KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes will sit out the Kansas City Chiefs' regular-season finale against the Chargers on Sunday in Los Angeles with their eighth straight AFC West title secured and the No. 3 seed in the playoffs already locked up.

The Chiefs can do no better or worse in their postseason positioning after last week's win over Cincinnati clinched the division, so coach Andy Reid said Wednesday that Mahomes would get a week of rest.

Veteran backup Blaine Gabbert will start and second-year pro Chris Oladokun, who has spent the season on the practice squad, will be the primary backup.

Gabbert was signed in the offseason to replace Chad Henne, who retired after last year's Super Bowl triumph. The Chiefs have long valued having a veteran behind Mahomes, and Gabbert has started 48 games and appeared in 68 over 12 NFL seasons.

“He works so stinking hard in practice. It's great to have that opportunity to go out and play,” Reid said. “He's been a starter in the league. We have confidence he knows what to do, and he'll go in there and do well.”

The Chiefs (10-6) have struggled with offensive consistency this season, whether because of dropped passes, penalties or missed assignments. But while they finally played well in a 25-17 victory over the Bengals — despite drives fizzling and Harrison Butker kicking six field goals — Reid said he didn't consider giving Mahomes any snaps to keep the momentum going.

Mahomes instead will turn most of his attention to the five potential opponents that Kansas City could face the following week, and Gabbert and Oladokun will split practice reps as they prepared to head to Los Angeles.

“Ultimately the reason we play football is to play in the games, right? And it's a great opportunity not only for myself but others to play in different positions than they have been in throughout the year,” Gabbert said. “It's great to get reps under your belt so when your number is called in the playoffs, if it is called, you're ready to go.”

Reid indicated he was aware of some looming milestones, but he declined to say whether they would matter in playing time.

The biggest might belong to Travis Kelce, who needs 16 yards receiving for his eighth straight 1,000-yard season. That would extend his own club record and the NFL record for a tight end, and be the fourth-longest streak in NFL history.

“That's not how Travis plays. He wants team success first and he's always been that way," Gabbert said. “If it's Coach Reid's decision to have him rest, he'll rest. But if he's out there, we'll do our damn best to get him those yards.”

Wide receiver Rashee Rice needs 58 yards receiving to break Dwayne Bowe's franchise record for a rookie, while defensive tackle Chris Jones needs a half sack to trigger a $1.25 million bonus in the revised contract he signed prior to the season.

Asked how the conversations about those milestones might go, Reid said with a smile: “Probably one-sided.”

NOTES: Jones (groin spasm) and Rice (tweaked hamstring) did not practice Wednesday. RB Isiah Pacheco (bruised quad) and CB L'Jarius Sneed (strained calf) also did not practice. ... WR Kadarius Toney (hip) was back after missing two games.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes will sit out the Kansas City Chiefs' regular-season finale against the Chargers on Sunday in Los Angeles with their eighth straight AFC West title secured and the No. 3 seed in the playoffs already locked up.The Chiefs can do no better or worse in their postseason positioning after last week's win over Cincinnati clinched the division, so coach Andy Reid said Wednesday that Mahomes would get a week of rest.Veteran backup Blaine Gabbert will start and second-year pro Chris Oladokun, who has spent the season on the practice squad, will be the primary backup.Gabbert was signed in the offseason to replace Chad Henne, who retired after last year's Super Bowl triumph. The Chiefs have long valued having a veteran behind Mahomes, and Gabbert has started 48 games and appeared in 68 over 12 NFL seasons.“He works so stinking hard in practice. It's great to have that opportunity to go out and play,” Reid said. “He's been a starter in the league. We have confidence he knows what to do, and he'll go in there and do well.”The Chiefs (10-6) have struggled with offensive consistency this season, whether because of dropped passes, penalties or missed assignments. But while they finally played well in a 25-17 victory over the Bengals — despite drives fizzling and Harrison Butker kicking six field goals — Reid said he didn't consider giving Mahomes any snaps to keep the momentum going.Mahomes instead will turn most of his attention to the five potential opponents that Kansas City could face the following week, and Gabbert and Oladokun will split practice reps as they prepared to head to Los Angeles.“Ultimately the reason we play football is to play in the games, right? And it's a great opportunity not only for myself but others to play in different positions than they have been in throughout the year,” Gabbert said. “It's great to get reps under your belt so when your number is called in the playoffs, if it is called, you're ready to go.”Reid indicated he was aware of some looming milestones, but he declined to say whether they would matter in playing time.The biggest might belong to Travis Kelce, who needs 16 yards receiving for his eighth straight 1,000-yard season. That would extend his own club record and the NFL record for a tight end, and be the fourth-longest streak in NFL history.“That's not how Travis plays. He wants team success first and he's always been that way," Gabbert said. “If it's Coach Reid's decision to have him rest, he'll rest. But if he's out there, we'll do our damn best to get him those yards.”Wide receiver Rashee Rice needs 58 yards receiving to break Dwayne Bowe's franchise record for a rookie, while defensive tackle Chris Jones needs a half sack to trigger a $1.25 million bonus in the revised contract he signed prior to the season.Asked how the conversations about those milestones might go, Reid said with a smile: “Probably one-sided.”NOTES: Jones (groin spasm) and Rice (tweaked hamstring) did not practice Wednesday. RB Isiah Pacheco (bruised quad) and CB L'Jarius Sneed (strained calf) also did not practice. ... WR Kadarius Toney (hip) was back after missing two games.

Patrick Mahomes to sit regular-season finale against Chargers

Barton Men 76 Coffeyville 69; Barton Women 51 Coffeyville 40

1. Barton Community College basketball on 104 3 the Point sponsored by Nex-Tech Wireless, Damm Pipe Testing, Mpire Overhead Door, Best Western Angus Inn, Marmie Auto Group, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, The University of Kansas Health System, Venture Corporation, Nex-Tech, Cougar Booster Club, The 10th Street Eye Care Center, Freedom Claims Management and Kansas Fishing Tools

<div><a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/information/boosterclub/index"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635967480149.jpeg"></a>

</div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647912774016.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Barton Men 76 Coffeyville 69; Barton Women 51 Coffeyville 40<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/r2tcwlma/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>1. Barton Community College basketball on 104 3 the Point sponsored by Nex-Tech Wireless, Damm Pipe Testing, Mpire Overhead Door, Best Western Angus Inn, Marmie Auto Group, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, The University of Kansas Health System, Venture Corporation, Nex-Tech, Cougar Booster Club, The 10th Street Eye Care Center, Freedom Claims Management and Kansas Fishing Tools

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP)
— Ayoka Lee had 27 points with 11 rebounds and Kansas State held
Houston to 14 second-half points in a 72-38 victory for the No. 11
Wildcats. Kansas State led 29-24 at halftime then used runs of 20-0
in the third quarter and 14-0 in the fourth to blow it open. K-State
allowed only 41 points against Cincinnati in its other conference
game, and this was the fourth time this season that the Wildcats
allowed fewer than 40 points. Lee, who had 11 points in the first
half, scored K-State’s first nine points of the third quarter,
mostly during the 20-0 run. Her 27 total points came on 11-of-15
shooting and 5 of 8 free throws.

STILLWATER, Okla.
(AP) — Bryce Thompson scored 13 points, Eric Dailey Jr. and Javon
Small added 12 points apiece and Oklahoma State beat Chicago State
72-53. Thompson, who entered averaging 16.3 points in his last three
games, was 4 of 11 from the floor with a pair of 3-pointers. Dailey
and Small were a combined 8-of-18 shooting overall. Dailey grabbed
nine and Small had seven of the Cowboys’ 43 rebounds. Brandon
Garrison blocked four shots and chipped in six points for Oklahoma
State (8-5). Jahsean Corbett had 20 points and seven rebounds to lead
Chicago State (7-14), which has lost five in a row.

WACO, Texas (AP) —
Ja’Kobe Walter scored 23 points, fellow freshman Yves Missi added
16 while making all eight of his shots and 18th-ranked Baylor
christened the brand-new Foster Pavilion with a 98-79 victory over
Cornell. Missi scored the first points in Baylor's new home when the
7-footer from Cameroon made a short jumper 30 seconds into the game.
RayJ Dennis had 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting for the Bears. Baylor
won 401 games over 35 years at the Ferrell Center. Nazir Williams had
17 points to lead Cornell. Isaiah Gray and Chris Manon each had 12
points.

UNDATED (AP) —
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy says the sign-stealing scandal has
overshadowed the work the team has put in to go unbeaten and reach
the College Football Playoff championship game. Michigan plays
Washington for the national title in Houston on Monday as the NCAA
continues to investigate allegations the Wolverines had a staff
member use video equipment to pick off future opponents’ play-call
signs from the sideline. McCarthy said it would be unfortunate if
wins were vacated because it would take recognition away from players
who did things the right way.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Patrick Mahomes will sit out the Chiefs’ regular-season
finale against the Chargers on Sunday in Los Angeles. The Chiefs
clinched their eighth straight AFC West title and the No. 3 seed in
the playoffs with last week's 25-17 win over the Bengals. Veteran
backup Blaine Gabbert will start for Kansas City and Chris Oladokun
will back him up. Chiefs coach Andy Reid declined to say whether
other starters, such as tight end Travis Kelce and defensive tackle
Chris Jones, will play against the Chargers.

OWINGS MILLS, Md.
(AP) — Ravens coach John Harbaugh says Lamar Jackson will not play
in Baltimore’s regular-season finale against the Pittsburgh
Steelers this weekend. Harbaugh said Tyler Huntley will start for the
Ravens. The team has already clinched the top seed in the AFC
playoffs. Josh Johnson will be Huntley’s backup. The announcement
was no surprise now that Baltimore has wrapped up a first-round bye
in the postseason. Jackson missed the end of the 2021 and 2022
seasons, but has started all 16 games so far this season. Huntley has
started eight games in his pro career.

UNDATED (AP) —
Brock Purdy and Tua Tagovailoa were selected to their first Pro Bowl
as the starting quarterbacks for their respective conferences. It’s
the first time the two starting QBs are first-time picks since the
1999 season when Pro Football Hall of Famers Peyton Manning and Kurt
Warner were chosen. Purdy was one of nine players picked from the San
Francisco 49ers, who clinched the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The 49ers had
the most players selected. Baltimore and Dallas each have seven Pro
Bowl players.

UNDATED (AP) — The
Miami Dolphins went from playing for the AFC’s No. 1 seed to
playing for their division to avoid the sixth spot this week. Josh
Allen and the Buffalo Bills stand in their way. The Bills-Dolphins
will face off Sunday night in the NFL’s final regular-season game
in a showdown for the AFC East title. The Dolphins had a chance at
earning a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the
playoffs but were pounded by Baltimore 56-19. If they beat Buffalo,
they’ll secure the No. 2 seed. The Bills would get the two seed
with a win. If they lose, they’d drop to sixth, seventh or
completely out of the playoffs.

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP)
— Rory McIlroy is softening his stance against Saudi-funded LIV
Golf. He says on the “Stick to Football” podcast that he has
accepted that LIV is part of golf now. McIlroy also says he has been
to judgmental about players leaving. McIlroy has been the harshest
critic of LIV Golf since it began in June 2022. Jon Rahm is the
latest to defect. McIlroy says it was a smart business decision by
the Masters champion. He says he suspects Rahm thinks the two sides
will get together. McIlroy also suggested he helped instigate the PGA
Tour meeting with the Saudis.

