Class 6A Boys 1 Lawrence-Free State 2 Blue Valley West 3 Lawrence 4 Olathe South 5 Dodge City 6 Shawnee Mission South 7 Wichita Heights 8 Blue Valley North 9 Blue Valley Northwest 10 Junction City Class 5A &nbsp;1 Maize 2 Andover 3 Highland Park 4 Andover Central 5 Blue Valley Southwest 6 Kapaun Mt. Carmel 7 Topeka West 8 Hays 9 Maize South 10 St. James Academy&nbsp;&nbsp; Class 4A &nbsp;1 Bishop Miege 2 Eudora 3 Buhler 4 Concordia 5 Tonganoxie 6 Paola 7 Abilene 8 McPherson 9 Chanute 10 Augusta &nbsp;Class 3A &nbsp;1 Hesston 2 Cheney 3 Galena 4 Wichita Collegiate 5 Royal Valley 6 Nemaha Central 7 Holcomb 8 TMP 9 Southeast of Saline 10 Osage City Class 2A &nbsp;1 Hillsboro 2 Wabaunsee 3 St. Mary's 4 Lyndon 5 Valley Falls 6 Ellinwood 7 Jefferson County North 8 Erie 9 Trego Community 10 Berean Academy Class 1A-DI 1 Olpe 2 South Gray 3 Solomon 4 Macksville 5 Norwich 6&nbsp;Clifton-Clyde 7 Frankfort 8 Wichita Classic School 9 Burlingame 10 Osborne&nbsp; Class 1A-DII 1 Hanover 2 Northern Valley 3 Logan-Palco 4 Axtell 5 Wheatland-Grinnell 6&nbsp;Greeley County 7 Elyria Christian 8 Pawnee Heights 9 Attica 10 St. John's-Tipton

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640113791941.jpeg" alt="KBCA Boys Rankings 12/21" />
 <figcaption>KBCA Boys Rankings 12/21</figcaption>
 </figure>Class 6A Boys 1 Lawrence-Free State 2 Blue Valley West 3 Lawrence 4 Olathe South 5 Dodge City 6 Shawnee Mission South 7 Wichita Heights 8 Blue Valley North 9 Blue Valley Northwest 10 Junction City Class 5A &nbsp;1 Maize 2 Andover 3 Highland Park 4 Andover Central 5 Blue Valley Southwest 6 Kapaun Mt. Carmel 7 Topeka West 8 Hays 9 Maize South 10 St. James Academy&nbsp;&nbsp; Class 4A &nbsp;1 Bishop Miege 2 Eudora 3 Buhler 4 Concordia 5 Tonganoxie 6 Paola 7 Abilene 8 McPherson 9 Chanute 10 Augusta &nbsp;Class 3A &nbsp;1 Hesston 2 Cheney 3 Galena 4 Wichita Collegiate 5 Royal Valley 6 Nemaha Central 7 Holcomb 8 TMP 9 Southeast of Saline 10 Osage City Class 2A &nbsp;1 Hillsboro 2 Wabaunsee 3 St. Mary's 4 Lyndon 5 Valley Falls 6 Ellinwood 7 Jefferson County North 8 Erie 9 Trego Community 10 Berean Academy Class 1A-DI 1 Olpe 2 South Gray 3 Solomon 4 Macksville 5 Norwich 6&nbsp;Clifton-Clyde 7 Frankfort 8 Wichita Classic School 9 Burlingame 10 Osborne&nbsp; Class 1A-DII 1 Hanover 2 Northern Valley 3 Logan-Palco 4 Axtell 5 Wheatland-Grinnell 6&nbsp;Greeley County 7 Elyria Christian 8 Pawnee Heights 9 Attica 10 St. John's-Tipton

KBCA High School Boys Basketball Rankings (12/21)

Men's Standings Dodge City 7-0 12-1 Hutchinson 8-1 14-1 Butler 6-3 11-3 Colby 4-2 9-3 Pratt 4-4 10-5 Seward County 4-4 6-6 Cowley 3-5 7-7 Cloud County 3-5 7-7 Independence 4-5 7-8 Garden City 2-5 8-5 Coffeyville 2-5 8-6 Barton 2-6 8-6 NW Tech 2-6 4-9

Women's Standings Independence 8-1 12-2 Butler 7-2 12-2 Hutchinson 6-3 12-3 Seward County 6-3 8-5 Coffeyville 5-3 11-3 Garden City 5-3 10-3 Dodge City 4-4 9-5 Cowley 4-4 8-5 Cloud County 3-5 7-7 Barton 3-5 6-8 Colby 2-6 5-8 Pratt 1-7 2-11 NW Tech 0-8 2-10

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640357948070.png" alt="Jayhawk Conference Basketball Standings" />
 <figcaption>Jayhawk Conference Basketball Standings</figcaption>
 </figure>Men's Standings Dodge City 7-0 12-1 Hutchinson 8-1 14-1 Butler 6-3 11-3 Colby 4-2 9-3 Pratt 4-4 10-5 Seward County 4-4 6-6 Cowley 3-5 7-7 Cloud County 3-5 7-7 Independence 4-5 7-8 Garden City 2-5 8-5 Coffeyville 2-5 8-6 Barton 2-6 8-6 NW Tech 2-6 4-9Women's Standings Independence 8-1 12-2 Butler 7-2 12-2 Hutchinson 6-3 12-3 Seward County 6-3 8-5 Coffeyville 5-3 11-3 Garden City 5-3 10-3 Dodge City 4-4 9-5 Cowley 4-4 8-5 Cloud County 3-5 7-7 Barton 3-5 6-8 Colby 2-6 5-8 Pratt 1-7 2-11 NW Tech 0-8 2-10

Jayhawk Conference Basketball Standings

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas men’s basketball will host George Mason on Saturday, Jan. 1 at 4 p.m. (CT) in Allen Fieldhouse, the first-ever meeting between the two programs. The game will be televised on Big 12 NOW on ESPN+. The addition of the Patriots to the schedule occurred after the Jan. 1 TCU at Kansas game was postponed due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols within the TCU program.

 George Mason is currently 7-5 on the season. The Patriots have won three straight after their 68-44 win against American on Dec. 21. 

Single-game tickets must be purchased specifically for the George Mason contest and will not be added to current season ticket holder accounts.

An exclusive presale will be held from 1 p.m. today until noon tomorrow for season ticket holders to purchase tickets for the George Mason contest.

The public ticket on-sale will begin Thursday, Dec. 30 at noon (CT). Fans may purchase tickets online at www.kuathletics.com/tickets.

Ticket pricing for the George Mason game:

KU students who redeemed tickets for the original TCU contest will have the George Mason game automatically added to their account.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640865151655.jpeg" alt="Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas men’s basketball will host George Mason on Saturday, Jan. 1 at 4 p.m. (CT) in Allen Fieldhouse, the first-ever meeting between the two programs. The game will be televised on Big 12 NOW on ESPN+. The addition of the Patriots to the schedule occurred after the Jan. 1 TCU at Kansas game was postponed due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols within the TCU program. George Mason is currently 7-5 on the season. The Patriots have won three straight after their 68-44 win against American on Dec. 21. TicketingSingle-game tickets must be purchased specifically for the George Mason contest and will not be added to current season ticket holder accounts.An exclusive presale will be held from 1 p.m. today until noon tomorrow for season ticket holders to purchase tickets for the George Mason contest.The public ticket on-sale will begin Thursday, Dec. 30 at noon (CT). Fans may purchase tickets online at www.kuathletics.com/tickets.Ticket pricing for the George Mason game:Tiers 1-5: $25Tiers 6-8: $20General Admission: $15KU students who redeemed tickets for the original TCU contest will have the George Mason game automatically added to their account.

Kansas Men’s Basketball to Host George Mason on Jan. 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes remained in constant communication with Travis Kelce last week, when the Chiefs tight end was trying to test out of COVID-19 protocols in time to play an important game against the Steelers.

