KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are signing two-time Pro Bowl running back Melvin Gordon to their practice squad, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press, adding some much-needed depth with a player that was recently released from the AFC West rival Denver Broncos.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because the signing was not yet official.

Gordon was cut by the Broncos last week amid fumble problems that plagued the 2015 first-round pick during his time in Denver. While he ran for 318 yards and caught 25 passes for 223 yards in 10 starts, averaging 3.5 yards per carry, Gordon also fumbled five times in 10 games, including a costly one in a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

The fumble issues are not new. Gordon has lost the ball 26 times in 108 games, or about once in every four games.

The Chiefs were the perfect landing spot for him for a couple of reasons.

First, they still have to play the Broncos twice in their final six games, when they are trying to maintain their grasp on the AFC's top seed and lone playoff bye.

Whatever information Gordon can provide on new coach Nathaniel Hackett's system, and the rest of the struggling Broncos, will only help them down the stretch.

Second, the Chiefs were in need of some depth at running back with Clyde Edwards-Helaire out with a high ankle sprain.

Seventh-round draft pick Isiah Pacheco had already surpassed Edwards-Helaire on the depth chart before the 2020 first-round pick landed on injured reserve. The Chiefs also have Jerick McKinnon, who is more threatening as a receiver than on the ground, and Ronald Jones II, who was active for the first time this season in Sunday's 26-10 win over the Rams.

Pacheco carried 22 times for 69 yards and a touchdown against the Rams. Jones had four carries for 12 yards.

“I think he ran hard. I think he had a lot of energy going,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said of Jones on Monday. “Everything was fast to him, but he was productive. He had some good, strong runs. He caught the ball well when he had the opportunity to do that, and had a big game there. I thought for the first time coming in he did well.”

Now he'll be pushed for playing time by Gordon, who will start off on the practice squad while he learns enough of the offense to contribute on game day.

That's unlikely to happen in time to face the Bengals on Sunday in Cincinnati, but it could be in time for their next game against — you guessed it — the Broncos in primetime on Dec. 11 in Denver.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are signing two-time Pro Bowl running back Melvin Gordon to their practice squad, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press, adding some much-needed depth with a player that was recently released from the AFC West rival Denver Broncos.The person spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because the signing was not yet official.Gordon was cut by the Broncos last week amid fumble problems that plagued the 2015 first-round pick during his time in Denver. While he ran for 318 yards and caught 25 passes for 223 yards in 10 starts, averaging 3.5 yards per carry, Gordon also fumbled five times in 10 games, including a costly one in a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.The fumble issues are not new. Gordon has lost the ball 26 times in 108 games, or about once in every four games.The Chiefs were the perfect landing spot for him for a couple of reasons.First, they still have to play the Broncos twice in their final six games, when they are trying to maintain their grasp on the AFC's top seed and lone playoff bye.Whatever information Gordon can provide on new coach Nathaniel Hackett's system, and the rest of the struggling Broncos, will only help them down the stretch.Second, the Chiefs were in need of some depth at running back with Clyde Edwards-Helaire out with a high ankle sprain.Seventh-round draft pick Isiah Pacheco had already surpassed Edwards-Helaire on the depth chart before the 2020 first-round pick landed on injured reserve. The Chiefs also have Jerick McKinnon, who is more threatening as a receiver than on the ground, and Ronald Jones II, who was active for the first time this season in Sunday's 26-10 win over the Rams.Pacheco carried 22 times for 69 yards and a touchdown against the Rams. Jones had four carries for 12 yards.“I think he ran hard. I think he had a lot of energy going,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said of Jones on Monday. “Everything was fast to him, but he was productive. He had some good, strong runs. He caught the ball well when he had the opportunity to do that, and had a big game there. I thought for the first time coming in he did well.”Now he'll be pushed for playing time by Gordon, who will start off on the practice squad while he learns enough of the offense to contribute on game day.That's unlikely to happen in time to face the Bengals on Sunday in Cincinnati, but it could be in time for their next game against — you guessed it — the Broncos in primetime on Dec. 11 in Denver.

Chiefs adding ex-Broncos RB Melvin Gordon

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Matt Rhule said he had plenty of options after he got fired by the Carolina Panthers. He could have taken a year off from football or worked in television.

Or he could jump back into college coaching. A number of schools reached out to him, he said, but only one appealed to him and his family.

Nebraska introduced Rhule as its coach on Monday, exactly seven weeks after the Panthers fired him five games into his third season. Awaiting him is the daunting task of taking over a team coming off a sixth straight losing season and a program that's a shell of what once was one of the biggest brands in the college game.

“I am here because this is the right fit, it’s the right time,” Rhule said. “And if I have one message for you: We can absolutely do it. We can absolutely get University of Nebraska football exactly where it’s supposed to be. It will be hard. It may take time, but it will be done.”

Rhule signed an eight-year, $74 million contract that makes him the third highest-paid coach in the Big Ten behind Ohio State's Ryan Day and Michigan State's Mel Tucker and among the top 10 nationally.

Athletic director Trev Alberts said the contract is 90% guaranteed and that some of the compensation is deferred. Rhule will have a pool of $7 million to spend on assistant coaches.

When the Panthers fired Rhule, he was still owed $34 million on his seven-year contract. Alberts said the Panthers were involved in Rhule's negotiations with Nebraska.

“Structuring a business arrangement that everybody was willing to sign off on was a bit of a challenge,” Alberts said, “and there were some fits and starts to it."

Alberts said there was a period when it looked like the deal would fall through, but the sides reached an agreement on Thanksgiving morning.

Rhule's starting salary is $5.5 million and rises by at least $1 million each year, topping out at $12.5 million if he's still coach in 2030. Asked if he thought he would need to spend an average of $9 million per year on a football coach, Alberts said the salary scale is rising in the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference because of dramatically increasing revenues tied to record-setting television rights deals.

“Let's be honest, there's a Power Two now,” Alberts said. “Certainly not to denigrate any of the other conferences, but that's kind of where we're heading. ... If we're going to be serious about having Nebraska football competing at the upper level of the Big Ten Conference, there's going to be resources needed to acquire that talent.”

Rhule, who was 11-27 in two-plus seasons with the Panthers, was hired because of the success he had in his two college head coaching jobs.

He had Temple playing for and winning the American Athletic Conference championship in his third and fourth seasons (2015-16). He had Baylor playing for the Big 12 championship in his third season (2019) after taking over a Bears program emerging from the sexual assault scandal under Art Briles.

Rhule emphasized toughness in practices and games and said the only way to win games is to win the line of scrimmage. The Huskers have notably struggled on the offensive and defensive lines.

Rhule, who grew up in New York City as a Penn State fan, was a walk-on linebacker for the Nittany Lions. He said he attended the Huskers' 44-6 Kickoff Classic win over Penn State in 1983 and was heartbroken when Nebraska beat out the unbeaten Nittany Lions for the 1994 national title.

Rhule said he respected the physical brand of football the Huskers played back then and that he wants to bring it back.

About 750 boosters and former players turned out at the Hawks Championship Center for a welcome event and news conference. Among them were Gov.-elect Jim Pillen, a Republican who played defensive back for the Huskers in the 1970s, and 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers. The band played and fireworks went off next to the podium as Rhule and Alberts entered the building.

Rhule, 47, is the sixth coach to lead the program since College Football Hall of Famer Tom Osborne won or shared three national championships in four years before retiring after the 1997 season.

The Huskers' most recent conference championship came in 1999 under Osborne's successor, Frank Solich. Bill Callahan, Bo Pelini and Mike Riley followed before the program bottomed out under Scott Frost, who was 16-31 in four-plus seasons and never finished higher than fifth in the Big Ten West.

Rhule's arrival came three days after the Huskers closed a 4-8 season under Mickey Joseph — named interim coach after Frost's firing Sept. 11 — and just a few months before the opening of Nebraska's $165 million football facility.

“There’s not a game that I expect to ever walk into where we don’t expect to win,” Rhule said. “It is not a burden but a responsibility on me as the coach to know that there will be people from all across the state who take the money that they’ve made with their hands and with their work and their daily toil — and they spend it to come watch our team play. You can’t win every game every year, but you can certainly be a team that people are proud to watch.”

