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Late Field Goal Lifts Irish

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MIAMI GARDENS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Notre Dame’s PK Mitch Jeter’s 41-yard field goal with seven seconds left lifted Notre Dame to a 27-24 comeback win over Penn State in the Orange Bowl — one of the College Football Playoff semifinals — on Thursday.

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The seventh-seeded Fighting Irish (14-1) won their 13th game in a row and advanced to the CFP national championship game, which will be played January 20 in Atlanta. Their opponent will be the winner of tonight’s Cotton Bowl matchup between fifth-seeded Texas and eighth-seeded Ohio State.

It will be the first time Notre Dame has played for a national title since 2013 when it lost to Alabama in a game played in Miami Gardens.

Christian Gray’s diving interception of a pass from Penn State quarterback Drew Allar with 33 seconds left set up the Fighting Irish’s winning score.

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard completed 15 of 23 passes for 223 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions and converted a key first down on the Fighting Irish’s final drive to set up Jeter’s game-winner.

On third-and-3, Leonard found Jaden Greathouse for 10 yards to the Penn State 25, and Leonard subsequently ran for 2 yards to make the attempt closer. Jeter, who is 7-for-8 on field-goal attempts in the playoffs, snuck the ball just inside the right upright.

Greathouse, who finished with a career-high 105 receiving yards, made his biggest catch when he hauled in a 54-yard touchdown pass from Leonard to level the score at 24 with 4:38 to go.

The Fighting Irish regained possession after forcing a Penn State punt. However, Notre Dame’s own ensuing drive fizzled at midfield when Leonard was sacked by Coziah Izzard, forcing a punt with 47 seconds left.

The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions (13-3) were looking for a shot at their first national title since 1986. They fell despite a stellar game from Nicholas Singleton, who tied an Orange Bowl record with three rushing touchdowns.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Jan 5

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BOSTON – Let’s start the Year 2025 with some bold predictions for the sports world in the year to come.

  • Ohio State will win the College Football National Championship.
  • Free agent pitcher Roki Sasaki will sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
  • Canada will win the 4 Nations Face-Off.
  • The Detroit Lions will win the Super Bowl. Jared Goff will be MVP.
  • Kansas will win the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship with Tennessee, Duke and Florida falling short in the 2025 Final Four.
  • Citizen Bull will win the Kentucky Derby but not the Triple Crown.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights will win the Stanley Cup, defeating the Washington Capitals.
  • The Oklahoma City Thunder will win the NBA title, defeating the Boston Celtics with OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander winning a double MVP for the regular season and NBA Finals.
  • Scottie Scheffler will repeat as the winner of the TOUR Championship, the FedEx Cup and the PGA Tour’s Player of the Year. He will not get arrested this season.
  • The Los Angeles Dodgers will be World Series champions once again.

Admittedly, there are no wild and crazy predictions included in the bunch. Every team, player and horse has a legitimate chance if you were to poll the oddsmakers of Las Vegas.

It’ll be evident in the results of MLB that the rich will continue to get richer (Dodgers, Yankees, Mets), largely because the rules of baseball allow for it without much regard to league-wide parity.

For instance, the Dodgers agreed to a deal with star Korean infielder Hyeseong Kim, the team announced this weekend. The deal is for three years and a guaranteed $12.5 million with an option for 2028-29 that could increase the value of the deal to $22 million. … Kim batted .304 and logged a .364 on-base percentage over eight seasons with the Kiwoom Heroes. He also stole at least 20 bases in each of the past seven seasons, reaching as high as 46 in 2021. A left-handed hitter, Kim slashed .326/.383/.458 with 11 home runs and 30 steals for Kiwoom in ’24.

In the NBA and NHL, where teams play from the same proverbial deck of cards with various salary cap restrictions, repeating as champion is a difficult task.

closeup photo of lighted tealight candles on rackPhoto by Thomas Bormans on Unsplash

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Many of us fell asleep after midnight as December 31st turned to January 1st and the year 2025 began in the quiet peace of the night. In New Orleans, it wasn’t quiet nor peaceful in the French Quarter and by 3:15am, horror brought 2025 in with death and destruction. If you’ve been paying attention to the news, they (terrorists) ruined the celebratory atmosphere of fun and revelry in one of America’s great cities. In doing so, they put a damper over the Sugar Bowl (quarterfinal of the CFP) and the Bowl season, in general. More importantly, 15 souls were lost in a random, senseless attack which injured 36 others and left the entire city of New Orleans on edge, fearful of what might be next.

We’ve seen it before, right here in Boston, when two morons decided to place deadly homemade bombs in two backpacks and dropped the bags along the sidewalks of the finish line route of the Boston Marathon in 2013. The initial bombing caused the deaths of three and injured more than 260 others, not counting the emotional scars of friends and families of the victims and casualties. In addition, in the ensuing police action, a police officer was shot and killed.

The terrorism didn’t start in Boston, as there’s been countless strikes, including the 9/11 attacks, an open shooter at a Las Vegas outdoor concert, bombings at clubs in cities dotting the USA, Europe and throughout the world.

