<figure>
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<h2>Associated Press Top 25</h2>
The top 25 teams in the AP college football poll, released Sunday (first-place votes in parentheses)
</header>
<table class="inline-table" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" data-text-contract="-" data-text-expand="+" data-fix-cols="0" data-behavior="responsive_table">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Team</th>
<th>Rec.</th>
<th>LW</th>
<th>CFP</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="last">
<td>1. Ohio State (61)</td>
<td>12-0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>2. Indiana (5)</td>
<td>12-0</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>3. Georgia</td>
<td>11-1</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>4</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>4. Oregon</td>
<td>11-1</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>6</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>5. Texas Tech</td>
<td>11-1</td>
<td>7</td>
<td>5</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>6. Ole Miss</td>
<td>11-1</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>7</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>7. Texas A&amp;M</td>
<td>11-1</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>3</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>8. Oklahoma</td>
<td>10-2</td>
<td>8</td>
<td>8</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>9. Notre Dame</td>
<td>10-2</td>
<td>9</td>
<td>9</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>10. Alabama</td>
<td>10-2</td>
<td>10</td>
<td>10</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>11. BYU</td>
<td>11-1</td>
<td>11</td>
<td>11</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>12. Miami</td>
<td>10-2</td>
<td>13</td>
<td>12</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>13. Vanderbilt</td>
<td>10-2</td>
<td>12</td>
<td>14</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>14. Texas</td>
<td>9-3</td>
<td>16</td>
<td>16</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>15. Utah</td>
<td>10-2</td>
<td>14</td>
<td>13</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>16. Virginia</td>
<td>10-2</td>
<td>17</td>
<td>18</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>17. USC</td>
<td>9-3</td>
<td>19</td>
<td>17</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>18. Michigan</td>
<td>9-3</td>
<td>15</td>
<td>15</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>19. James Madison</td>
<td>10-1</td>
<td>20</td>
<td>NR</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>20. North Texas</td>
<td>11-1</td>
<td>21</td>
<td>NR</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>21. Tulane</td>
<td>10-2</td>
<td>22</td>
<td>24</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>22. Arizona</td>
<td>9-3</td>
<td>NR</td>
<td>NR</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>23. Navy</td>
<td>9-2</td>
<td>NR</td>
<td>NR</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>24. Georgia Tech</td>
<td>9-3</td>
<td>23</td>
<td>23</td>
</tr>
<tr class="last">
<td>25. Missouri</td>
<td>8-4</td>
<td>NR</td>
<td>NR</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div>

🏈 AP Top 25: Georgia up to No. 3 behind Ohio State and Indiana

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/d5f80fba-52f6-43a6-bb47-170e8b932f8e">FINAL: No. 20 Hutchinson women 68, Seward County 41</a>

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/9daff9e3-4572-4d85-86ae-265239b494f4">FINAL: Seward County men 53, Hutchinson 48</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762665656970.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Blue Dragon Rewind: HutchCC WBB & MBB vs. Seward County (Nov. 29, 2025)" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=mha65-19d8a45-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/d5f80fba-52f6-43a6-bb47-170e8b932f8e">FINAL: No. 20 Hutchinson women 68, Seward County 41</a><a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/9daff9e3-4572-4d85-86ae-265239b494f4">FINAL: Seward County men 53, Hutchinson 48</a>

🎧🏀 Blue Dragon Rewind: HutchCC vs. Seward County

Welch Stadium, Emporia Saturday, Nov. 29, 1 p.m. No. 4 Manhattan (10-2) 27, No. 4 Olathe Northwest (9-3) 0&nbsp;

Welch Stadium, Emporia Friday, Nov. 28, 2 p.m. No. 2 Salina Central (11-1) 54, No. 1 Basehor-Linwood (12-0) 34

Welch Stadium, Emporia Saturday, Nov. 29, 7 p.m. No. 1 Kapaun Mt. Carmel (11-1) 56, No. 13 Bishop Miege (7-5) 21&nbsp;

Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson Friday, Nov. 28, 6 p.m. No. 1 Andale (12-0) 38, No. 1 Topeka Hayden (12-0) 6

Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson Saturday, Nov. 29, noon No. 1 Nemaha Central (12-0) 35, No. 1 Southeast of Saline (12-0) 6

Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson Friday, Nov. 28, 1 p.m. No. 1 Sterling (12-0) 35, No. 4 Rossville (11-1) 34

Kiowa County HS Stadium, Greensburg Saturday, Nov. 29, 11 a.m. South Central (11-0) 34, Lincoln (11-1) 8&nbsp;

Kiowa County HS Stadium, Greensburg Saturday, Nov. 29, 7 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp; Hanover (12-0) 28, Victoria (11-0) 20

Kiowa County HS Stadium, Greensburg Saturday, Nov. 29, 3 p.m. Cunningham (11-1) 51, Weskan (11-1) 8

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761404004881.png" alt="KSHSAA Image" />
 <figcaption>KSHSAA Image</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Class 6A</h2>Welch Stadium, Emporia Saturday, Nov. 29, 1 p.m. No. 4 Manhattan (10-2) 27, No. 4 Olathe Northwest (9-3) 0&nbsp;<h2>Class 5A</h2>Welch Stadium, Emporia Friday, Nov. 28, 2 p.m. No. 2 Salina Central (11-1) 54, No. 1 Basehor-Linwood (12-0) 34<h2>Class 4A</h2>Welch Stadium, Emporia Saturday, Nov. 29, 7 p.m. No. 1 Kapaun Mt. Carmel (11-1) 56, No. 13 Bishop Miege (7-5) 21&nbsp;<h2>Class 3A</h2>Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson Friday, Nov. 28, 6 p.m. No. 1 Andale (12-0) 38, No. 1 Topeka Hayden (12-0) 6<h2>Class 2A</h2>Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson Saturday, Nov. 29, noon No. 1 Nemaha Central (12-0) 35, No. 1 Southeast of Saline (12-0) 6<h2>Class 1A</h2>Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson Friday, Nov. 28, 1 p.m. No. 1 Sterling (12-0) 35, No. 4 Rossville (11-1) 34<h2>8-Man Division I</h2>Kiowa County HS Stadium, Greensburg Saturday, Nov. 29, 11 a.m. South Central (11-0) 34, Lincoln (11-1) 8&nbsp;<h2>8-Man Division II</h2>Kiowa County HS Stadium, Greensburg Saturday, Nov. 29, 7 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp; Hanover (12-0) 28, Victoria (11-0) 20<h2>6-Man</h2>Kiowa County HS Stadium, Greensburg Saturday, Nov. 29, 3 p.m. Cunningham (11-1) 51, Weskan (11-1) 8

🏈 KSHSAA state championship games schedule/results

<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2025-26/boxscores/20251129_sz4m.xml?view=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a>

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Community College dropped its second straight game, falling 53-48 to Seward County in Jayhawk Conference play Saturday at the Sports Arena.

Hutchinson slipped to 6-4 overall and 1-3 in league play. The Dragons shot a solid 46.7 percent from the field on 21 of 45 shooting, but went just 3 of 17 from behind the arc and attempted only six free throws. Seward County finished 11 of 24 from 3-point range and 6 of 8 at the line, outscoring Hutchinson by 24 points from long distance.

Bobby Cannon was the offensive bright spot for Hutchinson with a game-high 19 points on 8 of 13 shooting. He added six rebounds and two assists and scored nine of the Dragons’ 25 second half points, including back-to-back dunks that helped keep Hutchinson within striking distance.

Trailing 26-23 at halftime, the Dragons never quite erased the deficit. Seward County’s RJ McKinnie hit a pair of early second half 3-pointers, and the Saints used a 17-10 stretch to build a 43-37 lead. Hutchinson trailed 49-39 after another McKinnie 3 with 5:34 to play, but mounted one last push. Cannon converted a three-point play, buried a 3-pointer and later knocked down two free throws in the final minute as the Dragons closed to 49-48 with 59 seconds remaining.

Seward County answered at the line. Lucas N’Gombo hit two free throws with 29 seconds left to push the margin back to three. Hutchinson had a chance to tie, but a driving layup by point guard Lolo Rudolph rolled off with 14 seconds remaining. McKinnie then hit two more free throws with seven seconds left, and a last-second 3-point attempt by Kordell Williams missed.

Along with Cannon, Hutchinson got seven points, six rebounds and three blocks off the bench from forward Chudier Dorar. Kyrell Shaw scored six points and grabbed five rebounds, while Asher Boney finished with five points, three assists and a block. Rudolph did not score but handed out a team-high seven assists with two steals.

McKinnie led Seward County with 14 points and four 3-pointers. N’Gombo added nine points and seven rebounds, and Bailey Milligan chipped in seven points and five boards. The Saints outrebounded Hutchinson 32-25, including a 15-4 edge on the offensive glass, and turned those extra possessions into enough 3-point looks to steal the road win.

Hutchinson travels to Great Bend on Wednesday to face No. 11 Barton. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764471759640.jpeg" alt="Hutch Post Photo/Daren Dunn" />
 <figcaption>Hutch Post Photo/Daren Dunn</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2025-26/boxscores/20251129_sz4m.xml?view=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Community College dropped its second straight game, falling 53-48 to Seward County in Jayhawk Conference play Saturday at the Sports Arena.Hutchinson slipped to 6-4 overall and 1-3 in league play. The Dragons shot a solid 46.7 percent from the field on 21 of 45 shooting, but went just 3 of 17 from behind the arc and attempted only six free throws. Seward County finished 11 of 24 from 3-point range and 6 of 8 at the line, outscoring Hutchinson by 24 points from long distance.Bobby Cannon was the offensive bright spot for Hutchinson with a game-high 19 points on 8 of 13 shooting. He added six rebounds and two assists and scored nine of the Dragons’ 25 second half points, including back-to-back dunks that helped keep Hutchinson within striking distance.Trailing 26-23 at halftime, the Dragons never quite erased the deficit. Seward County’s RJ McKinnie hit a pair of early second half 3-pointers, and the Saints used a 17-10 stretch to build a 43-37 lead. Hutchinson trailed 49-39 after another McKinnie 3 with 5:34 to play, but mounted one last push. Cannon converted a three-point play, buried a 3-pointer and later knocked down two free throws in the final minute as the Dragons closed to 49-48 with 59 seconds remaining.Seward County answered at the line. Lucas N’Gombo hit two free throws with 29 seconds left to push the margin back to three. Hutchinson had a chance to tie, but a driving layup by point guard Lolo Rudolph rolled off with 14 seconds remaining. McKinnie then hit two more free throws with seven seconds left, and a last-second 3-point attempt by Kordell Williams missed.Along with Cannon, Hutchinson got seven points, six rebounds and three blocks off the bench from forward Chudier Dorar. Kyrell Shaw scored six points and grabbed five rebounds, while Asher Boney finished with five points, three assists and a block. Rudolph did not score but handed out a team-high seven assists with two steals.McKinnie led Seward County with 14 points and four 3-pointers. N’Gombo added nine points and seven rebounds, and Bailey Milligan chipped in seven points and five boards. The Saints outrebounded Hutchinson 32-25, including a 15-4 edge on the offensive glass, and turned those extra possessions into enough 3-point looks to steal the road win.Hutchinson travels to Great Bend on Wednesday to face No. 11 Barton. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

🏀 Late HutchCC rally comes up short in setback to Seward County

<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2025-26/boxscores/20251129_a09n.xml?view=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a>

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Katie Duncan stayed hot and the No. 20 Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team delivered a smothering defensive performance in a 68-41 Jayhawk Conference win over Seward County on Saturday at the Sports Arena.

