Oregon vs. James Madison a study in contrasts as high-profile Ducks host a newcomer to the playoffs
The College Football Playoff is pretty much business as usual for Oregon, which is more accustomed to playing at this level. The story is different in several ways for James Madison, a newcomer to the playoff. James Madison coach Bob Chesney will lead the Dukes in Saturday’s first-round game —...
Analysis: Goaltending, special teams woes at heart of Penguins losing streak
When December dawned, the Pittsburgh Penguins were one of the NHL’s surprise teams, off to a 14-7-5 start, flirting with the top of the Eastern Conference standings, defying the preseason predictions that pegged them as also-rans at best. Less than three weeks later, the Penguins are trapped in an 0-3-4...
Texas A&M is not happy just to be here. Aggies plan to beat Miami, and win it all in their CFP debut
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M coach Mike Elko had to take a moment to compose himself when he was asked if this season was championship or bust or if his Aggies were simply happy to reach the College Football Playoff for the first time as they prepared for Saturday’s...
Pitt’s Olivia Babcock wins AVCA National Player of the Year for 2nd straight season
Following Pitt’s Final Four loss to Texas A&M on Thursday, Olivia Babcock won’t get the opportunity to add a national championship to her extensive list of individual accomplishments. But Friday, the Panthers right-side hitter further etched her name into the Pitt athletics and NCAA volleyball history books, winning her second...
Pirates acquire big bat in 2-time All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe in 3-team deal
The Pittsburgh Pirates entered the offseason seeking to add a hitter with pop to their anemic offense, with the expectation that it would address their needs for a corner infielder and outfielder. After swinging and missing on sluggers Josh Naylor and Kyle Schwarber in free agency, the Pirates opted to...
Pitt tailback Juelz Goff enters transfer portal
The biggest news of the day for Pitt football Friday undoubtedly was All-American linebacker Kyle Louis declaring for the NFL Draft. But around the same time Louis made his announcement, redshirt freshman tailback Juelz Goff revealed he will be entering the transfer portal. Goff, a York native who played two...
Pitt linebacker Kyle Louis declares for NFL Draft
One of Pitt’s best football players of the Pat Narduzzi era has put a bow on his college career. Linebacker Kyle Louis, a 2024 All-American, declared for the NFL Draft on Friday. Louis announced his intentions to forego remaining eligibility at Pitt and instead begin preparing to play at the...
New Pirates reliever Gregory Soto eager to embrace any role out of bullpenVideo
The full shape of this offseason’s maneuvering by the Pittsburgh Pirates has yet to be finalized. Before Friday’s trade for slugger Brandon Lowe, it featured mostly swings and misses as the Pirates were linked to several high-profile free agents, namely Kyle Schwarber, though almost all were unsuccessful. One notable offseason...
Football Footnotes: Many push-and-pull matchup dynamics will be at play in Steelers-LionsVideo
Playing the matchup game is fun in advance of any NFL contest. It’s particularly enjoyable when the numbers and the chess pieces pull you in opposite directions. That’s very much the case in Sunday’s upcoming Steelers-Lions game. For this Friday’s “Football Footnotes,” we examine glaring X-and-O red flags and some...
Mark Madden: Mario Lemieux doesn’t need to save the Penguins again
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ ownership transition from Fenway Sports Group to the Chicago-based Hoffmann Family of Companies could be tricky. (Like any transfer of a business worth over a billion dollars.) But one thing is certain: Mario Lemieux will not ride in on a white horse to save the Penguins. Hasn’t he...
Paul Skenes, David Bednar, Mason Miller bring Pittsburgh flair to U.S. World Baseball Classic pitching staff
NEW YORK — Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers has agreed to pitch for the United States in the World Baseball Classic, joining a pitching staff that includes reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The U.S. staff the 2023...
Penguins defenseman Jack St. Ivany is back but knows nothing is guaranteed
Just as the offseason began in April, Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas labeled the left side of the blue line as “a problem.” And when the current season opened, a problem existed on the right side as well. There were too many right-handed defensemen. All-Stars Erik Karlsson...
Pittsburgh Riverhounds name Rob Vincent as head coach
Rob Vincent stepped in as the Pittsburgh Riverhounds’ acting head coach with two months remaining in the 2025 season. After leading the club to the USL Championship title, he will maintain the role of head coach for the upcoming 2026 campaign. The Riverhounds announced Friday that Vincent has been named...