The unbelievable thing is the fact film producers turn the acts of terrorism into motion pictures and documentaries. Director and screenwriter Peter Berg, along with co-writers Matt Cook, and Joshua Zetumer, made a the film based on the book – “Boston Strong” – by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge. Boston-based actor Mark Wahlberg became the face of the film, “Patriots’” Day, all with good intention but still glorifying the act.

In theaters now is director Tim Fehlbaum‘s Golden Globe-nominated film “September 5.” The film is set almost entirely in the ABC Sports control room and focuses on the real-time challenges faced by the broadcasters in covering the terrorist plot at the 1972 Munich Olympics. September 5 wasn’t the first to chronicle that horrendous attack, as “Munich” and “One Day in September” predate the current film.

ABC Sports anchor Jim McCay summed it up that bleak September day, stating: “Our worst fears have been realized tonight. They have now said that there were 11 hostages. Two were killed in their rooms, yesterday morning. Nine were killed at the airport, tonight. They’re all gone.”

Yes, the victims of the ‘72 Olympics are all gone, but the terrorists – and the motion pictures – keep coming back.

TIDBITS: The things I think about include the fact that 8 o’clock coffee is just as good at 6:30 or 7 o’clock. … When I ordered my coffee, the counterperson seemed quite confused when I asked for No Sugar but Half and 1/4 … Wind breakers don’t really break the wind, and, in fact, the wind breaks the jacket more often than not. … Aside from their size, there’s not much difference between softballs and hardballs in baseball. If you get hit with either one, they’re both pretty hard. … You’ve heard of Manute Bol’s son Bol Bol, right? Pretty good player. Maybe he should sponsor a bowl game and it could be the Bol Bol Bowl.

Random Notes: In case anyone hasn’t noticed, UConn has reeled off seven straight “Ws” since the shakedown start in Maui. … the Big Ten basketball matchup of the week was UCLA at Nebraska. … Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama thinks the object of the game of golf is to shoot 65 or better … BC’s Zay Flowers, now known as Lamar Jackson’s favorite Baltimore Ravens wide receivers left Saturday’s game against the Cleveland Browns with an injured right knee. He walked off the field under his own power but further examination(s) will be necessary. Some might criticize Ravens head coach John Harbaugh for playing his starters, but Baltimore needed the win to earn the AFC North title, a game ahead of Pittsburgh. … TGL Golf will tee-off Tuesday, January 7 at 9:00pm ET on ESPN. The inaugural match will pit the New York Golf Club taking on The Bay Golf Club. Three players from each team will go head-to-head in a 15-hole match featuring two different formats – nine holes of Triples and six holes of Singles.

The column is happy to note a new indoor record for “Open Rate,” the key indicator of growth and acceptance for this publication each weekend. The new high mark is 78%. By comparison, a good open rate ranges from 17-28% and 21.33% is the industry average. With subscription offerings, the rate gets higher, of course.

“Hello Old Friend” – Need a new Spotify classic rock playlist? How about 4 hours and 57 minutes of serious rock, all compiled in one place for WWYI readers – right HERE. Eric Clapton and Yvonne Elliman are a reason to tune in right away.

LEGENDS OF SPORT: Here’s one of Andrew D. Bernstein’s tremendous podcasts, recorded at the Basketball Hall of Fame.

KEY DATES IN 2025: Everyone needs to circle these dates on their sports calendar:

January 2025:

9 – Orange Bowl (CFP Semis)

10 – Cotton Bowl (CFP Semis)

11-12 – NFL Wild Card Weekend

18-19 – NFL Divisional Playoffs

20 – College Football Championship (Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta)

NBA – King Holiday Full NBA Schedule

26 – AFC/NFC Championship Sunday

February 2025:

2 – NFL Pro Bowl (Orlando)

6 – NBA Trade Deadline

9 – Super Bowl (New Orleans)

12 – MLB Pitchers & Catchers Report to Spring Training

12-15 – 4 Nations Face-Off (NHL) (Montreal)

14-16 – NBA All-Star Weekend (San Fran)

17 – 4 Nations Face-Off – Semis (Boston)

20 – 4 Nations Face-Off – Championship (Boston)

March 2025

8 – Final Regular Season Games in College Basketball

12-15 – BIG EAST Championship (The Garden, NYC)

16 – NCAA Men’s Selection Sunday

18-19 – MLB Tokyo Series (Cubs v. Dodgers) – Tokyo, Japan

18-19 – NCAA Men’s First Four (Dayton)

20-23 – NCAA First and Second Rounds

27 – MLB Opening Day

27-30 – Sweet 16/Elite 8 – NCAA Basketball – (ATL, NJ, INDY, SF)

April 2025:

4 – Boston Red Sox home opener (vs St. Louis)

5-7 – NCAA Men’s Final Four (San Antonio)

21 – Patriots’ Day/Boston Marathon

DIGITAL SPORTS DESK’S ALL NFL FANTASY TEAM: Here are the best players in NFL Fantasy Football for the 2024-25 season:

  • QB – Josh Allen
  • QB – Lamar Jackson
  • QB – Joe Burrow
  • RB – Saquon Barkley
  • RB – Derrick Henry
  • WR – Ja’Marr Chase
  • WR – Justin Jefferson
  • WR – Amon-Ra St. Brown
  • TE – Brock Bowers
  • TE – George Kittle
  • PK – Chris Boswell
  • PK – Brandon Aubrey
  • DT – Broncos
  • DT – Vikings

CFP: Vegas Favors Ohio St and ND

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LAS VEGAS – (Wire Service Report) – If the semifinals unfold the way Las Vegas sees it happening, Ohio State and Notre Dame will play for the College Football Playoff national title.