The Blue Dragons improved to 8-2 overall and 3-1 in league play by holding the Saints to a season-low 17.5 percent shooting from the field. Seward County finished 10 of 57 overall and went the entire second quarter without a made field goal, scoring all six of its points in the period at the free-throw line.

Duncan poured in 21 points for the second straight game. She went 9 of 12 from the floor, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range, and added three rebounds, two steals and a block.

Hutchinson and Seward County were tied 11-11 after the first quarter before the Dragons completely flipped the game with their defense. The Saints missed all 11 of their field-goal attempts in the second quarter as Hutchinson forced seven turnovers and controlled the glass to build a 27-17 halftime lead.

Hutchinson then put the game out of reach in the third quarter with a 22-9 scoring advantage. Duncan scored eight in the period, including a 3-pointer in the final seconds, and the Dragons repeatedly turned stops into transition opportunities on the other end. By the end of the quarter, Hutchinson led 49-26 and never allowed the margin to slip below 20 again, pushing the lead to as many as 29 points in the fourth.

KaMyra Barber turned in a complete performance with a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double, her second double-double of the season. She pulled down five offensive boards, handed out five assists, collected two steals and blocked a shot while helping set the tone defensively on the perimeter and the backboards.

Whitney Brown directed the offense with six assists to go with five points and two steals. Dylan Alexander added six points, three rebounds and a steal. Off the bench, Jamya McPherson supplied eight points, three steals and two assists, knocking down a key 3-pointer during Hutchinson’s second-quarter surge.

The Dragons finished 25 of 58 shooting for 43.1 percent and 7 of 21 from 3-point range. Hutchinson went 11 of 20 at the free-throw line, outrebounded Seward County 43-41 and forced 18 turnovers while committing 12. The Dragons also piled up 13 steals and eight blocked shots, led by three blocks from forward Noelle Anthon.

Seward County’s only consistent offense came from guard Avery Marchino, who scored 22 of the Saints’ 41 points. She was 5 of 15 from the field, 3 of 7 from 3-point range and a perfect 9 of 9 at the line.

Outside of Marchino, Seward County went just 5 of 42 from the field. Kimora Fagan, Grace Posch and Trinitee Holmes combined to shoot 1 of 18, and the Saints were limited to five made 3-pointers in 22 attempts.

Hutchinson led 27-17 at the break, then opened the second half by repeatedly attacking the paint. The Dragons used a 12-2 burst to stretch the margin to 39-19, highlighted by a pair of Duncan layups and Barber’s driving finishes. From there, the Dragons controlled the tempo on both ends, using half-court pressure and strong closeouts to prevent any Seward County comeback.

The Blue Dragons will travel to Great Bend on Wednesday to face the Barton Cougars. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. from the Kirkman Center.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764471614390.jpeg" alt="Hutch Post Photo/Daren Dunn" />
 <figcaption>Hutch Post Photo/Daren Dunn</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2025-26/boxscores/20251129_a09n.xml?view=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Katie Duncan stayed hot and the No. 20 Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team delivered a smothering defensive performance in a 68-41 Jayhawk Conference win over Seward County on Saturday at the Sports Arena.The Blue Dragons improved to 8-2 overall and 3-1 in league play by holding the Saints to a season-low 17.5 percent shooting from the field. Seward County finished 10 of 57 overall and went the entire second quarter without a made field goal, scoring all six of its points in the period at the free-throw line.Duncan poured in 21 points for the second straight game. She went 9 of 12 from the floor, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range, and added three rebounds, two steals and a block.Hutchinson and Seward County were tied 11-11 after the first quarter before the Dragons completely flipped the game with their defense. The Saints missed all 11 of their field-goal attempts in the second quarter as Hutchinson forced seven turnovers and controlled the glass to build a 27-17 halftime lead.Hutchinson then put the game out of reach in the third quarter with a 22-9 scoring advantage. Duncan scored eight in the period, including a 3-pointer in the final seconds, and the Dragons repeatedly turned stops into transition opportunities on the other end. By the end of the quarter, Hutchinson led 49-26 and never allowed the margin to slip below 20 again, pushing the lead to as many as 29 points in the fourth.KaMyra Barber turned in a complete performance with a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double, her second double-double of the season. She pulled down five offensive boards, handed out five assists, collected two steals and blocked a shot while helping set the tone defensively on the perimeter and the backboards.Whitney Brown directed the offense with six assists to go with five points and two steals. Dylan Alexander added six points, three rebounds and a steal. Off the bench, Jamya McPherson supplied eight points, three steals and two assists, knocking down a key 3-pointer during Hutchinson’s second-quarter surge.The Dragons finished 25 of 58 shooting for 43.1 percent and 7 of 21 from 3-point range. Hutchinson went 11 of 20 at the free-throw line, outrebounded Seward County 43-41 and forced 18 turnovers while committing 12. The Dragons also piled up 13 steals and eight blocked shots, led by three blocks from forward Noelle Anthon.Seward County’s only consistent offense came from guard Avery Marchino, who scored 22 of the Saints’ 41 points. She was 5 of 15 from the field, 3 of 7 from 3-point range and a perfect 9 of 9 at the line.Outside of Marchino, Seward County went just 5 of 42 from the field. Kimora Fagan, Grace Posch and Trinitee Holmes combined to shoot 1 of 18, and the Saints were limited to five made 3-pointers in 22 attempts.Hutchinson led 27-17 at the break, then opened the second half by repeatedly attacking the paint. The Dragons used a 12-2 burst to stretch the margin to 39-19, highlighted by a pair of Duncan layups and Barber’s driving finishes. From there, the Dragons controlled the tempo on both ends, using half-court pressure and strong closeouts to prevent any Seward County comeback.The Blue Dragons will travel to Great Bend on Wednesday to face the Barton Cougars. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. from the Kirkman Center.

🏀 Duncan scores 21, No. 20 HutchCC locks up Saints in 27-point rout

Location: Hutchinson Sports Arena; Hutchinson Pregame: 3:45 p.m. Tipoff: 4 p.m. Station(s): KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) Play-by-Play: Sean Boston; Analyst: Dan "Coach Nac" Naccarato

<a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE</a>

Location: Hutchinson Sports Arena; Hutchinson Pregame: 5:45 p.m. Tipoff: 6 p.m. Station(s): KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) Play-by-Play: Sean Boston; Analyst: Dan "Coach Nac" Naccarato

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762665656970.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><h2>No. 20 HutchCC women vs. Seward County</h2>Location: Hutchinson Sports Arena; Hutchinson Pregame: 3:45 p.m. Tipoff: 4 p.m. Station(s): KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) Play-by-Play: Sean Boston; Analyst: Dan "Coach Nac" Naccarato<a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE</a><h2>HutchCC men vs. Seward County</h2>Location: Hutchinson Sports Arena; Hutchinson Pregame: 5:45 p.m. Tipoff: 6 p.m. Station(s): KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) Play-by-Play: Sean Boston; Analyst: Dan "Coach Nac" Naccarato<a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE</a>

🎧🏀 LISTEN LIVE: HutchCC vs. Seward County

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Joe Jackson rushed for 142 yards and three touchdowns as Kansas State defeated Colorado 24-14 and earned bowl eligibility for the fifth straight season on a cold and blustery day. The game-time temperature was 32 degrees with a wind chill of 24.

Quarterback Avery Johnson was 10-of-17 for 115 yards in difficult conditions for Kansas State (6-6, 5-4 Big 12).

Kaidon Salter was 14-of-25 for 172 yards for Colorado (3-9, 1-8), who got two rushing touchdowns from Micah Welch.

Jackson scored his second touchdown of the day from 1-yard out with 4:32 left in the third quarter. The score capped a 56-yard drive.

The Wildcats then made it a two-score game with a 35-yard field goal by Luis Rodriguez. The Wildcats stalled at the Colorado 19-yard line, but they burned 6:43 off the clock.

Welch's second rushing touchdown of the game capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive and brought the Buffaloes to within 17-14.

But Jackson's third touchdown, a 17-yard scamper with 2:34 left, extended the lead to 10 points.

K-State used nearly half the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead on a 4-yard touchdown run by Jackson. The Wildcats used 7:13 for a 13-play drive.

Neither team did much offensively for most of the rest of the half until Colorado marched 84 yards in 11 plays for the tying touchdown.

Welch hurdled over the line from the 1 for the score. Colorado finished the half with 162 yards of total offense. K-State finished with 114 yards, with 74 of those coming on its opening drive.

Colorado: The Buffaloes didn't look like a team with nothing to play for. They outgained the Wildcats 323-321.

Kansas State: The Wildcats struggled to find its rhythm on offense. A week after gaining 574 yards, they gained just 321.

Colorado's season is done. Kansas State will await a bowl invitation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764453657023.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Joe Jackson rushed for 142 yards and three touchdowns as Kansas State defeated Colorado 24-14 and earned bowl eligibility for the fifth straight season on a cold and blustery day. The game-time temperature was 32 degrees with a wind chill of 24.Quarterback Avery Johnson was 10-of-17 for 115 yards in difficult conditions for Kansas State (6-6, 5-4 Big 12).Kaidon Salter was 14-of-25 for 172 yards for Colorado (3-9, 1-8), who got two rushing touchdowns from Micah Welch.Jackson scored his second touchdown of the day from 1-yard out with 4:32 left in the third quarter. The score capped a 56-yard drive.The Wildcats then made it a two-score game with a 35-yard field goal by Luis Rodriguez. The Wildcats stalled at the Colorado 19-yard line, but they burned 6:43 off the clock.Welch's second rushing touchdown of the game capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive and brought the Buffaloes to within 17-14.But Jackson's third touchdown, a 17-yard scamper with 2:34 left, extended the lead to 10 points.K-State used nearly half the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead on a 4-yard touchdown run by Jackson. The Wildcats used 7:13 for a 13-play drive.Neither team did much offensively for most of the rest of the half until Colorado marched 84 yards in 11 plays for the tying touchdown.Welch hurdled over the line from the 1 for the score. Colorado finished the half with 162 yards of total offense. K-State finished with 114 yards, with 74 of those coming on its opening drive.THE TAKEAWAY:Colorado: The Buffaloes didn't look like a team with nothing to play for. They outgained the Wildcats 323-321.Kansas State: The Wildcats struggled to find its rhythm on offense. A week after gaining 574 yards, they gained just 321.UP NEXT:Colorado's season is done. Kansas State will await a bowl invitation.

🏈 Jackson's three rushing touchdowns leads K-State to bowl eligibility

NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Armelo Boone scored 22 points in Western Kentucky’s 75-70 win against Wichita State on Friday, in the Marriott Bonvoy Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.

Boone shot 8 of 14 from the field, and went 5 for 6 from the line for the Hilltoppers (5-2). Teagan Moore and Grant Newell each scored 18 points. Moore was 6 of 11 from the field and 6 for 7 from the line with six rebounds. Moore shot 7 of 14 from the field, including 3 for 5 from 3-point range.

Kenyon Giles led the way for the Shockers (4-4) with 18 points and six rebounds. Karon Boyd added 15 points for Wichita State. Brian Amuneke also had 11 points.

Western Kentucky went into halftime leading Wichita State 33-29, riding 14 first-half points from Boone.

