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DALLAS -- Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic was exhausted, emotionally spent, extremely proud and quite perturbed as he exited the American Airlines Center court after a sensational, wild outing Saturday night. One night after becoming a father for the first time, Doncic helped a short-handed Dallas squad rally from a 24-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take the lead, but the Mavs failed to finish off the Oklahoma City Thunder. Dallas' 30-0 spurt -- the biggest run in the NBA since at least 1997-98, according to the Elias Sports Bureau -- and Doncic's 36-point, 15-rebound, 18-assist performance weren't enough for the Mavericks to avoid a 126-120 loss to the Thunder. "It was the happiest day of my life with the baby, but then today's game was a big roller coaster, too," said Doncic, who wrote his daughter's name, Gabriela, on one of his signature Jordan Luka 2 shoes. "I'm so sad we didn't win this game, but man, we gave a big, big effort." The Thunder...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Jim Harbaugh hugged his wife and children near midfield late Saturday night, posed for pictures with them and later shook hands on a podium with Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti, who last month handed down a three-game suspension for the  Michigan coach. For the first time since Nov. 4, Harbaugh walked the Wolverines sideline as No. 2 Michigan overwhelmed No. 16 Iowa 26-0 at Lucas Oil Stadium to capture its third consecutive outright Big Ten title, a first in team history. Michigan became the fifth team in FBS history to start consecutive seasons at 13-0, and posted just the second shutout in Big Ten championship game history, after the 2014 Ohio State team that blanked Wisconsin 59-0 and went on to a national championship. The Wolverines are set to receive their third straight College Football Playoff berth Sunday. After Harbaugh congratulated defensive back Mike Sainristil on winning championship game MVP honors, Sainristil, who forced...

DALLAS -- The Dallas Mavericks' 30-0 run Saturday night was good enough for NBA history, just not for a victory. The Mavericks' run in the fourth quarter against Oklahoma City was the longest without allowing a basket in the play-by-play era, which dates to 1996-97. The run lasted from 11:09 remaining in the game until 4:18, carrying Dallas from a 111-87 deficit into a 117-111 lead. It eventually went up 120-118 before the Thunder scored the game's final eight points to secure 126-120 win. "Yeah, I think when you look at the character of team, [it] was on display there," Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. "For the whole game, just understanding with Luka [Doncic], they're going to take the ball out of his hands, I thought the guys did a great job there at the end of the third and the fourth to take rhythm shots." The NBA said the previous record was a 29-0 run by Cleveland against Milwaukee on Dec. 6, 2009. The Thunder's final rally began with a traveling call against...

Ryan Hollingshead scored late in the first half and defending champion Los Angeles FC advanced to its second straight MLS Cup final with a 2-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Saturday night. Houston's Franco Escobar scored an own goal in the 80th minute to seal the Western Conference final for LAFC, which will travel to Columbus next weekend to play for the title. The Crew beat FC Cincinnati 3-2 in a thriller earlier Saturday. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) LAFC, an expansion club in its sixth year of competition, could become MLS' first back-to-back champion since the LA Galaxy (2011-12). Maxime Crépeau made five saves in his third consecutive shutout for LAFC, which hasn't allowed a goal since October. A defense led by Giorgio Chiellini and Diego Palacios frustrated the Dynamo, whose nine-game winning streak ended just shy of the franchise's first MLS Cup...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Blake Corum scored twice, tying the school record for touchdown runs with 55, and No. 2 Michigan beat No. 18 Iowa 26-0 on Saturday night in the Big Ten championship game to likely take the top seed in the College Football Playoff. With coach Jim Harbaugh back on the sideline for the first time in four weeks, the Wolverines (13-0, No. 2 CFP) routed Iowa (10-3, No. 16 CFP) to win three straight outright conference crowns for the first time in school history. "The last two [title] teams, we were strong. But there's something special about this team," Corum said on Fox's postgame show. "But like Kobe Bryant said, 'the job's not done.'" And with No. 1 Georgia falling to No. 8 Alabama in the Southeastern Conference title game, Harbaugh and the Wolverines are poised -- finally -- to claim the top playoff seed and reach No. 1. Harbaugh became the first coach in conference history to win three straight outright titles and he celebrated by...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Playing behind third-string quarterback Brock Glenn, No. 4 Florida State won the ACC championship Saturday night, beating Louisville 16-6 for what the Seminoles hope is enough to land them a spot in the College Football Playoff. "I don't think there is a conversation," Florida State coach Mike Norvell said during his postgame news conference. "This is a team that is well deserving. This is a team that has earned it. This is a team that has showed up consistently and proven that they have what it takes to win." Even without veteran starter Jordan Travis, out for the season because of a leg injury. Even without backup Tate Rodemaker, out for Saturday's game because of a concussion. Without them, Glenn got the start and looked like a true freshman who enrolled in school in January, going 8-of-21 for 55 yards -- the second fewest in a conference championship win over the past 20 seasons. And yet, Florida State overcame...