KAPALUA, Hawaii.
(AP) — Scottie Scheffler is the PGA Tour player of the year in a
close vote over Masters champion Jon Rahm. Scheffler is the first
back-to-back winner of the award since Tiger Woods in 2006 and 2007.
But this one will raise questions about whether players who voted
penalized Rahm for joining LIV Golf. Scheffler had a staggering
statistical year. He played so well that he didn't finish out of the
top 12 until July. His two wins were The Players Championship and the
Phoenix Open. But Rahm won four times, including the Masters. He
defected in the middle of the two-week voting period.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.
(AP) — Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill and his family are safe
after fire rescue crews responded to a large fire at his South
Florida home Wednesday afternoon. The house, which is located in
Southwest Ranches about 30 miles northwest of Miami, was shown
Wednesday afternoon on local station WSVN 7 News with a large amount
of black smoke coming out of the roof as firefighters doused it with
water. No injuries have been reported. Hill had been at Dolphins
practice as Miami prepares for its regular-season finale against the
Buffalo Bills on Sunday night, but he left after being told about the
fire.

SANTO DOMINGO,
Dominican Republic (AP) — Dominican prosecutors have accused Wander
Franco of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering
following allegations that the Tampa Bay Rays shortstop had a
relationship with a minor whose mother also faces the same charges.
Prosecutors on Wednesday requested that a judge hold Franco on an
$86,000 bond, bar him from leaving the Dominican Republic and place
him under house arrest. They noted that the money laundering charges
stems from allegations that Franco made payments to the minor’s
mother. The judge is scheduled to analyze the evidence that was
collected during a monthslong investigation and issue a ruling on
Friday. Franco remains in jail for now.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702986449520.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP)
— Ayoka Lee had 27 points with 11 rebounds and Kansas State held
Houston to 14 second-half points in a 72-38 victory for the No. 11
Wildcats. Kansas State led 29-24 at halftime then used runs of 20-0
in the third quarter and 14-0 in the fourth to blow it open. K-State
allowed only 41 points against Cincinnati in its other conference
game, and this was the fourth time this season that the Wildcats
allowed fewer than 40 points. Lee, who had 11 points in the first
half, scored K-State’s first nine points of the third quarter,
mostly during the 20-0 run. Her 27 total points came on 11-of-15
shooting and 5 of 8 free throws.STILLWATER, Okla.
(AP) — Bryce Thompson scored 13 points, Eric Dailey Jr. and Javon
Small added 12 points apiece and Oklahoma State beat Chicago State
72-53. Thompson, who entered averaging 16.3 points in his last three
games, was 4 of 11 from the floor with a pair of 3-pointers. Dailey
and Small were a combined 8-of-18 shooting overall. Dailey grabbed
nine and Small had seven of the Cowboys’ 43 rebounds. Brandon
Garrison blocked four shots and chipped in six points for Oklahoma
State (8-5). Jahsean Corbett had 20 points and seven rebounds to lead
Chicago State (7-14), which has lost five in a row.WACO, Texas (AP) —
Ja’Kobe Walter scored 23 points, fellow freshman Yves Missi added
16 while making all eight of his shots and 18th-ranked Baylor
christened the brand-new Foster Pavilion with a 98-79 victory over
Cornell. Missi scored the first points in Baylor's new home when the
7-footer from Cameroon made a short jumper 30 seconds into the game.
RayJ Dennis had 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting for the Bears. Baylor
won 401 games over 35 years at the Ferrell Center. Nazir Williams had
17 points to lead Cornell. Isaiah Gray and Chris Manon each had 12
points.UNDATED (AP) —
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy says the sign-stealing scandal has
overshadowed the work the team has put in to go unbeaten and reach
the College Football Playoff championship game. Michigan plays
Washington for the national title in Houston on Monday as the NCAA
continues to investigate allegations the Wolverines had a staff
member use video equipment to pick off future opponents’ play-call
signs from the sideline. McCarthy said it would be unfortunate if
wins were vacated because it would take recognition away from players
who did things the right way.KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Patrick Mahomes will sit out the Chiefs’ regular-season
finale against the Chargers on Sunday in Los Angeles. The Chiefs
clinched their eighth straight AFC West title and the No. 3 seed in
the playoffs with last week's 25-17 win over the Bengals. Veteran
backup Blaine Gabbert will start for Kansas City and Chris Oladokun
will back him up. Chiefs coach Andy Reid declined to say whether
other starters, such as tight end Travis Kelce and defensive tackle
Chris Jones, will play against the Chargers.OWINGS MILLS, Md.
(AP) — Ravens coach John Harbaugh says Lamar Jackson will not play
in Baltimore’s regular-season finale against the Pittsburgh
Steelers this weekend. Harbaugh said Tyler Huntley will start for the
Ravens. The team has already clinched the top seed in the AFC
playoffs. Josh Johnson will be Huntley’s backup. The announcement
was no surprise now that Baltimore has wrapped up a first-round bye
in the postseason. Jackson missed the end of the 2021 and 2022
seasons, but has started all 16 games so far this season. Huntley has
started eight games in his pro career.UNDATED (AP) —
Brock Purdy and Tua Tagovailoa were selected to their first Pro Bowl
as the starting quarterbacks for their respective conferences. It’s
the first time the two starting QBs are first-time picks since the
1999 season when Pro Football Hall of Famers Peyton Manning and Kurt
Warner were chosen. Purdy was one of nine players picked from the San
Francisco 49ers, who clinched the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The 49ers had
the most players selected. Baltimore and Dallas each have seven Pro
Bowl players.UNDATED (AP) — The
Miami Dolphins went from playing for the AFC’s No. 1 seed to
playing for their division to avoid the sixth spot this week. Josh
Allen and the Buffalo Bills stand in their way. The Bills-Dolphins
will face off Sunday night in the NFL’s final regular-season game
in a showdown for the AFC East title. The Dolphins had a chance at
earning a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the
playoffs but were pounded by Baltimore 56-19. If they beat Buffalo,
they’ll secure the No. 2 seed. The Bills would get the two seed
with a win. If they lose, they’d drop to sixth, seventh or
completely out of the playoffs.KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP)
— Rory McIlroy is softening his stance against Saudi-funded LIV
Golf. He says on the “Stick to Football” podcast that he has
accepted that LIV is part of golf now. McIlroy also says he has been
to judgmental about players leaving. McIlroy has been the harshest
critic of LIV Golf since it began in June 2022. Jon Rahm is the
latest to defect. McIlroy says it was a smart business decision by
the Masters champion. He says he suspects Rahm thinks the two sides
will get together. McIlroy also suggested he helped instigate the PGA
Tour meeting with the Saudis.KAPALUA, Hawaii.
(AP) — Scottie Scheffler is the PGA Tour player of the year in a
close vote over Masters champion Jon Rahm. Scheffler is the first
back-to-back winner of the award since Tiger Woods in 2006 and 2007.
But this one will raise questions about whether players who voted
penalized Rahm for joining LIV Golf. Scheffler had a staggering
statistical year. He played so well that he didn't finish out of the
top 12 until July. His two wins were The Players Championship and the
Phoenix Open. But Rahm won four times, including the Masters. He
defected in the middle of the two-week voting period.MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.
(AP) — Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill and his family are safe
after fire rescue crews responded to a large fire at his South
Florida home Wednesday afternoon. The house, which is located in
Southwest Ranches about 30 miles northwest of Miami, was shown
Wednesday afternoon on local station WSVN 7 News with a large amount
of black smoke coming out of the roof as firefighters doused it with
water. No injuries have been reported. Hill had been at Dolphins
practice as Miami prepares for its regular-season finale against the
Buffalo Bills on Sunday night, but he left after being told about the
fire.SANTO DOMINGO,
Dominican Republic (AP) — Dominican prosecutors have accused Wander
Franco of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering
following allegations that the Tampa Bay Rays shortstop had a
relationship with a minor whose mother also faces the same charges.
Prosecutors on Wednesday requested that a judge hold Franco on an
$86,000 bond, bar him from leaving the Dominican Republic and place
him under house arrest. They noted that the money laundering charges
stems from allegations that Franco made payments to the minor’s
mother. The judge is scheduled to analyze the evidence that was
collected during a monthslong investigation and issue a ruling on
Friday. Franco remains in jail for now.WEDNESDAY SCORESTOP-25 COLLEGE
BASKETBALLFinal	Miami	95	(16)Clemson	82	Final	Seton
Hall	61	(23)Providence	57	NATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Cleveland	140	Washington	101	Final	Indiana	142	Milwaukee	130	Final	Atlanta	141	Oklahoma
City	138	Final	New
Orleans	117	Minnesota	106	Final	Toronto	116	Memphis	111	Final	Houston	112	Brooklyn	101	Final	New
York	116	Chicago	100	Final	Dallas	126	Portland	97	Final	L.A.
Clippers	131	Phoenix	122	Final
OT	Utah	154	Detroit	148	Final	Miami	110	L.A.
Lakers	96	Final
2OT	Sacramento	138	Orlando	135	NATIONAL HOCKEY
LEAGUEFinal	New
Jersey	6	Washington	3

Thursday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Wednesday on Sports Day (Watch)

The Barton Community College men's basketball program is offering basketball clinics this weekend for youth grades 2nd through 8th.

Two clinics are available with the first being held Saturday evening, January 6th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with another two-hour clinic held on Sunday, January 7th beginning at 2:00 p.m.

Cost for either clinic is $40 per person or $65 per person for both clinics.

To register and/or obtain further information, email Austin Downing at downinga@bartonccc.edu or Tyson Downing at coachtdowning@gmail.com.

Additional information regarding Barton Men's Basketball can be found online at <a href="http://www.BartonSports.com">www.BartonSports.com</a> or on Facebook at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BartonMensBasketball">www.facebook.com/BartonMensBasketball</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704302536564.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>The Barton Community College men's basketball program is offering basketball clinics this weekend for youth grades 2nd through 8th.Two clinics are available with the first being held Saturday evening, January 6th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with another two-hour clinic held on Sunday, January 7th beginning at 2:00 p.m.Cost for either clinic is $40 per person or $65 per person for both clinics.To register and/or obtain further information, email Austin Downing at downinga@bartonccc.edu or Tyson Downing at coachtdowning@gmail.com.Additional information regarding Barton Men's Basketball can be found online at <a href="http://www.BartonSports.com">www.BartonSports.com</a> or on Facebook at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BartonMensBasketball">www.facebook.com/BartonMensBasketball</a>

Barton offering basketball clinics this weekend

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Clark Hunt tends to remember the euphoria that comes when the Kansas City Chiefs have hoisted championship trophies.

The team's chairman admittedly forgets about the challenges along the way.

But there's a good chance Hunt will remember the bumps that Kansas City overcame on the road to an eighth consecutive AFC West title, if only because they have been so pronounced: Injuries to key players, penalties at crucial times and dropped passes that have plagued their wide receivers all made it a chore just to reach the playoffs yet again.

“I tend to forget how hard certain seasons have been,” Hunt said after a 25-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday that clinched the division and secured the No. 3 seed. “You sort of block out the tough parts of the season.

“There definitely was some adversity this year,” Hunt continued. “Every year is different, and we've had adversity in some other years where we've won the West as well. I do think adversity can be beneficial by the time you get to the playoffs, because the playoffs are never going to be easy."

Especially this season. The Chiefs won't have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, as they've had in past years. In fact, they might well have to hit the road for the divisional round for the first time with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, assuming they get past a wild-card game that will take place at Arrowhead Stadium in a couple of weeks.

At least they can rest some of their starters as they have in the past. The Chiefs made their visit to the Chargers this Sunday meaningless with their win over Cincinnati, though coach Andy Reid could be tempted to play them all in an attempt to build on some of the positive momentum that they generated against the Bengals.

“I kind of just let Coach Reid make all of those decisions and then I roll with it,” Mahomes said. "If he wants us to get out there and kind of build off this momentum we have, I’ll be ready to go. And if he wants to give us some rest then I’ll get that rest, prepare for whoever we’re going play and be ready to go in the playoffs.”

