AP Sports Summary for January 7th, 2025:
NFL coaching moves: Mayo, Pederson are out of a job while Giants elect to keep Daboll
New England's Jerod Mayo and Jacksonville's Doug Pederson are two NFL coaches out of a job while New York Giants coach Brian Daboll is among those who look like they will be back next fall. It's the day after the NFL's regular season, which usually means a tough day for coaches as underachieving teams move quickly to make changes. Mayo was fired on Sunday after the team's win over the Buffalo Bills, ending his tenure after just one season and a 4-13 record. The move means the Patriots will embark on another rebuild as the team tries to build an identity following the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era. Pederson is out as Jacksonville's head coach after the franchise won just four games.
North Dakota State wins 10th FCS title as Miller accounts for 4 TDs in 35-32 win over Montana State
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Cam Miller ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more to lead North Dakota State to its record 10th Football Championship Subdivision title. The Bison beat top-seeded and previously undefeated Montana State 35-32 on Monday night. Miller was making his 54th consecutive start for North Dakota State. The Bison played in the title game for the 11th time in 14 seasons, and have lost only one in Frisco, Texas. They last won the championship three years ago, in a game that also had Miller and Montana State's Tommy Mellott as the starting quarterbacks. Montana State's last title came 40 years ago.
Tough, old school defense a calling card for all four teams left in the national championship hunt
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Smothering defenses have carried the last four teams still in the hunt for the national championship. If you want offense, look elsewhere this weekend. The defenses, with All-Americans spread throughout the lineups, are the story of the semifinals. Ohio State, Texas Penn State and Notre Dame all rank in top eight nationally in total defense. The Buckeyes and Longhorns meet in the Cotton Bowl on Friday. The Nittany Lions and Fighting Irish play in the Orange Bowl on Saturday.
Scottie Scheffler withdraws from another tournament, hopes to play at Pebble Beach
DALLAS (AP) — Scottie Scheffler will be skipping another tournament to let his injured right hand heal. Scheffler punctured his hand with broken glass while preparing Christmas dinner. That forced the world's No. 1 player to sit out the season opener at Kapalua in The Sentry. Now he says he has withdrawn from The American Express in the California desert that starts next week. Scheffler says his hand needs more time to heal from minor surgery. He says he hopes to be able to start his season at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am that starts on Jan. 30.
Chargers plan to sign Ezekiel Elliott to practice squad after his release by Cowboys
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers are planning to sign running back Ezekiel Elliott to their practice squad pending a physical. That's according to two people familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the move had not been completed. The Chargers are the No. 5 seed in the AFC and open the playoffs at Houston on Saturday in a wild-card round game. Elliott was released by the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 31 so that he could possibly sign with a playoff team seeking a veteran running back.
Castroneves to attempt to qualify for Daytona 500, would be NASCAR debut for 4-time Indy 500 winner
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will attempt to make his NASCAR debut in next month's Daytona 500 with Trackhouse Racing. Castroneves is one of the most popular drivers in IndyCar history. He has been trying for two years to get a Daytona 500 seat and finally landed one Monday as part of Trackhouse's "Project 91" designed to give renowned racers from outside of NASCAR a shot in a stock car. Castroneves will need to qualify for the Feb. 16 race with either a fast time in time trials, or, race his way in via a qualifying race. If Castroneves won the Daytona 500, he would join Foyt and Mario Andretti as the only drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500.
Suns' Beal stars as a reserve in win over 76ers and makes it clear he believes he is an NBA starter
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bradley Beal made the most of the unfamiliar role of substitute for the Phoenix Suns. That doesn't mean he had to like it. Beal came off the bench for the first time in nine years on Monday night and scored a team-high 25 points as the Suns snapped a four-game losing streak with a 109-99 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. After the game, the 31-year-old Beal said he accepted coach Mike Budenholzer's lineup change, but made it clear he considers himself a starter in the NBA.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft says he put Jerod Mayo in 'untenable situation,' vows to correct course
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — When Robert Kraft hired Jerod Mayo a year ago, he felt he'd identified the right person to follow Bill Belichick. In hindsight, Kraft now believes Mayo wasn't quite ready to be an NFL head coach. The Patriots team owner said that his abrupt firing of Mayo just minutes after he completed his first season in the job is an effort to correct that mistake. And after watching back-to-back dismals seasons for a franchise that won six Lombardi trophies over the past two-plus decades, the 83-year-old owner vowed to do what he can to see it return to a championship level. That will include a fast coaching search, but not changes in the front office, with Kraft confirming executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf will return.
Antetokounmpo needs 3 stitches in finger and returns to post a triple-double in win over Raptors
TORONTO (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo needed three stitches to close a cut near the base of his right pinkie against Toronto on Monday night, and returned to the game to finish his fourth triple-double of the season. Antetokounmpo banged his finger on the rim while trying to chase down RJ Barrett's fast-break dunk late in the second quarter. He finished with 11 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds in a 128-104 road win over the struggling Raptors. Antetokounmpo said his finged was "kind of numb,' but insisted he was fine.
The 49ers fire special teams coordinator Brian Schneider, AP source says
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers fired special teams coach Brian Schneider following a season when repeated blunders in the kicking contributed to a losing season, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team hadn't announced the firing. Schneider finished his third season in San Francisco and this one was clearly the worst as the Niners finished last in the league in expected points added on special teams and near the bottom of nearly all efficiency stats involved with the kicking game.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Detroit 118 Portland 115
Final Phoenix 109 Philadelphia 99
Final Milwaukee 128 Toronto 104
Final Indiana 113 Brooklyn 99
Final Orlando 103 New York 94
Final Memphis 119 Dallas 104
Final Chicago 114 San Antonio 110
Final Minnesota 108 L.A. Clippers 106
Final 2OT Sacramento 123 Miami 118
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final SO Buffalo 4 Washington 3
Final OT Montreal 5 Vancouver 4
Final Colorado 3 Florida 1
Final New Jersey 3 Seattle 2
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (12)Houston 65 TCU 46
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Houston at Washington 7 p.m.
Phoenix at Charlotte 7 p.m.
L.A. Lakers at Dallas 7:30 p.m.
Minnesota at New Orleans 8 p.m.
Atlanta at Utah 9 p.m.
Boston at Denver 10 p.m.
Miami at Golden State 10 p.m.
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Carolina at Tampa Bay 7 p.m.
Columbus at Pittsburgh 7 p.m.
Dallas at N-Y Rangers 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Boston 7 p.m.
Ottawa at Detroit 7 p.m.
Toronto at Philadelphia 7:30 p.m.
Nashville at Winnipeg 8 p.m.
St. Louis at Minnesota 8 p.m.
Calgary at Anaheim 10 p.m.
Vegas at San Jose 10:30 p.m.
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(1)Tennessee at (8)Florida 7 p.m.
(2)Auburn at Texas 9 p.m.
Utah at (3)Iowa St. 8 p.m.
Pittsburgh at (4)Duke 7 p.m.
(6)Kentucky at Georgia 7 p.m.
Georgetown at (7)Marquette 8 p.m.
(14)Mississippi St. at Vanderbilt 9 p.m.
Arizona at (21)West Virginia 7 p.m.
(24)Michigan at (22)UCLA 10 p.m.
(25)Utah St. at San Jose St. 10 p.m.
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