ARLINGTON, Texas -- An apparent scoring error that resulted in the wrong fan winning a halftime contest at Saturday's Big 12 championship game was quickly put on ice when the sponsor, Dr Pepper, announced it would award both contestants the grand prize. The contest, known as the Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway, has been a tradition at Power 5 conference championship games since 2008. It requires fans to stand 5 yards out and throw as many footballs as possible into a hole in a giant Dr Pepper can. The winner earns an oversized check that is good for an equally massive scholarship. On Saturday, after a tight battle between Gavin White of Ohio State and Ryan Georgian of Penn, Georgian emerged the winner after a second tiebreaker. However, fans on social media quickly pointed out that a scoring error was made, noting that Georgian was wrongly credited for an extra completion in the first tiebreaker and that the contest should not have gone to a second one. Dr Pepper was quick to address...

ATLANTA -- Nick Saban didn't even wait for the question to be asked. His Alabama team, with the emphasis on "team," had just done what no other college football squad had achieved for parts of the past three seasons -- beat No. 1 Georgia. But on Saban's mind, and many others, was what will happen Sunday when the College Football Playoff committee chooses the four teams that will play for the national championship. Saban said it was pretty simple. "If they really want the four best teams to compete," he said, then Alabama will be in the playoff. The comment came after his No. 8 Crimson Tide snapped the Bulldogs' 29-game winning streak with a 27-24 victory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It was Saban's ninth SEC title at Alabama and extended the team's winning streak to 11 games since a Week 2 home loss to  Texas. It's that loss that has everybody in Crimson, and a few folks in the SEC offices, a tad nervous. Saban didn't go overboard during his postgame news...

ATLANTA -- Nick Saban didn't even wait for the question to be asked. His Alabama team, with the emphasis on "team," just had done what nobody else in college football had been able to do for parts of the past three seasons -- beat No. 1 Georgia. But on the mind of Saban, and everybody else in the college football world, was what would happen Sunday when the College Football Playoff committee chooses the four teams that will play for the national championship. Saban said it was pretty simple. "If they really want the four best teams to compete," he said, then Alabama will be in the playoff. The comment came after his No. 8 Crimson Tide snapped the Bulldogs' 29-game winning streak with a 27-24 victory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It was Saban's ninth SEC title at Alabama and extended the team's winning streak to 11 games since a Week 2 home loss to Texas. It's that loss that has everybody in Crimson, and a few folks in the SEC offices, a tad nervous. Saban didn't go...

Emanuel Miller scored 29 points and his desperation 3-point, running bank shot at the buzzer carried TCU past Georgetown 84-83 in a thriller Saturday in a Big East/Big 12 Battle contest in Washington. But not without some controversy. Replay showed Miller stepped on the right sideline with his left foot just before releasing the ball. Though officials reviewed the play, because they missed Miller stepping out-of-bounds in real time, by rule they couldn't overturn the shot. Jayden Epps sank a pair of foul shots with 2.7 seconds left to give Georgetown an 83-81 lead. On the inbounds, TCU's Micah Peavy ran the baseline, and like a quarterback rolling to the right to evade pressure, threw the ball on a near-straight line to Miller who caught it, turned, took a dribble and launched it before falling to the floor. Despite the controversial ending, first-year Hoyas coach Ed Cooley said the one play wasn't the sole reason his team lost.  "We had three of the...

ATLANTA -- After No. 8 Alabama ended two-time defending national champion Georgia's 29-game winning streak  27-24 in Saturday's SEC championship game, Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart had a strong message for the College Football Playoff selection committee. Smart has no doubt his No. 1-ranked Bulldogs are one of the four best teams in college football. "Look, Bill Hancock said, 'It's not the most deserving,'" Smart said. "He said, simply, 'It's the best four teams.' So you're going to tell me somebody's sitting in the committee room and doesn't think that that Georgia team is not one of the best four teams? "I'm not sure they're in the right profession, because it's a really good football team, it's a really talented football team, it's a really balanced football team. They have to make that decision. But it's the best four teams, and that's critical." Smart was referring to the CFP executive director's comments to reporters on Tuesday, when Hancock dismissed...

