KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have already clinched the AFC West for the seventh straight year and are tied with Buffalo for the best record in the conference. Then there's the Denver Broncos who are their opponent Sunday. They mortgaged their future to acquire struggling Russell Wilson from Seattle and just fired coach Nathaniel Hackett with two games left in his first season. It will be up to 67-year-old Jerry Rosburg to guide the Broncos through the next couple of weeks as the interim coach. Kansas City has beaten the Broncos 14 straight times. A 15th win would tie the third longest streak by any team against any opponent in NFL history.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Dak Prescott threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns to Dalton Schultz as the Dallas Cowboys beat the banged-up and resting Tennessee Titans 27-13 for their sixth win in seven games. The Cowboys posted their first back-to-back 12-win seasons since 1994 and 1995, when Dallas won its last of the franchise’s five Super Bowl titles. Fans were chanting “Let’s go Cowboys!” throughout the game. The Titans lost their sixth straight hours after placing quarterback Ryan Tannehill on injured reserve. They gave Joshua Dobbs his first NFL start after signing him Dec. 21 off Detroit's practice squad.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — In an age of opt outs in college football, top NFL prospects for Alabama and Kansas State are opting in at the Sugar Bowl. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. headline those players who could have skipped Saturday's game and the risk of injury. Same goes for K-State running back Deuce Vaughn and defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah. All decided to play. Anudike-Uzomah says he and Vaughn worked three years to get the Wildcats to a major bowl and that it's a “dream” to play against Alabama.
ATLANTA (AP) — Only months after Georgia defensive linemen and Ohio State wide receivers combined to fill five first-round slots in the NFL draft, those positions again boast top talent for the teams preparing to meet in the College Football Playoff Peach Bowl semifinal. Despite important losses in this year's draft, Saturday night’s Peach Bowl will showcase evidence that No. 4 Ohio State and No. 1 Georgia reloaded with more star players. Wide receiver again is a strength for the Buckeyes with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. Jalen Carter leads another strong defensive front for the Bulldogs.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Michael Penix, Jr. threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns and No. 12 Washington held off No. 21 Texas 27-20 on Thursday night in the Valero Alamo Bowl. Texas scored 10 late points, pulling within seven on Bert Auburn’s 26-yard field goal with 1:40 remaining, but failed on an onside kick try. The Longhorns (8-5) stopped the Huskies (11-2) on the ensuing possession and took over on their own 16 with 32 seconds and got to the Washington 40 on the final play of the game. Penix finished the season with 4,641 yards passing to break the 20-year-old Washington season mark of 4,458 set by Cody Pickett.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Jordan Travis threw for 418 yards and two touchdowns and No. 13 Florida State beat Oklahoma 35-32 on Thursday night in the Cheez-It Bowl. Johnny Wilson made a one-handed grab for a 58-yard gain to set up Ryan Fitzgerald’s 32-yard field goal with 55 seconds left. The Seminoles (10-3) held on, sacking quarterback Dillon Gabriel on the Sooners’ comeback bid. Jovante Barnes tied it at 32 for Oklahoma (6-7) with 3:37 left on a 12-yard run. That was after Travis fired a 17-yard pass to tight end Markeston Douglas in the end zone to put the Seminoles up 32-25 midway through the fourth. Florida State won its first bowl since the 2017 season, and its first under coach Mike Norvell.
NEW YORK (AP) — Mohamed Ibrahim rushed for 71 yards on 16 carries with a touchdown and became Minnesota’s all-time rushing leader in the Golden Gophers’ 28-20 win over Syracuse in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Ibrahim broke the school record held by Darrell Thompson (1986-89) on a 10-yard gain with about 2 1/2 minutes left in the first half. Ibrahim finished with 71 yards on 16 carries before Trey Potts replaced him in the backfield. Daniel Jackson hauled in a pair of TD passes in the win.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Quentin Johnston came to TCU because of its coaching stability. Now he's playing in the biggest football game of his career because of a coaching change. Johnston embraced first-year coach Sonny Dykes and is one of many reasons the Horned Frogs have flourished this season with a 12-1 record. They'll face Michigan on Saturday in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Johnston is expected to be a coveted prize in this spring’s NFL draft. His size, speed and strong hands have some evaluators saying he’ll be the first receiver drafted and a potential top 10 pick.
HOUSTON (AP) — Texas Tech is denying claims by Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin that a Red Raiders player spit on one of his players and possibly used a racial slur in the Texas Bowl. There was pushing and shoving between players after a fumble. When asked to clarify if a Texas Tech player used a racial slur, Kiffin said he wasn’t sure but he said there was a slur involved. Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire and Moore both issued statements saying the allegations are false. The Red Raiders beat Ole Miss, 42-25.
WACO, Texas (AP) — Matt Powledge is returning to Baylor as defensive coordinator after a season away at Oregon. Powledge replaces Ron Roberts, who was fired after the 6-6 regular season and has since become defensive coordinator at Auburn for new coach Hugh Freeze. Before spending this season as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Oregon, Powledge had been on Aranda’s original staff at Baylor. Powledge, a Texas native, was the Bears’ safeties coach and special team’s coordinator in 2020 and 2021.
SAO PAULO (AP) — Pelé, Brazil’s mighty king of soccer, has died. He was 82. Since 2021, he had been undergoing treatment for colon cancer discovered during a routine medical exam. Pelé was one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century. He won a record three World Cups with Brazil and was the standard-bearer of “the beautiful game” with the national team and his club Santos. His exuberance and mesmerizing moves transfixed generations of fans around the globe. His flair personified his country’s samba-style elegance. Late in his career, he helped popularize soccer in North America by joining the New York Cosmos.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana’s Buddy Hield made the fastest 3-pointer on record when he hit just three seconds into the Pacers’ game against Cleveland. The opening tipoff was batted to Hield, who caught it behind the arc, turned and shot. The ball went through with 11:57 remaining in the first quarter, with Pacers center Myles Turner being credited with an assist. ESPN Stats & Info said the previous fastest 3-pointer in an NBA game was by Pacers Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, who made one four seconds into a game against Golden State on March 5, 2000. Play-by-play has been recorded in the NBA since the 1996-97 season.
THURSDAY SCORES
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Final Dallas 27 Tennessee 13
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
ALAMO: (12)Washington 27 (21)Texas 20
CHEEZE-IT: (13)Florida St. 35 Oklahoma 32
PINSTRIPE: Minnesota 28, Syracuse 20
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (1)Purdue 82 Florida A&M 49
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Charlotte 121 Oklahoma City 113
Final Indiana 135 Cleveland 126
Final Boston 116 L.A. Clippers 110
Final Memphis 119 Toronto 106
Final San Antonio 122 New York 115
Final Dallas 129 Houston 114
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Buffalo 6 Detroit 3
Final OT Ottawa 4 Washington 3
Final Florida 7 Montreal 2
Final SO Tampa Bay 2 N-Y Rangers 1
Final N-Y Islanders 2 Columbus 1
Final St. Louis 3 Chicago 1
Final Winnipeg 4 Vancouver 2
Final Dallas 4 Minnesota 1
Final Arizona 6 Toronto 3
Final SO Los Angeles 5 Colorado 4
Final OT Philadelphia 4 San Jose 3