The Chiefs quarterback was still in touch with Kelce on Monday, when the team gathered at the facility to review the film of a 36-10 drubbing of Pittsburgh that allowed Kansas City to clinch its record sixth consecutive AFC West title.

“He was still annoyed he couldn’t be back in the building,” Mahomes said.

Well, the Pro Bowl tight end was back Wednesday — along with everyone else that tested positive for the virus last week, totaling 16 players on the active roster and practice squad.

In fact, the only person that didn’t participate in Wednesday’s practice was running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who hurt his collarbone against Pittsburgh.

The fact that the Chiefs are among the healthiest teams in the NFL is among the many reasons they have gone from a 3-4 example of mediocrity the first two months of the season to eight consecutive wins and the definition of excellence.

Yes, they have nobody on the COVID-19 list right now. But they have almost nobody on the injury list, either.

The Chiefs were so ransacked by injuries a year ago, particularly when the playoffs rolled around, and they were forced to start a hodge-podge of offensive linemen.

Perhaps the outcome would have been the same had their best group played against the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl that February night, but the fill-ins were soundly handled by Tampa Bay’s pass rush that nobody wants to replay that humiliating game film.

Fast-forward nearly 11 months, though, and the Chiefs’ injury report the past few weeks has had two or three names on it — usually something minor that kept guys from being full participants in a workout.

Meanwhile, the injury reports elsewhere in the NFL often have a dozen or more names, and often several players that didn’t practice at all.

Even on the rare occasion someone gets nicked up, things seem to work out swimmingly for the Chiefs.

That was the case against the Steelers, when safety Tyrann Mathieu tweaked his quad in the second half. The Chiefs had a big lead by that point, giving coach Andy Reid the opportunity to hold Mathieu out the rest of the way.

“You know what? He feels great,” Reid said Wednesday. “We took him out and the trainers started working on him the next day, and he came back and he was great. We all know he’s a tough kid and loves to play the game. That point of the game, we’d enough of a lead we could get started and boy, did it make a huge difference.”

There were initial fears that the dynamic running back had broken his collarbone against Pittsburgh and would miss the rest of the season.

But additional testing Monday revealed no structural damage, and while it’s unlikely Edwards-Helaire will be cleared to play this week, he will almost certainly be available by the time the playoffs begin.

Perhaps the injury karma of last season and this season are evening out.

“We’ve got a lot of competitors in this room,” said Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, one of the few starters to miss a game to an actual injury — and later to COVID-19 — during this season. “I think that mind frame at the end of the year will continue to go up, especially for the playoffs, and we’ll see where it takes us.”

NOTES: Reid confirmed linebackers coach Matt House was leaving to be defensive coordinator at LSU. But Reid also said that House will coach through the end of the season. “He’ll be tremendous for the Tigers. We have a bunch of them on our team,” Reid said. “They’re fired up for him.” ... Reid was a longtime friend of John Madden, who died Tuesday at the age of 85. “You realize how much he touched the football world and all of us,” Reid said. “He made our job what it is today. Made coaching an honorable position to be in.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes remained in constant communication with Travis Kelce last week, when the Chiefs tight end was trying to test out of COVID-19 protocols in time to play an important game against the Steelers.The Chiefs quarterback was still in touch with Kelce on Monday, when the team gathered at the facility to review the film of a 36-10 drubbing of Pittsburgh that allowed Kansas City to clinch its record sixth consecutive AFC West title.“He was still annoyed he couldn’t be back in the building,” Mahomes said.Well, the Pro Bowl tight end was back Wednesday — along with everyone else that tested positive for the virus last week, totaling 16 players on the active roster and practice squad.In fact, the only person that didn’t participate in Wednesday’s practice was running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who hurt his collarbone against Pittsburgh.The fact that the Chiefs are among the healthiest teams in the NFL is among the many reasons they have gone from a 3-4 example of mediocrity the first two months of the season to eight consecutive wins and the definition of excellence.Yes, they have nobody on the COVID-19 list right now. But they have almost nobody on the injury list, either.The Chiefs were so ransacked by injuries a year ago, particularly when the playoffs rolled around, and they were forced to start a hodge-podge of offensive linemen.Perhaps the outcome would have been the same had their best group played against the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl that February night, but the fill-ins were soundly handled by Tampa Bay’s pass rush that nobody wants to replay that humiliating game film.Fast-forward nearly 11 months, though, and the Chiefs’ injury report the past few weeks has had two or three names on it — usually something minor that kept guys from being full participants in a workout.Meanwhile, the injury reports elsewhere in the NFL often have a dozen or more names, and often several players that didn’t practice at all.Even on the rare occasion someone gets nicked up, things seem to work out swimmingly for the Chiefs.That was the case against the Steelers, when safety Tyrann Mathieu tweaked his quad in the second half. The Chiefs had a big lead by that point, giving coach Andy Reid the opportunity to hold Mathieu out the rest of the way.“You know what? He feels great,” Reid said Wednesday. “We took him out and the trainers started working on him the next day, and he came back and he was great. We all know he’s a tough kid and loves to play the game. That point of the game, we’d enough of a lead we could get started and boy, did it make a huge difference.”Edwards-Helaire is another example.There were initial fears that the dynamic running back had broken his collarbone against Pittsburgh and would miss the rest of the season.But additional testing Monday revealed no structural damage, and while it’s unlikely Edwards-Helaire will be cleared to play this week, he will almost certainly be available by the time the playoffs begin.Perhaps the injury karma of last season and this season are evening out.“We’ve got a lot of competitors in this room,” said Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, one of the few starters to miss a game to an actual injury — and later to COVID-19 — during this season. “I think that mind frame at the end of the year will continue to go up, especially for the playoffs, and we’ll see where it takes us.”NOTES: Reid confirmed linebackers coach Matt House was leaving to be defensive coordinator at LSU. But Reid also said that House will coach through the end of the season. “He’ll be tremendous for the Tigers. We have a bunch of them on our team,” Reid said. “They’re fired up for him.” ... Reid was a longtime friend of John Madden, who died Tuesday at the age of 85. “You realize how much he touched the football world and all of us,” Reid said. “He made our job what it is today. Made coaching an honorable position to be in.”

Chiefs head into homestretch among NFL’s healthiest teams

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — After Kansas had its game against Harvard wiped out by COVID-19, and Nevada had its Mountain West opener against San Jose State postponed for the same reason, Wolf Pack coach Steve Alford jumped at the chance to visit storied Allen Fieldhouse for the first time.

By halftime of the hastily arranged fill-in game, he was probably regretting it.

Christian Braun scored 22 points, Ochai Agbaji added 16 and the sixth-ranked Jayhawks rolled to an 88-61 victory over the turnover-prone Wolf Pack before another sellout crowd in the storied arena on Wednesday night.

“There’s a lot of people out there scrambling right now. There was like, 75 games scheduled tonight and 32 were canceled or postponed,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “I’m glad we were able to set this up.”

It was the first meeting of the schools since Nevada dealt Kansas a rare loss in the Phog in 2005.

Dajuan Harris had a career-high 14 points and David McCormack also scored 14 for the Jayhawks (10-1), who slowly built a 39-17 halftime lead before using a 12-0 run early in the second half to put the game out of reach.

“The last time we played we were poor,” Self said, “so I think they were excited to play.”

Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Grant Sherfield scored 16 points apiece to lead the Wolf Pack.

With all the scheduling changes this week, it wasn’t surprising that both teams were a bit discombobulated.

The Wolf Pack, hounded relentlessly by a defense that forced 20 turnovers in each of its past two games, nearly had that many in the first half alone Wednesday night. In fact, Nevada at one point had turned the ball over nearly as many times (14) as it had taken shots (18) before finishing with 21 turnovers for the game.

