Mac Engel: College football’s 12-team playoff is way too long and far too expensive
The “get in” price to watch the Indiana Hoosiers play the Miami Hurricanes for the national title is now up to a record $3,434. According to StubHub, this price qualifies as “Amazing.” Not only is it amazing, but incredible, fantastic and a host of other glowing adjectives, provided you are...
Maye throws 3 TD passes, Stroud has 4 INTs as Patriots top Texans to advance to AFC title gameVideo
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Drake Maye threw three touchdown passes, Marcus Jones returned one of C.J. Stroud’s four interceptions for a score and the New England Patriots defeated the Houston Texans 28-16 on Sunday to advance to the AFC championship game for the first time in seven years. In Mike Vrabel’s...
New Penguins forward Egor Chinakhov finds success with linemate Evgeni Malkin
Even if he is the man in the middle of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ second line, center Tommy Novak is the odd man out. At least when it comes to discussions with his Russian wingers, Egor Chinakhov and Evgeni Malkin. “When they talk, I don’t understand what they’re saying,” quipped the...
Pitt adds another kicker from transfer portal in Western Illinois’ Antonio Chadha
Pitt’s situation at kicker took more shape Sunday when Western Illinois transfer Antonio Chadha announced a commitment to the Panthers. He follows Samuel Hunsaker, a kicker from Northern Arizona (which, like Western Illinois, competes in the Football Championship Subdivision), who committed to Pitt on Jan. 11. While the transfer portal...
Mark Cuban’s financial support has helped transform Indiana’s football program
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Mark Cuban understands what this moment means for Indiana football, probably more than most. Cuban, the billionaire entrepreneur, is a minority owner of the Dallas Mavericks. He knows what winning looks like. Knows what — and how long — it takes to build a successful program....
Injured Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson returns to practiceVideo
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson rejoined his teammates for a practice session in Cranberry on Sunday. Currently designated to injured reserve due to an undisclosed malady, he operated in a non-contact fashion and worked on a “fourth” pairing with defenseman Jack St. Ivany. Karlsson has missed the past three games...
Curt Cignetti has brought Indiana to national championship game in just 2 years
MIAMI — Indiana coach Curt Cignetti built a winner right away with a recruiting strategy built for a new era of college football. Turns out, he’s not the only one with a knack for bringing talent to the Hoosiers. On the eve of Indiana’s first trip to the national title...
David Coit ties program record with 9 3s, scores 43; Maryland beats Penn State
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — David Coit tied the program’s single-game record for made 3-pointers and scored a career-high 43 points — 30 in the first half — to help Maryland beat Penn State, 96-73, on Sunday for the Terrapins’ first Big Ten Conference win this season. Coit made 14 of...
Penguins recall forward Joona Koppanen from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled forward Joona Koppanen from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL) on Sunday. In a corresponding transaction, rookie forward Rutger McGroarty was activated and assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. This is Koppanen’s second recall to the NHL roster this season. Summoned on Nov. 6, Koppanen appeared in 10...
Report: Steelers to interview Pittsburgh native, Super Bowl champion Mike McCarthy
The Pittsburgh Steelers coaching search is adding a candidate with Steel City roots. Greenfield native Mike McCarthy, a Super Bowl champion with the Green Bay Packers, will interview with the Steelers, according to reports by NFL Network and ESPN. McCarthy, 62, is the oldest and most experienced of the head...
Bo Nix breaks his right ankle late in Broncos’ playoff win, will have season-ending surgery
DENVER — Bo Nix broke his right ankle late in overtime of the Denver Broncos’ divisional-round victory over Buffalo on Saturday and will have surgery that will sideline him for the rest of the playoffs. Coach Sean Payton delivered the stunning news about his second-year quarterback in the aftermath of...
Cade Cavalli and Nationals agree to $870,000 contract, settle arbitration case with smallest gap
WASHINGTON — Right-hander Cade Cavalli and the Washington National avoided salary arbitration Sunday when they agreed to a one-year contract worth $870,000, a deal that includes a 2027 team option. When the sides exchanged proposed arbitration salaries on Jan. 8, Cavalli asked for $900,000 and the Nationals offered $825,000. The...
