AP Sports Summary for Sunday, January 7th, 2024.
Texans wrap up playoff spot with 23-19 victory over Colts
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans wrapped up a playoff spot with a 23-19 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday night, with Devin Singletary scoring the go-ahead touchdown on a 3-yard run with 6:20 left. The Texans (10-7) are going to the postseason for the first time since 2019. They won seven of their final 10 games and still could win the AFC South if Jacksonville loses at Tennessee on Sunday. Indianapolis (9-8) was eliminated from the playoff chase with its third loss in five weeks. Stroud was 20 of 26 with 264 yards and two touchdowns, and Nico Collins had nine catches for 195 yards and a score. Jonathan ran for 188 yards and a TD for the Colts.
Dropped 4th-down pass costly as Colts squander playoff chance with 23-19 loss to Texans
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew tried to console Tyler Goodson after the running back dropped a fourth-down pass with 1:06 seconds left in a win-or-go home game against Houston on Saturday night. Heck, Minshew even said after the after the 23-19, playoff-eliminating loss he should have made a better throw. Regardless of who was to blame, Goodson, Minshew and the Colts had no choice but to accept the cold, hard reality — their season is over because on a night they converted only one of third-down chance, they also blew their only fourth-down attempt of the game. Goodson was wide open. And had they connected, Goodson had blockers and a possible lane to the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown.
Steelers top Lamar-less Ravens 17-10, will make the playoffs if Buffalo or Jacksonville loses
BALTIMORE (AP) — Mason Rudolph threw a 71-yard touchdown pass to Diontae Johnson on the first play of the fourth quarter, and the Pittsburgh Steelers took a step toward the postseason with a 17-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens. Rudolph led Pittsburgh to three straight wins to close the season, and now the Steelers wait. They would make the playoffs Sunday if Buffalo loses to Miami or Jacksonville loses to Tennessee. There was some bad news for the Steelers. The Ravens have already locked up the No. 1 seed in the AFC and held Lamar Jackson out of this game.
Harbaugh's future at Michigan is subplot to CFP title game as Washington tries to lock up DeBoer
HOUSTON (AP) — With NFL franchises apparently intrigued with Michigan's Jim Harbaugh again, the question hanging over the College Football Playoff national championship game Monday night between the top-ranked Wolverines and No. 2 Washington is: Could this be his last as the coach of his alma mater? Harbaugh was having none of the speculation at media day. What makes the latest round of will-he-or-won't-he with Harbaugh and the NFL unique is how it has reverberated all the way out to Seattle, where Washington has been working on a new contract for Kalen DeBoer since November.
Experience abounds in CFP title game. 14 starters for Huskies, 9 for Wolverines in 5th or 6th years
HOUSTON (AP) — That extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA because of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season is paying off for the teams playing in the College Football Playoff championship game Monday night. Among Washington's 22 offensive and defensive starters, seven are in their sixth seasons and seven are in their fifth. Michigan has one starter in his sixth season and eight in their fifth. Michigan co-defensive coordinator Jesse Minter says all that experience was a factor in both teams making it to Houston.
Draymond Green reinstated from suspension by NBA after missing 12 games
NEW YORK (AP) — Draymond Green has been reinstated by the NBA from his suspension after the Golden State star missed 12 games for hitting Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic in the face on Dec. 12. The league says Green "demonstrated his commitment to conforming his conduct to standards expected of NBA players" during his suspension, which began Dec. 14. He has met with a counselor as well as had multiple joint meetings with representatives of the league, the Warriors and the National Basketball Players Association. Those meetings, the league added, will continue throughout the season. The Warriors have gone 7-5 without Green, who was also suspended five games in November for placing Minnesota center Rudy Gobert in a headlock.
Nadal withdraws from the Australian Open with an injury just one tournament into his comeback
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the Australian Open with an injury after playing just one tournament in his comeback from 12 months on the sidelines. Nadal said he had concerns over his surgically repaired hip after needing a medical timeout in the third set of his Brisbane International quarterfinal loss to Jordan Thompson on Friday. The 22-time major winner posted on social media on Sunday that scans in Melbourne revealed a small tear in the muscle and he was flying back to Spain for treatment. He says: "Right now I am not ready to compete at the maximum level."
South Dakota State seeking FCS title repeat, Montana in first championship game since '09
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — South Dakota State is seeking to repeat as NCAA champions in the Football Championship Subdivision. The top-seeded undefeated Jackrabbits take a 28-game winning streak into Sunday's title game against No. 2 seed Montana in Frisco, Texas. This is Jimmy Rogers' first year as the Jackrabbits head coach. He was their defensive coordinator for last year's championship, and was a linebacker and captain for their first playoff team in 2009. Montana is playing in its first title game since 2009. The Grizzlies are two-time champions in the second-tier of Division I football. They won titles in 1995 and 2001.
