ZURICH (AP) — Two-time Women's World Cup-winning coach Jill Ellis took a full-time job with FIFA ...

ZURICH (AP) — Two-time Women's World Cup-winning coach Jill Ellis took a full-time job with FIFA as its chief football officer on Tuesday.Ellis will continue to work alongside Arsene Wenger, FIFA chief of global football development, in a partnership they started in 2021 when she led the governing body's technical advisory group for women’s soccer.Ellis led the United States to back-to-back world titles in 2015 and 2019. She and former Arsenal coach Wenger promoted FIFA president Gianni Infantino's campaign to double the number of World Cups by playing them every two years instead of four. That project was resisted by European and South American soccer officials and soon dropped.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"The creation of the chief football officer position underscores FIFA's commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive and accessible global football community, ensuring that football remains a sport for all," the governing body said.Ellis has been president of the San Diego Wave in the National Women's Soccer League and her departure was announced on Tuesday."Under Jill's leadership, the Wave set a standard of excellence as an expansion club in the NWSL," club owner Lauren Leichtman said in a statement.<h2>___</h2>AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

BANGKOK, THAILAND - MAY 15: Jill Ellis gives interview on May 15, 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand.

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LONDON (AP) — The captains of two English Premier League teams are in the spotlight for their cho...

LONDON (AP) — The captains of two English Premier League teams are in the spotlight for their choices last weekend when the competition celebrated LGBTQ+ inclusion in its campaign to promote equality and diversity.Rainbow-colored captain armbands were issued to the 20 clubs for matches last weekend and the upcoming midweek round.Ipswich's Sam Morsy was the only captain in action who didn't wear the rainbow armband, with the club saying he made the decision "due to his religious beliefs."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Morsy, a British-born Egypt midfielder, is a practising Muslim.Ipswich said it "respect(s) the decision" of Morsy but is "committed to being a fully inclusive club.""We will continue to grow an environment where all are valued and respected, both on and off the pitch," Ipswich said.Crystal Palace will play Ipswich on Tuesday and its captain, Marc Guehi, wore a rainbow armband bearing the words "I love Jesus" on it during the match against Newcastle on Saturday. A heart was used instead of the word "love."The England defender, who is a devout Christian, could face punishment if it is judged to be a religious slogan. The laws of the game allow "initiative slogans/emblems" but don't allow "political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images."The league's Rainbow Laces campaign, introduced in 2013, is in partnership with LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall and includes a range of activities to "highlight community and education initiatives designed to encourage discussion and promote allyship with LGBTQ+ communities," the competition said. Rainbow Laces branding is widely visible within stadiums on things like corner flags and ball plinths.In France, Nantes fined striker Mostafa Mohamed for refusing to play against Toulouse last year on the weekend teams wore rainbow-colored numbers on their jerseys to support the fight against homophobia. In May, Monaco midfielder Mohamed Camara was given a four-game suspension by the league for covering up an anti-homophobia message on the team’s shirt during the club’s final league game of the season.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 30: Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace looks on during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Newcastle United FC at Selhurst Park on November 30, 2024 in London, United Kingdom.

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DENVER (AP) — Jameis Winston had a night to remember — and one to forget.  Ja’Quan McMillian retu...

DENVER (AP) — Jameis Winston had a night to remember — and one to forget.Ja’Quan McMillian returned an interception 44 yards for a game-sealing touchdown with 1:48 remaining, and Denver spoiled career-best performances by Winston and ex-Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy in beating the Cleveland Browns 41-32 on Monday.The good for Winston: He threw for a franchise-record 497 yards and four touchdowns.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The not-so-good: He tossed two interceptions that Denver returned for scores. The Broncos had three picks for 171 interception return yards against him.“It was my fault,” Winston said. “I’ve got to play better.”It was fully reminiscent of his best — and worst — year in 2019 with Tampa Bay, when he led the NFL in yards (5,109) and was second in TD passes (33) but also led the league in picks (30).“I know I’m better than this,” Winston said. “I’m just praying for the Lord to deliver me from pick-6s. That’s not me. Phenomenal game on offense, do some great things, but I mess it up.”Meanwhile, Jeudy had nine catches for 235 yards — the most in NFL history by a receiver against his former team — and a TD. Jeudy played his first four seasons with Denver and was booed every time he caught the ball.“They only boo you,” Jeudy said, “when they know there’s something great in you.”Nik Bonitto intercepted Winston and took it 71 yards to the house late in the second quarter. Winston became the first NFL quarterback to throw for 400 or more yards with four or more TD passes and two pick-6s.Bo Nix finished with 294 yards passing, including a gorgeous deep ball from his own end zone that Marvin Mims Jr. hauled in for a 93-yard touchdown. Nix also threw two picks.The Broncos (8-5) enter their bye week in the seventh and final playoff spot in the AFC. Denver has a 76% probability of making the postseason, according to the NFL. The team hasn’t been in the playoffs since winning the Super Bowl after the 2015 season.“It wasn’t perfect, by any means, but we were able to finish,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. ”Big plays — the game was full of them.”Winston surpassed the Browns record of 457 yards passing set by Josh McCown in 2015 against Baltimore. He threw a 70-yard TD pass to Jeudy and a pair of scores to tight end David Njoku in falling to 2-3 as a starter for the Browns (3-9) since replacing an injured Deshaun Watson.Cleveland led 32-31 on Winston’s 5-yard TD pass to Nick Chubb when Nix drove the Broncos to the Browns 9. On fourth-and-1, Payton lined up to go for it but changed his mind after a timeout. Wil Lutz kicked a go-ahead 27-yard field goal with 2:54 remaining.Winston and the Browns had plenty of time to drive for a winning score, but Winston’s throw to Elijah Moore was late and McMillian jumped the route. He fell to the turf untouched after making the catch, got up and sprinted to the end zone.“The fact they did it twice was kind of crazy,” Nix said of the interception returns. “I’m over there sitting, the benches have the heaters over there, and I don’t even have to move. It’s pretty nice for the offense when they bail us out like that.”Jeudy, a first-round draft pick in 2020, was traded to Cleveland this spring after an up-and-down four seasons with Denver. He paused at the goal<a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1863788948822089884"> </a>line before falling backward into the end zone on his long TD catch. He also caught a 2-point conversion to pull the Browns to 28-25.“We had a plan going into it in terms of trying to get him open. I thought the plan was solid,” Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski said. “Jerry executed the plan really well. Got him open. Jameis made some throws. It’s hard in the losing effort to feel good about anything.”The play by Jeudy came just 11 seconds after Nix threw a laser from about 4 yards deep in his end zone to Mims at around the 42. Mims caught it in stride, raced to the end zone and jumped into the stands to celebrate.The Broncos relied on their running game in the first half, with Javonte Williams and Michael Burton scoring short TDs. It was Burton’s second TD of his 10-year career.The Browns fell to 4-13 in the Mile High City. Dustin Hopkins missed a 47-yard field goal to the left on Cleveland’s opening drive.Nix, who’s earned the NFL Rookie of the Week three consecutive times, threw his first interception since Nov. 3. Chased by Myles Garrett, Nix tried to force a pass to Tony Franklin over the middle. Denzel Ward reached in and deflected the ball into the air and it was caught by Greg Newsome II.Winston and Jeudy got rolling early with a 44-yard completion on the Browns’ first offensive play.“That wasn’t supposed to go to me,” Jeudy explained.<h3>Pregame speech</h3>Winston delivered a fiery pregame oration to his teammates, yelling, “It’s got to come from your heart. I don’t care about no Mile High. I care about how the Browns get down.”<h3>Injury report</h3>Broncos: WR Jamari Thrash (shoulder) left the game. ... Ward (calf) and S Grant Delpit (head) were both off the field on Denver’s late drive for the go-ahead field goal.Broncos: S Brandon Jones sustained a groin injury.<h3>Up next</h3>Browns: At Pittsburgh on Sunday.Broncos: After a bye, host Indianapolis on Dec. 15.<h2>___</h2>AP NFL: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nfl">https://apnews.com/hub/nfl</a>

