Sports category, Page 414
Ohio State and Texas enter CFP semifinal at Cotton Bowl with a chance to end title droughts
ARLINGTON, Texas — There is still a sense for some Ohio State players that they haven’t done anything yet, even after winning twice already this postseason to get into the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl against Texas. “Absolutely. I have been here for four years, and I...
Ravens report: No. 1 WR Zay Flowers won’t play but No. 2 RB Justice Hill will return vs. Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers won’t have to worry about facing the Baltimore Ravens’ top wide receiver in their wild-card playoff game. Zay Flowers will not play Saturday, Ravens coach John Harbaugh told reporters Thursday. Flowers suffered a knee injury during Baltimore’s regular-season finale last week and did not practice this week....
Pirates avoid arbitration with 4 players ahead of 2025 season but can’t come to terms with 2
The Pittsburgh Pirates avoided arbitration with starting pitcher Bailey Falter, relievers David Bednar and Colin Holderman and catcher Joey Bart on Thursday by agreeing each to one-year contracts, according to a source. The Pirates did not come to a settlement with right-handed pitchers Johan Oviedo and Dennis Santana prior to...
Pirates sign pitcher Caleb Ferguson
The Pittsburgh Pirates added a versatile pitcher to the staff Wednesday, agreeing to one-year, $3 million deal with lefty Caleb Ferguson, according to a source. Ferguson, 28, has the potential to work in relief or join the starting rotation. He was 1-4 with a 4.64 ERA, 67 strikeouts and one...
Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin’s status remains uncertain
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin has been labeled as a “game-time decision” for Thursday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers at PPG Paints Arena. Coach Mike Sullivan declared Malkin’s status during an optional morning skate in Cranberry. Scratched due to an undisclosed injury during Tuesday’s 4-3 home shootout loss to the...
First Call: Zay Flowers update; Ravens preparing for Justin Fields to get snaps
Thursday’s “First Call” has an update on injured Baltimore receiver Zay Flowers as the Ravens get ready to host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday. Baltimore is getting ready for both Steelers quarterbacks in the game. The national media spin about Mike Tomlin is in its usual January mode. And we...
U mad, bro?: Fans are either mad at the Steelers or mad at people critical of the Steelers. Pick a side
The Pittsburgh Penguins have lost five of six and are living off of loser points like the raccoons who dig through my garbage can on trash night. Actually, let’s be honest. This year, for the Penguins, every night is trash night. As a result, I’ve gotten quite a few angry...
Minor league report: Ville Koivunen’s hat trick leads Penguins past Marlies
Buoyed by a hat trick and an assist by forward Ville Koivunen, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defeated the Toronto Marlies, 6-3, at the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto on Wednesday. Defenseman Filip Kral scored two goals for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (19-8-3-0) while forward Vasily Ponomarev recorded three assists. Goaltender Filip Larsson improved his record...
Unlikely 3-point shooter lifts Duquesne past Saint Joseph’s in overtime
The 6-foot-9 David Dixon, known more as a shot-blocker than a 3-point shooter, wants everyone to know he can hit that shot when it matters. The Duquesne junior forward connected from long range in overtime Wednesday night against Saint Joseph’s when it mattered most. He wasn’t bad on defense, either....
Chargers QB Justin Herbert looks to add playoff victory to list of accomplishmentsVideo
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Justin Herbert has accomplished several personal milestones during his first five years in the league. However, it hasn’t resulted in playoff success for the Los Angeles Chargers. Herbert can change that Saturday when the Chargers travel to Houston for an AFC wild-card round game. It will...
Rookie class led by Bucky Irving, Jalen McMillan lift Buccaneers
TAMPA, Fla. — Baker Mayfield had the best statistical year of his career, Mike Evans topped 1,000 yards receiving for a record-tying 11th consecutive season and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are NFC South champions for a franchise-best fourth straight time. It would be safe to say, though, the Bucs (10-7)...
Robert Morris drops 80-69 Horizon League decision to Cleveland State
Over the previous five games, Robert Morris offered coach Andy Toole hope. The Colonials had won four of those games and looked like they were ready to stand up to a team such as Cleveland State and take whatever punches its players might throw. He was wrong. Cleveland State (11-6,...