“We knew they were going to get into us. We knew they were going to switch and deny. We worked on it and we didn’t execute,” Nevada assistant Kory Barnett said. “We didn’t put two halves together and we continued to make mistakes, and man, you make mistakes against top-10 teams it’s going to look like that.”

Not that the Jayhawks looked like a top-10 team the whole way. They had 10 turnovers at halftime and 14 in all.

Still, a hot start from Braun coupled with a big run over the final couple minutes — including a turnover by DeAndre Henry that turned into Agbaji’s windmill dunk — sent the Jayhawks into the locker room with a comfortable lead.

“Like, an ‘F.’ That was a horrible windmill,” Braun said in grading Agbaji’s dunk. “Maybe his legs were tired.”

Kansas initially struggled to pull away in the second half, but it got some help Alford’s temper. The Nevada coach was incensed a foul wasn’t called when Sherfield scored a layup high off the glass, and both teams had already retreated up the floor when a whistle was blown and Alford was hit with a technical foul.

Braun hit both of the free throws, triggering a 10-0 run. Harris drilled a 3-pointer, Abgaji added back-to-back transition dunks, and Remy Martin curled in a 3-pointer as the lead ballooned to 61-36 with 12 1/2 minutes to go.

“We have so many weapons,” Braun said. “We have a lot of guys that have learned how to play with each other.”

Kansas coasted the rest of the way to its 24th straight nonconference home win.

“We’re taking steps in the right direction,” Jayhawks forward Jalen Wilson said. “We have a good team, we have a lot of good pieces. We just have to find that rhythm, get a good pace going into conference play.”

Nevada never gave itself a chance with its turnovers. And when the Wolf Pack did set up in the half court, the Jayhawks dominated them in the paint. Kansas finished with a 46-14 scoring edge there and a 39-33 rebounding advantage.

Kansas scheduled the game after Harvard dropped out to to prevent a nearly two-week break before it was supposed to begin Big 12 play this weekend. The Jayhawks’ game at Colorado was canceled just hours before tipoff last week, which meant they hadn’t been on the floor since struggling to an 80-72 win over Stephen F. Austin on Dec. 18.

Nevada opens Mountain West play against New Mexico on Saturday. The Jayhawks return the same day against George Mason, which added to the schedule when their Big 12 opener against TCU was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — After Kansas had its game against Harvard wiped out by COVID-19, and Nevada had its Mountain West opener against San Jose State postponed for the same reason, Wolf Pack coach Steve Alford jumped at the chance to visit storied Allen Fieldhouse for the first time.By halftime of the hastily arranged fill-in game, he was probably regretting it.Christian Braun scored 22 points, Ochai Agbaji added 16 and the sixth-ranked Jayhawks rolled to an 88-61 victory over the turnover-prone Wolf Pack before another sellout crowd in the storied arena on Wednesday night.“There’s a lot of people out there scrambling right now. There was like, 75 games scheduled tonight and 32 were canceled or postponed,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “I’m glad we were able to set this up.”It was the first meeting of the schools since Nevada dealt Kansas a rare loss in the Phog in 2005.The outcome was far different this time.Dajuan Harris had a career-high 14 points and David McCormack also scored 14 for the Jayhawks (10-1), who slowly built a 39-17 halftime lead before using a 12-0 run early in the second half to put the game out of reach.“The last time we played we were poor,” Self said, “so I think they were excited to play.”Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Grant Sherfield scored 16 points apiece to lead the Wolf Pack.With all the scheduling changes this week, it wasn’t surprising that both teams were a bit discombobulated.The Wolf Pack, hounded relentlessly by a defense that forced 20 turnovers in each of its past two games, nearly had that many in the first half alone Wednesday night. In fact, Nevada at one point had turned the ball over nearly as many times (14) as it had taken shots (18) before finishing with 21 turnovers for the game.“We knew they were going to get into us. We knew they were going to switch and deny. We worked on it and we didn’t execute,” Nevada assistant Kory Barnett said. “We didn’t put two halves together and we continued to make mistakes, and man, you make mistakes against top-10 teams it’s going to look like that.”Not that the Jayhawks looked like a top-10 team the whole way. They had 10 turnovers at halftime and 14 in all.Still, a hot start from Braun coupled with a big run over the final couple minutes — including a turnover by DeAndre Henry that turned into Agbaji’s windmill dunk — sent the Jayhawks into the locker room with a comfortable lead.“Like, an ‘F.’ That was a horrible windmill,” Braun said in grading Agbaji’s dunk. “Maybe his legs were tired.”Kansas initially struggled to pull away in the second half, but it got some help Alford’s temper. The Nevada coach was incensed a foul wasn’t called when Sherfield scored a layup high off the glass, and both teams had already retreated up the floor when a whistle was blown and Alford was hit with a technical foul.Braun hit both of the free throws, triggering a 10-0 run. Harris drilled a 3-pointer, Abgaji added back-to-back transition dunks, and Remy Martin curled in a 3-pointer as the lead ballooned to 61-36 with 12 1/2 minutes to go.“We have so many weapons,” Braun said. “We have a lot of guys that have learned how to play with each other.”Kansas coasted the rest of the way to its 24th straight nonconference home win.“We’re taking steps in the right direction,” Jayhawks forward Jalen Wilson said. “We have a good team, we have a lot of good pieces. We just have to find that rhythm, get a good pace going into conference play.”THE TAKEAWAYNevada never gave itself a chance with its turnovers. And when the Wolf Pack did set up in the half court, the Jayhawks dominated them in the paint. Kansas finished with a 46-14 scoring edge there and a 39-33 rebounding advantage.Kansas scheduled the game after Harvard dropped out to to prevent a nearly two-week break before it was supposed to begin Big 12 play this weekend. The Jayhawks’ game at Colorado was canceled just hours before tipoff last week, which meant they hadn’t been on the floor since struggling to an 80-72 win over Stephen F. Austin on Dec. 18.UP NEXTNevada opens Mountain West play against New Mexico on Saturday. The Jayhawks return the same day against George Mason, which added to the schedule when their Big 12 opener against TCU was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols.

No. 6 Kansas routs Nevada 88-61 in hastily scheduled game

GREENVILLE, N.C. -- The American Athletic Conference has postponed Wednesday evening's men's basketball matchup between Wichita State and East Carolina due to health and safety protocols within the ECU program.

The Shockers arrived in Greenville, N.C. on Tuesday evening and took part in a Wednesday afternoon shoot around at Minges Coliseum.

Director of Athletics Darron Boatright said:

"We have been in communication with ECU and the conference office throughout the day. We hate that these types of postponements continue to be a reality, but if we're to push forward with an athletic season in the midst of a pandemic, we're going to face challenges like this. We will work with ECU and the conference to find a makeup date that makes sense for both parties."

Wichita State (9-3) will instead open its American Athletic Conference season at home against Memphis on New Year's Day (11 a.m. CT, CBS).

GREENVILLE, N.C. -- The American Athletic Conference has postponed Wednesday evening's men's basketball matchup between Wichita State and East Carolina due to health and safety protocols within the ECU program.The Shockers arrived in Greenville, N.C. on Tuesday evening and took part in a Wednesday afternoon shoot around at Minges Coliseum.Director of Athletics Darron Boatright said:"We have been in communication with ECU and the conference office throughout the day. We hate that these types of postponements continue to be a reality, but if we're to push forward with an athletic season in the midst of a pandemic, we're going to face challenges like this. We will work with ECU and the conference to find a makeup date that makes sense for both parties."Wichita State (9-3) will instead open its American Athletic Conference season at home against Memphis on New Year's Day (11 a.m. CT, CBS).