DENVER, COLORADO - DECEMBER 02: Bo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos celebrates after throwing a 93 yard touchdown pass to Marvin Mims Jr. #19 against the Cleveland Browns during the third quarter in the game at Empower Field At Mile High on December 02, 2024 in Denver, Colorado.

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BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Florida Atlantic is finalizing the hiring of Texas Tech offensive coordin...

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Florida Atlantic is finalizing the hiring of Texas Tech offensive coordinator Zach Kittley as its new head coach, a person with knowledge of the decision said Monday.Kittley and the school were working through the remaining details Monday, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the school has yet to announce that the hiring is complete.The Owls are replacing Tom Herman, who was fired two weeks ago with two games left in his second year at the school.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Kittley had stints as offensive coordinator at Houston Baptist and Western Kentucky before returning to Texas Tech — his alma mater — in 2022 in the same role. The Red Raiders have averaged 435 yards per game over the last three seasons under Kittley, 22nd best among all FBS teams.This season saw the Red Raiders rank among the nation's best offenses: They were eighth in yards per play, eighth in points per game, 10th in yards per game and did all that at a pace nearly unmatched nationally. Texas Tech averaged 78.25 plays per game this season, just behind Syracuse's 78.33 for the national lead.As a student assistant, then graduate assistant and assistant quarterbacks coach at Texas Tech, Kittley helped coach Patrick Mahomes — the Kansas City Chiefs star, NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion — during his collegiate career.The Owls went 3-9 this season, their fourth consecutive losing record. Lane Kiffin went 27-13 with two bowl wins in his three seasons at FAU; the Owls are 22-35 in five seasons since Kiffin left for Ole Miss after the 2019 campaign.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - OCTOBER 14: Zach Kittley of the Texas Tech Red Raiders talks to Behren Morton #2 during the first half of the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Jones AT&T Stadium on October 14, 2023 in Lubbock, Texas.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Zaay Green had 22 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, Essence Cody add...

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Zaay Green had 22 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, Essence Cody added 13 points and 11 rebounds and No. 19 Alabama beat Georgia State 98-49 on Monday.Green scored the first four points of a 15-0 first-quarter run to give Alabama the lead for good after Georgia State started the game by scoring 11 of the opening 15 points. Karly Weathers made a 3-pointer with 3:27 left in the second quarter to give Alabama a double-digit lead for good. It was 50-27 at halftime.Cody scored the first six points of Alabama’s 18-2 run to begin the second half, while Georgia State was just 1 of 10 from the field.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Sarah Ashlee Barker and Eris Lester narrowly missed securing a double-double for Alabama (9-0). Barker had 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists, and Lester added 11 points and eight rebounds. Aaliyah Nye scored 11. The Crimson Tide made 21 of 23 free-throw attempts.Mikyla Tolivert led Georgia State (5-4) with 10 points. The Panthers were out-rebounded 65-22, including 25-4 on the offensive end.Alabama plays at California on Thursday in the SEC/ACC Challenge. Georgia State hosts Sewanee on Sunday.___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - NOVEMBER 10: Zaay Green #14 of the Alabama Crimson Tide brings the ball down court during the first half against the Troy Trojans at Coleman Coliseum on November 10, 2024 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

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Kansas held off Auburn for the No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketb...