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No. 7 seed Notre Dame was installed as a 1.5-point favorite over No. 6 seed Penn State at various major sportsbooks on Thursday night, shortly after the Fighting Irish took down No. 2 seed Georgia 23-10 in their quarterfinal game at the Sugar Bowl.

No. 8 seed Ohio State, which trounced top-seeded Oregon 41-21 on New Year’s Day, is a slightly bigger favorite against No. 5 Texas in the other semifinal. The Buckeyes were 4.5-point favorites at DraftKings on Wednesday night and that grew to a six-point spread by Thursday, while it stood at 5.5 points at Fanduel Sportsbook and elsewhere.

This is the first season of the 12-team playoff, and the top four seeds all lost their quarterfinal games at neutral sites after receiving first-round byes. Penn State defeated Boise State, the top Group of Five champion, 31-14. Texas outlasted Big 12 champion Arizona State 39-31 in double overtime.

Fanduel also lists Ohio State as the +110 favorite to win the national championship, a significant edge over Notre Dame at +340.

The Buckeyes (12-2) had lost to Oregon by one point in the regular season and turned the tables in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday, storming out to a 34-0 lead shortly before halftime. Will Howard finished the game with 319 passing yards and three touchdowns, with Jeremiah Smith going for seven catches, 187 yards and two TDs.

–Field Level Media

Ohio St Favorited Over Oregon

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PASADENA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – One of Ohio State’s two losses this season came against No. 1 Oregon, but that didn’t dissuade oddsmakers from installing the eighth-seeded Buckeyes as favorites to beat the Ducks in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

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Shortly after Ohio State finished off it’s 42-17 rout of No. 9 Tennessee on Saturday night, the Buckeyes opened as 1.0-point favorites at DraftKings and 1.5-point favorites at BetRivers to beat Oregon on New Year’s Day.

The teams met earlier this season in one of the most memorable games of the 2024 regular season. The Buckeyes visited Autzen Stadium on Oct. 12 and walked away with a dramatic 32-31 defeat. A rematch in the Big Ten title game appeared likely until Ohio State was upset at home by unranked Michigan to close the regular season.

Oddsmakers are clearly placing more weight on Saturday’s convincing win over Tennessee in the final game of the opening round of the CFP.

Oregon will enter the quarterfinal clash with a perfect 13-0 record, but it will be nearly a month since the Ducks beat Penn State in the Big Ten title game.

Many believe the CFP committee essentially rewarded the Nittany Lions despite that loss. While Oregon faces a potential CFP gauntlet of Ohio State, No. 5 Texas and No. 2 Georgia, Penn State opened with a 38-10 blowout win over No. 11 SMU on Saturday.

Up next is Boise State, which is seeded third but hails from the Mountain West Conference. Penn State opened as a 10.5-point favorite at both sportsbooks. Only Texas, which faces No. 4 Arizona State, is a bigger favorite among the quarterfinal matchups at 13.5 points.

Georgia and No. 7 Notre Dame will be the final CFP game on New Year’s Day. The Bulldogs opened as 1.5-point favorites at DraftKings, while BetRivers installed Georgia as a 3.0-point favorite.

The road to a national title will require one of the remaining teams to reel off three consecutive victories. For Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame and Ohio State, that will mean winning four playoff games — although each of them won their first-round matchups handily.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS
Texas (+340)
Ohio State (+380)
Oregon (+400)
Penn State (+475)
Georgia (+550)
Notre Dame (+550)
Arizona State (+7000)

–Field Level Media

Nebraska Defeats BC, 20-15

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BRONX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – A trio of running backs recorded touchdowns to help Nebraska hold off Boston College’s late rally for a 20-15 win in the Pinstripe Bowl on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium in New York.

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New York native Rahmir Johnson scored the Cornhuskers’ opening touchdown to highlight his 60-yard performance on 10 carries. His 11-yard run on fourth-and-1 before the two-minute timeout iced the game, lifting Nebraska (7-6) to its first winning season since 2016.

Kwinten Ives also ran for a score and Emmett Johnson (team-high 68 rushing yards on 14 carries) caught one from freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola, who was 23 of 31 for 228 yards, one touchdown and one interception on the day.

Nebraska had a 20-2 lead before allowing its first touchdown with 6:11 left in regulation.