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Matt Rhule said he had plenty of options after he got fired by the Carolina Panthers. He could have taken a year off from football or worked in television.Or he could jump back into college coaching. A number of schools reached out to him, he said, but only one appealed to him and his family.Nebraska introduced Rhule as its coach on Monday, exactly seven weeks after the Panthers fired him five games into his third season. Awaiting him is the daunting task of taking over a team coming off a sixth straight losing season and a program that's a shell of what once was one of the biggest brands in the college game.“I am here because this is the right fit, it’s the right time,” Rhule said. “And if I have one message for you: We can absolutely do it. We can absolutely get University of Nebraska football exactly where it’s supposed to be. It will be hard. It may take time, but it will be done.”Rhule signed an eight-year, $74 million contract that makes him the third highest-paid coach in the Big Ten behind Ohio State's Ryan Day and Michigan State's Mel Tucker and among the top 10 nationally.Athletic director Trev Alberts said the contract is 90% guaranteed and that some of the compensation is deferred. Rhule will have a pool of $7 million to spend on assistant coaches.When the Panthers fired Rhule, he was still owed $34 million on his seven-year contract. Alberts said the Panthers were involved in Rhule's negotiations with Nebraska.“Structuring a business arrangement that everybody was willing to sign off on was a bit of a challenge,” Alberts said, “and there were some fits and starts to it."Alberts said there was a period when it looked like the deal would fall through, but the sides reached an agreement on Thanksgiving morning.Rhule's starting salary is $5.5 million and rises by at least $1 million each year, topping out at $12.5 million if he's still coach in 2030. Asked if he thought he would need to spend an average of $9 million per year on a football coach, Alberts said the salary scale is rising in the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference because of dramatically increasing revenues tied to record-setting television rights deals.“Let's be honest, there's a Power Two now,” Alberts said. “Certainly not to denigrate any of the other conferences, but that's kind of where we're heading. ... If we're going to be serious about having Nebraska football competing at the upper level of the Big Ten Conference, there's going to be resources needed to acquire that talent.”Rhule, who was 11-27 in two-plus seasons with the Panthers, was hired because of the success he had in his two college head coaching jobs.He had Temple playing for and winning the American Athletic Conference championship in his third and fourth seasons (2015-16). He had Baylor playing for the Big 12 championship in his third season (2019) after taking over a Bears program emerging from the sexual assault scandal under Art Briles.Rhule emphasized toughness in practices and games and said the only way to win games is to win the line of scrimmage. The Huskers have notably struggled on the offensive and defensive lines.Rhule, who grew up in New York City as a Penn State fan, was a walk-on linebacker for the Nittany Lions. He said he attended the Huskers' 44-6 Kickoff Classic win over Penn State in 1983 and was heartbroken when Nebraska beat out the unbeaten Nittany Lions for the 1994 national title.Rhule said he respected the physical brand of football the Huskers played back then and that he wants to bring it back.About 750 boosters and former players turned out at the Hawks Championship Center for a welcome event and news conference. Among them were Gov.-elect Jim Pillen, a Republican who played defensive back for the Huskers in the 1970s, and 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers. The band played and fireworks went off next to the podium as Rhule and Alberts entered the building.Rhule, 47, is the sixth coach to lead the program since College Football Hall of Famer Tom Osborne won or shared three national championships in four years before retiring after the 1997 season.The Huskers' most recent conference championship came in 1999 under Osborne's successor, Frank Solich. Bill Callahan, Bo Pelini and Mike Riley followed before the program bottomed out under Scott Frost, who was 16-31 in four-plus seasons and never finished higher than fifth in the Big Ten West.Rhule's arrival came three days after the Huskers closed a 4-8 season under Mickey Joseph — named interim coach after Frost's firing Sept. 11 — and just a few months before the opening of Nebraska's $165 million football facility.“There’s not a game that I expect to ever walk into where we don’t expect to win,” Rhule said. “It is not a burden but a responsibility on me as the coach to know that there will be people from all across the state who take the money that they’ve made with their hands and with their work and their daily toil — and they spend it to come watch our team play. You can’t win every game every year, but you can certainly be a team that people are proud to watch.”

Huskers pay premium for Rhule to bring back program's glory

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas freshman MJ Rice has been through the ringer in his first couple of months of college basketball: the back injury during preseason practices, a bout with COVID-19 and then kidney stones last week that sent him to the ER.

The five-star recruit showed Monday night what he can do when he's healthy and available.

Rice came off the bench to score 19 points, Jalen Wilson hit five 3-pointers and scored 22, and the ninth-ranked Jayhawks bounced back from their first loss of the season with an 87-55 rout of Texas Southern.

“Just coming in and doing my job, really, whether that's bringing energy or playing defense,” Rice said afterward. “I know I missed some time but it's also kind of like a build-up. I have to get that rhythm back.”

Gradey Dick added 15 points, Josef Yesufu had 14 and KJ Adams 10 for the Jayhawks (7-1), who stumbled against No. 13 Tennessee in the championship game of the Battle 4 Atlantis. They are now 109-16 after a loss under coach Bill Self, who made his regular-season debut in Allen Fieldhouse after missing three home games to a school-imposed suspension.

“I thought it was probably pretty good overall,” Self said, “considering we were tired, and we hadn’t practiced since we played Tennessee. I thoguht that was about as good as we could do.”

Davon Barnes had 22 points and Zytarious Mortle scored 11 for the Tigers (1-7), whose brutal nonconference schedule has taken them to Texas Tech, Houston and Auburn with a trip to Wichita State still to come.

Texas Southern coach Johnny Jones was not available after the game.

It was a rematch of a first-round NCAA Tournament game last season won by the Jayhawks on their way to the national championship. And for a stretch in the first half, the Tigers gave the champs all they could handle.

Texas Southern was still within 14-10 midway through the first half when Kansas ripped off a 15-2 run to seize control. But even during the spurt, the Jayhawks at one point missed three straight shots, failed to capitalize on turnovers and couldn't salvage much of an advantage on the boards against a much smaller team.

Kansas even gave up a buzzer-beating 3 that got the preseason SWAC favorites within 40-25 at halftime.

“Defensively we were not very good early,” Self said, “and they missed a lot of layups.”

If there was any drama left, it evaporated in the opening minutes of the second half. Texas Southern turned it over four times in its first five possessions, Kansas ripped off a 14-2 run and Self eventually was able to examine his bench.

TV play-by-play man Dave Armstrong signed off for the last time after a 38-year career broadcasting the NBA, Major League Baseball, college football and college basketball. He's been a staple in the Big 12 since 1988, when it was known as the Big 8, and regularly called games in the Big East, the Big Ten and the ACC.

Kansas forward Kevin McCullar Jr., who is averaging 9.7 points and 7.3 rebounds, watched the game in street clothes with a minor groin injury. Backup guard Bobby Pettiford Jr. was out with a hamstring injury.

Texas Southern couldn't overcome 16 turnovers and a poor night from the 3-point arc, where the Tigers were 4 of 17. They also got just six points off the bench, and their lack of depth was evident as they wore down in the second half.

Kansas was 13 of 29 from the arc, and many of the shots came off open looks courtesy good ball movement. The Jayhawks had 23 assists on 30 made shots, including six assists from Wilson and nine from Dajuan Harris Jr.

Texas Southern returns home to face NAIA foe North American on Sunday.