WSU-ECU Game Postponed

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Christian Braun scored 22 points, Ochai Agbaji added 16 and sixth-ranked Kansas rolled to a 88-61 victory over Nevada. The Jayhawks were supposed to play Harvard before an outbreak forced the Crimson to cancel the trip early this week. The Wolf Pack stepped in when their Mountain West opener against San Jose State had to be postponed because of positive tests within the Spartans’ program. Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Grant Sherfield led the Wolf Pack with 16 points apiece. Kansas built a 39-17 halftime lead and went on a 12-0 run early in the second half.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Due to COVID-19 related issues within the North Florida program, Kansas State's men's basketball game scheduled for tonight (December 29) against the Ospreys has been canceled. The game will not be rescheduled.

GREENVILLE, N.C. -- The American Athletic Conference has postponed Wednesday evening's men's basketball matchup between Wichita State and East Carolina due to health and safety protocols within the ECU program. The Shockers arrived in Greenville, N.C. on Tuesday evening and took part in a Wednesday afternoon shoot around at Minges Coliseum.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Kennedy Brooks ran for 142 yards and three touchdowns as No. 14 Oklahoma rode a dominant first half to beat No. 15 Oregon 47-32 in the Alamo Bowl. Caleb Williams threw three touchdown passes and the Sooners gave interim coach Bob Stoops career win No. 191 and a special family moment when he hugged son Drake, an Oklahoma wide receiver, after a first-half touchdown. Oregon rallied with three touchdowns in the third quarter but couldn't stop the Sooners' offense late.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments are scheduled to go on as planned amid a rise in postponements and cancellations. NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt told NCAA.com the NCAA Tournament was slated to go on in the normal format and there’s been no discussion of playing in a bubble like last season. Gavitt said there was no reason to alter plans for the 2021-22 season since it started on time and and there are a variety of mitigation aspects to combat the virus, including vaccines and boosters. He added games that aren’t played will be declared no contest and the selection committee will be aware of those games. The 2022 men’s NCAA Tournament is scheduled to be held in New Orleans and the women’s in Minneapolis.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — D.J. Uiagalelei completed 21 of 32 passes for 187 yards  Mario Goodrich scored on an 18-yard interception return and No. 19 Clemson beat Iowa State 20-13 on Wednesday night in the Cheez-It Bowl for coach Dabo Swinney’s 150th victory. Will Shipley had a 12-yard touchdown run and finished with 61 yards rushing and 53 yards receiving for Clemson (10-3). Dacari Collins caught six passes for 53 yards, and B.T. Potter made two field goals. Clemson won its sixth straight game to reach 10 victories for an 11th consecutive season. Florida State (14 from 1987-00) and Alabama (14 from 2008-21) are the only programs with longer streaks. Iowa State finished 7-6.

NEW YORK (AP) — Taulia Tagovailoa threw touchdown passes of 70 and 32 yards to Darryl Jones, and Maryland routed Virginia Tech 54-10 in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Tarheep Still returned a punt 92 yards for a touchdown for the Terps. Tagovailoa is the younger brother of Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa. He was named the game's MVP, finishing with 265 yards passing. His 26 touchdown passes this season tied the Maryland single-season record set by Scott Milanovich in 1983. Virginia Tech finished with its second straight losing season and has not won a bowl game since 2016.

UNDATED (AP) — Alabama’s running game has been overshadowed in the buildup for the College Football Playoff semifinal against Cincinnati. Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and All-America receiver Jameson Williams have put up huge numbers through the air. The ground production has ranked among the lowest in Nick Saban’s 15 years. The run game could still play a major role in the Cotton Bowl at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Friday. The Tide plan to lean heavily on Brian Robinson Jr. The 1,000-yard runner leads the SEC with 14 rushing touchdowns and has the second-most carries in the SEC despite injuries.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Cincinnati Bearcats haven't had a first-round draft pick in 50 years. Some of the names carrying them to the College Football Playoff semifinals should change that. Cornerback Ahmad Gardner appears to be the best bet to go in the first round. Quarterback Desmond Ridder also is rated highly. The history of NFL prospects and stars is one of several reasons to consider Cincinnati an underdog against Alabama in the Cotton Bowl on Friday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — One of the biggest reasons the Chiefs have rattled off eight straight wins is something simple yet largely uncontrollable: health. And not just when it comes to COVID-19. The Chiefs regularly have two or three names on the official injury list, whereas other teams have a dozen or more. It's been a pleasant change in karma from last season, when the Chiefs were so beat up by the Super Bowl that their entire offensive line was basically signed off the street. At present, the only injury of note is running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and he should return by the playoffs from a shoulder injury.

UNDATED (AP) — Dick Vitale is taking an extended break from the airwaves to rest his voice. The ESPN college basketball analyst said in a story posted to ESPN Front Row that on a recent visit to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, throat specialist Dr. Steven Zeitels advised him to rest his voice because he has pre-cancerous Dysplasia of the vocal cord membranes. Vitale has undergone treatment this year for melanoma and announced in August that was declared cancer-free. In October, he announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer for a second time. The Hall of Fame announcer said tests showed he had lymphoma and the treatment plan involved steroids and six months of chemotherapy. He had planned to manage his work schedule around his chemotherapy schedule.

Temple	at	(22)Villanova	9 p.m.	(Postponed)

Final	(21)Providence	70	(15)Seton Hall	65	

Miami	at	San Antonio	8:30 p.m.	(Postponed)

Chicago	at	Winnipeg	7:30 p.m.	(Postponed)

Detroit	at	N-Y Islanders	7:30 p.m.	(Postponed)