Western Kentucky used a 10-0 second-half run come back from a nine-point deficit and take the lead at 47-46 with 11:31 left in the half before finishing off the victory. Newell had 13 second-half points.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764430279581.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Wichita State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Wichita State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Armelo Boone scored 22 points in Western Kentucky’s 75-70 win against Wichita State on Friday, in the Marriott Bonvoy Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.Boone shot 8 of 14 from the field, and went 5 for 6 from the line for the Hilltoppers (5-2). Teagan Moore and Grant Newell each scored 18 points. Moore was 6 of 11 from the field and 6 for 7 from the line with six rebounds. Moore shot 7 of 14 from the field, including 3 for 5 from 3-point range.Kenyon Giles led the way for the Shockers (4-4) with 18 points and six rebounds. Karon Boyd added 15 points for Wichita State. Brian Amuneke also had 11 points.Western Kentucky went into halftime leading Wichita State 33-29, riding 14 first-half points from Boone.Western Kentucky used a 10-0 second-half run come back from a nine-point deficit and take the lead at 47-46 with 11:31 left in the half before finishing off the victory. Newell had 13 second-half points.

🏀 Shockers finish 0-3 in Bahamas

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Devon Dampier threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns, Elijah Davis returned an interception 97 yards for another score, and No. 14 Utah came from behind to beat Kansas 31-21 on Friday and keep its slim Big 12 championship hopes alive.

Larry Simmons caught two TD passes, Wayshon Parker ran for 95 yards and Utah (10-2, 7-2, No. 13 CFP) picked off Jalon Daniels three times in the final game of his college career, helping the Utes reach the 10-win mark for the third time in the last five years.

More importantly, the Utes can still play for a conference title. They need Arizona State to beat Arizona on Friday night, then Texas Tech to lose to West Virginia and BYU to beat UCF on Saturday — a long-shot scenario, to be sure, but a reason to turn on TVs.

“We hope 10-2 gets us to what we want to do, but from my standpoint, we were not happy with how last season went," said Dampier, who transferred in from New Mexico after the Utes had finished 5-7 in their first season in the Big 12.

“Just happy it all came together,” he said. “We finished strong, and it was all that work we put in.”

Utah won despite allowing 290 yards rushing, one week after beating Kansas State after allowing 472 on the ground.

“It took a while to get going, and really get into a rhythm. We started to get some things going in the second half,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “We kept finding ways to make plays, stay in the game, and that's kind of the way it went in the end.”

Daniels finished with 187 yards passing and a touchdown, and also rushed for a TD, though his turnovers led to a smattering of boos from Kansas fans, many of whom have endured the QB's highs and lows over the past six seasons.

Daniel Hishaw Jr. had 107 yards rushing and a touchdown for the Jayhawks (5-7, 3-6). Leshon Williams ran for 104.

“Obviously as a team we didn’t play well enough to win the football game,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said.

Utah looked as if it might turn Senior Day into a rout in the opening minutes, but the Kansas defense — which had let Leipold's team down so often this season — finally seemed to find its fight. The Jayhawks bottled up the Utes, who had been averaging 279.6 yards on the ground, and early on Dampier was having little success through the air, twice misfiring on fourth-down attempts.

Utah led just 10-7 at halftime in a game it desperately needed to win.

The Jayhawks briefly pulled ahead after the break, when Whittingham went for it on fourth down rather than kick a field goal on a cold, blustery day. Kansas made a stop, drove 67 yards, and Daniels' scoring sneak gave them a 14-10 advantage.

But the momentum swung for good on his two red-zone blunders early in the fourth quarter.

First, Daniels was picked off while trying to throw the ball out of the end zone, and Utah needed just four plays to go 80 yards for a go-ahead touchdown. Then, after Kansas marched downfield again, Daniels was picked off by Davis near the goal line, and the junior cornerback returned it 97 yards to give the Utes a 24-14 lead with 7:52 remaining.

Utah wound up scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter to put the game away.

“We had two little hiccups throughout the season, but I'm really proud of how our guys have played, bouncing back from adversity, whether it's after a loss or in game,” Utah safety Jackson Bennee said. “It's been a good season. We'll see what happens.”

Utah only ran for 164 yards but finished with 417 in total offense, and that was enough to make Kansas pay for its mistakes.

Kansas started the season 4-2 before a loss to Texas Tech. It wound up losing five of its last six games.

Utah watches how the Big 12 race plays out on Saturday.

Kansas watches bowl season on TV for the second straight year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764379266042.png" alt="Photo Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Devon Dampier threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns, Elijah Davis returned an interception 97 yards for another score, and No. 14 Utah came from behind to beat Kansas 31-21 on Friday and keep its slim Big 12 championship hopes alive.Larry Simmons caught two TD passes, Wayshon Parker ran for 95 yards and Utah (10-2, 7-2, No. 13 CFP) picked off Jalon Daniels three times in the final game of his college career, helping the Utes reach the 10-win mark for the third time in the last five years.More importantly, the Utes can still play for a conference title. They need Arizona State to beat Arizona on Friday night, then Texas Tech to lose to West Virginia and BYU to beat UCF on Saturday — a long-shot scenario, to be sure, but a reason to turn on TVs.“We hope 10-2 gets us to what we want to do, but from my standpoint, we were not happy with how last season went," said Dampier, who transferred in from New Mexico after the Utes had finished 5-7 in their first season in the Big 12.“Just happy it all came together,” he said. “We finished strong, and it was all that work we put in.”Utah won despite allowing 290 yards rushing, one week after beating Kansas State after allowing 472 on the ground.“It took a while to get going, and really get into a rhythm. We started to get some things going in the second half,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “We kept finding ways to make plays, stay in the game, and that's kind of the way it went in the end.”Daniels finished with 187 yards passing and a touchdown, and also rushed for a TD, though his turnovers led to a smattering of boos from Kansas fans, many of whom have endured the QB's highs and lows over the past six seasons.Daniel Hishaw Jr. had 107 yards rushing and a touchdown for the Jayhawks (5-7, 3-6). Leshon Williams ran for 104.“Obviously as a team we didn’t play well enough to win the football game,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said.Utah looked as if it might turn Senior Day into a rout in the opening minutes, but the Kansas defense — which had let Leipold's team down so often this season — finally seemed to find its fight. The Jayhawks bottled up the Utes, who had been averaging 279.6 yards on the ground, and early on Dampier was having little success through the air, twice misfiring on fourth-down attempts.Utah led just 10-7 at halftime in a game it desperately needed to win.The Jayhawks briefly pulled ahead after the break, when Whittingham went for it on fourth down rather than kick a field goal on a cold, blustery day. Kansas made a stop, drove 67 yards, and Daniels' scoring sneak gave them a 14-10 advantage.But the momentum swung for good on his two red-zone blunders early in the fourth quarter.First, Daniels was picked off while trying to throw the ball out of the end zone, and Utah needed just four plays to go 80 yards for a go-ahead touchdown. Then, after Kansas marched downfield again, Daniels was picked off by Davis near the goal line, and the junior cornerback returned it 97 yards to give the Utes a 24-14 lead with 7:52 remaining.Utah wound up scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter to put the game away.“We had two little hiccups throughout the season, but I'm really proud of how our guys have played, bouncing back from adversity, whether it's after a loss or in game,” Utah safety Jackson Bennee said. “It's been a good season. We'll see what happens.”<h2>The takeaway</h2>Utah only ran for 164 yards but finished with 417 in total offense, and that was enough to make Kansas pay for its mistakes.Kansas started the season 4-2 before a loss to Texas Tech. It wound up losing five of its last six games.<h2>Up next</h2>Utah watches how the Big 12 race plays out on Saturday.Kansas watches bowl season on TV for the second straight year.

🏈 Utah rallies to beat KU and keep slim Big 12 championship hopes alive

&nbsp; CANCUN, Mexico&nbsp;– K-State's attempt at second half rally against North Carolina on Friday fell shy, as the Tar Heels used a hot shooting first half to hold back the Wildcats, 85-73, in the Mayan Division of the 2025 Cancun Challenge at the Hard Rock Riviera Maya.

K-State (5-4) saw four players reach double figures on Friday, led by sophomore guard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/izela-arenas/12623">Izela Arenas</a>&nbsp;with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting including 2-of-3 from long range.

Sophomore forward&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jenessa-cotton/12624">Jenessa Cotton</a>&nbsp;registered her first career double-double with 13 points on 6-of-9 and 10 rebounds.

Junior forward&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/nastja-claessens/12677">Nastja Claessens</a>&nbsp;tallied 13 points, three rebounds and two assists, while junior guard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/taryn-sides/12613">Taryn Sides</a>&nbsp;added 13 points on 3-of-5 shooting including 2-of-2 from long distance, two assists and three steals.

North Carolina (7-1) also had four players in double figures including a pair of bench players in Nyla Brooks and Nyla Harris with 14 points each to pace a bench effort of 35 points.

K-State returns to action on Saturday against South Dakota State.&nbsp; Tip-off is at 10 a.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764359879225.png" alt="K-State's Jenessa Cotton goes up against UNC's on Nov. 28, 2025 at the Cancun Invitational. (Photo courtesy of K-State Athletic Communications)" />
 <figcaption>K-State's Jenessa Cotton goes up against UNC's on Nov. 28, 2025 at the Cancun Invitational. (Photo courtesy of K-State Athletic Communications)</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp; CANCUN, Mexico&nbsp;– K-State's attempt at second half rally against North Carolina on Friday fell shy, as the Tar Heels used a hot shooting first half to hold back the Wildcats, 85-73, in the Mayan Division of the 2025 Cancun Challenge at the Hard Rock Riviera Maya.K-State (5-4) saw four players reach double figures on Friday, led by sophomore guard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/izela-arenas/12623">Izela Arenas</a>&nbsp;with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting including 2-of-3 from long range.Sophomore forward&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jenessa-cotton/12624">Jenessa Cotton</a>&nbsp;registered her first career double-double with 13 points on 6-of-9 and 10 rebounds.Junior forward&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/nastja-claessens/12677">Nastja Claessens</a>&nbsp;tallied 13 points, three rebounds and two assists, while junior guard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/taryn-sides/12613">Taryn Sides</a>&nbsp;added 13 points on 3-of-5 shooting including 2-of-2 from long distance, two assists and three steals.North Carolina (7-1) also had four players in double figures including a pair of bench players in Nyla Brooks and Nyla Harris with 14 points each to pace a bench effort of 35 points.K-State returns to action on Saturday against South Dakota State.&nbsp; Tip-off is at 10 a.m.