ARLINGTON, Texas -- An apparent scoring error that resulted in the wrong fan winning a halftime contest at Saturday's Big 12 championship game was quickly put on ice when the sponsor, Dr. Pepper, announced it would award both contestants the grand prize. The contest, known as the Dr. Pepper Tuition Giveaway, has been a tradition at Power 5 conference championship games since 2008. It requires fans to stand 5 yards out and throw as many footballs as possible into a hole in a giant Dr. Pepper can. The winner earns an oversized check that is good for an equally massive scholarship. On Saturday, after a tight battle between Gavin White of Ohio State and Ryan Georgian of Penn, Georgian emerged the winner after a second tiebreaker. However, fans on social media quickly pointed out that a scoring error was made, noting that Georgian was wrongly credited for an extra completion in the first tiebreaker and that the contest should not have gone to a second one. Dr. Pepper was quick to...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Florida State started true freshman Brock Glenn in Saturday night's ACC championship game against Louisville in place of Tate Rodemaker, who sustained a concussion last weekend and was ruled out.  Rodemaker was in pads and warmed up pregame, but was ultimately deemed unavailable for the clash.  AJ Duffy backed up Glenn against the Cardinals. Glenn, a former four-star recruit out of Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis, Tennessee, had thrown just four career passes at Florida State entering the game, including an incompletion against Florida while Rodemaker was being tested for a concussion last week. Glenn took all live reps in practice this week. "When you see Brock and his skill set that he brings even through the week of practice," coach Mike Norvell said Friday, "we're all preparing to play, and it's the same thing we faced a week ago. He knew he was going to be one play away and ultimately he had to go in and be...

ATLANTA -- Alabama is again the top dog in the Southeastern Conference -- and perhaps headed to the College Football Playoff -- after ending No. 1  Georgia's 29-game winning streak with a 27-24 victory in the conference championship game Saturday. Now, the big question: Is Georgia's bid for a third straight national title over? Iron Bowl hero Jalen Milroe threw a pair of touchdowns and No. 8 Alabama's defense dominated after giving up a score on Georgia's opening possession -- a compelling playoff statement for a Crimson Tide team that lost at home to Texas early in the season. Alabama (12-1) sorted out its quarterback situation and hasn't lost since. The victory over Georgia was the Tide's 11th in a row and may be good enough to push them from No. 8 in the CFP rankings to a prized berth in the final four. "This is a team. These guys here are what you call a team," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "This is a great team. They play together as a team....

DETROIT -- Rashad Amos ran for two touchdowns, Graham Nicholson kicked three field goals and Miami (Ohio) upset No. 23 Toledo 23-14 in the Mid-American Conference championship game Saturday. The RedHawks (11-2) last won the MAC title in 2019, when they beat Central Michigan. It is the first time Miami has won 11 games in a season since 2003, and it did so by frustrating a respected Toledo running game that was held to 97 yards on 29 attempts. "Our rush defense is pretty damn good," Miami coach Chuck Martin said in his postgame, on-field interview. "It was a great challenge ... but our offense did just enough to get it done." The Rockets (11-2) were attempting to become the first Toledo team to win 12 straight games for the first time since 1971. Following a 40-yard field goal by Nicholson at the start of the third quarter, Dequan Finn gave Toledo its only lead of the game with a 3-yard run. Nicholson put Toledo in front for good...

Sweeping changes came to Carolina last week, and there will be more ahead, starting with the new head coach that Panthers owner David Tepper chooses. The expectation across the NFL is that Tepper will look to hire an offensive-minded head coach, someone who can help quarterback Bryce Young fulfill the potential that Carolina saw when it made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. "He wants to go the offense route," said a league source familiar with the Panthers thinking. Potential contenders for the job are likely to include Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who withdrew from consideration for the Panthers' head-coaching job just over a year ago, and Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson. There will be other candidates as well, and many teams that have openings this offseason are expected to look to Johnson and Johnson. Carolina needs to hire a head coach to champion and influence Young in the same way...

Christian Pulisic scored again and Luka Jović got his first goal for AC Milan to beat promoted Frosinone 3-1 in Serie A on Saturday. Pulisic took his tally to five league goals in 12 appearances, matching Weston McKennie's 2020-21 season haul for Juventus. No American has scored more in Serie A. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Milan initially struggled to create chances against the hard-working visitors, who went on to have their best chance toward the end of the first half when Marvin Cuni had only Mike Maignan to beat. The Milan goalkeeper got the better of their one-on-one. Jović then scored at the other end in the 43rd minute, firing in a volley after Simone Romagnoli's attempted header clearance of Ruben Loftus-Cheek's cross dropped kindly for the Serbian striker. It was his first goal in 10 games for the Rossoneri. Pulisic scored in the 50th, latching onto a long...

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- In a surprising move, the New York Jets released veteran backup safety Adrian Amos, the team announced on Saturday. Amos, 30, an eight-year starter with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, was primarily a backup for the Jets, but he did play on 248 defensive snaps. His role, though, was reduced in recent weeks, leading to what a source described to ESPN as a mutual parting. The Jets made the move, in part, to create playing time for younger backups Ashtyn Davis and rookie Jarrick Bernard-Converse.  Amos signed a one-year, fully guaranteed $1.75 million contract in June, shortly after projected starter Chuck Clark suffered a season-ending knee injury. Second-year safety Tony Adams overtook Amos with an impressive training camp, winning the starting job opposite Jordan Whitehead. In 11 games, including three starts, Amos finished with 23 tackles and one pass defended. He also was a...

