CINCINNATI (AP) — Joe Burrow threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score, Samaje Perine rushed for a season-high 106 yards and the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in their first meeting since the Bengals prevailed in last season’s AFC championship game. Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs missed their chance to avenge two losses to Burrow and Cincinnati last season. The Bengals beat the Chiefs last Jan. 2 to clinch the AFC North title, then won four weeks later in overtime to advance to the Super Bowl. On Sunday, Burrow threw a go-ahead 8-yard touchdown pass to Chris Evans with 8:54 remaining.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Malik Hooker returned a fumble 38 yards for a touchdown against his former team in a 33-point fourth quarter for Dallas, propelling the Cowboys to a 54-19 rout of the Indianapolis Colts. Dallas led 21-19 entering the fourth when Dak Prescott threw the last of his three touchdown passes. Hooker’s scoop-and-score was the first of four fourth-quarter takeaways by Dallas, all of which led to touchdowns. The Cowboys had their highest-scoring quarter since at least 1991. It was just the third time in NFL history a team scored as many as 33 points in the fourth. Matt Ryan threw three interceptions and lost a fumble for the Colts.
BALTIMORE (AP) — Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is not expected to miss significant time after injuring his knee in a 10-9 win over Denver. Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said Jackson may not return in time for next week's game against Pittsburgh, but he shouldn't be far off. Backup Tyler Huntley appears far more comfortable in his role as stand-in for the 2019 NFL MVP after guiding Baltimore to a win against the Broncos. Jackson missed the final four games of the 2021 season with an ankle injury, and Baltimore lost every one of them.
UNDATED (AP) — Georgia, Michigan, TCU and Ohio State have made the College Football Playoff, giving the Big Ten multiple programs in the four-team field for the first time. The defending national champion and top-ranked Bulldogs and fourth-seeded Buckeyes will meet Dec. 31 at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta. The second-seeded Wolverines and third-ranked Horned Frogs will play at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, the same day. The national championship game is scheduled for Jan. 9 at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Georgia and Michigan have both opened as the favorites to win their semifinals and reach the title game.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — TCU has reached the College Football Playoff for the first time. The rapid rise under first-year coach Sonny Dykes means the Horned Frogs will play Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Eve. There will be a spot in the CFP title game on the line. Michigan left no doubt about its spot in the CFP, beating Purdue 43-22 to win consecutive Big Ten titles for the first time since 2003-04. College football’s winningest program now has its first 13-win season, finishing No. 2 in the AP Top 25 and CFP standings. Up next is a TCU team that is 12-1.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Alabama and newly crowned Big 12 champion Kansas State will meet for the first time at the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Eve. The Crimson Tide are headed to the Sugar Bowl for the 17th time after narrowly missing out on the four-team College Football Playoff because of losses at Tennessee and LSU on the last play of each game. Kansas State is 10-3 after handing TCU its first loss of the season in overtime of the Big 12 title game in Dallas. The Sugar Bowl could be the final college game for Alabama quarterback and 2021 Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young. He's eligible for the 2023 NFL draft and could even be the top player selected.
Kansas and Arkansas will meet in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 28. This will mark the Jayhawks' first bowl appearance since the end of the 2008 season. Kansas started 5-0 and cracked the AP Top 25 this year. The Jayhawks' six wins are more than they had in the previous three seasons combined. Arkansas started 3-0 and reached No. 10 in the AP Top 25. This is Kansas' second appearance in the Liberty Bowl and first postseason trip since the Insight Bowl in December 2008. This is Arkansas' sixth trip to the Liberty Bowl.
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Deion Sanders has brought the buzz back to Boulder. He was introduced Sunday as Colorado's new football coach. Sanders plans to coach Jackson State in the Celebration Bowl on Dec. 17 before turning his attention full-time to rebuilding a Buffaloes program that has only one winning full-length season since joining the Pac-12 in 2011. Sanders delivered promises and one-liners during an introductory news conference that doubled as a party for long-suffering Buffs fans whose team just finished a 1-11 season. He says his son, Shedeur Sanders, will be Colorado's new quarterback.
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Jaren Holmes scored 14 points and Aljaz Kunc added 12 on Sunday as No. 23 Iowa State handed St. John’s its first loss of the season 71-60. Kunc also contributed eight rebounds and three assists for the Cyclones. Posh Alexander led St. John’s with 14 points. Iowa State turned the tables on the full-court pressing Red Storm, forcing 20 turnovers and holding St. John’s to 36% shooting. The game was part of the Big12/Big East Battle.
AN DIEGO (AP) — Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling were passed over by a Baseball Hall of Fame committee that elected former big league slugger Fred McGriff to Cooperstown on Sunday. It was the first time that Bonds, Clemens and Schilling had faced a Hall committee since their 10th and final appearances on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot. Bonds and Clemens have been accused of using performance-enhancing drugs, and support for Schilling dropped after he made hateful remarks toward Muslims, transgender people, reporters and others.
SUNDAY SCORES
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Final Baltimore 10 Denver 9
Final Cleveland 27 Houston 14
Final Detroit 40 Jacksonville 14
Final Green Bay 28 Chicago 19
Final Minnesota 27 N-Y Jets 22
Final Philadelphia 35 Tennessee 10
Final Pittsburgh 19 Atlanta 16
Final OT Washington 20 N-Y Giants 20
Final San Francisco 33 Miami 17
Final Seattle 27 L.A. Rams 23
Final Cincinnati 27 Kansas City 24
Final Las Vegas 27 L.A. Chargers 20
Final Dallas 54 Indianapolis 19
MON New Orleans at Tampa Bay 8:15 p.m.
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (4)Arizona 81 California 68
Final (5)Purdue 89 Minnesota 70
Final Nebraska 63 (7)Creighton 53
Final (13)Tennessee 94 Alcorn St. 40
Final Virginia Tech 80 (18)North Carolina 72
Final (19)Kentucky 73 Michigan 69
Final Northwestern 70 (20)Michigan St. 63
Final (21)UCLA 65 Oregon 56
Final (23)Iowa St. 71 St. John's 60
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final New Orleans 121 Denver 106
Final Phoenix 133 San Antonio 95
Final Boston 103 Brooklyn 92
Final L.A. Lakers 130 Washington 119
Final Sacramento 110 Chicago 101
Final New York 92 Cleveland 81
Final Memphis 122 Detroit 112
Final Portland 116 Indiana 100
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Winnipeg 5 Anaheim 2
Final SO Minnesota 6 Dallas 5
Final Detroit 4 Columbus 2
Final Buffalo 6 San Jose 3
Final N-Y Islanders 3 Chicago 0