Rangers beat Panthers 5-1 in first outdoor hockey game in Miami. Mika Zibanejad has hat trick
MIAMI (AP) — The New York Rangers have continued their dominance in outdoor games. Mika Zibanejad had a hat trick, Artemi Panarin scored twice and the Rangers beat the Florida Panthers 5-1 on Friday night in the Winter Classic at Miami’s loanDepot Park. It was the first outdoor game played in the Sunshine State. Alexis Lafrenière had three assists and Igor Shesterkin stopped 36 shots for the Rangers, who improved to 6-0-0 in outdoor games. The roof was open and the game-time temperature was 63 degrees at the home of baseball’s Miami Marlins. Sam Reinhart scored for Florida, which was playing outdoors for the first time.
Steelers LB TJ Watt calls dry needling mishap a ‘fluke’ and hopes to play against Baltimore
PITTSBURGH (AP) — T.J. Watt is eager to return to the field after a dry needling mishap led to surgery for a partially collapsed lung. The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker hopes to play Sunday night against the Baltimore Ravens, with the AFC North title at stake. Watt, who missed three games because of the incident, called it a “fluke” and said he won’t use the treatment in the short term. He felt good after practice on Friday and is focused on helping Pittsburgh reach the playoffs. The Steelers went 2-1 in his absence and can win the division with a victory.
Jennings throws for 278 yards to lead SMU to 24-19 Holiday Bowl win over No. 21 Arizona
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Kevin Jennings threw for 278 yards, highlighted by an 80-yard completion on a razzle-dazzle play on the second play from scrimmage, and SMU beat No. 21 Arizona 24-19 in the Holiday Bowl on Friday night. Jennings completed 21 of 32 passes, and set up two touchdown runs by T.J. Harden and one by Stone Eby for the Mustangs (9-4). They snapped a five-game postseason losing streak that included a 38-10 defeat to Penn State in the opening round of last season’s College Football Playoff. Arizona also finished 9-4. SMU was up 24-0 at halftime, a big enough lead to overcome three interceptions by Jennings in the second half and three touchdown passes by Arizona’s Noah Fifita.
Robby Ashford leads Wake Forest past Mississippi State 43-29 in Duke’s Mayo Bowl
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Robby Ashford threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 50 yards and two scores, Koredell Bartley scored on a 100-yard kickoff return and Wake Forest beat Mississippi State 43-29 in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Friday night, earning coach Jake Dickert a mayonnaise bath. Ashford threw TD passes of 14 yards to Kamrean Johnson, 64 yards to Jack Foley and 62 yards to Ty Clark III and had scoring runs of 2 and 1 yards for the Demon Deacons (9-4). Freshman quarterback Kamario Taylor, making his second college start, had a big second half for Mississippi State (5-8) before suffering what appeared to be a significant leg injury with 1:46 left.
Blake Horvath leads No. 22 Navy to 35-13 victory over short-handed Cincinnati in Liberty Bowl
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Blake Horvath threw a pair of touchdown passes and rushed for a score to lead No. 22 Navy to its 11th victory of the season, 35-13 over short-handed Cincinnati in the Liberty Bowl. Horvath scored on a 2-yard run and had scoring passes of 30 and 13 yards. The senior quarterback finished 9 of 15 for 108 yards. Alex Tecza rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown for Navy, which finished the season on a four-game winning streak, including a victory over Army. Cincinnati was missing several key players, including quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who threw for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns this season.
Indiana and Oregon to meet again at the Peach Bowl with a spot in the CFP title game on the line
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Indiana and Oregon will meet in the Peach Bowl next week for a College Football Playoff semifinal. Neither school has ever won a national championship. The winner in Atlanta will be the favorite to accomplish that feat in the national title game on Jan. 19. The Hoosiers beat the Ducks in Eugene three months ago before going on to the Big Ten title and a blowout victory over Alabama in the Rose Bowl as the CFP’s No. 1 seed. Oregon has won eight consecutive games since that loss to Indiana, capped by a 23-0 pasting of Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl.
Ole Miss and breakthrough QB Chambliss advance to CFP Fiesta Bowl against Miami and blue chip Beck
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and his Rebels teammates have been saying for weeks that they have the chemistry, talent and confidence to carry on in the College Football Playoff without former coach Lane Kiffin. There’s been no evidence to the contrary since Kiffin left for LSU on November 30th. The Rebels have a January 8th date with Miami in the CFP semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl. The matchup features quarterbacks with contrasting backgrounds. Miami’s Carson Beck is a high-profile transfer from Georgia who was a blue-chip recruit. Chambliss played previously at Division II Ferris State and began this season as a backup.
Anthony Joshua’s driver charged after deadly crash in Nigeria
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Police say the driver in a deadly car crash that injured heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and killed his two friends in Nigeria has been charged. The police say Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, aged 46, was charged in southwestern Ogun state. The vehicle carrying the former heavyweight boxing champion and his friends crashed into a stationary truck on Monday on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway which links Ogun state to Lagos. Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele were killed. Joshua sustained minor injuries and was discharged from hospital on Wednesday.
Finland stuns 2-time defending champ US 4-3 in OT in world junior quarterfinals
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Arttu Valola scored at 2:11 of overtime and Finland stunned the two-time defending champion United States 4-3 on Friday night in the world junior hockey quarterfinals. Last year in the final in Ottawa, Ontario, the Americans beat the Finns 4-3 in overtime. In the semifinals Sunday, Finland will face Sweden, and Canada will play Czechia. Sweden beat Latvia 6-3, Canada had a five-goal first period in a 7-1 romp over Slovakia, and Czechia beat Switzerland 6-2. Michigan State’s Lee Ryker tied it for the United States with 1:33 left in regulation and Notre Dame goalie Nick Kempf off for an extra attacker.