The Chiefs' pass rush has been hit or miss all season, but it spent Sunday hitting Bengals quarterback Jake Browning. They had six sacks, including four on the final Cincinnati drive, when Browning was trying to rally his team for a tying touchdown.

“I was just chilling back there watching them,” Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed said.

Kansas City needs more production from its tight ends, which sounds bizarre when Travis Kelce is on the field. But he had only three catches for 16 yards, and fellow tight end Noah Gray had three for 17. It's not entirely their fault, though Kelce had a drop on Sunday. He was open deep downfield more than once and Mahomes failed to spot him.

Chiefs safety Justin Reid has been consistently good all season, but he was excellent against Cincinnati. Reid had two of those late sacks on consecutive plays while blitzing from the defensive backfield, and he was second on the team with eight total tackles.

“We were executing really all game and in the biggest moments your biggest players — in every situation — your players have to make plays,” Reid said. “Everyone played their role to give me enough time to get home.”

Left tackle Wanya Morris has taken some rookie lumps the past couple of weeks. The Raiders' Maxx Crosby roughed him up in a loss to Las Vegas, and the Bengals' Trey Hendrickson got around him Sunday for a strip-sack that led to a Cincinnati touchdown.

Kadarius Toney was inactive because of a lingering hip injury, and with Skyy Moore already on injured reserve, the wide receiver group is getting thin. Justin Watson was briefly knocked out of Sunday's game with a chest injury, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling proved once again that he cannot be trusted with another egregious dropped pass.

9 — While the Chiefs have won eight straight division titles, they also have qualified for the postseason in nine straight years. That is second only to the Patriots, who made the playoffs 11 consecutive years with Tom Brady at quarterback.

The Chiefs visit the Chargers in Los Angeles next Sunday before returning home for the wild-card round of the playoffs.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Clark Hunt tends to remember the euphoria that comes when the Kansas City Chiefs have hoisted championship trophies.The team's chairman admittedly forgets about the challenges along the way.But there's a good chance Hunt will remember the bumps that Kansas City overcame on the road to an eighth consecutive AFC West title, if only because they have been so pronounced: Injuries to key players, penalties at crucial times and dropped passes that have plagued their wide receivers all made it a chore just to reach the playoffs yet again.“I tend to forget how hard certain seasons have been,” Hunt said after a 25-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday that clinched the division and secured the No. 3 seed. “You sort of block out the tough parts of the season.“There definitely was some adversity this year,” Hunt continued. “Every year is different, and we've had adversity in some other years where we've won the West as well. I do think adversity can be beneficial by the time you get to the playoffs, because the playoffs are never going to be easy."Especially this season. The Chiefs won't have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, as they've had in past years. In fact, they might well have to hit the road for the divisional round for the first time with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, assuming they get past a wild-card game that will take place at Arrowhead Stadium in a couple of weeks.At least they can rest some of their starters as they have in the past. The Chiefs made their visit to the Chargers this Sunday meaningless with their win over Cincinnati, though coach Andy Reid could be tempted to play them all in an attempt to build on some of the positive momentum that they generated against the Bengals.“I kind of just let Coach Reid make all of those decisions and then I roll with it,” Mahomes said. "If he wants us to get out there and kind of build off this momentum we have, I’ll be ready to go. And if he wants to give us some rest then I’ll get that rest, prepare for whoever we’re going play and be ready to go in the playoffs.”WHAT’S WORKINGThe Chiefs' pass rush has been hit or miss all season, but it spent Sunday hitting Bengals quarterback Jake Browning. They had six sacks, including four on the final Cincinnati drive, when Browning was trying to rally his team for a tying touchdown.“I was just chilling back there watching them,” Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed said.WHAT NEEDS HELPKansas City needs more production from its tight ends, which sounds bizarre when Travis Kelce is on the field. But he had only three catches for 16 yards, and fellow tight end Noah Gray had three for 17. It's not entirely their fault, though Kelce had a drop on Sunday. He was open deep downfield more than once and Mahomes failed to spot him.STOCK UPChiefs safety Justin Reid has been consistently good all season, but he was excellent against Cincinnati. Reid had two of those late sacks on consecutive plays while blitzing from the defensive backfield, and he was second on the team with eight total tackles.“We were executing really all game and in the biggest moments your biggest players — in every situation — your players have to make plays,” Reid said. “Everyone played their role to give me enough time to get home.”STOCK DOWNLeft tackle Wanya Morris has taken some rookie lumps the past couple of weeks. The Raiders' Maxx Crosby roughed him up in a loss to Las Vegas, and the Bengals' Trey Hendrickson got around him Sunday for a strip-sack that led to a Cincinnati touchdown.INJURIESKadarius Toney was inactive because of a lingering hip injury, and with Skyy Moore already on injured reserve, the wide receiver group is getting thin. Justin Watson was briefly knocked out of Sunday's game with a chest injury, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling proved once again that he cannot be trusted with another egregious dropped pass.KEY NUMBER9 — While the Chiefs have won eight straight division titles, they also have qualified for the postseason in nine straight years. That is second only to the Patriots, who made the playoffs 11 consecutive years with Tom Brady at quarterback.NEXT STEPSThe Chiefs visit the Chargers in Los Angeles next Sunday before returning home for the wild-card round of the playoffs.

Chiefs hoping that bumpy regular season preps them for another playoff push

Purdue remained atop the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll for the third straight week while Gonzaga dropped to No. 24 after a loss to San Diego State but managed to keep alive its streak of 142 consecutive weeks in the poll. The Boilermakers picked up three first-place votes and had 49 of 63 from the national panel of voters. Kansas was second with five first-place votes and Houston remained third with the other nine first-place votes. UConn and Tennessee each moved up one spot to round out the top five following Arizona’s loss to Stanford on Sunday. The Wildcats fell from fourth to 10th.

Others receiving votes: San Diego St. 113, Creighton 106, Colorado 86, Utah 82, Miami 41, Iowa St. 22, Michigan St. 15, Nevada 13, Texas A&amp;M 13, Ohio St. 8, New Mexico 6, Dayton 5, Grand Canyon 5, South Carolina 4, Mississippi St. 4, Northwestern 3, Villanova 3, Alabama 3.

By the Associated PressPurdue remained atop the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll for the third straight week while Gonzaga dropped to No. 24 after a loss to San Diego State but managed to keep alive its streak of 142 consecutive weeks in the poll. The Boilermakers picked up three first-place votes and had 49 of 63 from the national panel of voters. Kansas was second with five first-place votes and Houston remained third with the other nine first-place votes. UConn and Tennessee each moved up one spot to round out the top five following Arizona’s loss to Stanford on Sunday. The Wildcats fell from fourth to 10th.Record	Pts	Prv1. Purdue (49)	12-1	1561	12. Kansas (5)	12-1	1497	23. Houston (9)	13-0	1477	34. UConn	11-2	1302	55. Tennessee	9-3	1234	66. Kentucky	10-2	1196	87. Marquette	11-3	1137	108. North Carolina	9-3	1088	99. Illinois	10-2	980	1110. Arizona	10-3	975	411. Oklahoma	12-1	898	1212. BYU	12-1	723	1413. Colorado St.	12-1	694	1514. Duke	9-3	662	1615. Memphis	11-2	631	1916. Clemson	11-1	630	1817. FAU	10-3	603	718. Baylor	10-2	589	1719. James Madison	13-0	469	2020. Texas	10-2	374	2121. Wisconsin	9-3	355	2322. Mississippi	13-0	329	2423. Providence	11-2	198	2524. Gonzaga	9-4	173	1325. Auburn	10-2	168	-Others receiving votes: San Diego St. 113, Creighton 106, Colorado 86, Utah 82, Miami 41, Iowa St. 22, Michigan St. 15, Nevada 13, Texas A&amp;M 13, Ohio St. 8, New Mexico 6, Dayton 5, Grand Canyon 5, South Carolina 4, Mississippi St. 4, Northwestern 3, Villanova 3, Alabama 3.

Purdue remains No. 1 in AP Top 25, Kansas No. 2

Clifton-Clyde 65, Blue Valley Randolph 48

St John 57, Hutchinson Central Christian 34

Clifton-Clyde 59, Blue Valley Randolph 42

St John 47, Hutchinson Central Christian 27

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701518129412.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Tuesday AP ScoresTUESDAY BOYS SCORESAndale 70, Nickerson 40Arma-Northeast 41, Pleasanton 38Axtell 66, Onaga 32Cheney 43, Hesston 29Cheney 44, Hesston 29Clearwater 62, Halstead 45Clifton-Clyde 65, Blue Valley Randolph 48Colby 56, Hoxie 27Dodge City 45, Garden Plain 42Ellsworth 63, Larned 24Emporia 58, Topeka Hayden 42Erie 76, Cherryvale 21Fort Scott 63, Iola 45Frankfort 38, Doniphan West 29Hanover 58, Linn 34Haven 53, Chaparral 36Hillsboro 55, Hutchinson Trinity 40Hoisington 51, Smoky Valley 38Logan 59, Lakeside 50Moundridge 81, Oxford 44Norton 40, Cambridge, Neb. 32Pike Valley 67, Tescott 44Red Cloud, Neb. 48, Rock Hills 28St John 57, Hutchinson Central Christian 34Sterling 59, Inman 28Valley Heights 53, Washington County 45Victoria 57, Plainville 46Wichita County 62, Golden Plains 27Woodward, Okla. 92, Liberal 89TUESDAY GIRLS SCORESAndale 43, Nickerson 34Arma-Northeast 34, Pleasanton 32Axtell 43, Onaga 33Basehor-Linwood 50, Leavenworth 23Cherryvale 72, Erie 35Clifton-Clyde 59, Blue Valley Randolph 42Dodge City 38, Garden Plain 20Emporia 54, Topeka Hayden 40Fairfield 35, Chase 24Fort Scott 57, Iola 23Frankfort 54, Doniphan West 44Halstead 43, Clearwater 26Hanover 49, Linn 34Haven 47, Chaparral 41Hesston 58, Cheney 31Hillsboro 59, Hutchinson Trinity 10Hoisington 49, Smoky Valley 46Hoxie 51, Colby 47Inman 72, Sterling 38Jefferson North 64, McLouth 18Lakeside 48, Logan 46Larned 53, Ellsworth 52Liberal 64, Woodward, Okla. 53Marmaton Valley 46, Uniontown 24Norton 37, Cambridge, Neb. 23Osage City 53, Central Heights 18Pike Valley 52, Tescott 17Red Cloud, Neb. 52, Rock Hills 37South Haven 45, Attica 43St John 47, Hutchinson Central Christian 27Valley Heights 56, Washington County 43Victoria 43, Plainville 23Wichita County 50, Golden Plains 17

Tuesday Statewide Scores

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Cam Carter scored 19 points, Arthur Kaluma had a double-double and Kansas State came from behind to beat Chicago State 62-55 on Tuesday night.

Carter sank 6 of 16 shots with a 3-pointer and all six of his free throws for the Wildcats (10-3). Kaluma finished with 14 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. David N'Guessan pitched in with 12 points and nine rebounds.

Jahsean Corbett had 10 points and five rebounds by halftime, helping Chicago State take a 30-27 lead. Cam Carter had 11 points to help Kansas State rally from a 28-21 deficit to get within one possession. The Wildcats shot 35.7% before the intermission and made just 1 of 8 from 3-point range.

Carter scored four in an 8-0 run to begin the second half as Kansas State took a five-point lead and never trailed again. The Wildcats took their biggest lead at 59-50 on a dunk by Taj Manning with 62 seconds left to play.