Pittsburgh media personality Guy Junker turned love of sports into a winning career
Editor’s note: The following story was submitted for the Shaler Area Student Section, a collaboration between TribLive and The Oracle, the student newspaper of Shaler Area High School. Pittsburgh sports have changed a lot over the past 45 years, but one thing has managed to stay the same: Guy Junker....
Call it the ‘Tush Push’ or ‘Steel City Shove,’ Steelers deployment of ‘Spartan’ is working
It started out in the NFL community as something between a joke and an appropriately whimsical moniker for what was a new, unconventional phenomenon being introduced by one of its highest-profile teams. The “tush push.” The team that popularized the rugby scrum-like, short-yardage play advocated to call it “the brotherly...
Corey Rucker surpasses 4,000 yards receiving as Arkansas State defeats Missouri State in Xbox Bowl
FRISCO, Texas — Corey Rucker racked up 166 yards receiving and a score, Jaylen Raynor threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns, and Arkansas State took down Missouri State, 34-28, in the inaugural Xbox Bowl on Thursday night. Rucker ends his collegiate career with 4,111 yards, ranked 21st in FBS....
First Call: T.J. Watt spotted at Steelers facility; Tristan Jarry already injured for Oilers
In Friday’s “First Call,” we have a T.J. Watt sighting at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ headquarters. A former Steeler went down with an injury on “Thursday Night Football.” Tristan Jarry is already hurt in Edmonton. And we look at the Penguins’ latest attempt to snap their now seven-game losing streak on...
Tim Benz: On Aaron Rodgers and 2 very different kinds of ‘belief’
After the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Miami Dolphins on “Monday Night Football,” Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a message during his postgame interview. “Hopefully, the belief can pick up because it’s tough to play in the cold weather. And if we can take care of business, we’ll be hosting a...
Seahawks rally from 16-point deficit and stun Rams in OT to move atop NFC West
SEATTLE — Sam Darnold connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a touchdown in overtime, then hit a wide-open Eric Saubert for the winning 2-point conversion, and the Seattle Seahawks rallied from a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun the Los Angeles Rams 38-37 on Thursday night and take a one-game lead in...
Penguins shut out by Senators as losing streak reaches 7
Including Thursday, Evgeni Malkin has been sidelined for seven consecutive games by an undisclosed injury. And during that stretch, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been perfect in one sense. That is to say they haven’t won a single game without the dazzling superstar inhabiting his typical station as center of the...
Reports: WR Jakobi Meyers, Jaguars agree to 3-year, $60M extension
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Receiver Jakobi Meyers and the Jacksonville Jaguars agreed to terms on a three-year, $60 million contract extension Thursday that includes $40 million guaranteed, according to multiple reports. The Jaguars (10-4) traded two 2026 draft picks — fourth- and sixth-rounders — to Las Vegas to acquire Meyers at...
Pitt volleyball swept by Texas A&M as Panthers fall in Final 4 for 5th straight year
The national semifinals have been both familiar territory and an insurmountable obstacle for Pitt volleyball every year dating to 2021. Over four consecutive seasons, the Panthers have advanced to and fallen in the Final Four, their seasons ending just short of a shot at a national championship. Thursday night in...
Allen and Bills look to clinch playoff spot and prevent Browns’ Garrett from getting sack record
Josh Allen will attempt to reach a couple of milestones Sunday while also not becoming part of what Myles Garrett hopes is a record-setting day. Allen and the Buffalo Bills can clinch a seventh consecutive playoff spot with a win at Cleveland and a loss or tie by either Indianapolis...
WNBA players union authorizes negotiators to call a strike if needed during CBA talks
NEW YORK — WNBA players have authorized their union’s executive council to call a strike if necessary, the union announced Thursday as it continues to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement with the league. The WNBPA and league have been negotiating a new agreement for the past few months, extending the...
Retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and family among 7 killed in North Carolina plane crash
STATESVILLE, N.C. — A business jet crashed Thursday while trying to return to a North Carolina airport shortly after takeoff, killing all seven people aboard, including retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family, authorities said. The Cessna C550 erupted into a large fire when it hit the ground. It...