🏀 K-State women unable to rally against UNC

<a href="https://www.kshsaa.org/react/activity/tournament/info/Football/State/1/1">CLICK HERE FOR ALL KSHSAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION</a>

🏈 Class 1A state championship preview: Sterling vs. Rossville

🏈 Class 2A state championship preview: Southeast of Saline vs. Nemaha Central

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764345825344.png" alt="Graphic Courtesy KSHSAA Covered" />
 <figcaption>Graphic Courtesy KSHSAA Covered</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kshsaa.org/react/activity/tournament/info/Football/State/1/1">CLICK HERE FOR ALL KSHSAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION</a>KSHSAA Covered<div>CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP &nbsp; HAYDEN (12-0) VS. ANDALE (12-0) &nbsp; 6 p.m. Friday at Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson &nbsp;
<figure class="caption figure_object_image"><img src="https://kshsaacovered.com/common/controls/image_handler.aspx?thumb_id=14&amp;image_path=/images/2025/11/24/3A_Andale.jpg" alt="20082" width="868" height="432" />
<figcaption>Andale</figcaption>
</figure>
&nbsp; UNSELFISHNESS DEFINES LATEST EDITION OF ANDALE DYNASTY &nbsp; Jack Horsch says you find out early as an Andale football player. Best to check that big ego at the door. &nbsp; &ldquo;Everyone wants a few more carries,&rdquo; said Horsch, a senior running back and linebacker who is the Indians&rsquo; second leading rusher this season with 665 yards. &ldquo;But you kind of learn as a freshman and sophomore how it&rsquo;s going to be. &nbsp; &ldquo;Coach (Dylan) Schmidt does a great job because he cares about you. He&rsquo;ll tell you, &lsquo;You&rsquo;re still one of our studs. We won&rsquo;t forget about you.&rsquo; And you end up wanting the other guy to do better than you just did because you trust each other. Here, if you get the win, carries don&rsquo;t matter.&rdquo; &nbsp; That philosophy has been in place throughout Schmidt&rsquo;s head coaching tenure at his alma mater. The 42-year-old Schmidt returned to Andale in 2017, and kicked an already established program into overdrive. The Indians are 109-4 in Schmidt&rsquo;s ninth season, and take a state-best, 25-game winning streak into a Class 3A championship rematch with Hayden on Friday in Hutchinson. &nbsp; Andale&rsquo;s overwhelming success hasn&rsquo;t come without the occasional complication that all coaches seemingly face. But if there&rsquo;s been a defining characteristic of Schmidt&rsquo;s current Indians team, which is 12-0 for the seventh time under him, it&rsquo;s their lack of stumbling blocks. &nbsp; &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had some other teams like this team,&rdquo; Schmidt said. &ldquo;The thing that I&rsquo;m most proud of or enjoy the most is it&rsquo;s just a lot of unselfish guys. &nbsp; &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve dealt with a lot of issues behind the scenes over the years. You deal with different people and egos and all sorts of things. This team has had very little if none of that. And I know I deal with no issues compared to a lot of other people. You just go through some of it as a coach.&rdquo; &nbsp; With seniors like Horsch, running back-defensive back Lane Parthemer, tight end-linebacker Hunter Grimes and quarterback-defensive back Sam Harp, Schmidt admits he&rsquo;s had it pretty good. &nbsp; Schmidt&rsquo;s approach has involved playing a lot of players, a luxury afforded him by Andale&rsquo;s frequently lopsided margins. The Indians&rsquo; closest game this season came in Friday&rsquo;s 3A semifinals, when they defeated Rock Creek 41-7 and for the first time didn&rsquo;t implement a running clock. &nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a team game and there&rsquo;s going to be a few sacrifices,&rdquo; Schmidt said. &ldquo;Some kids get that and some don&rsquo;t. We&rsquo;re honest with them about how it&rsquo;s going to be at Andale High School. To have a team like this that understands that is really special.&rdquo; &nbsp; While Andale has produced some extraordinary team numbers, like outscoring opponents 744-83 and forcing 55 punts while punting just twice, the Indians&rsquo; individual numbers often pale among the state leaders. Still, it&rsquo;s easy to see how Harp, in his third season as a starting quarterback, makes the Andale engine go. &nbsp; Harp enters Friday&rsquo;s contest with 1,375 rushing yards, averaging 12.2 per carry, with 30 rushing touchdowns. He&rsquo;s also completed 34 of 54 passes for 813 yards and 11 TDs. Harp has accounted for a team-high 42 touchdowns, while Horsch is second with 18. &nbsp; &ldquo;He makes my job and makes everybody else&rsquo;s job easy,&rdquo; Horsch said. &ldquo;When you&rsquo;ve got someone that fast, it opens up the game so much, I think. I&rsquo;m not surprised at what he does anymore because we&rsquo;ve grown up together since second grade and I&rsquo;ve seen it all.&rdquo; &nbsp; Harp ran for 163 yards and two touchdowns in last year&rsquo;s 3A championship game, when Andale rallied from a 7-point halftime deficit to defeat Hayden 36-19. His coolness under pressure served the Indians well, and has permeated throughout the team during his time at quarterback. &nbsp; &ldquo;We have one of those leaders that knows he&rsquo;s a stud, but doesn&rsquo;t like the spotlight a whole lot,&rdquo; Schmidt said. &ldquo;Other guys see that too and they fall in line with him. He&rsquo;s been an unbelievable leader for us, and just the leadership of this senior class, they&rsquo;ve done all those things that have made this season so enjoyable.&rdquo; &nbsp; ANDALE INDIANS (12-0) &nbsp; COACH:&nbsp;Dylan Schmidt (9th&nbsp;year, 109-4) &nbsp; STATE FINALS HISTORY:&nbsp;8 state titles &ndash; 2024 (3A), 2022 (3A), 2021 (3A), 2020 (3A), 2019 (3A), 2014 (4A), 2007 (4A), 2006 (4A); 1 runner-up finish &ndash; 2017 (4A I) &nbsp; 2025 RESULTS W,104-0 at El Dorado W,77-20 Wellington W,53-13 at Rose Hill W,54-7 at Wichita Collegiate W,45-3 at Nickerson W,68-0 Smoky Valley W,68-20 at Wichita Trinity Academy W,57-0 Hesston W,69-0 Chapman (P) W,51-6 Clay Center (P) W,57-7 Pratt (P) W,41-7 Rock Creek (P) &nbsp; 2025 STATISTICS &nbsp; TEAM &nbsp; Points scored: 744 (62.0 per game) &nbsp; Points allowed: 83 (6.9 per game) &nbsp; Total offense: 4,935 yards (411.3 per game) &nbsp; Rushing: 4,096 yards (341.3 per game), 80 TDs &nbsp; Passing: 839 yards (69.9 per game), 15 TDs, 1 INT &nbsp; INDIVIDUAL &nbsp; Rushing: Sam Harp (sr.) 113 carries, 1,375 yards, 30 TDs; Jack Horsch (sr.) 59 carries, 665 yards, 13 TDs; Lane Parthemer (sr.) 23 carries, 398 yards, 5 TDs; Noah Stanley (so.) 44 carries, 365 yards, 6 TDs; Aiden Allaire (so.) 19 carries, 231 yards, 2 TDs; Jrayton Dansel (jr.) 23 carries, 181 yards, 7 TDs; Ethan Eck (sr.) 18 carries, 141 yards, 3 TDs; Lane Martin (jr.) 14 carries, 119 yards; Sam Kuepker (sr.) 10 carries, 113 yards, 4 TDs; Brayden Spexarth (so.) 24 carries, 104 yards, 3 TDs. &nbsp; Passing: Sam Harp (sr.) 34 of 54, 813 yards, 13 TDs, 1 INT. &nbsp; Receiving: Jack Horsch (sr.) 15 catches, 326 yards, 4 TDs; Hunter Grimes (sr.) 6 catches, 176 yards, 5 TDs. &nbsp; Tackles: Jrayton Dansel (jr.) 75 tackles (34 solo), 2 tackles for loss; Hunter Grimes (sr.) 64 tackles (30 solo), 6 tackles for loss, 1 sack; Tristen Cox (sr.) 52 tackles (27 solo), 4 tackles for loss; Ethan Eck (sr.) 49 tackles (25 solo), 4 tackles for loss, 4 sacks; Lane Parthemer (sr.) 40 tackles (29 solo); Jack Horsch (sr.) 37 tackles (20 solo); Parker Lies (so.) 36 tackles (17 solo); Sam Kuepker 31 tackles (19 solo), 1 tackle for loss; Emery Craft (sr.) 30 tackles (16 solo), 1 sack; Toben Easter (sr.) 23 tackles (15 solo); Sam Harp (sr.) 22 tackles (13 solo); Alex Kraus (sr.) 21 tackles (8 solo), 2 tackles for loss; Emmett Eck (so.) 20 tackles (15 solo); Cruz Kaiser (so.) 17 tackles (11 solo); Brody Kelp (sr.) 17 tackles (10 solo), 2 tackles for loss. &nbsp; Takeaways: Hunter Grimes (sr.) 3 fumble recoveries, 1 INT; Sam Kuepker (sr.) 4 INTs; Lane Parthemer (sr.) 2 fumble recoveries, 1 INT; Brody Kelp (sr.) 3 fumble recoveries; Colt Lane (sr.) 3 fumble recoveries; Parker Lies (so.) 2 INTs; Sam Harp (sr.) 2 INTs; Emmett Eck (so.) 2 INTs; Cruz Kaiser (so.) 2 INTs; Konnor Bretthauer (jr.) 2 fumble recoveries. &nbsp; Kicking: Austin Bugner (so.) 14 of 16 PATs; Seth Fernandez (sr.) 11 of 12 PATs. &nbsp;
<figure class="caption figure_object_image"><img src="https://kshsaacovered.com/common/controls/image_handler.aspx?thumb_id=14&amp;image_path=/images/2025/11/24/3A_Topeka_Hayden_HS.jpg" alt="20083" width="872" height="351" />
<figcaption>Hayden</figcaption>
</figure>
&nbsp; THIRD TIME&rsquo;S A CHARM? HAYDEN LOOKS TO FINISH TRIP TO HUTCHINSON WITH ELUSIVE TITLE &nbsp; In each of its appearances in the Class 3A state championship game the past two seasons, Hayden has been right where it needed to be at halftime. &nbsp; In 2023, the Wildcats trailed fellow unbeaten Cheney just 13-7 in a snowy title game in Hutchinson. Last year, Hayden led juggernaut Andale 19-12 at halftime. &nbsp; The second half of each of those games, however, has been disastrous for the Wildcats. They&rsquo;ve been outscored 45-0 after halftime the last two seasons, thwarting their bid to bring home the program&rsquo;s first state championship since 2008. &nbsp; Last year&rsquo;s loss was particularly stinging as the Wildcats had outscored Andale 13-0 in the second quarter to take a lead and had a chance to add a third score late in the half. A second straight recovery of a pooch kick by the Wildcats set them up in Andale territory and a completion to Jensen Schrickel along the sideline looked like it would give Hayden a first down at the Indian 8. &nbsp; But Schrickel was ruled out of bounds and Hayden couldn&rsquo;t punch in a score that would have put the Wildcats up two scores. &nbsp; &ldquo;We felt like we had an opportunity to go up at least two scores at halftime and it didn&rsquo;t happen,&rdquo; Hayden coach Bill Arnold said. &ldquo;And then we just didn&rsquo;t make enough plays in the second half and they did.&rdquo; &nbsp; Hayden got the ball to start the second half but was stymied and once Andale scored on its ensuing drive, the Indians were rolling. They outscored Hayden 24-0 in the second half to take a 36-19 victory. &nbsp; &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had some big games with Andale over the years,&rdquo; Arnold said. &ldquo;Going back to my first year here in 2007, we had a stretch of two, three, four years in a row where we played them in the playoffs. They&rsquo;re a solid program and have pretty much the same mentality that we have. They expect to be in those championship games and win them. &nbsp; &ldquo;They&rsquo;re very talented and disciplined in what they do and it will be a great test.&rdquo; &nbsp; Both teams have been on a collision course to meet again in the title game this season, starting the year ranked No. 1 and 2 and never showing any signs of not being worthy of those rankings. While Andale has absolutely steamrolled its entire schedule, outscoring opponents 744-83 this season with last week&rsquo;s 41-7 semifinal win over previously undefeated Rock Creek its only game without a running clock in the second half, Hayden has been nearly as impressive in its run to a 12-0 mark. &nbsp; The Wildcats have outscored their foes 563-84 this season, starting the season with a 28-6 win over Eudora for the Cardinals&rsquo; only loss during the regular season. Hayden has allowed just two teams to score more than a touchdown this season, a 56-22 win over Holton in the regular season and a 43-29 playoff quarterfinal win over Jefferson West after having previously beaten the Tigers 42-0. &nbsp; Last week&rsquo;s 46-0 shutout of previously undefeated Santa Fe Trail &ndash; a game the Wildcats led 29-0 at the end of the first quarter &ndash; was the fifth shutout of the season. &nbsp; The defense has contributed six touchdowns this season, nearly half of what it&rsquo;s allowed, while the Wildcat special teams have chipped in four return scores as well. Throw in an offense that&rsquo;s been efficient and balanced with nine different Wildcats having rushing touchdowns and seven having TD receptions, and it&rsquo;s been as complete of a team as Arnold has had in his 19 years leading the program. &nbsp; &ldquo;That&rsquo;s the thing, I don&rsquo;t like to say dominating though we&rsquo;ve been very successful, but we&rsquo;ve been successful in all three phases of the game,&rdquo; Arnold said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not like the offense is doing all the work or the defense is carrying us. We&rsquo;ve reaped the benefits of all three phases and they complement each other. That in itself kind of sets this group apart from some other ones.&rdquo; &nbsp; The biggest holes Hayden had to fill off last year&rsquo;s runner-up team have been more than capably plugged. Connor Hanika took over at quarterback for four-year starter Jett Wahlmeier and thrown for 1,659 yards and 23 touchdowns while getting picked off just three times &ndash; two of those coming in the second quarter against Trail in the semifinals. &nbsp; He&rsquo;s no stranger to the state stage, either. As a sophomore, he filled in when Wahlmeier was hurt in the playoff opener and helped the Wildcats reach the 2023 championship game. &nbsp; Schrickel&rsquo;s spot, meanwhile, was taken by senior Kade Mitchell, who&rsquo;d been a complementary weapon the past two years and scored touchdowns in each of the last two championship games. Mitchell leads Hayden in rushing (941 yards, 13 TDs) and receiving (463 yards, 5 TDs). &nbsp; An injury suffered in the quarterfinal win kept Mitchell out of the semifinal win over Santa Fe Trail and though Arnold couldn&rsquo;t 100% confirm he would be available for the title game, he said he anticipated Mitchell would play. &nbsp; Even without him last week, Hayden had no troubles. Mason Becker moved in from his receiver spot to fill the void and ran for 201 yards and a pair of touchdowns, scoring on runs of 53 and 65 yards. &nbsp; &ldquo;Mason&rsquo;s grown into it,&rdquo; Arnold said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got some speed and he does a really, really good job of reading the blocks in front of him, probably better than anyone else on the team.&rdquo; &nbsp; Becker has also had a big impact on defense where he and Logan Power took over cornerback starting jobs to replace Schrickel and Brady Heinen, who were lockdown corners a year ago. The two have combined for nine interceptions this year and the defense as a whole has 21 interceptions as well as 15 fumble recoveries. &nbsp; &ldquo;They were untested, but good athletes,&rdquo; Arnold said of Becker and Power. &ldquo;And those two corners have played phenomenal this year. We haven&rsquo;t missed a beat and that was a big concern going into the season because Brady and Schrickel were pretty doggone good last year.&rdquo; &nbsp; Having been close to a point the past two seasons to ending its title drought, Hayden is eager to make the most of this year&rsquo;s opportunity. &nbsp; &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got a great group of seniors,&rdquo; Arnold said of a class that numbers 13. &ldquo;They&rsquo;ve grasped the experience the last three years. A couple got to play as freshmen, but the bulk of them have been playing since their sophomore season. And then you add in some juniors there that were right on the cusp of producing results for us last year. &nbsp; &ldquo;Every team is a little bit different. From the positive side of things, this group of seniors this is their third year in a row and they know what to expect. They have the same aspirations as everyone else.&rdquo; &nbsp; HAYDEN WILDCATS (12-0) &nbsp; COACH:&nbsp;Bill Arnold (19th&nbsp;year, 177-51) &nbsp; STATE FINALS HISTORY:&nbsp;3 state titles &ndash; 2008 (4A), 2004 (4A), 1998 (4A); 6 runner-up finishes &ndash; 2024 (3A), 2023 (3A), 2016 (4A II), 2014 (4A I), 2009 (4A), 2003 (4A),&nbsp; &nbsp; 2025 RESULTS W,28-6 Eudora W,49-0 at St. Michael the Archangel (Mo.) W,46-7 at Bishop Ward W,42-6 Wamego W,51-0 at Hiawatha W,56-22 Holton W,48-7 at Perry-Lecompton W,42-0 Jefferson West W,70-7 Columbus (P) W,42-0 Wellsville (P) W,43-29 Jefferson West (P) W,46-0 Santa Fe Trail (P) &nbsp; 2025 STATISTICS &nbsp; TEAM &nbsp; Points scored: 563 (46.9 per game) &nbsp; Points allowed: 84 (7.0 per game) &nbsp; Total offense: 4,427 yards (368.9 per game) &nbsp; Rushing: 2,768 yards (230.7 per game), 45 TDs &nbsp; Passing: 1,659 yards (138.3 per game), 23 TDs, 3 INTs &nbsp; INDIVIDUAL &nbsp; Rushing: Kade Mitchell (sr.) 89 carries, 941 yards, 13 TDs; Jackson McGivern (sr.) 70 carries, 457 yards 9 TDs; Mason Becker (jr.) 32 carries, 438 yards, 5 TDS; Jude Krentz (sr.) 66 carries, 399 yards, 10 TDs; Connor Hanika (sr.) 17 carries, 120 yards, 3 TDs. &nbsp; Passing: Connor Hanika (sr.) 100 of 165, 1,659 yards, 23 TDs, 3 INTs. &nbsp; Receiving: Kade Mitchell (sr.) 21 catches, 463 yards, 5 TDs; Makhi Kidd (sr.) 28 catches, 314 yards, 4 TDs; Xander Blasing (sr.) 24 catches, 296 yards, 5 TDs; Mason Becker (jr.) 9 catches, 292 yards, 4 TDs; Logan Power (jr.) 11 catches, 159 yards, 2 TDs. &nbsp; Tackles: Jude Krentz (sr.) 102 tackles (53 solo), 6 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks; Xander Blasing (sr.) 74 tackles (55 solo), 7 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks; Jackson McGivern (sr.) 72 tackles (45 solo), 7 tackles for loss, 1 sack; Logan Saenz (sr.) 67 tackles (38 solo), 2 tackles for loss; Julian McGivern (sr.) 44 tackles (21 solo), 2 tackles, 2.5 sacks; Rondell Harris (sr.) 42 tackles (25 solo), 5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks; Andrew Rohr (sr.) 39 tackles (26 solo), 6 tackles for loss, 2 sacks; Logan Power (jr.) 35 tackles (26 solo), Kade Mitchell (sr.) 31 tackles (20 solo), 3 tackles for loss; Mar Barnett (jr.) 30 tackles (15 solo), 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack; Jace Wolff (jr.) 29 tackles (19 solo); Caleb Menke (jr.) 26 tackles (18 solo), 4 tackles for loss; Mason Becker (jr.) 22 tackles (15 solo); Mason Branson (jr.) 22 tackles (12 solo); Sam Hammes (sr.) 19 tackles (9 solo), 2 tackles for loss; Jackson Haas (sr.) 16 tackles (10 solo), 1.5 sacks. &nbsp; Takeaways: Logan Power (jr.) 5 INTs, 1 fumble recovery; Mason Becker (jr.) 4 INTs, 1 fumble recovery; Xander Blasing (sr.) 3 INTs, 2 fumble recoveries; Kade Mitchell (sr.) 2 fumble recoveries, 1 INT; Logan Saenz (sr.) 3 INTs; Rondell Harris (sr.) 2 fumble recoveries; Jace Wolff (jr.) 1 INT, 1 fumble recovery; Jackson McGivern (sr.) 2 fumble recoveries. &nbsp; Kicking: Mason Becker (jr.) 2 of 2 FGs, 58 of 58 PATs.</div>