Pittsburgh	at	Toronto	7:30 p.m.	(Postponed)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639997004498.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Christian Braun scored 22 points, Ochai Agbaji added 16 and sixth-ranked Kansas rolled to a 88-61 victory over Nevada. The Jayhawks were supposed to play Harvard before an outbreak forced the Crimson to cancel the trip early this week. The Wolf Pack stepped in when their Mountain West opener against San Jose State had to be postponed because of positive tests within the Spartans’ program. Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Grant Sherfield led the Wolf Pack with 16 points apiece. Kansas built a 39-17 halftime lead and went on a 12-0 run early in the second half.MANHATTAN, Kan. – Due to COVID-19 related issues within the North Florida program, Kansas State's men's basketball game scheduled for tonight (December 29) against the Ospreys has been canceled. The game will not be rescheduled.GREENVILLE, N.C. -- The American Athletic Conference has postponed Wednesday evening's men's basketball matchup between Wichita State and East Carolina due to health and safety protocols within the ECU program. The Shockers arrived in Greenville, N.C. on Tuesday evening and took part in a Wednesday afternoon shoot around at Minges Coliseum.SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Kennedy Brooks ran for 142 yards and three touchdowns as No. 14 Oklahoma rode a dominant first half to beat No. 15 Oregon 47-32 in the Alamo Bowl. Caleb Williams threw three touchdown passes and the Sooners gave interim coach Bob Stoops career win No. 191 and a special family moment when he hugged son Drake, an Oklahoma wide receiver, after a first-half touchdown. Oregon rallied with three touchdowns in the third quarter but couldn't stop the Sooners' offense late.INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments are scheduled to go on as planned amid a rise in postponements and cancellations. NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt told NCAA.com the NCAA Tournament was slated to go on in the normal format and there’s been no discussion of playing in a bubble like last season. Gavitt said there was no reason to alter plans for the 2021-22 season since it started on time and and there are a variety of mitigation aspects to combat the virus, including vaccines and boosters. He added games that aren’t played will be declared no contest and the selection committee will be aware of those games. The 2022 men’s NCAA Tournament is scheduled to be held in New Orleans and the women’s in Minneapolis.ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — D.J. Uiagalelei completed 21 of 32 passes for 187 yards Mario Goodrich scored on an 18-yard interception return and No. 19 Clemson beat Iowa State 20-13 on Wednesday night in the Cheez-It Bowl for coach Dabo Swinney’s 150th victory. Will Shipley had a 12-yard touchdown run and finished with 61 yards rushing and 53 yards receiving for Clemson (10-3). Dacari Collins caught six passes for 53 yards, and B.T. Potter made two field goals. Clemson won its sixth straight game to reach 10 victories for an 11th consecutive season. Florida State (14 from 1987-00) and Alabama (14 from 2008-21) are the only programs with longer streaks. Iowa State finished 7-6.NEW YORK (AP) — Taulia Tagovailoa threw touchdown passes of 70 and 32 yards to Darryl Jones, and Maryland routed Virginia Tech 54-10 in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Tarheep Still returned a punt 92 yards for a touchdown for the Terps. Tagovailoa is the younger brother of Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa. He was named the game's MVP, finishing with 265 yards passing. His 26 touchdown passes this season tied the Maryland single-season record set by Scott Milanovich in 1983. Virginia Tech finished with its second straight losing season and has not won a bowl game since 2016.UNDATED (AP) — Alabama’s running game has been overshadowed in the buildup for the College Football Playoff semifinal against Cincinnati. Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and All-America receiver Jameson Williams have put up huge numbers through the air. The ground production has ranked among the lowest in Nick Saban’s 15 years. The run game could still play a major role in the Cotton Bowl at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Friday. The Tide plan to lean heavily on Brian Robinson Jr. The 1,000-yard runner leads the SEC with 14 rushing touchdowns and has the second-most carries in the SEC despite injuries.ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Cincinnati Bearcats haven't had a first-round draft pick in 50 years. Some of the names carrying them to the College Football Playoff semifinals should change that. Cornerback Ahmad Gardner appears to be the best bet to go in the first round. Quarterback Desmond Ridder also is rated highly. The history of NFL prospects and stars is one of several reasons to consider Cincinnati an underdog against Alabama in the Cotton Bowl on Friday.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — One of the biggest reasons the Chiefs have rattled off eight straight wins is something simple yet largely uncontrollable: health. And not just when it comes to COVID-19. The Chiefs regularly have two or three names on the official injury list, whereas other teams have a dozen or more. It's been a pleasant change in karma from last season, when the Chiefs were so beat up by the Super Bowl that their entire offensive line was basically signed off the street. At present, the only injury of note is running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and he should return by the playoffs from a shoulder injury.UNDATED (AP) — Dick Vitale is taking an extended break from the airwaves to rest his voice. The ESPN college basketball analyst said in a story posted to ESPN Front Row that on a recent visit to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, throat specialist Dr. Steven Zeitels advised him to rest his voice because he has pre-cancerous Dysplasia of the vocal cord membranes. Vitale has undergone treatment this year for melanoma and announced in August that was declared cancer-free. In October, he announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer for a second time. The Hall of Fame announcer said tests showed he had lymphoma and the treatment plan involved steroids and six months of chemotherapy. He had planned to manage his work schedule around his chemotherapy schedule.WEDNESDAY SCORESTOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	(14)Oklahoma	47	(15)Oregon	32	Final	(19)Clemson	20	Iowa St.	13	TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL(2)Duke	at	Clemson	2 p.m.	(Postponed)Harvard	at	(6)Kansas	8 p.m.	(Canceled)Temple	at	(22)Villanova	9 p.m.	(Postponed)Final	(3)Purdue	104	Nicholls	90	Final	(6)Kansas	88	Nevada	61	Final	(10)Michigan St.	81	High Point	68	Final	(11)Auburn	70	(16)LSU	55	Final	(19)Alabama	73	(14)Tennessee	68	Final	(21)Providence	70	(15)Seton Hall	65	Final	(18)Kentucky	83	Missouri	56	Final	(24)Wisconsin	89	Illinois St.	85	NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONMiami	at	San Antonio	8:30 p.m.	(Postponed)Final	New York	94	Detroit	85	Final	Charlotte	116	Indiana	108	Final	L.A. Clippers	91	Boston	82	Final	Chicago	131	Atlanta	117	Final	Memphis	104	L.A. Lakers	99	Final	Phoenix	115	Oklahoma City	97	Final	Utah	120	Portland	105	Final	Sacramento	95	Dallas	94	NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEBoston	at	Ottawa	7:30 p.m.	(Postponed)Chicago	at	Winnipeg	7:30 p.m.	(Postponed)Detroit	at	N-Y Islanders	7:30 p.m.	(Postponed)Pittsburgh	at	Toronto	7:30 p.m.	(Postponed)Dallas	at	Colorado	10 p.m.	(Postponed)Final	New Jersey	4	Buffalo	3	Final	Florida	4	N-Y Rangers	3	Final	Washington	5	Nashville	3	Final	St. Louis	4	Edmonton	2	Final OT	Philadelphia	3	Seattle	2	Final OT	Vancouver	2	Anaheim	1

Thursday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Teddy Bridgewater remains sidelined with a concussion, so Drew Lock is preparing to make his second straight start Sunday when the Denver Broncos visit the Los Angeles Chargers.

Lock completed 15 of 22 passes for 153 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in Denver’s 17-13 loss at Las Vegas last week. It was his first start since losing his job to Bridgewater last summer.

Although he didn’t turn over the ball for just the fourth time in 25 career starts, the Broncos (7-8) faded from the playoff picture with a bungling offense that went 1 for 10 on third downs and rushed for a mere 18 yards.

That ineptitude led coach Vic Fangio to demur when asked what he thought of Lock’s performance afterward. He suggested “it’s hard to say anything good about the offense” when it took just one snap inside the Raiders 30-yard line — which came after Bradley Chubb returned an interception to the Las Vegas 1.

“Well, for one, we took care of the football,” Lock said Wednesday. “No turnovers. And when you have zero turnovers in a game that gives you most of the time the best chance to win the game.”

Another positive from his first start since last Jan. 3, Lock said, was he felt comfortable from the get-go.

“I felt like I’d been playing all year and when you get to feel like that as a quarterback that brings a comfort, you get a lot of positive thoughts in the head, so to say,” Lock said. “It felt good to be out there. There was zero nerves, zero anxiety, zero anything.

“So, I’m looking forward to being able to go back out there feeling that way, feeling confident, knowing the game plan extremely well and trying to get these guys the ball, and just making plays when I’m out there.”

Lock said he got a jump-start on his preparation for the Chargers (8-7) through the cameo he had against them in Denver’s 28-13 win at home on Nov. 28 when Bridgewater was briefly sidelined with a bruised shin.

“I’m excited to be able to dive in as a starter again against a really good defense,” Lock said. “There’s a lot that goes into the prep every single week, but it does help to play them a little bit, kind of have a feel for who they are and how to attack them the second time around.”

The Broncos have a less than 1% chance of ending their long playoff drought, but they can halt their four-year run of losing seasons with wins over the Chargers and Chiefs to close out the schedule.

“That’s our No. 1 goal for us is to win these next two games,” Lock said.

They know they’ll have to find their ground game mojo again to finish 9-8.

“I think every team every Sunday has to establish a run game and when you have some trouble with it, it does make it a little difficult,” Lock said. “But if you watch all of our games throughout this year, there’s been minimal times when the run game has not been awesome.”

Rookie Javonte Williams has 1,123 scrimmage yards and seven scores and Melvin Gordon has 943 scrimmage yards and nine TDs. But last week, Williams ran seven times for 12 yards and Gordon had the worst game of his career: minus-4 yards on seven carries.

“It was one of those days, in my eyes,” Lock said. “We’re going to get back on track. We’re going to bust our butt in practice this week and get those guys back rolling. The offensive line is ready to go out there and kind of prove some of the negative things that have been said about them wrong, and I’m excited for them to go out there and show that.”

Fangio relayed some fond memories of production meetings with John Madden, the Hall of Fame NFL coach and broadcaster who died Tuesday at age 85.

“The thing I always respected about John as a broadcaster was that he did his job without being in attack mode,” Fangio said. “You know, even when he was second-guessing a player or a coach for something they may have done wrong or he disagreed with, he did it with a touch of class all the time and didn’t have venom in his approach. And I think that bought him a lot of friends and respect throughout the league.”

