AP Sports Summary for December 23rd, 2024:
Jalen Hurts leaves with a concussion as the Eagles' winning streak ends at 10
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Jalen Hurts has been ruled out of the Philadelphia Eagles' game at the Washington Commanders with a concussion. Hurts' head bounced off the ground at the end of one run, and Frankie Luvu hit him in the helmet at the end of another early in the first quarter. Hurts went to the blue medical tent on the visiting sideline and was replaced at quarterback by Kenny Pickett. After trying to return to the game, Hurts was escorted back to the tent and then down the tunnel to the locker room. Pickett threw a touchdown pass to A.J. Brown and an interception after as the Eagles went up big early in the game.
Sam Darnold and Justin Jefferson lead surging Vikings past Seahawks 27-24
SEATTLE (AP) — Sam Darnold connected with a well-covered Justin Jefferson with 3:51 left for his third TD pass of the game, and the Minnesota Vikings outlasted Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks 27-24 to keep pace with Detroit for the top spot in the NFC. Jefferson finished with 10 catches for 148 yards and two TDs as the Vikings won their eighth straight. If they can beat Green Bay and Detroit to close out the season, they will earn the top seed in the conference and a first-round playoff bye. The Seahawks have lost two straight after a four-game winning streak and fell one game behind the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West.
Cowboys beat Tampa Bay 26-24 as Baker Mayfield and the Bucs lose control of their playoff fate
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cooper Rush threw a touchdown pass, Brandon Aubrey kicked two 58-yarders among four field goals and the Dallas Cowboys beat Tampa Bay 26-24, costing Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers control of their playoff fate. The end of a four-game winning streak left the Bucs even with Atlanta atop the NFC South with two games remaining, but the Falcons have the tiebreaker. A three-year playoff run for the Cowboys ended when they were eliminated from postseason contention before the prime-time kickoff. Mayfield was in position to lead a rally from a nine-point deficit in the final three minutes when the Cowboys' DaRon Bland stripped the ball from Rachaad White to seal the win.
College playoffs looks for good matchups after snoozy first round of blowouts
The average final score over the first week of the College Football Playoffs: Winners 36, Losers 17. This bold, new experiment was supposed to bring more programs from more parts of the country into the loop of a largely regional sport that had been dominated by about a half-dozen teams for the last decade. Instead, it will take another 10 days to find out if "more" really means more — or if more just means more blowouts before arriving at what we had before — a group of four contenders battling it out for a title that only they had any realistic chance to win.
After beating Tennessee, Ohio State will finally get its rematch with Oregon
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State players had been thinking about a rematch with Oregon long before the Buckeyes crushed Tennessee in a first-round playoff game. Their first chance to avenge the Oct. 12 loss to the Ducks looked to be the Big Ten championship game, but that slipped away when the Buckeyes lost to Michigan and gave up their spot in the title game. Now, by virtue of Saturday night's 42-17 win over Tennessee, the Buckeyes will see the Ducks again in a quarterfinal game on a grand stage — the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.
Texans WR Tank Dell released from hospital, headed back to Houston after severe knee injury
HOUSTON (AP) — Texans receiver Tank Dell has been released after an overnight stay in the hospital and was traveling back to Houston on Sunday after sustaining a severe knee injury in Saturday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Coach DeMeco Ryans provided the update Sunday, but didn't have many details beyond his return to Houston. "Right now, we still will be evaluating to see where he is," Ryans said. "He's still meeting with doctors to see what's next for him. But it is a significant knee injury."
Tiger's son makes the ace. Bernhard Langer makes the winning putt in playoff over Woods at PNC
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods' son hit the shot of his life for a hole-in-one. Bernhard Langer hit the shot that mattered. The 67-year-old Langer made an 18-foot eagle putt on the first playoff hole as he and son Jason won the PNC Championship for the second straight year. They beat Woods and 15-year-old son Charlie in a playoff. Team Langer and Team Woods each shot 57 in the scramble format. They made par on only four holes and set the tournament scoring record. Charlie Woods says the entire day, even in loss, was his most fun on the golf course.