Wesley Cardet Jr. scored 19 on 6-for-13 shooting with a 3-pointer for the independent Cougars (7-13). He made 6 of 8 foul shots and added four rebounds. Corbett scored 12 with eight boards.

Kansas State won 10 nonconference games for a second straight season under second-year coach Jerome Tang. The Wildcats improved to 3-0 all time against Chicago State with home wins in 2007 and 2009.

Chicago State has lost four straight after a four-game win streak that started with a 75-73 victory over then-No. 25 Northwestern on Dec. 13. It was the first win over a ranked team in program history.

Chicago State: The Cougars travel to play Oklahoma State on Wednesday.

Kansas State: The Wildcats begin Big 12 Conference play on Saturday when they host Central Florida.

Crawford 1-2 0-0 3, Jernigan 0-1 0-0 0, Cardet 6-13 6-8 19, Corbett 4-13 3-4 12, Davis 2-6 3-4 8, Jean-Charles 1-2 0-0 3, Neal 3-7 0-0 8, Cole 1-4 0-0 2, Spate 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-49 12-16 55.

Kaluma 5-11 3-5 14, McNair 3-3 0-0 6, N'Guessan 4-7 4-9 12, Carter 6-16 6-6 19, Perry 1-6 2-2 5, Manning 2-2 0-1 4, Finister 0-1 0-0 0, Ames 1-5 0-0 2, Rich 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-51 15-23 62.

Halftime_Chicago St. 30-27. 3-Point Goals_Chicago St. 7-16 (Neal 2-5, Crawford 1-1, Cardet 1-2, Jean-Charles 1-2, Corbett 1-3, Davis 1-3), Kansas St. 3-14 (Carter 1-4, Kaluma 1-4, Perry 1-4, Ames 0-2). Rebounds_Chicago St. 19 (Corbett 8), Kansas St. 40 (Kaluma 13). Assists_Chicago St. 5 (Corbett, Davis 2), Kansas St. 12 (Perry 4). Total Fouls_Chicago St. 20, Kansas St. 16. A_9,123 (12,528).

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Cam Carter scored 19 points, Arthur Kaluma had a double-double and Kansas State came from behind to beat Chicago State 62-55 on Tuesday night.Carter sank 6 of 16 shots with a 3-pointer and all six of his free throws for the Wildcats (10-3). Kaluma finished with 14 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. David N'Guessan pitched in with 12 points and nine rebounds.Jahsean Corbett had 10 points and five rebounds by halftime, helping Chicago State take a 30-27 lead. Cam Carter had 11 points to help Kansas State rally from a 28-21 deficit to get within one possession. The Wildcats shot 35.7% before the intermission and made just 1 of 8 from 3-point range.Carter scored four in an 8-0 run to begin the second half as Kansas State took a five-point lead and never trailed again. The Wildcats took their biggest lead at 59-50 on a dunk by Taj Manning with 62 seconds left to play.Wesley Cardet Jr. scored 19 on 6-for-13 shooting with a 3-pointer for the independent Cougars (7-13). He made 6 of 8 foul shots and added four rebounds. Corbett scored 12 with eight boards.Kansas State won 10 nonconference games for a second straight season under second-year coach Jerome Tang. The Wildcats improved to 3-0 all time against Chicago State with home wins in 2007 and 2009.Chicago State has lost four straight after a four-game win streak that started with a 75-73 victory over then-No. 25 Northwestern on Dec. 13. It was the first win over a ranked team in program history.UP NEXTChicago State: The Cougars travel to play Oklahoma State on Wednesday.Kansas State: The Wildcats begin Big 12 Conference play on Saturday when they host Central Florida.

CHICAGO ST. (7-13)Crawford 1-2 0-0 3, Jernigan 0-1 0-0 0, Cardet 6-13 6-8 19, Corbett 4-13 3-4 12, Davis 2-6 3-4 8, Jean-Charles 1-2 0-0 3, Neal 3-7 0-0 8, Cole 1-4 0-0 2, Spate 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-49 12-16 55.KANSAS ST. (10-3)Kaluma 5-11 3-5 14, McNair 3-3 0-0 6, N'Guessan 4-7 4-9 12, Carter 6-16 6-6 19, Perry 1-6 2-2 5, Manning 2-2 0-1 4, Finister 0-1 0-0 0, Ames 1-5 0-0 2, Rich 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-51 15-23 62.Halftime_Chicago St. 30-27. 3-Point Goals_Chicago St. 7-16 (Neal 2-5, Crawford 1-1, Cardet 1-2, Jean-Charles 1-2, Corbett 1-3, Davis 1-3), Kansas St. 3-14 (Carter 1-4, Kaluma 1-4, Perry 1-4, Ames 0-2). Rebounds_Chicago St. 19 (Corbett 8), Kansas St. 40 (Kaluma 13). Assists_Chicago St. 5 (Corbett, Davis 2), Kansas St. 12 (Perry 4). Total Fouls_Chicago St. 20, Kansas St. 16. A_9,123 (12,528).

Carter, Kaluma rally Kansas State to 62-55 victory over Chicago State

Hoisington Boys 51 Smoky Valley 38; Hoisington Girls 49 Smoky Valley 46

1.Hoisington Sports on 100.7 Eagle Country sponsored  by...USD #431 Hoisington, Donald E. Reif Jr., Attorney at Law, Superior Essex, Cardinal Pharmacy, Town &amp; Country Supermarket, H &amp; D Exploration, Central Chiropractic, Equity  Bank, K &amp; L Fencing, Keenan Law Firm, Hoisington Recreation Commission, Dr. Tyler Schremmer, Hoisington Veterinary Hospital, Clara Barton Medical Center, Barton Community College, First Kansas Bank, Innovative Livestock, Rosenburg Family Dentistry, Farmers Insurance, the Matt Delong Agency and Ehler Chevrolet

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582693944473.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hoisington Boys 51 Smoky Valley 38; Hoisington Girls 49 Smoky Valley 46<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/gmutbzyu/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>1.Hoisington Sports on 100.7 Eagle Country sponsored by...USD #431 Hoisington, Donald E. Reif Jr., Attorney at Law, Superior Essex, Cardinal Pharmacy, Town &amp; Country Supermarket, H &amp; D Exploration, Central Chiropractic, Equity Bank, K &amp; L Fencing, Keenan Law Firm, Hoisington Recreation Commission, Dr. Tyler Schremmer, Hoisington Veterinary Hospital, Clara Barton Medical Center, Barton Community College, First Kansas Bank, Innovative Livestock, Rosenburg Family Dentistry, Farmers Insurance, the Matt Delong Agency and Ehler Chevrolet

Ellsworth Boys 63 Larned 24; Larned Girls 53 Ellsworth 52

1. Larned Sports on 106.9 brought to you in part by Progressive Therapy and Sports Medicine, Barton Community College, Farmers Bank &amp; Trust, Pawnee County CO-OP, Innovative Livestock Services, Titan Building Systems, Eakin Concrete/Santa Fe Liquor Mart,  H and H Roofing, Fusion Bank, Beckwith Mortuary, Farm Bureau Financial Services, Leigh Ann Seeman agent, Carr Auction and Real Estate, Smith Dental, Ike Shaver Plumbing, Heart of Kansas Medical Center, Equity Bank Clock Reality and Insurance, Frick Veterinary Service, Pawnee Plaza, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, Doerrs Ace Hardware and USD 495.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695238768373.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Ellsworth Boys 63 Larned 24; Larned Girls 53 Ellsworth 52<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/ufw2wkwx/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>1. Larned Sports on 106.9 brought to you in part by Progressive Therapy and Sports Medicine, Barton Community College, Farmers Bank &amp; Trust, Pawnee County CO-OP, Innovative Livestock Services, Titan Building Systems, Eakin Concrete/Santa Fe Liquor Mart, H and H Roofing, Fusion Bank, Beckwith Mortuary, Farm Bureau Financial Services, Leigh Ann Seeman agent, Carr Auction and Real Estate, Smith Dental, Ike Shaver Plumbing, Heart of Kansas Medical Center, Equity Bank Clock Reality and Insurance, Frick Veterinary Service, Pawnee Plaza, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, Doerrs Ace Hardware and USD 495.&nbsp;

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Cam Carter scored 19 points, Arthur Kaluma had a double-double and Kansas State came from behind to beat Chicago State 62-55. Carter sank 6 of 16 shots with a 3-pointer and all six of his free throws for the Wildcats (10-3). Kaluma finished with 14 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. David N’Guessan pitched in with 12 points and nine rebounds. Jahsean Corbett had 10 points and five rebounds by halftime, helping Chicago State take a 30-27 lead. Cam Carter had 11 points to help Kansas State rally from a 28-21 deficit to get within one possession. The Wildcats shot 35.7% before the intermission and made just 1 of 8 from 3-point range. Wesley Cardet Jr. scored 19 on 6-for-13 shooting with a 3-pointer for the independent Cougars (7-13).

WACO, Texas (AP) — Ja’Kobe Walter scored 23 points, fellow freshman Yves Missi added 16 while making all eight of his shots and 18th-ranked Baylor christened the brand-new Foster Pavilion with a 98-79 victory over Cornell. Missi scored the first points in Baylor's new home when the 7-footer from Cameroon made a short jumper 30 seconds into the game. RayJ Dennis had 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting for the Bears. Baylor won 401 games over 35 years at the Ferrell Center. Nazir Williams had 17 points to lead Cornell. Isaiah Gray and Chris Manon each had 12 points.

UNDATED (AP) — Max Abmas had 18 points and seven assists, Kadin Shedrick scored 17 and No. 20 Texas defeated UT Arlington 79-62. A senior who transferred to Texas from Oral Roberts this season, Abmas passed former Duke All-American J.J. Redick for 21st place on the NCAA career scoring list with 2,785 points. Kade Douglas scored 17 points for led UT Arlington, which fell to 6-7. Texas improved to 11-2.

UNDATED (AP) — Purdue remained atop the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll for the third straight week while Gonzaga dropped to No. 24 after a loss to San Diego State but managed to keep alive its streak of 142 consecutive weeks in the poll. The Boilermakers picked up three first-place votes and had 49 of 63 from the national panel of voters. Kansas was second with five first-place votes and Houston remained third with the other nine first-place votes. UConn and Tennessee each moved up one spot to round out the top five following Arizona’s loss to Stanford on Sunday. The Wildcats fell from fourth to 10th.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The four-team playoff changed college football. Not just the postseason and crowning of a national champion that finally could be called undisputed. College Football Playoff 1.0 wraps up a 10-year run on Monday when No. 1 Michigan faces No. 2 Washington in the national championship game. The four-team CFP created a new standard for success — and failure — for conferences and schools. It helped the rich and powerful become more rich and powerful and further nationalized a sport with regional roots. It was an imperfect but necessary step in the evolution of the postseason that had unintended consequences.

UNDATED (AP) — The NFL has fined Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper $300,000 for tossing a drink at fans in Jacksonville toward the end of a game on Sunday. The league called Tepper’s conduct “unacceptable” in a statement released Tuesday. Tepper’s reaction came after rookie quarterback Bryce Young threw an interception with less than three minutes to play in a 26-0 loss to the Jaguars. It wasn’t clear whether Tepper was reacting to something said to him or another loss for the NFL’s worst team. The Panthers are 2-14 and won’t even have the No. 1 overall pick in the draft because it was traded to Chicago for the top pick used to select Young.

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — The PGA Tour season starts at Kapalua and there's a different feeling this year. Collin Morikawa, Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele are among several players contributing to relief efforts toward the Lahaina fires on Aug. 8 that killed 100 people and leveled the historic waterfront area. Morikawa has ties to Maui. His grandparents were born in Lahaina and long ago had a restaurant on Front Street. Schauffele already has hosted a junior clinic for kids impacted by the fires. Sentry Insurance is the title sponsor. It already has contributed more than $2 million to various relief funds.

