AP Sports Summary for December 3rd, 2023.
3 teams, 2 spots: Florida State, Texas, Alabama leave CFP selection committee difficult choice
One of these three teams will not make the College Football Playoff: Alabama, Florida State and Texas. Whichever is left out will have every right to be angry, and in the case of two, their absence in the CFP would be unprecedented. No. 8 Alabama was the agent of chaos Saturday, upsetting No. 1 Georgia for the Southeastern Conference title and ending the two-time defending national champ's 29-game winning streak. Safely in at 13-0: No. 2 Michigan and No. 3 Washington. The final four-team College Football Playoff is poised to be the most controversial yet.
No. 8 Alabama knocks off No. 1 Georgia 27-24 for SEC title. Both teams await postseason fate
ATLANTA (AP) — Alabama is again top dog in the Southeastern Conference — and perhaps headed to the College Football Playoff. The Crimson Tide ended Georgia's 29-game winning streak with a 27-24 victory over the No. 1 Bulldogs in the Southeastern Conference championship game. Now the big question: Is Georgia's bid for a third straight national title over? Iron Bowl hero Jalen Milroe threw a pair of touchdown passes and No. 8 Alabama's defense dominated much of the way after giving up a score on Georgia's opening possession. It was a compelling playoff statement for a Bama team that lost to Texas early in the season.
No. 4 Florida State beats No. 15 Louisville 16-6 for ACC title, but could miss playoff at 13-0
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Florida State made things as difficult as possible on the College Football Playoff selection committee, using a dominant defensive performance to beat No. 15 Louisville 16-6 on Saturday night for the fourth-ranked Seminoles' first Atlantic Coast Conference championship since 2014. The Seminoles moved to 13-0, but even that doesn't guarantee a spot in the four-team playoff. No Power Five team has ever gone unbeaten, won its conference title and failed to make the playoff. But with starting quarterback Jordan Travis out for the season with a leg injury, Florida State is in danger of becoming the first. Down to their third-string QB, the Seminoles stuck to a conservative game plan against Louisville.
No. 2 Michigan beats No. 18 Iowa 26-0 for Big Ten title, likely to claim top playoff seed
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Blake Corum scored twice, tying the school record for touchdown runs with 55, and No. 2 Michigan beat No. 18 Iowa 26-0 on Saturday night in the Big Ten championship game to likely take the top seed in the College Football Playoff. With coach Jim Harbaugh back on the sideline for the first time in four weeks, the Wolverines (13-0, No. 2 CFP) routed Iowa (10-3, No. 16 CFP) to win three straight outright conference crowns for the first time in school history. And with No. 1 Georgia falling to No. 8 Alabama in the Southeastern Conference title game, Harbaugh and the Wolverines are poised — finally — to claim the top playoff seed and reach No. 1.
Ewers throws 4 TDs as No. 7 Texas bids farewell to Big 12 with 49-21 title win over Oklahoma State
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Seventh-ranked Texas is leaving the Big 12 with bookend championships. Quinn Ewers set a career high by throwing for 452 yards with four touchdowns in a 49-21 victory over No. 19 Oklahoma State in the Big 12 championship game. The Southeastern Conference-bound and 12-1 Longhorns won the title in the Big 12's inaugural 1996 season, plus 2005 and 2009. Ewers completed 35 of 46 passes and his touchdowns went to four different receivers. The biggest one was 362-pound defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat, the Outland Trophy finalist who lined up as a tight end for a 2-yard score.
Kirby Smart says 'no question' Georgia belongs in College Football Playoff after loss to Alabama
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia coach Kirby Smart challenged the College Football Playoff selection committee to believe what that see when judging his No. 1 Bulldogs following the end of their 29-game winning streak. Smart also reminded the committee that in the CFP era, no team at the top of the playoff ranking has fallen out of the playoff by losing in a conference championship game. Smart had to start lobbying the committee because his team lost 27-24 to No. 8 Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game. He says he has "no question" Georgia is "one of the best four teams, 100 percent."
Thunder rally after allowing late 30-0 run and defeat Mavericks 126-120
DALLAS (AP) — Jalen Williams scored 23 points and Oklahoma City rallied after allowing Dallas' NBA-record 30-0 run in the fourth quarter to beat the Mavericks 126-120. The spurt took the Mavericks from a 111-87 deficit to a 117-111 lead with 4:18 to play. The NBA said the previous record in the play-by-play era was a 29-0 run by Cleveland against Milwaukee on Dec. 6, 2009. Dallas led 120-118 before the Thunder scored the game's final eight points. Luka Doncic, who missed Dallas' previous welcoming a newborn daughter, recorded his 59th career regular-season triple-double with 36 points, 18 assists and 15 assists in a season-high 46 minutes.