🏈 Class 3A state championship preview: Andale vs. Topeka Hayden

Welch Stadium, Emporia Saturday, Nov. 29, 1 p.m.

No. 4 Olathe Northwest (9-3) vs. No. 4 Manhattan (10-2)

Welch Stadium, Emporia Friday, Nov. 28, 2 p.m.

No. 1 Basehor-Linwood (12-0) vs.&nbsp;No. 2 Salina Central (11-1)

Welch Stadium, Emporia Saturday, Nov. 29, 7 p.m.

No. 13 Bishop Miege (7-5) vs. No. 1 Kapaun Mt. Carmel (11-1)

Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson Friday, Nov. 28, 6 p.m.

No. 1 Andale (12-0) vs. No. 1 Topeka Hayden (12-0)

Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson Saturday, Nov. 29, noon

No. 1 Nemaha Central (12-0) vs.&nbsp;No. 1 Southeast of Saline (12-0)

Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson Friday, Nov. 28, 1 p.m.

No. 4 Rossville (11-1) vs.&nbsp;No. 1 Sterling (12-0)

Kiowa County HS Stadium, Greensburg Saturday, Nov. 29, 11 a.m.

Lincoln (11-1) vs.&nbsp;South Central (11-0)

Kiowa County HS Stadium, Greensburg Saturday, Nov. 29, 7 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kiowa County HS Stadium, Greensburg Saturday, Nov. 29, 3 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761404004881.png" alt="Photo Courtesy KSHSAA" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy KSHSAA</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Class 6A</h2>Welch Stadium, Emporia Saturday, Nov. 29, 1 p.m.No. 4 Olathe Northwest (9-3) vs. No. 4 Manhattan (10-2) <h2>Class 5A</h2>Welch Stadium, Emporia Friday, Nov. 28, 2 p.m.No. 1 Basehor-Linwood (12-0) vs.&nbsp;No. 2 Salina Central (11-1) <h2>Class 4A</h2>Welch Stadium, Emporia Saturday, Nov. 29, 7 p.m.No. 13 Bishop Miege (7-5) vs. No. 1 Kapaun Mt. Carmel (11-1) <h2>Class 3A</h2>Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson Friday, Nov. 28, 6 p.m.No. 1 Andale (12-0) vs. No. 1 Topeka Hayden (12-0) <h2>Class 2A</h2>Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson Saturday, Nov. 29, noonNo. 1 Nemaha Central (12-0) vs.&nbsp;No. 1 Southeast of Saline (12-0) <h2>Class 1A</h2>Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson Friday, Nov. 28, 1 p.m.No. 4 Rossville (11-1) vs.&nbsp;No. 1 Sterling (12-0) <h2>8-Man Division I</h2>Kiowa County HS Stadium, Greensburg Saturday, Nov. 29, 11 a.m.Lincoln (11-1) vs.&nbsp;South Central (11-0) <h2>8-Man Division II</h2>Kiowa County HS Stadium, Greensburg Saturday, Nov. 29, 7 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hanover (12-0) vs.&nbsp;Victoria (11-0)<h2>6-Man</h2>Kiowa County HS Stadium, Greensburg Saturday, Nov. 29, 3 p.m.Cunningham (11-1) vs.&nbsp;Weskan (11-1)

🏈 KSHSAA state championship games schedule

WICHITA STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS&nbsp;

&nbsp; PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas -&nbsp;Wichita State put together a furious second-half rally and dominated the offensive glass, but a 21-point first half deficit proved too much to overcome in a 76-70 loss to Colorado State Thursday night in the consolation round of the 2025 Marriott Bonvoy Battle 4 Atlantis at Imperial Arena.