Boston College (7-6) forced two first-half turnovers and finished five of its first seven drives inside the opposing 35-yard line, but the Eagles went 0-for-4 on fourth downs until Turbo Richard’s 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Nebraska’s first two punts turned into touchdowns for the Eagles, with the second being blocked and returned to the 2-yard line ahead of a Jordan McDonald score with 4:18 remaining.

Grayson James quarterbacked the Eagles, going 25 of 40 for a season-high 296 yards. He also rushed for 22. Lewis Bond made six catches for 94 yards.

Jahmal Banks was Raiola’s leading target, making four catches for 79 yards.

After big plays went by the boards for both teams on their opening series, Raiola sent Nebraska on a 15-play, 75-yard drive to the opening touchdown four seconds into the second quarter. Following a third-down conversion in the red zone, Rahmir Johnson scored on a 4-yard run before John Hohl’s PAT made it 7-0.

After Boston College was unable to convert on Josiah Griffin’s recovery of an Emmett Johnson fumble, an ensuing fourth-down penalty gave Nebraska new life and the Cornhuskers turned it into Ives’ 2-yard score with 3:39 before halftime.

Ashton McShane’s 88-yard blocked PAT return got the Eagles on the board at 13-2, though.

Nebraska’s first drive out of halftime included two fakes from punter/holder Brian Buschini, including a successful fake field goal. On the following series, Raiola’s 13-yard pass to Emmett Johnson out of the backfield resulted in a 20-2 lead with 3:02 left in the third.

Richard punched in the first Boston College touchdown. James’ two-point conversion pass attempt failed.

Buschini’s second punt was blocked by Victor Nelson Jr. and returned to the 2-yard line by Omar Thornton, setting up McDonald’s run and a Liam Connor PAT.

–Field Level Media

Hunter Named Heisman Winner

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Colorado two-way (receiver/cornerback) player Travis Hunter was named winner of the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night. Hunter joins running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994 as the only Colorado players to win the Heisman.

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Hunter has 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and ranks second nationally with 14 touchdown catches. On defense, he has four interceptions with 15 passes defensed and was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.

Hunter won the Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defensive player and the Biletnikoff Award as the top receiver in the country.

Hunter is in his second and final season at Colorado as he has stated that he will enter the 2025 NFL Draft. He began his college career at Jackson State and transferred to the Buffaloes when Deion Sanders departed to become Colorado coach.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel were the other finalists.

Jeanty has rushed for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns, Ward has thrown for 4,123 yards and 36 touchdowns and Gabriel has completed 73.2 percent of his passes for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

Belichick Can Be Finer in Carolina

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CHAPEL HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report). It probably could’ve been Chestnut Hill last summer but instead, it’s Chapel Hill today as Bill Belichick rejoined the coaching ranks at the collegiate level, landing a five-year contract to take over as the head coach at North Carolina.

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The deal must be ratified by the university’s Board of Trustees and Board of Governors. A special session will be held Thursday, according to multiple media outlets. Undoubtedly, the word money will come up.

Belichick’s five-year pact calls for the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach to earn a total of $50 million, The Athletic reported.

Belichick’s father, Steve Belichick, was an assistant coach at the University of North Carolina from 1953-55. Bill Belichick takes over a Tar Heels program that has not won a conference title since 1980.

Belichick said in a statement released by North Carolina, “I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill. I grew up around college football with my Dad and treasured those times. I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill.”

North Carolina chancellor Lee H. Roberts added in a statement, “This is an exciting day for Carolina football and our University. Carolina is committed to excellence and to creating an opportunity to succeed in everything we do, from the classroom to the field of competition. I know after speaking with Coach Belichick that he shares that commitment. His legacy speaks for itself, and we look forward to working together on the next chapter of Carolina football.”

Belichick will replace Mack Brown, whom North Carolina fired at the end of the regular season. The Tar Heels (6-6) will play in the Fenway Bowl on Dec. 28 in Boston.

Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement, “We know that college athletics is changing, and those changes require new and innovative thinking. Bill Belichick is a football legend, and hiring him to lead our program represents a new approach that will ensure Carolina football can evolve, compete and win — today and in the future.”

Belichick, 72, parted ways with the New England Patriots following the 2023 season after 24 years with the franchise. He was out of coaching this year despite interviewing for multiple NFL vacancies last offseason, and has been working multiple roles in the media.

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Belichick has 333 wins as an NFL coach and needs 14 more to break the all-time wins record for NFL coaches held by Don Shula. However, according to reports earlier this week, he was surprised not to hear from the NFL teams with existing vacancies.

It will be his first coaching position at the collegiate level. His son, Steve, is the defensive coordinator at the University of Washington and a prominent role for him at UNC was reportedly a part of his father’s pitch to the Tar Heels. Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch was a former assistant for Bill Belichick, who spent significant time around the Washington program over the past year.

During an interview with “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday, Belichick outlined what he believed he could bring to a program during the NIL era that has contributed to other coaches such as Nick Saban leaving college football.