Notes: The Broncos activated C Lloyd Cushenberry III off the reserve/COVID-19 list and placed WR Tim Patrick, T Calvin Anderson and S Caden Sterns on the virus list along with practice squad WR Tyrie Cleveland.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Teddy Bridgewater remains sidelined with a concussion, so Drew Lock is preparing to make his second straight start Sunday when the Denver Broncos visit the Los Angeles Chargers.Lock completed 15 of 22 passes for 153 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in Denver’s 17-13 loss at Las Vegas last week. It was his first start since losing his job to Bridgewater last summer.Although he didn’t turn over the ball for just the fourth time in 25 career starts, the Broncos (7-8) faded from the playoff picture with a bungling offense that went 1 for 10 on third downs and rushed for a mere 18 yards.That ineptitude led coach Vic Fangio to demur when asked what he thought of Lock’s performance afterward. He suggested “it’s hard to say anything good about the offense” when it took just one snap inside the Raiders 30-yard line — which came after Bradley Chubb returned an interception to the Las Vegas 1.“Well, for one, we took care of the football,” Lock said Wednesday. “No turnovers. And when you have zero turnovers in a game that gives you most of the time the best chance to win the game.”Another positive from his first start since last Jan. 3, Lock said, was he felt comfortable from the get-go.“I felt like I’d been playing all year and when you get to feel like that as a quarterback that brings a comfort, you get a lot of positive thoughts in the head, so to say,” Lock said. “It felt good to be out there. There was zero nerves, zero anxiety, zero anything.“So, I’m looking forward to being able to go back out there feeling that way, feeling confident, knowing the game plan extremely well and trying to get these guys the ball, and just making plays when I’m out there.”Lock said he got a jump-start on his preparation for the Chargers (8-7) through the cameo he had against them in Denver’s 28-13 win at home on Nov. 28 when Bridgewater was briefly sidelined with a bruised shin.“I’m excited to be able to dive in as a starter again against a really good defense,” Lock said. “There’s a lot that goes into the prep every single week, but it does help to play them a little bit, kind of have a feel for who they are and how to attack them the second time around.”The Broncos have a less than 1% chance of ending their long playoff drought, but they can halt their four-year run of losing seasons with wins over the Chargers and Chiefs to close out the schedule.“That’s our No. 1 goal for us is to win these next two games,” Lock said.They know they’ll have to find their ground game mojo again to finish 9-8.“I think every team every Sunday has to establish a run game and when you have some trouble with it, it does make it a little difficult,” Lock said. “But if you watch all of our games throughout this year, there’s been minimal times when the run game has not been awesome.”Rookie Javonte Williams has 1,123 scrimmage yards and seven scores and Melvin Gordon has 943 scrimmage yards and nine TDs. But last week, Williams ran seven times for 12 yards and Gordon had the worst game of his career: minus-4 yards on seven carries.“It was one of those days, in my eyes,” Lock said. “We’re going to get back on track. We’re going to bust our butt in practice this week and get those guys back rolling. The offensive line is ready to go out there and kind of prove some of the negative things that have been said about them wrong, and I’m excited for them to go out there and show that.”Fangio relayed some fond memories of production meetings with John Madden, the Hall of Fame NFL coach and broadcaster who died Tuesday at age 85.“The thing I always respected about John as a broadcaster was that he did his job without being in attack mode,” Fangio said. “You know, even when he was second-guessing a player or a coach for something they may have done wrong or he disagreed with, he did it with a touch of class all the time and didn’t have venom in his approach. And I think that bought him a lot of friends and respect throughout the league.”Notes: The Broncos activated C Lloyd Cushenberry III off the reserve/COVID-19 list and placed WR Tim Patrick, T Calvin Anderson and S Caden Sterns on the virus list along with practice squad WR Tyrie Cleveland.

Lock preparing for another start with Bridgewater still out

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Due to COVID-19 related issues within the North Florida program, Kansas State's men's basketball game scheduled for tonight (December 29) against the Ospreys has been canceled.

The game will not be rescheduled. Ticket purchasers for Wednesday's canceled game will receive additional information from the K-State Athletics Ticket Office via email.

The Wildcats' next home game will be with No. 17/18 Texas (10-2) at 6 p.m., on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. Tickets start at just $1 for Dollar Night in Bramlage Coliseum. Tickets can be purchased by visiting k-statesports.com, calling (800) 221.CATS, or by visiting the Bramlage Coliseum ticket office in person from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., CT, Monday through Friday. 

K-State will open Big 12 play at Oklahoma (10-2) on Saturday night at 7 p.m., CT on ESPNU.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640801771522.png" alt="Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. – Due to COVID-19 related issues within the North Florida program, Kansas State's men's basketball game scheduled for tonight (December 29) against the Ospreys has been canceled.The game will not be rescheduled. Ticket purchasers for Wednesday's canceled game will receive additional information from the K-State Athletics Ticket Office via email.The Wildcats' next home game will be with No. 17/18 Texas (10-2) at 6 p.m., on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. Tickets start at just $1 for Dollar Night in Bramlage Coliseum. Tickets can be purchased by visiting k-statesports.com, calling (800) 221.CATS, or by visiting the Bramlage Coliseum ticket office in person from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., CT, Monday through Friday. K-State will open Big 12 play at Oklahoma (10-2) on Saturday night at 7 p.m., CT on ESPNU.

K-State Basketball Game vs. North Florida Canceled

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Kansas State is back in the bowl scene after a one-year hiatus as the Wildcats were rewarded for their seven-win regular season with their 23rd bowl berth all-time and will take on LSU in the TaxAct Texas Bowl. The game is slated for an 8 p.m., kickoff on Tuesday, January 4, 2022, inside NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Wildcats and Tigers will meet for just the second time ever and the first in 41 seasons, as K-State fell at LSU, 21-0, to open the 1980 season.

K-State is in the Texas Bowl for the third time, having played in the inaugural game in 2006 and topping Texas A&amp;M, 33-28, in 2016. It is the eighth time the Wildcats will play a bowl game in the state of Texas, while they are playing an SEC opponent in a bowl for a fifth time.   The TaxAct Texas Bowl is the second bowl game under head coach Chris Klieman, making him the first coach in school history to lead his team to two bowl games in his first three season at the helm. He is also the first coach in K-State history to guide the Wildcats to at least seven wins twice in his first three seasons.

The Wildcats are one of just 25 Power 5 teams in the nation to advance to at least 10 bowl games in the last 12 seasons and one of four from the Big 12, joining Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. The Wildcats have won two of their last three bowl games – which includes the 2016 Texas Bowl – and will be looking for three bowl wins in a four-game span for the first time since 1999-2002.

• Kansas State raced out to a 3-0 start in 2021, highlighted by a season-opening 24-7 win over Stanford at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in addition to an impressive 38-17 victory against Nevada, which finished the year with an 8-4 record and boasts a potential first-round NFL Draft pick at quarterback. Big 12 play began with three losses against teams that were either ranked in the top-25 at the time or were a preseason top-25 team.

• However, K-State was able to right the ship and rattle off four-straight wins, its second-straight season with a four-game winning streak in conference play. The streak began with a gusty 25-24 victory at Texas Tech, a game in which K-State trailed, 24-10, at halftime before pitching a second-half shutout against a Red Raider team that eventually reached the postseason. The Wildcats then came home and throttled TCU, 31-12, as they limited an explosive Horned Frog team that 34.3 points per game entering the contest.

• Kansas State opened the month of November by winning its 13th-straight game against Kansas to retain the Governor's Cup. The 13-straight wins over KU is tied for the fourth-longest active streak by a team against any one opponent in a series that has been contested each year since at least 2009. K-State then turned around and topped West Virginia – another bowl team this season – 34-17 as the Wildcats snapped a five-game losing streak to the Mountaineers.