Wichita State will meet Western Kentucky on Friday in the 7th place game at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

The Shockers (4-3) trailed by as many as 21 late in the first half&nbsp;and never held a lead, but outscored the Rams 40-29 after halftime and pulled within two possessions multiple times in the final minutes behind relentless second-chance scoring and efficient interior offense.

<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kenyon-giles/9457">Kenyon Giles</a>&nbsp;finished in double figures for the seventh straight game, scoring a team-high 18 points, but finished just 6-of-19 from the field and 2-of-10 from beyond the arc.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/karon-boyd/9455">Karon Boyd</a>&nbsp;registered his second double-double of the season behind 14 points and 11 rebounds, seven on the offensive end.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/will-berg/9454">Will Berg</a>&nbsp;just missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.

Colorado State (5-2) put together one of the most efficient halves the Shockers have faced this season, shooting 76.0 percent (19-of-25)&nbsp;in the opening half&nbsp;and knocking down six three-pointers to seize control early.

Despite 20 first-half paint points and a flurry of early offensive rebounds from Boyd and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/emmanuel-okorafor/9461">Emmanuel Okorafor</a>, Wichita State struggled to slow Colorado State's execution. The Rams repeatedly generated clean looks through crisp ball movement and transition opportunities.

A 21-6 Ram run covering during a 6:00 minute stretch pushed the margin to 47-26, CSU's largest lead of the night. A second-chance bucket from Boyd in the final 30 seconds trimmed it to 47-30&nbsp;at the break.

The Shockers' defensive intensity rose immediately out of the locker room. Berg's second-chance bucket at 18:08 and Boyd's hook at 13:55 highlighted an early 12–5 burst that cut the margin to 60-44.WSU held CSU to 37 percent shooting&nbsp;after halftime and forced the Rams into tougher, late-clock attempts.

Giles heated up in the mid-second half, scoring 11 points across a five-minute stretch, including a second-chance three at the 5:38 mark that brought WSU within 70-62.Two minutes later Berg followed a missed three with a tough second-chance layup to make it 70-64, the closest the Shockers had been since the early first half.

Colorado State answered each Shocker push with timely perimeter shooting, highlighted by Brandon Rechsteiner, who hit 7-of-12 three-pointers&nbsp;on his way to a game-high 21 points, including a dagger triple with 2:12 remaining to extend CSU's lead to 76-67.WSU held CSU scoreless for the final 2:12 but could not convert enough late opportunities, despite a pair of buckets from&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/dre-kindell/9460">Dre Kindell</a>&nbsp;and a free throw from Boyd in the final minute.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764336385129.png" alt="(Photo courtesy Wichita State Athletic Communications)" />
 <figcaption>(Photo courtesy Wichita State Athletic Communications)</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS&nbsp;&nbsp; PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas -&nbsp;Wichita State put together a furious second-half rally and dominated the offensive glass, but a 21-point first half deficit proved too much to overcome in a 76-70 loss to Colorado State Thursday night in the consolation round of the 2025 Marriott Bonvoy Battle 4 Atlantis at Imperial Arena.Wichita State will meet Western Kentucky on Friday in the 7th place game at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU.The Shockers (4-3) trailed by as many as 21 late in the first half&nbsp;and never held a lead, but outscored the Rams 40-29 after halftime and pulled within two possessions multiple times in the final minutes behind relentless second-chance scoring and efficient interior offense.<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kenyon-giles/9457">Kenyon Giles</a>&nbsp;finished in double figures for the seventh straight game, scoring a team-high 18 points, but finished just 6-of-19 from the field and 2-of-10 from beyond the arc.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/karon-boyd/9455">Karon Boyd</a>&nbsp;registered his second double-double of the season behind 14 points and 11 rebounds, seven on the offensive end.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/will-berg/9454">Will Berg</a>&nbsp;just missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.Colorado State (5-2) put together one of the most efficient halves the Shockers have faced this season, shooting 76.0 percent (19-of-25)&nbsp;in the opening half&nbsp;and knocking down six three-pointers to seize control early.Despite 20 first-half paint points and a flurry of early offensive rebounds from Boyd and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/emmanuel-okorafor/9461">Emmanuel Okorafor</a>, Wichita State struggled to slow Colorado State's execution. The Rams repeatedly generated clean looks through crisp ball movement and transition opportunities.A 21-6 Ram run covering during a 6:00 minute stretch pushed the margin to 47-26, CSU's largest lead of the night. A second-chance bucket from Boyd in the final 30 seconds trimmed it to 47-30&nbsp;at the break.The Shockers' defensive intensity rose immediately out of the locker room. Berg's second-chance bucket at 18:08 and Boyd's hook at 13:55 highlighted an early 12–5 burst that cut the margin to 60-44.WSU held CSU to 37 percent shooting&nbsp;after halftime and forced the Rams into tougher, late-clock attempts.Giles heated up in the mid-second half, scoring 11 points across a five-minute stretch, including a second-chance three at the 5:38 mark that brought WSU within 70-62.Two minutes later Berg followed a missed three with a tough second-chance layup to make it 70-64, the closest the Shockers had been since the early first half.Colorado State answered each Shocker push with timely perimeter shooting, highlighted by Brandon Rechsteiner, who hit 7-of-12 three-pointers&nbsp;on his way to a game-high 21 points, including a dagger triple with 2:12 remaining to extend CSU's lead to 76-67.WSU held CSU scoreless for the final 2:12 but could not convert enough late opportunities, despite a pair of buckets from&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/dre-kindell/9460">Dre Kindell</a>&nbsp;and a free throw from Boyd in the final minute.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Colorado State Holds off Wichita State behind big first half

ARLINGTON, Tex. — Dak Prescott threw for two touchdowns, Malik Davis sprinted 43 yards for a score and the Dallas Cowboys overcame two fourth down TD throws from Patrick Mahomes in a 31-28 Thanksgiving victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday.

CeeDee Lamb scored the first Dallas touchdown and finished with 112 yards on seven catches four days after drops plagued the star receiver in a victory over defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia.

The Cowboys (6-5-1) finished a sweep of last season's Super Bowl teams in the past two games with their third consecutive win while sending the defending AFC champion Chiefs (6-6) back to .500 in a matchup of playoff-chasing teams.

Mahomes had four touchdown passes in his first professional game at the home of the Cowboys, where he played three times for Texas Tech not far from his East Texas roots.

Travis Kelce caught Mahomes' first fourth down TD toss on a 2-yarder, and Rashee Rice's second scoring catch came on fourth-and-3 early in the fourth quarter.

Kansas City was down 10 when Mahomes was almost tripped in the backfield by Quinnen Williams but kept his feet and found Xavier Worthy wide open down the field for 42 yards, setting up a 10-yard scoring toss to Hollywood Brown with 3:27 remaining.

Prescott and company didn't give Mahomes another chance.

After two pass interference penalties gave Dallas first downs, Prescott hit George Pickens for 13 yards and a clinching first down at the two-minute warning. Prescott kneeled three times after that.

Rice had eight catches for 92 yards, his first score coming on a 27-yard catch-and-run on the sideline two plays after Prescott was intercepted by Jaylen Watson on the first Dallas possession.

Davis had just three carries, but his long run gave Dallas its first lead at 17-14 late in the second quarter.

Chiefs: The Chiefs lost two offensive linemen to injuries after beginning the game without RG Trey Smith, who was inactive because of an ankle injury. RT Jawaan Taylor injured an elbow, and rookie LT Josh Simmons went out with a wrist injury. ... S Bryan Cook injured an ankle in the first half.

Cowboys: CB Caelen Carson, who had started the previous two games, was inactive after being listed as questionable. He was added to the injury report during the week. ... CB DaRon Bland injured a foot in the second half.

Chiefs: Play host to Houston in prime time on Dec. 7.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764292645942.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)</figcaption>
 </figure>THE ASSOCIATED PRESSARLINGTON, Tex. — Dak Prescott threw for two touchdowns, Malik Davis sprinted 43 yards for a score and the Dallas Cowboys overcame two fourth down TD throws from Patrick Mahomes in a 31-28 Thanksgiving victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday.CeeDee Lamb scored the first Dallas touchdown and finished with 112 yards on seven catches four days after drops plagued the star receiver in a victory over defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia.The Cowboys (6-5-1) finished a sweep of last season's Super Bowl teams in the past two games with their third consecutive win while sending the defending AFC champion Chiefs (6-6) back to .500 in a matchup of playoff-chasing teams.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764292683557.jpeg" alt="Dallas Cowboys running back Malik Davis, right, scores on a touchdown run past Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Chamarri Conner (27) and defensive back Jaden Hicks (21) during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)" />
 <figcaption>Dallas Cowboys running back Malik Davis, right, scores on a touchdown run past Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Chamarri Conner (27) and defensive back Jaden Hicks (21) during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)</figcaption>
 </figure>Mahomes had four touchdown passes in his first professional game at the home of the Cowboys, where he played three times for Texas Tech not far from his East Texas roots.Travis Kelce caught Mahomes' first fourth down TD toss on a 2-yarder, and Rashee Rice's second scoring catch came on fourth-and-3 early in the fourth quarter.Kansas City was down 10 when Mahomes was almost tripped in the backfield by Quinnen Williams but kept his feet and found Xavier Worthy wide open down the field for 42 yards, setting up a 10-yard scoring toss to Hollywood Brown with 3:27 remaining.Prescott and company didn't give Mahomes another chance.After two pass interference penalties gave Dallas first downs, Prescott hit George Pickens for 13 yards and a clinching first down at the two-minute warning. Prescott kneeled three times after that.Rice had eight catches for 92 yards, his first score coming on a 27-yard catch-and-run on the sideline two plays after Prescott was intercepted by Jaylen Watson on the first Dallas possession.Davis had just three carries, but his long run gave Dallas its first lead at 17-14 late in the second quarter.<h2>Injuries</h2>Chiefs: The Chiefs lost two offensive linemen to injuries after beginning the game without RG Trey Smith, who was inactive because of an ankle injury. RT Jawaan Taylor injured an elbow, and rookie LT Josh Simmons went out with a wrist injury. ... S Bryan Cook injured an ankle in the first half.Cowboys: CB Caelen Carson, who had started the previous two games, was inactive after being listed as questionable. He was added to the injury report during the week. ... CB DaRon Bland injured a foot in the second half.<h2>Up next</h2>Chiefs: Play host to Houston in prime time on Dec. 7.

🏈 Cowboys overcome Mahomes' fourth down magic in 31-28 Thanksgiving win over Chiefs

CANCUN, Mexico&nbsp;–&nbsp;K-State used a school record 17 three-pointers to rally back from a halftime deficit against Columbia, 95-92 on Thanksgiving in the Mayan Division of the 2025 Cancun Challenge at the Hard Rock Riviera Maya.

K-State (5-3), who entered Thursday’s game following a 2-of-23 effort from long range at Green Bay on November 22, broke the school record for 3-point field goals made in a game with a 17-of-26 effort (.654).

The 17 three-pointers are tied for the second-most in the nation this season. K-State’s 3-point percentage of 65.4 percent is the highest by any team this season that has made 17 or more 3-point field goals in a game. The 65.4 percent effort was a team season-high from beyond the arc and was K-State’s highest on 20 or more attempts since shooting 70.0 percent (14-of-20) against UCF on February 15, 2025.