“The college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL,” he said. “It would be a professional program, training, nutrition, scheme, coaching, techniques that would transfer to the NFL. It would be an NFL program at a college level and an education that would get the players ready for their career after football, whether that was (at) the end of their college career or at the end of their pro career.

“But it would be geared toward developing the player, time management, discipline, structure and all that, that would be life skills, regardless of whether they’re in the NFL or somewhere in the business.”

–Field Level Media

BC Handles Pitt, Awaits Bowl Game

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – BC QB Grayson James threw for a pair of second-half touchdowns and six passes of at least 25 yards as Boston College defeated Pitt 34-23 in Saturday’s Atlantic Coast Conference action in Massachusetts.

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James finished 20-of-28 for 253 yards, helping the Eagles (7-5, 4-4 ACC) to their second straight and third win in four games. He connected with Reed Harris (three receptions, 85 yards) and Kamari Morales for scores, with the former scoring for the second week in a row.

Jordan McDonald and Kye Robichaux rushed into the end zone to help the Eagles open up a 13-0 lead that they would never relinquish, reaching the seven-win mark in the regular season for the first time since 2018.

Despite Nate Yarnell throwing for 296 yards and three touchdowns in place of injured starter Eli Holstein, Pitt (7-5, 3-5) suffered its fifth consecutive loss since a 7-0 start.

Gavin Bartholomew caught Yarnell’s first two touchdowns before Konata Mumpfield finished a 144-yard day on eight receptions with one of his own.

Boston College sacked Yarnell six times. Standout defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku had 10 total tackles (4 1/2 for loss) and 3 1/2 sacks.

After Pitt closed within 20-17, James hit Jeremiah Franklin on a third-and-10 scramble to continue a key eight-play, 83-yard scoring drive that Harris finalized on a 28-yard jump-ball in the front corner of the end zone with 2:33 left in the third quarter.

Pitt’s fumbled snap on 4th-and-2 turned the ball back to James, whose 15-yard dot to Morales with 6:12 remaining added insurance. A Lewis Bond conversion on fourth-and-4 set the table.

Mumpfield made a 15-yard touchdown reception with 3:59 left.

A play after James completed his third 25-yarder of the first quarter over the middle to Franklin, Jordan McDonald broke out for a 36-yard touchdown run to give Boston College a 6-0 lead with 1:53 left. The PAT attempt was unsuccessful following a bad snap.

James’ 53-yard strike to Harris set up the Eagles to extend their lead to 13-0 on Robichaux’s 2-yard run with 6:35 left before halftime.

Pitt used a 75-yard drive to score in the ensuing eight plays. Facing third-and-11, Yarnell found a wide-open Bartholomew for an 11-yard score, cutting the Panther deficit to 13-7.

Yarnell then drove the Panthers into opposing territory in four plays, but Neto Okpala’s pressure and tipped pass landed in the hands of defensive tackle Ty Clemons for a 55-yard interception return with 33 seconds left before halftime.

Pitt’s Ben Sauls snuck in a 57-yard field goal as the first-half clock expired.

After a fourth-and-2 hold inside their own territory, Bartholomew caught Yarnell’s last two passes of an eight-play, 65-yard drive, including a five-yarder with 7:50 left in the third to make it 20-17.

–Field Level Media

Notre Dame Climbs to No. 6

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Wire Service Report) – A lack of upsets at the top of college football resulted in little movement at the top of the Associated Press Top 25 poll on Sunday, as Oregon remained undefeated and keeps its hold on the No. 1 ranking after avoiding an upset at Wisconsin.

The Ducks (11-0) prevailed 16-13 in Madison, Wis., while No. 2 Ohio State (9-1), No. 3 Texas (9-1) and No. 4 Penn State (9-1) all won as well, preserving the top four. Indiana (10-0) remained No. 5 after a bye week.

Previous No. 6 Tennessee lost to Georgia, and previous No. 7 BYU was upset by Kansas, opening the door for Notre Dame (9-1) to move up to No. 6 with its 35-14 blowout of Virginia.

The Fighting Irish have barely been tested since their shocking upset loss to Northern Illinois in Week 2, only once winning by less than 18 (31-24 vs. Louisville on Sept. 28). That could change soon with next weekend’s game against No. 18 Army (9-0).

Four SEC schools round out the Top 10 with identical 8-2 records: No. 7 Alabama, No. 8 Georgia, No. 9 Ole Miss and No. 10 Tennessee.

BYU (9-1) fell seven spots to No. 14 after losing for the first time this season, landing one spot below a team it beat earlier this year, SMU (9-1), who survived an upset bid from visiting Boston College.

Arizona State (8-2) rejoined the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2021 at No. 21 after its 24-14 road win at previous No. 20 Kansas State. Other newcomers included No. 22 Iowa State (8-2), No. 23 UNLV (8-2) and No. 24 Illinois (7-3).

Kansas State, LSU, Louisville and Missouri all fell from the rankings following losses.

The third in-season edition of the College Football Playoff committee’s rankings will be released Tuesday night.