Kansas plays Seton Hall on Thursday night in the Big East-Big 12 Battle.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas freshman MJ Rice has been through the ringer in his first couple of months of college basketball: the back injury during preseason practices, a bout with COVID-19 and then kidney stones last week that sent him to the ER.The five-star recruit showed Monday night what he can do when he's healthy and available.Rice came off the bench to score 19 points, Jalen Wilson hit five 3-pointers and scored 22, and the ninth-ranked Jayhawks bounced back from their first loss of the season with an 87-55 rout of Texas Southern.“Just coming in and doing my job, really, whether that's bringing energy or playing defense,” Rice said afterward. “I know I missed some time but it's also kind of like a build-up. I have to get that rhythm back.”Gradey Dick added 15 points, Josef Yesufu had 14 and KJ Adams 10 for the Jayhawks (7-1), who stumbled against No. 13 Tennessee in the championship game of the Battle 4 Atlantis. They are now 109-16 after a loss under coach Bill Self, who made his regular-season debut in Allen Fieldhouse after missing three home games to a school-imposed suspension.“I thought it was probably pretty good overall,” Self said, “considering we were tired, and we hadn’t practiced since we played Tennessee. I thoguht that was about as good as we could do.”Davon Barnes had 22 points and Zytarious Mortle scored 11 for the Tigers (1-7), whose brutal nonconference schedule has taken them to Texas Tech, Houston and Auburn with a trip to Wichita State still to come.Texas Southern coach Johnny Jones was not available after the game.It was a rematch of a first-round NCAA Tournament game last season won by the Jayhawks on their way to the national championship. And for a stretch in the first half, the Tigers gave the champs all they could handle.Texas Southern was still within 14-10 midway through the first half when Kansas ripped off a 15-2 run to seize control. But even during the spurt, the Jayhawks at one point missed three straight shots, failed to capitalize on turnovers and couldn't salvage much of an advantage on the boards against a much smaller team.Kansas even gave up a buzzer-beating 3 that got the preseason SWAC favorites within 40-25 at halftime.“Defensively we were not very good early,” Self said, “and they missed a lot of layups.”If there was any drama left, it evaporated in the opening minutes of the second half. Texas Southern turned it over four times in its first five possessions, Kansas ripped off a 14-2 run and Self eventually was able to examine his bench.ONE LAST TIMETV play-by-play man Dave Armstrong signed off for the last time after a 38-year career broadcasting the NBA, Major League Baseball, college football and college basketball. He's been a staple in the Big 12 since 1988, when it was known as the Big 8, and regularly called games in the Big East, the Big Ten and the ACC.AILING JAYHAWKSKansas forward Kevin McCullar Jr., who is averaging 9.7 points and 7.3 rebounds, watched the game in street clothes with a minor groin injury. Backup guard Bobby Pettiford Jr. was out with a hamstring injury.BIG PICTURETexas Southern couldn't overcome 16 turnovers and a poor night from the 3-point arc, where the Tigers were 4 of 17. They also got just six points off the bench, and their lack of depth was evident as they wore down in the second half.Kansas was 13 of 29 from the arc, and many of the shots came off open looks courtesy good ball movement. The Jayhawks had 23 assists on 30 made shots, including six assists from Wilson and nine from Dajuan Harris Jr.UP NEXTTexas Southern returns home to face NAIA foe North American on Sunday.Kansas plays Seton Hall on Thursday night in the Big East-Big 12 Battle.

No. 9 Kansas routs Texas Southern 87-55 for bounce-back win

UNDATED (AP) — Houston is the No. 1 team in the AP men's college basketball poll. It is the first top ranking for the Cougars since Clyde Drexler and Akeem Olajuwon had Houston there in the final poll of the 1982-83 season. They received 45 of 63 first-place votes from a national media panel. Texas climbed to No. 2 with Virginia, Arizona and Purdue rounding out the top five. North Carolina had been No. 1 all season but fell all the way to 18 after losing twice last week. Every slot in the Top 25 has a new team this week except for No. 16 Illinois.

Others receiving votes: TCU 45, Iowa 31, Coll of Charleston 20, West Virginia 14, Mississippi St. 12, Texas Tech 11, Michigan 8, UNLV 6, Arizona St 6, Wisconsin 6, Miami 5, Oklahoma 2, Missouri 2, New Mexico 1, Kansas St 1, Virginia Tech 1, St. John's 1.

UNDATED (AP) — Houston is the No. 1 team in the AP men's college basketball poll. It is the first top ranking for the Cougars since Clyde Drexler and Akeem Olajuwon had Houston there in the final poll of the 1982-83 season. They received 45 of 63 first-place votes from a national media panel. Texas climbed to No. 2 with Virginia, Arizona and Purdue rounding out the top five. North Carolina had been No. 1 all season but fell all the way to 18 after losing twice last week. Every slot in the Top 25 has a new team this week except for No. 16 Illinois.	Record	Pts	Prv1. Houston (45)	6-0	1534	22. Texas (8)	5-0	1467	43. Virginia (2)	5-0	1408	54. Arizona	6-0	1341	145. Purdue (8)	6-0	1307	246. Baylor	5-1	1111	77. Creighton	6-1	1100	108. UConn	8-0	1099	209. Kansas	6-1	990	310. Indiana	6-0	938	1111. Arkansas	5-1	860	911. Alabama	6-1	860	1813. Tennessee	5-1	848	2214. Gonzaga	5-2	845	615. Auburn	7-0	733	1316. Illinois	5-1	643	1617. Duke	6-2	614	818. North Carolina	5-2	541	119. Kentucky	4-2	472	1520. Michigan St.	5-2	469	1221. UCLA	5-2	346	1922. Maryland	6-0	282	2323. Iowa St.	5-1	198	-24. San Diego St.	4-2	189	1725. Ohio St.	5-1	108	-Others receiving votes: TCU 45, Iowa 31, Coll of Charleston 20, West Virginia 14, Mississippi St. 12, Texas Tech 11, Michigan 8, UNLV 6, Arizona St 6, Wisconsin 6, Miami 5, Oklahoma 2, Missouri 2, New Mexico 1, Kansas St 1, Virginia Tech 1, St. John's 1.

Houston takes over top spot in AP poll, KU falls to No. 9

- Barton Women's Basketball coach Alan Clark

<figure>
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 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zfoa04RKldM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>- Barton Women's Basketball coach Alan Clark- Great Bend Tribune's Jim Misunas- Weekend Sports Headlines- Sounds of the Weekend

(WATCH) Monday on Sports Day

Class 5A Boys 150-6. Jace Schartz-Great Bend 157-4. Cooper Liles-Great Bend 175-4. Matthew Johnson-Great Bend 215-6. Keyvan Schroeder-Great Bend

Class-3-2-1A Boys - Hoisington 6th in team rankings 120-5. Eastin Redetzke-Hoisington 126-3. Josiah Ball-Hoisington 150-5. Luke Fisher-Larned 157-5. Teagen Pfeifer-Russell 215-3. Carter Atteberry-Larned &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 5. Logan Philbern-Hoisington 285-Cole Gilliland-Hoisington

Class 6-5A Girls 128-2. Daisy Gomez-Great Bend

Class 4-1A Girls - Hoisington 8th in team rankings 125-1. Jayden Ney-Russell &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;2. Daijah Jones-Hoisington 140-2. Talley Wikum-Hoisington 170-3. Sierra Lanning-Ellsworth

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604497727867.jpeg" alt="Kansas Wrestling&nbsp; Coaches Association Pre-Season Rankings" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Wrestling&nbsp; Coaches Association Pre-Season Rankings</figcaption>
 </figure>Class 5A Boys 150-6. Jace Schartz-Great Bend 157-4. Cooper Liles-Great Bend 175-4. Matthew Johnson-Great Bend 215-6. Keyvan Schroeder-Great BendClass-3-2-1A Boys - Hoisington 6th in team rankings 120-5. Eastin Redetzke-Hoisington 126-3. Josiah Ball-Hoisington 150-5. Luke Fisher-Larned 157-5. Teagen Pfeifer-Russell 215-3. Carter Atteberry-Larned &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 5. Logan Philbern-Hoisington 285-Cole Gilliland-HoisingtonClass 6-5A Girls 128-2. Daisy Gomez-Great BendClass 4-1A Girls - Hoisington 8th in team rankings 125-1. Jayden Ney-Russell &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;2. Daijah Jones-Hoisington 140-2. Talley Wikum-Hoisington 170-3. Sierra Lanning-Ellsworth

Area Wrestlers in KWCA Pre-Season Rankings

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State has decided to part with longtime volleyball coach Suzie Fritz after 22 years.

The school announced Sunday that Fritz would not return next year despite having a 393-263 overall record and leading the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament 13 times as the head coach.

“Coach Fritz has poured all of her energy into this program for the last 20-plus years, and we will forever be grateful for her leadership and advancement of K-State Volleyball,” athletic director Gene Taylor said in a statement.

