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Every movie and show coming to Netflix in December
ORLANDO, Fla. — UCF coach Gus Malzahn is resigning after four seasons with the school. ESPN’s Pete Thamel was the first to report the move, which will see Malzahn to leave to take the offensive coordinator job at Florida State. Malzahn previously worked with FSU coach Mike Norvell during their time at Tulsa under then-coach Todd Graham from 2007-08. The Knights ended a disappointing 4-8 season in which they lost eight of their last nine games, the longest losing streak since 2015. Malzahn, 59, was in the fourth year of a contract through 2028. His buyout, it is reported, would have been $13.75 million. He finished 27-25 at UCF but lost 16 of his last 22 games and was a dismal 4-14 in two seasons in the Big 12. After back-to-back nine-win seasons in 2021-22, the Knights went 6-7 in 2023 and 4-8 in 2024. This season started with high expectations as Malzahn made sweeping changes to the program. He retooled the strength and conditioning department and hired Ted Roof and Tim Harris Jr. as defensive and offensive coordinators, respectively. He also added nearly 50 new players to the roster, leaning heavily on the transfer market. UCF started by winning its first three games against New Hampshire, Sam Houston and a thrilling comeback at TCU, but offensive struggles saw the Knights tumble through a TBD-game losing streak to finish the season. Terry Mohajir hired Malzahn on Feb. 15, 2021, six days after he was hired to replace Danny White. The move came eight weeks after Malzahn had been fired at Auburn after eight seasons of coaching the Tigers. The two briefly worked together at Arkansas State in 2012 before Malzahn left for the Auburn job. “When he [Mohajir] offered the job, I was like, ‘I’m in.’ There wasn’t thinking about or talking about ...,” Malzahn said during his introductory press conference. “This will be one of the best programs in college football in a short time. This is a job that I plan on being here and building it.” UCF opened the 2021 season with non-conference wins over Boise State and Bethune-Cookman before traveling to Louisville on Sept. 17, where quarterback Dillon Gabriel suffered a fractured collarbone in the final minute of a 42-35 loss. Backup Mikey Keene would finish out the season as Gabriel announced his intention to transfer. The Knights would finish the season on the plus side by accepting a bid to join the Big 12 Conference in September and then by defeating Florida 29-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl. Malzahn struck transfer portal gold in the offseason when he signed former Ole Miss quarterback John Rhys Plumlee. Plumlee, a two-sport star with the Rebels, helped guide UCF to the American Athletic Conference Championship in its final season. However, Plumlee’s injury forced the Knights to go with Keene and freshman Thomas Castellanos. The team finished with losses to Tulane in the conference championship and Duke in the Military Bowl. Plumlee would return in 2023 as UCF transitioned to the Big 12 but would go down with a knee injury in the final minute of the Knights’ 18-16 win at Boise State on Sept. 9. He would miss the next four games as backup Timmy McClain took over the team. Even on his return, Plumlee couldn’t help UCF, on a five-game losing streak to open conference play. The Knights got their first Big 12 win at Cincinnati on Nov. 4 and upset No. 15 Oklahoma State the following week, but the team still needed a win over Houston in the regular-season finale to secure a bowl bid for the eighth straight season. From the moment Malzahn stepped on campus, he prioritized recruiting, particularly in Central Florida. “We’re going to recruit like our hair’s on fire,” Malzahn said at the time. “We’re going to go after the best players in America and we’re not backing down to anybody.” From 2007 to 2020, UCF signed 10 four-star high school and junior college prospects. Eight four-star prospects were in the three recruiting classes signed under Malzahn. The 2024 recruiting class earned a composite ranking of 39 from 247Sports, the highest-ranked class in school history. The 2025 recruiting class is ranked No. 41 and has commitments from three four-star prospects. Malzahn has always leaned on the transfer market, signing 60 players over the past three seasons. Some have paid huge dividends, such as Javon Baker, Lee Hunter, Kobe Hudson, Tylan Grable, Bula Schmidt, Amari Kight, Marcellus Marshall, Trent Whittemore, Gage King, Ethan Barr, Deshawn Pace and Plumlee. Others haven’t been as successful, such as quarterback KJ Jefferson, who started the first five games of this season before being benched for poor performance. Jefferson’s struggles forced the Knights to play musical chairs at quarterback, with true freshman EJ Colson, redshirt sophomore Jacurri Brown and redshirt freshman Dylan Rizk all seeing action at one point or another this season. This season’s struggles led to several players utilizing the NCAA’s redshirt rule after four games, including starting slot receiver Xavier Townsend and kicker Colton Boomer, who have also entered the transfer portal. Defensive end Kaven Call posted a letter to Malzahn on Twitter in which he accused the UCF coaching staff of recently kicking him off the team when he requested to be redshirted. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigrationSOUTHERN PINES — On Friday, Dec. 13, Sunrise Theater, 250 NW Broad St., Southern Pines, will be taken over by the Girl Scouts N.C. Coastal Pines Moore County Service Unit. The Girl Scouts will volunteer in concessions, at the box office and in setup and cleanup. Starting at 6 p.m., they will fill the green space with games and badge-earning opportunities. Then they will take over the screen to show "Princess Diaries" at 7 p.m. General-admission tickets are $8 and may be purchased through www.SunriseTheater.com . Girl Scouts who come in uniform may get in for $4. Half of the net profit from ticket sales will go to the Girl Scouts.
