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Auburn trounces Arkansas, 48-10, to become bowl eligible

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:02:45 GMT

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Auburn clinched bowl eligibility Saturday behind four touchdowns from Payton Thorne and a defense that held Arkansas to 255 yards in a 48-10 win.The Tigers (6-4, 3-4 Southeastern Conference) led 14-0 after the game’s first two series thanks to a 75-yard opening drive capped by a 12-yard run by Thorne. Arkansas punted on its first drive and Keionte Scott returned it 74 yards for another touchdown.“Fast starts have been good to us,” Auburn coach Hugh Freeze said. “I think we do a decent job of managing the game if we get out to a lead.”Despite coming off a season-high in yards gained against Florida a week ago, the Auburn defense never allowed the Razorbacks (3-7, 1-6 SEC) to find rhythm. Arkansas needed five drives before it avoided a three-and-out. It had just 110 yards of total offense at halftime and its three points came after Dwight McGlothern’s interception allowed Arkansas to start its fourth series at the Auburn 20.Auburn scored another t...

UT Martin clinches at least a share of the inaugural Big South-OVC Football Association title

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:02:45 GMT

MARTIN, Tenn. (AP) — Kinkead Dent threw for three touchdowns, Narkel Leflore rushed for 147 yards and two scores, and UT Martin beast Southeast Missouri State 41-14 on Saturday to claim at least a share of the inaugural Big South-OVC Football Association title.Its the third consecutive conference title for UT Martin (8-2, 5-1). The Skyhawks won the OVC championship outright in 2021 and shared the trophy with Southeast Missouri after posting a perfect 5-0 record in 2022.Sam Franklin also rushed for 100-plus yards for UT Martin, finishing with 123 on 21 carries. Dent added a touchdown run. JaMichael McGoy Jr. and Josh Hastings each made an interception for the UT Martin defense.Greg Menne and Patrick Heitert each threw an interception for SEMO (4-6, 3-2). Ryan Flournoy caught nine passes for 112 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown from Menne to pull within 27-14.UT Martin has won 21 of the last 24 games at home – including a 14-1 record over the past three seasons.___ Get alerts on t...

New Mexico State tops Western Kentucky 38-29 to earn a berth in C-USA championship game

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:02:45 GMT

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — Diego Pavia threw two touchdown passes and Dylan Early had a 57-yard interception return to propel New Mexico State to a 38-29 win over Western Kentucky on Saturday and into the Conference-USA championship game.Eli Stowers had a 7-yard touchdown reception and 7-yard TD run for the Aggies (8-3, 6-1), who won the game by holding the ball almost 10 minutes and keeping Austin Reed off the field.Reed threw for three touchdowns and ran for another for the Hilltoppers (5-4, 3-3), but the pick 6 with 2:57 to go pushed the NMSU lead to 38-21.Reed’s 72-yard connection with Elijah Young and his 13-yard run had Western Kentucky on top 14-0 midway through the first quarter.Pavia’s 4-yard pass to Trent Hudson put the Aggies on top 17-14 in the second quarter and his pass to Stowers late in the third helped regain the lead at 24-21.Pavia was 14 of 24 for 141 yards with eight different receivers contributing. Reed was 20 of 36 for 270 yards.___ Get alerts on th...

No. 4 Florida State beats Miami 27-20 to win its 16th straight and remain on track for CFP

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:02:45 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Trey Benson ran for two touchdowns, Keon Coleman hauled in a score and No. 4 Florida State held off rival Miami 27-20 on Saturday to maintain its hold on a College Football Playoff berth.The Seminoles (10-0, 8-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), like they have several times this season, rallied in the second half to win their 16th consecutive game. This one wrapped up the program’s 10th perfect mark in ACC play.Miami (6-4, 2-4) controlled both lines of scrimmage and played turnover-free football for most of the game. It still wasn’t enough to overcome FSU, which has won three in a row in the series and 10 of the last 14.Adding to Miami’s woes, freshman quarterback Emory Williams suffered a significant injury to his left arm in the waning minutes while running for a first down. Williams started in place of struggling junior Tyler Van Dyke.Van Dyke came off the bench with the Hurricanes trailing by a touchdown but threw an interception on a fourth-and-10 play ...

Vinícius, Rodrygo lead Madrid’s 5-1 rout of Valencia. Girona stays top with 2-1 comeback win at Rayo

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:02:45 GMT

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Míchel Sánchez soaked up the applause after his Girona team, the surprise leader of the Spanish league, won again on Saturday.This time, however, the cheers came from Rayo Vallecano fans following Girona’s 2-1 comeback win.Girona stayed two points ahead of Real Madrid, which routed Valencia 5-1 with Brazilians Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo getting two goals each.Míchel played most of his career as a midfielder for Rayo, and he returned as a coach for the modest Madrid-based club. The Rayo faithful greeted him with signs bearing his name and chants of “Míchel! Míchel!”“Girona’s fans are my fans now, but what I have felt today from the fans of Rayo is incredible,” the 48-year-old coach said. “This is one of the most beautiful days I have had (in soccer). They showed me their warmth as a player and coach, and what they did for me today was special.”Míchel, who goes by his first name in Spain, returned to coach Rayo for two seasons before eventually making it to no...