Fritz won more games than any other Kansas State volleyball coach, but her teams have struggled in recent years and recorded only 15 wins in each of the past two seasons.

The Wildcats are preparing to open a new volleyball arena next year.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State has decided to part with longtime volleyball coach Suzie Fritz after 22 years.The school announced Sunday that Fritz would not return next year despite having a 393-263 overall record and leading the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament 13 times as the head coach.“Coach Fritz has poured all of her energy into this program for the last 20-plus years, and we will forever be grateful for her leadership and advancement of K-State Volleyball,” athletic director Gene Taylor said in a statement.Fritz won more games than any other Kansas State volleyball coach, but her teams have struggled in recent years and recorded only 15 wins in each of the past two seasons.The Wildcats are preparing to open a new volleyball arena next year.

Kansas State parting ways with longtime volleyball coach

Michigan moved up to No. 2 in The Associated Press college football poll, with TCU at No. 3 and Southern California at No. 4 behind top-ranked Georgia after four top-10 teams lost on the final day of regular-season games. The Bulldogs are No. 1 for the eighth straight week and 11th time this season in the AP Top 25. Georgia received 58 first-place votes and Michigan received the other five. The Wolverines reached a season-high No. 2 after beating Ohio State, which dropped the Buckeyes three spots to No. 5.

Others receiving votes: Troy 80, NC State 62, Cincinnati 43, Boise St. 39, Purdue 24, Mississippi 22, South Alabama 12, Illinois 10, Coastal Carolina 6, Pittsburgh 5, Fresno St. 4, James Madison 4, Ohio 2, Minnesota 1.

Michigan moved up to No. 2 in The Associated Press college football poll, with TCU at No. 3 and Southern California at No. 4 behind top-ranked Georgia after four top-10 teams lost on the final day of regular-season games. The Bulldogs are No. 1 for the eighth straight week and 11th time this season in the AP Top 25. Georgia received 58 first-place votes and Michigan received the other five. The Wolverines reached a season-high No. 2 after beating Ohio State, which dropped the Buckeyes three spots to No. 5.	Record	Pts	Prv1. Georgia (58)	12-0	1570	12. Michigan (5)	12-0	1516	33. TCU	12-0	1449	44. Southern Cal	11-1	1382	55. Ohio St.	11-1	1313	26. Alabama	10-2	1243	87. Tennessee	10-2	1195	98. Penn St.	10-2	1131	119. Washington	10-2	1048	1210. Clemson	10-2	928	711. LSU	9-3	874	612. Utah	9-3	849	1413. Kansas St.	9-3	815	1514. Florida St.	9-3	730	1615. Oregon	9-3	701	1016. Oregon St.	9-3	662	2217. UCLA	9-3	618	1718. Tulane	10-2	551	1919. Notre Dame	8-4	384	1320. South Carolina	8-4	358	-21. Texas	8-4	316	2422. UCF	9-3	170	2523. UTSA	10-2	145	-24. North Carolina	9-3	114	1825. Mississippi St.	8-4	99	-Others receiving votes: Troy 80, NC State 62, Cincinnati 43, Boise St. 39, Purdue 24, Mississippi 22, South Alabama 12, Illinois 10, Coastal Carolina 6, Pittsburgh 5, Fresno St. 4, James Madison 4, Ohio 2, Minnesota 1.

AP Top 25: K-State No. 13

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andy Reid lamented more problems with the Kansas City Chiefs punt return unit. JuJu Smith-Schuster regretted their many failures in the red zone. Patrick Mahomes bemoaned “the one dumb play I make every game."

So much for celebrating a 26-10 victory Sunday over the beat-up Los Angeles Rams.

Sure, the Chiefs were pleased by Mahomes throwing for 320 yards and a touchdown, and the hard yardage Isiah Pacheco gained on the ground eventually netted him a score. And they were thrilled with the performance of their defense, which frustrated fill-in quarterback Bryce Perkins and shut down the Rams ground game.

But the Chiefs also made plenty of mistakes, including an interception by Mahomes in the end zone in the fourth quarter — that dumb play he referenced — and red-zone woes that led to four field goals by Harrison Butker.

“Got to do a little better in the red zone. That's a place where we're normally pretty good,” Reid said. “We were off a tick tonight. We'll get back to the drawing board and take care of that.”

It didn't matter against the Rams, who have lost five straight for the first time under Sean McVay.

It might matter against the Bengals next week. And down the stretch in the pursuit of the AFC's top seed.

“You like the win but we have a lot to get better at,” Mahomes said, “especially me.”

Still, the Chiefs (9-2) have won six of the last seven against Los Angeles, and they exacted a measure of revenge for that lone defeat, when then-Rams quarterback Jared Goff threw a late TD pass to win a 54-51 thriller in November 2018.

Playing without Matthew Stafford, who remained in the concussion protocol, the Rams (3-8) struggled to move the chains behind Perkins, a career backup making his first start. He made a couple of nice plays with his legs but threw for just 100 yards with a touchdown pass and two interceptions.

“It’s hard to say that you’re running anything that resembles anything close to your offense and what you envisioned it to be,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. "There’s a lot of challenges based on what guys know and their skill sets.”

The Rams' losing streak and their record through 11 games matches the 1987 Giants for the worst among defending Super Bowl champs, though New York's dismal start came amid a strike resulting in the use of replacement players.

The Rams certainly looked like a team playing without its starting quarterback, top two wide receivers and two starting offensive linemen — all out with injuries Sunday. They scrapped just to get positive yardage on every snap, and that's only when they managed to get the play off in time or didn't have to waste a timeout.

The Chiefs didn't penalize them early for their many miscues, though defensive tackle Chris Jones did pick up his 10th sack of the season, triggering a $1.25 million incentive. Kansas City instead marched methodically down field only to twice settle for field goals, leaving the woebegone Rams surprisingly within 13-3 lead at intermission.

“We have to finish in the red zone,” Smith-Schuster said, “That's one of the biggest points.”

The Chiefs nonetheless had 277 yards of offense at that point. Los Angeles had 75.

Any hope the Rams had evaporated on the first two possessions of the second half, when they went three-and-out and Mahomes and Co. answered with a 71-yard scoring march. And this time, rather than the drive fizzling and Harrison Butker swinging his leg, Pacheco bulldozed into the end zone from 3 yards out to give Kansas City a 20-3 lead.

The Rams finally reached the end zone in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs added two field goals to put the game away.

“Early on, throughout the game really, we had some shots. We were moving the ball. There were some little things here and there that didn't go our way,” Perkins said. “The guys did a great job up front. We have some things to clean up.”

Rams WR Allen Robinson II will have surgery to repair a stress fracture in his foot and miss the rest of the season, McVay said after the game. The injury was found in a CT scan taken Friday. Robinson signed a $46.5 million, three-year contract in the offseason, but he wound up catching 33 passes for 339 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games this season.

Rams: OLs Brian Allen (thumb) and Ty Nsekhe (ankle) were inactive. WR Lance McCutcheon (shoulder) also left the game.

Chiefs: RG Joe Thuney (ankle) was inactive, ending his streak of 107 consecutive starts. FS Juan Thornhill (calf) also was inactive. ... CB L'Jarius Sneed cleared the concussion protocol after taking a hit to the head in the second quarter.

The Rams play Seattle next Sunday to begin a two-game homestand.