Flag football scours nation with talent camps to uncover next wave of starsBills Coaching Staff, Special Teams Grades at Week 12 ByeDemocrat Derek Tran wins election to U.S. House in California's 45th Congressional District, beating incumbent Michelle Steel
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (AP) — Matus Hronsky's 13 points off of the bench helped Duquesne to a 67-54 victory over Old Dominion on Tuesday. Hronsky shot 5 for 9, including 3 for 6 from beyond the arc for the Dukes (1-6). Maximus Edwards scored 11 points while going 5 of 9 (1 for 3 from 3-point range) and added seven rebounds. Halil Barre had 10 points and finished 5 of 7 from the floor. The Dukes stopped a six-game slide with the win. Devin Ceaser led the way for the Monarchs (2-6) with 23 points and three steals. Duquesne took a 26-19 lead at halftime, with Edwards racking up seven points. Duquesne extended its lead to 36-23 during the second half, fueled by an 8-0 scoring run. Hronsky scored a team-high 10 points in the second half. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Open dialogues on sex, parental vigilance must for kids in digital age
Brett Yormark has an issue with College Football Playoff selection committee. And while it might be just nit-picking at this point, his case points up how an expanded playoff hasn't necessarily lessened the outcry. The Big 12 commissioner spoke to CBS Sports this week about his concern that his highest-ranked team, BYU (No. 14 in the CFP Rankings), is one spot behind a team it beat earlier in the season, No. 13 SMU . That goes back to the old transitive property of poll voting that basically posits "If Team A beat Team B, it must be ranked ahead of Team B." Not this week. Despite an 18-15 BYU win at SMU on Sept. 6, the Mustangs are one spot ahead of the Cougars. Complicating things is Boise State being No. 12. If the CFP started tomorrow, the Broncos would have a first-round bye ahead of the Big 12 champion. "A little puzzled," Yormark said Thursday. "If the metrics are all about strength of schedule and body of work and head-to-head, I don't see some of the consistencies that should be. "BYU being below a team they beat earlier in the year, on the road, with identical records is a little surprising to me," he said. Three other Big 12 teams are ranked in that top 25 this week: No. 16 Colorado , No. 21 Arizona State and No. 22 Iowa State . The Sun Devils debuted this week after upsetting Kansas State ; the Wildcats dropped out. "Having Colorado No. 16 when they've won seven of eight. In this new world of the transfer portal, those preseason polls don't mean much because of the turnover and roster management," Yormark continued. "You don't know what you really have until you get a few weeks into the season ... It's certainly playing out at Colorado. It's certainly playing out with Arizona State and their momentum." Both teams are 8-2, among 18 teams in the Power Four with at least that many wins. BYU has played two teams that were in the rankings at one time (SMU and Kansas State). It will play a third Saturday at Arizona State. SMU will end the regular season having played only two ranked teams (BYU and Louisville ). Boise's best "win" might be a loss, a narrow 34-27 decision at the hands of No. 1 Oregon on Sept 7. The Broncos outgained the Ducks that day. According to several metrics, BYU seems to have the most difficult schedule of the three. But when it lost, that meant every team in the Big 12 had lost at least one game. Only the Big Ten has any undefeated conference teams left (Oregon and Indiana ). While all of this may seem like typical campaigning, it's rare for a Power Four commissioner to enter the discussion. But the stakes have risen. The makeup of the 12-team playoff has created a new kind of flashpoint. The top four ranked conference champions on Dec. 8 will receive first-round byes. The next highest-ranked conference champion will be guaranteed a spot in the field as well. Right now, those five conference champions would be Oregon, Texas , Miami , Boise State and BYU. Because it is currently behind Boise, BYU would be playing a first-round game. The SEC and Big Ten are expected to load the field with up to four teams each. The ACC and Big 12 are each hoping for a second team in the field. If No. 6 Notre Dame , 9-1, qualifies, it would take a spot as well. "If we keep winning, we'll certainly be in the conversation for [a second spot]," Yormark said. "Don't look at the logo on the helmet, look at the résumé," he added. "I'll continue to use that line. Maybe I'll even trademark it." Earlier this year, the SEC and Big Ten lobbied for automatic qualifier spots beginning in 2026. That idea died but is expected to be brought up again after the season when the commissioners take up the subject. "I said so publicly, you don't want an artificial championship," Yormark said, providing a preview of those discussions. "I think you have to earn your way in. No free passes." What rankled the commissioner is BYU dropping six spots from No. 8 to No. 14 after a four-point loss at home to Kansas . That was the largest drop of any team in this week's rankings. Kansas State dropped out after being ranked 16th. CBS Sports was able to obtain exclusively a portion of the strength of schedule information used by the committee. The Big 12 is tied with the SEC for most wins against teams with records above .500 with 36 each. Here are those standings for the remainder of FBS ... 3. ACC (35) 4. Big Ten (32) 5 . Sun Belt (24) 6. MAC (18) 7. American (11) 8. Conference USA (10) 9. Mountain West (8) 10. Independents (7) 11. Pac-12 ( Oregon State , Washington State , 4) That information comes from SportsSource analytics, an industry-leading firm out of Atlanta and favored by the CFP. SportsSource recently expanded to player evaluation and recruiting information. Its database is so vast that athletic directors use the company's research to evaluate coaching candidates. Its information is not available to the public. Its "football data services" range from $12,500 to $50,000 for a subscription. "They all have limitations," SportsSource co-founder Drew Borland said of strength of schedule components. "I've probably researched 30 of them in-depth. As much as they are models and mathematical, there is a fair amount of subjectivity you have to put in building the model." The Big 12 has pointed out that the Mountain West is eighth among the nine FBS conferences in schedule strength calculated by the NCAA. The MWC's opponents have a combined .489 winning percentage. The Big 12 is second behind the SEC with a .582 winning percentage. The Big 12 continues to make its case. Committee members Gary Pinkel, the former Missouri coach, and journalist Kelly Whiteside have been assigned to evaluate Big 12 games and report back to the committee as a whole. Each FBS conference is assigned committee members who track its play during the season. It was a day of commissioners weighing in. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey posted on Twitter a graphic that showed six of his teams leading the country, all in the top 33 schedule strength. The next highest-ranked team? BYU.LAS VEGAS (AP) — A team that previously boycotted at least one match against the San Jose State women's volleyball program will again be faced with the decision whether to play the school , this time in the Mountain West Conference semifinals with a shot at the NCAA Tournament on the line. Five schools forfeited matches in the regular season against San Jose State, which carried a No. 2 seed into the conference tournament in Las Vegas. Among those schools: No. 3 Utah State and No. 6 Boise State, who will face off Wednesday with the winner scheduled to play the Spartans in the semifinals on Friday. Wyoming, Nevada and Southern Utah — which is not a Mountain West member — also canceled regular-season matches, all without explicitly saying why they were forfeiting. Nevada players cited fairness in women’s sports as a reason to boycott their match, while political figures from Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and Nevada suggested the cancellations center around protecting women’s sports. In a lawsuit filed against the NCAA , plaintiffs cited unspecified reports asserting there was a transgender player on the San Jose State volleyball team, even naming her. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have 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. A judge on Monday rejected a request made by nine current conference players to block the San Jose State player from competing in the tournament on grounds that she is transgender. That ruling was upheld Tuesday by an appeals court. “The team looks forward to starting Mountain West Conference tournament competition on Friday,” San Jose State said in a statement issued after the appeals court decision. “The university maintains an unwavering commitment to the participation, safety and privacy of all students at San Jose State and ensuring they are able to compete in an inclusive, fair and respectful environment.” Chris Kutz, a Boise State athletics spokesman, said in an email the university would not “comment on potential matchups at this time.” Doug Hoffman, an Aggies athletics spokesman, said in an email Utah State is reviewing the court’s order. “Right now, our women’s volleyball program is focused on the game this Wednesday, and we’ll be cheering them on,” Hoffman wrote. San Jose State, which had a first-round bye, would be sent directly to the conference title game if Utah State or Boise State were to forfeit again. If the Spartans make the title game, it's likely the opponent would not forfeit. They would face top-seeded Colorado State, No. 4 Fresno State or No. 5 San Diego State — all teams that played the Spartans this season. The conference champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
Intel gets $7.8B from US government to boost chip productionUAE Government launches 'Unified UAE Numbers' ProjectMumbai: The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has hardened its stand on electronic voting machines (EVMs) following its loss in the assembly election, with prominent leaders indicating plans to launch a nationwide movement to challenge the credibility of the machines. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday announced the launch of ‘EVM Chhodo Abhiyan’ and emphasised the need for public awareness and action to move away from EVMs. #WATCH | Delhi: At the Constitution Day program at Talkatora Stadium, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge says, "...Votes of people from SC, ST, OBC, poor communities are going to waste. Set aside EVMs. We do not want EVMs, we want voting on ballot paper...Let them keep the... pic.twitter.com/MmiQj2JotO Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray spoke at a meeting of defeated candidates and also called for nationwide protests against the alleged misuse of EVM technology. The NCP’s Sharad Pawar suggested forming legal teams at both state and national levels to address the issue. In the aftermath of their electoral defeat, MVA leaders have been holding strategy sessions with both victorious and defeated candidates. In Delhi, state president Nana Patole met with Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, and discussed ways to strengthen the party structure in preparation for future elections. The Congress high command reassured Patole of continued support in his role as state president. A key development is the upcoming meeting of the INDIA alliance in Delhi, where discussions will centre around the alleged EVM manipulation. Pawar left for Delhi on Tuesday to take part in these discussions. Addressing the media, Kharge stated, “The votes cast by ordinary citizens are being compromised. We are advocating for a return to paper ballots and will launch a nationwide campaign, similar to the Bharat Jodo Abhiyan, under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership.” UBT leader Ambadas Danve expressed his disbelief at police actions during the elections, specifically regarding vehicles equipped with Wi-Fi near polling booths. He vowed to gather evidence across the state to build a case against the EVM system, with plans to take the issue to court. Pawar, in a meeting with losing candidates from his party, received numerous complaints regarding EVMs. According to sources, Pawar is planning to form two legal teams to handle the issue at both the state and national levels. He instructed candidates to submit their allegations and any supporting evidence. Additionally, Pawar has directed candidates to formally request verification of VVPAT machine votes from the Election Commission by November 28. A draft letter has already been circulated for this purpose. Pawar assured that a major national campaign would be launched to address these concerns, stating, “We will fight this battle without retreating.” Meanwhile, following Aaditya Thackeray's appointment as Sena (UBT)’s legislature party leader, Uddhav Thackeray convened a meeting with his party's defeated candidates, where he too endorsed the push for a nationwide protest against EVMs and supported the demand for VVPAT vote verification.