ATLANTA -- Alabama running back Jase McClellan, the team's leading rusher, isn't playing for No. 8 Alabama in Saturday's SEC championship game against No. 1 Georgia. McClellan was dressed out in full pads for warmups at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. He reportedly hasn't practiced all week. He did some light jogging and caught a couple of punts but didn't participate in full-speed drills. He was not in uniform on the sideline when the game started. McClellan injured his left foot in the fourth quarter of last week's 27-24 victory at Auburn. Georgia tight end Brock Bowers (ankle), receiver Ladd McConkey (ankle) and guard Tate Ratledge (knee) were running full speed in passing drills during warmups. Bowers and Ratledge were announced as starters for the Bulldogs. Georgia receiver Rara Thomas (foot) was using a crutch and won't be available. McClellan, a senior from Aledo, Texas, leads the Crimson Tide with 803 rushing yards...

ATLANTA -- Alabama running back Jase McClellan, the team's leading rusher, isn't playing for No. 8 Alabama in Saturday's SEC championship game against No. 1 Georgia. McClellan was dressed out in full pads for warm-ups at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. He reportedly hasn't practiced all week. He did some light jogging and caught a couple of punts but didn't participate in full-speed drills with his teammates. He was not in uniform on the sidelines when the game started. McClellan injured his left foot in the fourth quarter of last week's 27-24 victory at Auburn. Georgia tight end Brock Bowers (ankle), receiver Ladd McConkey (ankle) and guard Tate Ratledge (knee) were running full speed in passing drills during warmups. Bowers and Ratledge were announced as starters for the Bulldogs. Georgia receiver Rara Thomas (foot) was using a crutch and won't be available. McClellan, a senior from Aledo, Texas, leads the Crimson Tide with...

ATLANTA -- Alabama running back Jase McClellan, the team's leading rusher, isn't expected to play for No. 8 Alabama in Saturday's SEC championship game against No. 1 Georgia, sources told ESPN. McClellan was dressed out in full pads for warm-ups at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. He reportedly hasn't practiced all week. He did some light jogging and caught a couple of punts but didn't participate in full-speed drills with his teammates. McClellan injured his left foot in the fourth quarter of last week's 27-24 victory at Auburn. Georgia tight end Brock Bowers (ankle), receiver Ladd McConkey (ankle) and guard Tate Ratledge (knee) were running full speed in passing drills during warmups. Bowers and Ratledge were announced as starters for the Bulldogs. Georgia receiver Rara Thomas (foot) was using a crutch and won't be available. McClellan, a senior from Aledo, Texas, leads the Crimson Tide with 803 rushing yards with six...

ARLINGTON, Texas --  Texas ended its Big 12 tenure the way it began in 1996: with a conference championship. The No. 7 Longhorns ended a 13-year conference title drought -- the longest in the program's history -- with a 49-21 win over Oklahoma State behind the right arm of Quinn Ewers on Saturday. The sophomore quarterback completed his first 12 passes en route to setting the Big 12 championship game record for most yards (452, also third-most in a game all-time at Texas) and tying the mark for touchdown passes (4). In the first half, he threw for the most yards (346) by any player in a half in a conference championship game in the past 20 years, putting on a show for the College Football Playoff committee watching 20 miles away in Grapevine. Ewers exited the game in the fourth quarter, giving way to Maalik Murphy -- and later, Arch Manning -- after completing 35-of-46 passes. "I thought Quinn was lights out today, man," Texas coach Steve...

ESPN 300 quarterback Michael Van Buren decommitted from Oregon on Saturday, just three weeks before the early signing period. Van Buren is a 6-foot, 190-pound recruit from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore and is ranked No. 57 overall. He is now the only uncommitted ESPN 300 quarterback in the class as he reopens his recruitment. Van Buren committed to Oregon in May and chose the Ducks over Penn State and Maryland. His decommitment leaves Oregon with 15 ESPN 300 commitments in the class. The staff does have another quarterback committed with four-star Luke Moga out of Phoenix. Coach Dan Lanning and his staff also signed ESPN 300 quarterback Austin Novosad in the 2023 class as they will look to replace starter Bo Nix.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- In a surprising move, the New York Jets are waiving veteran backup safety Adrian Amos, a source confirmed to ESPN on Saturday. Amos, 30, an eight-year starter with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, was primarily a backup for the Jets, but he did play on 248 defensive snaps. His role, though, was reduced in recent weeks, leading to what one source described as a mutual parting. The Jets made the move, in part, to create playing time for younger backups Ashtyn Davis and rookie Jarrick Bernard-Converse. There might have other considerations as well. NFL Network first reported the transaction. Amos signed a one-year, fully guaranteed $1.75 million contract in June, shortly after projected starter Chuck Clark suffered a season-ending knee injury. Second-year safety Tony Adams overtook Amos with an impressive training camp, winning the starting job opposite Jordan Whitehead. In 11...

