 83 #21 WEST VIRGINIA 81

#4 TEXAS 76 #3 UCLA 65

#15 BAYLOR 75 LOUISIANA TECH 46

#2 SOUTH CAROLINA 83 DUKE 66

#6 MICHIGAN 102 DETROIT MERCY 53

#7 MARYLAND 74 #16 KENTUCKY 66

#11 IOWA 86 WESTERN ILLINOIS 69

PURDUE 92 HOWARD 62

LOYOLA ILLINOIS 61 DEPAUL 49

IU INDY 94 ANDERSON 58

EASTERN MICHIGAN 64 ROBERT MORRIS 54

ALABAMA 63 MINNESOTA 58

RADFORD 68 VALPARAISO 61

ARKANSAS 73 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 63

ILLINOIS 70 WESTERN KENTUCKY 41

AUBURN 58 CALIFORNIA 50

UTAH 65 WEBER STATE 52

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE/SCORES

THURSDAY, NOV. 27

3 P.M. | TUSKEGEE AT ALABAMA STATE | SWAC TV

7:30 P.M. | NAVY AT MEMPHIS | ESPN

FRIDAY, NOV. 28

12 P.M. | NO. 7 OLE MISS AT MISSISSIPPI STATE | ABC

12 P.M. | IOWA AT NEBRASKA | CBS

12 P.M. | OHIO AT BUFFALO | ESPNU

12 P.M. | KENT STATE AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS | CBSSN

12 P.M. | NO. 13 UTAH AT KANSAS | ESPN

3 P.M. | AIR FORCE AT COLORADO STATE | FS1

3:30 P.M. | NO. 4 GEORGIA VS. NO. 23 GEORGIA TECH | ABC

3:30 P.M. | SAN DIEGO STATE AT NEW MEXICO | CBSSN

3:30 P.M. | TEMPLE AT NORTH TEXAS | ESPN

4 P.M. | BOISE STATE AT UTAH STATE | CBS

7:30 P.M. | NO. 2 INDIANA AT PURDUE | NBC/PEACOCK

7:30 P.M. | NO. 3 TEXAS A&M AT NO. 16 TEXAS | ABC

9 P.M. | NO. 20 ARIZONA STATE VS. NO. 25 ARIZONA| FOX

SATURDAY, NOV. 29

12 P.M. | TOLEDO AT CENTRAL MICHIGAN | ESPN+

12 P.M. | NO. 5 TEXAS TECH AT WEST VIRGINIA | ESPN

12 P.M. | KENTUCKY AT LOUISVILLE | ACC NETWORK

12 P.M. | BALL STATE AT MIAMI (OHIO) | CBSSN

12 P.M. | NO. 12 MIAMI (FLA.) AT NO. 22 PITT | ABC

12 P.M. | COLORADO AT KANSAS STATE | FS1

12 P.M. | NO. 1 OHIO STATE AT NO. 15 MICHIGAN | FOX

12 P.M. | IOWA STATE AT OKLAHOMA STATE | ESPNU

12 P.M. | HOUSTON AT BAYLOR | TNT/HBO MAX

12 P.M. | CLEMSON AT SOUTH CAROLINA | SEC NETWORK

12 P.M. | EAST CAROLINA AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC | ESPN+

12 P.M. | YALE AT YOUNGSTOWN STATE (FCS FIRST ROUND) | ESPN+

12 P.M. | HARVARD AT VILLANOVA (FCS FIRST ROUND) | ESPN+

12 P.M. | CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE AT RHODE ISLAND (FCS FIRST ROUND) | ESPN+

12 P.M. | ASSUMPTION AT KUTZTOWN (DII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

12 P.M. | RANDOLPH-MACON AT JOHN CARROLL (DIII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

12 P.M. | WISCONSIN-LA CROSSE AT HOPE (DIII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

12 P.M. | EASTERN AT FRANKLIN & MARSHALL (DIII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

12 P.M. | ENDICOTT AT SALISBURY (DIII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

12 P.M. | MUHLENBERG AT MOUNT UNION (DIII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

12 P.M. | LAGRANGE AT BERRY (DIII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

12 P.M. | SUSQUEHANNA AT CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT (DIII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

12 P.M. | SPRINGFIELD AT JOHNS HOPKINS (DIII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

12 P.M. | FROSTBURG STATE AT CALIFORNIA (PA) (DII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

1 P.M. | NO. 11 BYU VS. UCF | ESPN2

1 P.M. | UTEP AT DELAWARE | ESPN+

1 P.M. | FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AT SAM HOUSTON | ESPN+

1 P.M. | LAMAR AT ABILENE CHRISTIAN (FCS FIRST ROUND) | ESPN+

1 P.M. | ILLINOIS STATE AT SE LOUISIANA (FCS FIRST ROUND) | ESPN+

1 P.M. | NORTH DAKOTA AT TENNESSEE TECH (FCS FIRST ROUND) | ESPN+

1 P.M. | NEW HAMPSHIRE AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (FCS FIRST ROUND) | ESPN+

1 P.M. | DRAKE AT SOUTH DAKOTA (FCS FIRST ROUND) | ESPN+

1 P.M. | ASHLAND AT FERRIS STATE (DII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

1 P.M. | BENEDICT AT ALBANY STATE (DII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

1 P.M. | HARDIN-SIMMONS AT TRINITY (TX) (DIII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

1 P.M. | ALMA AT WISCONSIN-PLATTEVILLE (DIII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

1 P.M. | DEPAUW AT WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER (DIII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

1 P.M. | MONMOUTH (IL) AT SAINT JOHN’S (MN) (DIII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

1 P.M. | WHEATON (IL) AT WARTBURG (DIII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

1 P.M. | HANOVER AT NORTH CENTRAL (DIII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

1 P.M. | COE AT BETHEL (MN) (DIII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

1 P.M. | NEWBERRY AT WEST FLORIDA (DII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

1 P.M. | CHAPMAN AT WISCONSIN-RIVER FALLS (DIII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

1:30 P.M. | GEORGIA SOUTHERN AT MARSHALL | ESPN+

2 P.M. | WESTERN KENTUCKY AT JACKSONVILLE STATE | ESPN+

2 P.M. | LOUISIANA TECH AT MISSOURI STATE |  ESPN+

2 P.M. | GEORGIA STATE AT OLD DOMINION | ESPN+

2 P.M. | GRAMBLING VS. SOUTHERN (IN NEW ORLEANS) | SWAC TV

2 P.M. | PITTSBURG STATE AT HARDING (DII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

2 P.M. | MINNESOTA STATE AT UINDY (DII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

2:30 P.M. | ARKANSAS STATE AT APPALACHIAN STATE | ESPN+

3 P.M. | UL MONROE AT LOUISIANA | ESPN+

3 P.M. | MIDDLE TENNESSEE AT NEW MEXICO STATE | ESPN+

3 P.M. | BOSTON COLLEGE AT SYRACUSE | THE CW NETWORK

3 P.M. | SOUTH ALABAMA AT TEXAS STATE | ESPN+

3 P.M. | UAB AT TULSA | ESPN+

3 P.M. | FLORIDA A&M AT MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE | SWAC TV

3 P.M. | UT PERMIAN BASIN AT WESTERN COLORADO (DII SECOND ROUND) | ESPN+

3:30 P.M. | NO. 6 OREGON AT WASHINGTON | CBS

3:30 P.M. | NO. 8 OKLAHOMA VS. LSU | ABC

3:30 P.M. | NO. 14 VANDERBILT AT NO. 19 TENNESSEE | ESPN

3:30 P.M. | NO. 22 MISSOURI AT ARKANSAS | SEC NETWORK

3:30 P.M. | WAKE FOREST AT DUKE | ACC NETWORK

3:30 P.M. | KENNESAW STATE AT LIBERTY | CBSSN

3:30 P.M. | WISCONSIN AT MINNESOTA | FS1

3:30 P.M. | PENN STATE AT RUTGERS | BIG TEN NETWORK

3:30 P.M. | CINCINNATI AT TCU | FOX

3:30 P.M. | TROY AT SOUTHERN MISS | ESPN+

3:30 P.M. | ARMY AT UTSA | ESPN+

3:45 P.M. | JAMES MADISON AT COASTAL CAROLINA | ESPNU

4:30 P.M. | FLORIDA STATE AT FLORIDA  | ESPN2

6:30 P.M. | OREGON STATE AT WASHINGTON STATE | THE CW NETWORK

7 P.M. | NO. 18 VIRGINIA VS. VIRGINIA TECH| ESPN

7 P.M. | MARYLAND AT MICHIGAN STATE | FS1

7 P.M. | RICE AT SOUTH FLORIDA | ESPN+

7:30 P.M. | NO. 10 ALABAMA AT AUBURN | ABC

7:30 P.M. | UCLA AT NO. 17 USC | NBC

7:30 P.M. | NORTHWESTERN AT ILLINOIS | FOX

7:30 P.M. | NO. 24 TULANE VS. CHARLOTTE | ESPNU

7:30 P.M. | NORTH CAROLINA AT NC STATE | ACC NETWORK

7:30 P.M. | NO. 17 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA VS. UCLA | NBC

8 P.M. | NO. 21 SMU AT CAL | ESPN2

9 P.M. | UNLV AT NEVADA | CBSSN

10:30 P.M. | FRESNO STATE AT SAN JOSE STATE | FS1

10:30 P.M. | NO. 9 NOTRE DAME AT STANFORD | ESPN

11 P.M. | HAWAII VS. WYOMING | SPECTRUM SPORTS

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WEEK 15/CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

FRIDAY, DEC. 5

7 P.M. | CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP | CBSSN

7 P.M. | SUN BELT CHAMPIONSHIP | ESPN (CITY TBD)

8 P.M. | AMERICAN ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIP | ABC

TBD P.M. | MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIP | FOX

SATURDAY, DEC. 6

12 P.M. | BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP | ABC (ARLINGTON, TEXAS)

12 P.M. | MAC CHAMPIONSHIP | ESPN (DETROIT, MICHIGAN)

2 P.M. | SWAC NO. 2 VS. SWAC NO. 1 | ESPN2 (CITY TBD)

4 P.M. | SEC CHAMPIONSHIP | ABC (ATLANTA, GEORGIA)

8 P.M. | ACC CHAMPIONSHIP | ABC (CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA)

8 P.M. | BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP | FOX (INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA)

WEEK 16

3 P.M. | ARMY VS. NAVY | CBS/PARAMOUNT+ (IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND)

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MEN’S COLLEGE SOCCER

NCAA TOURNAMENT

SATURDAY, NOV. 29

MARYLAND VS. UCONN, 1 P.M.

PORTLAND VS. GRAND CANYON, 4 P.M.

GEORGETOWN VS. HIGH POINT, 5 P.M.

SUNDAY, NOV. 30

FURMAN VS. HOFSTRA, 1 P.M.

AKRON VS. DUKE, 4 P.M.

BRYANT VS. SAINT LOUIS, 6 P.M.

NC STATE VS. UNC GREENSBORO, 6 P.M.

STANFORD VS. WASHINGTON, 8 P.M.

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WOMEN’S COLLEGE SOCCER

NCAA TOURNAMENT

QUARTERFINALS: FRIDAY OR SATURDAY, NOV. 28 OR 29

FRIDAY, NOV. 28

4 P.M. | NO. 2 DUKE VS. NO. 4 WASHINGTON

5 P.M. | NO. 1 STANFORD VS. NO. 2 MICHIGAN STATE

5 P.M. | NO. 3 FLORIDA STATE VS. OHIO STATE

SATURDAY, NOV. 29

7:30 P.M. | NO. 1 VANDERBILT VS. NO. 2 TCU

WOMEN’S COLLEGE CUP​​​​​​

SEMIFINALS: FRIDAY, DEC. 5

FINALS: MONDAY, DEC. 8

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NFL SCHEDULE/SCORES

NFL WEEK 13 SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, NOV. 27

GREEN BAY AT DETROIT, 1 P.M. (FOX THANKSGIVING)

KANSAS CITY AT DALLAS, 4:30 P.M. (CBS THANKSGIVING)

CINCINNATI AT BALTIMORE, 8:20 P.M. (NBC THANKSGIVING)

FRIDAY, NOV. 28

CHICAGO AT PHILADELPHIA, 3 P.M. (PRIME VIDEO BLACK FRIDAY)

SUNDAY, NOV. 30

SAN FRANCISCO AT CLEVELAND, 1 P.M. (CBS)

JACKSONVILLE AT TENNESSEE

HOUSTON AT INDIANAPOLIS, 1 P.M. (CBS)

ARIZONA AT TAMPA BAY, 1 P.M. (FOX)

NEW ORLEANS AT MIAMI, 1 P.M. (FOX)

ATLANTA AT NY JETS, 1 P.M. (FOX)

LA RAMS AT CAROLINA, 1 P.M. (FOX)

MINNESOTA AT SEATTLE, 4:05 P.M. (FOX)

LAS VEGAS AT LA CHARGERS, 4:25 P.M. (CBS)

BUFFALO AT PITTSBURGH, 4:25 P.M. (CBS)

DENVER AT WASHINGTON, 8:20 P.M. (NBC)

MONDAY, DEC. 1

NY GIANTS AT NEW ENGLAND, 8:15 P.M. (ESPN)

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NBA SCOREBOARD

BOSTON 117 DETROIT 114

NEW YORK 129 CHARLOTTE 101

MIAMI 106 MILWAUKEE 103

TORONTO 97 INDIANA 95

OKLAHOMA CITY 113 MINNESOTA 105

MEMPHIS 133 NEW ORLEANS 128 OT

HOUSTON 104 GOLDEN STATE 100

PHOENIX 112 SACRAMENTO 100

SAN ANTONIO 115 PORTLAND 102

=====

NHL SCOREBOARD

WASHINGTON 4 WINNIPEG 3

TAMPA BAY 5 CALGARY 1

TORONTO 2 COLUMBUS 1 OT

NASHVILLE 6 DETROIT 3

BOSTON 3 NY ISLANDERS 1

NY RANGERS 4 CAROLINA 2

PHILADELPHIA 4 FLORIDA 2

NEW JERSEY 3 ST. LOUIS 2 OT

PITTSBURGH 4 BUFFALO 2

MINNESOTA 4 CHICAGO 3 OT

COLORADO 6 SAN JOSE 0

MONTRÉAL 4 UTAH 3

OTTAWA 4 VEGAS 3

DALLAS 3 SEATTLE 2

VANCOUVER 5 ANAHEIM 4

=====

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER PLAYOFFS

SEMI-FINALS

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 29

MIAMI AT NEW YORK CITY 6:00

SAN DIEGO AT VANCOUVER 9:00

CHAMPIONSHIP

SATURDAY, DEC. 6: 2:30 P.M.

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TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES/NEWS RELEASES

NFL NEWS

THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL CAPSULE: GREEN BAY PACKERS (7-3-1) AT DETROIT LIONS (7-4)

Ford Field | Referee: Ron Torbert

All-Time Series History

Regular Season: GB leads series, 105-78-7 (DET won 2 of past 3)

Postseason: GB leads series, 2-0

The Last Time…

Regular Season: 9/7/25: DET 13 at GB 27

Postseason: NFC-WC 12/31/94: DET 12 at GB 16

PACKERS NOTES:

QB JORDAN LOVE has 150+ pass yards in all 5 road games this season. Passed for 188 yards & 2 TDs in last meeting. Has TD pass in 5 of his past 6 vs. Det. Aims for 3rd in row on Thanksgiving with 2+ TDs & 250+ pass yards. • RB JOSH JACOBS has 100+ scrimmage yards in 2 of his past 3. Has rush TD in 6 of his past 7 games. Aims for 3rd in row on Thanksgiving with rush TD & 100+ scrimmage yards. Had 70 scrimmage yards & rush TD in Week 1 meeting. Ranks 2nd in NFL with 11 rush TDs this season. • RB EMANUEL WILSON had team & season-high 107 rush yards & 2 TDs in Week 12. Aims for 3rd in row with rush TD. • WR ROMEO DOUBS led team with 68 rec. yards in Week 1 meeting. • WR CHRISTIAN WATSON had team-high 49 rec. yards in Week 12. Aims for 6th in row with 45+ rec. yards. Had 4 catches for 114 rec. yards in last meeting (12/5/24). Aims for 2,000 career rec. yards (1,936). • LB ISAIAH MCDUFFIE had team-high 9 tackles, half sack & INT last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 0.5+ sacks. • DL MICAH PARSONS had 2 sacks in Week 12 & has 17 career games with 2+ sacks, tied with Jared Allen for 4th-most games with 2+ sacks by a player in their 1st 5 seasons since 1982. Has 10 sacks this season & is 1 of 2 players since 1982 with 10+ sacks in each of their 1st 5 seasons. Ranks 5th in NFL in sacks (10) this season. • DL DEVONTE WYATT had 2 sacks last week. Had sack in last meeting. • DL RASHAN GARY had PD in Week 12. Ranks 6th in NFC with 7.5 sacks this season. Had 1.5 sacks in Week 1 matchup & aims for 5th in row vs. Det. with 0.5+ sacks. • CB KEISEAN NIXON has PD in 2 of his past 3 games. Ranks 2nd in NFL with 14 PD in 2025. Had 6 tackles & TFL in last meeting. • S EVAN WILLIAMS is 1 of 4 players with active streak of 2 games with INT.

LIONS NOTES:

QB JARED GOFF passed for 279 yards & 2 TDs in Week 12. Aims for 5th in row with 250+ pass yards. Had 225 pass yards & TD in last meeting. Ranks tied-2nd with 23 TD passes in 2025. Passed for 221 yards & 2 TDs for 100.2 rating last year on Thanksgiving vs. Chi. Aims for 5th in row on Thanksgiving with 2+ TDs. • RB JAHMYR GIBBS had career-high 11 receptions, career-best 264 scrimmage yards (219 rush, 45 rec.) & 3 TDs (2 rush, 1 rec.) last week. Has 1,330 scrimmage yards & 13 TDs this season & is the 5th RB since 1990 with 1,200+ scrimmage yards & 10+ TDs in each of his 1st 3 seasons. Had 104 scrimmage yards (87 rush, 17 rec.) last year on Thanksgiving vs. Chi. • RB DAVID MONTGOMERY had 124 scrimmage yards (88 rush, 36 rec.) last year on Thanksgiving vs. Chi. • WR AMON-RA ST. BROWN had team-high 9 catches for 149 rec. yards last week. Has 505 career receptions since entering the NFL in 2021 & can surpass Michael Thomas (510 rec.) for most receptions through a player’s 1st 5 career seasons in NFL history. • LB JACK CAMPBELL had team-high 11 tackles & TFL in Week 12. Has 5+ tackles in every game this season. Has sack in 2 of his past 3 at home. Aims for 5th in row at home with TFL. Had 10 tackles in last meeting. • DE AIDAN HUTCHINSON had sack & 2 TFL last week. Has sack in 4 of his past 5 at home. Ranks tied for 1st with 4 FFs this season. • DT D.J. READER had 4 tackles & 2 sacks last year on Thanksgiving vs. Chi. • CB AMIK ROBERTSON had 7 tackles, PD & FF in Week 12. Aims for 3rd in row with PD. • CB ROCK YA-SIN has PD in 4 of his past 5. • S THOMAS HARPER had 6 tackles, 2 PD & INT in Week 12. • DB BRIAN BRANCH aims for 6th in row with 6+ tackles. Led team with 6 tackles last year on Thanksgiving vs. Chi.

LIONS AND PACKERS MATCH UP ON THANKSGIVING WITH MUCH AT STAKE IN NFC NORTH AND NFL PLAYOFF PICTURE

Green Bay (7-3-1) at Detroit (7-4)

Thursday, 1 p.m. EST, FOX

BetMGM line: Lions by 3.

Against the spread: Packers 4-6-1; Lions 6-5.

Series record: Packers lead 107-78-7.

Last meeting: Packers beat Lions 27-13 on Sept. 7 in Green Bay.

Last week: Packers beat Minnesota Vikings 23-6 at home; Lions beat Giants 34-27 in OT at home.

Packers offense: overall (13), overall (15), pass (14), scoring (13)

Packers defense: overall (4), rush (5), pass (6), scoring (5)

Lions offense: overall (4), overall (3), pass (8), scoring (2)

Lions defense: overall (10), rush (11), pass (15), scoring (12)

Turnover differential: Packers plus-4; Lions plus-5

Packers player to watch

QB Jordan Love. Although Love hasn’t thrown a TD pass in three of four games for the first time since 2022, this is the time of the season when he generally starts heating up. He also has a knack for feasting on defenses each Thanksgiving. Two years ago, Love threw for 268 yards and three TDs without an INT on the holiday in Detroit. Last season, Love passed for 274 yards and two TDs without getting picked off in a win over the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving.

Lions player to watch

DE Aidan Hutchinson. He didn’t have a tackle at Green Bay in Week 1, playing for the first time in nearly 11 months after breaking his leg. Hutchinson has been much more productive after his rough start. He sealed Sunday’s win over the Giants with a sack, giving him 8 1/2 sacks this season. He had a team record six QB hits against against New York. Hutchinson and Pittsburgh edge rusher T.J. Watt are the two players in NFL history with at least 37 sacks and four INTs through the first 50 games of a career.

Key matchup

Lions RBs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery against Green Bay’s run defense: During the Packers’ season-opening win, the Packers limited the Lions to 46 yards rushing on 22 carries. Montgomery had 11 rushes for 25 yards and Gibbs had nine carries for 19 yards. Gibbs has been much more productive since and rushed for 219 yards and two TDs while catching 11 passes for 45 yards and another score against the Giants for a franchise-record 264 yards from scrimmage for a RB. Montgomery has a history of performing well against the Packers.

Key injuries

Packers: RB Josh Jacobs is expected to play Thursday after missing the Vikings game with a bruised knee. … DL Karl Brooks (ankle), WR Jayden Reed (foot/shoulder), DL Lukas Van Ness (foot) and WR Savion Williams (foot) have been ruled out. … WR Matthew Golden (wrist), CB Nate Hobbs (knee), CB Keisean Nixon (neck) and LB Quay Walker (neck) are questionable.

Lions: S Kerby Joseph (knee) will miss a sixth straight game. … DE Marcus Davenport (chest) is nearing his return after being injured in Week 2. … WR/R Kalif Raymond (ankle) left last week’s game. … C Graham Glasgow (knee) and TE Brock Wright (neck) were held out of practice Monday and Tuesday. … CB Terrion Arnold (concussion) was cleared to practice on a limited basis after missing two games.

Series notes

This is the 23rd time the Packers and Lions are facing off on Thanksgiving, making this the most-played matchup on the holiday. The Lions are 12-9-1 against the Packers on Thanksgiving. The Lions have won six of the past eight meetings. The previous time these two teams faced off in Detroit, the Lions won 34-31 when Jake Bates made a 35-yard FG as time expired. In this year’s season opener, Love passed for 188 yards and two TDs while Green Bay’s defense kept Detroit out of the end zone until the final minute. The Packers sacked Jared Goff four times in the opener.

Stats and stuff

This is the first time the Packers have played on Thanksgiving for three straight seasons since 1951-63, when they matched up with the Lions every year on this holiday. … Green Bay is 3-0-1 in its past four road games. … The Packers have won two straight and five of seven. … The Packers gave up 4 yards and forced three turnovers in the second half against the Vikings. It was the first time a team had forced at least three turnovers while allowing fewer than 5 total yards in a half since Buffalo’s win over Cleveland in 2004. … The Packers have allowed just 202 points so far, the fewest they’ve given up through the first 11 games of a season since 2010. … Packers RB Josh Jacobs has 11 TD runs to rank second in the NFL, behind Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor has 15. … Packers DE Micah Parsons has 10 sacks this season. Parsons and Reggie White are the two NFL players since 1982 to have at least 10 sacks in each of their first five NFL seasons. … Packers S Evan Williams has an INT in each of his past two games. … Packers K Brandon McManus has made only 70% of his field-goal attempts this season, but went 3 of 3 in the Vikings game. … Detroit is the NFL’s first team with at least 24 passing TDs, at least 15 rushing TDs and eight or fewer turnovers through 11 games. … Gibbs is the NFL’s first player with at least 10 rushing TDs and at least one receiving TD in each of his first three seasons. … Gibbs and Jim Brown (1963) are the two players in league history to average 9.5 yards from scrimmage with the ball in their hands with at least 60 touches in a three-game span. Gibbs is the only NFL player since the 1970 merger to have at least 400 yards rushing, four rushing TDs, 18 yards receiving and two receiving TDs in a three-game span. … WR Amon-Ra. St. Brown had seven catches for 120 yards in the second half on Sunday. … LB Jack Campbell is the first Lion with at least 100 tackles, four sacks and two forced fumbles since at least 1994. … Bates made a career-high and franchise-record-tying 59-yard field goal with 28 seconds left in the fourth to force overtime against the Giants, improving to 5 of 5 on go-ahead and game-tying FGs in the last two minutes or overtime.

Fantasy tip

Goff has been really good on Thanksgiving, and against Green Bay at home. In his four starts on the holiday, he has thrown two TDs in each game and hasn’t been picked off once. In his past four games against the Packers at home, he has thrown at least two TD passes.

THANKSGIVING DAY FOOTBALL CAPSULE: KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (6-5) AT DALLAS COWBOYS (5-5-1)

All-Time Series History

Regular Season: DAL leads series, 7-5 (home team won 9 of past 10)

Postseason: —

The Last Time…

Regular Season: 11/21/21: DAL 9 at KC 19

Postseason: —

CHIEFS NOTES:

QB PATRICK MAHOMES passed for 352 yards & had 30 rush yards in Week 12. Has 50 career games with 300+ pass yards, 3rd QB all-time with 50 such games in 1st 11 seasons (Drew Brees & Matt Ryan). Surpassed Matthew Stafford as fastest player to reach 35,000 pass yards in NFL history (35,329). Has 20 career wins, incl. playoffs, after trailing by 10+ points, most since entering NFL in 2017. Has 210+ pass yards & TD pass in 7 of his 8 starts on Thursdays. Needs 58 pass yards to surpass PFHOFer Dan Marino for 3rdmost reg. season pass yards by player in 1st 9 seasons. Had 260 pass yards in only career start vs. Dal. (11/21/21). • RB KAREEM HUNT had 130 scrimmage yards (104 rush, 26 rec.) & rush TD last week. Has rush TD in 4 consecutive games, 2nd-longest active streak. Had 71 rush yards & 2 rush TDs in his last game vs. Dal. (10/4/20 w/ Cle.). • WR RASHEE RICE led team with 8 catches for career-high 141 rec. yards in Week 12. Has 80+ scrimmage yards in 3 of his past 4. • WR XAIVER WORTHY had 59 rec. yards last week. • TE TRAVIS KELCE needs 126 rec. yards to join PFHOFer Jerry Rice as only players with 800+ rec. yards in 12 consecutive seasons. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Dal. with 70+ rec. yards & TD. • DE CHRIS JONES has sack in each of his past 5 games on Thursday. Had 3.5 sacks, FF, FR & PD in last meeting. • LB NICK BOLTON led team with 8 tackles in Week 12. Has 12+ tackles & TFL in 3 of his past 4 on the road. • LB DRUE TRANQUILL had 2 TFL last week. Aims for 3rd in row with TFL. Had TFL in only career game vs. Dal. (9/19/21 w/ LAC). • CB TRENT MCDUFFIE had 5 tackles & PD last week. Has TFL in 2 of his past 3. • DB CHAMARRI CONNER had TFL & 1st PD of season in Week 12. • S BRYAN COOK had 6 tackles, TFL & PD last week.

COWBOYS NOTES:

QB DAK PRESCOTT had 354 pass yards & 3 TDs (2 pass, 1 rush) in Week 12. Ranks 1st in comp. (276), tied-2nd in TD passes (23) & 3rd in pass yards (2,941) this season. Surpassed Tony Romo in Week 12 for the most passing yards in Cowboys franchise history (34,378). Needs 4 TD passes to surpass Tony Romo (18) & Matthew Stafford (18) for the the most TDs on Thanksgiving in NFL history. • RB JAVONTE WILLIAMS had 101 scrimmage yards (87 rush, 14 rec.) in Week 12. Aims for 6th in row with 80+ scrimmage yards at home. • WR CEEDEE LAMB had 75 rec. yards last week & aims for 5th in row at home with 75+ rec. yards. Aims for 7,000 career rec. yards (6,971) & 550 career receptions (540). • WR GEORGE PICKENS had team-high 9 receptions for 146 yards & TD in Week 12, his 2nd straight with 140+ rec. yards & 1 of 2 players (Kendrick Bourne) to do so this season. Has 75+ rec. yards in each of his past 6 games. Aims for 3rd in row with TD reception & 5th in row with 6+ receptions. • TE JAKE FERGUSON aims for 3rd in row at home with 50+ rec. yards. Has 5+ receptions in all 5 home games this season. Ranks tied-1st in NFL among TEs with 7 TD receptions this season. • TE BREVYN SPANN-FORD had 1st career TD last week. • LB KENNETH MURRAY had FR in Week 12. • DT QUINNEN WILLIAMS aims for 3rd Thursday game in row with sack. • DT OSA ODIGHIZUWA had sack in Week 12 & aims for 3rd in row with sack. Had 4 tackles & sack last year on Thanksgiving. • DE SAM WILLIAMS had 1st FF of the season last week. • LB DEMARVION OVERSHOWN co-led team with 5 tackles last week. Had 9 tackles, INT & FR last year on Thanksgiving vs. • CB DARON BLAND had PD last week & aims for 4th in row with PD. • S DONOVAN WILSON had 5 tackles, sack & PD last year on Thanksgiving.

MAHOMES COMES HOME TO TEXAS AS PLAYOFF-CHASING CHIEFS AND COWBOYS MEET ON THANKSGIVING

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Fresh off beating the Super Bowl champs, the Dallas Cowboys get the runner-up in their annual Thanksgiving home game.

It doesn’t get any easier after Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs visit Thursday with the Cowboys (5-5-1) pondering an improbable run to a playoff spot after coming off consecutive victories for the first time this season, including Sunday’s rally from 21 points down in a 24-21 victory over Philadelphia.

Some of the upcoming opponents might not look as formidable as they first did when the Dallas schedule for November and December showed six consecutive playoff teams from a year ago.

Then again, the Chiefs (6-5) fit that description because they’re outside the seven-team playoff picture just like the Cowboys. A winner of nine straight AFC West titles, Kansas City is 10th in the AFC right now — same as Dallas in the NFC.

“I don’t turn on their film and be like, ‘Man, they’re really having a bad year,’” Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “I don’t think that at all. I’m like, ‘Man, he’s really fast and he’s super fast, and that guy’s fast, and that guy’s a good runner.’”

The star quarterbacks will lead the NFL’s top two passing offenses onto the Thanksgiving stage, with Dak Prescott’s Cowboys atop the league averaging 267 yards per game and him now holding the franchise record for career yards passing.

His respect for Mahomes is perfectly reflected in a meeting where both teams feel the need to come close to winning out in order to reach the postseason. The Chiefs took a big step last week with a 23-20 overtime victory over Indianapolis.

“At the end of the day, obviously, the talent jumps out, but you watch a guy who plays with pure passion, who’ll do anything it takes to win,” Prescott said of the three-time Super Bowl winner. “He’ll do anything and everything it takes.”

For the Cowboys, it probably will take at least four wins in their final six games. And even that might not be enough. First things first, though.

“There are times when your mind might go a little forward into the future and start thinking and start going all over the place,” tight end Jake Ferguson said. “And that’s where you’ve got to focus on your training. We train on how to pull our focus back into the now.”

Heading home

Mahomes grew up in East Texas and his dad, former big league pitcher Pat Mahomes Sr., was a Cowboys fan. So, naturally, the younger Mahomes caught quite a few of their games over the years.

He finally got to play at AT&T Stadium in college, when Texas Tech played Baylor, and remembers losing on a failed 2-point conversion as a freshman. The Red Raiders split his other two games against the Bears under the retractable roof.

“Just getting to play at home, having a lot of people in attendance that might not get to come to Kansas City, it’ll be really cool to experience playing there, especially on Thanksgiving,” Mahomes said, adding he’ll probably have “50-plus” friends and family in attendance.

Memory lane

Facing the Chiefs might bring some wistful moments for Schottenheimer. His dad, the late Marty Schottenheimer, led the Chiefs for 10 of his 21 years as an NFL head coach. Of the elder Schottenheimer’s 200 career wins, 101 were with KC.

Brian Schottenheimer remembers how the Hunt family, owners of the Chiefs, treated his dad after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Marty Schottenheimer died at 77 in 2021.

The younger Schottenheimer was a quarterback at Florida when the Chiefs lost their only Thanksgiving meeting against the Cowboys with his dad on the sideline in 1995. His second year as an assistant was Marty Schottenheimer’s final season as coach of the Chiefs in 1998.

“I can remember that stadium the first game my dad ever coached there (1989) … there was like 21,000 fans there,” said Schottenheimer, who is in his first season as a head coach after a quarter-century as an NFL assistant. “He turned it around. They turned it around as an organization and then it became what it is today.”

Happy Hunt-ing

Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt ran a career-high 30 times in Sunday’s win over the Colts, and having a short week to recover from that workload is hardly ideal. But he figures to get a little bit of a break with the return of Isiah Pacheco, who has missed the past three games because of a knee injury.

“He’ll play,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “How much, I can’t tell you that right now. See how it goes.”

Where’s the double team

George Pickens is working on a career year following the receiver’s offseason trade to Dallas from Pittsburgh. No one will say he has become a bigger threat than the No. 1 receiver he joined, CeeDee Lamb.

Still, he’s the one in position to post numbers similar to those from Lamb’s All-Pro season in 2023. And the highlight reel of contested sideline catches in single coverage keeps getting longer.

“If he’s one-on-one, he’s not covered. Not in my mind anyway,” Prescott said of Pickens. “And that’s not for just him. It’s for CeeDee as well. I said before, it’s not even a 50-50 ball. The favor lies in our hands.”

COWBOYS FACE RUNNER-UP CHIEFS ON THANKSGIVING AFTER BEATING SUPER BOWL-WINNING EAGLES

Kansas City (6-5) at Dallas (5-5-1)

Thursday, 4:30 p.m. EST, CBS.

BetMGM line: Chiefs by 3.

Against the spread: Chiefs 5-6; Cowboys 6-5.

Series record: Cowboys lead 7-5.

Last meeting: Chiefs beat Cowboys 19-9 at Kansas City on Nov. 21, 2021.

Last week: Chiefs beat Colts 23-20 in OT; Cowboys beat Eagles 24-21.

Chiefs offense: overall (5), rush (14), pass (2), scoring (9).

Chiefs defense: overall (6), rush (T8), pass (11), scoring (4).