Kansas held off Auburn for the No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketball poll on Monday as Southeastern Conference teams grabbed three of the top four spots and two-time reigning national champion UConn nearly fell out entirely after an 0-3 week at the Maui Invitational.The Jayhawks earned 35 of 61 first-place votes in the poll, while the Tigers got the remaining 26 and climbed two spots to No. 2 after wining the Maui title. The Huskies fell all the way to No. 25, barely avoiding becoming only the second team to go from No. 2 to unranked in a week in nearly four decades.It was part of a turbulent week with holiday-week tournaments, leading to six new teams entering the rankings headlined by No. 12 Oregon and No. 16 Memphis.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Rank</th>
<th>Team</th>
<th>Record</th>
<th>Previous</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>1</td>
<td>Kansas</td>
<td>7-0</td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2</td>
<td>Auburn</td>
<td>7-0</td>
<td>4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3</td>
<td>Tennessee</td>
<td>7-0</td>
<td>7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>4</td>
<td>Kentucky</td>
<td>7-0</td>
<td>8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>5</td>
<td>Marquette</td>
<td>8-0</td>
<td>10</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>6</td>
<td>Iowa State</td>
<td>5-1</td>
<td>5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>7</td>
<td>Gonzaga</td>
<td>7-1</td>
<td>3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>8</td>
<td>Purdue</td>
<td>7-1</td>
<td>13</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>9</td>
<td>Duke</td>
<td>5-2</td>
<td>11</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>10</td>
<td>Alabama</td>
<td>6-2</td>
<td>9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>11</td>
<td>Wisconsin</td>
<td>8-0</td>
<td>15</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>12</td>
<td>Oregon</td>
<td>8-0</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>13</td>
<td>Florida</td>
<td>8-0</td>
<td>18</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>14</td>
<td>Cincinnati</td>
<td>6-0</td>
<td>16</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>15</td>
<td>Baylor</td>
<td>5-2</td>
<td>17</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>16</td>
<td>Memphis</td>
<td>6-1</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>17</td>
<td>Houston</td>
<td>4-3</td>
<td>6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>18</td>
<td>Pittsburgh</td>
<td>7-1</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>19</td>
<td>Illinois</td>
<td>6-1</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>20</td>
<td>North Carolina</td>
<td>4-3</td>
<td>12</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>21</td>
<td>Oklahoma</td>
<td>7-0</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>22</td>
<td>Texas A&amp;M</td>
<td>6-2</td>
<td>20</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>23</td>
<td>Ole Miss</td>
<td>6-1</td>
<td>23</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>24</td>
<td>San Diego State</td>
<td>4-2</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>25</td>
<td>UConn</td>
<td>5-3</td>
<td>2</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure>Kansas (7-0), which beat Duke last week, had increased its margin on the No. 2-ranked team each week since the preseason poll and had a 107-point margin on the Huskies last week. But with the Tigers — ranked No. 1 in KenPom’s metrics — beating ranked Iowa State and North Carolina teams in the Maui title run, that margin is just nine points this week.Auburn was joined by fellow SEC schools No. 3 Tennessee and No. 4 Kentucky, with each team climbing four spots. Marquette was next at No. 5, followed by Iowa State, Gonzaga, Purdue, Duke and Alabama to round out the top 10.UConn’s slideThe Huskies (5-3) had won 17 straight games entering the Maui Invitational, but things quickly went awry with an opening-round overtime loss to Memphis in a game that had coach Dan Hurley fuming about officiating. UConn lost the next day to Colorado, then lost to Dayton in the seventh-place game to finish last in the prestigious tournament.It was reminiscent of No. 2 Arizona’s 0-3 crash at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas in November 2017. But the Huskies avoided the same poll fate as the Wildcats, who became the first team to go from No. 2 to unranked in a week since Louisville in November 1986 after its tournament flop in the Great Alaska Shootout.Rising and fallingWhile Oregon jumped 26 spots to enter the AP Top 25, Marquette, Purdue and No. 13 Florida had the week’s biggest climbs within the poll, each rising five spots. No. 11 Wisconsin joined Tennessee and Kentucky with four-spot jumps as 10 teams rose from their spots in last week’s poll.In all, seven teams fell from last week’s poll.While UConn’s tumble stood out, No. 17 Houston fell 11 spots after losses to Alabama and now-No. 24 San Diego State in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas.North Carolina also had a big fall, sliding eight spots to No. 20 after losses to Auburn and Michigan State in Maui. Gonzaga tumbled four spots to seventh after losing its Battle 4 Atlantis opener to West Virginia.Status quoNo. 23 Mississippi joined Kansas as the only teams to hold their position from last week.WelcomeOregon led the week’s six new teams after beating Alabama to win the Players Era Festival championship, followed by Memphis after finishing second to Auburn in Maui.No. 18 Pittsburgh, No. 19 Illinois, No. 21 Oklahoma – which won the Atlantis title – and San Diego State were the week’s other new additions.Farewell (for now)Indiana (No. 14), Arkansas (No. 19), Creighton (No. 21), Xavier (No. 22), Arizona (No. 24) and Mississippi State (No. 25) fell out of the poll.Conference watchThe SEC led all conferences with eight ranked teams, followed by the Big 12 with five. The Big Ten have four and Atlantic Coast Conference with three ranked teams, while the West Coast, American Athletic and Mountain West conferences each had one.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

MAUI, HI - NOVEMBER 27: Auburn Tigers forward Johni Broome (4 ) poses with the MVP Trophy and the Wayne Duke Trophy after defeating the Memphis Tigers in the championship game of the Maui Invitational on November 27, 2024, at the Lahaina Civic Center in Maui, Hawaii.

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HOOFDDORP, Netherlands (AP) — Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still popular and respected ...

HOOFDDORP, Netherlands (AP) — Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still popular and respected by their fellow players even though they no longer play for European clubs.The 37-year-old Messi and 39-year-old Ronaldo were the only players not with clubs in Europe to be voted on a 26-man shortlist for the world team of the year organized by global players' union FIFPro on Monday.The other 24 nominees played in the past year with clubs in England, Germany, Spain and France, though Kylian Mbappe was the only French connection after spending last season at Paris Saint-Germain.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>No player from any Italian club was selected, nor from any club in South America or Africa.Eight players from Real Madrid, including Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham were on the shortlist, plus seven from Manchester City including Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland.Yamine Lamal, the 17-year-old from Barcelona who was the breakout star of Spain's European Championship title, also made it in polling by union members worldwide.Messi, in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami, and Ronaldo, in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, will find out on Dec. 9 if they are in the World XI lineup.FIFPro said the final team will include the highest-polling goalkeeper, plus each of the top three vote-getters among defenders, midfielders and forwards. The final place goes to the outfield player with the next highest votes total.The Netherlands-based union said 28,000 players from 70 countries sent votes.<h3>FIFPro World 11 nominees</h3>Goalkeepers: Ederson (Manchester City, Brazil), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa, Argentina), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich, Germany)Defenders: Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid, Spain), Ruben Dias (Manchester City, Portugal), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool, Netherlands), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen, Netherlands), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid, Germany), William Saliba (Arsenal, France), Kyle Walker (Manchester City, England)Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium), Phil Foden (Manchester City, England), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid, Germany), Luka Modric (Real Madrid, Croatia), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich, Germany), Rodri (Manchester City, Spain), Federico Valverde (Real Madrid, Uruguay)Forwards: Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England), Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain/Real Madrid, France), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina), Cole Palmer (Manchester City/Chelsea, England), Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr, Portugal), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid, Brazil), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)<h2>___</h2>AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA - NOVEMBER 19: Lionel Messi of Argentina walks in the field during the FIFA World Cup 2026 South American Qualifier match between Argentina and Peru at Estadio Alberto J. Armando on November 19, 2024 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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MADRID (AP) — Four fans accused of racially insulting forward Lamine Yamal and other Barcelona pl...

MADRID (AP) — Four fans accused of racially insulting forward Lamine Yamal and other Barcelona players during last month's league Clasico at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium are set to be banned from Spanish stadiums for a year.The Spanish soccer federation's anti-violence committee on Monday proposed handing the bans — and fines of up to 5,000 euros ($5,200) each — to four fans accused of insulting the players during Barcelona's 4-0 victory over Madrid in the Spanish league match on Oct. 26.The commission in charge of fighting against violence, racism and other hate crimes in sport also proposed a one-year ban and a fine for a fan accused of attacking two visiting fans outside the stadium after the game.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Spanish police had detained the fans saying there was enough evidence showing that they used racist slurs to insult the players during Barcelona's victory.Videos on social media showed the alleged insults against Yamal after he scored Barcelona's third goal in the second half. The 17-year-old celebrated in a corner in front of Madrid fans and made some gestures apparently provoking the fans.A few fans could be heard yelling insults at Yamal and the other Barcelona players.Madrid had been quick to denounce the incident and helped find the perpetrators, as did the Spanish league.Madrid has been denouncing racist insults against its forward Vinicius Junior, who is also Black, for several years, including when he played a match at Barcelona's Camp Nou Stadium. Spanish soccer has been struggling to stamp out racist slurs against players, especially Vinicius.<h2>___</h2>AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

MADRID, SPAIN - OCTOBER 26: Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona looks on during the LaLiga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on October 26, 2024 in Madrid, Spain.

