card game 9
Davis & Jackson Spark 97-81 Win Over Campbell
Clayton scores 34 as Ohio knocks off Portland 85-73INDIANAPOLIS — The first big win in college football's postseason goes to Boise State. The Broncos captured the Mountain West Conference title Friday night and earned their spot in the sport's first 12-team playoff. The losers? Well, there was UNLV, which fell 21-7 to Heisman hopeful Ashton Jeanty and the Broncos in the conference title game. But more than that, it was the Big 12, which saw one of its paths to a first-round bye in those playoffs blocked off by Jeanty and Co. Boise State will hang on to or improve on its No. 10 ranking in the final College Football Playoff rankings that come out Sunday. That would almost certainly make the Broncos no worse than the fourth-best conference titlist and in line for a first-round bye. The Big 12 title game on Saturday pits No. 15 Arizona State against No. 16 Iowa State. The winner is in the playoff. But the only realistic route left for either team to earn a bye ( and the extra $4 million that comes with it ) would be to combine that win — preferably a convincing one — with a loss by the Atlantic Coast Conference leader, No. 8 SMU, which plays No. 17 Clemson. The Big 12 commissioner and Iowa State's athletic director are among those already crying foul. By the time the title games are over (Saturday) and the brackets are revealed (Sunday), they won't be the only ones. The rest of the drama involves Alabama, SMU and Miami (sort of) Barring something completely unexpected, it will take either a loss by SMU, a change of heart from the selection committee or both to knock Alabama out of the bracket. If the Tide make it, the Southeastern Conference will have four teams in the playoff. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty (2) pushes away from the arms of UNLV defensive lineman Tatuo Martinson (98) on a run the first half of the Mountain West Championship NCAA college football game Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boise, Idaho. Credit: AP/Steve Conner Since the selection committee placed the Crimson Tide at No. 11 last week, one spot ahead of Miami, it looks very much like the Tide will stay ahead of the Hurricanes of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The way last week's ranking shook out, that meant Alabama was in and Miami was out. Not surprisingly, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, who saw undefeated Florida State passed over by Alabama in last year's four-team bracket, is not happy. “Decisions by the committee should be based on facts, not on perception,” said Phillips, whose talking points include Miami’s two losses compared with three for Alabama. “Not on the league that you come from, not in the geography of where you sit, but on your resume: What have you done? ... Who did you lose to and who did you beat?” Locks and near locks Boise State's bid is a done deal. Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner Jim Phillips speaks during an NCAA college football news conference at the ACC media days, Monday, July 22, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. Credit: AP/Matt Kelley Oregon, top-ranked and the only undefeated team in the country, is in, too. But Saturday's game against No. 3 Penn State is for the Big Ten title and a first-round bye. If Penn State prevails, then there's an argument that the Nittany Lions could end up with that top seed. In the SEC, it's No. 2 Texas vs. No. 5 Georgia. Sadly, Bevo will not be in the building. The winner gets a bye and a championship. The loser should still be in, but if that loser is Georgia, the Dawgs could be on the road for the first round. Depending on how the brackets shape up, these teams could face each other three times this season. Home field dust-up A handful of teams aren't playing this weekend and don't have much to worry about. No. 4 Notre Dame should get a home game. (Maybe the Irish, an independent, should get a bye, too, but that's a topic for another day.) No. 9 Indiana, one of four Big Ten teams projected to make the playoff, will probably be on the road. In between, there is the matter of No. 6 Ohio State and No. 7 Tennessee. Last week's projected bracket paired the 10-2 teams in a first-round game to be played at the Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio. But their rankings were flip-flopped from the way voters for the AP Top 25 placed them, and the difference matters a lot. Like Ohio Stadium, Neyland Stadium in Knoxville also seats 100,000-plus and provides one of the best home-field advantages in the game. All of which led Vols athletic director Danny White to weigh in, asking for a return to computer-based rankings that were used more than a decade ago in a previous iteration of the postseason (the Bowl Championship Series, or BCS). “I will criticize the fact that we don’t have a more objective, computer-based rankings system that just makes it very clear," White said in an interview with UT's radio personalities. “Everyone understands what the parameters are and it is what it is. I think it would leave a lot less consternation on the back end that we’re seeing all across the country right now.” ___ AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard contributed to this report.