Cowboys offense: overall (1), rush (12), pass (1), scoring (4).

Cowboys defense: overall (29), rush (22), pass (30), scoring (31).

Turnover differential: Chiefs plus-1, Cowboys minus-4.

Chiefs player to watch

RB Kareem Hunt carried a career-high 30 times for 104 yards and a touchdown in last week’s against Indianapolis. It was the most that Kansas City has been dedicated to the run all season, and it paid off. Hunt’s ability to provide some long-missing offensive balance opened up the passing game, and Patrick Mahomes threw for a season-high 352 yards. Hunt has scored in four straight games and has seven TD runs this season.

Cowboys player to watch

WR George Pickens has tied his career high of nine catches three times in his first season with the Cowboys after the offseason trade that ended his tumultuous time in Pittsburgh. He has averaged 145 yards and 16.1 yards per catch while scoring twice during Dallas’ first two-game winning streak of the season. Pickens is second in the NFL with 1,054 yards receiving. However, he appeared shaken up after going down hard on the sideline on an incompletion against the Eagles. He stayed in the game but was limited in one practice during the short week with knee and calf issues. He was a full participant Wednesday and has no injury designation, which means he is likely to play.

Key matchup

Dak Prescott vs. Patrick Mahomes. No, the star QBs won’t be on the field at the same time. But they are the focal points of a meeting of the top two passing offenses in the NFL (Dallas is No. 1). Prescott speaks glowingly of his counterpart, and longs for even a smidge of the postseason success Mahomes has enjoyed in two fewer seasons than Prescott as a starter. Prescott fell flat in his only other meeting with the Mahomes-led Chiefs, throwing two interceptions without a touchdown pass in KC’s 19-9 victory four years ago.

Key injuries

Chiefs: RB Isiah Pacheco could return after missing the past three games with a knee injury. … RG Trey Smith (ankle) and TE Noah Gray (concussion) have been ruled out. … CB Chris Roland-Wallace, who has played all 11 games and started the past two, is out with a back issue.

Cowboys: Recently acquired DT Quinnen Williams kept playing after taking a shot to the ribs against the Eagles but isn’t listed on the injury report. … LT Tyler Guyton is out after spraining an ankle against Philadelphia. Nate Thomas should start in his place. … CB Caelen Carson, who has started the past two weeks, is questionable after being added to the injury report with a hamstring issue.

Series notes

Though the Chiefs and Cowboys have played just 12 times in 65 years, they consider themselves rivals. Both franchises were born in Dallas and debuted in 1960. The Chiefs were founded as the Dallas Texans by the late Lamar Hunt, who helped to establish the AFL to rival the NFL when he was unable to secure his own franchise. He moved the team to Kansas City in 1963. The Cowboys, an NFL expansion franchise, were bought by Jerry Jones in 1989. He and Hunt were neighbors in north Dallas and struck up a friendship. In 1998, the owners created the Preston Road Trophy, awarded to the winner of each Chiefs-Cowboys game, preseason or regular season.

Stats and stuff

The only time the Chiefs and Cowboys played on Thanksgiving is also the most recent season in which Dallas reached the Super Bowl, or even an NFC championship game. It was 30 years ago, with Dallas winning 24-12. The Cowboys went on to beat Pittsburgh for the championship. Dallas has lost in the divisional round of the playoffs seven times since then, most recently during the 2023 season. … Both teams won on game-ending field goals last week. Harrison Butker kicked a 27-yarder in overtime against the Colts, and Brandon Aubrey was good from 42 as time expired against the Eagles. … Mahomes is the quickest to 35,000 yards passing, getting to 35,329 in 123 games. Matthew Stafford held the previous record at 126 games. … Chiefs TE Travis Kelce can tie Hines Ward for the fifth-longest streak with a reception by catching a pass in his 186th consecutive game Thursday. … Chiefs WR Rashee Rice had a career-best 141 yards on eight catches against the Colts. Three of his catches went for at least 20 yards. … Butker connected on five field goals last week against Indianapolis, including chip shots for the tie on the final play of regulation and the OT winner. … Prescott leads the NFL with 276 completions, is tied for second with 23 touchdowns passing and third with 2,941 yards passing. … CeeDee Lamb needs 29 yards receiving to become the first Dallas receiver to reach 7,000 in his first six seasons. … Quinnen Williams had a career-high eight QB pressures against Jalen Hurts and the Eagles, according to Next Gen Stats.

Fantasy tip

Pickens has at least 130 yards and a touchdown in four games. No Dallas receiver has done that five times in a season.

THANKSGIVING DAY FOOTBALL CAPSULE: CINCINNATI BENGALS (3-8) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (6-5)

M&T Bank Stadium | Referee: Craig Wrolstad

All-Time Series History

Regular Season: BAL leads series, 32-26 (BAL won 5 of past 6)

Postseason: CIN leads series, 1-0

The Last Time…

Regular Season: 11/7/24: CIN 34 at BAL 35

Postseason: AFC-WC 1/15/23: BAL 17 at CIN 24

BENGALS NOTES:

QB JOE BURROW could make 1st start since Week 2. Needs 300+ pass yards & 3+ TD passes to surpass HOFer Kurt Warner (17) for 3rd-most such games in 1st 6 seasons ever. Has 350+ pass yards & 3+ TD passes in 3 of his past 4 in primetime, incl. 428 pass yards & 4 TD passes in last meeting. • QB JOE FLACCO passed for 183 yards & TD in Week 12. Spent 1st 11 seasons (2008-18) with Bal. & is the all-time franchise leader in pass yards (38,245) & TD passes (212). Passed for 199 yards & TD in last start vs. Bal. (9/14/25 w/ Cle.). • RB CHASE BROWN led team with 130 scrimmage yards (107 rush, 23 rec.) last week. Has 100+ scrimmage yards in 5 consecutive games, longest active streak in NFL. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Bal. with TD. • WR JA’MARR CHASE needs catch, 139 rec. yards & 2 rec. TDs to become 1st all-time with 80+ catches, 1,000+ rec. yards & 7 rec. TDs in each of 1st 5 seasons. Has TD catch in 5 of his past 6 in primetime. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Bal. with 10+ catches, 190+ rec. yards & 2+ TD catches. • WR ANDREI IOSIVAS had 61 rec. yards in Week 12. • WR MITCHELL TINSLEY had 2nd career TD catch last week. • TE MIKE GESICKI had 35 rec. yards in Week 12. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Bal. with 30+ rec. yards. • DE JOSEPH OSSAI had 6 tackles & TFL last week. • LB DEMETRIUS KNIGHT JR. had 8 tackles & TFL in Week 12. Ranks 2nd among rookies with 78 tackles in 2025. Has PD in 3 of past 4. • LB BARRETT CARTER led team with career-high 16 tackles last week. Leads rookies with 4 games of 10+ tackles this season. • S GENO STONE had career-high 13 tackles & INT-TD in Week 12. Spent 1st 4 seasons with Bal. (2020-23). • CB JALEN DAVIS had 1st sack of season last week. • CB DJ TURNER had 15th PD of season in Week 12, most in NFL. Had PD in last meeting.

RAVENS NOTES:

QB LAMAR JACKSON passed for 153 yards in Week 12. Has passed for 205+ yards & TD in 8 of his past 9 at home. Has 2+ TD passes in 8 of his past 9 in primetime & aims for his 8th in row in primetime with 125+ rating. Has 2,472 pass yards (224.7 per game) & has 24 TDs (22 pass, 2 rush) with 104.5 rating in 11 career starts vs. Cin. Completed 25 of 33 atts. (75.8 pct.) for 290 yards & 4 TDs with 141.4 rating in last meeting. • RB DERRICK HENRY led team with 88 scrimmage yards (64 rush, 24 rec.) & had 2 rush TDs last week, becoming 3rd player ever (HOFers LaDainian Tomlinson & Emmitt Smith) with 30+ games with 2+ rush TDs. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with 2+ rush TDs. Needs 31 scrimmage yards & TD to become 4th player with 1,000+ scrimmage yards & 10 TDs in 8 consecutive seasons. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Cin. with 70+ scrimmage yards & rush TD. • WR ZAY FLOWERS had 69 scrimmage yards (58 rec., 11 rush) in Week 12. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. division with 75+ scrimmage yards. • WR DEANDRE HOPKINS needs 1 catch to become 5th WR under 34 to reach 1,000 receptions. Has 4+ receptions in 4 of his 5 career games vs. Cin., incl. 4 catches for 63 yards in his last game vs. Cin. (10/1/23 w/ Ten.). • TE MARK ANDREWS has TD catch in 3 of his past 4. Aims for his 3rd in row in primetime with 2+ TD catches. Had 6 catches for 68 yards & TD in last meeting. • LB ROQUAN SMITH led team with 11 tackles last week. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Cin. with 10+ tackles. • LB MIKE GREEN (rookie) had 5 tackles & sack in Week 12. • LB DRE’MONT JONES had 4 tackles, 1.5 sacks & 1st PD of season last week. • CB MARLON HUMPHREY had 4 tackles, TFL & FF in Week 12. Has FF in 2 of his past 3. Had 5 tackles, FF & PD in last meeting. • S KYLE HAMILTON had 10 tackles last week. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Cin. with PD. • S ALOHI GILMAN had 5th career FR in Week 12.

BENGALS QB JOE BURROW EXCITED FOR LONG-AWAITED RETURN AND THANKSGIVING STAGE AGAINST RAVENS

CINCINNATI (AP) — Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow confirmed on Tuesday that he’ll be returning on Thanksgiving night to start against the Baltimore Ravens.

Burrow had surgery to repair a turf toe injury on Sept. 19, and is making his return nearly a full month ahead of schedule.

“We pushed it within the limits of what we could do, and kind of just based it on how I was feeling, how I was recovering, how it looked the next day after we pushed it, and just went from there,” said Burrow, who missed nine games.

Burrow returns to a 3-8 Bengals team that has dropped four straight and is tied for last place in the AFC North. Even though the Bengals are reeling, it was important to coach Zac Taylor for Burrow to return when he was ready regardless of the Bengals’ record.

It was also important to Burrow.

“I’m a football player,” Burrow said. “If I get hurt, I’m going to go through the rehab process and then I’m going to let everyone know when I feel like I can go out there and play. I don’t really know what else to say about that. I’m not ever going to go to somebody and say, “Yeah, I’m healthy, but I don’t think I should go out there and play.’ That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. I’m not going to live my life and play this game scared of something happening.”

Even though Burrow hasn’t played in more than two months, he looked sharp in practice last week. The coaches worked Burrow in on the scout team as well as with the first-team offense for 11-on-11 drills where he got a better feel of the speed of the game.

Burrow had a chance to play last week against the New England Patriots in a game that the Bengals lost, 26-20. Taylor decided to stick with Joe Flacco for that game, and Burrow said that he understood the decision.

“I had a good workout early in the week, I was feeling good,” Burrow said. “Wednesday and Thursday practice happened, I took a lot of reps. My body was pretty sore. Not necessarily my toe. My toe feels great. The rest of my body being back out there for so long. I was confident I could get that right to play on Sunday. Zac ended up thinking it was better to wait the extra four days. I think that was a good decision.”

Following a challenging past two months, Burrow said that it’s meaningful to get a chance to play on Thanksgiving on a national stage. He has clear memories as a kid of watching the Detroit Lions and quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Baltimore started the season 1-5, but has won five straight to move into a tie with Pittsburgh atop the AFC North.

“You don’t like them,” Burrow said. “It’s a division rivalry. You got respect for them. It’s intense out there. I wanted to be out there for playing on Thanksgiving. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, that I pushed for in the past, and the NFL gave it to us. Then, you know, the injury happened, and thought I wasn’t gonna be able to play. And then as we got closer, I felt like it was a real possibility. So that’s exciting to me. It’s a national stage to go out and prove yourself again after not playing for several weeks.”

The Bengals will also have wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase back after he served his one-game suspension for spitting on Pittsburgh’s Jalen Ramsey. However, Tee Higgins will miss Thursday night’s game because of a concussion.

Chase said he was happy because “I got my friend back out there” when discussing Burrow.

“I know he’s excited for it. There’s not a better game for him to come back and show what he can do,” Chase said. “I know he wanted to play (last week), but I don’t think it was time. They have him another week to relax and get himself back under him. So his legs should be feeling good, his feet should be feeling good, and he should be ready.”

CHARGERS RETURN FROM BYE TRYING TO GET BACK ON TRACK AGAINST REELING RAIDERS, LOSERS OF 5 STRAIGHT

Las Vegas (2-9) at Los Angeles Chargers (7-4)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, CBS

BetMGM NFL Odds: Chargers by 10

Against the spread: Raiders 4-7; Chargers 4-6-1

Series record: Raiders lead 69-62-2.

Last meeting: Chargers beat Raiders 20-9 in Las Vegas on Sept. 15.

Last week: Raiders lost to Browns 24-10; Chargers lost to Jaguars 35-6 on Nov. 16.

Raiders offense: overall (30), rush (31), pass (25), scoring (T-31).

Raiders defense: overall (T-14), rush (14), pass (18), scoring (23).

Chargers offense: overall (12), rush (17), pass (11), scoring (20).

Chargers defense: overall (5), rush (16), pass (4), scoring (10).

Turnover differential: Raiders minus-3; Chargers minus-1.

Raiders player to watch

RB Ashton Jeanty. New play-caller Greg Olson will try to get more out of the sixth overall pick from Boise State, who ran for 50 yards on 17 carries against Cleveland. Jeanty has one 100-yard game, which came in Week 4 versus Chicago, and has only averaged more than 4 yards per carry twice. The Chargers are in the middle of the pack in rushing defense, so Jeanty could have opportunities to make plays.

Chargers player to watch

QB Justin Herbert has had two weeks to stew over the worst performance of his career, throwing for 81 yards with an interception as Los Angeles was routed in Jacksonville before its bye. A showdown with the Raiders should be just what Herbert needs to get back on track, having thrown 20 touchdowns against two interceptions and posting a 7-3 record in 10 meetings.

Key matchup

Raiders TE Brock Bowers vs. Chargers S Derwin James Jr. The firing of Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly on Sunday happened for many reasons, including an inability to consistently maximize their top passing game playmaker in Bowers. He had five receptions for 103 yards in the season-opening win over New England, and all three of Bowers’ touchdown catches this season came in the 30-29 overtime loss to the Jaguars on Nov. 2. In Bowers’ six other games, he is averaging a modest 4.6 receptions for 46.7 yards. If Las Vegas wants to get Bowers on track, the versatile James will be waiting opposite him and ready to show off his formidable skills in coverage.

Key injuries

Raiders: Jeanty hurt his ankle in the fourth quarter versus the Browns, an injury which is not expected to hinder his availability to play this week. LT Kolton Miller (high ankle sprain/fractured ankle) remains out but continues working towards returning this season.

Chargers: RB Omarion Hampton returned to practice this week after missing the past six games because of an ankle injury. DT Otito Ogbonnia (elbow) also had his window to resume practicing open. Both could potentially be activated off injured reserve to play Sunday.

Series notes

The Chargers have won all three games against the Raiders by double digits since Jim Harbaugh became head coach. … The Chargers are 4-1 against the Raiders at SoFi Stadium despite the strong support the visitors enjoy for their visits to Inglewood, California. Coincidentally, the Raiders’ only win came in 2020 when fans were not allowed to attend because of the pandemic.

Stats and stuff

Las Vegas’ 17 passes defended by defensive linemen is easily the most in the league. Philadelphia is next with 12. … Charles Snowden and Maxx Crosby have intercepted passes. It’s the first time since 2001 the Raiders have had two defensive linemen with an interception in a season since 2001 when Chris Cooper and Darrell Russell made picks. … Bowers has 157 receptions for 1,704 yards, the highest in both categories for any tight end in NFL history through the first 25 games. … Raheem Mostert averages 30.5 yards per kickoff return, second only to the 34.4 average by Buffalo’s Ray Davis…. S Jeremy Chinn needs one sack to become the eighth defensive back since 1982 with six consecutive seasons with at least one. … K Daniel Carlson’s 219 made field goals since he entered the league in 2018 is the most over that span. … A victory would give coach Pete Carroll 173 for his career, which would move him into a tie for 16th with Jeff Fisher. Carroll is tied with Bill Parcells. … In WR Ladd McConkey, Keenan Allen, Quentin Johnston and TE Oronde Gadsden II, the Chargers are the only team in the NFL that has four players with at least 35 receptions, 500 yards receiving and two touchdown receptions. … Allen has played the Raiders 19 times and has 111 receptions for 1,239 yards and eight touchdowns against them with three 100-yard outings. … McConkey needs 37 yards to pass Allen (1,829) for second most by a Charger in his first two seasons. John Jefferson had 2,091 yards in his first two years with the team. … Los Angeles is third in the NFL in third down efficiency, converting on 45.8% of its attempts. … The Chargers defense is fifth in the NFL in holding opponents on third down, allowing them to move the chains on 35.6% of their tries. … CB Donte Jackson leads Los Angeles with three interceptions. He has interceptions in each of his past two games against Las Vegas. … The Chargers have recovered one fumble this season, which ties them with Cincinnati, Washington and the New York Jets for the fewest in the league.

Fantasy tip

If Hampton is activated off injured reserve, he becomes an immediate priority play against the mediocre Raiders defense. The rookie first-round pick had been coming on strong before the lengthy absence, averaged 120 yards from scrimmage over his past three games, and Hampton’s 17 receptions in that span highlights his value in the passing game.

BUCCANEERS TRY TO END 3-GAME SKID AGAINST LOWLY CARDINALS, WHO HAVE DROPPED 8 OF 9

Arizona (3-8) at Tampa Bay (6-5)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox.

BetMGM NFL odds: Buccaneers by 3.

Against the spread: Buccaneers 5-6, Cardinals 5-6.

Series record: Tied 11-11.

Last meeting: Buccaneers beat the Cardinals 19-16 in OT on Dec. 25, 2022, in Glendale, Arizona.

Last week: Jaguars beat the Cardinals 27-24 in OT; Buccaneers lost to Rams 34-7.

Cardinals offense: overall (15), rush (25), pass (10), scoring (18t).

Cardinals defense: overall (19), rush (17), pass (20), scoring (24).

Buccaneers offense: overall (20), rush (20), pass (19), scoring (14).

Buccaneers defense: overall (21), rush (8t), pass (27), scoring (25).

Turnover differential: Cardinals plus-5; Buccaneers plus-8.

Cardinals player to watch

WR Michael Wilson. He has been great as the team’s No. 1 option at receiver while Marvin Harrison Jr. is recovering from surgery for appendicitis. Wilson has caught 25 passes for 303 yards in the past two games, providing easily the best production of his three-year career. Even if Harrison returns against the Bucs, Wilson’s eye-opening performance makes him a bigger target.

Buccaneers player to watch

RB Bucky Irving. He’s expected to return after missing seven games with foot and shoulder injuries. Though he’s expected to be limited in snaps, Irving is a playmaker and a threat to go the distance every time he touches the ball.

Key matchup

Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat vs. Buccaneers left tackle Tristan Wirfs. Sweat has nine sacks in 11 games in his first season with Arizona after signing a huge deal in free agency following a 2 1/2-sack performance in the Super Bowl for Philadelphia. Wirfs is an All-Pro and they’ve battled previously. Wirfs protects Baker Mayfield’s blind side. Mayfield is dealing with a left shoulder sprain and his status is uncertain. Teddy Bridgewater would start if he can’t play.

Key injuries

Cardinals: QB Kyler Murray (foot) has to miss at least one more game on injured reserve. … Sweat (eye), LB Baron Browning (concussion), RB Emari Demercado (ankle) and S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (ankle) were among those who didn’t practice Wednesday. … DL Walter Nolen III (knee) won’t play Sunday. … RB Trey Benson (knee) and WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (appendix) were limited at practice.

Buccaneers: Mayfield could be a game-time decision. … Irving is expected back after missing seven games. … WR Mike Evans (clavicle) and WR Jalen McMillan (neck) remain out. … OLB Haason Reddick (knee, ankle) isn’t expected to play. … LG Ben Bredeson (hamstring), CB Benjamin Morrison (hamstring) and CB Jamel Dean (hip) didn’t play last week.

Series notes

The Buccaneers have won two in a row, including the last meeting when Tom Brady led Tampa Bay to an overtime victory on Christmas Day.

Stats and stuff

The Cardinals have lost eight of their past nine games after starting the season with a 2-0 record. Six of those losses have come by four points or less. … Cardinals TE Trey McBride enters Sunday’s game with 301 career receptions. He needs one more to pass Jimmy Graham for the most in his first four seasons for a tight end in NFL history. … Arizona QB Jacoby Brissett leads the NFL with 1,887 yards passing since Week 6, providing stellar production since taking over for Murray. … The Cardinals rank second in the NFL with 10 forced fumbles. … The Cardinals have 19 players on injured reserve or non-football injury lists, which is the most in the NFL. … Cardinals DL Calais Campbell will play his 273rd career game on Sunday. That’s the third-most in NFL history behind Jim Marshall (282) and Bruce Smith (279). … Mayfield is fifth in the NFC with 18 TDs. He had 41 last season. … Irving, expected to return for the first time since Week 4, had 165 yards from scrimmage in that game. … WR Emeka Egbuka ranks first among rookies in TD catches (six) and second in yards receiving (749) this season. … Fellow rookie WR Tez Johnson has five TDs. … LB Lavonte David joined Pro Football Hall of Famer Julius Peppers as the only players since 2000 with 40 sacks, 30 forced fumbles and 10 interceptions. David has 41 1/2 sacks, 32 forced fumbles and 14 interceptions in his career. … S Antoine Winfield Jr. needs two sacks to join Jamal Adams (21 1/2) as the only defensive backs since 1982 with 20 sacks in their first six seasons. …. K Chase McLaughlin is 8 for 8 from beyond 50 yards on field goals.

Fantasy tip

McBride could have a big day facing Tampa Bay’s poor pass defense. He has had five catches in 13 straight games and leads all tight ends with 80 receptions and 797 receiving yards this season.

VIKINGS FACE DARNOLD, SEAHAWKS LOOKING TO SNAP 3-GAME SKID

Minnesota (4-7) at Seattle (8-3)

Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EST, Fox.

BetMGM NFL odds: Seahawks by 9 1/2.

Against the spread: Seahawks 8-3, Vikings 4-7.

Series record: Seahawks lead 13-7.

Last meeting: Vikings beat the Seahawks 27-24 on Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle.

Last week: Seahawks beat the Titans 30-24, Vikings lost 23-6 at the Packers

Vikings offense: overall (28), rush (24), pass (28), scoring (25).

Vikings defense: overall (11), rush (24), pass (7), scoring (18).

Seahawks offense: overall (7), rush (16), pass (4), scoring (4).

Seahawks defense: overall (7), rush (4), pass (14), scoring (7).

Turnover differential: Seahawks minus-7; Vikings minus-12.

Vikings player to watch

CB Byron Murphy Jr. The team’s top cover man has had a quiet year after making his first Pro Bowl last season and signing a new contract worth $66 million over three years. After having career highs with six interceptions and 14 passes defensed last season, Murphy has not picked off a pass and has just three passes defensed. He’ll need to be at his best against the NFL’s leading receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Seahawks player to watch

Linebacker Patrick O’Connell. The Seahawks reserve linebacker was pressed into a more prominent role last week because of injuries, and did a fine job filling in. O’Connell had a career-high nine tackles, as well as the first sack of his career. Should Seattle continue to deal with injuries at linebacker, O’Connell could be pivotal to how the Seahawks defense fares on Sunday.

Key matchup

Seahawks RBs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet vs. Vikings defense. Though the Vikings have given up 140-plus rushing yards in each of their past three games, those opponents were all playing with second-half leads and looking to run the clock. Despite ranking 24th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game, the Vikings are 12th in rushing yards per play allowed and have held their past four opponents to a combined 3.7 yards per carry. Running the ball has been a mixed bag for the Seahawks this season. They rank just 26th in rushing yards per play.

Key injuries

Vikings: Struggling QB J.J. McCarthy entered the concussion protocol after the team returned from Green Bay, putting his availability for Sunday in question. If he’s not cleared in time to play, rookie Max Brosmer would start. … OLB Jonathan Greenard (shoulder) has missed the past two games, but has been practicing on a limited basis. … After getting the entire starting offensive line healthy for the start of the game against the Packers last week for the first time all season, the Vikings lost LT Christian Darrisaw and LG Donovan Jackson to ankle injuries during the game. Their status for Sunday was unclear as the practice week began.

Seahawks: DT Johnathan Hankins (back) will not return from the reserve/non-football injury list this season, coach Mike Macdonald said last week. WR Tory Horton (shin) was placed on injured reserve last week. LB Chazz Surratt (ankle), RB George Holani (hamstring) and S Ty Okada (oblique) left with injuries on Sunday, and injured reserve is a consideration for all three. LB Tyrice Knight (concussion) and LB Ernest Jones IV (knee) both missed last Sunday’s game, but Macdonald was unclear about their status for this Sunday’s game as the practice week began.

Series notes

Minnesota’s win in Seattle last season was the first since 2006, ending a five-game losing streak there. The Vikings are 3-9 all time on the road against the Seahawks. This is their fifth visit to Lumen Field in eight seasons.

Stats and stuff

The Vikings have already lost more than twice as many games as last season. … McCarthy’s completion rate (54.1 percent) is the lowest in the league this season among all QBs with more than 50 passing attempts. His sack rate (11.2 percent) is second worst, and his interception rate (6.3 percent) is third worst. … The Vikings are averaging 5.3 yards per rushing attempt over their past four games. … Vikings LB Blake Cashman had a season-high 16 tackles last week, his fifth straight game with 10-plus tackles for the longest active streak in the league. … The Vikings have forced 40 opponent rushing attempts for negative yardage, excluding kneel-downs, tied for second most in the NFL. … Will Reichard is 21 for 23 on field goals for the Vikings, including 8 of 10 from 50-plus yards. He’s the first kicker in NFL history with four field goals of at least 59 yards or longer in the same season. … The Seahawks are 8-3 for the first time since 2020. Seattle went 10-7 last season and hasn’t had a losing season since 2021 under Pete Carroll. … The Seahawks are 4-3 against AFC foes this season, including 2-2 at home… Sam Darnold bounced back from throwing a season-high four interceptions against the LA Rams to throw two touchdown passes against the Tennessee Titans last week…. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who set the Seahawks single-season receiving yards record last week, leads the NFL in that category this season. His 1,313 yards are 259 more than George Pickens, the NFL’s second-leading receiver. … Linebacker Ernest Jones IV has a career-high three interceptions this season, tied for fifth most in the NFL. … The Seahawks have 36 sacks, good for fourth in the NFL, while the offense has allowed just 11. … Seahawks K Jason Myers went 2 for 2 on field-goal attempts in Seattle’s most recent game. Myers’ lone miss over the past four weeks came on a 61-yard attempt as time expired against the Rams.

Fantasy tip

If McCarthy is not available for Sunday after entering concussion protocol and the Vikings have to turn to Brosmer, who has attempted all of eight passes in his NFL career, Minnesota will want to quickly get the rookie comfortable. Expect tight end T.J. Hockenson to be prominently featured, and consider starting him in your fantasy lineup.

TEXANS HIT THE ROAD AS THEY TRY TO CUT INTO COLTS’ DIVISION LEAD AND GET BACK IN PLAYOFF MIX

Houston (6-5) at Indianapolis (8-3)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS

BetMGM NFL odds: Colts by 4 1/2.

Against the spread: Texans 5-6, Colts 7-3-1.

Series record: Colts lead 33-13-1.

Last meeting: Colts beat Chiefs 20-17 on Sept. 25, 2022, in Indianapolis.

Last week: Texans beat Bills 23-19; Colts lost to Chiefs 23-20 in OT.

Texans offense: overall (18), rush (23), pass (16), scoring (21)

Texans defense: overall (1), rush (5), pass (3), scoring (2)

Colts offense: overall (2), rush (4), pass (7), scoring (1)

Colts defense: overall (23), rush (7), pass (28), scoring (9)

Turnover differential: Texans plus-10; Colts plus-4.

Texans player to watch

S Calen Bullock. He’s coming off the best game of his career with a forced fumble and a career-high two interceptions, including one in the final seconds to seal the 23-19 victory over Buffalo. Bullock, a 2024 third-round draft pick, is the only NFL player this season with two interceptions and one forced fumble in a single game.

Colts player to watch

QB Daniel Jones. He has been under heavy pressure each of the last four games and it has shown. Despite winning two of those games, he had seven turnovers, neen sacked 15 times and produced two of his three worst passer ratings this season. He’s likely to see even more pressure Sunday. And with a sore lower leg, the Colts need him to handle the pressure better against the Texans to win.

Key matchup

WR Nico Collins vs. CB Sauce Gardner. Collins enters with 52 catches and a team-best 697 yards receiving. And he has caused all sorts of problems for Indy over the past four seasons. The Colts’ biggest weakness this season had been the secondary — until they acquired Gardner at the trade deadline. On Sunday, Gardner is expected to see plenty of action against Collins.

Key injuries

Texans: Starting QB C.J. Stroud was still in the concussion protocol Wednesday, but the Texans remain hopeful he’ll play in this week’s division contest after missing previous three games. … S Jalen Pitre also has been in the concussion protocol since suffering his injury Nov. 2.

Colts: In addition to Jones’ sore fibula, Indy placed receiver Ashton Dulin on injured reserve earlier this week with a hamstring injury. … DT Neville Gallimore (knee), Gardner (back) and Jones all were limited participants in Wednesday’s walkthrough. … Pro Bowl DT DeForest Buckner remains on injured reserve with a neck injury and his absence has hurt the Colts’ rushing defense.

Series notes

Houston has won three straight and four of the last five in this series. … Indy was 4-0-1 in the five matchups before the current streak. … These franchises played to a 20-20 tie in September 2022, seasons that went so poorly for both teams that each changed coaches and selected new quarterbacks in the top five selections of the 2023 draft. … Indianapolis and Houston have squared off twice a year since league officials first created the AFC South in 2002.

Stats and stuff

The Texans have won three straight to move above .500 for the first time this season. … Houston sacked Buffalo’s Josh Allen a career-high eight times last week. … Texans RB Woody Marks led the team with 74 yards rushing last week and ranks sixth among rookies with 422 yards rushing. … WR Christian Kirk had his 30th career TD reception and first with the Texans last week. He had four receptions for 88 yards in his last game against Indianapolis last season when he was still playing for Jacksonville. … Collins had six receptions for 117 yards in his only game against the Colts last year. … DE Will Anderson Jr. had a season-high 2½ sacks last week and now has at least one in six straight games, tying the franchise record. He ranks fourth in the NFL with 10½ sacks this year. … DE Danielle Hunter added two sacks against Buffalo to give him 11 this season, which ranks third in the league. He has at least two sacks in four games this season, tied with Cleveland’s Myles Garrett and the New York Giants’ Brian Burns for the league high. … The Colts are 5-0 at Lucas Oil Stadium this season with four of those wins coming by double digits. Indy also was the designated home team in Berlin when it beat Atlanta in overtime. … Coach Shane Steichen’s first career win came at Houston in 2023, but he has not beaten the Texans since and is 0-2 all-time in the series at home. … Indy has scored 20 points in all three losses this season, but still leads the NFL with 31.0 points per game and 3.04 points per drive. … Jones needs 160 yards passing to log the third 3,000-yard season of his career and just his second since 2020. … RB Jonathan Taylor leads the league with 1,197 yards rushing and 15 TD runs. He needs two more TD runs to surpass Hall of Famer Lenny Moore for the franchise’s second-highest rushing total (16) in a single season. … Tyler Warren’s 55 receptions already have broken the franchise record for a rookie tight end, and he needs 65 yards receiving to break Hall of Famer John Mackey’s rookie record (726). … LB Germaine Pratt had 20 tackles, 15 of those solo, in last week’s loss. … The Colts punted on their final four possessions last week after entering the game with a league-low 19 through their first 10 games.

Fantasy tip

Houston has moved back into playoff contention largely because of a suffocating defense that has been ratcheting up the pressure on quarterbacks across the league. With Jones hurting and the Colts looking more susceptible to the pass rush over the last four games, expect more of the same from Houston — even against the league’s top-scoring offense.

BEARS TRAVEL TO PHILADELPHIA TO TAKE ON EAGLES ON FRIDAY IN A MATCHUP OF DIVISION LEADERS

Chicago (8-3) at Philadelphia (8-3)

Friday, 3 p.m., EST, Amazon Prime.

BetMGM NFL Odds: Eagles by 7.

Against the Spread: Bears 7-4; Eagles 7-4.

Series record: Bears lead 28-14-1.

Last meeting: Eagles defeated the Bears 25-20 on Dec. 18, 2022, in Chicago.

Bears offense: overall (6), rush (2), pass (12), scoring (8).

Bears defense: overall (27), rush (28), pass (21), scoring (27).

Eagles offense: overall (24), rush (21), pass (23), scoring (17).

Eagles defense: overall (20), rush (19), pass (22), scoring (8).

Turnover differential: Bears plus-16; Eagles plus-6.

Bears players to watch

WRs Rome Odunze and D.J. Moore. Chicago’s starting duo has combined for 1,138 yards receiving and nine touchdowns, helping the Bears’ reputation as a big-play offense. Chicago has 87 plays this season with runs of 10-plus yards or passes of 20-plus yards, the most in the NFL.

Eagles player to watch

WR A.J. Brown. Since voicing his displeasure with his role in the offense following Philadelphia’s 10-7 win over Green Bay on Nov. 10, Brown has 159 yards receiving in two games. The three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver was targeted 10 times in Sunday’s 24-21 loss at Dallas, catching eight passes for 110 yards and a score.

Key matchup

Chicago secondary vs. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts. Bears defensive backs Kevin Byard and Nahshon Wright each have five interceptions, helping Chicago to an NFL-best 24 takeaways, including 16 interceptions. Chicago has capitalized with 73 points off its takeaways, but it will be facing one of the league’s stingiest quarterbacks. Hurts leads the league with a 25-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Key injuries

Bears: LB Ruben Hyppolite II (shoulder), CB Tyrique Stevenson (hip) and DL Dominique Robinson (concussion protocol) all exited Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh.

Eagles: RT Lane Johnson (foot) and S Andrew Mukuba (ankle) are out. … S Reed Blankenship (hamstring) left Sunday’s game against Dallas, but is expected to play against Chicago. … CB Adoree’ Jackson (concussion protocol) would have practiced Tuesday if the Eagles held a regular session rather than a walkthrough.

Series notes

The Eagles have won six in a row overall in the series, but are 9-13-1 against the Bears in Philadelphia, including playoffs.