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A French campaign group has renewed calls for authorities to take action against homophobic chanting by soccer fans, saying Marseille supporters belted out anti-gay slurs "with complete impunity" during a home game against Monaco on Sunday.The Rouge Direct group posted a footage on social networks showing Marseille supporters shouting threatening and insulting chants aimed at Monaco. The discriminatory chants at the Stade Velodrome are just the latest of in a long series of similar incidents as French soccer authorities struggle to tackle the issue.The Marseille game was not stopped, even though France's Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau suggested earlier this year that matches should be halted when fans chant homophobic slurs in stadiums.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Rouge Direct group asked Marseille, the league and France's Interior ministry to shed light on the incident. It also urged broadcaster DAZN to remove the replay of the game from its platform.Marseille won the game 2-1 thanks to a late penalty scored by Mason Greenwood. The result lifted Marseille over its southern rival into second place in the standings.Homophobic insults often heard at Ligue 1 matches have been tolerated for a long time by club officials, and soccer authorities have struggled to find appropriate ways of tackling the issue.Following a match at the Parc des Princes years ago between PSG and Marseille during which home fans used homophobic insults, the league launched an action plan allowing spectators to report sexist, homophobic or racist incidents they witness. The abuse has not stopped, though, even intensifying in recent months.French clubs have been sanctioned with fines, and the league's disciplinary commission also ordered the closure of stands for similar cases in recent years. Also, French law provides for up to one year imprisonment and a 45,000 euros ($47,600) fine when anti-gay insults are made in public.Last season, some PSG players received a one-match suspended sentence by the league disciplinary committee for offensive chants aimed at Marseille after a home league match. Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi, Randal Kolo Muani and Layvin Kurzawa were filmed using insults while celebrating at the end of a 4-0 win against Marseille. The four players issued apologies. That match was also marred by homophobic chanting by sections of PSG fans targeting Marseille players.<h2>___</h2>AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Marseille's supporters wave hands as they attend the French L1 football match between Olympique de Marseille (OM) and AS Monaco at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille, southern France on December 1, 2024.

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The Associated Press national player of the week in college football for Week 14 of the season:  ...

The Associated Press national player of the week in college football for Week 14 of the season:<h3>Kyle McCord, Syracuse</h3>The Ohio State transfer completed 26 of 36 passes for 380 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-38 win over then-No. 8 Miami, knocking the Hurricanes out of the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game and making way for Clemson to face SMU.McCord, who leads the nation with 360 yards passing per game, has thrown for a school-record 29 touchdowns and helped the Orange win nine games for the first time since 2018. The Orange, at No. 23, are ranked in the AP Top 25 this week for the first time in two years.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Eight of his passes against Miami went for more than 20 yards, and he was 10 of 12 for 224 yards and two TDS in the second half.<h3>Runner-up</h3>Hawaii true freshman Micah Alejado was 37 of 57 for 469 yards and five touchdowns in his first start in a 38-30 win over New Mexico. Alejado set school records for passing yards and passing touchdowns in a starting debut. Alejado added 54 yards rushing, giving him 523 total yards and breaking Cole McDonald’s school record of 514.<h3>Honorable mention</h3>Colorado WR-CB Travis Hunter padded his Heisman Trophy resume with 10 catches for 116 yards and three touchdowns, an interception and two pass breakups in a 52-0 win over Oklahoma State. ... South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers' 20-yard touchdown run with 1:08 to play gave the Gamecocks a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-carolina-clemson-score-top-25-51835167e15797a3e34532c3bbf89f1d">17-</a>14 win over Clemson<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-carolina-clemson-score-top-25-51835167e15797a3e34532c3bbf89f1d">.</a> Sellers finished with 166 yards rushing and two scores and was 13-of-24 passing for 164 yards. ... Memphis RB Mario Anderson Jr. had his eighth 100-yard rushing game of the season with a team-high 177 yards in a 34-24 win over Tulane. ... Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty rushed for 226 yards and a touchdown in a 34-18 win over Oregon State. ... Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders threw for 438 yards and five touchdowns against Oklahoma State. ... Colorado State QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi was 31 for 46 for 370 yards and four touchdowns and he ran for a fifth as the Rams used a run of 29 consecutive points to beat Utah State 42-37<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-state-colorado-state-score-e760d2976ea1bfb1698dc81b0eecdf57">.</a><h3>Six stats</h3>— Boise State's Jeanty finished the regular season with a rushing average of 191 yards per game, 53 more than the next closest rusher.— Iowa’s five first downs against Nebraska were the fewest in a win in the FBS since at least 2000.— Oklahoma State's defense has allowed 122 plays of 30-plus yards in its last 39 games, most in the nation, according to Sportradar.— Sanders' completion rate of 74.2% for Colorado (337 of 454) is the second-highest in the nation over the last four years. Oregon's Bo Nix completed 77.4% last season.— Donovan Ezeiruaku's average of 1.38 sacks per game for Boston College is highest in the nation since 2019.— Iowa State QB Rocco Becht completed just 13 of 36 passes against Kansas State, making the Cyclones the first FBS team since 2002 to win a conference game with so few completions while having so many attempts.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up <a href="https://www.apnews.com/newsletters">here</a>. AP college football: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll">https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll</a> and <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/college-football">https://apnews.com/hub/college-football</a>

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 30: Kyle McCord #6 of the Syracuse Orange throws a pass during the first quarter against the Miami Hurricanes at JMA Wireless Dome on November 30, 2024 in Syracuse, New York.

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Syracuse's McCord wins AP Player of the Week

For Pep Guardiola, the season starts now.  Chastened. Relieved. Defiant. The Manchester City mana...