Indiana State leaves Western Illinois in MVFC basement with 27-6 win

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:02:45 GMT

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — Justin Dinka ran for 147 yards and reached the end zone twice on the ground and Indiana State won its first game of the season, beating Western Illinois 27-6 on Saturday.After a scoreless first period, Western Illinois’ Matt Morrissey threw a 79-yard scoring pass to Donald McKinney for the game’s first score The failed point-after attempt made it 6-0 with 13:42 left in the second. Roughly 6 1/2-minutes later, the Sycamores took the lead for the remainder when Dinka ran it in from 41 yards out. His 2-yard scoring run with 5:51 remaining in the game ended the scoring.Morrissey threw for 177 yards for Western Illinois.Indiana State (1-9, 1-6) and Western Illinois (0-10, 0-7) entered as the lone winless teams in the Missouri Valley Football Conference this season. Last year, after winning their opener against North Alabama, the Sycamores lost their next eight and broke the skid by beating the Leathernecks 21-0, also in week 10.As for the Leathernecks...

Adebayo scores in overtime to give St. Thomas (Minn.) 20-14 win over San Diego

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:02:45 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Hope Adebayo barged through the middle for 11-yard touchdown and a 20-14 overtime win for St. Thomas (Minnesota) over San Diego on Saturday.After the Toreros missed a 28-yard field goal on their overtime possession, the Tommies went to Adebayo three straight times, with the running back breaking two tackles on his final rush to the end zone.San Diego had a 50-yard field-goal attempt fall short after it was partially blocked in the final seconds of regulation.Adebayo also had a 37-yard touchdown run to give the Tommies a 14-7 lead at halftime. San Diego tied the game early in the fourth quarter on Isaiah Williams’ 3-yard rushing TD.Tommies quarterback Amari Powell threw for a touchdown to Colin Chase for the game’s first points and was intercepted once. Williams finished with 163 yards on 30 carries for the Toreros. Dom Nankil was 19-of-25 passing for 152 yards with a touchdown pass to Peyton Smith and two interceptions that came in the red zone.San Diego...

Eckhaus-to-Frederick connection strikes for 3 touchdowns as Bryant blasts Lindenwood

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:02:45 GMT

ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) — Zevi Eckhaus threw four touchdown passes, three of them to Anthony Frederick, and Bryant rolled past Lindenwood 38-3 on Saturday.Eckhaus completed 32 of 39 passes for 367 yards. His touchdowns to Frederick went for 42 yards and 1 yard in the first quarter and 24 yards in the second quarter as the Bulldogs took a 31-3 halftime lead. Eckhaus also connected with Jalen Powell for a 4-yard score late in the third quarter.Frederick had eight catches for 131 yards.Cooper Justice was 18-of-38 passing for 191 yards for the Lions (3-7, 1-5 Big South-OVC). He was intercepted twice.The Bulldogs (5-5, 3-2) had a decided advantage in total yards, outgaining the Lions 487-252.___ Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll 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-footballSource

Hubbard hits 5 3s, scores 22 as Mississippi State beats UT Martin 87-63

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:02:45 GMT

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Josh Hubbard hit five 3-pointers and finished with 22 points Saturday to help Mississippi State beat UT Martin 87-63. Cameron Matthews had 12 points and Gai Chol and Trey Fort — who hit three 3s — scored 11 apiece for Mississippi State (2-0). Jimmy Bell Jr. grabbed 12 rebounds to go with seven points and three blocks. Shawn Jones Jr. added eight points, three steals and two blocks. Hubbard was fouled as he hit a 3-pointer and made the and-1 free throw to give Mississippi State the lead for good with 16:31 left in the first half. Hubbard followed with two free throws before Chol converted a three-point play to cap a 9-0 spurt that gave the Bulldogs a 15-8 lead about 2 minutes later. D.J. Jeffries hit a 3-pointer that pushed Mississippi State’s lead into double figures for good amid a 13-4 run to close the first half that made it 41-27. The Skyhawks, who made 9 of 35 (25.7%) from the field and 1 of 13 (7.7%) from 3-point range, were plus-4 (10-6) on the ...

Wyatt Johnston’s goal and assist lift Stars over Jets 3-2

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:02:45 GMT

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Wyatt Johnston had a goal and an assist as the Dallas Stars defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 on Saturday.Thomas Harley and Matt Duchene also scored for the Stars (9-3-1).“I thought it may be our best road game of the year,” Stars coach Peter DeBoer said. “I liked how we started. I liked the entire 60 minutes. I thought we were tight, we were smart with the puck, we were competitive, built a lead. That’s how you want to play on the road.”Scott Wedgewood, who made 31 saves in net for Dallas, held the fort late in the third period with the Jets pressing for the equalizer with their goalie pulled.“Obviously, a tough building to come into,” Wedgewood said. “I think we played probably our best 60 the way our first period was. Unfortunately, they get a floater in the third to make things a little more tighter than I would have liked. But it was a character ending for us. A couple of big blocks by the guys and I was fortunate to make a save there short-handed and kee...