Penn State beats Louisville 3-1 to make Schumacher-Cawley 1st female coach to win volleyball title
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Jess Mruzik made 29 kills with a .315 hitting percentage, and Katie Schumacher-Cawley became the first female coach to win a NCAA volleyball championship as Penn State defeated Louisville 3-1 in the final. The Nittany Lions (35-2) earned their record eighth national championship and first since 2014 under the third-year coach, who has led the team while undergoing treatment for breast cancer that was diagnosed in September. Schumacher-Cawley has nonetheless conducted practices between treatments, a determined and emotional journey that provided a rallying point for players and garnered widespread support. Penn State completed its mission by winning 25-23, 32-34, 25-20 and 25-17.
Rangers forward Matt Rempe suspended for eight games for elbow on Heiskanen
NEW YORK (AP) — New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe has been suspended for eight games for boarding and elbowing Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen on Friday night. Rempe had an in-person hearing via Zoom on Sunday, as opposed to a phone call, which allowed senior vice president of player safety George Parros and his department to suspend Rempe for six or more games. Rempe, a 6-foot-8 forward, became popular last season in his rookie year with the Rangers for fighting some of the toughest players in the league, but he was ejected twice and also received a four-game ban for an elbow to the head of New Jersey's Jonas Siegenthaler.
Tyreek Hill says drops against 49ers were a result of lack of practice reps with Tua Tagovailoa
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tyreek Hill has not shied away from accountability during one of the least productive seasons of his nine-year career. On Sunday, after a poor performance in Miami's 29-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers, Hill was candid about the reason for a puzzling decline in his connection with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa this season. Hill caught just 3 of 7 targets for 29 yards and a touchdown and had several drops, including one on third down that went through his hands on Miami's opening drive. He said the drops were becuase of a lack of practice reps with Tua Tagovailoa.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Indiana 122 Sacramento 95
Final Houston 114 Toronto 110
Final OT Denver 132 New Orleans 129
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Carolina 3 N-Y Rangers 1
Final Washington 3 Los Angeles 1
Final Florida 4 Tampa Bay 2
Final SO Anaheim 5 Utah 4
Final Edmonton 3 Ottawa 1
Final Colorado 5 Seattle 2
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NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Final Atlanta 34 N-Y Giants 7
Final OT Carolina 36 Arizona 30
Final Cincinnati 24 Cleveland 6
Final Detroit 34 Chicago 17
Final Indianapolis 38 Tennessee 30
Final L.A. Rams 19 N-Y Jets 9
Final Washington 36 Philadelphia 33
Final Minnesota 27 Seattle 24
Final Buffalo 24 New England 21
Final Las Vegas 19 Jacksonville 14
Final Miami 29 San Francisco 17
Final Dallas 26 Tampa Bay 24
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (3)Iowa St. 99 Morgan St. 72
Final (6)Alabama 81 Kent St. 54
Final (8)Kansas 87 Brown 53
Final (14)Oklahoma 89 Cent. Arkansas 66
Final (19)Cincinnati 84 Grambling St. 49
Final (24)Michigan 89 Fort Wayne 58
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Boston at Orlando 7 p.m.
Houston at Charlotte 7 p.m.
San Antonio at Philadelphia 7 p.m.
Utah at Cleveland 7 p.m.
Brooklyn at Miami 7:30 p.m.
Minnesota at Atlanta 7:30 p.m.
Toronto at New York 7:30 p.m.
L.A. Clippers at Memphis 8 p.m.
Milwaukee at Chicago 8 p.m.
Washington at Oklahoma City 8 p.m.
Portland at Dallas 8:30 p.m.
Indiana at Golden State 10 p.m.
Phoenix at Denver 10 p.m.
Detroit at L.A. Lakers 10:30 p.m.
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
N-Y Rangers at New Jersey 1 p.m.
Winnipeg at Toronto 2 p.m.
Montreal at Columbus 7 p.m.
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh 7 p.m.
St. Louis at Detroit 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Florida 7 p.m.
Washington at Boston 7 p.m.
Buffalo at N-Y Islanders 7:30 p.m.
Carolina at Nashville 8 p.m.
Chicago at Minnesota 8 p.m.
Dallas at Utah 9 p.m.
San Jose at Vancouver 9 p.m.
Anaheim at Vegas 10 p.m.
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NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
New Orleans at Green Bay 8:15 p.m.
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Middle Tennessee at (1)Tennessee 7 p.m.
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