For Pep Guardiola, the season starts now.Chastened. Relieved. Defiant. The Manchester City manager displayed a whole range of emotions after his latest ordeal at Anfield that plunged the out-of-sorts English champions to an unlikely low.Make that seven matches without a win for a team which, not so long ago, never lost.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>That's all in the past for Guardiola, though."Reset," he said after a 2-0 loss to Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday. "There's a feeling we start from here this season."How he intends to move on from the worst run of results in his managerial career remains to be seen. But it all starts Wednesday with a home game against Nottingham Forest."We are not used to this," Guardiola said. "Many, many things are happening. The teams are good and we can't handle it right now. I have to find the solution to be stable and solid."These players gave me a chance to lead maybe the best years of my life. All I can do is find a solution — in the right moment, the club will make the decision what is needed for this club to continue to be there."Was he referring to making signings in the January transfer window? City's fatigued and injury-ravaged squad sure needs some, especially in midfield.Or was he referring to his own future? It's not the first time in recent days that Guardiola brought up how fragile his position could quickly become if City keeps on losing.Moments before walking down the tunnel after the final whistle at Anfield, Guardiola held up one outstretched hand and an extra finger as a retort to taunts by Liverpool fans. It was a nod to the six Premier League titles he has won in eight full seasons at City.No. 7 doesn't look likely this season. Not with City already 11 points behind Liverpool."Call me delusional or something like that," Guardiola said, "but I have the feeling we will try to build back our confidence to win games."Indeed, Guardiola said he was taking some belief from recent training sessions. From the return to fitness of some players, such as Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku. Maybe from a second-half display against Liverpool that, while hardly vintage City, at least showed some spirit and resolve, even if Liverpool appeared happy to play on the break and never looked troubled.It felt like Guardiola was relieved to come away from Anfield with the damage limited and City's hardest fixture of the season out of the way.Yet his comments will sound so hollow if City goes on to lose to — or even draw with — sixth-place Forest, which is only one point and one spot behind and has a manager in Nuno Espirito Santo who has enjoyed some surprise results at City with former club Wolverhampton.Guardiola's masterplan might include a change of role for Grealish, who could yet play more centrally as a No. 10 rather than as a winger. Or a first start since September for Kevin De Bruyne, who has had to settle for cameo roles off the bench as he struggles to fully overcome a groin injury.Getting some energy into his midfield will be important as the absence of Rodri and Mateo Kovacic continues to bite hard and be City's biggest issue. That might come in the form of a new signing next month, unless Guardiola is working on a new plan on the training ground.A midweek victory for City, coupled with setbacks for Liverpool at Newcastle and Arsenal at home to Manchester United elsewhere Wednesday, could yet rekindle some belief that all is not lost this season.On current form, this is unlikely."I think it's almost a mini-crisis at Manchester City," said Jamie Carragher, a pundit for British broadcaster Sky Sports. "I think City might have a fight on their hands for top four."___Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 1: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledges the fans after the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester City FC at Anfield on December 1, 2024 in Liverpool, England.

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ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen’s memorable week began with singer and actress Hailey Steinf...

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen’s memorable week began with singer and actress Hailey Steinfeld accepting his proposal for marriage and ended with the Buffalo Bills quarterback celebrating his three-TD outing in an AFC East-clinching 35-10 win over San Francisco by making snow angels alongside coach Sean McDermott on Sunday night.“He’s the one that got me to do it,” Allen said of interrupting McDermott’s television interview to lay backwards into a snow pile. “I’m not the biggest snow angel fan, because you get cold down there, my toes are freezing right now ... but it was fun.”As for Steinfeld saying “Yes,” during his bye week proposal, Allen said: “Felt good. Felt free.”<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>He could just as well have been referring to his performance by braving bone-chilling temperatures and a persistent snowfall in becoming the NFL’s first quarterback and seventh player in the Super Bowl era to score a touchdown passing, rushing and receiving. Sandwiched between his 7-yard touchdown pass to Mack Hollins and an 8-yard scoring run, Allen scored a receiving touchdown on a pass he threw in his latest do-everything performance.With Amari Cooper corralling a short pass with a one-handed catch, the receiver was in the midst of being wrapped up by two Niners defenders when he pitched the ball back to Allen. The QB sprinted to the left corner of the end zone and dived past for the pylon for the score.“It’s got to be up there. I wish he got credited for something there, an assist or a passing touchdown,” Allen said of Cooper. “I just kind of chased the ball to be there and we made eye contact. ... It was dope.”Cooper said he acted on instinct in a play that could well have been drawn up in the snow on the sideline.“I was wondering what he was doing over there,” Cooper said. “I figured he was over there because he wanted the ball, so I gave it to him.”Snow flew like confetti in celebration from the packed stands as the Bills (10-2) scored on four of five possessions spanning halftime to build a 28-3 lead, starting with Ray Davis’ 5-yard run. James Cook scored on a career-high 65-yard run and finished with 107 yards rushing.The defending NFC champion 49ers (5-7) unraveled as they dropped their third straight and lost running back Christian McCaffrey to what coach Kyle Shanahan said was a potential season-ending injury to the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee.Shanahan believes McCaffrey was hurt on an 18-yard run up the middle. The All-Pro running back stayed in the game and on the next play appeared to step awkwardly with his left foot on the snow-slicked field and went down immediately. After being examined on the sideline, he limped to the locker room and was ruled out at the start of the second half.McCaffrey had 53 yards on seven carries when he exited the game, his fourth after missing the first eight of the season with Achilles tendinitis.“It feels dark and gloomy and absolutely depressing, honestly I’ll feel that probably in a couple hours,” tight end George Kittle said. “The only way to make this feel better is to go take advantage of next week and try to get a win.”Very little went right for the 49ers in an outing they lost three fumbles and Jake Moody missed two of three field-goal attempts. San Francisco was also missing five starters due to injury and is now in jeopardy of missing the playoffs a season after losing the Super Bowl to Kansas City.Moody opened the scoring with a 33-yard field goal and Isaac Guerendo scored on a 15-yard run. Brock Purdy, coming back after missing one game with a sore throwing shoulder, finished 11 of 18 for 94 yards.Allen finished 13 of 17 passing for 148 yards and two touchdowns, three rushes for 18 yards and a score, and zero catches for 7 yards and a TD. He was serenaded by fans with chants of “MVP!” and sat out most of the fourth quarter.“It’s a good feeling. This one feels a little bit different this early in the season,” Allen said of clinching the division while also staying in the hunt to catch Kansas City (11-1) for the AFC’s top seed. “It’s going to be fun, I mean, to go out there and play free and play relaxed and play loose. I think that could be a dangerous team.”Allen now has scored 247 career TDs (186 passing, 59 rushing and two receiving) to break Hall of Famer Jim Kelly’s franchise record of 244.Buffalo has won seven straight since back-to-back losses to Baltimore and Houston, and is 10-2 or better for the fifth time in team history and first since 1991. The Bills became the NFL’s eighth team, and first since Indianapolis in 2009, to clinch a division title with five games remaining.Buffalo extended its run of scoring 30 or more points to six straight games, while the Niners dropped to 0-5 when scoring 20 or fewer.<h3>Up next</h3>49ers: Host Chicago next Sunday.Bills: At the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday.<h2>___</h2>AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 01: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills celebrates with Mack Hollins #13 after a touchdown in the second quarter of a game against the San Francisco 49ers at Highmark Stadium on December 01, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York.

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BALTIMORE (AP) — Saquon Barkley scored on a 25-yard run with 7:56 remaining, and Philadelphia's s...