The AP Top 25 poll after Week 12:
1. Oregon
2. Ohio State
3. Texas
4. Penn State
5. Indiana
6. Notre Dame
7. Alabama
8. Georgia
9. Ole Miss
10. Tennessee
11. Miami
12. Boise State
13. SMU
14. BYU
15. Texas A&M
16. Colorado
17. Clemson
18. Army
19. South Carolina
20. Tulane
21. Arizona State
22. Iowa State
23. UNLV
24. Illinois
25. Washington State

–Field Level Media

BOLD – Theoretical CFB Playoff Teams

NCAA Football: Top 25 Update

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PROVO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Kansas’ Devin Neal rushed for two touchdowns and a fluke occurrence on a punt led to the go-ahead score as his Jayhawks notched a 17-13 upset of No. 6 BYU in Big 12 play on a chilly Saturday night in Utah.

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Jalon Daniels completed 12 of 19 passes for 169 yards and one interception, but his biggest contribution was a fourth-quarter punt that struck a member of the Cougars and was recovered by the Jayhawks (4-6, 3-4) at the BYU 3-yard line. Neal scored the winning points on the next play, and Kansas protected the lead.

The setback is a major blow for the Cougars (9-1, 6-1), who dropped into a first-place tie with Colorado and will slip downward when the next College Football Playoff rankings are unveiled on Tuesday.

BYU’s Jake Retzlaff completed 18 of 28 passes for 192 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Hinckley Ropati had a scoring reception for the Cougars.

Neal extended his school record to 45 rushing touchdowns, and his 52 yards rushing made him the first player in program history to top 4,000 on the ground. His total sits at 4,003.

No. 1 Oregon 1, Wisconsin 13

Atticus Sappington’s 24-yard field goal capped a 10-point fourth-quarter rally as the Ducks staved off an upset with a comeback victory over the host Badgers.

Oregon (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten), which entered averaging 35.7 points per game, took over at the Wisconsin 43 after a 12-yard punt return with just under seven minutes left. On third-and-4, quarterback Dillon Gabriel eluded pressure and scrambled 8 yards for the first down at the 8. After Gabriel’s third-down pass was incomplete, Sappington hit his third field goal of the game to put the Ducks up 16-13 with 2:36 remaining.

Wisconsin (5-5, 3-4) lost its third straight. The Badgers need one more victory to keep its streak of 22 consecutive bowl games alive.

No. 2 Ohio State 31, Northwestern 7

Chicago native Carnell Tate had two touchdown catches and Quinshon Judkins ran for two short scores as the Buckeyes overcame a slow start to defeat the Wildcats at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Tate, who had four receptions for 52 yards, made an 8-yard TD catch on the first drive for the Buckeyes (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) in the second half to make it 28-7 before a pro-Ohio State crowd. The score was set up by a 68-yard catch-and-run by Jeremiah Smith, who finished with four catches for 100 yards. Ohio State made it 31 straight points on a 28-yard field goal by Jayden Fielding with 44 seconds left in the third.

Northwestern (4-6, 2-5) quarterback Jack Lausch was 21-of-35 passing for 201 yards with Bryce Kirtz making seven catches for 92 yards.

No. 3 Texas 20, Arkansas 10

Quinn Ewers passed for 176 yards and touchdowns early and late to Matthew Golden as the Longhorns did just enough on the road to beat the Razorbacks in a key Southeastern Conference clash in Fayetteville, Ark.

The game was the first for the two programs as league foes since 1990 when they were a part of the now-defunct Southwest Conference. The intensity still was high as the Longhorns (9-1, 5-1 SEC) stayed on track for a spot in the SEC Championship Game in their inaugural season in the conference. Jaydon Blue rushed for 83 yards on 14 carries as Texas outgained the Razorbacks 315-231 in total yards.

Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green had 149 yards passing but absorbed six sacks for 48 yards in losses and threw an interception for the Razorbacks (5-5, 3-4).

No. 4 Penn State 49, Purdue 10

Drew Allar passed for three touchdowns and Tyler Warren found the end zone twice as the Nittany Lions rolled over the host Boilermakers in West Lafayette, Ind.

Allar finished with more touchdowns than incompletions, as he went 17 of 19 for 247 yards without a turnover for the Nittany Lions (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten). Warren totaled eight catches for 127 yards and a score and also had a 48-yard scoring run.

Hudson Card passed for 151 yards and Max Klare had 91 receiving yards and a touchdown for Purdue (1-9, 0-7), which has not won since Week 1 and has not beaten Penn State since 2004. The Boilermakers have faced three top-five opponents in the last month, losing those games by a combined margin of 129-10.

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No. 12 Georgia 31, No. 7 Tennessee 17

Carson Beck completed 25 of 40 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs kept their Southeastern Conference Championship Game and College Football Playoff hopes alive by beating the Volunteers in Athens, Ga.

Beck also added a rushing score for the Bulldogs (8-2, 6-2), who bounced back from last week’s 28-10 loss at Ole Miss. Nate Frazier ran for 68 yards and a touchdown, while Oscar Delp caught four passes for 56 yards and two touchdowns. Georgia beat Tennessee for the eighth straight year.