NEW YORK (AP) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto will have two opportunities to opt out of his record $325 million, 12-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, although the timing is tied to his pitching elbow’s health.If Yamamoto has Tommy John surgery or is on the injured list for a right elbow injury for 134 consecutive service days from 2024-29, he would have the right to opt out after the 2031 and 2033 World Series, according to terms of the deal obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday. If he avoids Tommy John surgery and doesn’t miss that much time with an elbow issue during that window, he can instead opt out after the 2029 and 2031 World Series. In the first scenario, the Dodgers also would gain a $10 million conditional option for 2036 with no buyout.

UNDATED (AP) — The possibility of college teams using NFL-style communication technology has been viewed with a little more urgency in the aftermath of the Michigan sign-stealing scandal. This bowl season, teams have taken advantage of the opportunity to try out various devices. Maryland had access to coach-to-player communication technology in the Music City Bowl against Auburn. The Terrapins also had a chance to use sideline tablets showing video of previous plays. The communication technology is the more significant innovation in light of all the concerns about sign stealing. It’s been experimental this postseason and not available for playoff games. Some teams in other bowls decided to pass on using it.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — ESPN has apologized for a video clip of a woman baring her breast that was shown during the broadcast of the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. It was aired coming out of a commercial during the second half of Washington’s 37-31 victory over Texas in a semifinal game of the College Football Playoff. A clip of people wandering on Bourbon Street in New Orleans showed a woman pulling down her top to expose her breast.

Final	(8)North Carolina	70	Pittsburgh	57	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702554092640.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Cam Carter scored 19 points, Arthur Kaluma had a double-double and Kansas State came from behind to beat Chicago State 62-55. Carter sank 6 of 16 shots with a 3-pointer and all six of his free throws for the Wildcats (10-3). Kaluma finished with 14 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. David N’Guessan pitched in with 12 points and nine rebounds. Jahsean Corbett had 10 points and five rebounds by halftime, helping Chicago State take a 30-27 lead. Cam Carter had 11 points to help Kansas State rally from a 28-21 deficit to get within one possession. The Wildcats shot 35.7% before the intermission and made just 1 of 8 from 3-point range. Wesley Cardet Jr. scored 19 on 6-for-13 shooting with a 3-pointer for the independent Cougars (7-13).WACO, Texas (AP) — Ja’Kobe Walter scored 23 points, fellow freshman Yves Missi added 16 while making all eight of his shots and 18th-ranked Baylor christened the brand-new Foster Pavilion with a 98-79 victory over Cornell. Missi scored the first points in Baylor's new home when the 7-footer from Cameroon made a short jumper 30 seconds into the game. RayJ Dennis had 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting for the Bears. Baylor won 401 games over 35 years at the Ferrell Center. Nazir Williams had 17 points to lead Cornell. Isaiah Gray and Chris Manon each had 12 points.UNDATED (AP) — Max Abmas had 18 points and seven assists, Kadin Shedrick scored 17 and No. 20 Texas defeated UT Arlington 79-62. A senior who transferred to Texas from Oral Roberts this season, Abmas passed former Duke All-American J.J. Redick for 21st place on the NCAA career scoring list with 2,785 points. Kade Douglas scored 17 points for led UT Arlington, which fell to 6-7. Texas improved to 11-2.UNDATED (AP) — Purdue remained atop the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll for the third straight week while Gonzaga dropped to No. 24 after a loss to San Diego State but managed to keep alive its streak of 142 consecutive weeks in the poll. The Boilermakers picked up three first-place votes and had 49 of 63 from the national panel of voters. Kansas was second with five first-place votes and Houston remained third with the other nine first-place votes. UConn and Tennessee each moved up one spot to round out the top five following Arizona’s loss to Stanford on Sunday. The Wildcats fell from fourth to 10th.NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The four-team playoff changed college football. Not just the postseason and crowning of a national champion that finally could be called undisputed. College Football Playoff 1.0 wraps up a 10-year run on Monday when No. 1 Michigan faces No. 2 Washington in the national championship game. The four-team CFP created a new standard for success — and failure — for conferences and schools. It helped the rich and powerful become more rich and powerful and further nationalized a sport with regional roots. It was an imperfect but necessary step in the evolution of the postseason that had unintended consequences.UNDATED (AP) — The NFL has fined Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper $300,000 for tossing a drink at fans in Jacksonville toward the end of a game on Sunday. The league called Tepper’s conduct “unacceptable” in a statement released Tuesday. Tepper’s reaction came after rookie quarterback Bryce Young threw an interception with less than three minutes to play in a 26-0 loss to the Jaguars. It wasn’t clear whether Tepper was reacting to something said to him or another loss for the NFL’s worst team. The Panthers are 2-14 and won’t even have the No. 1 overall pick in the draft because it was traded to Chicago for the top pick used to select Young.KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — The PGA Tour season starts at Kapalua and there's a different feeling this year. Collin Morikawa, Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele are among several players contributing to relief efforts toward the Lahaina fires on Aug. 8 that killed 100 people and leveled the historic waterfront area. Morikawa has ties to Maui. His grandparents were born in Lahaina and long ago had a restaurant on Front Street. Schauffele already has hosted a junior clinic for kids impacted by the fires. Sentry Insurance is the title sponsor. It already has contributed more than $2 million to various relief funds.NEW YORK (AP) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto will have two opportunities to opt out of his record $325 million, 12-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, although the timing is tied to his pitching elbow’s health.If Yamamoto has Tommy John surgery or is on the injured list for a right elbow injury for 134 consecutive service days from 2024-29, he would have the right to opt out after the 2031 and 2033 World Series, according to terms of the deal obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday. If he avoids Tommy John surgery and doesn’t miss that much time with an elbow issue during that window, he can instead opt out after the 2029 and 2031 World Series. In the first scenario, the Dodgers also would gain a $10 million conditional option for 2036 with no buyout.UNDATED (AP) — The possibility of college teams using NFL-style communication technology has been viewed with a little more urgency in the aftermath of the Michigan sign-stealing scandal. This bowl season, teams have taken advantage of the opportunity to try out various devices. Maryland had access to coach-to-player communication technology in the Music City Bowl against Auburn. The Terrapins also had a chance to use sideline tablets showing video of previous plays. The communication technology is the more significant innovation in light of all the concerns about sign stealing. It’s been experimental this postseason and not available for playoff games. Some teams in other bowls decided to pass on using it.NEW ORLEANS (AP) — ESPN has apologized for a video clip of a woman baring her breast that was shown during the broadcast of the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. It was aired coming out of a commercial during the second half of Washington’s 37-31 victory over Texas in a semifinal game of the College Football Playoff. A clip of people wandering on Bourbon Street in New Orleans showed a woman pulling down her top to expose her breast.TUESDAY SCORESTOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal	(1)Purdue	67	Maryland	53	Final	(4)UConn	85	DePaul	56	Final	(5)Tennessee	87	Norfolk St.	50	Final	(8)North Carolina	70	Pittsburgh	57	Final	(9)Illinois	96	Northwestern	66	Final	(13)Colorado St.	76	New Mexico	68	Final	(14)Duke	86	Syracuse	66	Final	(17)FAU	79	East Carolina	64	Final	(18)Baylor	98	Cornell	79	Final	(21)Wisconsin	83	Iowa	72	Final	(25)Auburn	88	Penn	68NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Philadelphia	110	Chicago	97	Final	New Orleans	112	Brooklyn	85	Final	Oklahoma City	127	Boston	123	Final	Memphis	106	San Antonio	98	Final	Charlotte	111	Sacramento	104	Final	Golden State	121	Orlando	115	NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal	Boston	4	Columbus	1	Final	Carolina	6	N-Y Rangers	1	Final	Washington	4	Pittsburgh	3	Final	Winnipeg	4	Tampa Bay	2	Final	Calgary	3	Minnesota	1	Final	Nashville	3	Chicago	0	Final	Montreal	4	Dallas	3	Final	Edmonton	5	Philadelphia	2	Final OT	Colorado	5	N-Y Islanders	4	Final	Florida	4	Arizona	1	Final	Vancouver	6	Ottawa	3	Final	Toronto	3	Los Angeles	0	Final	Detroit	5	San Jose	3

Wednesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Tuesday on Sports Day (Watch)

Western Athletic Conference Garden Plain @ Dodge City

Central Kansas League Hoisington @ Smoky Valley Ellsworth @ Larned Halstead @ Clearwater Cheney @ Hesston Hutch-Trinity @ Hillsboro

Central Prairie League St. John @ Central Christian Plainville @ Victoria Fairfield @ Chase

Tuesday, January 2Western Athletic Conference Garden Plain @ Dodge CityCentral Kansas League Hoisington @ Smoky Valley Ellsworth @ Larned Halstead @ Clearwater Cheney @ Hesston Hutch-Trinity @ HillsboroCentral Prairie League St. John @ Central Christian Plainville @ Victoria Fairfield @ Chase

Tuesday Area High School Basketball Schedule (1/2/24)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — One year after Kansas City ended Cincinnati's season in a dramatic AFC championship game at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs ended the Bengals' postseason hopes entirely in the exact same place on a cold New Year's Eve.

Applying relentless pressure on Jake Browning, including four sacks on the final possession as he was trying to rally the Bengals for the tying score, the Chiefs held one of their biggest conference nemeses without a point over their final seven possessions in a 25-17 victory Sunday that clinched their eighth consecutive AFC West title.

The Chiefs will be the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. The Bengals will be sitting it out after next week's regular-season finale against the playoff-bound Cleveland Browns.

“That was not our goal,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said, “to be out of contention.”

Indeed, it was a bitter finish to a roller-coaster year for Cincinnati that included the loss of franchise quarterback Joe Burrow to a season-ending wrist injury, the revelatory play of Browning in his place, three straight wins that catapulted the Bengals into the playoff mix and consecutive losses to the Steelers and Chiefs that ultimately eliminated them.

“He's one of the best players on planet Earth,” Taylor said of Burrow, “but that's just part of life. And you know, you have to be able to deal with it and move on. We're not the only team that deals with losing players. I'm proud of the way this team continued to fight. Proud of the way Jake stepped in and continued to lead. This team did not lay down for anybody. It has not gone our way the last two weeks, but that doesn't mean I'm not proud of what these guys did.”

The Bengals had their chances against Kansas City at the site of their past two AFC title game clashes.

They leaped out to a 10-7 lead thanks to a methodical, 15-play drive to open the game that netted them a field goal, and a 75-yard march that ended in Browning's touchdown toss to Joe Mixon. And when Trey Hendrickson stripped Patrick Mahomes to produce a fumble, the Bengals converted the short field into Browning's TD run to take a 17-7 lead.

The Bengals went three-and-out on their next drive, when Tanner Hudson dropped what would have been a first-down throw, and time ran out in the first half when Harrison Butker hit the first of his six field goals for Kansas City with 35 seconds left.

Yet it was the Bengals' opening drive of the second half that Taylor might rue in the months ahead.

Cincinnati twice converted on third down and drove inside the Kansas City 10, where Taylor was left with a decision on fourth-and-1 at the 6-yard line. Rather than kick a field goal that would have extended the lead to 20-13, Taylor decided to go for it and Mixon was stuffed by Willie Gay for a 3-yard loss and a turnover on downs.

“The best way to convert in short yardage is to avoid short yardage,” Browning said, “and it's an obvious statement that coming away with no points right there is brutal.”

The Chiefs viewed the defensive stand as one of the pivotal points in the game.

“They checked to a downhill run. Willie was able to knock it back, and we went the other way,”" Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said. “And I think it was a huge momentum shift in the game right there.”