Stats and stuff

The Bears have won four in a row, lead the NFC North and would be the No. 3 seed in the NFC if the playoffs started today. … Chicago is playing its first regular-season game on a Friday since 1966. … Caleb Williams threw for 239 yards and three touchdowns in Chicago’s win over the Steelers. He connected with eight receivers, led by Moore’s five catches for 64 yards and a pair of touchdowns. … Williams ranks 27th in completion percentage at 59.2%. He has thrown for 2,568 yards and 16 TDs and run for 293 yards and three TDs. … RBs D’Andre Swift and rookie Kyle Monangai have combined for 1,110 yards rushing and eight TDs. … The Bears lead the NFL with a plus-16 turnover differential. … Montez Sweat tops the club with 7 1/2 sacks after having two against the Steelers last week. … Former Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson has three sacks for Chicago. … The NFC East-leading and defending Super Bowl champion Eagles would be the No. 2 seed in the NFC if the playoffs started this week. … Philadelphia led the Cowboys 21-0 with 11:32 left in the first half, but didn’t score another point, losing 24-21. … RB Saquon Barkley had 22 yards rushing on 10 carries against Dallas, upping his season total to 684 yards. He finished with 2,005 yards rushing last season. … Philadelphia committed 14 penalties for 96 yards against the Cowboys. … Hurts has combined for 2,582 yards and 25 touchdowns through the air and on the ground. … The Eagles are 14-1 in their last 15 home games and are tied with Kansas City for the second-best home winning percentage since 2022, with their .833 mark just behind Buffalo’s .838 home win rate. … Philadelphia is 11-0 against NFC North teams under Nick Sirianni. … DeVonta Smith leads the Eagles with 754 yards receiving and made a stellar 41-yard grab against the Cowboys. … DT Moro Ojomo has a team-leading four sacks. … LB Zack Baun leads the club with 88 tackles.

Fantasy tip

Philadelphia’s Dallas Goedert is tied for the lead among NFL tight ends with seven touchdown catches. Goedert could be a target of Hurts in the red zone, where Philadelphia leads the league with a 77.8% TD conversion rate.

FALCONS AND KIRK COUSINS TAKE ON JETS AND TYROD TAYLOR IN MATCHUP OF VET QBS ON STRUGGLING SQUADS

Atlanta (4-7) at New York Jets (2-9)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox.

BetMGM NFL Odds: Falcons by 2 1/2.

Against the spread: Falcons 5-5-1; Jets 6-4-1.

Series record: Falcons lead 9-5.

Last meeting: Falcons beat Jets 13-8 on Dec. 3, 2023, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Last week: Falcons beat Saints 24-10; Jets lost to Ravens 23-10

Falcons offense: overall (18), rush (13), pass (18), scoring (26t).

Falcons defense: overall (16), rush (26), pass (8), scoring (15).

Jets offense: overall (29), rush (7), pass (32), scoring (26t).

Jets defense: overall (14t), rush (23), pass (10), scoring (26).

Turnover differential: Falcons plus-5; Jets minus-13.

Falcons player to watch

QB Kirk Cousins. The 37-year-old veteran was efficient in his return to the starting lineup in last week’s win at New Orleans that snapped the Falcons’ five-game skid, completing 16 of 23 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns and one interception that was off tight end Kyle Pitts’ hands. Because Cousins had a poor finish to 2024, lost his starting job to Michael Penix Jr. and then struggled earlier this season in a fill-in start, there remains reason to question if the solid start against the lowly Saints was a true indicator of what’s to come with Penix out for the rest of the season. Cousins’ most encouraging throw was a 49-yarder to Darnell Mooney, an indication he might be able to recapture his early season form from last year.

Jets player to watch

RB Breece Hall. He remains the most dynamic part of the Jets’ offense and became the franchise’s sixth player since the 1970 merger to surpass 1,000 yards from scrimmage in three or more consecutive seasons. Hall had 119 total yards last week at Baltimore, including 75 yards receiving. He’ll also be looking to bounce back from a costly fumble near the goal line midway through the fourth quarter with the Jets down by 10.

Key matchup

Falcons RB Bijan Robinson vs. Jets’ defensive front. Robinson is a dual threat for Atlanta, who has rushed for 100 or more yards three times this season and is averaging 5.0 yards per carry. He also has 49 catches with two games over 100 yards receiving. After some early season struggles, the Jets have been solid against the run and have held their past two opponents under 100 yards rushing.

Key injuries

Falcons: Coach Raheem Morris said Wednesday that WR Drake London is doubtful to play with a knee injury that also sidelined him last week. … LG Matthew Bergeron left last week’s game in his return after missing a game with a left ankle injury. Bergeron appeared to aggravate the injury.

Jets: WR Garrett Wilson remains on injured reserve with a knee injury and will miss at least the next two games. … Coach Aaron Glenn said DT Harrison Phillips (foot) was the only notable injury entering the practice week, but he’ll play.

Series notes

The Falcons have won the past three meetings and five of the past six. … The Jets’ most recent win at home against Atlanta was on Oct. 25, 1998, when Vinny Testaverde threw two touchdown passes and Curtis Martin ran for 101 yards and a score in a 28-3 win. … Atlanta won the first meeting 28-20 on Nov. 25, 1973, at New York. Bob Lee threw two TD passes and Eddie Ray ran for two scores to top the Jets and Joe Namath, who had two touchdown throws, but was also intercepted three times.

Stats and stuff

The Falcons are 1-3 against AFC East teams with a win over Buffalo and losses to Miami, New England and Indianapolis. … With two touchdown passes last week, Cousins moved into a tie with Johnny Unitas for 17th in the NFL’s career list with 290. … Robinson needs one catch and 4 yards to become only the fifth player in NFL history with at least 50 receptions and 1,400 yards from scrimmage in each of his first three seasons, joining Matt Forte, Justin Jefferson, Herschel Walker and LaDainian Tomlinson. … Robinson ranks third in the league with 126.9 scrimmage yards per game. … Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich went 3-9 as the Jets’ interim head coach last season after Robert Saleh was fired. Ulbrich was New York’s defensive coordinator from 2021-24. … First-round draft picks Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. rank first and second, respectively, among rookies in sacks. Walker has five and Pearce has four. Pearce has sacks in three consecutive games. … Walker and Pearce are the only rookies to have a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery. … S Xavier Watts leads NFL rookies with three interceptions. … The Falcons have at least five sacks in each of their past four games. They rank third with 39 sacks after finishing 2024 with only 31 to finish next to last. … K Zane Gonzalez made all three of his field-goal attempts — from 56, 41 and 54 yards — in his second game with the Falcons and was selected the NFC’s special teams player of the week. … The Jets have lost two in a row after winning back-to-back games for their first victories this season. Their loss last week at Baltimore clinched their 10th consecutive losing season. … The Jets have dropped 10 consecutive games after scoring first, tying them with Jacksonville (2019-21) for the second-longest streak in NFL history. Cleveland has the record with 11 in a row during the 2015 to 2018 seasons. … With a loss to Atlanta, combined with a few other scenarios, New York could be eliminated from playoff contention for the 15th straight season — the NFL’s longest active drought. … QB Tyrod Taylor gets his second straight start in place of the benched Justin Fields. The 36-year-old Taylor threw for 222 yards with a touchdown and an interceptions against the Ravens. He’s 29-30-1 as a starter in his 15 NFL seasons. … WR John Metchie III, acquired from Philadelphia before the trade deadline, had a career-high six receptions at Baltimore for 65 yards and a touchdown, the third of his career and second in as many weeks. … TE Mason Taylor is 12 catches away from surpassing Dustin Keller (48 in 2008) for the most receptions by a Jets rookie tight end since the merger. … The defense has no interceptions, an NFL record through a team’s first 11 games. The franchise mark for fewest in a season is six, set in 2014. The Jets also only have one takeaway, a fumble recovery in Week 6. … K Nick Folk is 20 for 20 on field goals and 15 for 15 on extra points, the only player to be perfect in both categories this season. … P Austin McNamara’s 42.8 net average ranks as the best by a Jets punter since Stats Pass began tracking the stat in 1976.

Fantasy tip

Metchie could be a smart late-season add as a WR3 for receiver-needy teams. With Wilson still out, Metchie has quickly established himself as a go-to receiver since being acquired from the Eagles. He has nine catches on 10 targets for 110 yards and two TDs in his past two games.

DOLPHINS SEEKING TO EXTEND WIN STREAK TO 3 GAMES, BUT WILL HAVE TO SOLVE SAINTS’ SECONDARY TO DO SO

New Orleans (2-9) at Miami (4-7)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox.

BetMGM NFL odds: Dolphins by 5 1/2.

Against the spread: Saints 3-8, Dolphins 6-5.

Series record: Dolphins lead 7-6.

Last meeting: Dolphins beat the Saints 20-3 on Dec. 27, 2021, in New Orleans.

Last week: Saints lost to Falcons 24-10, Dolphins had a bye following 16-13 OT win over Commanders.

Saints offense: overall (26), rush (29), pass (20), scoring (T-31).

Saints defense: overall (12), rush (21), pass (9), scoring (22).

Dolphins offense: overall (25), rush (18), pass (26), scoring (24).

Dolphins defense: overall (25), rush (29), pass (12), scoring (21).

Turnover differential: Saints minus-4; Dolphins minus-5.

Saints player to watch

QB Tyler Shough. The Saints are clearly in that see-what-we-have mode with Shough, who has started New Orleans’ past three games and completed 68.1% of his passes in that span — turning 94 throws into 701 yards, a respectable 7.46 yards per attempt. But the deep ball wasn’t there this past week; Shough completed eight passes for more than 10 yards against Atlanta, yet none of those throws gained more than 18 yards.

Dolphins player to watch

RB De’Von Achane. He’s one of only five players entering the week with 800 or more rushing yards in each of the past three seasons. Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson, Baltimore’s Derrick Henry, Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs and Buffalo’s James Cook are the others. Achane is averaging 5.5 yards per carry; he could join Mercury Morris and Larry Csonka as the only Dolphins to have multiple seasons averaging more than 5 yards per rush. Achane averaged 7.8 yards per rush in 2023.

Key matchup

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa is facing a top-10 secondary this week, with the Saints allowing fewer than 200 yards passing per game. New Orleans’ secondary also gave the Saints their only touchdown last weekend on safety Justin Reid’s interception and 49-yard return.

Key injuries

Saints: Running back Alvin Kamara has a right knee injury that kept him out of the last three quarters of last Sunday’s loss to Atlanta. His timeline for returning remained unclear this week. Right tackle Taliese Fuaga who has missed two games with a high ankle sprain, has said he’d try to practice this week and see if he feels healthy enough to play.

Dolphins: The bye week gave everyone on the active roster a chance to heal up a bit. and TE Darren Waller’s 21-day window for returning off injured reserve opened when the team practiced Wednesday.

Series notes

New Orleans has won three of the past four meetings. … These teams met for the first time in 1970 in Miami’s Orange Bowl. New Orleans’ first victory in the series did not come until 1983 in the Superdome. … The Saints have only one victory in Miami against the Dolphins, a 46-34 victory on Oct. 25, 2009, — a game in which the Saints overcame a 24-3 deficit to match the largest comeback in franchise history.

Stats and stuff

The Saints played twice at the Dolphins’ home stadium in the 2009 season, beating Miami in Week 7 and then topping Indianapolis in the Super Bowl. New Orleans hasn’t played in what is now called Hard Rock Stadium since; its previous “road” game against the Dolphins was at London in 2017. The Saints have played in 38 different stadiums since their last trip to Miami Gardens. … The Saints beat the Dolphins 33-30 at New Orleans in 1995. All six of the meetings between the teams since have been decided by between 12 and 21 points. … Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa is 15-4 as a starter in November games. He’s 15-16 as a starter in September and October games. … Among quarterbacks with at least 2,000 career passes, Tagovailoa’s completion rate of 68.1% is second best in NFL history. Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow has completed 68.5% of his throws. … Saints RB Alvin Kamara passed the Eric Dickerson for 39th place on the NFL’s career rushing list with one team this past weekend. Kamara has 7,250 yards with the Saints; Dickerson ran for 7,245 with the Rams, one of four teams that the NFL’s No. 9 career rusher played with. … This trip is the first of two straight in Florida for the Saints, who visit Tampa Bay on Dec. 7. … New Orleans will finish under .500 in back-to-back years for the first time since posting three consecutive 7-9 records from 2014 through 2016. … The Dolphins are aiming to extend their winning streak to three games. They’ve had a streak of three or more games in every season since 2019.

Fantasy tip

It’s fairly obvious that players struck gold with Achane, who’ll be in lineups all over the fantasy world this weekend as teams make playoff pushes. For those seeking a surprise, Saints WR Chris Olave was targeted on 13 passes this past weekend — a similar approach by New Orleans this weekend will give him tons of fantasy-point opportunities.

BILLS QB JOSH ALLEN EXPERIENCING OVERALL SORENESS AS HE RETURNS TO PRACTICE AFTER 8-SACK OUTING

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — With protective tape covering the back of his forearm and throwing elbow, quarterback Josh Allen was scheduled to practice fully on Wednesday despite experiencing what coach Sean McDermott referred to as “overall soreness.”

And that doesn’t include Allen complaining about hurting his left shoulder during a 23-19 loss at Houston on Thursday, in an outing when he was sacked a career-high eight times. Allen is scheduled to address the media later in the day as Buffalo (7-4) prepares to travel to play Pittsburgh (6-5) on Sunday.

What could be more concerning for Allen is that Buffalo could be missing his top two protectors.

Left tackle Dion Dawkins is in the concussion protocol. McDermott said Dawkins was evaluated for a concussion and cleared to return during the game before experiencing symptoms a day later.

Right tackle Spencer Brown, meanwhile, is unlikely to play after hurting his right shoulder in the game against Houston.

Backup Ryan Van Demark would be a candidate to fill in for Dawkins, while rookie sixth-round pick Chase Lundt would replace Brown. Buffalo’s offensive line has been durable this season, with Brown the only starter to miss one game.

McDermott expressed concern about the number of hits Allen has taken this season. He already has been sacked 28 times, double his total from all of last year.

“If we want to win or give ourselves a chance to win, we have to be better there,” McDermott said.

Said Allen after the game in which he was hit 12 times: “It’s not fun. I have to be better with throwing the ball away. … Too many times, I was going backwards, and I have to be better on that.”

Allen was healthy enough to travel to attend Wyoming’s home game against Nevada on Saturday. He was joined by his wife, actor Hailee Steinfeld, and his parents for a ceremony in which Wyoming retired his No. 17 jersey.

BUFFALO VISITS PITTSBURGH IN A GAME THAT COULD HAVE LONG-RANGING PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS

Buffalo (7-4) at Pittsburgh (6-5)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, CBS.

BetMGM NFL Odds: Bills by 3 1/2.

Against the spread: Bills 5-6, Steelers 5-6

Series record: Steelers lead 17-13

Last meeting: Bills beat Steelers 31-17 on Jan. 15, 2024.

Last week: Bills lost to Texans 23-19, Steelers lost to Bears 31-28 in Chicago

Bills offense: overall (3), rush (1), pass (9), scoring (5).

Bills defense: overall (13), rush (30), pass (1), scoring (16).

Steelers offense: overall (27), rush (26), pass (22), scoring (11).

Steelers defense: overall (28), rush (15), pass (31), scoring (20).

Turnover differential: Bills minus-2, Steelers plus-8

Bills player to watch

RB James Cook. The fourth-year running back has been the offense’s most reliable option and is coming off his sixth 100-yard outing of the season. Cook had 116 yards rushing, including a 45-yard TD, against a stingy Texans defense. Buffalo is 5-1 when Cook tops 100 yards rushing and 6-1 when he scores.

Steelers player to watch

Pittsburgh OLB TJ Watt. A week after passing older brother J.J. on the NFL’s career sack list by getting the 114th of his career, T.J. Watt will try to do his best to keep Bills QB Josh Allen in check. Though Watt is on pace for his lowest sack total during a season not shortened by injury since he was a rookie in 2017, he remains a disruptive force for a feast-or-famine defense that either produces turnovers or gets scored on. His 36 forced fumbles lead all active NFL players and Pittsburgh’s lone victory over Allen came on a day he dropped Allen twice.

Key matchup

Bills QB Josh Allen against the Steelers secondary. Allen has toyed with Pittsburgh in recent meetings. The Steelers’ veteran-laden group of defensive backs have underperformed most of the season. Seven-time Pro Bowler Jalen Ramsey moved to safety last month after Pittsburgh lost DeShon Elliott for the season. Ramsey will play an important role in keeping an eye on Allen, particularly if Allen decides to tuck the ball and run.

Key injuries

Bills: Starting LB Terrel Bernard is not expected to play after hurting his elbow against Houston. … Buffalo could be down both starting tackles with Spencer Brown (right shoulder) unlikely to play, and left tackle Dion Dawkins in concussion protocol. … TE Dalton Kincaid (hamstring) has what coach Sean McDermott called “a chance” to return after missing two games. … Allen’s status shouldn’t be an issue even though he landed on the injury report with McDermott saying the quarterback had “overall soreness” after being sacked a career-high eight times last week.

Steelers: QB Aaron Rodgers could return after sitting out last week with a wrist injury. OLB Alex Highsmith may also be back after missing two games with a pec injury. … LT Broderick Jones (neck) is out and will be replaced by Calvin Anderson. … Rookie DT Derrick Harmon (knee) is also out. … WR DK Metcalf (ankle) was limited early in the week but could play.

Series notes

The Bills have won four of the past five meetings, all of them coming since Josh Allen became the starting quarterback. Buffalo’s run began with a 17-10 victory in Pittsburgh on Dec. 15, 2019. … Pittsburgh is 10-3 all time at home against Buffalo, though the Steelers’ most recent win over the Bills at Acrisure Stadium came 12 years ago.

Stats and stuff

The game could have long-ranging playoff implications in the AFC, where seven teams entered the week at either 7-4 or 6-5. … Including playoffs, Buffalo is 11-12 on the road since 2023, and 2-3 this season. … The Bills are 18-6 following a loss since 2020. … Allen has combined for seven touchdowns (four passing, three rushing) and six giveaways (five interceptions, lost fumble) over his past three starts. … Allen is 46-31 when committing a turnover over his career, and 2-4 this season. And his career record is 20-20 when committing two giveaways, including 1-4 this season. … Allen has been sacked 28 times this season, doubling last season’s overall total. … With 1,084 yards rushing, Cook is 38 yards from matching his career best set in 2023. And he is Buffalo’s third player to top 1,000 yards rushing in three or more consecutive seasons, joining Hall of Famers Thurman Thomas (eight straight years) and O.J. Simpson (five). … The Bills had won seven straight when allowing 15 or fewer first downs before losing to Houston. … In seven wins, the Bills have outscored their opponents in the first half by a combined margin of 122-85. In four losses, they’ve been outscored 63-26. … The Steelers have lost four of six to fall into a tie with Baltimore atop the AFC North. … Pittsburgh’s defense, the most expensive in the NFL, has allowed 31 points five times, tied with the most ever in a season during Mike Tomlin’s 19 years as head coach. … The defense has tried to compensate for a lack of stops by leading the AFC with 20 takeaways. … The Steelers are struggling to get downfield in the passing game. Pittsburgh pass catchers are averaging just 9.9 yards per reception, tied for 21st in the league. … Steelers RB Kenny Gainwell and Jaylen Warren have been carrying the offense of late. The two have averaged more than 170 yards of total offense over the past two weeks. They figure to get a heavy workload, particularly if Metcalf is limited. … Pittsburgh has not scored more than seven points in the first quarter in 61 straight games. … The Steelers and Bills have both had 10 different players catch a touchdown pass this season, tops in the NFL. … Tomlin and Bills coach Sean McDermott were teammates at William & Mary University in the 1990s.

Fantasy tip

Considering Pittsburgh’s defensive issues, Allen could put up big numbers both throwing and running. The Steelers managed just one sack last week against Chicago’s Caleb Williams, and now they face one of the most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in the league.

PATRIOTS GO FOR 10TH STRAIGHT WIN MONDAY NIGHT WHEN THEY FACE GIANTS TEAM THAT HAS LOST 6 IN A ROW

New York Giants (2-10) at New England (10-2)

Monday, 8:15 p.m. EST, ESPN.

BetMGM line: Patriots by 7 1/2.

Against the spread: Giants 7-5; Patriots 7-4-1.

Series record: Tied 7-7

Last meeting: Giants won 10-7 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Nov. 26, 2023.

Last week: Giants lost to Lions 34-27 in OT; Patriots beat Bengals 26-20.

Giants offense: overall (11), rush (9), pass (13), scoring (22)

Giants defense: overall (30), rush (32), pass (23), scoring (30)

Patriots offense: overall (8), rush (19), pass (6), scoring (7)

Patriots defense: overall (8), rush (2), pass (17), scoring (6)

Turnover differential: Giants minus-6; Patriots even.

Giants player to watch

QB Jaxson Dart. The rookie is expected to be back as the starting quarterback. He missed the past two games after suffering a concussion on Nov. 9 at Chicago. New York’s offense looks reinvigorated since Mike Kafka took over as interim coach following the firing of Brian Daboll two weeks ago, even with journeyman Jameis Winston running it. Getting to see Dart let it fly should at least make things entertaining.

Patriots players to watch

QB Drake Maye. The second-year standout enters this week first in the NFL with a 71.0 completion percentage. Tom Brady has the team record for a season: 68.9 in 2007. Maye also has eight games this season with at least two touchdown passes. The team record in a single season is 14 by Brady in 2011 and 2007. The NFL record is 15 by Peyton Manning (2013) and Dan Marino (1984).

Key matchup

Giants rushing attack vs. Patriots run defense. New England didn’t allow an opposing running back to gain 50 yards for the first nine games this season on the way to becoming the NFL’s top-ranked run defense. But the Patriots have regressed over the last three games, allowing three straight running backs to eclipse 50 yards. That includes allowing a season-high 107 to Cincinnati’s Chase Brown. Next up is a New York rushing attack that’s averaging 124.5 yards per game even after losing rookie Cam Skattebo for the season to an ankle injury.

Key injuries

Giants: Edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux missed the past two games with a shoulder injury. … CB Paulson Adebo (knee) has been out for the past five weeks.

Patriots: Rookie LT Will Campbell, who left last week’s with a knee injury, was placed on injured reserve Wednesday. … New England also expects to be without LG Jared Wilson (ankle). … DT Khyiris Tonga is dealing with a chest injury. … ST Brendan Schooler is also on the mend with an ankle injury.

Series notes

The Giants last won at New England on Nov. 6, 2011. They beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl three months later. … Kafka spent five months on the Patriots’ roster as quarterback during the offseason from January-June 2013, but never played in a game for them. He was released when they signed Tim Tebow.

Stats and stuff

Dart threw for 10 touchdowns and three interceptions in his first six NFL starts. He was 19 of 29 for 242 yards against the Bears before his concussion. … Winston started the past two games for the Giants and figures to back up Dart. … WR Wan’Dale Robinson, a pending free agent, had a career-high 156 yards receiving last week at Detroit. … The Giants have blown five double-digit leads on the road this season. … Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen was fired 12 games into his second season. Kafka named outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen as the interim replacement. … Brian Burns is second in the league in sacks with 13. … A win this week would extend the Patriots’ winning streak to 10 straight. The Patriots have had streaks of at least 10 consecutive wins in a season three previous times in team history: a 12-game streak in 2003, 16 in 2007 and 10 in 2015. … A victory would also give New England its 11th win of the season and its 22nd 11-win season since 1970, extending its mark for the most 11-win seasons during that time span. … With a win, Mike Vrabel can become the third coach since 1970 to record a winning streak of 10 or more games in his first season with a team, joining Jim Caldwell (14 consecutive wins with Indianapolis in 2009) and Steve Mariucci (11 with San Francisco in 1997). … The Patriots’ defense is ranked second in the NFL to Jacksonville (83.8), allowing 87.7 yards rushing per game. New England’s record for fewest yards rushing allowed per game since the NFL merger is 88.6 per game in 2016. … If TE Hunter Henry has a 100-yard receiving game this week, it will be the first time in his career that he reached 100 in back-to-back games. … Patriots third-string QB Tommy DeVito spent the first two seasons of his career with the Giants, becoming a fan favorite while going from an undrafted, third-string rookie quarterback to leading the team to some success. … CB Marcus Jones has returned 74 punts for 1,003 yards, a 13.6-yard average. He needs one more return to qualify for the highest punt return average in NFL history. Jones is currently fifth in the NFL this season with a 14.6 punt return average. … The Patriots will wear throwback uniforms worn from 1984-1992 and sporadically from 1994-2012. They wore the uniforms in their Week 3 loss to Pittsburgh. New England is 7-5 in throwback jerseys at home.

Fantasy tip

Following Henry’s seven-catch, 115-yard day last week, the Patriots have had four straight games with a 100-yard receiver. Henry joined wide receiver DeMario Douglas (100 yards vs. Atlanta on Nov. 2), receiver Mack Hollins (106 yards at Tampa Bay on Nov. 9 and receiver Stefon Diggs (105 yards vs. the New York Jets on No.v. 13). It’s the first time the team has had a 100-yard receiver in four straight games since the 2018 season.

49ERS LOOK FOR 3RD STRAIGHT WIN WHEN THEY TRAVEL TO CLEVELAND TO FACE SHEDEUR SANDERS AND THE BROWNS

San Francisco (8-4) at Cleveland (3-8)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS.

BetMGM NFL Odds: 49ers by 5.

Against the spread: 49ers 7-5; Browns 5-6.

Series record: Browns lead 13-8.

Last meeting: Browns beat 49ers 19-17 on Oct. 15, 2023, in Cleveland.

Last week: 49ers beat Panthers 20-9; Browns beat Raiders 24-10.

49ers offense: overall (10), rush (26), pass (3), scoring (15).

49ers defense: overall (22t), rush (10), pass (26), scoring (11).

Browns offense: overall (31), rush (28), pass (31), scoring (29).

Browns defense: overall (2), rush (12), pass (2), scoring (13).

Turnover differential: 49ers minus-6; Browns plus-2.

49ers player to watch

QB Brock Purdy struggled in his second start back from a toe injury, throwing three INTs in the first half last week against Carolina. Purdy completed only one pass beyond 10 yards and got most of his production on short throws. Purdy has struggled in bad weather in his career, including a 2023 loss in Cleveland when he went 12 for 27 for 125 yards.

Browns player to watch

DE Myles Garrett leads the league with 18 sacks and 26 tackles for loss. He has 14 sacks in his past five games, the most by a player in that span since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. With four sacks against the Ravens in Week 12 and three last week vs. the Raiders, he is trying to become the first player with at least three sacks in three straight games.

Key matchup

49ers RB Christian McCaffrey versus Browns defense. McCaffrey has a league-leading 1,581 scrimmage yards and is tied for third in scrimmage touchdowns with 12. The Browns have allowed a running back to have at least 100 scrimmage yards in three straight games.

Key injuries

49ers: DE Sam Okuayinonu hurt his ankle last week and his status this week is in question. … LB Tatum Bethune (ankle) and K Eddy Pineiro (right hamstring) are also likely out again this week.

Browns: DT Adin Huntington (quad) and TE Brenden Bates (ankle) are expected to be out on Sunday.

Series notes

The home team has won the past five meetings in the series. … San Francisco has a four-game losing streak in Cleveland with its most recent win coming in 1984. … The Browns are 8-2 in games in Cleveland.

Stats and stuff

The 49ers are looking for their first three-game winning streak since starting the season 3-0. … San Francisco RB Christian McCaffrey is the third player in NFL history with at least 750 yards rushing and receiving in the first 11 games. McCaffrey leads the NFL with 81 receptions and 90 first downs. … S Ji’Ayir Brown had two INTs last week to become the first 49ers player with at least two in a game since Charvarius Ward did it in Week 15 of the 2023 season against Arizona. … San Francisco has had two INTs in the past two games after having just one in the first 10. … The Niners have scored three TDs and one FG on four game-opening drives this season with Purdy at QB. … San Francisco leads the NFL with 25 drives that lasted at least 5:00. … The Niners have converted 46.4% of third downs for the second-best mark in the NFL. … San Francisco is last in the NFL with 13 sacks. … Cleveland is looking to win consecutive games for the first time since 2023. … The offense has gone with a one running back, two tight end formation on 44.2% of its plays, the highest rate in the league and third highest in the past decade. … Shedeur Sanders became the first Browns rookie QB since Eric Zeier in 1995 to win his first start. … RB Quinshon Judkins is one of three NFL rookies with at least two games with multiple touchdowns. … TE Harold Fannin Jr. is tied for third among all NFL rookies with 48 receptions and fifth in receiving yards (462). … The defense had 10 sacks last week, second most in a game in franchise history. … LB Carson Schwesinger leads NFL rookies with 89 tackles.

Fantasy tip

49ers TE George Kittle led the team with 78 receiving yards last week. He has 21 receptions for 229 yards and three touchdowns in the past three games.

RAVENS HAVE STRUGGLED TO STOP CHASE, BUT HIGGINS WILL MISS CINCINNATI’S GAME AT BALTIMORE

Cincinnati (3-8) at Baltimore (6-5)

Thursday 8:20 p.m. EST, NBC

BetMGM NFL Odds: Ravens by 7.

Against the spread: Bengals 4-7; Ravens 4-7.

Series record: Ravens lead 32-27.

Last meeting: Ravens beat Bengals 35-34 on Nov. 7, 2024, at Baltimore.

Last week: Bengals lost to Patriots 26-20; Ravens beat Jets 23-10.

Bengals offense: overall (23), rush (30), pass (14), scoring (T-18).

Bengals defense: overall (32), rush (32), pass (31), scoring (32).

Ravens offense: overall (21), rush (6), pass (29), scoring (10).

Ravens defense: overall (24), rush (20), pass (24), scoring (20).

Turnover differential: Bengals minus-7; Ravens even.

Bengals player to watch

QB Joe Burrow returns to the lineup after missing nine games because of a turf toe injury. The six-year veteran is 3-6 in starts against the Ravens with three of his five highest-yardage games coming against Baltimore. He passed for 428 yards and four touchdowns in last season’s Thursday night matchup in Baltimore, but was unable to complete a pass for a 2-point conversion late in the game as the Ravens held on for a one-point win.

Ravens player to watch

QB Lamar Jackson missed time with a hamstring injury earlier this season. Since then he’s been able to play despite ankle, knee and toe issues. But he hasn’t been much of a running threat and Baltimore’s offense still doesn’t look right. Can Jackson get it going against a weak Cincinnati defense?

Key matchup

Ravens RB Derrick Henry vs. Bengals Defense: The Bengals are ranked 31st in the league run defense, allowing 156 yards per game. Henry is tied for sixth in the league with 871 yards. He has 665 yards after contact this season, sixth most in the NFL. The Bengals have allowed 1,059 rushing yards after contact to running backs, second most behind only the Bills (1,099).

Key injuries

Bengals: WR Tee Higgins (concussion), DE Trey Hendrickson (hip) and RB Tahj Brooks (concussion) have been ruled out. Ravens: WR Rashod Bateman (ankle) did not play last weekend. He was limited at practice this week. S Kyle Hamilton (ankle) was limited at practice this week as well. RB Justice Hill (neck) missed practice time this week.

Series notes

The Bengals beat Baltimore in the first round of the playoffs three seasons ago. Since then, the Ravens have taken all four meetings, three by three points or fewer. … Cincinnati WR Ja’Marr Chase had 21 receptions (10 in Week 5 and 11 in Week 10) for 457 yards (193 in Week 5 and 264 in Week 10) and five touchdowns (two in Week 5 and three in Week 10) against Baltimore last season, the most yards receiving by a player against an opponent in a season in NFL history. … Burrow’s career passer rating against the Ravens, including playoffs, is 104.3. Jackson’s against the Bengals is 104.5.

Stats and stuff

The Bengals have lost four straight, marking the fourth time in Zac Taylor’s seven-year tenure they have had a skid of at least four games. … This is the second time Cincinnati has played on Thanksgiving, It lost at the New York Jets 26-10 in 2010. … Burrow has passed for at least 350 yards and three touchdowns in three of his past four games in prime time. … RB Chase Brown has at least 100 yards from scrimmage in five straight games, the longest active streak in the league. He has scored a touchdown in two straight games against the Ravens. … Bengals LB Demertrius Knight Jr. is second among rookies with 78 tackles. … Cincinnati LB Barrett Carter has at least 10 tackles in four games this season. … S Geno Stone, who spent his first four seasons with Baltimore, had his second career pick-6 last week along with a career-high 13 tackles for the Bengals. … Cincinnati CB DJ Turner leads the league with 15 passes defensed. … Bengals K Evan McPherson set a franchise record with a 63-yard field goal on the last play of the first half last week. … After a 1-5 start, the Ravens have won five in a row to pull into a first-place tie with Pittsburgh in the AFC North. … Baltimore has held six straight opponents under 20 points, the longest active streak in the NFL. … The Ravens are 22-4 in home prime-time games under coach John Harbaugh, although that includes a loss to Detroit earlier this season. … Baltimore’s Mark Andrews needs three receptions to pass Derrick Mason (471) for the franchise’s career record. … Henry needs 19 yards rushing to pass Hall of Famer Jim Brown (12,312) for 11th on the career list. … DeAndre Hopkins of the Ravens needs one catch to reach 1,000. … Baltimore P Jordan Stout is first in the league in net average (46.2) and second in gross average (51.4). … Ravens DB Marlon Humphrey has 17 career forced fumbles, including a big one near the goal line last weekend.

Fantasy tip

The Ravens have struggled in the red zone, but against the Cincinnati defense they could get plenty of chances. Henry, Andrews and Bateman (if healthy) are the ones to watch.

NFL TO USE COMMEMORATIVE BALL IN 2026 TO MARK NATION’S 250TH BIRTHDAY

The NFL will mark the 250th birthday of the United States in 2026 with embossing on the footballs and special field markings.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a news release Wednesday that the NFL has been working with the White House Salute to America 250 Task Force to take part in celebrating the nation’s 1776 founding.

The marking on the ball says “America 250,” with the stylized number colored in red, white and blue that has been adopted by organizers of the nationwide celebration.

“The NFL is proud to participate in celebrating America’s 250th anniversary,” Goodell said. “The story of the NFL reflects the story of America, and the American spirit of resilience, innovation and teamwork has helped football grow into a cultural pastime that unites us all. We are excited to honor our country’s history and celebrate our collective future.”

The NFL made a similar gesture during the nation’s bicentennial year in 1976.

The balls will be put into play in Week 18 during the Jan. 3 and 4 games to start the year-long celebration, which will run through the 2026 season.

In addition to the special balls and field insignias, commemorative coins will be used during pregame coin flips.

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS

NO. 1 OHIO STATE AND RYAN DAY DESPERATELY SEEKING VICTORY AGAINST 15TH-RANKED MICHIGAN IN THE GAME

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Ryan Day, perhaps more than anyone on the Big House turf, needs to win The Game.