BALTIMORE (AP) — Saquon Barkley scored on a 25-yard run with 7:56 remaining, and Philadelphia's stingy defense kept Lamar Jackson mostly under control in a 24-19 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, the Eagles' eighth win in a row.Justin Tucker's nightmarish season continued for Baltimore. The star kicker missed two field goals and an extra point as the Ravens (8-5) fell 1 1/2 games behind first-place Pittsburgh in the AFC North. The NFC East-leading Eagles (10-2) rallied from an early 9-0 deficit with two second-quarter touchdowns, and although Tucker did make a 50-yard kick shortly before halftime, the Ravens didn't manage a point after that until the final seconds of the game.The much-anticipated rushing matchup between Saquon Barkley of the Eagles and Derrick Henry of the Ravens didn't quite live up to expectations. A good fourth quarter pushed Barkley up to 107 yards rushing. Henry produced 82 yards along with three catches for 29 yards.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Down 14-12, the Ravens had the ball for most of the third quarter but couldn't score because Tucker — an all-time great at his position who has slipped badly this year — missed kicks of 47 and 53 yards.Barkley's touchdown finally put Philadelphia ahead 21-12. After a field goal pushed the lead to 12, Jackson threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely with 3 seconds left.Jackson fell to 23-2 against the NFC as a starter. He threw for 237 yards and ran for 79.This matchup pitted Baltimore's top-ranked offense against Philadelphia's No. 1-ranked defense. The Ravens had the upper hand early, thanks in part to six Eagles penalties in the first quarter. Jackson threw a 14-yard scoring pass to Mark Andrews to make it 9-0.The second quarter was all Eagles, however. Jalen Hurts threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Goedert, then scored on a 1-yard sneak in which he appeared to mishandle the snap before securing the ball and getting it across the goal line.InjuriesThe Eagles were without WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring). Philadelphia S Reed Blankenship left the game because of a concussion. Eagles WR Britain Covey left with a neck injury, and Goedert exited with a knee issue. ... Ravens S Kyle Hamilton went into the concussion protocol in the first quarter but was able to return. Baltimore lost WR Rashod Bateman to a knee injury and S Sanoussi Kane to a hamstring problem.Up nextEagles: Host Carolina next Sunday.Ravens: After a bye, visit the New York Giants on Dec. 15.___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 01: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs the ball during the second quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 01, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland.

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Barkley leads Eagles past Ravens, Jackson in heavyweight clash

CINCINNATI (AP) — Russell Wilson threw for a season-high 414 yards and three touchdowns, and the ...

CINCINNATI (AP) — Russell Wilson threw for a season-high 414 yards and three touchdowns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers outlasted Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals 44-38 on Sunday.Wilson logged the second-most passing yards and the third 400-yard game of his career. He threw for 452 yards for Seattle against Houston on Oct. 29, 2017.Wilson finished 29 for 38 as the Steelers (9-3) rebounded from losing to the Browns 24-19 in a Nov. 21 game in the snow in Cleveland. He also threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown in the first quarter.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Bengals (4-8) lost for the fourth time in five games. They also dropped to 1-5 at home, increasing the likelihood that they will miss the playoffs for the second straight year.Najee Harris had a 10-yard touchdown run and Chris Boswell kicked two field goals to help Pittsburgh to a 27-21 halftime lead. It was the highest scoring first half in the 110 meetings between the longtime rivals. Wilson had 257 yards passing for his best total in a first half in his career.Harris finished with 75 yards rushing and 54 yards receiving. George Pickens, Calvin Austin III and Pat Freiermuth caught TD passes for the Steelers.Burrow continued his terrific season, going 28 for 38 for 309 yards and three more touchdowns. He hurt his own cause when he fumbled in the first half, leading to a Steelers field goal, and threw a second-half interception.Burrow fumbled again in the fourth quarter when he was sacked by Steelers linebacker Nick Herbig, and linebacker Payton Wilson ran it back 21 yards for a TD.Chase Brown rushed for a touchdown for Cincinnati. Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Andrei Iosivas each had a TD reception.The Bengals have allowed 34 or more points in six games this season, including four of the last five.<h3>Injuries</h3>Austin III was declared out with a head injury in the second half.<h3>Up next</h3>Steelers: Host Cleveland next Sunday.Bengals: At Dallas on Monday, Dec. 9.<h3>___</h3>AP NFL coverage: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nfl">https://apnews.com/hub/NFL</a>

CINCINNATI, OHIO - DECEMBER 01: Russell Wilson #3 of the Pittsburgh Steelers throws a pass while pressured by Germaine Pratt #57 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the fourth quarter at Paycor Stadium on December 01, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

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Wilson throws for 414 yards, 3 TDs as Steelers top Bengals

FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove is in a medically induced coma after co...

FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove is in a medically induced coma after collapsing on the field during his team’s Serie A match at home to Inter Milan on Sunday, with the game abandoned shortly afterward.Bove's teammates immediately called for medical help and both sets of players surrounded the 22-year-old while he was being treated before he was swiftly stretchered off to an ambulance near the pitch and taken to Careggi Hospital in Florence."Fiorentina and the Careggi University Hospital announce that the footballer Edoardo Bove ... is currently under pharmacological sedation and hospitalized in intensive care," Fiorentina said in a statement. "The first cardiological and neurological tests performed have ruled out acute damage to the central nervous system and the cardiorespiratory system. Edoardo Bove will be re-evaluated in the next 24 hours."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Sky Italia reported that the player regained consciousness while he was in the ambulance and was managing to breathe on his own.Bove's parents and his girlfriend have arrived at the hospital along with Fiorentina coach Raffaele Palladino and most of his teammates, as well as club directors and the city's mayor.Fiorentina fans have also gathered outside the hospital and displayed a banner with the words: "Forza Edoardo, Florence is with you."Fiorentina president Rocco Commisso echoed that sentiment and the club said he and his family are in constant contact from the United States to support Bove and his family."Forza Edoardo, we're with you," Commisso said. "You're a strong boy with a great character."More messages of support flooded in on social media from players and clubs. Inter midfielder Federico Dimarco, who was on the field at the time, wrote, "Forza Edo, we are all with you and your family."The incident happened in the 16th minute of the match, with play stopped following a VAR check. Bove apparently bent down to tie the laces on his boot before he suddenly dropped to the ground.Fiorentina players were distraught on the field and were comforted by staff members as well as Inter players. Several were openly sobbing before the teams filed off the field.The Italian league match was immediately halted before being abandoned. The score at the time of Bove's collapse was 0-0.Many at Fiorentina — as well as the fans — remember former captain Davide Astori, who was found dead in his hotel room in March 2018 before a match in Udine.It is the second incident this year of a player collapsing during a Serie A match. It happened to Roma defender Evan Ndicka during his team's match at Udinese in April.Bove is a product of the Roma youth academy and joined Fiorentina on loan in the offseason with the option to make the move permanent.Romelu Lukaku, who spent last season at Roma with Bove, posted a photo of the pair during a match and added the caption: "I love you lil bro. We are all with you."