The Chiefs proceeded to put together a nine-play, 82-yard drive that Butker capped with a field goal to get within 17-16.

And that became a common refrain the rest of the way: The Bengals' next drive fizzled, the Chiefs marched downfield and Butker kicked a go-ahead field goal; the Bengals had to punt again, the Chiefs drove the other way and Butker hit a 48-yarder to extend the lead; and when the Bengals went three-and-out, Butker added a 46-yarder with 2:59 left in the game.

The Bengals had one more chance, but the Kansas City defense made one more stop.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — One year after Kansas City ended Cincinnati's season in a dramatic AFC championship game at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs ended the Bengals' postseason hopes entirely in the exact same place on a cold New Year's Eve.Applying relentless pressure on Jake Browning, including four sacks on the final possession as he was trying to rally the Bengals for the tying score, the Chiefs held one of their biggest conference nemeses without a point over their final seven possessions in a 25-17 victory Sunday that clinched their eighth consecutive AFC West title.The Chiefs will be the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. The Bengals will be sitting it out after next week's regular-season finale against the playoff-bound Cleveland Browns.“That was not our goal,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said, “to be out of contention.”Indeed, it was a bitter finish to a roller-coaster year for Cincinnati that included the loss of franchise quarterback Joe Burrow to a season-ending wrist injury, the revelatory play of Browning in his place, three straight wins that catapulted the Bengals into the playoff mix and consecutive losses to the Steelers and Chiefs that ultimately eliminated them.“He's one of the best players on planet Earth,” Taylor said of Burrow, “but that's just part of life. And you know, you have to be able to deal with it and move on. We're not the only team that deals with losing players. I'm proud of the way this team continued to fight. Proud of the way Jake stepped in and continued to lead. This team did not lay down for anybody. It has not gone our way the last two weeks, but that doesn't mean I'm not proud of what these guys did.”The Bengals had their chances against Kansas City at the site of their past two AFC title game clashes.They leaped out to a 10-7 lead thanks to a methodical, 15-play drive to open the game that netted them a field goal, and a 75-yard march that ended in Browning's touchdown toss to Joe Mixon. And when Trey Hendrickson stripped Patrick Mahomes to produce a fumble, the Bengals converted the short field into Browning's TD run to take a 17-7 lead.They wouldn't score again.The Bengals went three-and-out on their next drive, when Tanner Hudson dropped what would have been a first-down throw, and time ran out in the first half when Harrison Butker hit the first of his six field goals for Kansas City with 35 seconds left.Yet it was the Bengals' opening drive of the second half that Taylor might rue in the months ahead.Cincinnati twice converted on third down and drove inside the Kansas City 10, where Taylor was left with a decision on fourth-and-1 at the 6-yard line. Rather than kick a field goal that would have extended the lead to 20-13, Taylor decided to go for it and Mixon was stuffed by Willie Gay for a 3-yard loss and a turnover on downs.“The best way to convert in short yardage is to avoid short yardage,” Browning said, “and it's an obvious statement that coming away with no points right there is brutal.”The Chiefs viewed the defensive stand as one of the pivotal points in the game.“They checked to a downhill run. Willie was able to knock it back, and we went the other way,”" Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said. “And I think it was a huge momentum shift in the game right there.”The Chiefs proceeded to put together a nine-play, 82-yard drive that Butker capped with a field goal to get within 17-16.And that became a common refrain the rest of the way: The Bengals' next drive fizzled, the Chiefs marched downfield and Butker kicked a go-ahead field goal; the Bengals had to punt again, the Chiefs drove the other way and Butker hit a 48-yarder to extend the lead; and when the Bengals went three-and-out, Butker added a 46-yarder with 2:59 left in the game.The Bengals had one more chance, but the Kansas City defense made one more stop.

Bengals eliminated from playoff contention with loss to Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have grown accustomed to wrapping up the AFC West by the middle of December.

Turns out they're perfectly fine with clinching it on New Year's Eve.

Amid an up-and-down season in which the Chiefs have been forced to rely on their defense while their high-profile offense sputtered, Patrick Mahomes and Co. still managed to clinch their eighth consecutive division championship Sunday with a come-from-behind 25-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals — their opponent in each of the past two AFC title games.

Harrison Butker was a career-best 6 for 6 on field-goal attempts, Mahomes had 245 yards passing and a touchdown, and Isiah Pacheco ran for a career-best 130 yards to help Kansas City (10-6) secure the No. 3 seed for the playoffs.

“Obviously, we're not winning this in Week 12 or Week 13 like before. We had to battle through adversity and find a way to win," said Mahomes, who went over 4,000 yards passing for his sixth consecutive year as the starter. “Now you're in the playoffs, it's one game, single elimination, and I think we can play with anybody.”

The Bengals (8-8), fighting to avoid postseason elimination, led by 10 early but found themselves trailing 25-17 when Butker hit the last of his field goals — a 46-yarder through blustery wind — with 2:59 remaining in the game.

Four of Butker’s six field goals were from at least 43 yards, including his 54-yarder in the first half.

With one last chance, Bengals quarterback Jake Browning hit Tyler Boyd over the middle to convert a long fourth down and get them into Kansas City territory. But back-to-back sacks by George Karlaftis and Chris Jones ultimately dashed their hopes.

Browning finished with 197 yards passing and a touchdown. Joe Mixon ran for 65 yards and had the TD reception.

“Every guy left it all on the field," Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor said. “It was an emotional game. Physical game. All the things we knew would happen, happened. You have to give Kansas City credit. They got it done down the stretch.”

The Bengals and Chiefs are accustomed to playing high-stakes games when the weather turns frigid, meeting for down-to-the-wire nail-biters in each of the past two AFC championship games. And they are usually accompanied by plenty of trash talk, be it from fans, elected officials or — in the case this past week — players such as Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase.

The animosity usually spills onto the field, too. Midway through the second quarter, Chase and Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed got into a heated argument, and eventually a team-wide scrum resulted in offsetting personal foul penalties.

“I just be under people's skin sometimes, I guess,” Chase said afterward. “Just trash talking. (He) can't handle it.”

The Bengals jumped ahead 10-7 when an 8 1/2-minute drive resulted in a field goal and a 6 1/2-minute march ended in Mixon's touchdown catch. Cincinnati then got the ball back when Trey Hendrickson ran right around rookie right tackle Wanya Morris, stripped Mahomes from behind and Sam Hubbard was there to pounce on the loose ball.

Pass interference on Sneed in the end zone set up Browning's 1-yard TD run.

“It wasn't the smoothest early,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said.

Butker's first field goal got the Chiefs within 17-10, though, and they had a chance to take the lead when Mahomes saw Marquez Valdes-Scantling wide open on their next possession. But yet another dropped pass — the NFL-leading 40th by Kansas City this season — forced the Chiefs to settle for another field goal to trail 17-13 at the break.

But as the Chiefs' defense stiffened in the second half, their offense began showing signs of life.

They stuffed the Bengals on fourth-and-1 at the Kansas City 6, then drove 82 yards for Butker's third field goal. And when the Bengals had to punt again, Mahomes hit Rashee Rice for 67 yards to set up Butker's chip shot and give the Chiefs the lead. Two more field goals gave them some breathing room in the closing minutes.

“Everybody contributed in this, which I think was great. Nobody gave up hope,” said Reid, whose ninth consecutive 10-win season moved him past the 49ers' George Seifert for the second-longest such streak in NFL history. “The guys executed well, and that is the most important thing right now, at this time of year.”

Cincinnati WR Tee Higgins left in the second quarter with a hamstring injury. He returned to the game but didn't have another catch, finishing with one for 19 yards.

Kansas City WR Justin Watson hurt his chest in the third quarter but returned to the game. The Chiefs are thin at wide receiver with Skyy Moore on injured reserve and Kadarius Toney inactive due to a hip injury.

Chiefs: At the Los Angeles Chargers next weekend.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have grown accustomed to wrapping up the AFC West by the middle of December.Turns out they're perfectly fine with clinching it on New Year's Eve.Amid an up-and-down season in which the Chiefs have been forced to rely on their defense while their high-profile offense sputtered, Patrick Mahomes and Co. still managed to clinch their eighth consecutive division championship Sunday with a come-from-behind 25-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals — their opponent in each of the past two AFC title games.Harrison Butker was a career-best 6 for 6 on field-goal attempts, Mahomes had 245 yards passing and a touchdown, and Isiah Pacheco ran for a career-best 130 yards to help Kansas City (10-6) secure the No. 3 seed for the playoffs.“Obviously, we're not winning this in Week 12 or Week 13 like before. We had to battle through adversity and find a way to win," said Mahomes, who went over 4,000 yards passing for his sixth consecutive year as the starter. “Now you're in the playoffs, it's one game, single elimination, and I think we can play with anybody.”The Bengals (8-8), fighting to avoid postseason elimination, led by 10 early but found themselves trailing 25-17 when Butker hit the last of his field goals — a 46-yarder through blustery wind — with 2:59 remaining in the game.Four of Butker’s six field goals were from at least 43 yards, including his 54-yarder in the first half.With one last chance, Bengals quarterback Jake Browning hit Tyler Boyd over the middle to convert a long fourth down and get them into Kansas City territory. But back-to-back sacks by George Karlaftis and Chris Jones ultimately dashed their hopes.Browning finished with 197 yards passing and a touchdown. Joe Mixon ran for 65 yards and had the TD reception.“Every guy left it all on the field," Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor said. “It was an emotional game. Physical game. All the things we knew would happen, happened. You have to give Kansas City credit. They got it done down the stretch.”The Bengals and Chiefs are accustomed to playing high-stakes games when the weather turns frigid, meeting for down-to-the-wire nail-biters in each of the past two AFC championship games. And they are usually accompanied by plenty of trash talk, be it from fans, elected officials or — in the case this past week — players such as Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase.The animosity usually spills onto the field, too. Midway through the second quarter, Chase and Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed got into a heated argument, and eventually a team-wide scrum resulted in offsetting personal foul penalties.“I just be under people's skin sometimes, I guess,” Chase said afterward. “Just trash talking. (He) can't handle it.”The Bengals jumped ahead 10-7 when an 8 1/2-minute drive resulted in a field goal and a 6 1/2-minute march ended in Mixon's touchdown catch. Cincinnati then got the ball back when Trey Hendrickson ran right around rookie right tackle Wanya Morris, stripped Mahomes from behind and Sam Hubbard was there to pounce on the loose ball.Pass interference on Sneed in the end zone set up Browning's 1-yard TD run.“It wasn't the smoothest early,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said.Butker's first field goal got the Chiefs within 17-10, though, and they had a chance to take the lead when Mahomes saw Marquez Valdes-Scantling wide open on their next possession. But yet another dropped pass — the NFL-leading 40th by Kansas City this season — forced the Chiefs to settle for another field goal to trail 17-13 at the break.But as the Chiefs' defense stiffened in the second half, their offense began showing signs of life.They stuffed the Bengals on fourth-and-1 at the Kansas City 6, then drove 82 yards for Butker's third field goal. And when the Bengals had to punt again, Mahomes hit Rashee Rice for 67 yards to set up Butker's chip shot and give the Chiefs the lead. Two more field goals gave them some breathing room in the closing minutes.“Everybody contributed in this, which I think was great. Nobody gave up hope,” said Reid, whose ninth consecutive 10-win season moved him past the 49ers' George Seifert for the second-longest such streak in NFL history. “The guys executed well, and that is the most important thing right now, at this time of year.”INJURIESCincinnati WR Tee Higgins left in the second quarter with a hamstring injury. He returned to the game but didn't have another catch, finishing with one for 19 yards.Kansas City WR Justin Watson hurt his chest in the third quarter but returned to the game. The Chiefs are thin at wide receiver with Skyy Moore on injured reserve and Kadarius Toney inactive due to a hip injury.UP NEXTBengals: Host Cleveland next weekend.Chiefs: At the Los Angeles Chargers next weekend.