The Chiefs visit Cincinnati on Sunday for the first of three straight road games.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andy Reid lamented more problems with the Kansas City Chiefs punt return unit. JuJu Smith-Schuster regretted their many failures in the red zone. Patrick Mahomes bemoaned “the one dumb play I make every game."So much for celebrating a 26-10 victory Sunday over the beat-up Los Angeles Rams.Sure, the Chiefs were pleased by Mahomes throwing for 320 yards and a touchdown, and the hard yardage Isiah Pacheco gained on the ground eventually netted him a score. And they were thrilled with the performance of their defense, which frustrated fill-in quarterback Bryce Perkins and shut down the Rams ground game.But the Chiefs also made plenty of mistakes, including an interception by Mahomes in the end zone in the fourth quarter — that dumb play he referenced — and red-zone woes that led to four field goals by Harrison Butker.“Got to do a little better in the red zone. That's a place where we're normally pretty good,” Reid said. “We were off a tick tonight. We'll get back to the drawing board and take care of that.”It didn't matter against the Rams, who have lost five straight for the first time under Sean McVay.It might matter against the Bengals next week. And down the stretch in the pursuit of the AFC's top seed.“You like the win but we have a lot to get better at,” Mahomes said, “especially me.”Still, the Chiefs (9-2) have won six of the last seven against Los Angeles, and they exacted a measure of revenge for that lone defeat, when then-Rams quarterback Jared Goff threw a late TD pass to win a 54-51 thriller in November 2018.Playing without Matthew Stafford, who remained in the concussion protocol, the Rams (3-8) struggled to move the chains behind Perkins, a career backup making his first start. He made a couple of nice plays with his legs but threw for just 100 yards with a touchdown pass and two interceptions.“It’s hard to say that you’re running anything that resembles anything close to your offense and what you envisioned it to be,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. "There’s a lot of challenges based on what guys know and their skill sets.”The Rams' losing streak and their record through 11 games matches the 1987 Giants for the worst among defending Super Bowl champs, though New York's dismal start came amid a strike resulting in the use of replacement players.The Rams certainly looked like a team playing without its starting quarterback, top two wide receivers and two starting offensive linemen — all out with injuries Sunday. They scrapped just to get positive yardage on every snap, and that's only when they managed to get the play off in time or didn't have to waste a timeout.The Chiefs didn't penalize them early for their many miscues, though defensive tackle Chris Jones did pick up his 10th sack of the season, triggering a $1.25 million incentive. Kansas City instead marched methodically down field only to twice settle for field goals, leaving the woebegone Rams surprisingly within 13-3 lead at intermission.“We have to finish in the red zone,” Smith-Schuster said, “That's one of the biggest points.”The Chiefs nonetheless had 277 yards of offense at that point. Los Angeles had 75.Any hope the Rams had evaporated on the first two possessions of the second half, when they went three-and-out and Mahomes and Co. answered with a 71-yard scoring march. And this time, rather than the drive fizzling and Harrison Butker swinging his leg, Pacheco bulldozed into the end zone from 3 yards out to give Kansas City a 20-3 lead.The Rams finally reached the end zone in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs added two field goals to put the game away.“Early on, throughout the game really, we had some shots. We were moving the ball. There were some little things here and there that didn't go our way,” Perkins said. “The guys did a great job up front. We have some things to clean up.”ROBINSON OUTRams WR Allen Robinson II will have surgery to repair a stress fracture in his foot and miss the rest of the season, McVay said after the game. The injury was found in a CT scan taken Friday. Robinson signed a $46.5 million, three-year contract in the offseason, but he wound up catching 33 passes for 339 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games this season.INJURIESRams: OLs Brian Allen (thumb) and Ty Nsekhe (ankle) were inactive. WR Lance McCutcheon (shoulder) also left the game.Chiefs: RG Joe Thuney (ankle) was inactive, ending his streak of 107 consecutive starts. FS Juan Thornhill (calf) also was inactive. ... CB L'Jarius Sneed cleared the concussion protocol after taking a hit to the head in the second quarter.UP NEXTThe Rams play Seattle next Sunday to begin a two-game homestand.The Chiefs visit Cincinnati on Sunday for the first of three straight road games.

Chiefs slog their way past beat-up Rams for 26-10 victory

By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Info

Hanna Miller and Tasiah Nunnery of the Barton Community College volleyball team received KJCCC West/Region VI Division I post-season honors following the conclusion of the 2022 campaign.

Both completed their third season as a Cougar resulting from a Covid year extension as each repeated last season's accolades, Nunnery landing on the first team with Miller selected to the second team of the twenty-eight member selections.

Nunnery repeated her 1st team accolades from the previous season by putting together her most all-around performance in a Cougar uniform. The Hays, Kansas, native led the team at the net with 262 kills and a 2.30 kill per set and at the service line with 36 service aces at .32 per set. Second on the squad to Miller's defensive achievements, Nunnery was equally effective on the Cougars' backline with 3.05 digs per set on 348 total digs and on the net with 39 blocks.

The season moved Nunnery up, and into, multiple program career best categories including digs by becoming one of just five Cougars to ever surpass the 1000 mark to finish at a program 4th most 1121 total digs. On the offensive side of the attack, Nunnery finished in the 8th all-time kill slot with 789 and climbed to within four of the top ten service aces chart by accumulating 105 total to rank 13th all-time.

A four-time conference defensive player of the week, Miller again landed on the 2nd team of the selections to wrap up her Barton career as a three-time post-season selection after earning honorable mention honors her freshman season.

Miller picked up where she left off from the previous two seasons anchoring the defensive line, leading the KJCCC Division I with 5.11 digs per set and 291 total digs and 5.52 digs per set overall to rank 8th in all of Division I Volleyball.

Breaking the program career dig total in the eighth game of the season, the Wichita, Kansas, native finished the season with 546 digs in bringing her career program topping total to 1712 and 5.30 digs per set.

Like Nunnery, Miller also made a climb up the record list from the service line, chalking up 96 in her career for 17th most in program history.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669553676032.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoHanna Miller and Tasiah Nunnery of the Barton Community College volleyball team received KJCCC West/Region VI Division I post-season honors following the conclusion of the 2022 campaign.Both completed their third season as a Cougar resulting from a Covid year extension as each repeated last season's accolades, Nunnery landing on the first team with Miller selected to the second team of the twenty-eight member selections.Nunnery repeated her 1st team accolades from the previous season by putting together her most all-around performance in a Cougar uniform. The Hays, Kansas, native led the team at the net with 262 kills and a 2.30 kill per set and at the service line with 36 service aces at .32 per set. Second on the squad to Miller's defensive achievements, Nunnery was equally effective on the Cougars' backline with 3.05 digs per set on 348 total digs and on the net with 39 blocks.The season moved Nunnery up, and into, multiple program career best categories including digs by becoming one of just five Cougars to ever surpass the 1000 mark to finish at a program 4th most 1121 total digs. On the offensive side of the attack, Nunnery finished in the 8th all-time kill slot with 789 and climbed to within four of the top ten service aces chart by accumulating 105 total to rank 13th all-time.A four-time conference defensive player of the week, Miller again landed on the 2nd team of the selections to wrap up her Barton career as a three-time post-season selection after earning honorable mention honors her freshman season.Miller picked up where she left off from the previous two seasons anchoring the defensive line, leading the KJCCC Division I with 5.11 digs per set and 291 total digs and 5.52 digs per set overall to rank 8th in all of Division I Volleyball.Breaking the program career dig total in the eighth game of the season, the Wichita, Kansas, native finished the season with 546 digs in bringing her career program topping total to 1712 and 5.30 digs per set.Like Nunnery, Miller also made a climb up the record list from the service line, chalking up 96 in her career for 17th most in program history.

Barton’s Miller and Nunnery repeat volleyball post-season honors

By RALPH D. RUSSO Associated Press College Football Writer

Welcome to Jim
Harbaugh’s previous life, Ryan Day.

This is the way
things go at the top of college football’s food chain. If you can’t
win the most important game on your schedule, there will be questions
about whether you are the right man for the job.

For the second
straight season, Harbaugh’s Michigan team pummeled Day and Ohio
State.

Day is 45-5 at Ohio
State as Urban Meyer’s replacement, but 1-2 against Michigan.

“We’ll figure
out what’s next. I don’t know exactly what’s next right now,
but that’s life at Ohio State,” Day told reporters. “When you
lose, it all comes back to me as head coach. And that’s probably
what hurts the most.”

What hurts most for
Ohio State fans is The Game played out in a way that was supposed to
be to the second-ranked Buckeyes’ advantage, a back-and-forth
affair where the quarterbacks needed to be difference-makers.

With star running
back Blake Corum, the third-ranked Wolverines were able to transform
from ground-and-pound into a big-play machine, ripping off five
touchdowns that covered a total of 349 yards.

Meanwhile, Day was
punting on fourth-and-3 from around midfield.

“In games like
that, you have to play the field position game.” Day said. “I
just feel like you’re not in those situations if you’re
converting on third downs.”