Bob Menendez asked a judge Wednesday to set aside guilty verdicts that forced his resignation from the U.S. Senate and grant a new bribery trial. Lawyers for the New Jersey Democrat said in papers filed in Manhattan federal court that a recent revelation by prosecutors that improper evidence was put on a computer used by jurors during deliberations means that a new trial is “unavoidable.” The 70-year-old Menendez was convicted in July of 16 charges , including bribery, in part based on an allegation that he accepted bribes in exchange for approving military aid to Egypt. He awaits a Jan. 29 sentencing. Menendez resigned from the Senate in August. At trial, prosecutors said Menendez accepted gold and cash from three New Jersey businessmen in return for favors. Earlier this month, prosecutors revealed in a letter to Judge Sidney H. Stein that they had discovered that some factual information that the judge had ruled should be excluded from several trial exhibits was instead inadvertently loaded onto a computer used by jurors to reach their verdict. In their letter, prosecutors said incorrect versions of nine government exhibits were missing some redactions ordered by Stein to ensure that the exhibits did not violate the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause, which protects speech relating to information shared by legislators. Prosecutors argued in their letter that no action was necessary in light of the error for several reasons, including that defense lawyers did not object after they inspected documents on that laptop before it was given to jurors. They also said there was a “reasonable likelihood” that no jurors saw the erroneously redacted versions of the exhibits and that the documents could not have prejudiced the defendants anyway because they were of “secondary relevance and cumulative with abundant properly admitted evidence.” Lawyers for Menendez, though, said in their submission Wednesday that the exhibits contained the “only evidence in the record” tying Menendez to military aid to Egypt, “an otherwise-missing fact at the very center of the central charge against him.” RECOMMENDED • nj .com Super Football Conference: Ivy White All-Division teams, 2024 Nov. 22, 2024, 1:29 p.m. Saint Peter’s new prez fulfills dream to help young people find their way Nov. 21, 2024, 12:16 p.m. “In light of this serious breach, a new trial is unavoidable, despite all the hard work and resources that went into the first one,” they wrote. The lawyers criticized the government’s attempt to shift blame for the error onto them by saying they viewed the laptop’s contents and approved it. “That is both factually and legally outrageous,” they wrote. “The defense had only a few hours to review a laptop that contained nearly 3,000 exhibits; it had the right to expect that the government had not mislabeled non-introduced and constitutionally barred exhibits as admitted ones. If this were treated as a waiver, that would give parties the incentive to intentionally try to pull a fast one.