Taylor Swift has made her first appearance since her Eras Tour extravaganza came to an end. Days after ending her final show in Vancouver, and one day before her milestone 35th birthday, the "Evermore" singer was spotted visiting Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. The Eras Tour, which began in March of last year, came to an end after 149 shows across 21 countries, and it ultimately grossed over $2 billion, the first tour to ever do so. In a photo shared across social media from her visit, Taylor is seen wearing a coordinating green plaid MiuMiu ensemble paired with tights and knee-high boots, and an adorable Golden Retriever is laying down next to her. After the photo was shared on social media, fans were quick to comment on it, with on writing: "So lovely," as others followed suit with: "She looks gorgeous as usual," and: "Nice gesture," as well as: "So cute and kind." The hospital is of course in Taylor's boyfriend Travis Kelce's homebase, and that of his Kansas City Chiefs. Though the tight-end wasn't in attendance at the last ever Eras Tour show, and was instead playing against the Los Angeles Charges, which the Chiefs won 19-17, he did attend several others. MORE: Travis Kelce makes emotional declaration to Taylor Swift MORE: Taylor Swift's incredibly generous multi-million dollar bonuses for her Eras Tour crew revealed Moreover, Taylor did make a sweet nod to him during the final song, "Karma," singing: "Karma is the guy on the Chiefs, coming straight home to me," instead of the original "Karma is the guy on the screen." He later also gushed about the incredible feat and achievement that it was during an episode of his New Heights podcast with his brother Jason Kelce. MORE: Taylor Swift's 'health risk' as she ends 18-month Eras Tour "Shout-out to Tay," he said. "The unbelievable Eras Tour has finally come to an end." MORE: Did Taylor Swift just reveal her next move as the Eras Tour ends? "Shout-out to everybody that was a part of that show," he further said, noting: "Obviously, it's her music, her tour and everything but that was a full production, man." "It was the best tour in the world because of a lot of people," he went on, though cheekily added: "And mostly because of Taylor."NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction, arguing continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that dismissal is warranted because of the extraordinary circumstances of his impending return to the White House. “Wrongly continuing proceedings in this failed lawfare case disrupts President Trump’s transition efforts,” the attorneys continued, before citing the “overwhelming national mandate granted to him by the American people on November 5, 2024.” Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse the conviction, which involved efforts to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, whose affair allegations threatened to disrupt his 2016 campaign. He has denied any wrongdoing. Trump takes office Jan. 20. Merchan hasn’t set a timetable for a decision. A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Merchan could also decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option.Political figure jailed for sexually abusing teens
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The 39-year-old has been a breath of fresh air since succeeding Erik ten Hag, with his personality and approach, coupled with promising early performances, bringing hope back to Old Trafford. Amorim has been touched by his warm welcome but repeatedly urged fans to avoid jumping the gun, having followed a draw at Ipswich with home wins against Bodo/Glimt and Everton. Wednesday’s trip to Arsenal is comfortably his biggest challenge yet and victory would see United move within three points of the Premier League title contenders. Put to Amorim it will be hard to manage expectations if they won in the capital, the head coach said: “I would like to say different things, but I have to say it again: the storm will come. “I don’t know if you use that expression, but we are going to have difficult moments and we will be found out in some games. “And I know that because I’m knowing my players and I know football and I follow football, so I understand the difference between the teams. “We are in the point in that we are putting simple things in the team, without training, and you feel it in this game against Everton, they change a little bit the way they were building up. “They are very good team, and we were with a lot of problems because we cannot change it by calling one thing to the captain. A midweek trip to the capital awaits 🚆 #MUFC || #PL pic.twitter.com/1e6VrILJW3 — Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 3, 2024 “So, we don’t have this training, so let’s focus on each game, on the performance, what we have to improve, trying to win games. And that is the focus. “I know it’s really hard to be a Manchester United coach and say these things in press conferences. We want to win all the time. No matter what. “We are going to try to win, but we know that we are in a different point if you compare to Arsenal. “So, it is what it is and we will try to win it and we go with confidence to win, but we know that we need to play very well to win the next football match.” The trip to Arsenal is the second of nine December matches for United, who are looking to avoid suffering four straight league defeats to the Gunners for the first time. The Red Devils have not won a Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium since 2017, but Amorim knows a thing or two about frustrating Mikel Arteta’s men. Arsenal thrashed Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in the Champions League last week, but in 2022-23 he led the Portuguese side to a Europa League last-16 penalty triumph after a 1-1 draw in London made it 3-3 on aggregate. “Arsenal this year, they play a little bit different,” Amorim said. “They are more fluid. “For example, two years ago when we faced them with Sporting, you knew how to press because you can understand better the structure. “Now it’s more fluid with (Riccardo) Calafiori and (Jurrien) Timber in different sides. One coming inside, the other going outside. Also (Martin) Odegaard changed the team, and you can feel it during this season. “So, you can take something from that game, especially because I know so well the opponent so you can understand the weakness of that team. “But every game is different, so you take something, but you already know that you are going to face a very good team.” This hectic winter schedule means Amorim sidestepped talk of January transfer business ahead of facing Arsenal, although he was more forthcoming on Amad Diallo’s future. The 22-year-old, who put in a man of the match display in Sunday’s 4-0 win against Everton, is out of contract at the end of the season, although the club holds an option to extend by a year. Diallo has repeatedly spoken of his desire to stay at United and it has been reported an agreement is close. Amorim said: “I think he wants to stay, and we want him to stay. So that is clear and we will find a solution.”