Defending champion and top-rankedOhio State (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) would not get knocked out of the College Football Playoff if they lose a fifth straight game to 15th-ranked Michigan (9-2, 7-1) on Saturday.

Another loss would, though, would haunt Day for at least another year.

“We’ve been working toward this all year, and we know that the opponent is different,” Day said. “We know what’s at stake.”

Day is 1-4 against the Wolverines and his mark in one of the greatest rivalries in sports has been a blemish on what has been a remarkable career otherwise, winning about 90% of games over the last seven-plus seasons.

His latest setback was simply stunning.

The second-ranked Buckeyes were favored by nearly three touchdowns against the offensively challenged, short-handed, five-loss Wolverines in Sherrone Moore’s debut season last year and lost 13-10 in the Horseshoe.

It wasn’t long ago that Jim Harbaugh couldn’t win The Game. He lost his first five games against the Buckeyes as coach of college football’s winningest team before breaking through in 2021.

“It feels like the beginning,” Harbaugh said back then.

Harbaugh was right because that victory was the start of a four-game winning streak for the Wolverines, whose 2024 national title preceded Ohio State’s resilient run to the last NCAA championship.

Unlike last year, Michigan is playing for more than pride.

If the Wolverines can pull off another upset as double-digit underdogs, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, they have a chance to play in the Big Ten championship game and possibly contend for another national title.

“We win this, we’re in the playoffs,” Michigan tight end Marlin Klein said. “If you win this game, you’ll be remembered in Ann Arbor forever.”

It’s not easy to forget how dominant Ohio State was in the rivalry before Michigan’s recent run.

Day’s win in The Game in 2019 during his debut season extended a school-record winning streak in the series to eight games. Under national championship-winning coaches Jim Tressel from 2001 to 2010 and Urban Meyer from 2012 to 2018, the Buckeyes lost only once on the field to the Wolverines.

Pivotal players

Both programs have first-year starters at quarterback and each will have a chance to start their legacy in The Game.

Ohio State redshirt freshman Julian Sayin leads major college football with a 79.4% completion rate and 185.38 quarterback rating.

Michigan freshman Bryce Underwood, the nation’s top-rated recruit last year, has gained Day’s respect during his uneven season with nine touchdown passes and five interceptions.

“Talent all over the field. Starts on offense with quarterback, he’s a dangerous player,” Day said.

Kicking it

Dominic Zvada made a 21-yard field goal with 45 seconds left to lift Michigan to last year’s win at Ohio State, connected on a school-record 95.5% of his field goals and was a second-team Associated Press All-America kicker last year.

Zvada has struggled this season, making just 12 of 19 field goals and missing half of his six attempts between the 30 and 39, including one last week at Maryland.

Even though Michigan led the Terrapins by 29 points midway through the fourth quarter, Zvada’s 46-yard field goal that went through the uprights was regarded as significant.

“It was huge for him to make that kick,” Moore said. “Needed the confidence for him.”

Patricia returns

Ohio State’s top-ranked defense is led by first-year defensive coordinator is Matt Patricia, who was 13-29-1 in two-plus seasons as coach of the Detroit Lions from 2018 to 2020.

“He doesn’t really have the best reputation in the state of Michigan, but he’s done such a great job at Ohio State,” Klein said.

Injury report

Ohio State’s standout and banged-up receivers, Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, were expected to get reps in practice this week to potentially return from injuries.

Michigan will be without starting running back Justice Haynes and safety Rod Moore; expects running back Jordan Marshall, receiver Semaj Morgan to return; and hopes fullback Max Bredeson and Ernest Hausmann can play.

NO. 10 ALABAMA HOPES TO CONTROL NOISE, EMOTIONS AND AUBURN’S DEFENSE IN THE IRON BOWL

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer is trying to simplify things for his team in the Iron Bowl. He wants his players to handle the crowd noise at Jordan-Hare Stadium and the emotions that come with playing a rival. Everything else, he believes, will work out.

It sounds easy. It hasn’t been that way for the Crimson Tide in their last three trips to Auburn.

No. 10 Alabama has a berth in the Southeastern Conference title game and likely a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff at stake when the Crimson Tide travel to play the Tigers on Saturday.

“We understand it’s going to be a great experience there, and it’ll be one where we’re facing a team that wants to knock us off our goals and our hopes and all that,” DeBoer said.

The Crimson Tide (9-2, 6-1 SEC) control their destiny in the SEC and the CFP. A loss, however, complicates the picture with No. 3 Texas A&M, fourth-ranked Georgia and No. 6 Mississippi all alive for a spot in the SEC title game. The Tide hold tiebreakers over the Bulldogs and the Rebels.

Auburn (5-6, 1-6), meanwhile, is trying to become bowl eligible under interim coach DJ Durkin and will honor their seniors in the home finale. The Tigers have lost six of their last eight.

Alabama has won five straight in the series, but the last 10 games at Jordan-Hare have been split evenly. The last three were decided by three points or less, with Alabama winning 27-24 in 2023 and 24-22 in 2021. Auburn’s last win came in 2019, with the Tigers eking out a 48-45 victory.

This one could be a low-scoring affair because of Auburn’s defense, which gave the Tigers a chance in home games against Georgia, Missouri and Kentucky.

The Crimson Tide are 6-point favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. The line is close partly because Auburn’s offense has improved under Durkin, having scored 30 or more points in three of their last four games.

“It’s the greatest rivalry in college football,” Durkin said. “It’s a game that means a lot to a lot of people down here and certainly to our team and coaching staff. … We look forward to the challenge of the test. They’re a really good football team. They’re well coached in all three phases. They have playmakers at all spots. I think their numbers, their stats, their record all speak to that.”

Quarterback carousel

Auburn has utilized three quarterbacks this season, with Jackson Arnold starting the first eight games before getting benched for Ashton Daniels. Daniels had some struggles, only managing three points in a loss to Kentucky before exploding for 442 yards and four scores against No. 12 Vanderbilt.

Daniels sat out last week’s game against Mercer to preserve a year of eligibility. He is expected to reclaim his starting spot against the Tide.

Freshman Deuce Knight stated his case for more playing time by accounting for 401 yards and six touchdowns in his first start last week against the Bears.

Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack is preparing for all three.

“When you look at it structurally, I think they’re doing the same thing,” Wommack said. “I think they have an identity of what they do and how they do it, and I don’t think that changes from one quarterback to the next. But you certainly want to be mindful of what each quarterback does well.”

Bo Jackson returns

Auburn will honor 1985 Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson during the game in recognition of the 40th anniversary of his historic season.

Jackson ran for 1,786 yards and 17 touchdowns on his way to winning the award. His No. 34 is one of four numbers formally retired at Auburn, along with Cam Newton (No. 2), Pat Sullivan (No. 7) and Terry Beasley (No. 88).

NO. 8 OKLAHOMA’S PLAYOFF HOPES HINGE ON REGULAR-SEASON FINALE AGAINST LSU

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma’s status is clear heading into its regular-season finale against LSU — win and it’s in the College Football Playoff.

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables, who often leans on the one-game-at-a-time mantra, finally felt comfortable addressing the possibilities. The eighth-ranked Sooners (9-2, 5-2 Southeastern Conference, No. 8 CFP) also have a good chance of hosting a first-round playoff game with a victory on Saturday, while a loss almost certainly would eliminate them.

“Going into our last regular-season game here at home, we all know what’s on the line this weekend,” he said.

Oklahoma has been winning ugly — the Sooners have been outgained in their past three games but still beat ranked opponents Tennessee, Alabama and Missouri. The formula has been an opportunistic defense and gritty, if not spectacular, play by quarterback John Mateer.

Because Oklahoma won those contests by a combined 19 points, it would appear the Sooners have little margin for error. And LSU (7-4, 3-4) has its usual stable of elite athletes to deal with.

“Got a very talented — as talented of a roster as we’ve faced this season in LSU, from the lines of scrimmage to the skill players, both sides of the ball,” Venables said.

For LSU to pull off the upset, the Tigers will need to overcome an Oklahoma defense that leads the nation with 3.7 sacks per game and ranks sixth nationally in points allowed (14.0 per game) and third against the run (81.1 yards per game).

LSU interim coach Frank Wilson said he’ll need a little extra from his players to succeed this week.

“Your ability to win your one-on-ones, to break a tackle, to put yourself in position to go score, it’s the charge,” he said. “We just have to be able to create matchups where we win our one-on-ones.”

Under center

It was unclear this week whether injured LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier would be ready to return for what is expected to be his final regular-season college game.

Nussmeier has not played since Nov. 8, when he aggravated a nagging abdominal injury against Alabama.

If Nussmeier is unable to play, Michael Van Buren, a sophomore transfer from Mississippi State, would start for the third straight game.

Van Buren has passed for 423 yards and two touchdowns with one interception in close victories over Arkansas and Western Kentucky.

In nine games, Nussmeier has passed for 1,927 yards and 12 TDs with five interceptions — a sharp decline from his 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns (with 12 interceptions) in 2024.

However, he has been playing through knee and abdomen injuries since August camp.

Coming home

While Oklahoma City native Caden Durham has been LSU’s No. 1 running back this season, his status for the Tigers’ visit to his home state was left unclear by an injury against WKU last week.

Durham was not concussed as initially feared, though he did hurt his neck, Wilson said.

The plan this week was for Durham to practice on a limited basis and without contact to see if he could be ready to play Saturday.

“He’s hopeful,” Wilson said. “I think he’ll be ready to go.”

Durham’s 463 yards rushing and three TDs leads LSU in both categories, but freshman Harlem Berry has emerged in recent weeks as one of the Tigers’ most effective ball carriers.

Regaining form

Starting LSU linebacker Whit Weeks, a preseason AP All American, is expected to play against the Sooners after returning last week from a four-game absence because of a right leg injury. Weeks played limited first-half snaps against WKU and spent the second half out of uniform.

“Whit came out of the game feeling good,” Wilson said. “We wanted to limit his opportunities so he could be at his best” at Oklahoma.

Golden toe

Oklahoma kicker Tate Sandell is one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award given to the nation’s best kicker.

Sandell has made his last 22 field goals — a school record — after missing his first this season. He has connected on 15 of at least 40 yards and seven of at least 50. He is one of just two kickers nationally since at least 1995 to make at least seven field goals of 50-plus yards without a miss.

“It’s been a huge part of our success this year,” Venables said. “Proud of him, how he’s handled his success.”

Georgia Tech’s Aidan Birr and Hawaii’s Kansei Matsuzawa are the other finalists.

Bruised backs

Oklahoma might have some help for running back Xavier Robinson this week.

Robinson played last week’s game against Missouri with a sprained knee and gutted out 42 yards on 12 carries. He played nearly every snap, despite running backs Jaydn Ott and Taylor Tatum being healthy.

Venables said Ott and Tatum could be used this week. Ott, a highly touted transfer, has barely played this season. Tatum, who started three games as a freshman last season, has one carry and has been injured for much of the season.

COLORADO STATE HIRES JIM MORA AWAY FROM UCONN AS IT PREPARES FOR TRANSITION TO PAC-12

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — Jim Mora built UConn into a winning program. Now he will try to do the same at Colorado State.

Colorado State announced Wednesday that it had hired Mora, who has led UConn to nine wins each of the last two seasons. Now the former Seattle Seahawks and UCLA coach is heading west again to help Colorado State adjust to its move to the Pac-12 next year.

“I am truly humbled to join CSU as we transition to the Pac-12 Conference,” Mora said in a statement released by the university. “I am excited to meet the team and look forward to connecting with the former players. I can’t wait for our family to become part of the northern Colorado community.”

Colorado State has scheduled an introductory news conference for Monday.

“Our goal from the very start was to execute a comprehensive search to find the next leader of the Colorado State football program,” Colorado State athletic director John Weber said in a statement. “We did that, and it was extremely energizing to have such significant interest from so many accomplished coaches. From our very first conversation, Coach Mora’s desire to serve student-athletes, his comprehensive experience, and passion to win was evident.”

The 64-year-old Mora, who spent four seasons as an NFL head coach with the Atlanta Falcons and Seahawks, produced a 27-23 record in four years at UConn. The Huskies are 9-3 this season, and each of their three losses went to overtime.

“Coach Mora brought energy and a winning culture back to UConn football and put our program back on the national stage,” UConn athletic director David Benedict said. “We thank Jim for his dedication to our student-athletes and wish him, his wife Kathy and his family the best at Colorado State.”

Benedict said offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis is taking over as interim head coach while UConn conducts a national search for Mora’s permanent successor.

Colorado State fired Jay Norvell on Oct. 19. Norvell was in his fourth season and owned an 18-26 record, including an 8-5 mark and an Arizona Bowl appearance last year.

That 8-5 mark last year represented Colorado State’s first winning season since 2017.

The Rams were 2-5 when Norvell got fired and have lost all four games since with defensive coordinator Tyson Summers working as their interim head coach. Colorado State (2-9) closes its season Friday at Air Force (3-8).

Colorado State has been part of the Mountain West Conference but will join the new version of the Pac-12 this summer. Mora had coached in a Pac-12 that looked dramatically different during his years at UCLA.

Mora’s stint at UConn represented a career comeback. He posted a 46-30 record at UCLA from 2012-17 and then was out of coaching and working as a television analyst until UConn hired him.

UConn went 6-7 and 3-9 in Mora’s first two seasons before going 18-7 over the last two seasons. The Huskies went 9-4 and won the Fenway Bowl last year for their first bowl victory since the 2009 season.

Mora went 26-22 as the Falcons’ head coach from 2004-06 and was 5-11 with the Seahawks in 2009.

NO. 4 GEORGIA WILL PIT STOCKTON AGAINST NO. 23 GEORGIA TECH’S KING IN SHOWDOWN OF TOUGH QUARTERBACKS

ATLANTA (AP) — Two “Golden Arm” quarterback finalists will be in the spotlight when No. 4 Georgia will try to extend its winning streak against No. 23 Georgia Tech on Friday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Georgia’s Gunner Stockton and Georgia Tech’s Haynes King are among five finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award given to the nation’s top upperclassman quarterback. The quarterback showdown in the state rivalry known as “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate” features dual-threat players who have earned respect for their toughness as much as their arms.

Georgia (10-1) will try to protect its No. 4 spot in the latest College Football Playoff ranking and earn its eighth consecutive win in the rivalry. The Bulldogs outlasted the Yellow Jackets 44-42 in eight overtimes last season in Athens.

Georgia Tech (9-2) will try to recover from last week’s 42-28 home loss to Pittsburgh that cost the Yellow Jackets an opportunity to clinch a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. King threw two interceptions in the crushing loss after entering the game with only two picks for the season.

Despite the disappointment of last week’s loss, ending the long losing streak to Georgia would go a long way toward making the Yellow Jackets’ season.

“Probably the only thing good about it was the fact that we have a short week this week and we have to flip the script fast,” Georgia Tech coach Brent Key said of the loss to Pitt.

For Georgia Tech to make the ACC title game, three ranked ACC teams — Miami, Virginia and SMU — must lose this week. Similarly, Georgia needs Alabama or Texas A&M to lose for the Bulldogs to return to the Southeastern Conference championship game.

The Bulldogs can control their CFP fate by beating the Yellow Jackets. Georgia coach Kirby Smart says King makes it difficult to beat the Yellow Jackets, even if Stockton provides similar leadership for the Bulldogs.

“I know the play he puts out, and the product he puts out, and the production he has put out has really been incredible for what he has been able to do,” Smart said of King. “The toughness, and the durability he has done that with has been similar for Gunner. He just hasn’t done it as long as Haynes has.”

The other finalists for the Golden Arm Award are Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia and Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed.

Branch moving up charts

Georgia junior Zachariah Branch, a transfer from Southern California, has 63 catches for 638 yards and is tied with Brock Bowers for second on the school records for receptions in a season. Bowers had 63 catches in 2022. Brice Hunter had a school-record 76 catches in 1993.

“That’s pretty crazy and definitely a blessing to think I’m in that category with a lot of players who came through this program, a lot of great players,” Branch said.

Birr finalist for Groza Award

Georgia Tech junior Aidan Birr is one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award given to the game’s top place kicker. Birr has made 22 of 25 field goals and each of his 42 extra points. He is tied for second nationally in field goals made.

Birr has made two game-winning kicks, a school-record 55-yarder as time expired in the Yellow Jackets’ 24-21 win over Clemson on Sept. 13 and a 23-yarder with 11 seconds remaining in a 36-34 win at Boston College on Nov. 15.

Hawaii’s Kansei Matsuzawa and Oklahoma’s Tate Sandell are the other finalists.

Home-field feeling

Georgia Tech is the home team but Mercedes-Benz Stadium will feel very familiar for Georgia players who played two games in the Atlanta Falcons’ home last season. The 2024 Bulldogs beat Texas in the SEC championship game and beat Clemson in the season-opener in Atlanta.

“Just having some experience … it’s almost like a home game feeling and how you’re just familiar with the stadium,” wide receiver London Humphreys said.

Series dominance

Georgia’s seven-game winning streak in the rivalry matches its longest in the series. Georgia also has winning streaks of seven and five games during its dominant run of 20 wins in the last 23 state rivalry games.

Georgia Tech’s last home win over the Bulldogs came in 1999 at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Yellow Jackets’ last win in the series was a 28-27 decision in Athens in 2016.

More series notes

This is only the third time both Georgia Tech and Georgia have at least nine wins entering the game, following 1942 and 2014. It’s the first time since 2014, and only the 12th time overall, both teams are nationally ranked.

A HIGH-STAKES EGG BOWL COULD BE OVERSHADOWED BY OLE MISS COACH LANE KIFFIN’S FUTURE

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — The 124-year-old football rivalry between Mississippi and Mississippi State has a new subplot that could very well overshadow what is a high-stakes game in its own right.

The sixth-ranked Rebels (10-1, 6-1 SEC, No. 7 CFP) could lock up a spot in the College Football Playoff with a victory Friday over the Bulldogs (5-6, 1-6) in the Egg Bowl — only to have their celebration muted if coach Lane Kiffin announces after the game that he has decided to leave the program for another suitor.

During the past two weeks, Kiffin family members have traveled from Oxford, Mississippi, to both Gainesville, Florida, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, while Ole Miss has sought to fend off efforts by Florida and LSU to lure away their coach.

Kiffin and Mississippi athletics director Keith Carter had a meeting last Friday where they reportedly discussed the coach’s future. Carter emerged from that with a public statement that Kiffin was focused on the Egg Bowl and a decision on his future would be announced by Saturday.

The sixth year Rebels coach has offered little clarity since.

“Keith and I have a great relationship. We communicate daily on a lot of things and I love it here. It’s been amazing,” Kiffin said. “We’re in a season that’s the greatest run in the history of Ole Miss at this point, having never been at this point.

“It’s really exciting. So, I’m just living in the moment,” Kiffin continued. “And our players are, too, you know? I see their joy … about where they’re at and have so much on the line. It’s just awesome to be a part of.”

This is the second time that the rivalry game has been shadowed by Kiffin’s potential exit from Oxford.

In 2022, Kiffin was linked to an opening at Auburn. His Rebels lost to the Bulldogs at home, 24-22, and wound up 8-5, but Kiffin signed an extension with Ole Miss.

Going for gold

A trophy known as the Golden Egg has gone to the winner of this matchup since 1927 — a year after a brawl broke out in Starkville after Ole Miss fans attempted to take down the goal posts.

There has been plenty more vitriol between them since, regardless of what else was at stake for either team.

On Friday, the stakes are higher for the Rebels, but the Bulldogs have a chance to extend their season as well because one more victory would make them bowl eligible in coach Jeff Lebby’s second season.

“We have a bunch of staff members that played here and played inside this game, understand what it’s about,” Lebby said. “The more you can talk about that part of it and guys that have come before and played in between the white lines in this game, they have the ability to communicate to our guys that haven’t been here long and don’t know the history as some of the others.

“It’s great for our entire football team to understand the urgency of what’s at stake,” Lebby added. “You see the guys that are from this state and have played in this game, there’s great pride in how we do what we go do on Friday.”

Recent dominance

Ole Miss has had the better of this rivalry in recent years, winning the past two and four of the past five.

But Kiffin, who had Lebby on his Ole Miss staff earlier this decade, has been impressed by the Bulldogs’ improvement this season.

“Lebby’s done a great job,” Kiffin said, calling him “one of the best offensive minds in football.”

Meanwhile, Kiffin, who declined to discuss his future this week, said his players have not appeared distracted by the uncertainty surrounding their coach.

“Our team has been very focused since noise has been out there,” Kiffin said. “It’s a different generation … They all can leave every year. A lot of that is financially based. And so, they don’t think the traditional way.”

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS: IF A RIVALRY GAME COMES DOWN A FIELD GOAL, KICKERS ARE ON A RECORD PACE

This being Thanksgiving week, it would seem an appropriate time for college football teams to show their kickers some appreciation. After all, the guys who mostly stand alone on the sideline until they’re called upon have never been better and perhaps they will play a role in settling a rivalry game this week.

Bowl Subdivision kickers enter the final week of the regular season having made 77.2% of their field goals, according to Sportradar. They’re on pace to break the record of 76.7% set in 2022.

Last season was the first that kickers made more than half of their field-goal attempts of 50-plus yards, hitting 54.7%. This season they’re making 51.8%. The extra-point success rate of 98.6% is ahead of the record 98.1% in 2023.

No kicker is better at his craft than Hawaii’s Kansei Matsuzawa, who is 23 for 23 for the longest run of perfection in a season in FBS history. The “Tokyo Toe,” as he’s called, is 8 for 8 from 40-49 yards and 1 for 1 from beyond 50 (52).

The picks for this week’s games, with Top 25 rankings and lines from BetMGM Sportsbook:

No. 1 Ohio State (minus 10) at No. 15 Michigan

Buckeyes don’t need to have wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate back from injury to end their four-game losing streak in The Game, but it sure would help.

Pick: Ohio State 24-13.

No. 2 Indiana (minus 28 1/2) at Purdue

Boilermakers have lost nine straight but are a bit more competitive than the team that lost 66-0 to Indiana last year. They’re not nearly good enough to deny the Hoosiers their first 12-win season and appearance in the Big Ten title game.

Pick: Indiana 45-10.

No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 16 Texas (plus 2 1/2)

This sets up as a quarterback duel. Aggies’ Marcel Reed must be licking his chops at prospect of facing a poor Texas pass defense. Longhorns’ Arch Manning has a hot hand and lots of confidence after six-TD day against Arkansas.

Pick: Texas A&M 31-30.

No. 4 Georgia (minus 13) at No. 23 Georgia Tech

Bulldogs have rolled off seven straight wins and looked pretty good doing it. Yellow Jackets have allowed 124 points while losing two of their last three games.

Pick: Georgia 40-24.

No. 5 Oregon at Washington (plus 7)

Ducks’ defense has been solid keeping running quarterbacks under control. Huskies’ Demond Williams Jr. will be their biggest challenge. Plus, he throws a good ball.

Pick: Oregon 28-22.

No. 6 Mississippi at Mississippi State (plus 7 1/2)

With the spotlight shining on Oxford and will-he-stay-or-will-he-go coach Lane Kiffin, it would be easy to pick an Egg Bowl upset. But Mississippi State can’t stop the run, and Kewan Lacy went for 224 yards against Florida two weeks ago.

Pick: Mississippi 27-20.

No. 7 Texas Tech (minus 23 1/2) at West Virginia

It’s hard to imagine the Red Raiders messing up now that they’re on cusp of their first Big 12 title game. Mountaineers are 2-1 in November and nearly knocked off Arizona State on the road last week.

Pick: Texas Tech 52-17.

LSU (plus 10) at No. 8 Oklahoma

Neither offense has gotten much done lately. Sooners always can rely on their defense, and they’re plenty motivated with a CFP at-large bid at stake.

Pick: Oklahoma 19-10.

No. 9 Notre Dame at Stanford (plus 32 1/2)

The 10:30 p.m. Eastern kickoff is the latest game Notre Dame has played since 1991. One thing’s for sure: the yards won’t come as easily for Jeremiyah Love as they did last week against Syracuse.

Pick: Notre Dame 33-14.

No. 10 Alabama at Auburn (plus 5 1/2)

Five of Auburn’s six losses this season have been by one score. Last three Iron Bowls at Jordan-Hare Stadium have been decided by a combined eight points.

Pick: Auburn 23-21.

UCF at No. 11 BYU (minus 17 1/2)

Cougars got aced out of the Big 12 championship game last year and won’t let that happen this year. UCF ranks 132nd out of 136 FBS teams in scoring on the road at 10.8 points per game.

Pick: BYU 30-7.

No. 12 Vanderbilt (plus 2 1/2) at No. 18 Tennessee

It’s a matchup of the top two scoring offenses in the SEC. Vanderbilt has the better defense, though, and Commodores QB Diego Pavia’s encore to his career game against Kentucky will be worth watching.

Pick: Vanderbilt 45-42.

No. 13 Miami at No. 24 Pittsburgh (plus 6 1/2)

Pittsburgh, beaten soundly by Notre Dame in its last home game, got a shot of confidence with its impressive win at Georgia Tech. Both teams still alive for ACC championship game but need help. Early kickoff means they won’t have to do any scoreboard watching.

Pick: Pittsburgh 26-24.

No. 14 Utah (minus 13 1/2) at Kansas

Utes, who wiped out a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit to sneak past Kansas State, have scored 204 points over the last four games and have the nation’s No. 2 rushing offense.

Pick: Utah 38-19.

Virginia Tech at No. 17 Virginia (minus 10 1/2)

Hokies have won 19 of the last 20 meetings and the last two haven’t been close. This is Virginia’s year, though. Cavaliers are in ACC title game with a win.

Pick: Virginia 28-16.

UCLA at No. 19 Southern California (minus 20 1/2)

USC went from CFP contention last week to playing for a spot in the Alamo Bowl. Motivation could be a factor. UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava entered the week day-to-day after leaving last week’s game against Washington with neck spasms.

Pick: USC 42-21.

No. 20 James Madison (minus 22 1/2) at Coastal Carolina

Dukes can match their FBS program record with an 11th win and can break it next week in the Sun Belt Conference championship game.

Pick: James Madison 41-14.

Temple at No. 21 North Texas (minus 19 1/2)

North Texas, which found out Tuesday it will lose coach Eric Morris to Oklahoma State after the season, has won five straight by an average of 29.4 points. Temple, closing the season against the teeth of its conference schedule, has lost three straight.

Pick: North Texas 43-23.

Charlotte at No. 22 Tulane (minus 29 1/2)

Green Wave can do themselves a favor by getting out to a big lead and resting their starters for the American title game. The 49ers are winless against FBS teams, all double-digit losses.

Pick: Tulane 39-7.

No. 25 SMU (minus 11 1/2) at California

SMU, which can advance to the ACC title game with a win, leads the league and is sixth in the country with 34 sacks. Cal, which fired Justin Wilcox on Sunday, has given up 23 over the last six games.

Pick: SMU 27-13.

AP predictions scorecard

Last week: Straight-up — 14-3; Against spread — 13-4.

Season: Straight-up — 170-51; Against spread — 106-114-1.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 14: SPOTS IN CONFERENCE TITLE GAMES ARE UP FOR GRABS AS REGULAR SEASON CLOSES

When it comes to setting conference championship game matchups in the final week of the regular season, we can do it the easy way or we can do it the hard way.

The ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and almost certainly the American are the leagues whose champions will get automatic College Football Playoff bids. Each has two teams that will advance to conference title games as long as they win Friday or Saturday.

Fans of teams on the bubble are hoping things get messy and will have tiebreaker scenarios pulled up on their phones as games unfold. Without getting into the weeds, here are the front-runners’ direct routes to the championship games Dec. 5-6.

American: No. 21 North Texas beats Temple at home; No. 22 Tulane beats Charlotte at home.

Atlantic Coast: No. 17 Virgina beats Virginia Tech at home; No. 25 SMU wins at California.

Big Ten: No. 1 Ohio State wins at No. 15 Michigan; No. 2 Indiana wins at Purdue.

Big 12: No. 7 Texas Tech wins at West Virginia; No. 11 BYU beats UCF at home.

Southeastern: No. 3 Texas A&M wins at No. 16 Texas; No. 10 Alabama wins at Auburn.

Best game

No. 1 Ohio State (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) at No. 15 Michigan (9-2, 7-1), Saturday, noon ET (Fox)

The Buckeyes have lost four straight against the “Team Up North,” and last year’s defeat was so devastating there were calls for Ryan Day’s firing. It was still being talked about on the eve of the Buckeyes’ win over Notre Dame in the national championship game.

Ohio State hasn’t lost five straight to Michigan since a six-game skid from 1922-27. If the Buckeyes win, they should be the CFP top seed and get the first-round bye that goes with it. A loss could cost them a top-four seeding and leave them playing a first-round game at home.

Under the radar

Troy (7-4, 5-2 Sun Belt) at Southern Mississippi (7-4, 5-2), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

One of the great under-the-radar stories of the season has been the work of Southern Miss first-year coach Charles Huff. He took a program that went 1-11 and winless in the Sun Belt to the brink of its first conference championship game. If the Golden Eagles win, they’re in.

Huff brought in 70 transfers, including 23 who followed him from Marshall, and will be going for Southern Miss’ first eight-win season since 2017. Troy second-year coach Gerad Parker is trying to get the Trojans to their third Sun Belt title game in four years.

Heisman watch

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is making a strong closing bid for the Heisman Trophy. He’s gone from 50-to-1 long shot entering the season on BetMGM Sportsbook to second favorite among the wagering public at 15-to-4 this week. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza remains the prohibitive favorite.

Love is third in the nation in rushing at 118.7 yards per game, and his 20 touchdowns rank second and are tied for the single-season school record set by Jerome Bettis in 1991.

Love ran for 171 yards and three touchdowns on just eight carries in last week’s 70-7 win over Syracuse. He’s only the third player since 1996 to achieve those numbers on so few carries. He’ll finish the regular season Saturday night at Stanford. The last running back to win the Heisman was Alabama’s Derrick Henry in 2015.

Numbers to know

10 — Texas Tech’s nation-leading wins by at least 20 points.

17 — Pittsburgh interceptions returned for touchdowns since 2021, most in the nation. The Panthers have a pick-6 in each of its last three games and four this season.

37-4 — Kalen DeBoer’s combined record in November games as head coach at Sioux Falls, Fresno State, Washington and Alabama.

135 — Meetings between Minnesota and Wisconsin for Paul Bunyan’s Axe when they square off in Minneapolis, most of any FBS college football rivalry.

1898 — The year Navy last played on Thanksgiving. The Midshipmen visit Memphis on Thursday.

Hot seat

UTEP’s Scotty Walden was within a minute of what would have been the highlight of an otherwise awful season: a second straight win in the rivalry with New Mexico State. After blowing a 21-point first-quarter lead at home last Saturday, his Miners were up 31-27 with 56 seconds left in the game. Then the Aggies drove 75 yards in 35 seconds to score the winning touchdown.

Walden, 5-18 overall and 4-11 in Conference USA in two seasons, needs a win at Delaware on Saturday to match last year’s three victories. The Miners’ only wins this season are against Tennessee-Martin of the FCS and a Sam Houston team that started 0-8 and is now 2-9.

Walden has three years left on his contract and would be owed a buyout of about $1.5 million if fired, according to USA Today.

NO. 13 MIAMI AT NO. 24 PITT TOPS ACC SLATE; NO. 17 VIRGINIA, NO. 25 SMU CAN CLINCH TITLE-GAME TRIPS

Things to watch this week in the Atlantic Coast Conference:

Game of the week

No. 13 Miami (9-2, 5-2 ACC) at No. 24 Pittsburgh (8-3, 6-1), Saturday, noon ET (ABC)

The ACC race is so jumbled that the marquee game for the final week features two ranked teams that can’t simply win their way into the league championship game. The Panthers are on the verge of getting squeezed out of the league title game due to tiebreakers with No. 17 Virginia and No. 25 SMU — none of those three teams played this year — that come down to a Sept. 27 loss to Louisville.

None of that matters, though, if the Panthers don’t beat the Hurricanes. Miami remains the league’s top team in the College Football Playoff rankings (No. 12) to stay in the running for an at-large CFP bid as the ACC hopes for another multibid year.

The undercard

Virginia Tech (3-8, 2-5) at No. 17 Virginia (9-2, 6-1), Saturday, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)

It’s simple for the Cavaliers: Win and go to the ACC championship game. Virginia can clinch only its second 10-win season, the other coming in 1989, along with its first win against the Hokies since 2019 after four straight losses. The Hokies are closing out the slate under interim coach Philip Montgomery and transitioning to the tenure of newly hired coach James Franklin for next season.

No. 25 SMU (8-3, 6-1) at California (6-5, 3-4), Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

The Mustangs also have a win-and-in scenario to get back to the ACC title game for the second time in as many seasons as a league member. The bowl-eligible Bears are playing for the first time since firing Justin Wilcox after last week’s loss to rival Stanford in the Big Game.

Impact players

— Georgia Tech QB Haynes King. The sixth-year senior has had a strong dual-threat season, notably with 15 rushing TDs. Now he’ll try to lead the 23rd-ranked Yellow Jackets (9-2) to their first win against fourth-ranked rival Georgia since 2016 on Friday night.

— Wake Forest RB Demond Claiborne. The senior remains a big-play threat who is chasing a 1,000-yard rushing season (849) to go with 10 touchdowns entering a trip to Duke. Jake Dickert’s Demon Deacons (8-3, 4-3) enter Saturday with the most overall wins of all 10 Bowl Subdivision programs in the Carolinas.

Inside the numbers

N.C. State (6-5, 3-4) will try to beat hated rival North Carolina (4-7, 2-5) for a fifth straight year. The Tar Heels are likely going to miss a bowl for the first time since 2018 in their first season under Bill Belichick. … Clemson (6-5) visits South Carolina having lost two of three meetings. … Florida State (5-6) visits Florida having lost four of six in the series. … Louisville (7-4) hosts Kentucky trying to end a three-game skid overall, though the Cardinals won last year’s meeting to snap a five-game skid in that series. … Syracuse (3-8, 1-6) hosts Boston College (1-10, 0-7), while Stanford (4-7) hosts No. 9 Notre Dame.

OHIO STATE-MICHIGAN AND OREGON-WASHINGTON CLASHES HAVE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP AND CFP IMPLICATIONS

Things to watch this week in the Big Ten Conference:

Game of the week

No. 1 Ohio State (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) at No. 15 Michigan (9-2, 7-1), Saturday, noon ET (Fox)

Michigan needs to beat the top-ranked Buckeyes for a fifth straight time to have any hope of reaching the College Football Playoff. Michigan also could reach the Big Ten championship game if it beats Ohio State and either No. 5 Oregon loses to Washington or No. 2 Indiana falls to Purdue.