Harrison Butker kicks Chiefs to AFC West title with 25-17 win over Bengals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Harrison Butker was a career-best 6 for 6 on field-goal attempts, and Kansas City held the Bengals without a point over their final seven possessions in a 25-17 victory that clinched the Chiefs' eighth straight AFC West title. Patrick Mahomes had 245 yards passing and a touchdown for Kansas City, which also secured at least the No. 3 seed and one home playoff game. The Bengals had one last chance, and Jake Browning hit Tyler Boyd to convert a long fourth down and get into Kansas City territory in the closing minutes. But back-to-back sacks by George Karlaftis and Chris Jones ended their comeback hopes.

UNDATED (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys got another big victory without taking the field Sunday. The Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers took care of business to make sure they get an extra week of rest. The NFL’s playoff picture is clearer with one week to go. Nine teams are in. Five spots remain open. Twenty clubs are still chasing the Super Bowl. Baltimore secured the AFC’s No. 1 seed with a 56-19 victory over Miami. Lamar Jackson threw five touchdown passes and had a perfect passer rating, helping the Ravens secure a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs while also boosting his MVP chances. The 49ers wrapped up the NFC’s No. 1 seed with victory at Washington and help from Arizona.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Panthers owner David Tepper threw the contents of a drink into the visiting crowd near the end of Carolina’s 26-0 loss at Jacksonville. Tepper’s reaction came after rookie Bryce Young threw an interception with less than 3 minutes to play. It was unclear whether Tepper was reacting to something said to him or the latest miscue for the team with the NFL’s worst record. General manager Scott Fitterer was standing near Tepper when he tossed the remnants of his drink while watching the game from a club suite. The Panthers dropped to 0-9 on the road and were shut out for the first time since losing to Atlanta in Week 12 in 2002.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jordan Love threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score to put the Green Bay Packers in control of a spot in the playoffs with a 33-10 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Aaron Jones rushed for 120 yards and Jayden Reed had two touchdown catches as the Packers moved to 8-8. They can get the NFC’s last wild-card spot by beating Chicago at home next week. Green Bay moved above the cut when Seattle lost earlier in the day. The Vikings fell to 7-9. They benched Jaren Hall for Nick Mullens in another quarterback switch.

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Nick Saban and Jim Harbaugh are among the few larger-than-life figures still standing in a sport long defined by its coaching giants. They’ll meet on opposite sidelines as coaches for only the second time when the Crimson Tide face the Wolverines in a tantalizing Rose Bowl pitting the two winningest schools in major college football against each other. In no small part because of the coaching matchup, this 110th edition of the Granddaddy of Them All is one of the most anticipated games in the 10-year history of the College Football Playoff, with the winner headed to Houston next week to play for a title.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Washington's Kalen DeBoer and Texas' Steve Sarkisian are newcomers as head coaches in the College Football Playoff, with career paths that could not be more different. DeBoer methodically climbed from the lowest levels of college football to become the AP's coach of the year in 2023. Sarkisian was a coaching prodigy whose meteoric rise was interrupted by a drinking problem. On New Year’s Day, the second-ranked, Pac-12 champion Huskies and third-ranked, Big 12 champion Longhorns will play in the Sugar Bowl for a spot in the national championship game.

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Freshman guard Kanaan Carlyle scored 25 points, Spencer Jones added 21 points on 8-for-9 shooting and Stanford surprised No. 4 Arizona 100-82 in a Pac-12 matchup Sunday. Andrej Stojakovic scored 16 points and center Maxime Raynaud had 12 points and seven rebounds for the Cardinal. Caleb Love led Arizona with 23 points and center Oumar Ballo added 12 points and seven rebounds. The victory was Stanford's first over a ranked opponent since beating Arizona last season and its eighth over a ranked team since 2020.

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Jalon Moore scored 21 points and No. 12 Oklahoma concluded its nonconference schedule with a 72-56 win over Monmouth. Otega Owen scored 13 points, Javian McCollum added 11 and Milos Uzan had 10 for the Sooners (12-1), who shot 48.2% from the field after a slow start. Jack Collins led Monmouth (7-6) with 14 points and Nakita Konstantynovskyi, a transfer from Tulsa, added 11 points. The Hawks shot 36.2% from the field and were held without a field goal for the game’s final 5:10.

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Bryce Thompson scored 17 points as all five starters scored in double figures and Oklahoma State pulled away in the second half to beat South Carolina State 86-70. Thompson sank 5 of 11 shots with four 3-pointers for the Cowboys, adding four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Quion Williams contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Williams had 10 points and five boards by halftime to help Oklahoma State take a 38-34 lead. Drayton Jones and Jordan Simpson opened the second half with layups and the Bulldogs pulled even. Thompson answered with a 3-pointer to ignite a 17-3 run and the Cowboys stayed comfortably in front from there on the way to their fourth straight victory.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Keshon Gilbert had a triple-double, Tamon Lipsey scored 16 points, and Iowa State defeated New Hampshire 85-70. Gilbert had 10 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for the eighth triple-double in Cyclones history. Lipsey also had a strong all-around game with six assists and five rebounds to go with his 16 points. After leading by eight points at halftime, the Cyclones made 7 of 12 shots and scored 17 points in the first 6 1/2 minutes of the second half, building a 60-38 lead. A few minutes later, Curtis Jones scored eight points in a 13-2 run that gave Iowa State a 29-point lead with 8 1/2 minutes to go.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702554092640.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Harrison Butker was a career-best 6 for 6 on field-goal attempts, and Kansas City held the Bengals without a point over their final seven possessions in a 25-17 victory that clinched the Chiefs' eighth straight AFC West title. Patrick Mahomes had 245 yards passing and a touchdown for Kansas City, which also secured at least the No. 3 seed and one home playoff game. The Bengals had one last chance, and Jake Browning hit Tyler Boyd to convert a long fourth down and get into Kansas City territory in the closing minutes. But back-to-back sacks by George Karlaftis and Chris Jones ended their comeback hopes.UNDATED (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys got another big victory without taking the field Sunday. The Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers took care of business to make sure they get an extra week of rest. The NFL’s playoff picture is clearer with one week to go. Nine teams are in. Five spots remain open. Twenty clubs are still chasing the Super Bowl. Baltimore secured the AFC’s No. 1 seed with a 56-19 victory over Miami. Lamar Jackson threw five touchdown passes and had a perfect passer rating, helping the Ravens secure a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs while also boosting his MVP chances. The 49ers wrapped up the NFC’s No. 1 seed with victory at Washington and help from Arizona.JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Panthers owner David Tepper threw the contents of a drink into the visiting crowd near the end of Carolina’s 26-0 loss at Jacksonville. Tepper’s reaction came after rookie Bryce Young threw an interception with less than 3 minutes to play. It was unclear whether Tepper was reacting to something said to him or the latest miscue for the team with the NFL’s worst record. General manager Scott Fitterer was standing near Tepper when he tossed the remnants of his drink while watching the game from a club suite. The Panthers dropped to 0-9 on the road and were shut out for the first time since losing to Atlanta in Week 12 in 2002.MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jordan Love threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score to put the Green Bay Packers in control of a spot in the playoffs with a 33-10 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Aaron Jones rushed for 120 yards and Jayden Reed had two touchdown catches as the Packers moved to 8-8. They can get the NFC’s last wild-card spot by beating Chicago at home next week. Green Bay moved above the cut when Seattle lost earlier in the day. The Vikings fell to 7-9. They benched Jaren Hall for Nick Mullens in another quarterback switch.PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Nick Saban and Jim Harbaugh are among the few larger-than-life figures still standing in a sport long defined by its coaching giants. They’ll meet on opposite sidelines as coaches for only the second time when the Crimson Tide face the Wolverines in a tantalizing Rose Bowl pitting the two winningest schools in major college football against each other. In no small part because of the coaching matchup, this 110th edition of the Granddaddy of Them All is one of the most anticipated games in the 10-year history of the College Football Playoff, with the winner headed to Houston next week to play for a title.NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Washington's Kalen DeBoer and Texas' Steve Sarkisian are newcomers as head coaches in the College Football Playoff, with career paths that could not be more different. DeBoer methodically climbed from the lowest levels of college football to become the AP's coach of the year in 2023. Sarkisian was a coaching prodigy whose meteoric rise was interrupted by a drinking problem. On New Year’s Day, the second-ranked, Pac-12 champion Huskies and third-ranked, Big 12 champion Longhorns will play in the Sugar Bowl for a spot in the national championship game.STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Freshman guard Kanaan Carlyle scored 25 points, Spencer Jones added 21 points on 8-for-9 shooting and Stanford surprised No. 4 Arizona 100-82 in a Pac-12 matchup Sunday. Andrej Stojakovic scored 16 points and center Maxime Raynaud had 12 points and seven rebounds for the Cardinal. Caleb Love led Arizona with 23 points and center Oumar Ballo added 12 points and seven rebounds. The victory was Stanford's first over a ranked opponent since beating Arizona last season and its eighth over a ranked team since 2020.NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Jalon Moore scored 21 points and No. 12 Oklahoma concluded its nonconference schedule with a 72-56 win over Monmouth. Otega Owen scored 13 points, Javian McCollum added 11 and Milos Uzan had 10 for the Sooners (12-1), who shot 48.2% from the field after a slow start. Jack Collins led Monmouth (7-6) with 14 points and Nakita Konstantynovskyi, a transfer from Tulsa, added 11 points. The Hawks shot 36.2% from the field and were held without a field goal for the game’s final 5:10.STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Bryce Thompson scored 17 points as all five starters scored in double figures and Oklahoma State pulled away in the second half to beat South Carolina State 86-70. Thompson sank 5 of 11 shots with four 3-pointers for the Cowboys, adding four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Quion Williams contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Williams had 10 points and five boards by halftime to help Oklahoma State take a 38-34 lead. Drayton Jones and Jordan Simpson opened the second half with layups and the Bulldogs pulled even. Thompson answered with a 3-pointer to ignite a 17-3 run and the Cowboys stayed comfortably in front from there on the way to their fourth straight victory.AMES, Iowa (AP) — Keshon Gilbert had a triple-double, Tamon Lipsey scored 16 points, and Iowa State defeated New Hampshire 85-70. Gilbert had 10 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for the eighth triple-double in Cyclones history. Lipsey also had a strong all-around game with six assists and five rebounds to go with his 16 points. After leading by eight points at halftime, the Cyclones made 7 of 12 shots and scored 17 points in the first 6 1/2 minutes of the second half, building a 60-38 lead. A few minutes later, Curtis Jones scored eight points in a 13-2 run that gave Iowa State a 29-point lead with 8 1/2 minutes to go.SUNDAY SCORESNATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUEFinal	Arizona	35	Philadelphia	31	Final	Baltimore	56	Miami	19	Final	Buffalo	27	New England	21	Final	Chicago	37	Atlanta	17	Final	Houston	26	Tennessee	3	Final	Indianapolis	23	Las Vegas	20	Final	Jacksonville	26	Carolina	0	Final	L.A. Rams	26	N-Y Giants	25	Final	New Orleans	23	Tampa Bay	13	Final	San Francisco	27	Washington	10	Final	Pittsburgh	30	Seattle	23	Final	Denver	16	L.A. Chargers	9	Final	Kansas City	25	Cincinnati	17	Final	Green Bay	33	Minnesota	10	TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal	Stanford	100	(4)Arizona	82	Final	(12)Oklahoma	72	Monmouth (NJ)	56	Final	(24)Mississippi	95	Bryant	78NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Atlanta	130	Washington	126	Final	Boston	134	San Antonio	101	Final	New Orleans	129	L.A. Lakers	109	Final	Oklahoma City	124	Brooklyn	108	Final	Phoenix	112	Orlando	107	Final	Sacramento	123	Memphis	92	NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal	Winnipeg	3	Minnesota	2	Final	Boston	5	Detroit	3	Final	Ottawa	5	Buffalo	1	Final	Pittsburgh	3	N-Y Islanders	1	Final	Tampa Bay	4	Montreal	3	Final	Edmonton	7	Anaheim	2	Final	Dallas	8	Chicago	1	Final	Calgary	4	Philadelphia	3	Final	Colorado	3	San Jose	1

Monday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

CINCINNATI (AP) — Gabby Gregory had 12 of her 17 points in the second quarter when No. 11 Kansas State took control and the Wildcats coasted to a 66-41 win over Big 12 newcomer Cincinnati in the conference opener on Saturday.