Chris Kirk takes Kapalua lead with final birdie. A dozen players are lined up behind him
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Chris Kirk takes a one-shot lead into the final round of The Sentry in the PGA Tour season opener. And he has plenty of company. Kirk escaped a tee shot into the weeds for a par on the 15th and birdied the final hole for a 66. He leads by one over 21-year-old Akshay Bhatia. Two shots behind were Xander Schauffele and Jordan Spieth Both have won at Kapalua before and know to expect anything in the final round. There were 12 players within four shots of the lead. The Plantation course is renowned for wild finishes of low scoring.
Shiffrin straddles gate as Slovakian skier Vlhova takes lead in 1st run of women's World Cup slalom
KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin has straddled a gate and did not finish the first run of a women's World Cup slalom with Slovakian skier Petra Vlhova leading the race. Shiffrin trailed her main rival by 0.47 seconds at the first checkpoint before the American's left ski went the wrong side of a gate 24 seconds into her run. Shiffrin last straddled a gate in a World Cup race on the same hill in Slovenia in January 2022. Shiffrin has been fighting a cold this week and finished in only ninth position in Saturday's giant slalom. All five slaloms this season have been won by either Shiffrin or Vlhova.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final New York 121 Washington 105
Final Boston 118 Indiana 101
Final Utah 120 Philadelphia 109
Final Houston 112 Milwaukee 108
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Philadelphia 3 Calgary 2
Final Florida 8 Colorado 4
Final Boston 7 Tampa Bay 3
Final Buffalo 3 Pittsburgh 1
Final Toronto 4 San Jose 1
Final SO Montreal 4 N-Y Rangers 3
Final OT Minnesota 4 Columbus 3
Final Vancouver 6 New Jersey 4
Final Nashville 4 Dallas 3
Final SO St. Louis 2 Carolina 1
Final Edmonton 3 Ottawa 1
Final Vegas 5 N-Y Islanders 2
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NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Final Pittsburgh 17 Baltimore 10
Final Houston 23 Indianapolis 19
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (2)Kansas 83 TCU 81
Final (3)Houston 89 West Virginia 55
Final (5)Tennessee 90 (22)Mississippi 64
Final (6)Kentucky 87 Florida 85
Final Seton Hall 78 (7)Marquette 75
Final (8)North Carolina 65 (16)Clemson 55
Final (10)Arizona 92 Utah 73
Final (11)Oklahoma 71 Iowa St. 63
Final Cincinnati 71 (12)BYU 60
Final Utah St. 77 (13)Colorado St. 72
Final (14)Duke 67 Notre Dame 59
Final Charlotte 70 (17)FAU 68
Final (18)Baylor 75 Oklahoma St. 70
Final Southern Miss. 81 (19)James Madison 71
Final Texas Tech 78 (20)Texas 67
Final (21)Wisconsin 88 Nebraska 72
Final Creighton 69 (23)Providence 60
Final (24)Gonzaga 101 San Diego 74
Final (25)Auburn 83 Arkansas 51
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
San Antonio at Cleveland 1 p.m.
Portland at Brooklyn 3 p.m.
Atlanta at Orlando 6 p.m.
New Orleans at Sacramento 6 p.m.
Minnesota at Dallas 7:30 p.m.
Detroit at Denver 8 p.m.
Memphis at Phoenix 8 p.m.
Toronto at Golden State 8:30 p.m.
L.A. Clippers at L.A. Lakers 9:30 p.m.
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Calgary at Chicago 3 p.m.
Los Angeles at Washington 3 p.m.
Winnipeg at Arizona 7 p.m.
Detroit at Anaheim 8 p.m.
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NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE (Eastern Time Zone)
Atlanta at New Orleans 1 p.m.
Cleveland at Cincinnati 1 p.m.
Jacksonville at Tennessee 1 p.m.
Minnesota at Detroit 1 p.m.
N-Y Jets at New England 1 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Carolina 1 p.m.
Chicago at Green Bay 4:25 p.m.
Dallas at Washington 4:25 p.m.
Denver at Las Vegas 4:25 p.m.
Kansas City at L.A. Chargers 4:25 p.m.
L.A. Rams at San Francisco 4:25 p.m.
Philadelphia at N-Y Giants 4:25 p.m.
Seattle at Arizona 4:25 p.m.
Buffalo at Miami 8:20 p.m.
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
SMU at (15)Memphis 5 p.m.
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