Ending 8-year playoff drought sweet for Broncos’ Courtland Sutton, Garett BollesVideo
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Ending the Denver Broncos’ long playoff drought was especially poignant for left tackle Garett Bolles and wide receiver Courtland Sutton. “GB and I are the two longest-tenured guys on the team, so we’ve been through the ugly,” Sutton said. “For us to be able to see this...
Briefly a Buckeye, QB Quinn Ewers returned to roots to lead Texas’ resurgenceVideo
AUSTIN, Texas — Long before Quinn Ewers was a key part of Texas’ resurgence as a college football power, he bolted north for Ohio State, lured by money and a chance to play in a program already competing for national championships. After landing on campus in the middle of training...
Josh Allen proves critics wrong as he leads Bills into playoffs for 6th straight yearVideo
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Josh Allen has a long list of doubters dating to his humble beginnings at central California’s Reedley community college. It’s not often that the Buffalo Bills quarterback gets an opportunity to amusingly confront one of them during a celebrity golf tournament, like he did with Pro...
Tim Cowlishaw: First 12-team College Football Playoff reminds fans to be careful what they wish for
DALLAS — From the “Be Careful What You Wish For” Department, we bring you this week in college football. Congratulations to all those who argued so strongly and loudly for so many years to bring a tournament to the postseason. The first final four of the expanded (and soon to...
Commanders who went through ‘darkness’ savor playoffs
ASHBURN, Va. — Tress Way does not like using the word “darkness” to describe the losing he has endured over the past decade as Washington’s longest-tenured player because of the fun he has had along the way. The two-time Pro Bowl punter even got to take part in a couple...
‘We’re going to follow his lead’: Steelers leaning on QB Russell Wilson’s playoff experience
The Pittsburgh Steelers are putting their playoff hopes in the hands of a 36-year-old quarterback who has won and lost a Super Bowl, something he has in common with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. Russell Wilson reflects on his 9-7 postseason record with positivity, as the nine-time Pro Bowl pick chooses...
Sony Open starts race for fewer PGA Tour players to keep jobs
HONOLULU — The royal palms on a Waialae course that runs along the Pacific Ocean give a peaceful ambiance to the Sony Open, the ideal place for the full PGA Tour membership to start the year. But a new season has brought a small degree of stress in paradise. The...
Former star Pa. running back turns down Bill Belichick, transfers to SEC school
Former Pottsgrove running back Rahsul Faison had options to where he would play his senior season, including for Bill Belichick at North Carolina. Ultimately, Faison announced this week he would be suiting up for South Carolina. Faison spent his first three years at Pottsgrove before becoming a two-star recruit by...
Ravens injury report for playoff vs. Steelers: Zay Flowers remains out, Justice Hill practices fully
It is becoming increasingly unlikely the Baltimore Ravens will have their No. 1 wide receiver available for Saturday’s playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Zay Flowers again sat out practice Wednesday, according to the injury report. Flowers, who had a team-most 1,059 receiving yards this season, suffered a knee injury...
Steelers injury report: status quo on Mason McCormick, Donte Jackson; MyCole Pruitt out
No news seemingly was good news Wednesday in regards to the statuses of two Pittsburgh Steelers starters for Saturday’s playoff opener. Veteran starting outside cornerback Donte Jackson again was listed as fully practicing and rookie starting right guard as a partial participant for Wednesday’s session, which was held at Acrisure...
NHL will have outdoor games in Miami and Tampa next season
MIAMI — Hockey. Outdoors. In Florida. Next season, the NHL is making it happen — twice. The NHL announced Wednesday that the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers will play host to the New York Rangers at loanDepot Park in Miami — home of baseball’s Marlins — on Jan. 2, 2026,...
NHL postpones L.A. Kings’ home game against Calgary due to wildfires, while NFL monitors situation
LOS ANGELES — The NHL postponed the Los Angeles Kings’ home game against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday with several massive wildfires still burning across the greater Los Angeles area. The Kings and Flames were scheduled to play Wednesday night at the Kings’ downtown arena. The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers...
Trip to CFP title game on the line when Notre Dame, Penn State meet in Orange Bowl
DANIA BEACH, Fla. — It’s been a long time since Notre Dame or Penn State reached college football’s mountaintop as national champion. It was 1988 for the Fighting Irish, 1986 for the Nittany Lions. There’s been good seasons and bad seasons in the three-plus decades that have followed, coaching changes...