Ohio State would clinch a spot in the Big Ten championship game by beating Michigan. There’s a tiny chance Ohio State could lose and have a rematch with Michigan in the Big Ten championship game, but it would involve Washington upsetting Oregon and Purdue stunning Indiana.

BetMGM Sportsbook has Ohio State as a 10-point favorite.

The undercard

Oregon (10-1, 7-1) at Washington (8-3, 5-3), 3:30 p.m. ET (CBS)

Oregon could essentially lock up a playoff spot and would have an excellent chance at a first-round home game if it wins. The Ducks also could reach the Big Ten championship game if they beat Washington and either Michigan upsets Ohio State or Purdue surprises Indiana. The Ducks carry a Bowl Subdivision-leading 11-game road winning streak into this matchup.

Oregon is a 6 1/2-point favorite, according to BetMGM.

Impact players

— Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson has rushed for a Big Ten-leading 1,234 yards, and he also has caught 44 passes. He’s the first Big Ten player to have at least 1,200 yards rushing and 40 receptions in a season since 2017, when Penn State’s Saquon Barkley and Northwestern’s Justin Jackson both accomplished the feat.

— Northwestern QB Preston Stone completed all 15 of his second-half passes and went 25 of 30 for 305 yards with two touchdowns as the Wildcats rallied from 15 points down to beat Minnesota 38-35 and become bowl eligible.

Inside the numbers

Penn State RB Kaytron Allen became the Nittany Lions’ career leading rusher after running for 160 yards in a 37-10 blowout of Nebraska. Allen has rushed for 3,954 yards to overtake Evan Royster, who ran for 3,932 yards from 2007-10. … Wisconsin is the first Big Ten team to collect five sacks in three straight conference games since Penn State in 2007. … Only three FBS teams have won at least 10 games each of the last five seasons, and two of them are Big Ten members: Ohio State and Oregon. The other is Georgia. … The Ohio State-Michigan series is tied 22-22-4 the 48 times they’ve faced off when both teams were ranked. … Oregon has 23 touchdowns scored by true freshmen this season, matching North Texas atop the FBS. … A victory Friday would mark the seventh straight time Iowa has won at Nebraska.

Get to know him

Penn State’s coaching search may be overshadowing anything the Nittany Lions do on the field as the season winds down after James Franklin was fired amid a six-game skid, but freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer is making the most of his opportunities that followed a season-ending ankle injury to Drew Allar.

Grunkemeyer went 11 of 12 for 181 yards with a touchdown pass in a win over Nebraska. He was the first Penn State quarterback to complete at least 90% of his passes in a game while making at least 10 attempts since Todd Blackledge went 10 of 11 in a 41-16 triumph over Syracuse in 1981.

NO. 7 TEXAS TECH AND NO. 11 BYU CAN CLINCH SPOTS IN BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WITH WINS SATURDAY

Things to watch this week as the Big 12 wraps up the regular season:

Texas Tech and BYU can both get in the Big 12 championship game by winning their respective regular-season finales. The Red Raiders beat the Cougars 29-7 at home on Nov. 8. If one or both lose, No. 14 Utah (9-2, 6-2, No. 13 CFP) and Arizona State (8-3, 6-2, No. 20 CFP) are the only other teams with a chance to go to Arlington on Dec. 6.

Game of the week

No. 7 Texas Tech (10-1, 7-1 Big 12, No. 5 CFP) at West Virginia (4-7, 2-6) Saturday, noon ET (ESPN)

The Red Raiders and Mountaineers both come off open dates for what will be a cold day in Morgantown. Tech has the Big 12’s highest-scoring offense at 42.6 points per game, and also leads the league allowing 12.3. The defense is led by linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (100 tackles, seven forced fumbles) and national sacks leader David Bailey (12 1/2). The Red Raiders have never played in the Big 12 title game.

The Mountaineers are wrapping up their first season in the return of coach Rich Rodriguez.

The undercard

UCF (5-6, 2-6) at No. 11 BYU (10-1, 7-1, No. 11 CFP), Saturday, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

BYU’s only loss was the much-hyped game at Texas Tech, when held to a season-low 255 total yards and under 24 points for the only time. Their wins have been by an average margin of 19.7 points.

BYU is trying to get to their first conference championship game since the WAC in 1998, a loss to Air Force. The Mountain West didn’t have a championship game when the Cougars were in that league from 1999-2010, and they were independent until joining the Big 12 in 2023.

Impact players

— Utah running back Wayshawn Parker has four consecutive 100-yard rushing games. The Washington State transfer has averaged 7.8 yards per carry in that span.

— Arizona State linebacker Keyshaun Elliott ranks top seven in the Big 12 with 89 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and seven sacks. The Sun Devils on Friday night host Arizona, which has allowed 28 sacks; only Colorado has given up more in the league.

Inside the numbers

Oklahoma State (1-10, 0-8), which Tuesday named North Texas’ Eric Morris as its next coach, has to beat Iowa State (7-4, 4-4) on Saturday to avoid going winless in conference play for the second season in a row. The last Big 12 team that failed to win any league games over a two-season span was Kansas in 2011 and 2012. The Cowboys were in the Big Eight when they last did that in 1993 and 1994. … Iowa State’s 25 wins since the start of 2023 are a school record for a three-year period. … Cincinnati leads the Big 12 with 7.09 yards per play and 5.89 rushing yards per attempt. The Bearcats play at TCU, which is second in the league at 291.5 yards passing per game.

Bowling season

The Big 12 already has nine teams with the six wins needed for bowl eligibility. The league also has four 5-6 teams going into the final weekend of the regular season: Kansas (vs. Utah); UCF (at No. 14 Utah); Kansas State (vs. Colorado) and Baylor (vs. Houston).

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MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL NEWS

TOP 25 ROUNDUP: NO. 7 MICHIGAN ROLLS PAST NO. 12 GONZAGA FOR $1M PAYDAY

Yaxel Lendeborg’s 20 points and 11 rebounds led the way as No. 7 Michigan capped a dominant run to the Players Era men’s championship with a 101-61 rout of No. 12 Gonzaga on Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Michigan (7-0), which rolled into the title round after blowouts of 40 points vs. San Diego State and 30 points vs. No. 21 Auburn, delivered perhaps its most impressive performance of the three-day event vs. Gonzaga (7-1).

The Wolverines led wire-to-wire and built a 10-point lead just 3:10 into the contest. Michigan took home the event’s $1 million NIL bonus as the champion, while Gonzaga earned $500,000 as the runner-up.

Michigan’s frontcourt rotation shut down Bulldogs season-long leading scorer Graham Ike, holding him to 0-of-9 shooting from the floor. Braden Huff, who matched Tyon Grant-Foster’s team-high 14 points, fouled out after logging 25 minutes.

No. 3 Houston 66, Notre Dame 56

Emanuel Sharp scored 17 points and Milos Uzan added 15 as the Cougars needed less than 24 hours to recover from their first loss of the season, getting past the Fighting Irish in a consolation game of the Players Era men’s championship at Las Vegas.

Joseph Tugler scored 10 points with eight rebounds for Houston (7-1). The Cougars) led by as many as 22 points in the first half then held off a second-half run from the Fighting Irish (5-3).

Markus Burton scored 19 points and Jalen Haralson added 14 for Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish shot 34.0% (17 of 50) from the floor and were outrebounded 44-34.

No. 6 Louisville 104, NJIT 47

The Cardinals continued their high-scoring ways via a 3-point deluge and transfer guard Ryan Conwell poured in 32 points in a home win over the Highlanders.

Louisville (7-0) made a season-best 20 3-pointers and Conwell, who was averaging 18.2 points per game coming in, knocked down eight of the trifectas en route to his high-scoring night. The margin reached 57 points four times as the Cardinals topped 100 points for the fourth time in the young season. Conwell approached a triple-double by adding nine rebounds and six assists to his 32 points. Transfer Isaac McKneely added 17 points, including 5-for-10 3-point accuracy.

NJIT (3-5) struggled to score in all areas. The Highlanders shot just 18-for-58 overall (31%), 7-for-27 from 3-point range (25.9%) and 4-for-7 at the foul line (57.1%). NJIT had just six assists as a team.

No. 8 Alabama 105, Maryland 72

Labaron Philon Jr. compiled 20 points, six assists and four rebounds to lead a balanced attack in the Crimson Tide’s victory over the Terrapins in a Players Era men’s tournament consolation game at Las Vegas.

The Crimson Tide (5-2) had seven players score in double figures. Aden Holloway achieved his first career double-double, finishing with 17 points and a career-high 10 assists. Davion Hannah added 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field. Taylor Bol Bowen also had 12 points.

Maryland (5-3) was led by Darius Adams’ 20 points. Pharrel Payne added 14 points, four rebounds and four assists, and Guillermo Del Pino put up 10 points.

No. 21 Auburn 85, No. 14 St. John’s 74

Tahaad Pettiford scored a career-best 27 points and added three steals to lead the Tigers past the Red Storm in consolation play in the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas.

Pettiford scored 18 second-half points as Auburn (6-2) recovered from an 11-point hole to finish 2-1 in the tournament. Keyshawn Hall recorded 20 points and eight rebounds.

Zuby Ejiofor had 24 points and six rebounds for St. John’s (4-3), which went 1-2 in the tourney. Joson Sanon added 16 points.

No. 15 Iowa State 95, Syracuse 64

Milan Momcilovic scored 24 points while shooting 6-for-10 from long distance, Joshua Jefferson had 13 points and a career-high 10 assists and the Cyclones dominated the Orange in a Players Era consolation game at Las Vegas.

Killyan Toure added 19 points and six assists while Blake Buchanan and Dominick Nelson each scored 12 for Iowa State (7-0). The Cyclones broke the game open with a 60-30 second half.

Sadiq White Jr. led Syracuse with 14 points before fouling out. The Orange (4-3) went 0-3 in the event.

Kansas 81, No. 17 Tennessee 76

Melvin Council Jr. converted two three-point plays in a second-half run as part of a 17-point effort, Elmarko Jackson went for 17 of his own and the Jayhawks captured third place in the Players Era men’s championship with a victory over the Volunteers in Las Vegas.

In a matchup of sides that went 2-0 in the 18-team event’s round-robin play, the Jayhawks (6-2) outscored the Volunteers 40-23 over the final 15:28 to earn the tournament’s $300,000 prize in NIL contributions.

Nate Ament scored a game-high 20 points for the Volunteers (7-1). Tennessee took home $200,000 in NIL money for its fourth-place finish.

No. 19 Kentucky 109, Tennessee Tech 54

The Wildcats attacked the interior to the tune of 48 points in the paint while rolling past the Golden Eagles in Lexington, Ky.

Denzel Aberdeen, Trent Noah and Otega Oweh each scored 15 points for Kentucky (5-2), which had a 48-27 rebounding advantage.

Ja’Quavian Florence (11 points) and Dani Pounds (10) led Tennessee Tech (3-4) in scoring.

No. 20 Texas Tech 82, New Orleans 50

Christian Anderson had 23 points and five assists, helping the Red Raiders post a victory over the Privateers in Lubbock, Texas.

JT Toppin totaled 19 points and 16 rebounds for Texas Tech (5-2), which bounced back from their 30-point loss to No. 1 Purdue. Reserve LeJuan Watts had 12 points and eight rebounds in the win.

Jakevion Buckley led New Orleans (2-5) with 16 points. The Privateers dropped their fourth straight game, shooting 2-for-15 (13.3%) from 3-point range.

Texas 102, No. 23 North Carolina State 97

Jordan Pope’s 28-point performance propelled the Longhorns to a victory over the Wolfpack in the fifth-place game of the Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Hawaii.

Pope shot 8-for-15 from the floor and knocked down seven 3-pointers while Chendall Weaver scored 17 points to go along with eight boards for Texas (6-2).

The Wolfpack (5-2) lost despite having three players tally 20 or more points. Quadir Copeland finished with 28 points and six assists, Ven-Allen Lubin logged 23 points and nine rebounds, and Paul McNeil Jr. finished with 20 points.

No. 24 Vanderbilt 83, Western Kentucky 78

Duke Miles scored 28 points and Devin McGlockton added 22 to fuel the Commodores to a victory over the Hilltoppers at the Battle 4 Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas.

Vanderbilt (6-0) nearly squandered a 15-point lead and recorded a season low in points thanks to poor foul-shooting in the final minutes. The Commodores will face VCU in the semifinals on Thursday, while the Hilltoppers will oppose South Florida in the consolation bracket.

Teagan Moore led Western Kentucky (4-1) with 24 points and five assists.

REPORT: NCAA PROPOSES TRIMMING HOOPS TRANSFER WINDOW TO 15 DAYS

The transfer portal chaos in college basketball could be squeezed into a smaller window through a proposal from the NCAA basketball oversight committee, The Athletic reported Wednesday.

The transfer portal window would be reduced to 15 days as soon as next April, if suggested changes are approved, and would start at the conclusion of the Final Four for both men and women.

The transfer portal is in operation for 30 days and is open in late March while the NCAA Tournament for both men and women is in progress. The men’s window was open until April 22 earlier this year, while the women’s window was open until April 23.

The new proposal, which still needs to be reviewed by the Division I Cabinet in January, would open the men’s window from April 6-20, while the women’s window would open one day later and last until April 21.

The new proposal also addresses coaching changes. To match the procedure currently in place in football, a transfer window would open for basketball players five days after a program hires a coach. There would then be a 15-day window for players to let schools know they will enter the portal.

If a school waits at least 30 days to hire a new coach, players would at that point be afforded a 15-day window to enter the portal.

OKLAHOMA JUCO BASKETBALL PLAYER DIES FROM INJURY

A junior college basketball player in Oklahoma has died following an injury sustained during a game.

Ethan Dietz was a 6-foot-8 sophomore forward at Connors State College in Warner, Okla. He was 20.

He sustained a head injury in the second half of a game Saturday against Grayson College in Denison, Texas, and was transported to a local hospital.

The school announced Wednesday that Dietz had passed away on Tuesday morning.

“Ethan exemplified what it means to be a Cowboy, to value hard work and being part of a team,” the school said in a statement. “While the team and the Cowboy community are processing our own grief, our hearts go out to his family and friends.

“Ethan’s loss reminds us all how precious life is and how much those around us impact our lives. As we move through this loss together as a community, let’s be inspired by Ethan’s spirit, friendship and love.”

Connors State College canceled several men’s and women’s basketball games and scheduled a campus vigil to honor Dietz’s life on Monday.

Dietz, a native of Conway, Ark., started the first eight games this season for the Cowboys, averaging 11.0 points and 9.4 rebounds.

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WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL NEWS

WOMEN’S TOP 25 ROUNDUP: NO. 4 TEXAS HANDS NO. 3 UCLA FIRST LOSS

Rori Harmon helped No. 4 Texas sprint out to a 20-10 first-quarter lead as the undefeated Longhorns handed No. 3 UCLA its first loss of the season, 76-65, at the Players Era women’s championship in Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Harmon was perfect from the field in scoring six of her game-high 26 points in the first period as Texas (6-0) built an advantage it wouldn’t relinquish. The Longhorns doubled their lead by halftime, going up 45-25 as the Bruins had no early answers.

Madison Booker (16 points), Jordan Lee (13) and Justice Carlton (10) joined Harmon in double figures for Texas. Booker added seven rebounds and five assists.

The Bruins (6-1) committed 20 turnovers, leading to 18 Texas points. Kiki Rice and Gianna Kneepkens led UCLA with 17 points apiece. Charlisse Leger-Walker chipped in 13.

No. 2 South Carolina 83, Duke 66

A 26-12 second quarter helped the Gamecocks distance themselves in a comfortable win over the Blue Devils at the Players Era women’s championship in Las Vegas.

Madina Okot, who led all scorers with 23 points, powered for nine points and four rebounds in the deciding frame as South Carolina (7-0) built a 40-27 halftime edge. Joyce Edwards added 22, Ta’Niya Latson scored 12 and Raven Johnson contributed 10 points and six assists for the Gamecocks.

Toby Fournier scored 16 points for Duke (3-4). Riley Nelson put up 14 points, and Ashlon Jackson and Taina Mair chipped in 11 apiece.

No. 6 Michigan 102, Detroit Mercy 53

Five players reached double figures led by Mila Holloway’s 19 points as the Wolverines easily dispatched the Titans in Detroit.

Michigan (6-1) sprinted out to a 31-6 lead and was never challenged. Te’Yala Delfosse (14 points), Brooke Quarles Daniels (11), Olivia Olson (10) and McKenzie Mathurin (10) were the Wolverines’ other top scorers. Delfosse added 10 rebounds.

Nisea Burrell had 13 points and Maya Anderson scored 11 for Detroit Mercy (1-4), which took its fourth loss in a row.

No. 7 Maryland 74, No. 16 Kentucky 66

In a matchup of unbeatens, Kaylene Smikle’s game-high 22 points helped the Terrapins control the early going en route to a victory over the Wildcats at the Puerto Rico Classic in Carolina, Puerto Rico.

Maryland (8-0) led by as many as 20 points in third quarter. Yarden Garzon scored 17 points, Addi Mack had 15 and Saylor Poffenbarger posted 12.

Tonie Morgan posted 22 points, while Asia Boone added 13 and Amelia Hassett contributed 10 for Kentucky (7-1), which suffered its first loss.

No. 11 Iowa 86, Western Illinois 69

Addie Deal scored 17 points off the bench and the Hawkeyes posted a dominant first half while defeating the Leathernecks in Iowa City.

Iowa (7-0) built leads of 20-9 and 44-25 after the first two quarters. Taylor McCabe and Ava Heiden each scored 15 points, with Heiden adding 10 rebounds for the Hawkeyes. Hannah Stuelke had 12 points and nine boards.

The Hawkeyes withstood a 20-point outing by Western Illinois’ Mia Nicastro, who was 8 of 19 from the field and added seven rebounds. Raegan McCowan scored 16 points for the Leathernecks (4-1).

No. 15 Baylor 75, Louisiana Tech 46

Taliah Scott scored 21 points and added five rebounds and four steals as the Bears handled the Lady Techsters in Waco, Texas.

Marcayla Johnson and Yuting Deng each posted 11 for Baylor (6-1), which coasted to a 24-8 lead after a quarter of play and was never threatened.

Paris Bardley (10 points) was the top scorer for Louisiana Tech (3-3), which shot 29% from the floor and 3-for-21 (14.3%) from 3-point range.

Ohio State 83, No. 21 West Virginia 81

Elsa Lemmila hit a go-ahead jumper with 24 seconds to play and the Buckeyes overcame a 74-66 deficit with under four minutes left to defeat the Mountaineers in the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship at Nassau, Bahamas.

With Ohio State down 80-79, Ava Watson found Lemmila for the winning bucket. Watson added two free throws seconds later, and West Virginia couldn’t rally.

Jaloni Cambridge led the Buckeyes (5-1) with 22 points, and Chance Gray logged 15 points and seven assists. The Mountaineers (6-1) were paced by Gia Cooke’s 24 points and Kierra Wheeler’s 19.

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NBA NEWS

NBA ROUNDUP: CELTICS SNAP PISTONS’ 13-GAME WINNING STREAK

Jaylen Brown had 33 points, 10 rebounds and five assists to help host Boston deny Detroit a franchise-record 14-game winning streak with a 117-114 victory in an NBA Cup game.

After Anfernee Simons extended Boston’s lead to 115-112 by making two free throws with 6.3 seconds on the clock, Cade Cunningham was fouled attempting a 3-pointer with 4.4 seconds remaining, but he missed the third free-throw attempt after he made the first two.

Boston’s Payton Pritchard made two free throws with 2.4 seconds left and then the Celtics came up with a steal on Detroit’s final possession.

Detroit would have set a franchise record by winning its 14th straight game. The Pistons also won 13 straight games in 1989-1990 and 2003-04. Detroit won the NBA title both seasons.

Derrick White added 27 points and seven rebounds for Boston. Pritchard made four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points. Cunningham scored a game-high 42 points and collected eight rebounds and five assists. He made 14 of 16 foul shots in the loss.

Knicks 129, Hornets 101

Jalen Brunson scored 33 points as part of New York’s efficient offense in a romp past host Charlotte.

Josh Hart poured in 22 points, Karl-Anthony Towns and Miles McBride each posted 19 and Mikal Bridges had 18 as the Knicks finished a five-game road stretch with a 3-2 mark.

The result eliminated Charlotte from NBA Cup contention. The Hornets have lost seven games in a row, hurt by Wednesday’s 41.2% shooting (35 of 85) from the field and 17 turnovers. Brandon Miller led the Hornets with 18 points.

Heat 106, Bucks 103

Tyler Herro scored 29 points and dished seven assists as Miami survived a late rally to beat visiting Milwaukee.

The Heat improved to 3-1 in NBA Cup East Group C, while the Bucks fell to 2-1. Both are still in contention to advance to the knockout rounds.

Bam Adebayo paired 17 points and 11 rebounds in Miami’s sixth consecutive win. Ryan Rollins posted 26 points and Myles Turner had 24 as Milwaukee, without Giannis Antetokounmpo for a fourth successive game due to a left groin strain, took its sixth straight loss.

Thunder 113, Timberwolves 105

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points to lead Oklahoma City to a home win over Minnesota in an NBA Cup West Group A game.

The Thunder have won 10 consecutive games and 18 of their first 19, the best 19-game start in the league since Golden State began 24-0 in 2015-16.

Anthony Edwards scored 14 of his team-high 31 points in the fourth quarter for the Timberwolves, who have lost three consecutive games. At 2-2, Minnesota is eliminated from NBA Cup contention.

Raptors 97, Pacers 95

Brandon Ingram hit a game-winning pullup jumper in the final second as Toronto defeated visiting Indiana in an NBA Cup game for their ninth straight win.

Ingram finished with 26 points and Scottie Barnes added 24 points and 10 rebounds as the Raptors finished first in the East Group A at 4-0. Immanuel Quickley scored 15 points and dished six assists for Toronto, and Ja’Kobe Walter contributed 13 points.

T.J. McConnell scored 16 points for the Pacers, who are 0-3 in the NBA Cup and have dropped three straight overall. Bennedict Mathurin added 15 points and missed a last-second 3-point attempt to end the game.

Grizzlies 133, Pelicans 128 (OT)

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 27 points, Jaylen Wells added a season-high 25 and Zach Edey contributed 21 points and 15 rebounds as Memphis recorded an overtime win at New Orleans.

Memphis’ Vince Williams Jr., forced into playing point guard because of multiple injuries at the position, had a career-best 17 assists. The Grizzlies earned their third victory in four games.

Jose Alvarado paced the Pelicans with a season-high 24 points. Saddiq Bey added 18 points and 10 boards.

Spurs 115, Trail Blazers 102

De’Aaron Fox scored 14 of his season-high 37 points in the fourth quarter and added eight assists as visiting San Antonio beat Portland.

Devin Vassell scored a season-best-tying 23 points for the Spurs, who improved to 4-1 during the absence of star big man Victor Wembanyama (calf). Deni Avdija scored a season-high 37 points to go with eight assists and six rebounds for the Trail Blazers.

The Spurs and the Nuggets, both 2-1 in West Group C play, will face off Friday in Denver with an automatic spot in the knockout round on the line. The Trail Blazers (2-2) were eliminated from the NBA Cup.

Suns 112, Kings 100

Mark Williams recorded 21 points and tied his season high with 16 rebounds, Collin Gillespie also scored 21 points and visiting Phoenix defeated Sacramento in an NBA Cup West Group A contest.

Phoenix never trailed en route to its fourth win in five games and its second in two meetings with the Kings this season. Sacramento lost for the ninth time in 11 games. The Suns and Thunder, both 3-0 in NBA Cup action, will meet on Friday at Oklahoma City with winner capturing the group.

The Kings, 0-3 in NBA Cup play, were eliminated from contention. Sacramento was led by Keegan Murray and Russell Westbrook, who each scored 19 points.

Rockets 104, Warriors 100

Reed Sheppard capped a career-best 31-point performance by sinking a key hoop with 2:58 remaining, Alperen Sengun added another in the final minute and Houston outlasted Golden State in an NBA Cup game at San Francisco.

In the season’s first rematch of Golden State’s first-round playoff upset of second-seeded Houston last April, Amen Thompson chipped in with 10 points and 14 rebounds for the Rockets, who finished Cup play with a 2-2 record in West Group C.

Houston will not advance to the Western semifinals of the Cup, nor will the Warriors, who fell for the third time in four Cup games and saw Stephen Curry limp to the locker room in the final seconds, favoring his left leg. The Warriors were led by Jimmy Butler III with 21 points.

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NHL NEWS

NHL ROUNDUP: AVS TIE TEAM MARK WITH THIRD STRAIGHT SHUTOUT

Mackenzie Blackwood made 26 saves for his second straight shutout, Josh Manson and Joel Kiviranta scored nine seconds apart, and the surging Colorado Avalanche beat the San Jose Sharks 6-0 in Denver on Wednesday night.

It was the third straight shutout for Colorado, which ties the franchise record set Nov. 14-18, 2001, when Patrick Roy was in net for all three games.

Avalanche goaltenders have not allowed a goal for 189 minutes, 42 seconds.

Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen had a goal and an assist each, Ross Colton and Sam Malinski also scored and Martin Necas added two assists for Colorado, which has taken only one regulation loss in its first 23 games (17-1-5). The Avalanche’s 10-game winning streak is tied for the second longest in franchise history.

San Jose goalie Alex Nedeljkovic turned away 21 of 23 shots in relief of Yarolsav Askarov, who allowed four goals on 19 shots.

Maple Leafs 2, Blue Jackets 1 (OT)

Joseph Woll willed visiting Toronto to something of a fortuitous road win, escaping Columbus with an overtime victory.

William Nylander flicked the winning goal past an overcommitted Jet Greaves with 20 seconds left in overtime. It was his franchise-record 15th career overtime winner, breaking a tie with captain Auston Matthews and franchise icon Mats Sundin.

Woll turned away 35 of 36 shots, with Greaves stopping 22 of 24 for his part. Easton Cowan also scored for Toronto and Zach Werenski netted Columbus’ lone goal of the night. The Jackets have now dropped three in a row and four of their last five.

Devils 3, Blues 2 (OT)

Nico Hischier had a goal and two assists to lead New Jersey past St. Louis in overtime at Newark, N.J.

Hischier set up Simon Nemec for the winning goal 2:58 into overtime as the Devils improved to 9-0-1 at home. Timo Meier had a goal and an assist for New Jersey, and Jacob Markstrom made 21 saves.

Cam Fowler had a goal and assist for the Blues, who have one win in the past seven games (1-2-4). Robert Thomas also scored, and Jordan Binnington made 26 saves.

Lightning 5, Flames 1

Declan Carlile’s first goal of the season capped a four-goal first-period eruption as host Tampa Bay routed Calgary.

Brandon Hagel, Charle-Edouard D’Astous and Zemgus Girgensons all found the net before Carlile found the target. Hagel and Nikita Kucherov each had a goal and an assist while Jake Guentzel produced two helpers as the Lightning crafted their second five-game winning streak in a month.

Joel Farabee scored short-handed for Calgary, which had its season-best three-game winning streak end. Goalie Dustin Wolf surrendered three markers on four shots and was pulled for Devin Cooley, who made 17 saves on 19 shots.

Stars 3, Kraken 2

Vladislav Kolyachonok scored the tiebreaking goal at 14:16 of the third period as Dallas improved its NHL-leading road record with a victory over Seattle.

Roope Hintz and Esa Lindell also tallied and Tyler Seguin had two assists for the Stars, who completed a 3-0-1 trip and upped their away mark to 9-1-3. Dallas goaltender Casey DeSmith made 26 saves.

Brandon Montour and Vince Dunn scored for Seattle, which took just its second regulation loss at home this season (6-2-3). Joey Daccord stopped 18 of 21 shots.

Bruins 3, Islanders 1

Alex Steeves scored two goals for Boston, which completed a season sweep of New York with a win in Elmont, N.Y.

Tanner Jeannot also scored for the Bruins, who won despite being outshot 45-14. Goalie Jeremy Swayman made 44 saves, including 13 after the Islanders pulled Ilya Sorokin with 4:34 left.

Mathew Barzal scored in the first for the Islanders, who are 1-2-0 on a seven-game homestand following a 6-1-0 road trip. Ilya Sorokin recorded 11 saves.

Rangers 4, Hurricanes 2

Artemi Panarin collected a goal and an assist and Igor Shesterkin made 36 saves, fueling New York to a victory over Carolina in Raleigh, N.C.

Former Hurricane Vincent Trocheck and Noah Laba also tallied and Will Cuylle scored into the empty net for the Rangers, who have won two in a row following a season-high four-game losing streak. They also avenged a 3-0 setback to Carolina on Nov. 4. New York captain J.T. Miller notched an assist in his return from a two-game absence due to an upper-body injury.

Carolina defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere scored and set up a goal, Seth Jarvis also tallied and Sebastian Aho had two assists while playing in his 700th career NHL game. Frederik Andersen turned aside 14 shots for the Hurricanes, who fell short in the opener of their season-high seven-game homestand.

Flyers 4, Panthers 2

Tyson Foerster scored the tie-breaking goal with 45.2 seconds left to send Philadelphia to a road victory over Florida in Sunrise, Fla.

Emil Andrae added a goal and an assist for Philadelphia, which rallied from a 2-0 deficit to post its third win in four games. Matvei Michkov and Sean Couturier also scored for the Flyers, while Dan Vladar made 25 saves.

Brad Marchand and Carter Verhaeghe scored for two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida, which had won five of its previous seven contests. Sam Bennett set up both Panthers goals, while Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 14 shots.

Predators 6, Red Wings 3

Ryan O’Reilly scored the go-ahead goal and added two assists as visiting Nashville ended a three-game losing streak with a victory over Detroit.

Michael Bunting scored his 100th career goal and added an assist for Nashville, who had gone 2-9-2 over their previous 13 games. Nashville’s Erik Haula, Steven Stamkos and Nick Blankenburg each had a goal and an assist.

Roman Josi also scored, Luke Evangelista registered two assists and Justus Annunen stopped 28 shots for his first victory in his seventh game this season. James van Riemsdyk, Alex DeBrincat and Ben Chiarot scored for Detroit, which took its third loss in four games. Cam Talbot made 23 saves.

Senators 4, Golden Knights 3 (SO)

Linus Ullmark made 32 saves and wasn’t beaten on three shootout tries and Shane Pinto scored a goal and also tallied the shootout winner as Ottawa prevailed in Las Vegas.

Jake Sanderson had a goal and two assists, Tim Stutzle and Claude Giroux each had two assists and Drake Batherson also scored a goal for the Senators.

Mark Stone, back after missing 16 games with a wrist injury, scored for Vegas, as did Jack Eichel and Brett Howden. Akira Schmid finished with 20 saves.

Wild 4, Blackhawks 3 (OT)

Kirill Kaprizov scored 1:38 into overtime, lifting Minnesota to a win at Chicago.

Matt Boldy added a goal and two assists for the Wild, who earned their sixth victory in a row. Brock Faber finished with a goal and an assist, and Nico Sturm also had a goal. Minnesota goaltender Filip Gustavsson stopped 34 of 37 shots.

Connor Bedard tallied a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks, who are winless in four games (0-3-1). Jason Dickinson and Artyom Levshunov also scored, and Spencer Knight allowed four goals on 24 shots.

Canadiens 4, Mammoth 3

Nick Suzuki scored twice in a three-point outing and Ivan Demidov completed the comeback as Montreal claimed a victory over Utah in Salt Lake City.

Zachary Bolduc collected one goal and two assists for the Canadiens, who trailed 2-0 after one period. Jakub Dobes made 31 saves as Montreal earned its second win in a row.

Barrett Hayton, Kailer Yamamoto and Michael Carcone tallied for the Mammoth, who saw their two-game winning streak snapped. Karel Vejmelka stopped 13 shots.

Capitals 4, Jets 3

Connor McMichael netted what proved to be the winning goal early in the third period as Washington beat visiting Winnipeg to earn its fifth victory in six games.

John Carlson, Jakob Chychrun and Alex Ovechkin also scored for the Capitals. Washington’s Charlie Lindgren made 18 saves.

Gabriel Vilardi got a pair of goals and Mark Scheifele scored once for the Jets. Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor had three assists while Eric Comrie made 30 stops.

Penguins 4, Sabres 2

Tristan Jarry returned to action and made 29 saves while leading Pittsburgh to a win over visiting Buffalo. Jarry missed the previous seven games because of a lower-body injury.

Mathew Dumba, Bryan Rust, Kevin Hayes and Connor Dewar scored for the Penguins, who won for the first time in three games (1-1-1). Ryan Shea contributed two assists.

Jason Zucker and Jack Quinn each tallied a goal and an assist and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 15 saves for the Sabres, who had won two straight.

Canucks 5, Ducks 4

Drew O’Connor scored the eventual game-winner as visiting Vancouver edged Anaheim. Nikita Tolopilo, making his second career start, made 37 saves.

Max Sasson added a goal and an assist, and Linus Karlsson, Evander Kane and Conor Garland also found the back of the net as the Canucks snapped a three-game losing streak and won in regulation for just the third time in 18 games.

Jackson Lacombe had a goal and two assists while Cutter Gauthier had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who dropped to 8-3-0 on home ice this season.

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TOP INDIANA HEADLINES/NEWS RELEASES

COLTS FOOTBALL NEWS

COLTS QB DANIEL JONES LIMITED WITH FIBULA INJURY

Daniel Jones was limited in practice on Wednesday with a fibula injury, but Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen labeled his quarterback “good to go” for a Sunday game against the Houston Texans.

Jones was on the injury report last week but played start to finish at Kansas City in an overtime loss to the Chiefs that knocked the AFC South leaders back toward the pack at 8-3.

“All I’ve got for you is he’s got a fibula, and that’s it,” Steichen said Wednesday. “I’m not going to get into specifics but he’s out there. He’s playing. He’s practicing. He’s good to go.”

Houston (6-5) rolls into Indianapolis with a three-game winning streak, two edge rushers with double-digit sacks and reinforcements expected to get back on the field in quarterback CJ Stroud and nickel corner Jalen Pitre. Both players are on schedule to clear concussion protocol, head coach DeMeco Ryans said Wednesday.

Jones was sacked a total of 12 times in two games before the Colts’ offensive line pitched a shutout at Kansas City. Protection should receive a boost playing at home for the first time since Oct. 26.

“It’s a good defense. It’s aggressive. They do a good job rushing the passer, they’ve got good players in the secondary,” Jones said, while downplaying the injury. “I’ve just been trying to get treatment and make sure I’m in the best spot I can be. It’s just something I felt last week. Got looked at. … I’m good. I’m all good. I’ll be ready to go Sunday.”