Klesmit's fast start, Wisconsin's rebounding help Badgers beat No. 3 Marquette 75-64
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Max Klesmit scored all 21 of his points before halftime, Steven Crowl added 16 and Wisconsin capitalized on its rebounding superiority to beat No. 3 Marquette 75-64. Wisconsin beat Marquette for a third straight season in this in-state rivalry between schools separated by just 79 miles. This marks the first three-game winning streak for either team in the 130-game series since the Badgers won four straight from 1998-2001. Wisconsin outrebounded the Golden Eagles 38-23 and outscored them 18-2 in second-chance points. Both teams are 6-2.
Scottie Scheffler builds a 3-shot lead in the Bahamas. Tiger Woods is happy with his recovery
NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Scottie Scheffler gets another chance to win the Hero World Challenge. Tiger Woods has to settle with being happy about the way he feels. Scheffler made all five scoring putts from outside 12 feet. Two were for eagle. He shot a 65 to build a three-shot lead over Matt Fitzpatrick heading into the final round at Albany. Scheffler has been runner-up each of the last two years in the Bahamas. Woods had a bogey-bogey start and made a few sloppy mistakes on the back nine for a 71. He's happy that his recovery from soreness each day has been good.
Jennings, dominant defense carry No. 25 SMU to AAC title, 26-14 over Tulane
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Kevin Jennings threw a touchdown pass and accounted for 266 yards from scrimmage in his first career start, Collin Rogers kicked four second-half field goals and No. 25 SMU beat No. 17 Tulane 26-14 on Saturday in the American Athletic Conference championship game. The Mustangs (11-2) also turned in a stifling defensive performance, limiting Tulane (11-2, No. 22 CFP) to a touchdown during the final 59 minutes to snap the Green Wave's 10-game winning streak and dethrone the defending league champs. SMU sacked Michael Pratt seven times. Defensive back Isaiah Nwokobia's interception in the fourth quarter all but sealed it, sending numerous fans to the exits of Yulman Stadium, where the Wave had celebrated their first AAC title a year ago.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final L.A. Clippers 113 Golden State 112
Final Minnesota 123 Charlotte 117
Final Cleveland 110 Detroit 101
Final Brooklyn 129 Orlando 101
Final Milwaukee 132 Atlanta 121
Final Chicago 124 New Orleans 118
Final Indiana 144 Miami 129
Final Oklahoma City 126 Dallas 120
Final Phoenix 116 Memphis 109
Final OT Utah 118 Portland 113
Final Sacramento 123 Denver 117
Final L.A. Lakers 107 Houston 97
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Dallas 8 Tampa Bay 1
Final Winnipeg 3 Chicago 1
Final N-Y Rangers 4 Nashville 3
Final N-Y Islanders 4 Florida 3
Final Carolina 6 Buffalo 2
Final Ottawa 2 Seattle 0
Final SO Philadelphia 4 Pittsburgh 3
Final OT Detroit 5 Montreal 4
Final OT Boston 4 Toronto 3
Final Arizona 4 St. Louis 1
Final Vegas 4 Washington 1
Final Vancouver 4 Calgary 3
Final SO Anaheim 4 Colorado 3
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TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Final (8)Alabama 27 (1)Georgia 24
Final (4)Florida St. 16 (15)Louisville 6
Final (2)Michigan 26 (18)Iowa 0
Final (7)Texas 49 (19)Oklahoma St. 21
Final (25)SMU 26 (17)Tulane 14
Final Miami (Ohio) 23 (23)Toledo 14
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (2)Arizona 82 Colgate 55
Final Wisconsin 75 (3)Marquette 64
Final Georgia Tech 72 (7)Duke 68
Final (8)Miami 62 Notre Dame 49
Final (9)Baylor 91 Northwestern St. 40
Final (11)Gonzaga 89 Southern Cal 76
Final UNC-Wilmington 80 (12)Kentucky 73
Final (13)FAU 90 Coll. of Charleston 74
Final (17)North Carolina 78 Florida St. 70
Final Drexel 57 (18)Villanova 55
Final (20)Colorado St. 86 Washington 81
Final (24)Illinois 76 Rutgers 58
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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Final OT Columbus 3 Cincinnati 2
Final Los Angeles FC 2 Houston 0
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Chicago at Minnesota 2 p.m.
San Jose at N-Y Rangers 6 p.m.
Columbus at Boston 7 p.m.
Nashville at Buffalo 7 p.m.
Colorado at Los Angeles 8 p.m.
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NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Arizona at Pittsburgh 1 p.m.
Atlanta at N-Y Jets 1 p.m.
Denver at Houston 1 p.m.
Detroit at New Orleans 1 p.m.
Indianapolis at Tennessee 1 p.m.
L.A. Chargers at New England 1 p.m.
Miami at Washington 1 p.m.
Carolina at Tampa Bay 4:05 p.m.
Cleveland at L.A. Rams 4:25 p.m.
San Francisco at Philadelphia 4:25 p.m.
Kansas City at Green Bay 8:20 p.m.
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(15)Creighton at Nebraska 4 p.m.
Southern U. at (21)Mississippi St. 4 p.m.
Keystone at (22)James Madison 1 p.m.
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