• The Wildcats will enter the TaxAct Texas Bowl on a two-game slide after they dropped the final two regular-season games by two or less scores. The Wildcats held a potent Baylor offense – which led the Bears to a Big 12 Championship and a berth into the Sugar Bowl – to just 20 points after averaging 35.4 points per game entering the contest, as K-State fell, 20-10. The Cats then lost at Texas, 22-17, on a short turnaround as they played the day after Thanksgiving.

• The Wildcats were led during the regular season by a pair of sophomores – one on each side of the ball – as running back and all-purpose player Deuce Vaughn was named a First Team All-American by several publications, while defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah was one of the nation's top pass rushers this season.

• Vaughn enters the TaxAct Texas Bowl ranked eighth in school history in single-season rushing yards with 1,258, while he enters the postseason as one of only two players in the nation with at least 1,000 rushing yards and 400 receiving yards this season. Anudike-Uzomah enters the bowl game ranked first in the nation in forced fumbles (6), while he is ninth in the nation and second in the Big 12 in sacks (11.0) and second in the Big 12 in tackles for loss (14.5). A First Team All-Big 12 selection by the league's coaches, Anudike-Uzomah tied a school record with 4.0 sacks against TCU. He is a half sack shy of tying the school record for sacks, and he enters the TaxAct Texas Bowl tied for the school record in forced fumbles.

• LSU finished the regular season with a 6-6 record, including a 3-5 mark in conference play to tie for fifth place in the SEC West. The Tigers won their final two games to get bowl eligible – a 27-14 win against ULM and a 27-24 upset victory over 14th-ranked Texas A&amp;M.

• The Tigers have averaged 27.1 points per game this season while giving up 25.3 per game. Tyrion Davis-Price has rushed for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns, while LSU's quarterback situation is uncertain following the transfer of starter Max Johnson after the regular season.

• On defense, the Tigers are giving up 137.3 yards per game on the ground and 234.9 through the air. Damone Clark, a Second Team All-America pick, leads the way with a SEC-best 135 tackles on the year, including 15.5 for losses, while BJ Ojulari leads the way with 6.0 sacks. Freshmen defensive end Maason Smith and wide receiver Malik Nabers were also named to the Freshman All-SEC team. Offensive guard Ed Ingram and placekicker Cade York were also named second team All-SEC selections.

• In an era of college football where nearly 80 teams play in bowl games each year, K-State is one of just 25 Power 5 schools to advance to a bowl in 10 of the last 12 seasons.

• The Wildcats are one of four Big 12 teams to accomplish the feat, joining Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640789952150.jpeg" alt="Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. - Kansas State is back in the bowl scene after a one-year hiatus as the Wildcats were rewarded for their seven-win regular season with their 23rd bowl berth all-time and will take on LSU in the TaxAct Texas Bowl. The game is slated for an 8 p.m., kickoff on Tuesday, January 4, 2022, inside NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Wildcats and Tigers will meet for just the second time ever and the first in 41 seasons, as K-State fell at LSU, 21-0, to open the 1980 season.K-State is in the Texas Bowl for the third time, having played in the inaugural game in 2006 and topping Texas A&amp;M, 33-28, in 2016. It is the eighth time the Wildcats will play a bowl game in the state of Texas, while they are playing an SEC opponent in a bowl for a fifth time. The TaxAct Texas Bowl is the second bowl game under head coach Chris Klieman, making him the first coach in school history to lead his team to two bowl games in his first three season at the helm. He is also the first coach in K-State history to guide the Wildcats to at least seven wins twice in his first three seasons.The Wildcats are one of just 25 Power 5 teams in the nation to advance to at least 10 bowl games in the last 12 seasons and one of four from the Big 12, joining Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. The Wildcats have won two of their last three bowl games – which includes the 2016 Texas Bowl – and will be looking for three bowl wins in a four-game span for the first time since 1999-2002.A LOOK AT K-STATE• Kansas State raced out to a 3-0 start in 2021, highlighted by a season-opening 24-7 win over Stanford at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in addition to an impressive 38-17 victory against Nevada, which finished the year with an 8-4 record and boasts a potential first-round NFL Draft pick at quarterback. Big 12 play began with three losses against teams that were either ranked in the top-25 at the time or were a preseason top-25 team.• However, K-State was able to right the ship and rattle off four-straight wins, its second-straight season with a four-game winning streak in conference play. The streak began with a gusty 25-24 victory at Texas Tech, a game in which K-State trailed, 24-10, at halftime before pitching a second-half shutout against a Red Raider team that eventually reached the postseason. The Wildcats then came home and throttled TCU, 31-12, as they limited an explosive Horned Frog team that 34.3 points per game entering the contest.• Kansas State opened the month of November by winning its 13th-straight game against Kansas to retain the Governor's Cup. The 13-straight wins over KU is tied for the fourth-longest active streak by a team against any one opponent in a series that has been contested each year since at least 2009. K-State then turned around and topped West Virginia – another bowl team this season – 34-17 as the Wildcats snapped a five-game losing streak to the Mountaineers.• The Wildcats will enter the TaxAct Texas Bowl on a two-game slide after they dropped the final two regular-season games by two or less scores. The Wildcats held a potent Baylor offense – which led the Bears to a Big 12 Championship and a berth into the Sugar Bowl – to just 20 points after averaging 35.4 points per game entering the contest, as K-State fell, 20-10. The Cats then lost at Texas, 22-17, on a short turnaround as they played the day after Thanksgiving.• The Wildcats were led during the regular season by a pair of sophomores – one on each side of the ball – as running back and all-purpose player Deuce Vaughn was named a First Team All-American by several publications, while defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah was one of the nation's top pass rushers this season.• Vaughn enters the TaxAct Texas Bowl ranked eighth in school history in single-season rushing yards with 1,258, while he enters the postseason as one of only two players in the nation with at least 1,000 rushing yards and 400 receiving yards this season. Anudike-Uzomah enters the bowl game ranked first in the nation in forced fumbles (6), while he is ninth in the nation and second in the Big 12 in sacks (11.0) and second in the Big 12 in tackles for loss (14.5). A First Team All-Big 12 selection by the league's coaches, Anudike-Uzomah tied a school record with 4.0 sacks against TCU. He is a half sack shy of tying the school record for sacks, and he enters the TaxAct Texas Bowl tied for the school record in forced fumbles.A LOOK AT LSU• LSU finished the regular season with a 6-6 record, including a 3-5 mark in conference play to tie for fifth place in the SEC West. The Tigers won their final two games to get bowl eligible – a 27-14 win against ULM and a 27-24 upset victory over 14th-ranked Texas A&amp;M.• The Tigers have averaged 27.1 points per game this season while giving up 25.3 per game. Tyrion Davis-Price has rushed for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns, while LSU's quarterback situation is uncertain following the transfer of starter Max Johnson after the regular season.• On defense, the Tigers are giving up 137.3 yards per game on the ground and 234.9 through the air. Damone Clark, a Second Team All-America pick, leads the way with a SEC-best 135 tackles on the year, including 15.5 for losses, while BJ Ojulari leads the way with 6.0 sacks. Freshmen defensive end Maason Smith and wide receiver Malik Nabers were also named to the Freshman All-SEC team. Offensive guard Ed Ingram and placekicker Cade York were also named second team All-SEC selections.BOWLING AGAIN• In an era of college football where nearly 80 teams play in bowl games each year, K-State is one of just 25 Power 5 schools to advance to a bowl in 10 of the last 12 seasons.• The Wildcats are one of four Big 12 teams to accomplish the feat, joining Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

Cats, Tigers Tussle in Final Bowl Game of 2021

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Michigan defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald went to high school in Georgia. He’s a University of Georgia graduate. He once worked on the staff at Georgia under Mark Richt as a graduate assistant.