The Texans lead the NFL in total defense (264.3 yards per game) and rank second in scoring defense (16.5 points per game). The Texans registered eight sacks of Josh Allen and beat the Buffalo Bills last week. Edge rushers Danielle Hunter (11 sacks) and Will Anderson (10.5 sacks) lead Houston’s pass rush, a top concern for Jones and the Colts leading up to Sunday’s game.

Steichen’s counter punch of NFL rushing leader Jonathan Taylor (1,197 yards) is part of the reason Jones isn’t fretting the leg issue or limited live reps to start the week.

“We obviously know what’s at stake. We’re back at home,” Taylor said. “At the end of the day, November-December you want to be playing your best ball.”

COLTS QB DANIEL JONES READY TO FACE TEXANS IN KEY DIVISION GAME

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones quickly tried to dispel any notion the lower leg bone injury that showed up on last Thursday’s injury report had anything to do with his performance in the loss to Kansas City.

He also pronounced himself ready to play in Sunday’s key AFC South game against Houston.

“I’m good, I’m all good,” he said Wednesday before going through the team’s short walkthrough. “I’ll be ready to go on Sunday. Obviously, I was out there last week so I’m good to go.”

Jones was listed as a limited participant though coach Shane Steichen continued to downplay the injury. Indy (8-3) will need Jones to be effective this week as they try to pad their two-game division lead over the Texans (6-5).

Jones said he couldn’t pinpoint exactly when the injury occurred or when he first noticed something didn’t seem right.

Still, he’s been working with the team trainers since it happened.

The questions came quickly after Jones struggled against the Chiefs’ pass rush especially in the fourth quarter and overtime as Indy’s 20-9 lead evaporated. Kansas City forced overtime with a late field goal in regulation before eventually winning 23-20.

While Jones was not sacked and did not have a turnover, he finished 19 of 31 with 181 yards and two touchdowns — and a season-low completion rate of 61.3% in one of his lowest-rated games this season.

In Indy’s previous three games, he accounted for seven turnovers and was sacked 15 times.

The recent struggles after an incredibly fast start have some outsiders wondering if he’s healthy or whether Jones is simply regressing to his previous norms following an excellent start that included winning seven of his first eight starts with the Colts.

Since then, he’s 2-2 and has been scrambling more frequently to buy time, something he may be forced to do against Houston’s stout defense.

Yet Steichen doesn’t sound concerned.

“I think anytime you go through a season, you’re going to have highs and lows, and then you battle back from those,” Steichen said. “But even like last week, I think he was completing balls. I think he had a 100.0 passer rating. I think he was 14 of 16 at one point. He’s playing good ball, you know what I mean? It’s just winning those — winning those games at the end.”

And even as Jones makes no excuses for what’s happened recently, he knows that he and the Colts offense need a strong rebound as they pursue their first division title since 2014.

“I think when you’re out there, you can’t afford to be thinking about anything like that,” he said, referring to the injury. “I think those third downs — didn’t make the play (and) weren’t putting ourselves in great position on early downs. I don’t think there was necessarily one problem that carried through on each of those tries. I think it was just — we didn’t execute at a high level when we needed to.”

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INDIANA PACERS BASKETBALL NEWS

GAME REWIND: PACERS 95, RAPTORS 97 (NBA CUP)

Game Recap

The Pacers rolled into Toronto on Wednesday looking for their first win in the NBA Cup on the eve of Thanksgiving. Indiana entered Scotiabank Arena 0-9 on the road, and also eyed its first road win against the Raptors. Toronto defeated Indiana at the buzzer, 97-95, as Brandon Ingram knocked down a game-winning shot to keep Indiana winless away from home.

Jarace Walker picked up where he left off on Monday – he hit five of his six 3-point attempts on his way to a 21-point outing against the Pistons – as he knocked down three triples for the Pacers in the opening quarter. He led all scorers through one quarter as he notched 11 points on 3-for-5 shooting.

The Pacers won the first quarter, 25-21, a feat they’ve accomplished just three other times this season. Indiana is 1-2 in those games.

A 5-0 run to open the second quarter, and a 10-0 run overall opened up a 9-point lead for Indiana early in the frame.

Andrew Nembhard knocked down a stepback 3-pointer for his first points back in his native country of Canada. That basket put Indiana up by seven points, and he assisted Isaiah Jackson on the next trip down the floor as the Pacers found a groove.

Bennedict Mathurin, also a native Canadian, logged five points in the first half.

Turnovers plagued the Pacers in the first half – Indiana recorded 12 turnovers leading to eight Raptors points. Toronto leveraged those takeaways into an 8-0 run down the stretch of the second quarter, cutting Indiana’s lead down to just three points by the one-minute mark.

The lead was a single point, 49-48, when Pascal Siakam picked up his fourth foul after getting tangled up with Toronto’s Scottie Barnes in pursuit of a rebound. Barnes knocked down both free throws, and the Raptors took the lead into halftime, 50-49.

Indiana held the Raptors to just 37 percent shooting while connecting on 43 percent of its own looks. Barnes was a steady source of offense for Toronto as he recorded a game-high 16 points in the half.

Walker’s 11 points and eight rebounds led Indiana as the Blue and Gold entered the locker room trailing by one point, 50-49.

Toronto’s run from the end of the first half extended into the beginning of the second as the Raptors scored 22 unanswered points before Siakam split a pair of free throws to end the skid. After leading by as many as 11 points in the game, Indiana was down 10 points just three minutes into the third quarter, 60-50.

The Pacers put together some offense later in the third as T.J. McConnell began to heat up. A 13-point Toronto lead became just nine behind McConnell’s back-to-back buckets for Indiana.

Ingram was a steady source of production for Toronto – he logged an 11-point third quarter and all too often converted unlikely shots through fouls to maximize the Raptors trips down the floor.

Indiana cut into the lead bit by bit, and finally clawed within four points of Toronto following two triples from Ben Sheppard. A pair of free throws from Barnes put the Raptors ahead by six going into the final period, 76-70.

Five straight points from Indiana shrunk the margin to just one, 76-75, 63 seconds into the quarter as Mathurin knocked down his second 3-pointer of the night.

Mathurin had a spectacular fourth quarter, and already logged 10 points in the frame by the 7-minute mark. His fourth triple of the evening put Indiana up two points, 83-81.

A back-and-forth final period had Indiana trailing by two with under three minutes to play as Nembhard swung the ball to Jay Huff at the top of the key. Huff pump faked his defender into the air before he drove into the lane and detonated over two Raptors to throw down a dunk to tie it at 93, 2:40 left to play.

The game was knotted again at 95 all as Toronto crossed halfcourt with under 20 seconds on the game clock. Ingram drove from the wing, stopped on a dime, and hit a buzzer-beating pull-up to seal the win for the Raptors, 97-95. The victory marks Toronto’s ninth straight win and Indiana’s third consecutive loss.

Ingram led all scorers with his 26 points while Barnes added 24 for Toronto. No Pacers broke the 20 point mark, but McConnell led Indiana with his 16 points, seven rebounds, and six assists off the bench.

The Pacers return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday, Nov. 28 at 7:30 PM ET as they host the Washington Wizards.

Inside the Numbers

Pascal Siakam was assessed four fouls in the first half but avoided fouling out of the game. He played a total of 31 minutes.

Indiana committed 18 turnovers to Toronto’s 13. The Pacers scored 15 points off the Raptors’ turnovers and allowed 18 off their own.

Indiana did not record any 20 point scorers. The last time the Pacers didn’t have a 20-point scorer was Oct. 31 against the Hawks (Pascal Siakam led with 18 points).

The Pacers shot just 61 percent from the free throw line. They shot 45 percent from the field, however, and 33 percent from beyond the arc.

Indiana took 78 shots to Toronto’s 90.

You Can Quote Me on That

“You’ve got to be really gritty to hang in the way we did and give ourselves a chance.” – coach Rick Carlisle on Indiana’s attitude in comeback games

“He was great. His spirit, energy, was a big igniter of course.” – Carlisle on T.J. McConnell’s night

“We have some things we can build on. It’s simply a matter of staying together, understanding that everything’s going to be difficult, and embracing that challenge.” – Carlisle on Indiana’s attitude going forward

“Just hard play…There’s a standard that we’ve built and we need to continue to live by it. I think we showed that standard in the second half, [but] we have to be more consistent about it.” — T.J. McConnell on Indiana’s takeaways from the loss

Stat of the Night

T.J. McConnell led Indiana in scoring off the bench as he scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and recorded six assists in 24 minutes.

Noteworthy

Both Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard are native Canadians.

Indiana is 58-53 against the Raptors all-time.

The Pacers are 4-7 in NBA Cup group play games all-time.

Up Next

The Pacers will host Alex Sarr and the Washington Wizards at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for their traditional “Gold Friday” home game on Friday, Nov. 28.

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INDIANA FOOTBALL NEWS

NO. 2 INDIANA PUTS ITS PERFECT RECORD AND BIG TEN TITLE HOPES ON THE LINE IN BUCKET GAME AT PURDUE

No. 2 Indiana understands Friday night’s high stakes.

The Hoosiers need one win to break last season’s school-record victory total, to clinch their first Big Ten championship game berth and likely lock up a second straight playoff spot and maybe a first-round bye.

But rather than worry about the outside view, these Hoosiers are focused on one thing: beating Purdue and keeping the Old Oaken Bucket.

“As soon as I got here, everyone was talking about the Oaken Bucket, the rivalry with Purdue,” Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza said. “I can’t wait to get a bite at the rivalry, to be able to experience it, to play in it against such a great team. It is such an honor to play Purdue.”

While Mendoza is a newcomer to the Indiana-Purdue series, he’s no stranger to rivalries. He started and won the revered Cal-Stanford contest, dubbed the Big Game, each of the past two years.

Now the Heisman Trophy candidate finds himself playing in an even bigger game as Indiana (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten, No. 2 CFP) chases history and perhaps a national championship. The Hoosiers have never completed a perfect regular season and haven’t won a conference title since 1967, which is tied with Minnesota for the Big Ten’s longest active drought.

Both feats are looming as Curt Cignetti tries to become the first Indiana coach to win each of his first two games against Purdue (2-9, 0-8) since Hall of Famer Bo McMillin in 1934 and 1935. Just don’t ask Cignetti about those things.

“I respect what I see on tape. They’re playing hard, they’re making plays in games. They’re doing a good job up there coaching,” he said. ”We’ve got to go up there prepared and we’ve got to play well. We’re going on the road to play a Big Ten team, an in-state rival. That’s all we’re thinking about.”

The Boilermakers, in contrast, have struggled mightily in coach Barry Odom’s first season. They’ve lost nine straight overall and a school-record 17 straight league games, putting them on the cusp of their first back-to-back winless Big Ten seasons for the first time since going 0-3 in 1919 and 0-4 in 1920.

Ending those streaks, ruining what has so far been a perfect season for Indiana on national television in prime time and heading into the offseason with a win certainly would be worth more than a drop in The Bucket at Purdue.

“We’ll all go down as you leave this game as a win or loss versus your rival,” Odom said. “That’s been the focus of what we’ve talked about.”

A century in the making

Purdue leads the series 77-43-6. It began in 1891 and has been played annually since 1920 with the exception of 2021, when the game was canceled twice because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But this marks the 100th time the teams actually will play for the trophy.

Representatives from the two schools found the prized possession on a family farm in southern Indiana and after the decaying, mossy, mold-covered bucket was repaired, it was introduced in 1925, a game that ended in a 0-0 tie. Since then, the celebration includes adding an “I” or a “P” to the long chain that fits inside The Bucket.

Some of the more memorable moments include the bucket full of roses Drew Brees and his teammates captured after clinching the 2000 Big Ten title and Rose Bowl trips for Purdue in 1966 and Indiana in 1967. A win in 2022 also locked up the Boilermakers’ West Division title.

Indiana also honored late coach Terry Hoeppner by making a last-minute field goal to become bowl eligible in 2007, just five months after he died. And last year the Hoosiers made the playoffs after handing Purdue its worst loss in school history, 66-0.

Quarterback question

The Hoosiers could be dealing with a different wrinkle after Odom shook things up during Purdue’s 49-13 loss at Washington.

Starting quarterback Ryan Browne gave way to backup Malachi Singleton when things went awry and Odom rotated them the rest of the way. Odom had a bye week to consider a change and wasn’t dropping any hints about his thoughts against a defense allowing a meager 11.64 points per game.

“We’re excited how Malachi played against Washington, he did some good things,” Odom said. “He made some errors. We’re trying to get both those guys ready to play their best ball Friday night.”

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INDIANA VOLLEYBALL NEWS

TATUM TAKES IU TO SWEEP IN CHAMPAIGN

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Indiana volleyball team has ended a number of long streaks this season as a historic 2025 campaign roars on. For the first time since 2007, the Hoosiers picked off Illinois in Champaign with a sweep (25-18, 25-21, 25-18) on Wednesday (Nov. 26) evening at Huff Hall.

IU’s win over the Fighting Illini moved its road conference record to 7-2 on the year, breaking a single-season program record for Big Ten wins away from home. The Hoosiers had one of their most impressive serving nights of the year. IU provided nine aces in the victory, led by three from freshman setter Teodora Krickovic.

On top of her outstanding serving night, Krickovic worked a fantastic night offensively with her senior opposite hitter Avry Tatum. The connection helped Tatum to 13 kills on 24 swings and a .417 hitting percentage. Senior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles went for 12 kills. The veteran duo is now 26-8 in the last three years when both players reach double figures in the same contest.

Freshman outside hitter Jaidyn Jager had seven kills on 12 attempts (.500 hitting percentage) but added 12 digs and two aces. Alonso-Corcelles and freshman libero Hannah Leftridge each had six digs. Senior middle blocker Madi Sell helped turn the tides in game three with a solo block – part of a four-block night for IU.

The win made Alonso-Corcelles the winningest player in program since the NCAA made women’s volleyball a varsity sport in 1981. She has 75 wins and counting in her career to go along with her already program-record 42 Big Ten victories. IU’s 23 wins this season are tied for a single-season program record.

IU will have the chance to finish off the regular season in style on Saturday. A win over No. 11 Purdue at Mackey Arena would give the Hoosiers their best Big Ten finish (3rd or T-3rd) in program history. It would also be an outright, single-season record for wins (24).

How it Happened

• A big serving night was crucial in helping IU to the sweep of Illinois. The Hoosiers offered up nine aces and committed just one service error in 74 attempts. Illinois struggled mightily in reception and it allowed IU ample time to run its offense on free balls from the hosts.

• The Hoosiers’ veterans stepped up when it mattered most. Senior opposite Avry Tatum had the outstanding offensive night but senior middle blocker Madi Sell came up with an important solo block and graduate student outside hitter Jessica Smith added a late kill out of the back row.

Top Hoosier Performers

#10 Krickovic, Teodora

39 assists, 3 aces, 2 digs, 2 kills

#13 Tatum, Avry

13 kills, .417 hitting percentage, 4 digs

#24 Jager, Jaidyn

12 digs, 7 kills, 2 aces, .500 hitting percentage

Notes to Know

• Wednesday’s win over Illinois was the first win for the program in Champaign since 2007. It snapped a 15-match losing streak at Huff Hall that dated back 18 seasons. The series between the two schools dates back to 1975 but it’s the first road sweep of Illinois in school history.

• Senior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles picked up her 75th career victory on Wednesday, making her the program’s winningest player in the NCAA era. She has been a part of historic success since arriving on campus in 2022 and now sits alone the all-time wins chart in Bloomington.

• Senior opposite hitter Avry Tatum recorded 13 kills on a .417 hitting percentage in the sweep of Illinois. It’s the 12th time in her IU career that she’s had a match with at least 12 kills and a hitting percentage of .400 or better. It’s the second-straight year she’s done it in a win over Illinois (Nov. 29, 2024).

• Head coach Steve Aird and the Hoosiers matched a program record for wins (23) in the NCAA era with Wednesday’s victory over Illinois. The next win will officially give IU its best season in school history. IU also set a single-season program record for Big Ten road wins (7) and extended its single-season program record for conference wins (14).

• Senior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles recorded 12 kills in Wednesday’s win, the 50th time in her career she’s gone for 10-or-more kills in a Big Ten match. She and senior opposite Avry Tatum are now 26-8 over the last three years when they both go for double-digit kills in the same match. The duo is 7-1 in league play in 2025 when that occurs.

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PURDUE VOLLEYBALL NEWS

#11 BOILERMAKERS FALL IN BATTLE OF HEAVYWEIGHTS

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. –  In a heavyweight battle among top-20 teams, the No. 11 Purdue Boilermakers fell to No. 18 Minnesota 1-3 (21-25, 26-28, 25-14, 22-25). With the result, the Boilermakers drop to 23-6 (14-5 Big Ten) while the Gophers improve to 22-8 (12-7 Big Ten).

Purdue led in nearly all statistical categories, including attack efficiency, digs and blocks, but fell short behind the serve line, where the team committed 12 service errors.

The match included 16 tied scores and seven lead changes in the final set.

The Boilermakers will host the regular-season finale on Saturday in another top-20 matchup. No. 11 Purdue will host No. 15 Indiana at Mackey Arena on B1G+. The match will also serve as the program’s alumnae day. Then on Sunday, the Boilermakers will find out their postseason fate with the NCAA Selection Show slated for 6 p.m. ET on ESPN. The top-16 seeds will host the first and second rounds on their respective campus.

Boiler Notes

Four Boilers reached double-digit kills (A. Anderson, Wollard, Charles and Heaney).

Akasha Anderson led the offense, posting the most kills since donning the Purdue uniform, ending the night with 19 kills on a .333 clip and two blocks.

Errors plagued the Boilermakers in the first and fourth sets, combining for 11 attack errors and six service miscues in those two alone.

Purdue had two set point opportunities in Set 2 (24-22 and 25-24), however Minnesota responded, taking the 25-26 lead. The Boilers denied the Gopher set point to tie it, 26-26, however tough serving by Minnesota put Purdue out-of-system for the final two points.

Purdue dominated Set 3, leading by as much as 20-8 in the set and holding Minnesota to a negative hitting % until late in the set.

Kenna Wollard reached double-double status for the second straight match, finishing the match with 14 kills, 14 digs – one shy of her career-high.

Taylor Anderson dished out 55 assists, eight digs, four blocks, two aces and three kills.

Ryan McAleer played exceptional defense, registering 23 digs, five assists and an ace.

Gracey Heaney produced her sixth double-double of the season, recording 11 kills, 12 digs, three blocks, two aces and an assist.

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PURDUE MEN’S GOLF

SAPP SIGNS TWO STANDOUTS TO NATIONAL LETTERS OF INTENT

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Second-year Purdue head men’s golf coach Andrew Sapp has announced the signed recruits for the Class of 2026, consisting of two standout high school golfers that will be on the Boilermaker squad for the 2026-27 season.

Toku Fujiwara and Micah Sheffer have signed their National Letters of Intent and will join the Boilermakers next fall.

“We welcome Micah and Toku to our Purdue Golf Family,” Sapp said. “They are good friends and will push each other as well as the rest of our team to get better and reach our goals. They are a great addition to Purdue.”

Toku Fujiwara | West Chester, Ohio

SAPP SAYS: “We are excited for Toku to join us next fall. It has been incredible to see how much his golf has improved from the time he verbally committed to Purdue to his signing date. I can’t wait to see how much his hard work is going to pay off in these next nine months before he arrives in West Lafayette. He will be a wonderful teammate and contributor to our team.”

Named first-team All-Conference four times and the GMC Player of the Year three times in Ohio.

Set the GMC Tournament record as a junior with a 36-hole total of 9-under par 144 (65-70).

Was the OHSAA Division I Southwest District Player of the Year, first-team All-State and runner-up at the OHSAA Division I State Championship as a senior.

Posted a 35.8, 9-hole stroke average as a senior, the second-best total in school history.

Was a two-time GMC conference champion.

Posted four AJGA top-5 finishes, including a win at the 2024 Future Legends Championship.

Micah Sheffer | Brownstown, Indiana

SAPP SAYS: “Micah is an athlete first and a golfer second. As a successful football and basketball player he brings some great leadership to our program. And his golf is great too. I look forward to seeing how good his golf becomes when he is focusing on golf alone. Micah will arrive in West Lafayette in January and we can’t wait to start working with him and seeing how much he improves and grows leading into the Fall of 2026.”

One of the state’s top athletes, Sheffer arrives at Purdue after starring on the golf course, the football field and hardwood.

Two-time all-conference honoree and team MVP in golf, before opting not to play his junior season and playing junior tours instead.

Named the 2025 Golfweek Player of the Year and won four events on the AJGA and Golfweek Junior Tours last summer.

In 24 tournaments, he posted 13 top-5 finishes.

A standout quarterback for Brownstown Central, Sheffer has led Brownstown Central to the Class 2A state championship game played this weekend at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Has thrown for 1,126 yards and 11 touchdowns while rushing for over 400 yards. Leads an offense averaging 54.7 points per game.

On the hardwood, he was a varsity starters for two years, including as a sophomore helping Brownstown Central to the 2024 state championship, alongside current Purdue basketball player Jack Benter.

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PURDUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL NEWS

BOILERS USE FIRST HALF RUN TO OVERWHELM HOWARD

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women’s basketball team continued its perfect record at Mackey Arena this season with a 92-62 win over Howard on Wednesday afternoon, its largest win of the year. The Boilermakers (4-2) put five players in double figures and outscored Howard (6-2) 40-12 off the bench.

A pair of Boilermakers turned in double-doubles. Lana McCarthy finished with a career-high 19 points and 15 rebounds. The sophomore was 6-of-7 from the field and 7-of-10 at the line. It was the first 19-point, 15-rebound performance by a Boilermaker since Whitney Bays against Ohio State in 2014-15.

Tara Daye posted her second double-double in the last three outings with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

Madison Layden-Zay connected four times from behind the arc to finish with 14 points to go with four rebounds and three assists. Kiki Smith laced a trio of triples to post 13 points and a team-high six assists. Taylor Feldman dished out five helpers in addition to 10 points with a pair of 3-pointers. Purdue finished the afternoon 11-of-27 from behind the arc.

The Boilermakers dished out a season-high 21 assists, their most since a 27-dime performance against Indiana State last year.

Purdue dominated on the glass with a 50-20 margin. It was Purdue’s largest rebounding margin since Nov. 17, 2016, against USC Upstate. Purdue grabbed a season-high 17 offensive rebounds to score 18 points. The Boilermakers also tallied 22 points on the fastbreak.

TOP STATS

After a slow start in the first quarter, the Boilermakers rolled off a 30-4 run between the first and second quarters, including 22 straight points. Layden-Zay connected on a pair of 3-poitners, while Lana McCarthy powered through a pair of layups to get the run started. The Boilermakers opened the second on a 15-0 run with a pair of triples from Smith. The Boilermakers kept a balanced attack with Layden-Zay, Smith and Daye all scoring eight points in the run.

Over the 22 straight points, Purdue converted 8-of-11 field goals, while forcing the Bison into 13 straight misses. Howard did not score for 8:12 of game time.

KEY MOMENTS

• Howard made three of its first five shots to open a 7-2 lead midway through the first. Purdue committed four turnovers in the opening three minutes.

• The Boilermakers posted a 12-2 run to close the first with a pair of triples from Layden-Zay. Howard did not score for the for the final 3:40 of the first.

• Purdue connected on six of its first eight field goal attempts in the second quarter to tally 15 straight points.

• The Boilermakers opened the gap to 23 points after back-to-back McCarthy layups, before Howard chipped the gap down to 16. Back-to-back triples from Feldman and Layden-Zay gave Purdue a 22-point edge at the break.

• Purdue made 12-of-19 field goals with five 3-pointers for a season-high 31 points in a quarter at a blistering 63.2% clip.

• McCarthy scored the first six points of the third quarter for Purdue to keep the lead at 20 points.

• Purdue shot 61.5% in the third with 3-pointers from Layden-Zay and Hila Karsh.

• The Boilermakers pulled away in the fourth quarter with Nya Smith adding six points off the bench.

NOTES

• Purdue and Howard met for the first time on Wednesday. Purdue is now 158-58 in first-time matchups.

• Purdue improved to 46-8 when scoring 70 points or more and 56-19 when holding opponents under 70 under head coach Katie Gearlds.

• The 92 points scored are the fourth most scored by the Boilermakers since the 2021-22 season.

• Purdue knocked down more than 10 3-pointers for the 18th time in the Gearlds era.

• The Boilermakers are 22-1 when dishing out 20 or more assists in the last five seasons.

• Layden-Zay is up to 221 career 3-pointers, fourth in Purdue history. She is 17 3-pointers away from Katie Gearlds for third in school history and 23 shy of Karissa McLaughlin’s all-time record of 244.

• Layden-Zay made her 99th career start, joining Kelly Komara and Erin Lawless for 17th on Purdue’s all-time chart.

• McKenna Layden knocked down her first triple of the year.

• Freshman Carley Barrett made her collegiate debut on Wednesday

UP NEXT

Purdue will hit the road looking for their first win away from Mackey Arena this season with a 1 p.m. start at Central Michigan on Sunday on ESPN+.

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NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL NEWS

NO. 9 NOTRE DAME NEEDS WIN OVER STANFORD TO STAY IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF HUNT

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Notre Dame has one last chance to impress the playoff selection committee.

The ninth-ranked Fighting Irish (9-2, No. 9 CFP) wrap up the regular season on Saturday night when they visit Stanford (4-7) knowing that a loss would end any hopes of returning to the College Football Playoff.

Notre Dame has spent most of the past two seasons in must-win mode. The Irish recovered from a Week 2 loss last season to Northern Illinois to run off 13 straight wins — including three in the playoff — before losing the title game to Ohio State.

They dropped their first two games this season to Miami and Texas A&M, once again leaving no margin for error.

“It’s hard to remember what it was like in the moment, like right now we’re in the middle of the game and it’s high pressure,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said, reflecting on the series of must-win games they had to win to reach last year’s playoff. “In the moment, you’re just so entrenched on this opportunity right in front of you, and I think that’s what’s most important. That’s enough pressure, right? You start thinking about this big picture and what’s happening, an uncertain future and that’s added pressure that you don’t need. This is the Super Bowl. Saturday is the Super Bowl.”

The Cardinal are hoping to pull off the upset in their final game under interim coach Frank Reich, who took over in April after Troy Taylor was fired.

Stanford has shown signs of improvement this season and is coming off a big win in The Game against California. But this might be the toughest test in a season that has included three other games against teams in the running for a playoff spot.

“We want to finish strong,” Reich said. “So we’re going to prepare to win, prepare to play to win. You know, I know this: We’ve played a very tough schedule this year. We played a lot of really good football teams. This is just going to be the next one, and so we are not going to get too caught up in their tradition and who they are.”

The rivalry

When college football fans think of rivalry week, Notre Dame-Stanford might not be the first game that comes to mind. But at a storied program that features annual matchups against Southern California and Navy and has had long-standing rivalries with Michigan and Purdue, Freeman thinks the Irish-Cardinal contest is every bit as special.

And, like the Southern Cal game, he would like to keep the series going.

“We’ve got to do everything in our power to try to keep this thing,” Freeman said. “It’s a rivalry game. That’s what’s most important. We’ve got to respect our opponent. We’ve got to respect the history and tradition of this game.”

Love bites

Stanford didn’t have a lot of footage to study from running back Jeremiyah Love’s most recent performance. They still saw what they needed.

Despite logging only eight carries in last week’s 70-7 rout over Syracuse, Love produced one of his most dominating performances with 171 yards rushing, three scores and five first downs. And Saturday will be his final chance to impress Heisman Trophy voters that he should be the one to extend the streak of a running back winning college football’s most prestigious award in every year that ends in a five. The last three running backs to win the award were Derrick Henry in 2015, Mark Ingram in 2009 and Reggie Bush in 2005.

“I think you look at Jeremiyah Love and you say ‘OK, every time he gets the ball, there’s a chance he can go all the way,’” Freeman said. “And, yes, not going to get the carries maybe all the other runners in the country get, but what he does when he does get the carries is tremendous.”

Reich’s impact

Stanford first-year GM Andrew Luck brought Reich out of retirement after he fired Taylor in hopes that he would start the process of restoring a winning tradition. Reich has enjoyed the college experience after spending most of the past four decades in the NFL and has made the impact Luck wanted.

“He’s been amazing as a head coach,” linebacker Jahsiah Galvan said. “I’ve never been around a leader like him. To have him in the program and see the energy that he brings on a daily basis, he truly pours out for everyone on the team and everyone involved with the program. … It’s just a blessing that he’s here. He’s been a big part of getting this program in the direction that it wants to go.”

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NOTRE DAME MEN’S BASKETBALL NEWS

IRISH CHARGE LATE BUT FALL 56-66 TO #2/3 HOUSTON

LAS VEGAS – The Notre Dame men’s basketball team didn’t capture an upset victory against one of the top teams in the country on Wednesday at the Players Era, but they definitely lived up to their moniker and displayed some tremendous fight in the second half against No. 2/3 Houston (7-1). The Fighting Irish (5-3) fell into a 22-point hole in the first half after a cold shooting start, but rallied to make it a four point ballgame with 10.5 minutes remaining in the game.

The commonality between the Kansas loss and this one was that the threes weren’t falling. Versus Kansas, Notre Dame was 4-24, and against Houston, the Irish were 6-28.

Markus Burton led Notre Dame in scoring for all three games in Vegas, including today in which he dropped 19 points on 6-14 shooting. Burton grabbed a season high seven rebounds and tied his season high of five assists.

Over the three Players Era games, Burton averaged 21.3 ppg on 53.3 percent shooting. He recorded 16 rebounds, 11 assists and six steals.

Freshman Jalen Haralson kept his double-digit scoring streak alive with 14 on Wednesday. The guard was 4-8 from the field and 6-8 from the free-throw line.

Junior Logan Imes supplied great minutes as well, leading the way in the +/- category at +10.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Notre Dame started a cold 2-13 from the field, while Houston opened 7-14 shooting to explode out to a 16-2 lead.

Houston’s Emmanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan led the barrage, each totaling 11 points in the first half, each converting three triples. The Cougars lead grew as large as 22, up 29-7 at 7:49.

The Irish had a late first half charge, outscoring Houston 18-10 for the remainder of the first half. Haralson scored five straight from the stripe; then, Certa and Burton and Imes each knocked down threes. All-in-all, the Irish cut it to 25-39 at halftime. 

Fast forward to 14:31 in the second and an Irish 10-0 run over 2:15 pulled ND to within four. An Imes three-pointer kickstarted the scoring spree as Burton, Towt and Haralson all got in on the action.

So now it’s 46-50 with 10:31 left in the game. Houston went on to win the game 56-66 and made just one field goal for the remainder of the game; however, they went 14-16 from the free-throw line. On the flip side, the Irish went 3-10 from the field in the final 10 minutes.

UP NEXT

The Fighting Irish return home to Purcell Pavilion to host its first ACC/SEC Challenge game. The Mizzou Tigers come to South Bend on Tuesday, Dec. 2, for a 9 p.m. ET tip on ESPNU.

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NOTRE DAME HOCKEY NEWS

IRISH RALLY FOR 5-4 VICTORY AT MERRIMACK

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — A four-goal third period, led by Cole Knuble’s goal and trio of assists, lifted the Irish to a 5-4 victory Wednesday afternoon at Merrimack College.

Knuble kicked off the third period goal surge for the Irish, finding the back of the net at 4:56 of the frame to draw the Irish back within one of the Warriors. He then tallied assists on each of the final three goals to finish the night with a career-best tying four points.

The Irish and Warriors skated even through the first few minutes of game action before Evan Werner’s fourth goal of the season gave Notre Dame the 1-0 lead at 9:23 Wednesday afternoon.

A late opening period goal for Merrimack made it a tie game through the first 20 minutes of play inside Lawler Arena as the two teams headed to the locker room for the intermission break.

The Irish were called for a hook at 1:37 of the second period and looked to kill off their second infraction of the night but the Warriors capitalized just five seconds in to take the 2-1 lead at 1:42 of the middle frame.

Less than 30 seconds later the Irish were whistled again, this time for interference and the PK unit hopped back onto the ice. Knuble looked to have scored the team’s first shorthanded goal of the season when his shot from the circle beat the Merrimack netminder but the home team challenged the call on the ice for offsides and the play was overturned.

The Irish managed to kill off the remainder of the interference penalty unscathed, including a second shorthanded chance for Knuble, but ultimately returned to full strength still trailing by a goal.

A netfront scramble at 5:31 of the second period found the puck behind Nicholas Kempf where Caeden Carlisle tried to outman the opposition and sweep the puck out of the crease but the loose puck inched over the goal line to give the Warriors the 3-1 lead.

Notre Dame saw its first powerplay opportunity of the day at 12:52 of the second period as they fought to overcome the two-goal deficit. The Irish were unable to convert on the man-advantage and play returned to five-on-five.

Will Belle was caught on a breakaway and nearly had his first collegiate tally but was stopped at the doorstep before being shoved from behind after the puck was frozen. A small scrum ensued and both teams were sent to their respective boxes to serve roughing penalties.

With just under two minutes to go in the middle frame, and skating four-on-four after the coincidentals, a high hit on Knuble at the blueline handed the Irish a five-minute powerplay opportunity which would carry over into the third. A late chance from Brennan Ali was cleared the length of the ice, giving the Irish one last rush before the end of the period. Axel Kumlin fired a shot on goal before Pano Fimis tried to bury the rebound chance but got robbed by the glove of Merrimack’s Lundgren to keep it a 3-1 contest.

The Irish headed to their locker room trailing by a pair ahead of the third period but would see 3:03 of powerplay time remaining when they returned to the ice for the final frame of regulation.

Despite not being able to capitalize on the rest of the Warriors’ major, the Irish offense refused to let up and Knuble found the back of the net just under five minutes into the frame to spark the Notre Dame bench. Danny Nelson evened the tally minutes later when his one-timer on the powerplay made it a 3-3 contest.

The scoring continued for the Irish at 13:22 of the third when Cole Brown broke the stalemate with his second of the year. Merrimack would answer with the equalizer less than a minute later to make it a 4-4 game late in the contest.

Not to be denied his game-winning tally, Brown once more gave the Irish the lead at 14:37 to secure the victory on the road at Merrimack.

Kempf finished the night with 31 saves between the pipes for the Irish, including 12 in the final frame to keep the Irish ahead by a goal en route to the win.