The Wildcats featured four players in double figures led by the career day of junior guard Taryn Sides. The product of Phillipsburg, Kansas, tallied a career-high 30 points on a career-high 10-of-14 shooting including a career-best 8-of-12 from long distance and added six assists, three rebounds and two steals. Sides had entered Thursday’s game shooting 21.1 percent (4-of-19) from beyond the arc in the previous three games.

Sides is the only player in the nation this season to register a game with 30 or more points, eight or more 3-point field goals made and dish five or more assists. This was the first time a player from a Power 4 Conference achieved these markers in a game since Samara Spencer of Tennessee on December 14, 2024.

Since 2009-10, Sides became the fifth player in Big 12 history and the second Wildcat to achieve these numbers in a game. Sides joins Brittany Chambers, as the only Wildcats to reach these numbers in a game. Chambers tallied 42 points, nine made 3-pointers and five assists against Texas Southern on March 21, 2013, in the first round of the 2013 WNIT.

With her eight made 3-pointers, Sides tied for the fourth most in a game in program history. Her eight 3-point connections were the most since Temira Poindexter made eight at Kentucky in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Sides is the only player in the nation this season to shoot 66.7 percent or better on 12 or more attempts. She is the fourth Big 12 player since at least 2009-10 and the first since Micah Gray of Oklahoma State on Nov. 25, 2024, to achieve this percentage or better on 12 or more attempts.

Joining Sides in double figures were sophomore guard Izela Arenas with 16 points, including a 3-of-5 effort from long distance.

Junior forward Nastja Claessens added 15 points on a perfect 6-of-6 effort from the field including 2-of-2 from long range. The native of Waregem, Belgium, made the record-setting 3-pointer with 3:09 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Freshman guard Brandie Harrod tallied 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting, nine rebounds and three assists.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764288662596.png" alt="Photo courtesy K-State Athletic Communications" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy K-State Athletic Communications</figcaption>
 </figure>K-STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONSCANCUN, Mexico&nbsp;–&nbsp;K-State used a school record 17 three-pointers to rally back from a halftime deficit against Columbia, 95-92 on Thanksgiving in the Mayan Division of the 2025 Cancun Challenge at the Hard Rock Riviera Maya.K-State (5-3), who entered Thursday’s game following a 2-of-23 effort from long range at Green Bay on November 22, broke the school record for 3-point field goals made in a game with a 17-of-26 effort (.654).The 17 three-pointers are tied for the second-most in the nation this season. K-State’s 3-point percentage of 65.4 percent is the highest by any team this season that has made 17 or more 3-point field goals in a game. The 65.4 percent effort was a team season-high from beyond the arc and was K-State’s highest on 20 or more attempts since shooting 70.0 percent (14-of-20) against UCF on February 15, 2025.The Wildcats featured four players in double figures led by the career day of junior guard Taryn Sides. The product of Phillipsburg, Kansas, tallied a career-high 30 points on a career-high 10-of-14 shooting including a career-best 8-of-12 from long distance and added six assists, three rebounds and two steals. Sides had entered Thursday’s game shooting 21.1 percent (4-of-19) from beyond the arc in the previous three games.Sides is the only player in the nation this season to register a game with 30 or more points, eight or more 3-point field goals made and dish five or more assists. This was the first time a player from a Power 4 Conference achieved these markers in a game since Samara Spencer of Tennessee on December 14, 2024.Since 2009-10, Sides became the fifth player in Big 12 history and the second Wildcat to achieve these numbers in a game. Sides joins Brittany Chambers, as the only Wildcats to reach these numbers in a game. Chambers tallied 42 points, nine made 3-pointers and five assists against Texas Southern on March 21, 2013, in the first round of the 2013 WNIT.With her eight made 3-pointers, Sides tied for the fourth most in a game in program history. Her eight 3-point connections were the most since Temira Poindexter made eight at Kentucky in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.Sides is the only player in the nation this season to shoot 66.7 percent or better on 12 or more attempts. She is the fourth Big 12 player since at least 2009-10 and the first since Micah Gray of Oklahoma State on Nov. 25, 2024, to achieve this percentage or better on 12 or more attempts.Joining Sides in double figures were sophomore guard Izela Arenas with 16 points, including a 3-of-5 effort from long distance.Junior forward Nastja Claessens added 15 points on a perfect 6-of-6 effort from the field including 2-of-2 from long range. The native of Waregem, Belgium, made the record-setting 3-pointer with 3:09 remaining in the fourth quarter.Freshman guard Brandie Harrod tallied 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting, nine rebounds and three assists.

🏀 K-State Sets 3-Point record to down Columbia

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mevlin Council Jr. and Elmarko Jackson each scored 17 points and Kansas defeated previously unbeaten No. 17 Tennessee 81-76 in the third-place game of the Players Era Championship on Wednesday night.

Tre White added 14 points for Kansas (6-2) before fouling out and Florey Bidunga scored 13.

Nata Ament led Tennessee (7-1) with 20 points. Jaylen Carey and Ja’Kobe Gillespie each scored 11 points and J.P. Estrella added 10.

Kansas, which trailed most of the second half, took the lead with 5:36 remaining on Paul Mbiya's layup and extended the lead to four points at 68-64 on a driving layup by Jackson with 5:08 left.

The Jayhawks extended the lead to seven points at 75-68 with 2:02 left before Tennessee cut the lead to 75-73 with 56 seconds left. Bidunga made two free throws and stole a pass with 20 seconds left, and the Jayhawks held on for the win.

With 15:06 remaining the second half, Tennessee had built a 12-point lead. But, the Jayhawks ran off eight straight points on two 3-pointers and two free throws by Jackson to pull within 55-51 with 12:09 remaining.

Tennessee built back a six-point advantage with 8:21 left, but the Jayhawks’ Melvin Councill Jr. made two layups and two free throws to tie the game at 62-62 with 7:25 left.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1764209949520.png" alt="Photo Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mevlin Council Jr. and Elmarko Jackson each scored 17 points and Kansas defeated previously unbeaten No. 17 Tennessee 81-76 in the third-place game of the Players Era Championship on Wednesday night.Tre White added 14 points for Kansas (6-2) before fouling out and Florey Bidunga scored 13.Nata Ament led Tennessee (7-1) with 20 points. Jaylen Carey and Ja’Kobe Gillespie each scored 11 points and J.P. Estrella added 10.Kansas, which trailed most of the second half, took the lead with 5:36 remaining on Paul Mbiya's layup and extended the lead to four points at 68-64 on a driving layup by Jackson with 5:08 left.The Jayhawks extended the lead to seven points at 75-68 with 2:02 left before Tennessee cut the lead to 75-73 with 56 seconds left. Bidunga made two free throws and stole a pass with 20 seconds left, and the Jayhawks held on for the win.With 15:06 remaining the second half, Tennessee had built a 12-point lead. But, the Jayhawks ran off eight straight points on two 3-pointers and two free throws by Jackson to pull within 55-51 with 12:09 remaining.Tennessee built back a six-point advantage with 8:21 left, but the Jayhawks’ Melvin Councill Jr. made two layups and two free throws to tie the game at 62-62 with 7:25 left.<h2>Up next</h2>Tennessee: At Syracuse on Tuesday.Kansas: Hosts Connecticut on Tuesday.

🏀 Council, Jackson lead KU to win over Tennessee at Players Era Championship

By&nbsp;<a href="mailto:sean.boston@eaglemedia.com">SEAN BOSTON</a> Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — For the first time since 1982, Sterling will run out for a state championship game, carrying an undefeated record, a record-setting rushing attack and a defense that is peaking at the right time.

The Black Bears will not have to go far for the biggest game in school history. From Sterling High School to Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson, the trip is just 22.4 miles, a short drive for a town that has spent the week planning a Friday afternoon at the 1 p.m. Class 1A state championship against Rossville.

“It is basically a home game for us,” Sterling head coach Brent Schneider said. “We talked going into the year about how important it would be with the new setup if we could host our way out, then just have that short trip to Hutch. Our fans are going to travel. They are excited and hungry for this.”

Sterling enters at 12–0, with numbers that read more like video game totals. The Black Bears have rushed for 4,257 yards and 73 touchdowns on 403 carries, averages of 354.8 yards per game and 10.6 yards per carry.

They opened with 379 rushing yards against Sedgwick and 330 against Moundridge, then exploded for 454 against Inman, 326 against Ellinwood and 278 against Medicine Lodge. October brought 462 rushing yards on only 21 carries at Conway Springs and 531 on 24 carries at South Sumner County, followed by 308 against Trinity Catholic, 300 on just 14 attempts against Herington and 415 against Marion.

Even in the rematch with Trinity Catholic, they went for 344 on the ground before last week’s grind-it-out 130 yards in a mud-soaked 14–6 semifinal win over Smith Center.

“Our offense is built on patience and physicality,” Schneider said. “We celebrate three and four yard gains early because we know what they turn into later. Sometimes it is like swinging a sledgehammer at a boulder. You do not see it break at first, but inside it is starting to crack.”

The leading edge of that sledgehammer is senior running back Zane Farney, who has carried 188 times for 2,047 yards and 39 touchdowns. He averages 170.6 rushing yards per game and 10.9 yards per carry. Wyatt Newberry has been just as explosive, adding 1,034 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns and averaging 14 yards per carry. Jace Darnauer has contributed 435 yards and seven scores, Deryn Maxwell 201 yards and two touchdowns, and senior quarterback Logan Isaac 403 rushing yards with 10 touchdowns. Sophomore Jacob Lewis and several underclassmen give the Black Bears additional depth in the backfield.

The passing game is used selectively but efficiently. Isaac has completed 8 of 17 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns. Newberry leads the team with 152 receiving yards and one touchdown. Porter Anderson and Lewis each have a touchdown catch as well. In total, Sterling has completed nine passes for 226 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Last week against Smith Center, Sterling needed its defense more than its fireworks on offense. On a sloppy Smisor Stadium field that neutralized speed and footing, the Black Bears held the Redmen to six points and forced three fumbles in a game that never allowed them to pull away. Lewis turned in one of the great defensive performances of the season. The sophomore finished with 16 tackles, one tackle for loss, three fumble recoveries and a 30–yard reception on Sterling’s only completion of the night.

“Jacob is an animal,” Schneider said. “He is an athletic freak who has a nose for the football. Whenever there is a play to be made, he finds it. We moved him to middle linebacker, and he just took over the game.”

That stat line was a snapshot of a season–long impact. Lewis leads Sterling with 156 total tackles, an average of 13 per game, and has 15 tackles for loss, three sacks, an interception and five fumble recoveries. Newberry has 98 tackles and eight tackles for loss. Myers has 90 stops and seven tackles for loss. Maxwell sits at 74 total tackles, and Farney adds 61 tackles and two tackles for loss from his spot at linebacker. Isaac has 38 tackles and four tackles for loss, while Morris, Link, Krone, Thomas, Schweizer and Ploutz have formed a deep, relentless front that has combined for double–digit sacks and more than 100 tackles for loss yards.

As a unit, the Sterling defense has compiled 1,051 tackles and 74 tackles for loss across 12 games. The Black Bears have intercepted 10 passes and recovered 20 fumbles, with 12 forced fumbles and multiple players who can flip a drive with a single hit. Newberry has four interceptions, while David Myers and Farney have two picks each.

“We take a lot of pride in our defense,” Schneider said. “That was a big point of emphasis coming into the year. We wanted to be physical. We wanted to get hats to the football. We wanted to tackle well in space. To hold Smith Center to six on that kind of field says a lot about our kids.”