Green Day to open 60th Super Bowl with anniversary ceremony celebrating generations of MVPs
LOS ANGELES — The NFL is marking the 60th anniversary of the Super Bowl with a hometown opening act. Green Day will kick off the big game with an opening ceremony Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, the league announced Sunday. The performance will celebrate six decades...
Joe Starkey’s Stick Route: Steelers should have at least interviewed Kevin Stefanski
He’s only 43. He’s a two-time NFL Coach of the Year. He made the playoffs twice as many times as all other Browns coaches combined since their rebirth in 1999. His team even won a playoff game (he wasn’t on the sidelines, but his offense dropped 40-plus on the Steelers)....
Trump plans executive order for Army-Navy game broadcast
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said he intends to sign an executive order that would give an exclusive four-hour broadcast television window to the Army-Navy Game. “Under my Administration, the second Saturday in December belongs to Army-Navy, and ONLY Army-Navy!” he wrote on Truth Social Saturday. “I will soon sign...
At 45, Venus Williams sets record at Australian Open but falls in the 1st round
MELBOURNE, Australia — It took 45 years to be in a position to set a record that has drawn so much attention. So another 14 1/2 minutes serving to keep her Australian Open hopes alive felt like no time at all for Venus Williams. Ranked No. 576 and playing on...
Minor league report: Penguins tame Wolf PackVideo
A goal and two assists by forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard led the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to a 4-1 win against the Hartford Wolf Pack at Mohegan Arena on Saturday. Defenseman Finn Harding scored his first professional goal and had an assist for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (25-11-1-2) while forwards Tristan Broz and Gabe Klassen each...
Seahawks dominate 49ers from opening kick, advance to NFC title game
SEATTLE — Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, Kenneth Walker III rushed for three scores and the Seattle Seahawks advanced to the NFC Championship game with a dominant 41-6 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night. Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass and got his...
Robert Morris men beat Northern Kentucky in another close game
This time, another close outcome went Robert Morris’ way. Ryan Prather Jr. scored 23 points, including the go-ahead basket in overtime, and Nikolaos Chitikoudis and DeSean Goode registered double-doubles as the Colonials stopped a three-game losing streak with a 92-89 victory Saturday night over Northern Kentucky at Truist Arena in...
‘Embarrassing’: Pitt obliterated by No. 20 Louisville in most lopsided defeat of Jeff Capel era
Through Jeff Capel’s tenure at Pitt, now in its eighth season, fans have grown accustomed to more valleys than peaks as the Panthers have struggled to reach the NCAA Tournament or establish momentum as a program. Over that span, there’s been no shortage of lows in terms of overall results...
Penguins, Arturs Silovs lose another shootout, fall to Blue Jackets
The Pittsburgh Penguins are lucky that shootouts are not what decide postseason games. But if their luck in shootouts does not improve, that could be the reason they miss the postseason for the fourth consecutive season. On Saturday, they were defeated by the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-3, in a shootout...
Treysen Eaglestaff scores 22, West Virginia blows 12-point lead, beats Colorado
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Treysen Eaglestaff scored 22 points, Honor Huff scored nine of his 14 points in the final seven minutes, and West Virginia blew a 12-point lead before beating Colorado, 72-61, on Saturday. Brenen Lorient had 12 points and nine rebounds for West Virginia (12-6, 3-2 Big 12) and...
After spate of injuries, Pitt-Greensburg women’s basketball team gets back on the court
For much of her time, Pitt-Greensburg sophomore Jocelyn Bielak has been playing basketball and loving every minute of it. Even when times have been tough. An injury-ravaged season came to a halt earlier this month for Bielak and the Bobcats when UPG was unable to fill out a lineup, the...
Bo Nix out for season after breaking ankle in win over Bills
DENVER — Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted Josh Allen’s deep throw in overtime, and Bo Nix led the Broncos into position for Wil Lutz’s 24-yard field goal that sent Denver to the AFC Championship game with a 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday. The downside: Nix will have season-ending surgery...
‘Backdoor’ betting sites embrace Steelers coaching search
Willing to risk 46 cents on Chris Shula? Less than a week into the Pittsburgh Steelers’ search, online prediction markets have taken in more than $340,000 from those speculating about who will or won’t be the next coach. The innovative websites operate more like stock markets than the sportsbooks of...