KEY STATS

• With four points in the third period alone, Cole Knuble tied his career-best point total with a goal and three assists. His last four-point contest came against Long Island in October 2024.
• The four-goal third period was the team’s first since October 2022 in a 5-5 tie at Air Force as part of the Ice Breaker Tournament.
• After netting his first collegiate goal in the team’s home-opener last month, Cole Brown doubled his goal count with a pair of late third period tallies Wednesday, marking his first multi-goal game. Adding an assist to his tally at Merrimack, the freshman forward tied his career-high point total with three.
• Nicholas Kempf picked up 31 saves in the Irish crease Wednesday to improve to 4-8-1 on the season. His save tally includes 12 stops in the final 20 minutes to secure the victory in game one of the team’s road trip.
• Four individuals boasted multiple points in the win, including Knuble’s four which was a team-best. Brown had three off two goals and an assist while Paul Fischer and Sutter Muzzatti both registered a pair of helpers in the contest. Additionally, four others highlighted the box score in Danny Nelson (1-0-1), Evan Werner (1-0-1), Henry Nelson (0-1-1), and Brennan Ali (0-1-1).

UP NEXT

The Irish close out their East Coast road trip Friday afternoon at Boston College. Puck drop is set for 1pm inside Conte Forum and will air locally on NESN and stream nationally on ESPN+.

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NOTRE DAME VOLLEYBALL NEWS

NOTRE DAME TOPPLES VIRGINIA TECH IN ROAD FINALE

BLACKSBURG, Va. – In the 2025 road finale, the Notre Dame volleyball team took down Virginia Tech in four sets, 25-21, 25-23, 25-27, 25-22. It’s the 11th win of the season, eighth conference win and sixth road win for the Irish this season. The eight conference wins are the most in the Salima Rockwell era.

Morgan Gaerte led the offense with 25 kills, her fourth-straight game with 20+ kills and tenth of the season. The ten games this season set the new single-season program record for games with 20 or more kills, surpassing Christy Peters’ nine games in 1994. 

Mae Kordas added 13 kills herself on.524 hitting percentage, setting a new career-high. Harmony Sample notched her second double-double of the season with 22 assists and 11 digs to set up a potent Irish offense Wednesday.

Defensively, Anna Bjork and Chichi Nnaji were making it difficult on the Hokies all afternoon. Bjork had eight blocks while Nnaji tied her career-high with eight blocks (seven assists, one solo).

The Irish close the 2025 season this Saturday at Purcell Pavilion against Wake Forest. First serve is set for 3:00 p.m. ET and Notre Dame will honor its five seniors following the match (Maisie Alexander, Avery Ross, Cailey Dockery, Harmony Sample, Lucy Trump). The game will not be broadcast, but admission is free.

How it happened

Set 1

• Anna Bjork, the team-leader in blocks, started off the match with a solo block
• A 6-0 Hokies’ run made it 7-2 Virginia Tech
• Notre Dame cut the lead to just two after a Bjork kill made it 11-9 VT
• After the Irish cut the lead to just one, Virginia Tech went on a 4-0 run to lead 18-13 and force a Notre Dame timeout 
• Down 16-20, the Irish ripped off a 9-1 run to overcome the Hokies and take the first set 25-21
• Morgan Gaerte had four kills in the first set while Lucy Trump chipped in three

Set 2

• Both teams went back-and-forth to start the set. With the score tied at 13, Notre Dame ripped off a 5-0 run to make it 18-13 Irish
• Notre Dame extended its lead to 21-16 to force a Virginia Tech timeout
• A 6-0 run put the Irish at set point 24-16, but a 4-0 Hokies response forced a Notre Dame timeout
• The Hokies fought back to make it 24-23 Irish, but Trump’s sixth kill of the match sealed the second set win and the 2-0 advantage for Notre Dame

Set 3

• Virginia Tech was the first to 15, leading 15-14 at the media timeout
• A 3-0 run from the Hokies made it 18-16 Virginia Tech
• At 20-20, a Bjork kill gave the Irish a 21-20 lead. One Irish point later, the Hokies called timeout down two
• Virginia Tech stormed back to make it 24-23 Hokies, but a Gaerte kill extended the set
• With their backs against the wall, the Hokies scraped out the third set win 27-25

Set 4

• Notre Dame opened the set with a 5-0 run out of the gate with kills from Chichi Nnaji, Trump and Bjork
• Gaerte recorded her 20th kill early in the fourth set, her 10th game of the season with 20 or more kills, which is the new single-season program record 
• The Hokies led 15-12 at the media timeout
• A 4-0 Irish run gave them the lead at 21-19 to force a VT timeout
• Notre Dame held on to win the set 25-22

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BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL NEWS

BULLDOGS RETURN TO HINKLE FOR BLACK FRIDAY TIP VS. WRIGHT STATE

Butler Bulldogs (5-1) vs. Wright State (4-3)

Friday, Nov. 28 • 2PM

Hinkle Fieldhouse; Indianapolis, Ind.

Follow Along:

TV/Stream: ESPN+ • Greg Rakestraw & Joey Brunk

Radio/Audio: 92.7FM, Sirius XM App, Butler Sports App & ButlerSports.com • @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)

Read This To Counteract the Tryptophan

• The Bulldogs picked up wins over South Carolina and Virginia to win the 2025 Greenbrier Tip-Off over the weekend.

• Butler is receiving votes in the national coaches poll for the first time this season.

• Michael Ajayi earned both BIG EAST Player of the Week and USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week honors after averaging 16.0 points, 14.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in Butler’s two wins at the Greenbrier.

• Ajayi has opened the season (and his Butler career) with six consecutive double-doubles.

• Ajayi ranks fourth in the nation, averaging 12.5 rebounds per game. His average of 9.5 defensive rebounds per game leads the country.

• Finley Bizjack led the Bulldogs in scoring in both games at the Greenbrier Tip-Off with 18 points in the win over South Carolina and 25 points in Sunday’s triumph over Virginia. Bizjack is averaging 20.8 points per game over Butler’s last four outings. Two of Bizjack’s three career 20-point games have come during this four-game stretch.

• In Butler’s two wins at the Greenbrier Tip-Off, Jamie Kaiser Jr. registered more steals (seven over two games) than misses (four over two games – combined 6-for-8 from the field and 6-for-8 from the free throw line).

• Butler out-rebounded Virginia, 43-39, Sunday. Both teams entered the contest among the nation’s Top 10 in rebounding margin. Butler dominated the glass with a 48-29 rebounding advantage in Friday’s win over South Carolina.

• Butler has out-rebounded all six of its opponents on the young season. The Bulldogs rank 11th in the NCAA in rebounding margin (+13.8 per game). The Bulldogs only had six games last season with a rebounding margin of +10 or better but have accomplished the feat in four games so far this season.

• The Bulldogs are among the national leaders in total rebounds per game (46.0; seventh) and offensive rebounds per game (16.0; ninth).

• Butler’s offensive rebounding percentage of 43.8 percent is sixth nationally according to KenPom.

• The Bulldogs went to the free throw line 34 times against South Carolina Friday and followed that with 29 free throw attempts against Virginia Sunday. On the season, Butler is averaging 31.3 free throw attempts per game, which is seventh in the country.

• Butler’s season free throw percentage of 66.0 percent ranks only 307th nationally. However, due to the volume of attempts, the Bulldogs still average 20.7 makes per game (which is 30th nationally).

• Bizjack is 13-for-23 from behind the arc over his last three games (57 percent). On the season, he is shooting 50 percent, which is 38th in the NCAA.

• Butler is shooting 40.3 percent from three-point range as a team on the season, which is 20th in the country.

• The 79 points scored by Butler in Friday’s win over South Carolina were a season-low for the Bulldog offense. Butler is averaging 90.3 points per game (36th in the country).

• Butler’s defense has guarded the arc well this season; only one of the Bulldogs’ six opponents has shot better than 31 percent from three-point range.

• In addition to Ajayi’s 14 rebounds Sunday against Virginia (which tied his season-high), Kaiser matched his career-high with 10 rebounds and Drayton Jones set a new season-high with nine boards.

• Six different Bulldogs have at least two double-figure scoring games for Butler through five contests; that includes both Yohan Traore and Azavier Robinson off the Butler bench. Evan Haywood has one double-figure scoring performance this season, which also came off the bench.

• Butler has 10 players averaging at least 10 minutes per game.

• Kaiser finished with a career-high 16 points against Chicago State Nov. 11. He registered the first double-double of his career with 12 points and a career-best 10 rebounds against USI in the season opener Nov. 5.

Hello, Old Friend

• Butler and Wright State have played 43 times previously.

• All 43 of those tips came as conference opponents in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference/Horizon League from the 1994-95 through 2011-12 seasons prior to Butler departing for the Atlantic 10 (and ultimately the BIG EAST Conference).

• Wright State has a pair of Associate Head Coaches in Travis Trice and Dan Bere… and both have connections to Butler.

• Trice started his playing career at Purdue before transferring to Butler for the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons. Trice led the Bulldogs in assists both seasons and was the 1994-95 Team MVP. He was in a Bulldog uniform for the first match-up in program history against Wright State (Feb. 23, 1995).

• Bere was a member of Butler’s coaching staff during the 2013-14 season.

The Series: Butler leads, 27-16

Streak: Butler, W4

First Meeting: Feb. 23, 1995; Wright State, 83-79 (at WSU)

Last Meeting: Feb. 28, 2012; Butler, 70-52 (Horizon League Tourn.; Indianapolis)

What’s ‘Wright’ with State

• Wright State has won three of its last four games (with its only loss during that stretch in overtime) to post a 4-3 record so far this season.

• Michael Cooper leads the Raiders in scoring at 14.3 points per game. Michael Imariagbe is the other WSU averaging double figures (11.3). TJ Burch averages 3.17 steals per game, which is among the Top 10 nationally.

• Wright State enters Friday’s game allowing only 62.7 points per game (21st nationally).

• The Raiders have been effective both shooting the three (39.0 percent; 34th nationally) and defending the arc (26.3 percent; 28th).

There’s No Place Like Hinkle

• Butler is 85-5 in their last 90 home games against non-conference teams.

• Thad Matta is 27-4 at Hinkle Fieldhouse against non-conference opponents as Butler’s head coach (which includes the 2000-01 season and since his return in 2022).

Up Next

The Bulldogs continue the homestand at Hinkle, hosting Eastern Michigan Tuesday night (Dec. 2).

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BUTLER MEN’S SOCCER NEWS

BUTLER HIRES IAN SARACHAN AS MEN’S SOCCER HEAD COACH

Ian Sarachan, who helped Creighton to the NCAA College Cup as an assistant coach and led UIC to the NCAA Elite Eight as a student-athlete, has been named Butler men’s soccer head coach.

Sarachan, who recently completed his second season as an assistant with the Colorado Rapids of MLS, becomes the seventh head coach in Butler’s men’s soccer program history.

“Ian rose to the top of a very strong applicant pool through his ability to articulate both a vision and a plan to return our program to the upper tier of both the BIG EAST and nationally,” said Butler Vice President/Director of Athletics Grant Leiendecker. “He has played for, coached with, and been directly mentored by some of the best coaches in American soccer history. He has a great understanding and appreciation of The Butler Way and has had direct success recruiting and winning in the BIG EAST. Above all, Ian is aligned with what is most important to us at Butler: a championship culture that shows itself on the pitch, in the classroom and in the community.”

“I’d like to first thank Grant and the entire leadership team for the confidence they’ve shown in me to lead Butler men’s soccer into its next chapter,” said Sarachan. “This program has a proud tradition, devoted alumni, and the resources to compete for BIG EAST championships and on the national stage.

“My philosophy has always been about developing complete student-athletes, who excel on the field, in the classroom, and as members of their communities. At Butler, we’re going to create an environment where players find joy in the game, compete every day, and push and support each other to become the best versions of themselves. We’re going to play an exciting brand of soccer that Butler fans will be proud of. I’m thrilled to be part of the Butler family.”

Sarachan joined the Rapids coaching staff after five seasons as an assistant coach at Creighton. The highlight of his time with the Bluejays was an appearance in the 2022 NCAA College Cup. During that 2022 campaign, Duncan McGuire was selected as the recipient of the MAC Hermann Trophy. McGuire and Owen O’Malley were both selected in the Top 10 of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. During his tenure, the Bluejays earned 20 All-BIG EAST selections, seven of which were in 2022. The Bluejays won 40 matches, including 20 in the BIG EAST, during his five seasons in Omaha. 

Sarachan previously served as an assistant at Santa Clara and Wisconsin. He helped lead the Badgers to the 2013 NCAA Tournament, the program’s first NCAA appearance since its 1995 national championship season. Sarachan started his coaching career in 2012 as an assistant coach for the LA Galaxy’s U-14 and U.S. Soccer Development Academy U-16 teams. He transitioned to assistant coach of the Galaxy’s USSDA U-18 team in 2013.

Sarachan played four seasons at UIC and helped guide the Flames to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including the 2007 Elite Eight. He delivered the game-winning goal during the 2007 Sweet 16 against Creighton. Following his playing career, Sarachan worked as an agent with Wasserman Media Group and represented multiple players.

His father, Dave, is currently an assistant coach with the San Jose Earthquakes and previously served as the interim manager for the U.S. Men’s National Team (Oct. 2017-Nov. 2018). During the summer of 2021, Ian joined his father to help the Puerto Rico National Team train when Dave was serving as technical director and head coach.

Ian and his wife Rea have two children, Shay and Edison.

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BUTLER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL NEWS

BULLDOGS HEAD TO FLORIDA TO FACE DAYTON AND GEORGIA IN FORT MYERS TIP-OFF

INDIANAPOLIS – Butler will head to Fort Myers, Fla., to participate in the Fort Myers Tip-Off this week. BU will face Dayton on Friday, Nov. 28 and Georgia on Saturday, Nov. 29. Both games will tip at 5 p.m. and can be streamed live on ION.

GAMEDAY INFORMATION VS. DAYTON (3-2)

Date: Friday, Nov. 28, 2025

Time: 5PM

Location: Fort Myers, Fla.

Live Stats: Butlersports.com

Watch: ION

GAMEDAY INFORMATION VS. GEORGIA (7-0)

Date: Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025

Time: 5PM

Location: Fort Myers, Fla.

Live Stats: Butlersports.com

Watch: ION

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS

Butler (3-3) secured a 67-53 victory over Milwaukee on Sunday afternoon at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Lily Zeinstra led the way for BU against the Panthers with 13 points, two rebounds and three assists.

Saniya Jackson (12), Addison Baxter (12) and Caroline Dotsey (10) rounded out the Bulldogs in double figures on Sunday as Butler earned its third victory of the season.

Zeinstra leads the BU offense, averaging 13.3 points per game through six games. The sophomore is shooting 51.7-percent from the floor and 42.3-percent from beyond the arc. Mallory Miller leads the squad on the glass, pulling down 4.7 rebounds per game.

Saniya and Nevaeh Jackson have been stellar for BU, averaging 9.8 and 8.5 points per game, respectively. Nevaeh pulls down 3.0 rebounds per game while Saniya grabs 4.3.

Butler currently ranks 72nd nationally and fourth in the BIG EAST in field goal percentage shooting at a 39.2-percent clip.

Lilly Stoddard is 36th nationally in blocks this season with 11 to her credit. Saniya Jackson is 74th nationally in total steals with 15 to her credit through six games.

Against Wright State in the season opener, Saniya Jackson recorded six steals in the game. That is the most steals in a game from a Butler player since Kristen Spolyar had six on Feb. 9, 2020 against Villanova. Jackson was two steals short of her career-high, eight.

Freshman Addison Baxter stuffed the stat sheet vs. Wright State, dishing out eight assists to go with six points and six rebounds against WSU. Baxter’s eight assists in the contest are the most in a game from a Butler player since Nov. 23, 2021 when Zoe Jackson did it against SIUE.

The Bulldogs earned a berth in the 2025 WNIT Tournament and advanced to the second round after defeating UIC 61-54. Zeinstra led the squad with 16 points on an efficient 6-for-10 shooting performance from the floor.

The Bulldogs have earned back-to-back WNIT berths under head coach Austin Parkinson.

Butler returns three letterwinners from a year ago and added nine new players to the team with the addition of seven transfers and two freshmen.

BU’s transfer class includes 2023-24 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year Kennedy Langham (Samford), ESPN’s No. 60 recruit in the Class of 2024 McKenna Johnson (Minnesota), 2024-25 America East Conference Sixth Player of the Year Caroline Dotsey (Maine), twins Nevaeh Jackson and Saniya Jackson from Valparaiso, Mallory Miller (Arizona State), and Gabby Wilke (South Dakota).

Austin Parkinson enters his fourth season at the helm of the Bulldogs. Parkinson has led the squad to 42 wins in his first three seasons.

SCOUTING DAYTON

Dayton enters Friday’s contest with a 3-2 record after defeating Canisius 61-52 on Friday. Nayo Lear led the Flyers with a game-high 19 points.

Lear leads the Flyer offense, averaging 17 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists and 2.2 steals per game. The guard is shooting 57.1-percent from the floor through five games this season.

Fatima Ibrahim pulls down a team-best 8.4 rebounds per game for Dayton. Ibrahim is the Flyers second leading scorer, posting 11.6 points per game.

Tamika Williams-Jeter is in her fourth season at the helm of the Flyers. Williams-Jeter led Dayton to an 18-13 record a season ago.

SCOUTING GEORGIA

Georgia will face Kansas on Friday before taking on the Bulldogs on Saturday evening. Georgia is currently 7-0 after defeating Georgia Tech 87-59 on Sunday evening.

Dani Carnegie leads the Bulldog offense, averaging 18.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game.

Miyah Verse leads Georgia on the glass pulling down 5.3 rebounds per game.

Katie Abrahamson-Henderson is in her fourth season at the helm of the Georgia program and played her collegiate career at Georgia. Abrahamson-Henderson boasts a career record of 419-206 in 20 seasons as a head coach.

2025-26 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TICKETS: Season tickets remain on sale, providing the best seating locations still available for the upcoming season. Contact the Butler Ticket Office at tickets@butler.edu or 317-940-DOGS (3647) to place your order. Single-game tickets for the 2025-26 Butler Women’s Basketball season are available through ButlerSports.com/BuyTickets.

Butler University Upgrades Iconic Hinkle Fieldhouse with Dynamic LED Video

Technology consultant Anthony James Partners (AJP) provided design, procurement, and construction administration services for the upgrades, supporting Butler in selecting SNA Displays to manufacture and install more than 2,700 square feet of LED video display technology, including a center hung display system, baseline LED ribbons, multiple courtside tables, and other digital signage.

The centerpiece of the project is a new LED center hung display consisting of four curved, 14-foot-tall video screens seamlessly connected to create a continuous 360-degree video surface. Each side features a 4 mm pixel pitch for increased pixel density and clarity. The center hung also includes custom static lettering along the top ring of the structure and a team-branded Bulldog logo facing downward toward the playing surface.

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IU INDY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL NEWS

IU INDY ROLLS TO 94-58 HOME VICTORY OVER ANDERSON

INDIANAPOLIS – The IU Indy Jaguars put together one of their most complete performances of the season on Wednesday afternoon, overpowering Anderson (IN) 94–58 at The Jungle. With five players scoring in double figures and the team forcing 31 turnovers, the Jaguars improved to 3–4 on the year.

IU Indy stormed out of the gates with fast-paced offense and aggressive on-ball pressure. Nevaeh Foster and Olivia Smith sparked the opening push as the Jaguars quickly built a double-digit lead. IU Indy scored 14 points in the paint in the period and forced 12 Anderson turnovers to take a 24–9 advantage after 10 minutes.

The Jaguars’ defensive pressure intensified, generating 21 points off turnovers in the quarter alone. Kamara Mills drilled a three that helped ignite an extended run, while Destini Craig and Foster continued to capitalize in transition. IU Indy outscored the Ravens 26–12 in the frame, stretching the halftime lead to 50–21.

Anderson found its most consistent stretch coming out of halftime, led by strong inside play from Victoria Detraz and Bella Larrison. IU Indy cooled slightly from the field, but steady contributions from Mills and Jemma Amoore helped the Jaguars maintain control. IU Indy took the quarter 19–15 and entered the fourth with a commanding 69–36 lead.

The Jaguars’ depth sealed the win as bench contributors helped carry the offense to 25 fourth-quarter points. Foster finished off a standout performance, and IU Indy continued to convert in the paint and in transition. Anderson put up 22 points in its strongest offensive quarter, but the Jaguars’ balanced scoring ensured the margin remained comfortable.

IU Indy saw standout contributions across the roster, led by Foster, who delivered an all-around performance with 22 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Kamara Mills added efficient scoring off the bench, finishing with 19 points, including three three-pointers, while also pulling down four rebounds. Destini Craig provided strong two-way play with 12 points, five rebounds, and three steals, helping set the tone defensively. Jemma Amoore chipped in 11 points and three assists.

IU Indy will next host Purdue Fort Wayne in the Jungle on Wednesday, December 3 as they kick off Horizon League play.

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BALL STATE FOOTBALL NEWS

FOOTBALL GAMEDAY: RED BIRD RIVALRY RENEWED ON SATURDAY WHEN CARDINALS TRAVEL TO FACE REDHAWKS

MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State plays its final game of the 2025 season and renews its Red Bird Rivalry with Mid-American Conference rival Miami. The series was granted rivalry status by the MAC in 2017, with the programs playing each of the past nine seasons (since 2016). At stake is the Red Bird Rivalry Trophy which features logos of both schools surrounding a football that tops a two-foot golden cylinder. The trophy has had residence in Oxford since the RedHawks’ season-opening victory on Nov. 4, 2020.

— The Cardinals absorbed a 38-9 defeat at Toledo last week, which dashed any hopes of an appearance in the MAC Championship Game, and ended thoughts of Ball State bowl eligibility for the first time since 2021.

— An unheralded offensive star emerged at Toledo, however, with true freshman running back Jalen Bonds leading the Cardinals in both rushing yards, 58, and receiving yards, 54. The freshman from Indianapolis Cathedral High School carried 16 times for 58 yards on the ground, and caught a short pass before taking it up the left sideline for 54 yards. It was the Cardinals’ longest pass play of the season.

— Injured during his senior year of high school and again to begin his freshman season, Bonds made his college debut with six yards on four carries against Eastern Michigan. He is expected to pair with TJ Horton in Ball State’s backfield 1-2 punch this week.

— Entering his final college game, Ball State defensive end Nathan Voorhis remains tied for fourth nationally with 11 total sacks and 1.0 sacks per game. He is tied with fellow MAC star Nadame Tucker of Western Michigan (11, 1.0). Within two sacks of the Cardinals’ program record, Voorhis’ 11 sacks are the most since Anthony Winbush recorded 11.5 in 2017. The Ball State record of 13 is shared by Kelly George (1982) and Craig Newburg (1981).

— Offensively, quarterback Kiael Kelly leads the Cardinals with 547 rushing yards and 1,383 passing yards. Kelly’s 1,383 pass yards this season already have surpassed his first three seasons combined (608), more than tripling his career total to 1,991. On the ground, Kelly’s 1,445 career rushing yards are 169 from breaking the Cardinals’ career rushing mark (1,613) by a quarterback.

WHAT A WIN MEANS:

— The Cardinals will win their fourth MAC game for the first time since a 4-4 mark in 2021.

— Mike Uremovich can lead the Cardinals to a two-win improvement over last season’s three wins, with a Saturday victory over Toledo.

— Ball State will snap a five-game losing skid against the RedHawks.

INSIDE THE SERIES: MIAMI

— Overall, the Cardinals and Redhawks have met 38 times since 1931. The schools have met on the gridiron 36 times since Ball State joined the MAC in 1975.

— Saturday marks the 12th time in the last 13 meetings that the two rivals meet in November.

— The Cardinals and RedHawks have played in nine consecutive seasons, since 2016, with Miami prevailing in 8 of 9. Miami has won five straight meetings against the Cardinals, and owns a streak of four-in-a-row at Yager Stadium. Ball State’s last road win in the series was a 31-24 win in 2012.

— Ball State and Miami were granted rivalry status by the MAC in 2017. The cross-division foes play each year for the Red Bird Rivalry trophy. BSU has been known as the Cardinals since 1927, while Miami adopted the RedHawks moniker in 1997.

— At stake is the Red Bird Rivalry Trophy which features logos of both schools surrounding a football that tops a two-foot golden cylinder. The trophy has had residence in Oxford since the RedHawks’ season-opening victory on Nov. 4, 2020.

— The Redhawks have won seven of last eight meetings, including three of the last four played in Muncie.

— The RedHawks and Cardinals met on the final day of the regular season in both 2022 and 2023 — with each game decided on the game’s final series and by a total of just three points (18-17 and 17-15).

— Each of Ball State’s past five losses to the Redhawks have come by a single possession — 38-31, 24-17, 18-17, 17-15 and 27-21.

TWO-WIN IMPROVEMENT IN FIRST SEASON

— Mike Uremovich can lead the Cardinals to a two-win improvement over last season’s three wins, with a Saturday victory over Miami. Since World War II, no coach has ever recorded more than a two-win improvement in his first year.

— Former Ball State coaches with a two-win improvement in their first season: George Serdula (1953), Ray Louthen (1962), Bill Lynch (1995), Pete Lembo (2011).

LIMIT THE FLAGS

— The MAC leader for almost the entire season in fewest penalties (49), fewest penalties per game (4.45), fewest penalty yards (416) and fewest penalty yards per game (37.82), the Cardinals have slipped to second in all four categories behind conference frontrunner Western Michigan (46 | 4.18 | 371 | 33.73).

    MAC Rk    FBS Rk

Fewest Penalties    2nd    15th

Fewest Penalties/Gm    2nd    15th

Fewest Penalty Yds    2nd    13th

Fewest Penalty Yds/Gm    2nd    13th

TURNOVER CARDS: FIRST FIVE VS. LAST SIX

— Over the past six games, the Ball State defense has forced TWELVE turnovers (9 INTs, 3 FRs), compared to just ONE in its first five games.

LEWIS LEADING CARDINALS AIR DEFENSE

— Ball State has intercepted a pass in six straight games, the longest streak in one season by a Cardinals team since a six-game streak to end the 2020 campaign.

— The Cardinals had zero interceptions in their first five games, with NINE over the last six.

— The last time Ball State had a longer streak, overall, was a seven-game stretch over the 2020 and 2021 bowl seasons.

— Joedrick Lewis had interceptions in three straight games against Akron, Northern Illinois and Kent State. Other picks over the past five games have come from Eric McClain (WMU & Toledo), Roman Pearson (Akron), Michael Gravely Jr. (EMU), Muheem McCargo (EMU) and Will Yates (Toledo).

VOORHIS: FOURTH AMONG FBS SACKS LEADERS

— Nathan Voorhis (pronounced VORR-is) currently ranks fourth among FBS leaders for sacks per game (1.00) and total sacks (11), and is two shy of Ball State’s single-season program record of 13.

— Voorhis has had a sack in seven of Ball State’s 11 games and boasts eight sacks over five Cardinals’ home games, including a career-high 3.5 in a victory over MAC-leading Ohio.

— His 3.5 sacks against Ohio are tied as the most in any game by an FBS player this year, (Isaiah Smith of SMU had 3.5 against Boston College; and Western Michigan’s Nadame Tucker who had 3.5 against Ball State.)

FBS Sacks Leaders

Player    Gms    Sacks    Yds    SPG

1.    David Bailey, Texas Tech    11    12.5    114    1.14

2.    Cashius Howell, Tex A&M    11    11.5    80    1.05

    John Henry Daley, Utah    11    11.5    91    1.05

4.    Nathan Voorhis, Ball State    11    11.0    74    1.00

    Nadame Tucker, W. Mich.    11    11.0    86    1.00

6.    Anthony Smith, Minnesota    11    10.5    85    0.95

CARDINALS’ ALL-TIME SACKS LEADERS

— MAC sacks leader Nathan Voorhis boasts 11.0 sacks on the year, twice as many as last year’s leader, Riley Tolsma, who had 5.5.

— Voorhis is just the second Ball State player since 2000 to record at least 10 sacks in a season. His current total of 11.0 is the most in a season for a Cardinals’ defender since Anthony Winbush registered 11.5 in 2017.

— Anthony Winbush is the Cardinals’ “NCAA-recognized” official record-holder with 11.5 sacks in 2017. Sacks have been officially recognized as an NCAA statistic since 2000. Ball State sack records date to 1978. Ball State sack yardage records date to 1990.

— Since sack yardage was first recorded at Ball State in 1990, Voorhis’ 74 yards in sack yardage this year is second in program history to Toby Beagle who had nine sacks for 82 yards in 1990.

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK: BONDS. JALEN BONDS.

— Jalen Bonds was a household name in Indianapolis prep circles while leading powerhouse Cathedral High School, but following an injury as a senior and another in fall camp at Ball State, the freshman didn’t debut until Nov. 15 against Eastern Michigan.

— His debut vs. the Eagles was inauspicious: four carries for six yards.

— But game two, last week at Toledo, cast the freshman into a lead role while carrying 16 times for 58 yards; and turning a short pass into a 54-yard gain that is the Cardinals’ longest pass play of the year.

— Playing behind TJ Horton, himself thrust into a starting role the past two weeks while Qua Ashley has been sidelined in concussion protocol, Bonds looks to ride his momentum at Miami this week — alongside Horton again, or possibly as part of a three-back rotation with Ashley, too.

RUSHING-RECEIVING FRESHMAN MILESTONE

— Bonds’ 112 scrimmage yards (rushing plus receiving) marked the most by a Ball State freshman since Carson Steele reached that figure three times as a true freshman in 2021.

— Bonds became the 10th Ball State freshman since 2000 to eclipse 110 scrimmage yards in a game.

KELLY AS QB1

— Kiael (pronounced ky-ELL) Kelly  appears in his final college game this Saturday. Kelly has appeared in 35 career games and been a starter in 20 overall (twice at WR, once as utility QB).

— In the 17 games in which he has started as Ball State’s primary QB, Kelly has amassed 1,184 rushing yards on 298 carries, for an average of 69.6 yards per game.

— The Cardinals are 6-7 in the MAC with Kelly as QB1, including a 3-3 mark to end the 2023 season. He finished his home career with a 6-3 career mark as QB1.

— With Kelly at the helm in 2023, Ball State averaged 235.3 rush yards over its last six games.

CAREER RUSHING BY A CARDINALS QB

— Kiael Kelly is always a threat to gain yards with his legs, and he enters the Miami game 169 yards shy of breaking the Cardinals’ career record for rushing yards by a quarterback. He is currently second in career rush yards by a QB.

— It is worth noting his career rushing high was 136 yards in his prior start against the RedHawks, in the final game of the 2023 season when he and Marquez Cooper both rushed for 136 yards. That figure was the third-highest single-game rushing figure by a Ball State QB.

— His 724 yards over six games in 2023 stand as a Ball State single-season record for a quarterback.

— He boasts 1,445 career rush yards overall through 11 games of the 2025 season. He is one of just three Ball State QBs ever to rush for over 1,000 yards in their careers.

Ball State Career Rushing Yards by a Quarterback

Player    Yards    Carries

1.    Art Yaroch, 1973-76    1,613    421

2.    Kiael Kelly, 2022-present    1,445    373

3.    Riley Neal, 2015-18    1,363    325

MAGWOOD’S LAST STAND

— Qian Magwood is the longest tenured player in the Ball State program, arriving in Fall 2020 as a high school freshman. After participating on the Cardinals’ 2020 MAC championship team, Magwood led all receivers in 2023 with a career-high 358 yards.

— He currently leads Ball State with 302 receiving yards and needs 57 on Saturday to eclipse his old mark.

— Magwood boasts 867 career receiving yards and six touchdowns. He has averaged 10.8 yards per catch over 34 career games.

MAGWOOD & KELLY CONNECTIONS

— Fifth-year senior Qian Magwood is Ball State’s only returning player from the Cardinals’ 2020 MAC championship season and he currently leads Ball State with 18.9 yards per catch. His 16 receptions are second to Eric Weatherly among wide receivers and he is always a favorite target of best friend and QB Kiael Kelly.

— Kelly and Magwood both play the final games of their respective careers on Saturday.

— In the Ohio win, Kelly found Magwood for a 43-yard game-winning TD down the left sideline with 57 seconds remaining in the game.

— On the final play of the first quarter at UConn, Kelly found Magwood on a screen pass. Magwood sprinted the right sideline for 53 yards for what was the longest catch of Magwood’s career and the longest pass of Kelly’s.

— To open the second quarter, Kelly handed to Magwood on a reverse and ventured into his own route in the right flat. On the first pass of his career, Magwood found Kelly for a 19-yard TD, reaching the end zone for Ball State’s first score.

— In those two consecutive plays at UConn, Kelly & Magwood connected for 72 yards with career longs and career firsts for both of them.

STRONG IN RUN GAME IS UREMOVICH MANTRA

— Since hired last December, head coach Mike Uremovich has preached a strong run game.

— His newest rushing weapon, Jalen Bonds, may have emerged in last week’s game at Toledo.

— Ball State has rushed at least 33 times in nine of 11 games this season, averaging 136.5 yards per game on the ground. The Cardinals have tallied at least 170 rushing yards in four games, most recently with 216 yards in the win over Akron.

— The Cardinals’ 47 carries last week at Toledo were a season high, and the most by a Ball State team since the final game of 2023, in a 17-15 defeat to Miami. In that game, Marquez Cooper and Kiael Kelly both rushed for exactly 136 yards.

— Ball State’s season high 308 rushing yards against New Hampshire were the most Ball State rush yards in a game since 2019.

— The Cardinals had 243 yards on just 15 carries at halftime against UNH. It was just the 15th 300-yard rushing game in Ball State’s 101-year football history.

CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH A RECEPTION

— Wide receiver Eric Weatherly has caught a pass in 34 consecutive games, counting 23 over every game with Bucknell in 2023 & 2024. Only seven FBS players have caught passes in more consecutive games.

BALL STATE BY THE NUMBERS

11 — Sacks by Nathan Voorhis are the most by a Cardinal since Anthony Winbush had 11.5 in the 2017 season. The program record is 13.

12 — Takeaways by Ball State over its past six games — 9 INTs and 3 fumble recoveries. The Cardinals collected just one in their first five games

112 — Scrimmage yards (58 rushing plus 54 receiving) by Jalen Bonds were the most by a Ball State freshman since Carson Steele in 2021.

169 — Kiael Kelly needs 169 rushing yards to pass Art Yaroch (1,613 from 1973-76) with the most career rush yards by a Ball State quarterback.

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BALL STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL NEWS

MEN’S BASKETBALL SET FOR THREE GAMES IN THREE DAYS AT LAFAYETTE CLASSIC

The Ball State men’s basketball team will play three games in three days starting Friday against Monmouth at the Lafayette Classic in Easton, Pa.

The battle with the Hawks is set for 2 p.m., followed by a 4:30 p.m., game Saturday against Lafayette and a noon matchup vs Le Moyne on Sunday. Each game will be streamed on ESPN+, and links to that and the radio broadcasts and live stats can be found above and on the schedule page. Mark Foerster and David Eha handle the radio call on WMUN 92.5 FM / 1340 AM and on the WMUN app.