Edoardo Bove of ACF Fiorentina looks on during the Serie A Enilive match between ACF Fiorentina and AC Milan at Stadio Artemio Franchi on October 06, 2024 in Florence, Italy.

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Fiorentina's Bove in intensive care after collapsing during Serie A match

DENVER (AP) — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist, Stuart Skinner stoped 27 shots and th...

DENVER (AP) — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist, Stuart Skinner stoped 27 shots and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 on Saturday night.Kasperi Kapanen, Vasily Podkolzin and Brett Kulak also scored as Edmonton won for the fourth time in five games.Nikolai Kovalenko scored for Colorado, and Alexandar Georgiev had 28 saves.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Kovalenko had a power-play goal at 7:02 of the first period as the Avalanche went 1 for 5 with the man advantage.Kapanen, playing his fourth game with the Oilers since being claimed off waivers on Nov. 19, tied it less than five minutes later. Connor McDavid brought the puck around the net, attracted the attention of much of the Colorado defense and hit an open Kapanen with a backhanded, cross-crease pass for his 19th assist of the season.Podkolzin put the Oilers ahead for good with 6:12 left in the second period. Troy Stecher had an assist on the play, extending his streak to three games.Kulak made it 3-1 at 3:56 of the third and Nugent-Hopkins added an empty-netter with 1:32 to go.<h3>Takeaways</h3>Avalanche: Samuel Girard, playing in his 500th career game, had an assist on Kovalenko's goal, tying Erik Johnson for sixth in franchise history with 178 assistsOilers: Edmonton improved to 3-11-1 in their last 15 meetings with the Avalanche, including the playoffs. It also ended a six-game losing streak (0-5-1) in the regular season in Colorado.<h3>Key Moment</h3>Podkolzin’s goal proved to be the winning goal and strengthened the Oilers’ grip on a game they largely controlled after the opening 10 minutes of the first period.<h3>Key Stat</h3>McDavid’s assist gave him 34 points (14 goals, 20 assists) in 22 career games against the Avalanche.<h3>Up Next</h3>Avalanche visit Buffalo on Tuesday, and Oilers visit Vegas.

DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 30: Stuart Skinner #74, Evan Bouchard #2 and Brett Kulak #27 of the Edmonton Oilers celebrate a win against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena on November 30, 2024 in Denver, Colorado.

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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Auston Matthews picked up an assist in his return to the lineup and Joseph Wol...

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Auston Matthews picked up an assist in his return to the lineup and Joseph Woll stopped 38 shots as the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3 on Saturday night.Chris Tanev had a goal and an assist and Mitch Marner added two assists. Nick Robertson, John Tavares and William Nylander also scored for Toronto. Matthews assisted on Nylander's empty-net goal in the third period after missing nine games with an upper-body injury.Mikey Eyssimont, Jake Guentzel and Cam Atkinson scored for Tampa Bay, which was without leading scorer Nikita Kucherov.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Toronto led 4-0 in the third before the Lightning scored three goals in just over a six minute span, cutting its deficit to a goal with 2:22 left.<hl2>Takeaways</hl2>Maple Leafs: Toronto has allowed two or fewer goals in seven of the past 11 games. … The Leafs are 207-36-36 all-time when both Matthews and Marner register a point in the same game.Lightning: Victor Hedman recorded two assists to become the franchise leader with 590 career assists, passing Marty St. Louis. … Kucherov is listed as day-to-day with a lower body injury. Kucherov missed the second period on Friday in Nashville, but returned for the third period and overtime.<hl2>Key moment</hl2>Robertson scored 33 seconds after Chris Tanev to give the Maple Leafs a 3-0 lead at 8:39 of the second period. The goal was the first for Robertson since October 22, a span of 19 games.<hl2>Key stat</hl2>Maple Leafs RW Mitch Marner reached the 30-point mark to become the fourth player in franchise history with at least 30 points in each their first nine seasons, joining Dave Keon, Mats Sundin and Borje Salming.<hl2>Up next</hl2>Toronto hosts Chicago on Monday to open a three-game homestand. Tampa Bay hosts San Jose on Thursday.___AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 30: Goalie Joseph Woll #60 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates a win against the Tampa Bay Lightning with teammate Auston Matthews #34 at Amalie Arena on November 30, 2024 in Tampa, Florida.

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Woll shines as Maple Leafs hold off Lightning

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Quintrevion Wisner ran for a career-high 186 yards and Quinn Ewers ...

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Quintrevion Wisner ran for a career-high 186 yards and Quinn Ewers threw a touchdown pass to lead No. 3 Texas to a 17-7 win over 20th-ranked archrival Texas A&amp;M on Saturday night, sending the Longhorns to the Southeastern Conference championship game.Texas (11-1, 7-1 SEC, No. 3 CFP) will face No. 6 Georgia next Saturday in Atlanta for the SEC title, with the winner getting a first-round bye in the 12-team College Football Playoff.The highly anticipated return of this rivalry, which dates to the 1890s, had all the hype of a heavyweight title bout. It looked to be headed for a blowout after Texas raced to a 17-0 halftime lead.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>But Ewers turned the ball over in the red zone on consecutive possessions to keep the Aggies in the game, the first giveaway an interception that Will Lee III returned 93 yards for a touchdown.Texas A&amp;M (8-4, 5-3, No. 20 CFP) had a shot to cut the lead to three with about 4 1/2 minutes remaining, but Ethan Burke dropped Amari Daniels for a 3-yard loss on fourth-and-goal from the 1. The Longhorns stopped the Aggies on three fourth downs on the night.Backup quarterback Arch Manning ran for a score early to help Texas get its 11th straight win on an opponent’s home field and its fifth consecutive victory overall since a 30-15 home loss to Georgia. The Longhorns get a rematch next week.The crowd of 109,028 included Texas superfan Matthew McConaughey, A&amp;M Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel, former Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.DJ Hicks tipped the pass that Lee intercepted and returned 93 yards for the touchdown to cut the lead to 17-7 with about six minutes left in the third quarter.The Aggies’ defense came up big again on the next possession when Cashius Howell stripped the ball from Ewers and it was recovered by Taurean York at the A&amp;M 11 near the end of the third.Texas A&amp;M failed to cash in on that error and punted. The Aggies blocked a punt by the Longhorns on their next drive to get the ball back in the red zone. But the Longhorns’ defense secured the win after Texas failed to score after halftime.The Longhorns made it 7-0 when a video review confirmed that Manning scored on a 15-yard run on fourth-and-2 with about three minutes left in the first quarter. It capped a 93-yard drive that started after Michael Taaffe intercepted Reed to give Texas at least one takeaway in 20 straight games.Ewers connected with Jaydon Blue on a 7-yard TD pass that pushed the lead to 14-0 with about eight minutes left in the second. It was initially ruled an incomplete pass, but a review showed he had a foot in bounds for the score.Matthew Golden had a 44-yard reception on that drive.The scene around Kyle Field before the game was almost as entertaining as the game itself. Former A&amp;M coach R.C. Slocum used a miniature chainsaw to saw the horns off a longhorn that tailgaters were cooking across from the stadium. The university police said a man riding a horse and another riding a longhorn while holding a dog and wearing a 10-gallon hat were asked to leave campus hours before the game.Police also said two men “wearing reflective vests and hard hats entered the stadium with fake construction credentials” and were arrested for criminal trespass.<h3>The takeaway</h3>Texas will need to clean up its mistakes be more consistent on offense as it heads into the conference title game and likely the playoff.<h3>Up next</h3>Texas moves on to face the Bulldogs. The Aggies wait to see which bowl game they’ll play in to wrap up another disappointing season.<h2>___</h2>Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 30: Quinn Ewers #3 of the Texas Longhorns looks to throw the ball during the first quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field on November 30, 2024 in College Station, Texas.