Wisconsin faces its first losing season in 23 years and the end of a bowl streak when the Badgers host arch-rival Minnesota on Friday in the annual Big Ten battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe. Minnesota (6-5, 4-4) lost to No. 4 Penn State 26-25. Wisconsin (5-6, 3-5 Big Ten) lost its fourth straight, 44-25, at Nebraska in a game that was not as close as the score. "Well 1890 is the first time we played this football team coming up and this is what it's all about," Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said of the rivalry. "And you wouldn't want to have it any other way, being able to end the season with one of your biggest rivals. I know our guys will be ready to go, ready to play." Wisconsin has 22 consecutive winning seasons since going 5-7 under Barry Alvarez in 2001, the longest active streak among Power 4 teams. The Badgers also have played in a bowl game in each of the last 22 seasons, the longest active streak in the Big Ten and third-longest in FBS. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell is more concerned with the rivalry game than the winning season and bowl streaks. "I'm not downplaying it, I'm not saying it's not important, I'm not saying it's another thing that's on our plate," Fickell said Monday. "But when it gets down to this last week, it's about one thing, it's about the rivalry. It's about preparing to play in the most important game of the year." The Gophers have dropped their last two games after winning four in a row. Minnesota averages 26.6 points per game, while allowing 18.5, 15th-best in the country. Max Brosmer has completed 67 percent of his passes for 221 per game with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. Daniel Jackson is the top target with 69 catches for 802 yards and three scores, and Darius Taylor is the top rusher with 730 yards at 4.8 per carry with nine touchdowns. One week after leading Oregon after three quarters, the Wisconsin defense was shredded for 473 yards and five touchdowns by Nebraska. Braedyn Locke, who took over at quarterback when Tyler Van Dyke suffered an early season-ending knee injury, has thrown at least one interception in eight consecutive games. Locke has completed 56.4 percent of his passes for 180.6 yards per game, with 12 touchdowns and 10 picks. Tawee Walker is the leading rusher with 828 yards at 4.7 per carry with 10 touchdowns. He has failed to reach 60 yards in three of the last four games. Former Wisconsin and NFL standout JJ Watt posted on social media his assessment - and frustration - with the Badgers after the Nebraska game. "Losing happens, it's part of the game. Hearing announcers talk about how much tougher and more physical Nebraska & Iowa are while getting blown out ... that's the issue," Watt wrote on X. "We are Wisconsin. Physicality, running game, great O-Line and great defense. That is our identity." Wisconsin defeated the Gophers 28-14 last after Minnesota had won the previous two meetings. The Badgers have won 7 of the last 10 and lead the storied series 63-62-8. --Field Level Media
Brisbane news live: Voters think Albanese government has wrong prioritiesJavon Small scored 31 points to rally West Virginia to an 86-78 overtime upset of No. 3 Gonzaga in the opening round of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, Wednesday in Nassau, Bahamas. The Mountaineers (4-1) trailed by 10 points early in the second half and by five in the final minute. But over the final 19 seconds of regulation, Tucker DeVries scored five straight points to send the game to overtime. In the extra session, Small scored five points and West Virginia held Gonzaga to a single field goal, which came after the outcome was decided with 19 seconds left. Amani Hansberry added a career-high 19 points and eight rebounds for West Virginia, which advances to the semifinals Thursday against another surprise first-round winner, Louisville, which stunned No. 15 Indiana. Braden Huff scored 19 points and Khalif Battle added 16 points for Gonzaga (5-1) which settles for a consolation-round game Thursday against Indiana. Nolan Hickman tallied 13 points. Ryan Nembhard delivered seven points and 12 assists for the Bulldogs. Huff put Gonzaga in position to win when he made three hook shots in the final 2:34 of regulation as the Bulldogs turned a one-point deficit into a 69-66 lead. Two free throws by Nembhard expanded the lead to 71-66 with 25 seconds left. But DeVries followed with a 3-pointer from the top of the key and then made a mid-court steal and drew a foul with 5.9 seconds left. His two free throws sent it to overtime. The Mountaineers never trailed in overtime. Sencire Harris wrapped it up with a steal and a breakaway slam that put West Virginia up 84-76 with 26 seconds left. Battle, a transfer from Arkansas, scored eight points in a span of 90 seconds late in the first half as the Bulldogs took control on their way to a 39-31 lead at the break. Gonzaga earned its biggest lead early in the second half when Graham Ike scored inside with an assist from Nembhard to make it 43-33. But West Virginia responded with a 17-2 run, fueled by Small as he hit two 3-pointers and two layups. Hansberry drained a trey and DeVries grinded for a putback layup to give the Mountaineers a 50-45 lead with 12:26 left. DeVries finished the game with 16 points and four blocks. --Field Level MediaBig Ten slate features Indiana-Ohio State showdown and Penn State-Minnesota matchup Things to watch this week in the Big Ten Conference: No. 5 Indiana (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten, No. 5 CFP ) at No. 2 Ohio State (9-1, 6-1, No. 2 CFP), Saturday, noon ET (Fox) This marks the 98th matchup between these two teams, but it's only the fourth time both teams have been ranked. Although Indiana is unbeaten, its soft schedule means the Hoosiers aren't assured of making the 12-team field if they lose this game. The only team with a winning record that Indiana has beaten is Washington (6-5). Ohio State needs a win to have a realistic shot at a rematch with top-ranked Oregon in the