Hard-throwing reliever Joe Kelly is closing in on an agreement to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers, a source told ESPN on Saturday, confirming multiple reports. The deal, which is pending the completion of a physical examination, is expected to be for one year, according to the New York Post. FanSided first reported the agreement. Kelly, 35, is heading into what would be his third stint with a Dodgers. He originally joined them on a three-year, $25 million contract in December 2018 and was a key figure on the 2020 team that ended the COVID-19-shortened season with a championship. The Dodgers reacquired Kelly in a midseason trade with the Chicago White Sox this past summer, using him as a middle reliever down the stretch. Kelly can throw into the triple digits and compiles a plethora of strikeouts, but he can also be erratic, making him a wild card out of the bullpen. He became a full-time reliever in 2017 and since then has posted a 3.98 ERA with 354...

Goalkeeper Tim Howard was elected to the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame on Saturday and will be inducted May 4. Howard was on the ballot for the first time and received 46 of 48 votes (95.8%) from the player selection committee, the hall announced. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) "When you play football, you try and for the love and play for the glory, and hopefully along the way you do some things," Howard said after being told the news while on air as an analyst for NBC's Premier League coverage. Josh McKinney, captain of the U.S. seven-a-side Paralympic team, also was elected. Howard, 52, made 121 appearances with the U.S. men's national team from 2002-17 and was in goal at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. After playing with Major League Soccer's New York/New Jersey MetroStars from 1998 to 2003, he spent 13 seasons in the English Premier League with Manchester United (2003-06) and Everton (2006-16). He was...

The draw for next summer's Euro 2024 in Germany took place Saturday and saw France and Spain handed difficult paths to the knockout stages. A total of 21 teams have already qualified for the tournament, with a further three places still up for grabs through a playoff tournament to be played in March. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) - Euro 2024: Bracket and fixtures schedule for finals France will play in Group D, where they will face Netherlands, Austria and the winners of Playoff A (Poland, Wales, Finland, Estonia). Didier Deschamps's side lifted the World Cup in 2018 and reached the final in 2022, but will hope to make amends from the last Euros, where they succumbed to a disappointing exit in the round of 16. Spain, who won this tournament in 2008 and 2012, were drawn in Group B, but will also face a tough test after being drawn against reigning champions ...

Alex Newhook is expected to miss approximately 10 to 12 weeks with a high ankle sprain, the Montreal Canadiens announced Saturday. Newhook was driving toward the net in the third period of the Canadiens' 5-1 loss Thursday to the Florida Panthers when his angle toward the goal was taken away, leading to a collision where Newhook lost his footing and went leg-first into the net. Newhook went to the Canadiens' bench to receive treatment and did not return. Earlier in the game, Newhook's right skate was entangled with Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour, which led to Newhook's right leg twisting as he landed on the ice. The long-term absence means the Canadiens (10-11-2) will be without a top-nine, two-way forward who was projected to have the best season of his still relatively young career. Newhook, 22, joined the Canadiens in an offseason trade from the Colorado Avalanche, a year after the 2019 first-round pick helped the Avs win the Stanley...

ATLANTA -- As No. 1 Georgia prepares to play No. 8 Alabama in Saturday's SEC championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said the thought of his league being left out of the four-team College Football Playoff isn't the "real world." Some analysts have argued that if Alabama upsets Georgia on Saturday, both teams could be left out of the CFP, depending on what happens in other conference championship games. Sankey, in an interview on ESPN's "College GameDay" on Saturday, said a case could be made that both the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide deserve to be in the playoff. "That's not the real world of college football," Sankey said. "Let's go back to like 'Sesame Street' so we're really basic -- one of these things is not like the other, and that's the Southeastern Conference. "We have five of the top 15 [in the CFP rankings], so a third, and our teams are playing everyone in the conference. ... The reality is there has been no one that's...

The likelihood of star quarterback Quinn Ewers returning to Texas and playing a fourth season of college football has increased exponentially in the past few weeks, sources told ESPN. Ewers, 20, will make the 21st start of his college career Saturday in the Big 12 title game. Sources told ESPN that the feeling in his camp is increasing that another year of development would best position him for long-term success in the NFL. A decision on Ewers' intentions for 2024 could come as early as this upcoming week, sources said. Part of his timing is expected to be tied to the NCAA transfer portal, which opens Monday. Ewers' return would be a lure for top stars, especially at wide receiver, to come to Texas and play with him. Ewers enrolled in college early, choosing Ohio State in 2021 instead of playing his senior year of high school at Southlake Carroll in the Dallas area. Ewers played sparingly behind C.J. Stroud at Ohio State and transferred after the...

LOS ANGELES -- The Browns will start their fourth different quarterback this season, as veteran passer Joe Flacco will take over Sunday against the Rams. Flacco, 38, replaces rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who sustained a concussion in last weekend's loss to the Denver Broncos and remains in the protocol. Cleveland ruled out Thompson-Robinson on Friday, clearing the way for Flacco to make the start. The Browns were already without Deshaun Watson, who underwent season-ending right shoulder surgery last month. PJ Walker has also started two games this season and will back up Flacco on Sunday. Cleveland also will be without Pro Bowl cornerback  Denzel Ward, as he will miss his second straight game with a shoulder injury. Myles Garrett (shoulder) will play. Flacco, the Super Bowl MVP with the champion Baltimore Ravens during the 2012 season, signed with Cleveland on Nov. 20. That move came a week after...