Under Day, Ohio
State has become a quarterback and wide receiver factory. C.J. Stroud
will almost certainly become the third straight Buckeyes passer to be
a first-round NFL draft pick next April.

Marvin Harrison Jr.
is the best receiver in the country. He is part of a room full of
blue-chippers that produced two first-round picks in the last draft.

The talent doesn’t
stop there. According to 247 Sports composite rankings based on
recruiting stars, Ohio State has the third-most talented roster in
college football behind Georgia and Alabama.

So, of course, it
must be the coaching, right? And whether it truly is the coaching is
not the point. Michigan (12-0) planted its flag right in the middle
of Ohio State’s block “O” at the 50-yard line after the game.
Somebody is going to be held responsible for letting that happen.

Meyer never lost to
the Wolverines. Before that it was Jim Tressel who flipped the
rivalry the Buckeyes’ way, going 9-1 against Michigan.

Ohio State fans have
grown accustomed to the dominance over That Team Up North.

When Harbaugh
arrived in Ann Arbor, Michigan, from the NFL as a potential savior
for his alma mater’s wayward football program, Wolverines fans
hoped he could change their fortunes in The Game.

Instead, Harbaugh
went 0-5. No matter that he rebuilt the program and pulled Michigan
out of its greatest depths. At the top of his resume: Can’t beat
Ohio State. And he was pilloried for it.

Not anymore.
Michigan might not be the more talented team, but it certainly looks
like the tougher team, the team that better handles adversity.

“This is a
spiritual team,” Harbaugh said. “They’re happy. They’re
celebrating, but they see bigger things.”

Next week, the Big
Ten championship against Purdue awaits. Win that and Michigan makes
its second straight College Football Playoff.

There is still a
chance the Buckeyes can back into the CFP and maybe find redemption
there. The selection committee seems to be running out of good
options after Clemson also lost on Saturday.

This is not what
Ohio State had in mind. Last season, after the defense melted down in
big spots, Day took those Buckeyes bucks and lured coordinator Jim
Knowles away from Oklahoma State to fix it.

Didn’t work. At
least not when it counted most.

So now Day, a coach
with a mountain of accomplishments and a more than $9 million annual
salary, is the one being judged for his failures and getting compared
to former Buckeyes coach John Cooper.

Cooper is a Hall of
Famer, but for Ohio State fans he is mostly remembered for this:
2-10-1 against Michigan.

After a second
straight brilliant performance on a big stage, Caleb Williams has the
Heisman Trophy within his grasp.

USC’s quarterback
ran for three scores, made several amazing escapes, and even dropped
a Heisman pose as the Trojans beat No. 13 Notre Dame.

“My teammates told
me to do it and I did it after one of the touchdowns,” Williams
said of flashing that familiar stiff arm.

The victory makes
USC’s path to the playoff straightforward. If the Trojans win the
Pac-12 championship game, they’re in. From 4-8 to 11-1 in coach
Lincoln Riley’s first season.

USC gets a rematch
against No. 14 Utah next week after an epic meltdown by No. 10 Oregon
at No. 22 Oregon State kept the Ducks from clinching their spot in
the title game.

No. 12 Washington
beat Washington State in the highest scoring Apple Cup ever to send
the Utes to Las Vegas.

No matter how things
go there, it’s hard to see the Heisman going to anybody but
Williams.

He would be the
eighth USC player to win the award and first since Reggie Bush in
2005.

He would also be the
third Riley quarterback to win the Heisman, joining Baker Mayfield
and Kyler Murray at Oklahoma.

Williams followed
Riley to USC from Norman and together they have made Trojans football
cool again.

“I stood right by
and told you what our expectations were from Day 1,” Riley said. “A
lot of people though I was crazy and that’s fine. ... It’s been a
run fun.”

Going into
championship weekend, the stakes don’t look particularly high —
at least when it comes to the College Football Playoff.

Undefeated No. 1
Georgia (12-0) is headed into the Southeastern Conference
championship with its playoff position seemingly secured.

No. 6 LSU (No. 5
CFP) had hopes of pulling a big upset against the Bulldogs and
becoming the first two-loss team to make the playoff. Then the Tigers
got thumped by Texas A&amp;M.

The SEC champ has
never missed the playoff, but if LSU does pull off the improbable
against Georgia, it will be the first.

At this point, the
Big Ten and Big 12 title games don’t look particularly meaningful
either.

Michigan and No. 4
TCU (12-0) have probably earned the Georgia treatment, regardless of
what happens next week.

The Horned Frogs
will face No. 15 Kansas State, which blew an 18-point lead to TCU in
the regular season.

Ohio State (11-1)
didn’t really look like a team deserving of a mulligan.

Clemson’s chances
went away with a loss to South Carolina. The Gamecocks stepped into
the playoff race and played spoiler for the second straight week.

South Carolina
followed up its victory against Tennessee last week with another
against Clemson (10-2), giving it back-to-back victories against
top-10 teams.

“I feel like we’re
in our own College Football Playoff they way we’ve played the last
two weeks,” South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said.

Hey, maybe Alabama’s
not out of it after all?

Just kidding. The
Crimson Tide (10-2) is out. Probably. We think.

No. 25 UCF needed a
late touchdown drive that included two of the best catches of the
season to escape USF and earn a spot in the American Athletic
Conference title game against No. 19 Tulane. ... For the first time
since 1994, Minnesota gets to keep Paul Bunyan’s Axe. The Gophers
beat Wisconsin for the second straight year, but a 4-3 finish will
likely be enough for Badgers brass to name interim coach Jim Leonhard
to the permanent job early as Sunday. ... Soon after Oregon’s
collapse, news broke that Ducks offensive coordinator Kenny
Dillingham was on the verge being named the youngest head coach in
the Power Five by Arizona State. Dillingham, 32, is a Phoenix native
and Arizona State graduate. ... The Iron Bowl didn’t get as much
attention as usual, unless you count all the speculation about
Auburn’s next coach. But let’s take a moment to appreciate Tide
quarterback Bryce Young, who likely played his last home game. Maybe
even his last college game altogether. Young threw for 343 yards and
three touchdowns against Auburn. He won’t win another Heisman and
he won’t win a national title as a starter, but he has undeniably
been one of the greatest players of the Nick Saban dynasty. ... Texas
Tech beat Oklahoma in overtime to earn victories against the Sooners
and Texas in the same season for the first time in program history.
At 6-6, Oklahoma had its worst regular season since 1998, the year
before Bob Stoops took over as coach.