Big Ten championship game. Ohio State has beaten Indiana 28 straight times since the Hoosiers posted back-to-back victories in 1987-88. No. 4 Penn State (9-1, 6-1, No. 4 CFP) at Minnesota (6-4, 4-3), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. (CBS) This is likely Penn State's biggest obstacle on its way to a potential playoff berth. The Nittany Lions' lone remaining regular-season game is a Nov. 30 home matchup with Maryland (4-6, 1-6). Minnesota has had an extra week to prepare this game since its 26-19 loss at Rutgers on Nov. 9, which snapped a four-game winning streak. Penn State and Minnesota have split their last four meetings, with the home team winning each time. Penn State DE Abdul Carter has multiple tackles for loss in each of his last three games. He ranks second among all Bowl Subdivision players in tackles for loss (17 1⁄2). Southern California RB Woody Marks rushed for a career-high 146 yards in a 28-20 win over Nebraska. Marks has six 100-yard rushing performances this season. Rutgers RB Kyle Monangai is the first Scarlet Knight to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons since Ray Rice did it three straight years from 2005-07. Monangai has run for 1,028 yards this season and rushed for 1,262 yards last year. Oregon OLB Matayo Uiagalelei recorded a sack and had a game-clinching interception as the top-ranked Ducks won 16-13 at Wisconsin last week. He has 8 1⁄2 sacks this season to rank second in the Big Ten. Four of the top seven Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks in passer rating are from the Big Ten. Indiana's Kurtis Rourke is second, Ohio State's Will Howard is third, Penn State's Drew Allar is fifth and Oregon's Dillon Gabriel is seventh. ... Illinois QB Luke Altmyer has thrown 18 touchdown passes with only three interceptions. The only Power Four quarterback with a better touchdown/interception ratio while throwing at least 10 touchdown passes is Clemson's Cade Klubnik, who has 26 touchdowns and four interceptions. ... Rutgers' three Big Ten wins matches its largest total since joining the league in 2014. Rutgers also had three conference wins in 2014, 2017, 2020 and 2023. A victory Saturday over No. 24 Illinois would give Rutgers three straight Big Ten wins for the first time. ... Washington's 31-19 win over UCLA was its 20th straight home victory, representing its second-longest such streak in school history. The Huskies won 45 straight home games from 1908-17. ... Wisconsin heads to Nebraska this week having won its last 10 matchups with the Cornhuskers. Penn State justifiably is favored on the road against Minnesota, but Bet MGM's 12 1⁄2-point spread seems way too big. Expect this game to have a single-digit margin. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
. Inside the fund's portfolio are many of the world's most recognisable companies. They include , , , , , , , , and . I think investors can do well over the long term from this portfolio of businesses because of their underlying quality and track records. There's a lot to like about the IVV ETF. Here are three reasons why. The very appealing management fee is the most obvious reason to like the fund, in my opinion. When operating costs are very low, most of the fund's value and performance stay in the hands of IVV ETF investors rather than being lost to expensive management or performance fees. The low cost can make a difference in the thousands of dollars to an investor's portfolio value over the long term. How low is the cost? According to iShares, the current annual management fee is 0.04%. It's one of the cheapest fund investments on the ASX, which is great in my view. It would be a mistake to think of this fund as a US fund that is only focused on the US economy. Consider companies like Microsoft, Apple and Alphabet – these are truly global businesses with a presence in most countries around the world. McDonald's operates in around 119 countries. It's a similar story for many of these impressive companies. According to , around 29% of the total revenue generated by S&P 500 companies analysed came from non-US sources in the second quarter of 2024. Not only is earnings pleasing to see for the IVV ETF, but it also means those companies have numerous places to invest their money to try to grow earnings in the coming years and make the most substantial return. Warren Buffett is arguably one of the world's greatest-ever investors, who helped become the giant US company it is. He regularly advocates for (American) investors to choose an S&P 500 fund. In , Buffett said: Consistently buy an S&P 500 low-cost index fund. I think it's the thing that makes the most sense practically all of the time. Keep buying it through thick and thin, and especially through thin. The temptation when you see bad headlines in newspapers is to say, well, maybe I should skip a year or something. Just keep buying. American business is going to do fine over time, so you know the investment universe is going to do very well. If it's a great choice in Buffett's eyes, it's a compelling pick, in my opinion.NFL NOTES
Baltimore (7-4) at Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) Monday, 8:15 p.m. EST, ESPN/ABC BetMGM NFL odds: Ravens by 3. Against the spread: Ravens 5-5-1; Chargers 7-3. Series record: Ravens lead 9-5. Last meeting: Ravens beat Chargers 20-10 in Inglewood, Calif., on Nov. 26, 2023. Last week: Ravens lost to Pittsburgh 18-16; Chargers beat Cincinnati 34-27. Ravens offense: overall (1), rush (2), pass (3), scoring (2). Ravens defense: overall (3), rush (26), pass (2), scoring (23). Chargers offense: overall (18), rush (12), pass (19), scoring (18). Chargers defense: overall (11), rush (11), pass (12), scoring (1). Turnover differential: Ravens plus-2; Chargers plus-8. K Justin Tucker missed two field goals last week and is under pressure after spending most of his career beyond reproach. He’s missed six field goals on the season and is 4 for 12 from 50-plus yards since the start of last season. WR Ladd McConkey had a career-high 123 yards on six receptions against Cincinnati. The rookie came up with clutch catches of 28 and 27 yards to set up the game-winning touchdown. Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins vs. Ravens’ run defense. Dobbins showed promise during his time in Baltimore, but he never was able to live up to that potential because of injuries. Now in Los Angeles on a one-year “prove it” contract, Dobbins has nearly matched his most productive season as a professional with 726 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games. After seeing Pittsburgh run the ball 34 times last week, the Chargers will be glad to copy that bruising approach with Dobbins. The Ravens are allowing 77.5 rushing yards per game, but even the sturdiest defense can buckle against that volume of work, so getting off the field will be critical. Baltimore’s defense has a couple of significant injury concerns. LB Roquan Smith (hamstring) left last weekend’s game, and S Kyle Hamilton has been nursing an ankle problem, although he played against the Steelers. ... Chargers OLB Khalil Mack (groin) didn’t play against Cincinnati. If the veteran pass rusher remains out this week, it would be a big loss to the chances of containing the Ravens' multi-faceted offense. The Ravens have won four straight over the Chargers in the regular season, but Los Angeles did earn a 23-17 AFC wild-card round upset in January 2019. ... Baltimore cruised to a 34-6 win over the Chargers in its first visit to SoFi Stadium on Oct. 17, 2021. Ravens RB Derrick Henry leads the NFL with 1,185 yards rushing and 15 total TDs (13 rushing and two receiving). He’s also run for a league-high 52 first downs. ... Henry is one rushing TD shy of the Ravens’ single-season record, set by Jamal Lewis in 2003. ... Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson is 6-2 on “Monday Night Football” with 20 TD passes and no interceptions. ... Henry is one of four players in the Super Bowl era to score a TD in each of the first 11 games of a season. The others are O.J. Simpson (1975), John Riggins (1983) and Jerry Rice (1987). ... The Ravens have scored touchdowns on a league-best 77.8% of their red zone trips. ... Jackson needs 124 yards passing and 16 yards rushing for a second consecutive season with 3,000 passing and 600 rushing. Since the AFL-NFL merger, only Randall Cunningham (1988-1990), Cam Newton (2011-12), Josh Allen (2021-22) and Jalen Hurts (2021-23) have accomplished that feat. ... Dobbins ran for two touchdowns against Cincinnati, giving him multiple scores in two of his past three games. He did it twice in 24 games as a Raven. ... OLB Tuli Tuipulotu had 1 1/2 sacks of Bengals QB Joe Burrow, his third straight game with more than one. All seven of Tuipulotu’s sacks this season have come in the past four games, and six of his eight tackles for loss have come in that span. ... The Chargers allowed a season-worst 27 points to Cincinnati after holding each of their previous nine opponents to 20 points or fewer. ... QB Justin Herbert has thrown one interception in 277 attempts this season. That lone pick came in Week 2 at Carolina. ... The Chargers lost their fifth turnover of the season when Herbert fumbled to start the fourth quarter. It was their first turnover at home. ... Los Angeles does not have a takeaway in its past two games. Herbert has heated up after a slow start in terms of fantasy production, having thrown for multiple touchdowns in three of his past four games. He is likely to keep that success going this week. Baltimore has allowed 22 scores through the air, which is tied with Houston for second most in the league, and Herbert should have plenty of chances to add to that total in what could be another high-scoring matchup. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF snapped seven straight days of gainsDENVER (AP) — So you're the most valuable player of that annual Thanksgiving Day backyard flag football game. Or played tackle football on any level. Or ran track. Or dabbled in basketball. Or toyed with any sport, really. Well, this may be just for you: USA Football is holding talent identification camps all over the country to find that next flag football star. It's “America’s Got Talent” meets “American Idol,” with the stage being the field and the grand prize a chance to compete for a spot on a national team. Because it’s never too early to start planning for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where flag football will make its Summer Games debut. Know this, though — it's not an easy team to make. The men's and women's national team rosters are at “Dream Team” status given the men’s side has captured six of the last seven world championships and the women three in a row. To remain on top, the sport's national governing body is scouring every football field, park, track, basketball court and gym to find hidden talent to cultivate. USA Football has organized camps and tryouts from coast to coast for anyone ages 11 to 23. There are more than a dozen sites set up so far, ranging from Dallas (Sunday) to Chicago (Dec. 14) to Tampa (March 29) to Los Angeles (TBD) and the Boston area (April 27), where it will be held at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The organization has already partnered with the NFL on flag football initiatives and programs. The numbers have been through the roof, with engagement on social media platforms increasing by 86% since flag football was announced as an Olympic invitational sport in October 2023 . The participation of boys and girls ages 6 to 17 in flag football last year peaked at more than 1.6 million, according to USA Football research. “We pride ourselves on elevating the gold standard across the sport,” said Eric Mayes, the managing director of the high performance and national teams for USA Football. “We want to be the best in the world — and stay the best in the world.” Flag football was one of five new sports added to the LA28 program. The already soaring profile of American football only figures to be enhanced by an Olympic appearance. Imagine, say, a few familiar faces take