LAS VEGAS -- In the final Pac-12 football game before the conference realignment wrecking ball comes, Washington put the finishing touches on one of the best conference seasons in history. In beating No. 5 Oregon  34-31, the third-ranked Huskies became the first Pac-12 team to reach 13-0 before bowl season, punching a ticket to the College Football Playoff in the process. "It is sad to see it happen and that be the last football game there," Washington coach Kalen DeBoer said. "But I think the other part is just understanding how strong the conference was this year. "There were eight teams [from the Pac-12] at one point, I believe, that were ranked in the Top 25, and we played the best ones and we played one of them twice. I don't think there's anyone else in the country that's gone through what we went through." The Huskies technically still need to wait for the selection committee to decide to include them in the four-team field Sunday, but that is only...

LAS VEGAS --  Oregon quarterback  Bo Nix knew the question was coming, but he hadn't allowed himself a chance to think about a response. He was still processing a game and possibly a season and five-year college football career coming to an abrupt end with a 34-31 loss to Washington in the Pac-12 championship. A decision on whether he would play in the Ducks' upcoming bowl game would have to wait. "Can we just enjoy the moment right now and enjoy our season?" Nix asked. "That's not today's decision. I have no idea." Nix, a 23-year-old fifth-year senior, has made 60 career starts in college football -- 34 at Auburn and 26 at Oregon. His career stats are straight out of a video game -- 14,989 passing yards and 108 touchdowns -- but he never had a season better than this one, totaling 4,145 passing yards on a 77.2% completion percentage with 40 touchdowns and only three interceptions. Oregon, led by Nix, had done nearly everything right this...

Kevin Durant sometimes spends idle time surfing YouTube, checking out old clips of NBA greats. At 35, he continues to earn his spot among them. Durant moved into 10th place on the NBA's career scoring list Friday night, passing Moses Malone in the second quarter of the Phoenix Suns' 119-111 loss to the Denver Nuggets. "It's a long journey to be up there, mentioned with the greats," Durant said. "It takes a lot of work, a lot of preparation, a lot of people helping me get to this point." Durant hit the mark by driving the baseline for two points with 50.3 seconds left before halftime. He needed 17 points to pass Malone coming into the game, the 1,003rd of his career. Durant finished with 30 points but shot 8-of-25 from the field, including 0-for-10 in the second half, as he pushed his career total to 27,423. Malone had 27,409 in the NBA after starting his professional career with two seasons in the ABA. Durant said Malone is one of the more underrated...

James Madison quarterback Jordan McCloud announced Friday on social media that he will enter the transfer portal. McCloud helped lead James Madison to an 11-1 record this season and No. 24 ranking in the AP poll. "To my coaches and teammates who've become family, I am proud of what we have achieved together, and I leave with memories that I will treasure forever," McCloud wrote. "The lessons I've learned and the relationships I've formed here will undoubtedly guide me as I take this next step in my athletic and academic journey. "To the JMU fans, I want to express my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you for the unwavering support you've shown me throughout my time here." McCloud transferred to James Madison after spending two seasons at Arizona from 2021 to 2022. He transferred to Arizona after two seasons at  USF. He completed 68.9% of his passes in 2023 and threw for 3,413 yards, 32 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He also ran for 311...

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers apologized to teammates Friday for any distraction caused by remarks he made to New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley on the field after Sunday's game.  In the aftermath of the Patriots' 10-7 loss to the Giants, Peppers went to embrace Barkley, his former teammate, and said: "You lucky we ass." The comment was picked up by an NFL Films microphone worn by the running back.  On Friday, Peppers was asked about the exchange, which went viral on social media. "I just want to apologize to my teammates and coaches for even having to answer questions about that," Peppers said. "We have more important things to worry about than me being quoted on a hot mic. At the end of the day, we're 2-9, we have a top-five pick in the draft that didn't come via trade, and we all know the standard. We all know what it's supposed to look like, and it's not that right now. "It's not no shot at anybody...

Five-star wide receiver Cameron Coleman flipped his commitment from Texas A&M to Auburn on Friday, and is now the Tigers' highest-ranked commitment in the 2024 class. Coleman had been committed to Texas A&M since June, but head coach Jimbo Fisher was recently fired and former Aggies offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino now holds the same position at Arkansas. Coleman is the No. 6 prospect overall in the 2024 class and No. 1 receiver, according to ESPN.  Despite his commitment to the Aggies, Coleman had been looking at other schools and recently visited Auburn. He's from Phenix City, Alabama, and is staying closer to home to play for the Tigers. His decommitment leaves a big hole in the class for the Aggies, as he was their top-ranked commitment and the only ESPN 300 receiver this cycle. He's also the third decommitment since October, following receiver Dre'lon Miller and offensive lineman Weston Davis. Auburn has two ESPN 300...