By RALPH D. RUSSO Associated Press College Football WriterWelcome to Jim
Harbaugh’s previous life, Ryan Day.This is the way
things go at the top of college football’s food chain. If you can’t
win the most important game on your schedule, there will be questions
about whether you are the right man for the job.For the second
straight season, Harbaugh’s Michigan team pummeled Day and Ohio
State.Day is 45-5 at Ohio
State as Urban Meyer’s replacement, but 1-2 against Michigan.“We’ll figure
out what’s next. I don’t know exactly what’s next right now,
but that’s life at Ohio State,” Day told reporters. “When you
lose, it all comes back to me as head coach. And that’s probably
what hurts the most.”What hurts most for
Ohio State fans is The Game played out in a way that was supposed to
be to the second-ranked Buckeyes’ advantage, a back-and-forth
affair where the quarterbacks needed to be difference-makers.With star running
back Blake Corum, the third-ranked Wolverines were able to transform
from ground-and-pound into a big-play machine, ripping off five
touchdowns that covered a total of 349 yards.Meanwhile, Day was
punting on fourth-and-3 from around midfield.“In games like
that, you have to play the field position game.” Day said. “I
just feel like you’re not in those situations if you’re
converting on third downs.”Ohio State was 5 for
16 on third down.Under Day, Ohio
State has become a quarterback and wide receiver factory. C.J. Stroud
will almost certainly become the third straight Buckeyes passer to be
a first-round NFL draft pick next April.Marvin Harrison Jr.
is the best receiver in the country. He is part of a room full of
blue-chippers that produced two first-round picks in the last draft.The talent doesn’t
stop there. According to 247 Sports composite rankings based on
recruiting stars, Ohio State has the third-most talented roster in
college football behind Georgia and Alabama.Michigan? No. 14.So, of course, it
must be the coaching, right? And whether it truly is the coaching is
not the point. Michigan (12-0) planted its flag right in the middle
of Ohio State’s block “O” at the 50-yard line after the game.
Somebody is going to be held responsible for letting that happen.Meyer never lost to
the Wolverines. Before that it was Jim Tressel who flipped the
rivalry the Buckeyes’ way, going 9-1 against Michigan.Ohio State fans have
grown accustomed to the dominance over That Team Up North.When Harbaugh
arrived in Ann Arbor, Michigan, from the NFL as a potential savior
for his alma mater’s wayward football program, Wolverines fans
hoped he could change their fortunes in The Game.Instead, Harbaugh
went 0-5. No matter that he rebuilt the program and pulled Michigan
out of its greatest depths. At the top of his resume: Can’t beat
Ohio State. And he was pilloried for it.Not anymore.
Michigan might not be the more talented team, but it certainly looks
like the tougher team, the team that better handles adversity.“This is a
spiritual team,” Harbaugh said. “They’re happy. They’re
celebrating, but they see bigger things.”Next week, the Big
Ten championship against Purdue awaits. Win that and Michigan makes
its second straight College Football Playoff.There is still a
chance the Buckeyes can back into the CFP and maybe find redemption
there. The selection committee seems to be running out of good
options after Clemson also lost on Saturday.This is not what
Ohio State had in mind. Last season, after the defense melted down in
big spots, Day took those Buckeyes bucks and lured coordinator Jim
Knowles away from Oklahoma State to fix it.Didn’t work. At
least not when it counted most.So now Day, a coach
with a mountain of accomplishments and a more than $9 million annual
salary, is the one being judged for his failures and getting compared
to former Buckeyes coach John Cooper.Cooper is a Hall of
Famer, but for Ohio State fans he is mostly remembered for this:
2-10-1 against Michigan.HAND HIM THE
HEISMANAfter a second
straight brilliant performance on a big stage, Caleb Williams has the
Heisman Trophy within his grasp.USC’s quarterback
ran for three scores, made several amazing escapes, and even dropped
a Heisman pose as the Trojans beat No. 13 Notre Dame.“My teammates told
me to do it and I did it after one of the touchdowns,” Williams
said of flashing that familiar stiff arm.The victory makes
USC’s path to the playoff straightforward. If the Trojans win the
Pac-12 championship game, they’re in. From 4-8 to 11-1 in coach
Lincoln Riley’s first season.USC gets a rematch
against No. 14 Utah next week after an epic meltdown by No. 10 Oregon
at No. 22 Oregon State kept the Ducks from clinching their spot in
the title game.No. 12 Washington
beat Washington State in the highest scoring Apple Cup ever to send
the Utes to Las Vegas.No matter how things
go there, it’s hard to see the Heisman going to anybody but
Williams.He would be the
eighth USC player to win the award and first since Reggie Bush in
2005.He would also be the
third Riley quarterback to win the Heisman, joining Baker Mayfield
and Kyler Murray at Oklahoma.Williams followed
Riley to USC from Norman and together they have made Trojans football
cool again.“I stood right by
and told you what our expectations were from Day 1,” Riley said. “A
lot of people though I was crazy and that’s fine. ... It’s been a
run fun.”WHO’S IN?Going into
championship weekend, the stakes don’t look particularly high —
at least when it comes to the College Football Playoff.Undefeated No. 1
Georgia (12-0) is headed into the Southeastern Conference
championship with its playoff position seemingly secured.No. 6 LSU (No. 5
CFP) had hopes of pulling a big upset against the Bulldogs and
becoming the first two-loss team to make the playoff. Then the Tigers
got thumped by Texas A&amp;M.The SEC champ has
never missed the playoff, but if LSU does pull off the improbable
against Georgia, it will be the first.At this point, the
Big Ten and Big 12 title games don’t look particularly meaningful
either.Michigan and No. 4
TCU (12-0) have probably earned the Georgia treatment, regardless of
what happens next week.The Horned Frogs
will face No. 15 Kansas State, which blew an 18-point lead to TCU in
the regular season.If USC were to lose,
then who?Ohio State (11-1)
didn’t really look like a team deserving of a mulligan.Clemson’s chances
went away with a loss to South Carolina. The Gamecocks stepped into
the playoff race and played spoiler for the second straight week.South Carolina
followed up its victory against Tennessee last week with another
against Clemson (10-2), giving it back-to-back victories against
top-10 teams.“I feel like we’re
in our own College Football Playoff they way we’ve played the last
two weeks,” South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said.Hey, maybe Alabama’s
not out of it after all?Just kidding. The
Crimson Tide (10-2) is out. Probably. We think.AROUND THE
COUNTRYNo. 25 UCF needed a
late touchdown drive that included two of the best catches of the
season to escape USF and earn a spot in the American Athletic
Conference title game against No. 19 Tulane. ... For the first time
since 1994, Minnesota gets to keep Paul Bunyan’s Axe. The Gophers
beat Wisconsin for the second straight year, but a 4-3 finish will
likely be enough for Badgers brass to name interim coach Jim Leonhard
to the permanent job early as Sunday. ... Soon after Oregon’s
collapse, news broke that Ducks offensive coordinator Kenny
Dillingham was on the verge being named the youngest head coach in
the Power Five by Arizona State. Dillingham, 32, is a Phoenix native
and Arizona State graduate. ... The Iron Bowl didn’t get as much
attention as usual, unless you count all the speculation about
Auburn’s next coach. But let’s take a moment to appreciate Tide
quarterback Bryce Young, who likely played his last home game. Maybe
even his last college game altogether. Young threw for 343 yards and
three touchdowns against Auburn. He won’t win another Heisman and
he won’t win a national title as a starter, but he has undeniably
been one of the greatest players of the Nick Saban dynasty. ... Texas
Tech beat Oklahoma in overtime to earn victories against the Sooners
and Texas in the same season for the first time in program history.
At 6-6, Oklahoma had its worst regular season since 1998, the year
before Bob Stoops took over as coach.

AP Top 25 Takeaways: Shakeup Saturday

Gus Okafor busted loose for 27 points to help Wichita State fend off Tarleton State, 83-71, and put an end to a dubious shooting streak.

Okafor, a graduate transfer from Southeastern Louisiana, averaged less than five points in his first five games as a Shocker before Saturday's break-through performance in which he made 9-of-11 shots from the field and grabbed eight rebounds.

WSU (4-2) likewise found the cure for its offensive ailments, sinking 24 of its 50 field goal attempts (.540) to break the 50-percent barrier for the first time in 48 games (Jan. 2, 2021 at Ole Miss).

Kenny Pohto added 13 points and nine rebounds to go with Craig Porter's 11 points and five blocks.

Jakorie Smith put up 19 points for Tarleton (3-3), which was coming off a win over Boston College in last weekend's Paradise Jam.

WSU cashed in 24-of-29 free throws to Tarleton's 15-of-18. The Shockers lost the turnover battle 12-5 but out-rebounded the smaller Texans 40-29 and held them to 36.8 percent from the field.

WSU created separation midway through the first half with a 7-0 run, fueled entirely by Okafor. Over a span of 43 seconds he tallied a three-pointer, a transition layup and a stick-back to give the Shockers a 27-19 lead.

Okafor scored the last of his 14 first-half points on a tip-dunk ahead of the buzzer as WSU took a 44-32 edge into the intermission.

The Shockers led by as many as 17 points early in the second half.

Tarleton closed the gap to seven with 1:20 to go, but Okafor answered with a timely alley-oop slam.