the field, too. Perhaps even NFL stars such as Tyreek Hill or Patrick Mahomes, maybe even past pro football greats donning a flag belt for a country to which they may have ties. Soon after flag football's inclusion, there was chatter of NFL players possibly joining in on the fun. Of course, there are logistical issues to tackle before their inclusion at the LA Olympics, which open July 14, 2028. Among them, training camp, because the Olympics will be right in the middle of it. The big question is this: Will owners permit high-priced players to duck out for a gold-medal pursuit? No decisions have yet been made on the status of NFL players for the Olympics. For now, it's simply about growing the game. There are currently 13 states that sanction girls flag football as a high school varsity sport. Just recently, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles helped pave the way to get it adopted in Pennsylvania. Around the world, it's catching on, too. The women's team from Japan took third at the recent word championships, while one of the best players on the planet is Mexico quarterback Diana Flores . “Could flag football globally become the new soccer? That’s something to aspire to," said Stephanie Kwok , the NFL's vice president of flag football. This type of flag football though, isn't your Thanksgiving Day game with family and friends. There's a learning curve. And given the small roster sizes, versatility is essential. Most national team members need to be a version of Colorado’s two-way standout and Heisman hopeful Travis Hunter. Forget bump-and-run coverage, too, because there's no contact. None. That took some adjusting for Mike Daniels, a defensive back out of West Virginia who earned a rookie minicamp invitation with the Cleveland Browns in 2017. “If a receiver is running around, I’m thinking, ‘OK, I can kind of bump him here and there and nudge him,’” Daniels explained. “They’re like, ‘No, you can’t.’ I’m just like, ‘So I’m supposed to let this guy just run?!’ I really rebelled at the idea at first. But you learn.” The competition for an Olympic roster spot is going to be fierce because only 10 players are expected to make a squad. The best 10 will earn it, too, as credentials such as college All-American or NFL All-Pro take a backseat. “I would actually love" seeing NFL players try out, said Daniels, who's also a personal trainer in Miami. “I’m not going to let you just waltz in here, thinking, ‘I played NFL football for five years. I’m popular. I have a huge name.’ I’m still better than you and I'm going to prove it — until you prove otherwise.” Around the house, Bruce Mapp constantly swivels his hips when turning a hallway corner or if his daughter tries to reach for a hug. It’s his way of working on avoiding a “defender” trying to snare the flag. That approach has earned the receiver out of Coastal Carolina four gold medals with USA Football. The 31-year-old fully plans on going for more gold in Los Angeles. “You grow up watching Usain Bolt (win gold) and the ‘Redeem Team’ led by Kobe Bryant win a gold medal, you're always thinking, ‘That's insane.' Obviously, you couldn't do it in your sport, because I played football," said Mapp, who owns a food truck in the Dallas area. "With the Olympics approaching, that (gold medal) is what my mind is set on." It's a common thought, which is why everything — including talent camps — starts now. “Everybody thinks, ‘Yeah, the U.S. just wins,’” Daniels said. “But we work hard all the time. We don’t just walk in. We don’t just get off the bus thinking, ‘We’re going to beat people.’” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFLRaymond Gerald “Gerry” Biggs Funeral services for Raymond Gerald “Gerry” Biggs, 92, of Lufkin will be held Saturday, November 30, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. in the Carroway Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Kent Childers officiating. Interment will follow in the Garden of Memories Memorial Park. Mr. Biggs was born August 9, 1932 in Aransas Pass, Texas to the late Gladys (Thigpen) and R.H. Biggs, and died Sunday, November 24, 2024 in a local hospice facility. Mr. Biggs attended school in Sinton, Texas and college at the University of Houston. He retired from the Texas Highway Department in May 1991 following 38 years of service. Mr. Biggs was a longtime member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church and was a Past President and member of the Lufkin Area RC Modeler’s Club. Mr. Biggs and his first wife, Janette, had a wonderful marriage, but didn’t have the opportunity to have children in Janette’s lifetime. However, when he married Pat, he took on a whole crowd of children and grandchildren all at once! He fell into his role as father and grandfather seamlessly, always spending as much time as he could with his family, attending many baseball and basketball games across many states, and sharing his hobbies and time with everyone. He counted many blessings in his lifetime but was most grateful for taking on the title of father and grandfather. Survivors include his wife of 24 1/2 years, Patricia “Pat” (Patterson) Biggs; daughters, Brandy Ponson and husband Michael, and Cheraline Canida; grandsons, Chase Ponson and Lane Ponson; brother-in-law, Red Jordan; special nephew, Cody Nichols; “adopted” son, Allen Street; his constant shadow, Tipper; along with numerous other nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Janette Biggs; and sister, Judy Jordan. Pallbearers will be Michael Ponson, Lane Ponson, Chase Ponson, Allen Street, Troy Parker, and Kirk Jordan. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Lufkin Area RC Modeler’s Club. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice in the Pines, 1504 W. Frank Avenue, Lufkin, Texas 75904. The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon prior to the services. Memories and condolences may be added, and live webcasting of the services may be viewed, at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com . Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.