LOS ANGELES -- The Cleveland Browns will start their fourth different quarterback this season, as veteran passer Joe Flacco will take over Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams. Flacco, 38, replaces rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who sustained a concussion in last weekend's loss to the Denver Broncos and remains in the protocol. Cleveland officially ruled out Thompson-Robinson on Friday, clearing the way for Flacco to make the start. The Browns were already without Deshaun Watson, who underwent season-ending right shoulder surgery last month. PJ Walker has also started two games this season and will back up Flacco on Sunday. Cleveland also will be without Pro Bowl cornerback  Denzel Ward on Sunday, as he will miss his second straight game with a shoulder injury. Myles Garrett (shoulder) will play. Flacco was the Super Bowl MVP with the champion Baltimore Ravens during the 2012 season. He signed with...

Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame received a huge boost to the 2025 recruiting cycle on Friday with the commitment of four-star cornerback Ivan Taylor. Taylor (No. 30 overall in the 2025 ESPN 300) -- the son of former NFL cornerback Ike Taylor -- is the fifth-best cornerback in the 2025 class and immediately becomes the highest-ranked prospect in the Fighting Irish's next class. "They're definitely different when it comes down to talking football and just being good people overall," Ivan Taylor told ESPN on Friday about Freeman and the rest of his staff. "I feel like that was [something] definitely [that stood out]. If you take the stadium out of it, money out of it, NIL out of it, it's the coaches, the coaches hands down are just [different]. If they really want you, they'll tell you. They'll show you." He added the personal touch Freeman and his staff added to their conversations and the care and interest they take in their players' lives off the field was a...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Florida State could be without another quarterback as it gets set to take on Louisville on Saturday with an ACC championship and a possible berth in the College Football Playoff on the line. Quarterback Tate Rodemaker, who started the team's final regular-season game -- a 24-15 win over Florida -- will be a game-day decision because of a head injury, according to the school. Rodemaker left the Florida game in the fourth quarter after taking a late hit to the head following a scramble. He returned to action two plays later to help cap a touchdown drive. He has not been a full participant in practice this week, but a Florida State spokesperson told ESPN that the team continues to "go through the process" with Rodemaker and will "see what that means for Saturday." Coach Mike Norvell said Friday that Rodemaker passed initial testing on the field Saturday but began feeling symptoms Sunday. Rodemaker has participated in a number of...

Police say a dead longhorn cow was found on the lawn of an Oklahoma State fraternity Friday, the day before the Cowboys football team plays Texas in the Big 12 championship game. Police were notified just after 6:30 a.m. of the dead animal on the lawn of FarmHouse fraternity, according to Stillwater police officer TJ Low. The carcass had an expletive carved into its side and the stomach was cut open, according to the campus newspaper, The O'Colly. "It's a very cruel crime to be committed, especially right before the Big 12 Championship," Low told The Oklahoman. "Nothing is worth doing that kind of crap." Oklahoma State said in a statement that it "is appalled at the disturbing display of animal cruelty ... at an off-campus location near a fraternity house." The university said that both Stillwater police and the university's office of student support and conduct are investigating and that "appropriate action will be taken based on the outcome of the...

PITTSBURGH -- For the first time in more than a month, Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick expects to suit up and take the field Sunday. Fitzpatrick, who has been sidelined since he injured a hamstring against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 29, told reporters Friday he would play against the Arizona Cardinals and that he feels "great." Fitzpatrick has been a full participant in practice all week, the first time he has participated since sustaining the injury. "It's one of those injuries where you can feel great and then you go out there and you run and it's still not 110 [percent], and then you can go out there and feel great and then you might pop some scar tissue or tweak it a little bit," he said. "And especially as a DB, receiver or running back, something like that, you don't want to be out there until you're 110 and you can play at full go. That's one of those things you got to take your time with, be patient." While sidelined,...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Florida State could be without another quarterback as it gets set to take on Louisville on Saturday with an ACC championship and a possible berth in the College Football Playoff on the line. Quarterback Tate Rodemaker, who started the team's final regular season game -- a 24-15 win over Florida -- will be a gameday decision, according to the school. Rodemaker left the Florida game in the fourth quarter after taking a late hit to the head following a scramble. He returned to action two plays later to help cap a touchdown drive. Rodemaker has not been a full participant in practice this week, however, an FSU spokesman said the team continues to "go through the process" with Rodemaker, "and see what that means for Saturday." Rodemaker took over the starting job after starter Jordan Travis injured his left leg against North Alabama Lions on Nov. 18. Travis, who has started since the 2021 season, won ACC Player of the...