Nico Iamaleava completed 20 of 33 passes for 167 yards for Tennessee (8-2, 5-2), which had its four-game winning streak snapped. Dylan Sampson led the Volunteers with 101 rushing yards and a score.

No. 8 Notre Dame 35, Virginia 14

Jeremiyah Love ran for 137 yards and two touchdowns and Riley Leonard threw three touchdown passes to lead the Fighting Irish past the Cavaliers in South Bend, Ind.

Notre Dame won its eighth consecutive game and inched closer to securing a playoff berth. Love has scored at least one touchdown in 10 straight games, making him the program’s fourth running back to do so. He also broke loose for a 76-yard score in the third quarter to put the Irish ahead 35-0.

Virginia (5-5) was unable to carry over the momentum from last week’s upset up Pitt. The Cavaliers benched quarterback Anthony Colandrea, who completed only 8 for 21 passes for 69 yards with three interceptions, and replaced him with Tony Muskett in the second half. Muskett scored the Cavaliers’ only two touchdowns.

No. 10 Alabama 52, Mercer 7

Jalen Milroe threw a pair of touchdown passes and Ryan Williams scored one rushing and one receiving TD as the host Crimson Tide cruised past the Bears in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The 10th-ranked Crimson Tide (8-2) received a collective effort from its offense, defense and special teams and was able to incorporate several reserve players into the game in the second half after taking a commanding 38-7 lead over the Bears (9-2). Milroe completed 11 of 16 passes for 186 yards, didn’t throw an interception and ran for 43 yards and a touchdown on six carries to lead Alabama.

Mercer had a three-game winning streak snapped, but already clinched a berth in the FCS playoffs and a share of the Southern Conference championship. Whitt Newbauer completed 15 of 22 passes for 140 yards and an interception as Mercer was held to 202 yards of total offense.

No. 13 Boise State 42, San Jose State 21

Ashton Jeanty ran for three touchdowns and the Broncos overcame a 14-0 first-half deficit to the host Spartans to continue its march toward a hopeful playoff berth.

The victory keeps the Broncos (9-1, 6-0 Mountain West) in control of the one open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff reserved for the highest-ranked Group of 5 team, and in the lead in the Mountain West Conference. Jeanty, who entered Saturday as the nation’s leading rusher, ran for 159 yards in the win. Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen completed 22 of 30 attempts for 286 yards and a touchdown.

The Spartans’ Walker Eget threw for a career-high 446 yards on 34-of-50 passing with three touchdowns and two interceptions in the loss. Justin Lockhart had 10 catches for 172 and a TD and Nick Nash added nine catches for 126 yards and a score for San Jose State (6-4, 3-3).

No. 14 SMU 38, Boston College 28

Kevin Jennings went 24-for-35 passing for 298 yards and three touchdowns as the Mustangs held off the visiting Eagles in Atlantic Coast Conference action in Dallas.

Jennings found three different receivers for touchdowns as the Mustangs (9-1, 6-0) remained unbeaten in their first ACC season. Jordan Hudson had seven catches for 99 yards and a score. Brashard Smith rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.

In his first start since Thomas Castellanos was benched and entered the transfer portal, Grayson James completed 18 of 32 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown with an interception for Boston College (5-5, 2-4). Kye Robichaux rushed for two touchdowns and 90 yards on 21 carries.

No. 15 Texas A&M 38, New Mexico State 3

Marcel Reed passed for 268 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score to lead Texas A&M to a victory over New Mexico State in College Station, Texas.

Texas A&M (8-2) bounced back after a bye week that followed their first Southeastern Conference loss to South Carolina. Reed completed 20 of 31 passes and threw one interception.

New Mexico State (2-8) dropped its third in a row and suffered its eighth loss in its past nine games. Seth McGowan was one of the few bright spots for New Mexico State, rushing for 75 yards on 14 carries.

Arizona State 24, No. 16 Kansas State 14

Sam Leavitt was 21-of-34 for 275 yards and three touchdowns as the Sun Devils defeated the Wildcats in the first Big 12 Conference matchup between the two teams.

The Sun Devils (8-2, 5-2) built a 24-0 lead in the third quarter before K-State got its offense going. Arizona State reached Kansas State territory on each of its first nine drives and was 9-of-15 on third downs.

Avery Johnson finished 24-of-40 for 258 yards, but he had two interceptions and no touchdowns for Kansas State (7-3, 4-3).

No. 17 Colorado 49, Utah 24

Shedeur Sanders threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns as the Buffaloes withstood a late rally in a win over the Utes in Boulder, Colo.

Sanders connected on 30 of 41 passes and had an interception. Travis Hunter made big plays on offense along with an interception and pass defended on defense. He added five receptions for 55 yards and a 5-yard rushing touchdown. LaJohntay Wester had 10 receptions for 77 yards and a 76-yard punt return for a touchdown. Drelon Miller caught six passes for 108 yards and a touchdown, while Will Sheppard had five catches for 71 yards and two touchdowns for Colorado (8-2, 6-1 Big 12).