Wichita State entertains unbeaten Missouri (7-0) on Tuesday night. The 7 p.m. CT tip off airs on ESPN+. Tickets are available online at goshockers.com/tickets, by phone at 316-978-FANS or weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Shocker Ticket Office, located in the southwest corner of Charles Koch Arena.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669550437840.jpeg" alt="Wichita State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Wichita State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Gus Okafor busted loose for 27 points to help Wichita State fend off Tarleton State, 83-71, and put an end to a dubious shooting streak.Okafor, a graduate transfer from Southeastern Louisiana, averaged less than five points in his first five games as a Shocker before Saturday's break-through performance in which he made 9-of-11 shots from the field and grabbed eight rebounds.WSU (4-2) likewise found the cure for its offensive ailments, sinking 24 of its 50 field goal attempts (.540) to break the 50-percent barrier for the first time in 48 games (Jan. 2, 2021 at Ole Miss).Kenny Pohto added 13 points and nine rebounds to go with Craig Porter's 11 points and five blocks.Jakorie Smith put up 19 points for Tarleton (3-3), which was coming off a win over Boston College in last weekend's Paradise Jam.WSU cashed in 24-of-29 free throws to Tarleton's 15-of-18. The Shockers lost the turnover battle 12-5 but out-rebounded the smaller Texans 40-29 and held them to 36.8 percent from the field.WSU created separation midway through the first half with a 7-0 run, fueled entirely by Okafor. Over a span of 43 seconds he tallied a three-pointer, a transition layup and a stick-back to give the Shockers a 27-19 lead.Okafor scored the last of his 14 first-half points on a tip-dunk ahead of the buzzer as WSU took a 44-32 edge into the intermission.The Shockers led by as many as 17 points early in the second half.Tarleton closed the gap to seven with 1:20 to go, but Okafor answered with a timely alley-oop slam.Wichita State entertains unbeaten Missouri (7-0) on Tuesday night. The 7 p.m. CT tip off airs on ESPN+. Tickets are available online at goshockers.com/tickets, by phone at 316-978-FANS or weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Shocker Ticket Office, located in the southwest corner of Charles Koch Arena.

Shockers Defeat Tarleton 83-71

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State coach Chris Klieman didn't want to back into the Big 12 title game by having Texas lose to Baylor.

He wanted his Wildcats to earn their spot in Arlington.

So after the Longhorns took care of business a day earlier, the No. 15 Wildcats stepped onto the field Saturday night and demolished their biggest rival. Will Howard threw for 213 yards and two touchdowns, Deuce Vaughn ran for 147 yards and a score, and Kansas State routed Kansas 47-27 to earn a shot at payback against TCU next weekend.

“The guys needed to earn this,” Klieman said after drying out from three-plus hours spent in the rain. “We're smart enough to realize there was a lot of prssure on us as a coaching staff, us as players, to finish this deal, and we had one more chapter in the regular season and they finished it he right way and earned the opportunity.”

Kansas State blew a 28-10 lead and lost 38-28 to the Horned Frogs during the regular season. Now, they’ll face each other again on Dec. 3 at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with a College Football Playoff spot likely on the line for TCU.

It will be the first time the Wildcats play in the Big 12 title game, which went on hiatus from 2010-17, since toppling then-No. 1 Oklahoma in 2003 during Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder's first tenure. The Horned Frogs were beaten by the Sooners in their only previous appearance in the 2017 championship game.

“I'm not sure they're going to want to see us again,” Kansas State safety Drake Cheatum said, “but we'll be ready.”

Malik Knowles added a pair of touchdown runs, and Philip Brooks and Sammy Wheeler also reached the end zone, as the Wildcats (9-3, 7-2, No. 12 CFP) beat the Jayhawks for the 14th straight time in a game they needed to win.

Jalon Daniels threw for 168 yards while running for a touchdown, and Devin Neal also had two TD runs, as the Jayhawks — bowl-bound for the first time since 2008 — finished the regular season by losing six of their final seven games.

“Jalon was able to run the ball a little bit tonight. We were a little more active in the option game than we have bene in a while. It gave us a chance,” Jayhawks coach Lance Leipold said, “but obviously not enough.”

Kansas (6-6, 3-6) made enough mistakes in the first quarter alone Saturday night to fill an entire game.

The result was a hole it could never escape.

The trouble began when O.J. Burroughs muffed a punt after a nice stand by the Jayhawks' defense, and Knowles needed one play to scoot in from the 5 for a touchdown. And after Kansas answered with a 75-yard scoring drive, its defense blew the coverage on Wheeler on a 42-yard touchdown pass.

On the ensuing kickoff, Trevor Wilson was mobbed at the 10-yard line, and another penalty on the return buried the Kansas offense. On third down, Bryce Cabeldue was called for holding in the end zone to give Kansas State a safety.

After the free kick, the Wildcats cruised to the end zone again for a 23-7 lead after one quarter.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State coach Chris Klieman didn't want to back into the Big 12 title game by having Texas lose to Baylor.He wanted his Wildcats to earn their spot in Arlington.So after the Longhorns took care of business a day earlier, the No. 15 Wildcats stepped onto the field Saturday night and demolished their biggest rival. Will Howard threw for 213 yards and two touchdowns, Deuce Vaughn ran for 147 yards and a score, and Kansas State routed Kansas 47-27 to earn a shot at payback against TCU next weekend.“The guys needed to earn this,” Klieman said after drying out from three-plus hours spent in the rain. “We're smart enough to realize there was a lot of prssure on us as a coaching staff, us as players, to finish this deal, and we had one more chapter in the regular season and they finished it he right way and earned the opportunity.”Kansas State blew a 28-10 lead and lost 38-28 to the Horned Frogs during the regular season. Now, they’ll face each other again on Dec. 3 at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with a College Football Playoff spot likely on the line for TCU.It will be the first time the Wildcats play in the Big 12 title game, which went on hiatus from 2010-17, since toppling then-No. 1 Oklahoma in 2003 during Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder's first tenure. The Horned Frogs were beaten by the Sooners in their only previous appearance in the 2017 championship game.“I'm not sure they're going to want to see us again,” Kansas State safety Drake Cheatum said, “but we'll be ready.”Malik Knowles added a pair of touchdown runs, and Philip Brooks and Sammy Wheeler also reached the end zone, as the Wildcats (9-3, 7-2, No. 12 CFP) beat the Jayhawks for the 14th straight time in a game they needed to win.Jalon Daniels threw for 168 yards while running for a touchdown, and Devin Neal also had two TD runs, as the Jayhawks — bowl-bound for the first time since 2008 — finished the regular season by losing six of their final seven games.“Jalon was able to run the ball a little bit tonight. We were a little more active in the option game than we have bene in a while. It gave us a chance,” Jayhawks coach Lance Leipold said, “but obviously not enough.”Kansas (6-6, 3-6) made enough mistakes in the first quarter alone Saturday night to fill an entire game.The result was a hole it could never escape.The trouble began when O.J. Burroughs muffed a punt after a nice stand by the Jayhawks' defense, and Knowles needed one play to scoot in from the 5 for a touchdown. And after Kansas answered with a 75-yard scoring drive, its defense blew the coverage on Wheeler on a 42-yard touchdown pass.On the ensuing kickoff, Trevor Wilson was mobbed at the 10-yard line, and another penalty on the return buried the Kansas offense. On third down, Bryce Cabeldue was called for holding in the end zone to give Kansas State a safety.After the free kick, the Wildcats cruised to the end zone again for a 23-7 lead after one quarter.“Special teams created some big plays,” Leipold said, “and we just couldn't get the key drive when we needed to.”The game soon turned into a track meet: Kansas marched through a suddenly driving rainstorm for two quick touchdowns around another score by the Wildcats, leaving them with a 30-21 advantage heading into the break.Another major mistake by Kansas in the third quarter — a fumble by Torry Locklin — gave the Wildcats another short field, and Vaughn carried eight times on a nine-play drive before finding the end zone and putting the game out of reach.“It wasn't easy and I knew it wouldn't be. It was wet out there, affected things a little bit, but in all three phases someone stepped up,” Klieman said. “We were able to rush the football later on — we ran it a bunch in the third and fourth quarter — and we got stops on defense when we needed stops.”THE TAKEAWAYKansas has built a reputation under Leipold for playing mistake-free football, yet it was a multitude of errors on both sides of the ball that gave the Wildcats more opportunities than they needed to hold onto the Governor's Cup.Kansas State has struggled defensively the past two weeks, giving up 31 points to West Virginia before coughing up plenty of yards against the Jayhawks. Joe Klanderman's bunch will need to do better against the Horned Frogs.UP NEXTThe Wildcats have a week to prepare for TCU, while Kansas awaits its bowl destination.