BATON ROUGE, La. --  LSU star Angel Reese had a smile on her face as she entered the postgame news conference Thursday night after her first game in more than two weeks. "How happy are y'all to see me?" she said to reporters. Playing for the first time since she was benched Nov. 14, Reese started and had 19 points and nine rebounds in No. 7 LSU's 82-64 victory over No. 9 Virginia Tech. After the game, Reese and coach Kim Mulkey shared a long hug on the sideline. Reese said it felt "great" to be back on the court. She did not directly explain her absence but said she spent the time away "resetting and refocusing." "My mental health is the most important thing before anything, and I'm going to make sure I'm OK before anything because I don't want to cause anything, harm, or any cancer in the locker room," Reese said. "... I'm back and I'm happy and I'm here and I'm moving forward and I'm going to help take this team as far as I can." Mulkey also...

Nevada fired football coach Ken Wilson on Friday, ending his tenure after only two seasons. Wilson went 2-10 in each of his two seasons with Nevada, where he had served as an assistant from 1989 to 2012 under Hall of Famer Chris Ault and other coaches. The change was expected, sources said, as Wilson's buyout dropped from $1.5 million to $1 million on Friday. He had been signed through the 2026 season. "After an extensive review of the Nevada football program, I have decided to make a leadership change," Nevada athletic director Stephanie Rempe said in a statement. "I would like to thank Ken for his dedication and service to Nevada athletics and to our student athletes. This is not a decision I take lightly, as I know the ripple effect on so many people with a decision like this." Rempe, who has been in her post since June 2022, did not hire Wilson and will now look to make her first football head-coaching hire at the school. Wilson, 59, had been Oregon's co-defensive...

San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama will miss his first career NBA game tonight with right hip tightness, the team announced Friday afternoon. The Spurs played Thursday against the Atlanta Hawks and traveled to meet the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. Wembanyama was listed as questionable with the same injury before the Hawks game, but did play. He had 21 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks as the Spurs scored a season high but lost 137-135. Following the game, Wembanyama said the hip wasn't bothering him during the game but added he felt he'd be "day-to-day" with the injury. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich hinted Thursday night that Wembanyama "may not play tomorrow" as they saw how the hip reacted. Wembanyama did extra stretches during the portion of shootaround open to the media Thursday morning as he prepared to play against the Hawks. In 18 games, Wembanyama is averaging 19.3 points and 9.7 rebounds, tops among all rookies, while also...

The Mountain West Conference has agreed to a scheduling agreement with Oregon State and Washington State that will see its football teams play seven conference games plus an additional contest against either the Beavers or Cougars next season. Oregon State and Washington State will each play six MWC opponents in 2024, three at home and three on the road. The games will not count toward the MWC standings, and neither school is eligible for the conference championship game. The two schools will pay the Mountain West a combined $14 million as part of the scheduling agreement, a source told ESPN, confirming a Yahoo Sports report. "The scheduling agreement will expand the Mountain West footprint and enhance our national brand, while providing our student-athletes with new opportunities, all in line with our strategic priorities," Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez said in a statement. "The scheduling agreement strengthens the league's non-conference schedules,...

Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic will not play in Friday night's home game against the Memphis Grizzlies because of personal reasons. Reserve guard Dante Exum will also sit out against the Grizzlies because of personal reasons. Doncic and Exum were both added to the NBA's official injury report on the 12:30 p.m. ET release Friday. This will be the first game missed this season for Doncic, who has been a first-team All-NBA selection the past four seasons. He is averaging 31.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game for the 11-6 Mavericks.

Almost one year after Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup trophy for Argentina in Qatar, the Inter Miami CF star revisited the complicated path to the title and expressed his satisfaction at turning criticism into praise in his country. In an interview for the "Champions, a Year Later" special on Disney Star+, Messi said one of his top triumphs from winning the World Cup and  Copa América with Argentina is having the "beautiful feeling" of being loved by "95% or 100% of Argentines." - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) "I had a bad time. My family and the people who love me did too. [Critics in Argentina] were very unfair to a generation of players and they said a lot of bad things about me. I'm not spiteful," Messi said. "I feel it like a triumph for me to have changed that situation and won over all the people of Argentina. Today 95% or 100% of Argentines love me and that's a beautiful...

Almost one year after Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup trophy for Argentina in Qatar, the Inter Miami CF star revisited the complicated path to the title and expressed his satisfaction for turning criticism into praise in his country. In an interview for the "Champions, a Year Later" special on Disney Star+, Messi said one of his top triumphs from winning the World Cup and  Copa América with Argentina is having the "beautiful" feeling of being loved by "95 or 100% of Argentines." - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) "I had a bad time. My family and the people who love me did too. They [critics in Argentina] were very unfair to a generation of players and they said a lot of bad things about me. I'm not spiteful, but it's impossible not to suffer," Messi said. "Now I see a lot of people who turned around. I feel it like a triumph for me to have changed that situation and won over all the people of...