Gregory was 3 of 4 from 3-point range, 4 of 6 overall and made 6 of 8 free throws.

Zyanna Walker added 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting for the Wildcats, who are 13-1 for the fifth time in school history. Ayoka Lee had eight rebounds to go with her six points, making her just the second Wildcat to ever reach 1,000 boards.

Jillian Hayes had 14 points and nine rebounds for Cincinnati (8-4), which had a six-game winning streak snapped.

Behind Gregory, Kanas State outscored the Bearcats 18-3 in the second quarter to lead 29-14 at the half. Cincinnati was 1-of-16 shooting and although the Wildcats were just 4 of 13, they had two 3-pointers and made 8 of 11 from the line.

After Cincinnati's lone field goal, K-State had a 14-1 run. Gregory contributed a pair of 3-pointers in the surge while Cincinnati was missing its last 10 shots.

The Wildcats scored the first seven points of the third quarter to get the lead to 36-14 and outscored the Bearcats, who were 2-of-10 shooting, 22-7. With Kansas State making 10 of 14 shots, the lead was 51-21 entering the fourth quarter.

Cincinnati ended up shooting 20% (11 of 55) for the game, going 1 of 16 behind the arc.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Gabby Gregory had 12 of her 17 points in the second quarter when No. 11 Kansas State took control and the Wildcats coasted to a 66-41 win over Big 12 newcomer Cincinnati in the conference opener on Saturday.Gregory was 3 of 4 from 3-point range, 4 of 6 overall and made 6 of 8 free throws.Zyanna Walker added 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting for the Wildcats, who are 13-1 for the fifth time in school history. Ayoka Lee had eight rebounds to go with her six points, making her just the second Wildcat to ever reach 1,000 boards.Jillian Hayes had 14 points and nine rebounds for Cincinnati (8-4), which had a six-game winning streak snapped.Behind Gregory, Kanas State outscored the Bearcats 18-3 in the second quarter to lead 29-14 at the half. Cincinnati was 1-of-16 shooting and although the Wildcats were just 4 of 13, they had two 3-pointers and made 8 of 11 from the line.After Cincinnati's lone field goal, K-State had a 14-1 run. Gregory contributed a pair of 3-pointers in the surge while Cincinnati was missing its last 10 shots.The Wildcats scored the first seven points of the third quarter to get the lead to 36-14 and outscored the Bearcats, who were 2-of-10 shooting, 22-7. With Kansas State making 10 of 14 shots, the lead was 51-21 entering the fourth quarter.Cincinnati ended up shooting 20% (11 of 55) for the game, going 1 of 16 behind the arc.

Gregory scores 17, sparks No. 11 Kansas State women to 66-51 win over Cincinnati

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jordan Harrison had a career-high 21 points, Kyah Watson had a double-double and No. 25 West Virginia opened Big 12 Conference play with an 85-60 win over Kansas on Saturday.

Harrison was 2 of 4 from 3-point range, with the Mountaineers finishing 9 of 18. She was 7-of-10 shooting overall as West Virginia shot 54% (32 of 59). Led by Harrison's 5 of 5 from the foul line, the Mountaineers were 12 of 15.

Ja'Naiya Quinerly had 13 points for West Virginia (12-0), which is ranked for the first time since 2021. Watson had 11 points and 11 rebounds and Tirzah had 10 points off the bench.

Holly Kersgieter scored 19 points for the Jayhawks (7-5), who had their four-game winning streak snapped. Taiyanna Jackson had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Harrison scored 11 points in the second quarter when the Mountaineers outscored Kansas 24-13 to lead 38-25 at the half. West Virginia went 4 of 6 from 3-point range and 9 of 15 overall.

Wyvette Mayberry opened the second quarter with a layup to tie the game at 14 but the Mountaineers steadily pulled away with long-range shooting and defensive stops. West Virginia was 7 of 13 behind the arc while Kansas missed all three of its attempts.

A Kersgieter 3-pointer pulled the Jayhawks within nine early in the third quarter. West Virginia's Lauren Fields had a layup and Kylee Blacksten followed with a three-point play and the lead was double figures the rest of the way.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jordan Harrison had a career-high 21 points, Kyah Watson had a double-double and No. 25 West Virginia opened Big 12 Conference play with an 85-60 win over Kansas on Saturday.Harrison was 2 of 4 from 3-point range, with the Mountaineers finishing 9 of 18. She was 7-of-10 shooting overall as West Virginia shot 54% (32 of 59). Led by Harrison's 5 of 5 from the foul line, the Mountaineers were 12 of 15.Ja'Naiya Quinerly had 13 points for West Virginia (12-0), which is ranked for the first time since 2021. Watson had 11 points and 11 rebounds and Tirzah had 10 points off the bench.Holly Kersgieter scored 19 points for the Jayhawks (7-5), who had their four-game winning streak snapped. Taiyanna Jackson had 13 points and 10 rebounds.Harrison scored 11 points in the second quarter when the Mountaineers outscored Kansas 24-13 to lead 38-25 at the half. West Virginia went 4 of 6 from 3-point range and 9 of 15 overall.Wyvette Mayberry opened the second quarter with a layup to tie the game at 14 but the Mountaineers steadily pulled away with long-range shooting and defensive stops. West Virginia was 7 of 13 behind the arc while Kansas missed all three of its attempts.A Kersgieter 3-pointer pulled the Jayhawks within nine early in the third quarter. West Virginia's Lauren Fields had a layup and Kylee Blacksten followed with a three-point play and the lead was double figures the rest of the way.

No. 25 West Virginia women pull away from Kansas 85-60 in Big 12 opener

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas coach Bill Self made sure to educate his team about its history against Wichita State.

Or at least about the last time the schools played.

Even though they first faced off in 1908, and are separated by a mere 161 miles, the schools have played only 16 times over the years. But that includes a pair of NCAA Tournament games, and their most recent matchup in 2015, when the Shockers surprised the Jayhawks in the Midwest Regional in Omaha, Nebraska.

There was no such upset Saturday. Hunter Dickinson had 22 points and 13 rebounds, Kevin McCullar Jr. went 10 for 10 from the foul line and added 20 points, and the second-ranked Jayhawks rolled to an 86-67 win over the Shockers.

“Coach told us the history of us playing against Wichita State, and how the last time we played them it was really unfortunate,” said Dickinson, who also had four assists. “We knew they were going to come in and give us their best shot.”

Elmarko Jackson added a career-best 12 points for the Jayhawks (12-1), who have won 25 straight games in December and will take an eight-game winning streak into Big 12 play when they take on TCU next Saturday.

Dalen Ridgnal scored 13 points for the Shockers (8-5), who also lost to Kansas State at T-Mobile Center last week. Xavier Bell added 11 points and Quincy Ballard finished with 10.

“We needed to play well to beat a team of this caliber," Shockers coach Paul Mills said. “Give them a lot of credit. They had a lot to do with our inability to really get into a flow."

The game was tied 14-all when Jackson scored three straight baskets, including a fast-break dunk, to give the Jayhawks the lead. Dickinson added back-to-back baskets off his own misses. By the time Parker Braun scored an easy layup off a slick assist from K.J. Adams Jr., the Jayhawks had taken a 43-27 lead heading to the locker room.

Dickinson opened the second half by drilling a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Jackson added his own 3 from the wing. And when Dickinson picked the pocket of Harlond Beverly and McCullar scored in traffic at the other end, the Kansas lead had grown to 51-27 and Mills was forced to call timeout.

The Jayhawks led by as much as 28 in the second half before cruising to the finish.

“It's the last game of 2023,” Self said. “I just tried to spin it like it's a circled game for Wichita State and we have to respect that, and play with the intensity we know they will come out with. I think we did.”

Wichita State was just 4 of 20 from beyond the 3-point arc and shot 50% from the foul line, and that won't fly against one of the nation's best teams. The Shockers also had 13 assists to 15 turnovers.

Kansas freshman Johnny Furphy was back after missing a game to return home to Australia. He only had seven points, but his ability to hit shots from long range was important in creating better spacing and opening up the floor.

Wichita State opens American Athletic Conference play against North Texas on Thursday night.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas coach Bill Self made sure to educate his team about its history against Wichita State.Or at least about the last time the schools played.Even though they first faced off in 1908, and are separated by a mere 161 miles, the schools have played only 16 times over the years. But that includes a pair of NCAA Tournament games, and their most recent matchup in 2015, when the Shockers surprised the Jayhawks in the Midwest Regional in Omaha, Nebraska.There was no such upset Saturday. Hunter Dickinson had 22 points and 13 rebounds, Kevin McCullar Jr. went 10 for 10 from the foul line and added 20 points, and the second-ranked Jayhawks rolled to an 86-67 win over the Shockers.“Coach told us the history of us playing against Wichita State, and how the last time we played them it was really unfortunate,” said Dickinson, who also had four assists. “We knew they were going to come in and give us their best shot.”Elmarko Jackson added a career-best 12 points for the Jayhawks (12-1), who have won 25 straight games in December and will take an eight-game winning streak into Big 12 play when they take on TCU next Saturday.Dalen Ridgnal scored 13 points for the Shockers (8-5), who also lost to Kansas State at T-Mobile Center last week. Xavier Bell added 11 points and Quincy Ballard finished with 10.“We needed to play well to beat a team of this caliber," Shockers coach Paul Mills said. “Give them a lot of credit. They had a lot to do with our inability to really get into a flow."The game was tied 14-all when Jackson scored three straight baskets, including a fast-break dunk, to give the Jayhawks the lead. Dickinson added back-to-back baskets off his own misses. By the time Parker Braun scored an easy layup off a slick assist from K.J. Adams Jr., the Jayhawks had taken a 43-27 lead heading to the locker room.Dickinson opened the second half by drilling a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Jackson added his own 3 from the wing. And when Dickinson picked the pocket of Harlond Beverly and McCullar scored in traffic at the other end, the Kansas lead had grown to 51-27 and Mills was forced to call timeout.The Jayhawks led by as much as 28 in the second half before cruising to the finish.“It's the last game of 2023,” Self said. “I just tried to spin it like it's a circled game for Wichita State and we have to respect that, and play with the intensity we know they will come out with. I think we did.”BIG PICTUREWichita State was just 4 of 20 from beyond the 3-point arc and shot 50% from the foul line, and that won't fly against one of the nation's best teams. The Shockers also had 13 assists to 15 turnovers.Kansas freshman Johnny Furphy was back after missing a game to return home to Australia. He only had seven points, but his ability to hit shots from long range was important in creating better spacing and opening up the floor.UP NEXTWichita State opens American Athletic Conference play against North Texas on Thursday night.Kansas welcomes the Horned Frogs to Allen Fieldhouse next Saturday.