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No. 3 Texas clinches SEC title game berth after downing No. 20 Texas A&M

LAS VEGAS (AP) — San Jose State’s volleyball team, the subject of a national debate about partici...

LAS VEGAS (AP) — San Jose State’s volleyball team, the subject of a national debate about participation in women’s sports, was beaten by Colorado State 27-25, 25-20, 23-25, 25-16 in Saturday’s Mountain West tournament final, ending the Spartans’ season.The Rams (20-10) received the conference’s automatic bid to the 64-team NCAA Tournament.San Jose State’s season was marked by forfeits, limited protests and the topic of gender identity becoming a political issue in an election year. The Spartans were 14-6.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“I will not sugarcoat our reality for the last two months,” Spartans coach Todd Kress in a statement issued by the athletic department. “Our team prepared and was ready to play each match according to established Mountain West and NCAA rules of play. We did not take away anyone’s participation opportunities.“Sadly, others who for years have played this same team without incident chose not to play us this season. To be clear, we did not celebrate a single win by forfeiture. Instead, we braced for the fallout. Each forfeiture announcement unleashed appalling, hateful messages individuals chose to send directly to our student-athletes, our coaching staff, and many associated with our program.”The controversy didn’t end during the Mountain West tournament.Boise State, which twice boycotted regular-season matches with San Jose State, pulled out of the conference tournament on Wednesday night, hours after it defeated Utah State to secure a spot against the Spartans in Friday’s semifinals. While the Broncos didn’t announce explicitly why they withdrew, a lawsuit was recently filed in Colorado by players from various schools against the conference and San Jose State officials calling for a Spartans player to be blocked from participating in the tournament. They cited unspecified reports asserting there was a transgender player on the San Jose State volleyball team, even naming her.U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver ruled Monday that the player was allowed to play, and a federal appeals court upheld the decision the following day.San Jose State, which received six forfeit victories because of boycotts from opponents during the regular season, was seeded second in the conference tournament and received a first-round bye.“This has been one of the most difficult seasons I’ve ever experienced and I know this is true as well for many of our players and the staff who have been supporting us all along,” Kress said. “Maintaining our focus on the court and ensuring the overall safety and well-being of my players amid the external noise have been my priorities.”In addition to Boise State, Mountain West members Wyoming, Utah State and Nevada as well as Southern Utah canceled matches this season against the Spartans. Nevada’s players said they “refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes,” without providing further details.Colorado State chose to play San Jose State in the regular season and for the conference title, even with the uncertainty of what might await Saturday. It turned out to be a fairly routine day.There were no protesters outside of Cox Pavilion, and there also were no noticeable signs of hostility directed from the crowd of about 100 in the championship match.“We’ve talked about it every single week that we have to play with the extra noise and minimizing the time you spend on social media and maximizing the time we spend on our scouting report and controlling what we can control,” Colorado State coach Emily Kohan said. “We can’t control what the crowd’s going to do, what lineups roll out there or what’s going to happen. We can control the way we play on our side, and that’s what we’ve done all year with any opponent we’ve played.”While some media have reported those and other details, San Jose State has not confirmed the school has a trans women’s volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not publicly commented on her gender identity and through school officials has declined an interview request.Participation of transgender women in women’s sports became a hot political topic ahead of the recent election.

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO - OCTOBER 19: A detailed view of a Molten volleyball on the court during the third set between the San Jose State Spartans and Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym on October 19, 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

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San Jose State's volleyball season that ignited debate over gender in sports ends in MW title match

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 42 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in his return to...

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 42 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in his return to Milwaukee’s lineup and the Bucks won their sixth in a row by beating the struggling Washington Wizards 124-114 on Saturday night.Antetokounmpo had missed the Bucks' 106-103 NBA Cup victory at Miami on Tuesday due to swelling in his left knee.The two-time MVP has three triple-doubles in the last six games he has played.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Antetokounmpo had 22 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists in a 115-114 loss at Charlotte on Nov. 16. He had 37 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in a 129-117 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 22.Damian Lillard added 25 points and 10 assists while Brook Lopez scored 18 points on Saturday.Jordan Poole had 31 points Malcolm Brogdon added 29 points and 11 rebounds for the Wizards, who have lost 14 straight.Washington's Kyle Kuzma didn't play due to a sprained left rib.<hl2>Takeaways</hl2>Wizards: Washington did a nice job keeping pace with the Bucks virtually all night, but their youth showed when they failed to make plays down the stretch with the game on the line.Bucks: Since losing eight of their first 10 games, the Bucks have come all the way back to get above .500 (10-9) for the first time since winning their season opener.<hl2>Key moment</hl2>Washington trailed 105-103 when Poole missed a deep 3-pointer that would have put the Wizards ahead with less than 4 1/2 minutes left. The Bucks then scored 10 straight points. Poole had a couple of turnovers and was called for a double technical with Milwaukee's Taurean Prince during that stretch.<hl2>Key stats</hl2>Antetokounmpo got his 42 points by shooting 15 of 24 from the floor and 12 of 17 from the foul line.<hl2>Up next</hl2>The Bucks visit Detroit and the Wizards visit Cleveland in NBA Cup action Tuesday night.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 30: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks goes to the basket against Malcolm Brogdon #15 of the Washington Wizards during the second quarter of a game at Fiserv Forum on November 30, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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Antetokounmpo nets 42, Bucks top Wizards for 6th straight win

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