But what makes Sterling’s appearance in Friday’s state championship even more remarkable is how quickly the program has risen under Schneider. When he took over in 2019, the Black Bears went 4–5 in his first season, then dipped to 2–7 and 1–8 through the COVID-era seasons. Sterling did not post a winning record in any of Schneider’s first four years and reached a low point at 1–8 in 2021. Since then, the climb has been dramatic: 4–5 in 2022, 6–4 in both 2023 and 2024, and now a perfect 12–0 heading into Friday’s title game.

Schneider said the players who endured the early years deserve as much credit as the ones lifting trophies now.

“I give a lot of credit to a lot of the kids in those times, because we had some pretty rough seasons, and we still had great kids,” he said. “We talked to them about setting a foundation, and just we wanted to build a winning culture. It’s one thing as a staff, we talked about, let’s just build this culture to what we want it to be.”

He added that he never felt pressured to cut corners during the rebuild.

“I didn’t feel like my job was on the line or anything like that, and I could be comfortable in building a culture,” he said. “As we end up getting 40 and 50 kids out year after year, and we’re able to have full schedules and play competitive football, those wins are really coming.”

Now his program sits at the doorstep of history, less than half an hour from home.

On the other sideline stands Rossville, a program Kansas fans know well from its championship runs at the 2A and 3A level. The Bulldogs have five state titles, two in 2A and three in 3A. They arrive at 11–1 with a balanced, explosive offense and an aggressive defense that lives in opponents’ backfields and passing lanes. Together, Sterling and Rossville have combined for more than 7,200 rushing yards this fall.

Rossville has thrown for 1,637 yards and 18 touchdowns, completing 66.3 percent of its passes with only one interception. Senior quarterback Canann Mitchell is the catalyst, hitting 109 of 164 throws for 1,578 yards and all 18 touchdowns. His favorite targets include Cameron Miller, who has 32 catches for 523 yards and eight touchdowns, and Jack Donovan, who has 38 grabs for 453 yards and three scores. Landen Lewis, Cael Horgan, Cale Horak and Andre Johnson all add explosive receiving threats.

It is not just a passing show. Rossville has also rushed for 3,006 yards and 51 touchdowns on 386 attempts, averaging 250.5 yards per game and 7.8 yards per carry. Mitchell has 1,013 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, making him a true dual–threat. Bush, Johnson, Lewis and Donovan round out a deep backfield.

“Rossville is athletic and very fast,” Schneider said. “Their quarterback can run or throw, and he throws a really good ball. They have receivers who are tall and can go get it. Defensively they fly to the football.”

Their most recent win, a 21–18 semifinal victory at Jackson Heights, showed that the Bulldogs can grind too. Mitchell carried 22 times for 92 yards and a touchdown and completed 8 of 12 passes for 104 yards and two scores. Horgan caught five passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Horak came up with the game’s only interception.

The matchup Friday will pit Sterling’s bruising, big–play ground attack against a Rossville defense that has been opportunistic, and a Rossville offense that can hurt teams with both run and pass against a Sterling defense that is used to tackling in space. On one side, a Sterling program chasing its first state football title in 43 years and trying to surpass the 12–0 record of the 1982 champions. On the other, a Rossville team more accustomed to this stage and one that expects to contend every November.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763576868009.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Olivia Butts, Sterling High School Journalism" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Olivia Butts, Sterling High School Journalism</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="mailto:sean.boston@eaglemedia.com">SEAN BOSTON</a> Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — For the first time since 1982, Sterling will run out for a state championship game, carrying an undefeated record, a record-setting rushing attack and a defense that is peaking at the right time.The Black Bears will not have to go far for the biggest game in school history. From Sterling High School to Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson, the trip is just 22.4 miles, a short drive for a town that has spent the week planning a Friday afternoon at the 1 p.m. Class 1A state championship against Rossville.“It is basically a home game for us,” Sterling head coach Brent Schneider said. “We talked going into the year about how important it would be with the new setup if we could host our way out, then just have that short trip to Hutch. Our fans are going to travel. They are excited and hungry for this.”Sterling enters at 12–0, with numbers that read more like video game totals. The Black Bears have rushed for 4,257 yards and 73 touchdowns on 403 carries, averages of 354.8 yards per game and 10.6 yards per carry.They opened with 379 rushing yards against Sedgwick and 330 against Moundridge, then exploded for 454 against Inman, 326 against Ellinwood and 278 against Medicine Lodge. October brought 462 rushing yards on only 21 carries at Conway Springs and 531 on 24 carries at South Sumner County, followed by 308 against Trinity Catholic, 300 on just 14 attempts against Herington and 415 against Marion.Even in the rematch with Trinity Catholic, they went for 344 on the ground before last week’s grind-it-out 130 yards in a mud-soaked 14–6 semifinal win over Smith Center.“Our offense is built on patience and physicality,” Schneider said. “We celebrate three and four yard gains early because we know what they turn into later. Sometimes it is like swinging a sledgehammer at a boulder. You do not see it break at first, but inside it is starting to crack.”The leading edge of that sledgehammer is senior running back Zane Farney, who has carried 188 times for 2,047 yards and 39 touchdowns. He averages 170.6 rushing yards per game and 10.9 yards per carry. Wyatt Newberry has been just as explosive, adding 1,034 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns and averaging 14 yards per carry. Jace Darnauer has contributed 435 yards and seven scores, Deryn Maxwell 201 yards and two touchdowns, and senior quarterback Logan Isaac 403 rushing yards with 10 touchdowns. Sophomore Jacob Lewis and several underclassmen give the Black Bears additional depth in the backfield.The passing game is used selectively but efficiently. Isaac has completed 8 of 17 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns. Newberry leads the team with 152 receiving yards and one touchdown. Porter Anderson and Lewis each have a touchdown catch as well. In total, Sterling has completed nine passes for 226 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.Last week against Smith Center, Sterling needed its defense more than its fireworks on offense. On a sloppy Smisor Stadium field that neutralized speed and footing, the Black Bears held the Redmen to six points and forced three fumbles in a game that never allowed them to pull away. Lewis turned in one of the great defensive performances of the season. The sophomore finished with 16 tackles, one tackle for loss, three fumble recoveries and a 30–yard reception on Sterling’s only completion of the night.“Jacob is an animal,” Schneider said. “He is an athletic freak who has a nose for the football. Whenever there is a play to be made, he finds it. We moved him to middle linebacker, and he just took over the game.”That stat line was a snapshot of a season–long impact. Lewis leads Sterling with 156 total tackles, an average of 13 per game, and has 15 tackles for loss, three sacks, an interception and five fumble recoveries. Newberry has 98 tackles and eight tackles for loss. Myers has 90 stops and seven tackles for loss. Maxwell sits at 74 total tackles, and Farney adds 61 tackles and two tackles for loss from his spot at linebacker. Isaac has 38 tackles and four tackles for loss, while Morris, Link, Krone, Thomas, Schweizer and Ploutz have formed a deep, relentless front that has combined for double–digit sacks and more than 100 tackles for loss yards.As a unit, the Sterling defense has compiled 1,051 tackles and 74 tackles for loss across 12 games. The Black Bears have intercepted 10 passes and recovered 20 fumbles, with 12 forced fumbles and multiple players who can flip a drive with a single hit. Newberry has four interceptions, while David Myers and Farney have two picks each.“We take a lot of pride in our defense,” Schneider said. “That was a big point of emphasis coming into the year. We wanted to be physical. We wanted to get hats to the football. We wanted to tackle well in space. To hold Smith Center to six on that kind of field says a lot about our kids.”But what makes Sterling’s appearance in Friday’s state championship even more remarkable is how quickly the program has risen under Schneider. When he took over in 2019, the Black Bears went 4–5 in his first season, then dipped to 2–7 and 1–8 through the COVID-era seasons. Sterling did not post a winning record in any of Schneider’s first four years and reached a low point at 1–8 in 2021. Since then, the climb has been dramatic: 4–5 in 2022, 6–4 in both 2023 and 2024, and now a perfect 12–0 heading into Friday’s title game.Schneider said the players who endured the early years deserve as much credit as the ones lifting trophies now.“I give a lot of credit to a lot of the kids in those times, because we had some pretty rough seasons, and we still had great kids,” he said. “We talked to them about setting a foundation, and just we wanted to build a winning culture. It’s one thing as a staff, we talked about, let’s just build this culture to what we want it to be.”He added that he never felt pressured to cut corners during the rebuild.“I didn’t feel like my job was on the line or anything like that, and I could be comfortable in building a culture,” he said. “As we end up getting 40 and 50 kids out year after year, and we’re able to have full schedules and play competitive football, those wins are really coming.”Now his program sits at the doorstep of history, less than half an hour from home.On the other sideline stands Rossville, a program Kansas fans know well from its championship runs at the 2A and 3A level. The Bulldogs have five state titles, two in 2A and three in 3A. They arrive at 11–1 with a balanced, explosive offense and an aggressive defense that lives in opponents’ backfields and passing lanes. Together, Sterling and Rossville have combined for more than 7,200 rushing yards this fall.Rossville has thrown for 1,637 yards and 18 touchdowns, completing 66.3 percent of its passes with only one interception. Senior quarterback Canann Mitchell is the catalyst, hitting 109 of 164 throws for 1,578 yards and all 18 touchdowns. His favorite targets include Cameron Miller, who has 32 catches for 523 yards and eight touchdowns, and Jack Donovan, who has 38 grabs for 453 yards and three scores. Landen Lewis, Cael Horgan, Cale Horak and Andre Johnson all add explosive receiving threats.It is not just a passing show. Rossville has also rushed for 3,006 yards and 51 touchdowns on 386 attempts, averaging 250.5 yards per game and 7.8 yards per carry. Mitchell has 1,013 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, making him a true dual–threat. Bush, Johnson, Lewis and Donovan round out a deep backfield.“Rossville is athletic and very fast,” Schneider said. “Their quarterback can run or throw, and he throws a really good ball. They have receivers who are tall and can go get it. Defensively they fly to the football.”Their most recent win, a 21–18 semifinal victory at Jackson Heights, showed that the Bulldogs can grind too. Mitchell carried 22 times for 92 yards and a touchdown and completed 8 of 12 passes for 104 yards and two scores. Horgan caught five passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Horak came up with the game’s only interception.The matchup Friday will pit Sterling’s bruising, big–play ground attack against a Rossville defense that has been opportunistic, and a Rossville offense that can hurt teams with both run and pass against a Sterling defense that is used to tackling in space. On one side, a Sterling program chasing its first state football title in 43 years and trying to surpass the 12–0 record of the 1982 champions. On the other, a Rossville team more accustomed to this stage and one that expects to contend every November.For Schneider, the moment is equal parts football and relationships.“It means the world to me,” he said. “I believe football is a tool to build relationships with these young men. I love the game, but it is about the relationships. I needed that growing up. I had high school and college coaches who changed my life. I would not be where I am without them. I hope we can do the same for our kids.”As Sterling heads 22.4 miles down the road to Gowans Stadium, that bus will carry an unbeaten record, a senior class that helped transform the program, a defense that refuses to back down and an offense that can take over a game in a few snaps.The Black Bears have an opportunity to win their second state title in 2025 for a boys sport. The boys basketball team claimed the Class 2A state title over Moundridge back in March in Manhattan."It's a really cool thing," Schneider said. "We talk about that often, how our kids are pretty calm and collective and business as usual because of that."Everything points toward a classic on Friday afternoon, with the Class 1A championship, history and a short trip home on the line for the Black Bears.