Isaac Wilson was 21-of-40 passing for 236 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions for Utah (4-6, 1-6). Utah’s Dorian Singer had five receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown and Caleb Lohner had a touchdown catch.

New Mexico 38, No. 18 Washington 35

Quarterback Devon Dampier rushed for a 1-yard touchdown with 21 seconds left and the Lobos rallied from a 14-point deficit in the third quarter to upset the Cougars in Albuquerque, N.M.

Dampier gained 193 yards on 28 carries and scored three times as the Lobos improved to 5-6 and stayed alive for a bowl bid. He also completed 11 of 25 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown as New Mexico finished with 534 total yards.

John Mateer hit 25 of 36 passes for 375 yards and four touchdowns for Washington State (8-2). His 37-yard strike to Kyle Williams, the wide receiver’s third touchdown catch of the night, gave Washington State a 35-31 edge with 3:12 left. Williams finished with nine catches for 181 yards.

Stanford 38, No. 19 Louisville 35

Emmet Kenney kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired to lift the host Cardinal to an upset of the Cardinals.

The senior’s heroics led to the crowd rushing to the field and snapped a six-game skid for the Cardinal (3-7, 2-5 ACC). It also capped a sensational comeback for Stanford, which trailed by 14 with less than 10 minutes remaining. Stanford got a season-high 298 yards passing and three touchdowns from Ashton Daniels, while freshman receiver Emmett Mosley V had 13 catches for 168 yards and three TDs.

Duke Watson ran for 117 yards and three scores on 11 carries for the Cardinals (6-4, 4-3), who rallied and appeared to take control of the game in the second half.

No. 20 Clemson 24, Pittsburgh 20

Cade Klubnik broke two tackles and scrambled up the field for a 50-yard go-ahead touchdown as the Tigers kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive by escaping Pittsburgh with a road victory.

Pitt used a 13-0 scoring run in the fourth quarter to take a 20-17 lead with 1:36 remaining after a 47-yard field goal from Ben Sauls capped off an eight-play, 26-yard drive that burned nearly three minutes off the clock. Clemson (8-2, 7-1 ACC) needed three plays to move back in front. Klubnik dropped back to pass and took off at midfield zig-zagging and then sprinting up the field for the longest touchdown of the game.

Nate Yarnell, starting in place of an injured Eli Holstein for Pitt, completed 34-of-54 passes for 350 yards and a touchdown. Panthers tight end Gavin Bartholomew had the TD reception during Pitt’s fourth-quarter comeback. Klubnik completed 27 of 41 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers. Antonio Williams hauled in 13 of Klubnik’s passes for 149 yards and both of Clemson’s scores through the air.

No. 21 South Carolina 34, No. 23 Missouri 30

LaNorris Sellers passed for 353 yards and five touchdowns as the Gamecocks edged the Tigers 34-30 in Columbia, S.C.

Rocket Sanders scored the decisive touchdown on a 15-yard shovel pass reception with 15 seconds left as the Gamecocks (7-3, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive. Sellers completed 21 of 30 passes and also rushed for 45 yards.

Missouri quarterback Brady Cook returned from ankle and wrist injuries to complete 21 of 31 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown. Nate Noel rushed for 150 yards and a touchdown for the Tigers (7-3, 3-3 SEC), and Blake Craig kicked field goals from 38, 37 yards and 25 yards.

Florida 27, No. 22 LSU 16

DJ Lagway passed for 226 yards and a touchdown and the Gators handed the Tigers their third consecutive loss in Gainesville, Fla.

Lagway returned from a one-game absence due to a strained hamstring to complete 13 of 26 passes and Florida (5-5, 3-4 Southeastern Conference) moved within one victory of bowl eligibility with two games to play. Elijhah Badger caught six of Lagway’s passes for 131 yards and a touchdown.

Garrett Nussmeier completed 27 of 47 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown for LSU (6-4, 3-3), but he was sacked seven times.

No. 25 Tulane 35, Navy 0

Makhi Hughes rushed for two touchdowns and the Green Wave defense smothered the Midshipmen in Annapolis, Md., in their American Athletic Conference showdown.

Darian Mensah threw for 138 yards and two scores and also ran for a TD for Tulane (9-2, 7-0 AAC), which clinched a berth in next month’s conference title game against No. 24 Army. Hughes finished with 82 yards on 22 carries. He capped a 65-yard drive to open the third quarter with a 1-yard scoring run to extend Tulane’s lead to 21-0.

The Midshipmen (7-3, 5-2) played most of the game without star quarterback Blake Horvath, who left with a rib injury after a 9-yard rush during Navy’s third possession. Braxton Woodson, who came on for Horvath, turned the ball over twice in a rough outing. He completed 3 of 10 passes for 13 yards with an interception and rushed 13 times for 24 yards while fumbling the ball away deep in Navy territory.

–Field Level Media