The Cardinals (2-3) are coming off a 70-52 setback at Indiana State last Friday night. Devon Barnes led Ball State in scoring with 14 points in the game at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute.

Monmouth (2-3) beat Robert Morris 71-70 in overtime on Sunday afternoon in its most recent contest. The Hawks also had a 96-68 win over Caldwell in the Nov. 4 season opener but lost at La Salle (73-60

on Nov. 8), Seton Hall (70-58 on Nov. 13) and Syracuse (78-73 on Nov. 18) in the three games between their wins.

Head coach King Rice is in his 15th season leading the program that was picked to finish sixth in the 13-team Colonial Athletic Association preseason coaches poll.

The Hawks protect the basket to the tune of 7.4 blocks per game which leads the CAA and ranks fifth in NCAA Division I. Monmouth also paces the league in free throw percentage (74.0) through its first five regular season games.

Senior guard Jack Collins leads the CAA with 2.0 steals per game and ranks fifth in the league at 4.0 assists per game, while his more than 37 minutes played per contest are third-most in the country. Junior guard Jason Rivera-Torres averages 13.2 points and 8.4 rebounds (fourth-most in the CAA) per game.

Lafayette (1-5) dropped a 74-70 decision at Stonehill on Friday night. The lone win for the Leopards came on Nov. 5 against Dickinson (79-44).

Mike McGarvey enters his fourth season in charge of the program. Lafayette was picked seventh in the 10-team Patriot League preseason poll.

The Leopards get to the line, averaging the second-most free throw attempts in the Patriot League (21.5). Lafayette’s 14.0 free throws made per game and +0.3 turnover margin are both third in the league.

Sophomore guard Caleb Williams (17.0 points per game) and junior Andrew Phillips (16.7) are second and third in the Patriot League in scoring on high volume shooting from distance.

Le Moyne (2-4) fell 97-83 to Fairfield at home on Saturday afternoon in its most recent game. The Dolphins topped Niagara 74-68 the previous Monday night and SUNY Cobleskill 94-50 in the season opener for their wins so far this season. Le Moyne lost at Mid-American Conference members Bowling Green (83-60 on Nov. 9) and UMass (94-80 on Nov. 13) in successive contests.

Nate Champion is in his sixth season as head coach of the team from Syracuse, N.Y. The Dolphins went 9-23 (4-12 NEC) in their second year of NCAA Division I play after previously being in Division II.

Le Moyne averages 76.7 points per game going into the weekend while allowing 77.7 per game. The Dolphins have outrebounded opponents by an average of 34.8 to 33.7 per game but commit more turnovers (15.2 to 12.2).

Redshirt junior guard Trent Mosquera paces a quartet of Dolphins averaging double figures in scoring with 14.0 points per game. Graduate forward Shilo Jackson puts up 12.8 points and a team-high 7.8 rebounds per contest.

After the Lafayette Classic, Ball State’s next game is Wednesday night at Evansville.

NEW OPPONENTS: The Lafayette Classic features three new matchups for the Ball State men’s basketball program, as the games against Monmouth, Lafayette and Le Moyne will be the first in series history for the Cardinals.

The contest with Monmouth is set to be the first of two this year for Ball State against a Colonial Athletic Association member (at Campbell on Dec. 14).

KEYSTONE STATE CLASH: Ball State will play its first games in Pennsylvania since Dec. 3, 2022 at Duquesne.

Monmouth will be the first team based out of the state of New Jersey that Ball State will play since facing Princeton on Dec. 2, 2000.

BALANCED BOX SCORES: Ball State has five players averaging between 8 and 12 points per game: Armoni Zeigler (11.8), Davion Hill (10.2), Elmore James IV (10.0), Devon Barnes (9.6) and Cam Denson (8.2).

Four Cardinals are between 4 and 6 rebounds per contest: Hill (5.4), Zeigler (4.6), Denson (4.6) and Mason Jones (4.0).

CARDINALS CLAMPING DOWN ON DEFENSE: Ball State leads the Mid-American Conference in fewest fouls committed per game (13.8, No. 14 in NCAA Division I), while ranking second in turnovers forced per game (16.8, No. 25) and scoring defense (68.4 points per game) through the season’s first five games.

The Cardinals are third in the league in turnover margin (+3.6 per game) and 3-point percentage defense (32.0).

Graduate forward Cam Denson ranks second in the MAC in blocks per game (1.8). Mason Jones (2.4 steals per game) and Armoni Zeigler (1.8) are second and fifth in the league in that respective category as well.

CAREER HIGHS FOR JONES: Junior forward Mason Jones set career bests in 3-pointers made (three) and steals (four) on Nov. 11 at Wisconsin.

The Valparaiso, Ind., native tallied three of those steals in the first half and went 3-for-3 from distance in the second period. Jones followed that up with another four-steal performance on Nov. 22 at Indiana State.

DYNAMIC DUO: Guards Davion Hill and Armoni Zeigler traded off leading the team in points and rebounds in the first two games of the season, with the other pacing the Cardinals in assists.

Hill went for 16 points, eight boards and four assists in the Nov. 3 season-opening win over Louisiana, while Zeigler chipped in 13 points, three rebounds and a team-best five assists. Zeigler tallied 20 points, nine rebounds and five steals on Nov. 7 against Mansfield as Hill had 16 points, six rebounds and four helpers.

FINISHING STRONG: Ball State controlled the closing minutes in the 75-64 win over the Ragin’ Cajuns and 84-54 decision vs the Mountaineers.

The Cardinals scored the final 12 points of the game and 36 of the last 44 overall against Mansfield on Nov. 7. Ball State used an 11-2 run with under five minutes on the clock vs Louisiana the

previous Monday to create separation in the season opener.

SUCCESS VS SUN BELT: The Nov. 3 win over Louisiana in the season opener was Ball State’s third in as many tries in home games of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge.

Ball State topped Old Dominion 73-68 on Nov. 11, 2023 and Southern Miss 77-76 on Feb. 8, 2025 in the two previous installments of the challenge at Worthen Arena.

I’VE SEEN YOU BEFORE: Senior guard Elmore James IV is no stranger to the Mid-American Conference having played three seasons at Ohio before coming to Ball State.

The Cleveland, Ohio native has made 24 starts in 50 career MAC games, scoring 339 points. James averaged 8.2 points and 2.6 rebounds overall last season for the Bobcats while shooting 37.3 percent from 3-point range.

FLYING FISH: Redshirt sophomore forward Kayden Fish comes to Muncie with NCAA Tournament experience after scoring an and-one and registering a block and a steal last March in Iowa State’s first round win over Lipscomb.

The Kansas City, Mo., was awarded a medical redshirt his freshman year with the Cyclones and played in nine games last season before transferring to Ball State.

TV GAME AT WORTHEN ARENA: The game against Ohio originally scheduled for Jan. 17 in Muncie has been moved to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 16 due to it being aired on CBS Sports Network.

Ball State’s most recent home MAC game on a Friday was back on March 3, 2023 against Toledo in a game that was also broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

WELCOME TO THE MAC: Ball State plays league newcomer UMass twice in the regular season in the first season in the league for the Minutemen.

The Cardinals play at UMass on Jan. 10 before hosting the Minutemen on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The two teams have faced off only once prior, in an 89-86 Ball State win on Nov. 21, 2021 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

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INDIANA STATE VOLLEYBALL NEWS

SYCAMORES ANNOUNCE PRITCHARD RESIGNS AS INDIANA STATE HEAD VOLLEYBALL COACH

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State University announced head coach Ashlee Pritchard resigned from her role with the Sycamore volleyball program effective immediately.

“We thank Ashlee for all of her contributions to Indiana State and wish her the best of luck in the future,” Director of Athletics Nathan Christensen said.

Pritchard ends her time with the Sycamores with a 22-90 overall record over her four years with the program.

A national search for the next Indiana State head volleyball coach will begin immediately.

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INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL NEWS

MEN’S BASKETBALL DROPS OPENING GAME OF MTE TO LOUISIANA TECH

RUSTON, La. – Indiana State men’s basketball started their Thanksgiving road trip at the Louisiana Tech MTE with a last-second loss to host Louisiana Tech 75-73, moving to 4-3 on the season. The Sycamores close out play against Alcorn State on Friday, November 28 at 2 p.m. ET.

The Sycamores were led by Xavier Hall who notched a season high 17 points. Three other Sycamores added double-digit scoring with Camp Wagner (15), Markus Harding (14), and Ian Scott (12). Scott led the Trees with five boards with Wagner adding an additional four. Harding also added two steals for the Sycamores.

In the opening three minutes, both defenses came out strong with just a score of 4-4. In the following minute, the Trees would go on a 6-0 run, to go up 10-4, after several quick layups. The Trees would start 7-of-10 from the field, with all three misses coming outside the arc. The Sycamores would also hold the Bulldogs to going just 5-of-12 in the same time frame.

The Bulldogs would look to close the gap and get within two, however layups by Bruno Alocen and Wagner would build a 6-0 lead for the Trees. Both teams would go scoreless for nearly two minutes before Hall would extend the Sycamores lead to eight, 18-10. Over the next six minutes, the Bulldogs would slowly chip away at the Sycamores lead. The Sycamores would go over three minutes without making a field goal, while the Bulldogs were able to make three quick shots in a row to take the lead 26-25. The Bulldogs closed out the half going on a 16-0 run going 8-of-9 from field, while the Sycamores went scoreless in the final five minutes of play and went 0-of-5 from the field during that time. The Bulldogs headed into half with the largest lead of the night, 37-26.

The Sycamores came out of the half on a 12-3 run to close the gap to just two points, 40-38, at the first media timeout at 15:59. During that run, Wagner and Hall would combine for nine of the Sycamores’ 12 points. The Trees would battle to tie the game back on two different occasions: 40-40 after a pair of free throws by Harding, and 44-44 after an Enel St.Bernard layup. The Bulldogs would quickly respond, going on a 17-7 run to build a 10 point lead with just six minutes left to play, connecting on 8-of-13 from the field in the stretch.

As the final media timeout came at 3:28, the Sycamores trailed by four, 65-61. Coming out of the timeout, Hall would find his way to the basket to put the Sycamores behind only two. While the Bulldogs would respond with a quick shot of their own, Scott would throw down a two-handed slam after a drive-and-kick from Hall to keep the deficit at two points. The Bulldogs would attempt to use the clock and hold the lead, going back up four.

Hall would quickly find a hole and cut the lead to just one after a big three-pointer. The Bulldogs would once again find the hoop, building the lead to three after drawing a foul. LA Tech gave Indiana State an opportunity to tie the game after committing a lane violation on a made free throw, disallowing the free throw to count.

Scott would find an easy layup to be just one point behind with one minute left in regulation. Needing to get possession back, the Sycamores fouled and the Bulldogs capitalized and held a three-point lead with 28 seconds left to play. Wagner would drill a contested triple in the left corner to tie the game with just 23 seconds left to play. Despite a tough defensive front, the Bulldogs found a shot in the paint to take the lead with just one second left. Despite the Sycamores’ attempt, they were unable to capitalize on the final possession and fell 75-73.

News and Notes

This is the Sycamores’ best shooting percentage of the year (against a DI opponent), shooting 52.7% (29-for-55)

Tonight’s game is second game of the season where the Sycamores have had 10 or fewer turnovers

This is the first game that the Sycamores have recorded fewer turnovers than their opponent this season

With the loss and four players recording double-digit scoring, it marks the first loss for the Sycamores this season when they have had four players with 10+ points

This is the second-straight game the Sycamores have had four players score 10+ points

In the last six minutes of the game:

Indiana State outscored LA Tech 22-12, with 15 combined points from Ian Scott and Xavier Hall

The Sycamores shot 10-of-11 and committed no turnovers

Indiana State’s last free throw attempts were at the 13:53 mark in the second half

The Sycamores tied their season low in second chance points with just five in tonight’s game

The Sycamores also posted a season low of seven bench points

This is the first time since November 10, 2023, against Alabama that the Sycamores have had less than 24 rebounds (23 tonight)

The Sycamores recorded a season high 46 points in the paint (against a DI opponent)

They also recorded a season high 16 points off turnovers (against DI opponents)

The Sycamores recorded a season low three steals in tonight’s loss

Xavier Hall recorded a season high of 17 points

He recorded a season high of eight made field goals and 13 field goal attempts

Ian Scott went 100% from both the field (4-4) and the free throw line (4-4) tonight

Up Next

The Sycamores close out play at the Louisiana Tech MTE on Friday, November 28, as they take on Alcorn State at 2 p.m. ET.

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PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S BASKETBALL NEWS

FAMILY FEAST FRIDAY VS. HOLY CROSS (IND.)

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Friday (Nov. 28) vs. Holy Cross (Ind.) is Family Feast day for the Purdue Fort Wayne men’s basketball team. Kids K-12 are free and select concession items are $1. Tip against Holy Cross at the Gates Sports Center is 2 p.m. 

Game Day Information
Who: Purdue Fort Wayne (3-5) vs. Holy Cross (Ind.) (4-5)
When: Friday, November 28 | 2 PM ET
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Gates Sports Center
Live Stats: Link
Watch:ESPN+
Listen:1380 AM
Tickets:Link
Game Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne

Know Your Foe

Holy Cross is 4-5. They lost at Governor’s State on Tuesday 92-85. Jayden Sanders had 28 points.

Series History

First meeting.

‘Dons & Ends

// Jon Coffman picked up his 200th career victory on Nov. 15 against Boyce. He is the program’s leader in victories.

// DeAndre Craig Jr., Mikale Stevenson and Corey Hadnot II have each scored double-digits 7-of-8 games this season.

// Corey Hadnot II is 4th in the nation and first in the league with 57 field goals. He has 148 points this season, 10th in the nation. He leads the league at 18.5 points per game. Hadnot is also 18th in the nation in steals with 18.

// At 18.5 points per game, Hadnot’s scoring is up this year as is his shooting percentage. He is shooting 55.3 percent from the floor.

// Darius Duffy leads the league and ranks 48th in the nation in blocks with 12.

// Darius Duffy has 43 rebounds on the season, 28 have been on the offensive glass.

// DeAndre Craig Jr. has demonstrated an ability to fill up the box score. Not only does he have 10+ points in each game this season, he has two games with six or more rebounds, two games with six or more assists and two games with three steals; all while turning the ball over only 10 times in 215 minutes. 

// In the nation, the ‘Dons are:

– 9th in steals per game (11.6)

– 10th in turnover margin (6.9)

– 15th in fast break points per game (20.38)

– 16th in turnovers forced per game (17.63)

// Redshirt freshman Ebrahim Kaba has shown early results from beyond the arc, hitting 11-of-28 (39.2 percent) from three.

// 22 former Mastodons have played professionally in the last 14 years.

Weekly alumni spotlight:

Jalon Pipkins helped Gargždai in Lithuania to a 94-83 win on Nov. 22 over Siauliai with 10 points, one rebound and one assist.

// Quick hits on the contest at Chicago State:

– Mikale Stevenson had a career-high 29 points.

– Corey Hadnot II was an efficient 11-of-12 from the floor for 28 points.

– The ‘Dons finished 60.4 percent (32-of-53) from the floor, the best the Mastodons have shot against a Division I opponent since shooting 66.7 percent at Oakland (Dec. 2, 2023).

– The ‘Dons made their final 13-of-16 from three after missing their first nine attempts.

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SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL NEWS

FIRST HALF FIREWORKS, SECOND HALF DEFENSE: USI BEATS VALPO, 64-56

VALPARAISO, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball rained three-pointers in the first half and made a defensive stand in the second half to defeat Valparaiso University, 64-56, Wednesday afternoon in Valparaiso, Indiana. The Screaming Eagles go to 2-5 in the non-conference schedule, while Valpo is 4-2.

USI flew out of the gate in the opening half, raining three-point field goals to post a 36-30 lead at halftime. The Eagles were a blistering 53.3 percent from beyond the arc (8-15), led by senior guard Ismail Habib. Habib had a team-best 18 points in the first 20 minutes on six three-point field goals (six-of-nine for the half).

The Eagles had their largest lead of the half, 34-25, after a 12-2 run with 3:06 before halftime. Habib had nine of the 12 points during the sprint.

USI started its second-half stand with a strong defensive effort. The Eagles held Valpo without a point for the first six minutes of the second half and without a field goal for the first eight minutes (0-for-12).

The USI defense finished the contest with nine blocked shots, five by senior forward Ola Ajiboye and three by junior forward Tolu Samuels, and forced nine turnovers. The nine blocks are the most by a USI team since it blocked 10 shots by Oakland City University in 2021.

Samuels also led USI’s effort on the glass by grabbing 15 rebounds, 11 coming on the defensive end of the court.

While the defense was holding, the Eagles continued to build their lead on the offensive side of the floor. USI would extend its lead to as many as 14 points twice (44-30 and 46-32).

Valpo, however, rallied to cut the USI advantage to as few as six points, 52-46, with 4:46 to play in the contest. The Eagles pushed the lead back to 12 points, 62-50, with 1:09 left on a pair of free throws by junior guard Kaden Brown. USI would hit eight of 13 free throws down the stretch, including a six-for-six by Brown, to close out the 64-58 win.

For the game, Habib finished the contest with a team-best 25 points on eight-of-18 from the field, six-of-12 from beyond the arc, and three-of-five from the line. The six three-pointers were the most by an Eagle this season.

Brown followed Habib in the scoring column with 15 points. He was three-of-10 from the field, including a pair of three-pointers, and seven-of-10 from the line.

Next Up For USI:

USI returns home after Thanksgiving to play former Great Lakes Valley Conference rival, Kentucky State University, Saturday at 3 p.m. Kentucky State is off to a 2-3 start to begin 2025-26 after a successful 2-1 homestand.

USI led the all-time series with Kentucky State, 20-3, during its Division II years and as a member of the GLVC. The last meeting was in a non-conference game in 2015-16 when the Eagles won, 95-68.

A special ticket package, Family Feast Four Pack, will be available to fans for the Kentucky State contest. The ticket package includes four game tickets, four sodas, and four popcorns for $40. Additional tickets are $10.

The USI-KSU showdown also is the final day of the “Stuff the Cruiser” initiative to collect non-perishable items for Archie’s Food Closet. The Public Safety cruiser will be parked in front of Liberty Arena. Those wishing to donate can give items directly to the Public Safety employee or student worker stationed at the cruiser.

Donations can also be dropped off at the Public Safety Office, located on the first floor of the Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center.

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VALPO MEN’S BASKETBALL NEWS

MEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS TO SOUTHERN INDIANA

The Valparaiso University men’s basketball team saw a three-game winning streak come to an end on Wednesday afternoon with a 64-56 setback to visiting Southern Indiana in a Pre-Thanksgiving matchup at the Athletics-Recreation Center. Freshman JT Pettigrew (Lisle, Ill. / Bolingbrook) enjoyed a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds to pace the Beacons.

How It Happened

Southern Indiana took a slight lead at 5-4 after a made 3 with 16:38 on the first-half clock, and held an advantage that fluctuated between one and five until Isaiah Barnes (Chicago, Ill. / Simeon Career Academy [Tulsa/Michigan]) hit a 3 at the 6:01 mark to put the Beacons in front 21-19.

Valpo led 23-22 with 5:33 remaining in the first half, but USI went on a key 10-0 run to take a 34-25 lead with 3:06 to go in the half. A second-chance triple by Owen Dease (Evansville, Ind. / Evansville Reitz [Texas A&M Corpus Christi]) slimmed the lead to six with the guests ahead 36-30 at the break.

The Screaming Eagles scored the first eight points of the second half, building the edge to 14 at 44-30. A trey by Brody Whitaker (Greencastle, Ind. / Greencastle [University of Indianapolis / Marian]) at the 10:54 mark slimmed the gap to nine, and Valpo eventually got as close as six after a Dease layup made it 54-48 with 3:57 remaining.

After Valpo had cut it to six, USI scored the next six points to double the lead to 12, and a late 3 by Mark Brown Jr. (South Phoenix, Ariz. / Bella Vista Prep [Snow College]) prevented a double-figure margin.

Inside the Game

Pettigrew scored in double figures for the third time this season and notched his first double-double. The 11 rebounds marked a personal best.

Whitaker finished with 10 points, eclipsing his previous season best of nine set vs. Nicholls. He had a plus-minus of +6 in 21 minutes in an eight-point loss. Sader Servilus (Montreal, Quebec, Canada / Fort Erie International Academy) was a team-best +8 in seven minutes, while Tucker Tornatta (Evansville, Ind. / Reitz Memorial [University of Indianapolis]) was a +7.

Dease tallied nine points, his third straight game with nine or more.

Junior Shon Tupuola (Brownsburg, Ind. / Brownsburg [Saint Mary-of-the-Woods]) grabbed seven boards, his fifth straight game with seven or more.

As a team, Valpo rejected 10 shots including two apiece by Tupuola and Pettigrew. This marked Valpo’s first double-figure, single-game blocked shot total since 10 on March 15, 2016 vs. Texas Southern.

This was the first game nationally where both teams were credited with at least nine blocked shots since Jan. 11, 2025, Texas A&M vs. Alabama.

The Beacons shot just 4-of-26 from 3, 15.4 percent. This marked the team’s coldest 3-point shooting performance since the 2024-25 season opener vs. Liberty (13.3 percent).

Valpo has held the opponent to 64 points or fewer in all four home games this season.

The Beacons limited the turnovers to nine, the team’s fourth straight game with single-digit turnovers.

This snapped a three-game winning streak and represented Valpo’s first home loss of the season.

Click here for postgame press conference.

Up Next

Valpo (4-2) will host Basketball for All – Special Olympics Day at the Athletics-Recreation Center as Western Michigan comes to town for a 2 p.m. tipoff on Saturday. For ticket information, visit tickets.valpoathletics.com.

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IU INDY MEN’S BASKETBALL NEWS

HOUNDS TOP CHARGERS IN THANKSGIVING EVE MATCHUP

INDIANAPOLIS— UIndy held Hillsdale to 35% shooting, the team’s best mark under Heady, and the lowest field goal percentage by an opponent since November 30, 2023, when UIndy held Southwest Baptist to 33.3% from the field.

Noah Kon, Carmelo Harris and Nate Dudukovich all recorded a game-high 14 points for UIndy. Harris also contributed a game-high five assists as well as a team-high seven rebounds for the Hounds.

The Chargers opened up the scoring a little under two minutes into the game, sparked by a Tommy Morgan steal transitioning into a Garrett Bolte 18-footer off a Cole McWhinnie dish. Hillsdale was ahead 15-10 halfway through the first half, until the UIndy went on a 16-0 run to take control of the game. The Greyhound defense held the Chargers scoreless for a seven-minute stint in the second half, only allowing six points in the final 10 minutes of the opening half.

UIndy carried its momentum early into the second half, answering every Charger field goal with two of its own to secure the already established lead.  Kon gave the Hounds a spark on both sides of the court with a steal and score, followed by another steal on the next trip down the floor, which resulted in another UIndy bucket from Tyler Parrish. Shaun Arnold continued the Greyhounds’ defensive hot streak with a powerful block in the paint before giving his squad their largest lead of the night, hitting two from the charity stripe to secure an 18-point lead with 8:12 left in the contest. The Chargers used a 14-4 run to bring them back within eight, but the Hounds found nine consecutive points to keep control of the game and hold on to their lead.

UP NEXT

UIndy opens up GLVC play on the road Monday, Dec. 1, in Romeoville, Ill., facing the Lewis Flyers.

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UINDY WRESTLING NEWS

FOUR GREYHOUNDS REMAIN IN TOP 20 OF THE OPEN MAT RANKINGS

INDIANAPOLIS – After a weekend in Warrensburg, MO, four Greyhounds still claim spots in the top 20 of their respective weight classes in this week’s The Open Mat rankings.

Nathan Smith (125) heads into the holiday weekend as the top ranked Greyhound at 13th, one spot higher than his 14th placed ranking last week.

Right behind Smith in the 165 and 285 weight classes are Logan Farnell and Cale Gray who both come in at No. 14. Farnell continued his strong start to the 2025-26 season, earning a fifth place finish at the Kaufman Brand Open, and a win over No. 5 Nate Barnett from Ashland.

Gray hasn’t competed since the team’s appearance at the Findlay Open, but remains a force in the 285 weight class. In Gray’s previous outing he notched five wins and a sixth place finish.

The final Hound in this week’s rankings is Gavin Garcia (149), who claimed a victory in his first event of the season at the Pioneer Open, jumped up one spot to No. 18 this week.

UIndy will have the holiday weekend off before two straight weekends back in Indiana, first starting with Indiana Little State in Manchester, Ind on Dec. 6, and then heading back home for the annual Midwest Classic on Dec. 13-14.

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SMALL INDIANA COLLEGE SPORTS WEB SITES

UINDY ATHLETICS: https://athletics.uindy.edu/

MARIAN ATHLETICS: https://muknights.com/

INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/

EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/

WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/

FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/

ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/

ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index

TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index

BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/

DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/

HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/

MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/

HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/

OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx

ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index

IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/

IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/

IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/

PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/

INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx

GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/

ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/

GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/

HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php

TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/

VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index

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TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

Nov. 27

1913 — Notre Dame and Texas meet for the first time in a Thanksgiving showdown. Both carry perfect records into the game, with Notre Dame not losing a game in three years and the Longhorns on a 12-game winning streak. The Fighting Irish build on a 10-7 halftime lead, scoring 20 unanswered points for a 30-7 win at Austin, Texas. The win gives Notre Dame a 7-0 season for rookie coach Jesse Harper.

1947 — Howie Dallmar of the Philadelphia Warriors sets an NBA record for the most field goal attempts with none made (15) in an 81-59 loss to the New York Knicks.

1949 — Steve Van Buren of the Philadelphia Eagles becomes the second NFL player, the first in 16 years, to rush over 200 yards. He runs for 205 yards in a 34-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

1960 — Trailing 38-7, the Denver Broncos score 31 points to salvage a 38-38 tie with the Buffalo Bills.

1960 — Detroit’s Gordie Howe scores his 1,000th point with an assist, and the Red Wings beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0. It’s Howe’s 938th NHL game.

1961 — Detroit’s Gordie Howe becomes the first to play 1,000 NHL games.

1965 — Gordie Howe becomes the first NHL player to score 600 goals. The milestone comes in Detroit’s 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

1966 — The Washington Redskins set an NFL regular-season record for most points in a 72-41 victory over the New York Giants. Both teams also set records with 16 TDs and 113 total points.

1980 — Dave Williams returns Eddie Murray’s opening kickoff in overtime 95 yards to give the Chicago Bears a 23-17 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day. The Bears tied the game with no time remaining in regulation.

1994 — Joe Montana of the Kansas City Chiefs becomes the fifth quarterback to surpass 40,000 passing yards in a 10-9 loss at Seattle.

1998 — Texas’ Ricky Williams becomes the leading rusher in Division I-A history, breaking Tony Dorsett’s record set 22 years earlier.

2009 — Graham Gano kicks a 33-yard field goal in overtime to give the Las Vegas Locomotives a 20-17 victory over the Florida Tuskers in the inaugural UFL championship game.

2011 — The Connecticut women’s basketball team wins its 89th straight at home to set an NCAA record, beating Dayton 78-38 behind freshman Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis’ 23 points.

2015 — James Harden scores 50 points to lead Houston past Philadelphia 116-114 for the 76ers’ 27th straight loss dating to last season, the longest losing streak in major U.S. pro sports. The previous record was set by the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976-77 and matched by the 76ers in 2013-14.

2016 — Justin Tucker makes all four of his field goal attrempts, including ones from 52, 54 and 57 yards, in Baltimore’s 19-14 victory over Cincinnati. Tucker has made 34 field goals in a row, including 27 this season, and has connected on all 15 conversion. It is Tucker’s 11th game with at least four field goals since entering the NFL in 2012.

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TV SPORTS TODAY

Thursday, Nov. 27

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

11 a.m.

ESPN2 — Richmond vs. Furman, Kissimmee, Fla.

Noon

FS1 — St. Bonaventure vs. East Carolina, Fort Myers, Fla.

1:30 p.m.

ESPN2 — Charlotte vs. Illinois St., Kissimmee, Fla.

2 p.m.

CBSSN — San Francisco vs. Colorado, Palm Springs, Fla.

3 p.m.

FS1 — TCU vs. Florida, San Diego

4:30 p.m.

CBSSN — Washington vs. Nevada, Palm Springs, Calif.

FOX — North Carolina vs. Michigan St., Fort Myers, Fla.

5 p.m.

ESPN — BYU vs. Miami, Kissimmee, Fla.

5:30 p.m.

FS1 — Wisconsin vs. Providence, San Diego

7 p.m.

CBSSN — Santa Clara vs. Saint Louis, Palm Springs, Calif.

7:30 p.m.

ESPN2 — Georgetown vs. Dayton, Kissimmee, Fla.

8 p.m.

CBS — Duke vs. Arkansas, Chicago

9:30 p.m.

CBSSN — Stanford vs. Minnesota, Palm Springs, Calif.

10:30 p.m.

PEACOCK — Oklahoma St. vs. Northwestern, Chicago

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

7:30 p.m.

ESPN — Navy at Memphis

NFL FOOTBALL

1 p.m.

FOX — Green Bay at Detroit

4:30 p.m.

CBS — Kansas City at Dallas

8:20 p.m.

NBC — Cincinnati at Baltimore

PEACOCK — Cincinnati at Baltimore

_____

Friday, Nov. 28

AUTO RACING

8:25 a.m.

ESPNU — Formula 1: Practice, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

12:25 p.m.

ESPNEWS — Formula 1: Sprint Qualifying, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

Noon

BTN — E. Illinois at Purdue

12:30 p.m.

FOX — UConn vs. Illinois, New York

2 p.m.

NBC — Oklahoma vs. Marquette, Chicago

5 p.m.

ESPN2 — Texas A&M vs. Florida St., Tampa, Fla.

7 p.m.

ESPN — Ohio St. at Pittsburgh

9:30 p.m.

CBSSN — LSU vs. Drake, Destin, Fla.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Noon

ABC — Mississippi at Mississippi St.

CBS — Iowa at Nebraska

CBSSN — Kent St. at N. Illinois

ESPN — Utah at Kansas

ESPNU — Ohio at Buffalo

3 p.m.

FS1 — Air Force at Colorado St.

3:30 p.m.

ABC — Georgia at Georgia Tech

CBSSN — San Diego St. at New Mexico

ESPN — Temple at North Texas

4 p.m.

CBS — Boise St. at Utah St.

7:30 p.m.

ABC — Texas A&M at Texas

NBC — Indiana at Purdue

PEACOCK — Indiana at Purdue

9 p.m.

FOX — Arizona at Arizona St.

NBA BASKETBALL

7:30 p.m.

PRIME VIDEO — Milwaukee at New York

10 p.m.

PRIME VIDEO — Dallas at L.A. Lakers

NFL FOOTBALL

3 p.m.

PRIME VIDEO — Chicago at Philadelphia

_____

Saturday, Nov. 29

AUTO RACING

8:25 a.m.

ESPN2 — Formula 1: Sprint Race, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

12:55 p.m.

ESPNEWS — Formula 1: Qualifying, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

Noon

BTN — Bethune-Cookman at Indiana

6 p.m.

PEACOCK — Sacred Heart at Penn St.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Noon

ABC — TBA

ACCN — Kentucky at Louisville

CBSSN — Ball St. at Miami (Ohio)

ESPN — TBA

ESPN2 — TBA

ESPNU — Iowa St. at Oklahoma St.

FOX — Ohio St. at Michigan

SECN — Clemson at South Carolina

2 p.m.

NBC — Grambling St. vs. Southern U., New Orleans

3 p.m.

CW — Boston College at Syracuse

3:30 p.m.

ABC — TBA

ACCN — TBA

CBSSN — Kennesaw St. at Liberty

ESPN — TBA

ESPN2 — TBA

SECN — Missouri at Arkansas

3:45 p.m.

ESPNU — James Madison at Coastal Carolina

6:30 p.m.

CW — Oregon St. at Washington St.

7 p.m.

ESPN — TBA

ESPNU — Charlotte at Tulane

FS1 — Maryland at Michigan St.

7:30 p.m.

ABC — Alabama at Auburn

ACCN — North Carolina at NC State

ESPN2 — TBA

SECN — Alabama at Auburn (SkyCast)

9 p.m.

CBSSN — UNLV at Nevada

10:30 p.m.

ESPN — Notre Dame at Stanford

FS1 — Fresno St. at San Jose St.

NBA BASKETBALL

5 p.m.

NBATV — Boston at Minnesota

8:30 p.m.

NBATV — New Orleans at Golden State

SKIING

1 p.m.

NBC — FIS: Alpine Ski World Cup, Copper Mountain, Colo.

SOCCER (MEN’S)

10 a.m.

USA — English Premier League: Burnley at Brentford

12:30 p.m.

USA — English Premier League: Newcastle United at Everton

3 p.m.

USA — English Premier League: Fulham at Tottenham Hotspur

_____

Sunday, Nov. 30

AUTO RACING

10:55 a.m.

ESPN2 — Formula 1: The Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

3:30 p.m.

ESPN2 — St. Bonaventure at FAU

5:30 p.m.

ESPN2 — TBA

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S)

1 p.m.

BTN — Fairfield at Iowa

2:30 p.m.

FS1 — UConn at Xavier

3 p.m.

BTN — Saint Peter’s at Rutgers

4:30 p.m.

FS1 — Tennessee at UCLA

COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)

6 p.m.

ESPN — NCAA Women’s Volleyball Selection Special

COLLEGE WRESTLING

1 p.m.

ESPN — Iowa at Iowa St.

NFL FOOTBALL

1 p.m.

CBS — Regional Coverage: San Francisco at Cleveland, Jacksonville at Tennessee, Houston at Indianapolis

FOX — Regional Coverage: New Orleans at Miami, Atlanta at N.Y. Jets, Arizona at Tampa Bay, L.A. Rams Carolina

4:05 p.m.

FOX — Minnesota at Seattle

4:25 p.m.

CBS — Regional Coverage: Buffalo at Pittsburgh OR Las Vegas at L.A. Chargers

8:20 p.m.

NBC — Denver at Washington

PEACOCK — Denver at Washington

SKIING

1 p.m.

NBC — FIS: Alpine Ski World Cup, Copper Mountain, Colo.

SOCCER (MEN’S)

7 a.m.

USA — English Premier League: Manchester United at Crystal Palace

9 a.m.

USA — English Premier League: Wolverhampton Wanderers at Aston Villa

11:30 a.m.

USA — English Premier League: Arsenal at Chelsea

2:30 p.m.ABC — LaLiga: Real Madrid at Giorana FC

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