Cincinnati running back Jerome Ford spent two seasons carrying the ball for Alabama, scoring three touchdowns and honing his craft under coach Nick Saban.

And now they get to try to beat their old schools.

There are plenty of ties that bind for all four teams going into the College Football Playoff semifinals Friday, and the ones featuring Macdonald and Ford might be the best of the bunch. Macdonald will look to slow down Georgia — his alma mater — in the Orange Bowl. Ford is Cincinnati’s top rusher, set to play against Alabama at the Cotton Bowl.

“I’m looking down here at the microphone and it says Orange Bowl,” Macdonald said while meeting with reporters virtually on Tuesday morning. “And it’s kind of hard to believe that we’re here.”

Oh, in his case, that’s true on a lot of levels.

Let’s start at the beginning: He played high school football in Roswell, Georgia, for a man named Xarvia Smith. The respect was mutual, and when Macdonald was 21 and in the honors program on his way to a business degree from Georgia, Smith got a job at another high school. He offered Macdonald a chance to be defensive coordinator for the freshman team. Six shutouts later by that group, Macdonald was promoted to the varsity coaching staff — juggling that with his senior year of college.

He’s not the only Michigan man with deep Georgia ties. Defensive lineman Chris Hinton is one of seven Wolverines who list Georgia as their home state, and Hinton nearly signed with the Bulldogs.

“I grew up with a lot of those guys over there at UGA, just growing up or through the recruiting process or through basketball, so it’s going to be fun going against some familiar faces,” Hinton said. “They recruited me hard and were honestly my second school. That’s really my second school, my second option. It’s going to be really fun going against those guys. I’m excited for the game.”

And Hinton gives Macdonald plenty of credit for getting Michigan to this moment.

“I think he does a great job of putting people in great positions to make plays, and he does a great job just relating to his players,” Hinton said. “We understand what he’s thinking, he understands what we’re thinking, and we’re able to bounce off of that, bounce ideas off of that, and I think that’s paid dividends to our success this year. I mean, we love Coach Mac.”

Ford helped carry Cincinnati to this stage, becoming one of the nation’s breakout stars in 2021 and — as luck would have it — getting the chance to face a program he knows plenty about in the semifinals.

Ford carried the ball 31 times in two seasons for Saban and the Crimson Tide. But he’s grown fatigued of being labeled “the Alabama transfer.”

“I’m thankful for everything Coach Saban did for me and the opportunity to play at Alabama,” said Ford, who has rushed for 1,242 yards and 19 touchdowns this season. “But I’m a Bearcat, and I would kind of appreciate it if people stopped calling me ‘the Alabama transfer.’ I am a Cincinnati Bearcat. But like I said, I’m thankful for everything Coach Saban did for me and the opportunity to play at Alabama around all the great coaches and other great players.”

Facing his former team might be an interesting plot twist, but Ford has a chance to help Cincinnati get to the national title game. That’s all the motivation he says he needs.

“I’m real motivated to play,” Ford said. “There’s nobody or nothing the team that we are playing could do to possibly add any motivation. I feel like I’m very intrinsically motivated, and everything I have comes from inside.”

As is the case with Ford, there’s no question about where Macdonald’s loyalty lies this week.

After his stint at Cedar Shoals, Macdonald became a grad assistant at Georgia. This was before iPads and tablets; playbooks were actually still books back then, and Macdonald was part of the group assembling them.

“I remember just having a really rough relationship with the printer,” he said.

Office machinery issues notwithstanding, Macdonald became further convinced that coaching was his calling. Richt moved him up to defensive quality control coach for three years, before Macdonald decided in 2013 that it was time to put his business degree to use. He accepted an offer to work at KPMG, along the same time that John Harbaugh — the brother of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh — was looking for interns with the Baltimore Ravens.

The KPMG move never happened. Macdonald spent seven years with the Ravens, got hired at Michigan this past January and the rest is history.

“Just extremely fortunate,” Macdonald said. “Talk about just luck of the draw. Man, am I blessed that that happened, so otherwise we wouldn’t be sitting here.”

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Michigan defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald went to high school in Georgia. He’s a University of Georgia graduate. He once worked on the staff at Georgia under Mark Richt as a graduate assistant.Cincinnati running back Jerome Ford spent two seasons carrying the ball for Alabama, scoring three touchdowns and honing his craft under coach Nick Saban.And now they get to try to beat their old schools.There are plenty of ties that bind for all four teams going into the College Football Playoff semifinals Friday, and the ones featuring Macdonald and Ford might be the best of the bunch. Macdonald will look to slow down Georgia — his alma mater — in the Orange Bowl. Ford is Cincinnati’s top rusher, set to play against Alabama at the Cotton Bowl.“I’m looking down here at the microphone and it says Orange Bowl,” Macdonald said while meeting with reporters virtually on Tuesday morning. “And it’s kind of hard to believe that we’re here.”Oh, in his case, that’s true on a lot of levels.Let’s start at the beginning: He played high school football in Roswell, Georgia, for a man named Xarvia Smith. The respect was mutual, and when Macdonald was 21 and in the honors program on his way to a business degree from Georgia, Smith got a job at another high school. He offered Macdonald a chance to be defensive coordinator for the freshman team. Six shutouts later by that group, Macdonald was promoted to the varsity coaching staff — juggling that with his senior year of college.He’s not the only Michigan man with deep Georgia ties. Defensive lineman Chris Hinton is one of seven Wolverines who list Georgia as their home state, and Hinton nearly signed with the Bulldogs.“I grew up with a lot of those guys over there at UGA, just growing up or through the recruiting process or through basketball, so it’s going to be fun going against some familiar faces,” Hinton said. “They recruited me hard and were honestly my second school. That’s really my second school, my second option. It’s going to be really fun going against those guys. I’m excited for the game.”And Hinton gives Macdonald plenty of credit for getting Michigan to this moment.“I think he does a great job of putting people in great positions to make plays, and he does a great job just relating to his players,” Hinton said. “We understand what he’s thinking, he understands what we’re thinking, and we’re able to bounce off of that, bounce ideas off of that, and I think that’s paid dividends to our success this year. I mean, we love Coach Mac.”Ford helped carry Cincinnati to this stage, becoming one of the nation’s breakout stars in 2021 and — as luck would have it — getting the chance to face a program he knows plenty about in the semifinals.Ford carried the ball 31 times in two seasons for Saban and the Crimson Tide. But he’s grown fatigued of being labeled “the Alabama transfer.”“I’m thankful for everything Coach Saban did for me and the opportunity to play at Alabama,” said Ford, who has rushed for 1,242 yards and 19 touchdowns this season. “But I’m a Bearcat, and I would kind of appreciate it if people stopped calling me ‘the Alabama transfer.’ I am a Cincinnati Bearcat. But like I said, I’m thankful for everything Coach Saban did for me and the opportunity to play at Alabama around all the great coaches and other great players.”Facing his former team might be an interesting plot twist, but Ford has a chance to help Cincinnati get to the national title game. That’s all the motivation he says he needs.“I’m real motivated to play,” Ford said. “There’s nobody or nothing the team that we are playing could do to possibly add any motivation. I feel like I’m very intrinsically motivated, and everything I have comes from inside.”Fair enough.As is the case with Ford, there’s no question about where Macdonald’s loyalty lies this week.After his stint at Cedar Shoals, Macdonald became a grad assistant at Georgia. This was before iPads and tablets; playbooks were actually still books back then, and Macdonald was part of the group assembling them.“I remember just having a really rough relationship with the printer,” he said.Office machinery issues notwithstanding, Macdonald became further convinced that coaching was his calling. Richt moved him up to defensive quality control coach for three years, before Macdonald decided in 2013 that it was time to put his business degree to use. He accepted an offer to work at KPMG, along the same time that John Harbaugh — the brother of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh — was looking for interns with the Baltimore Ravens.The KPMG move never happened. Macdonald spent seven years with the Ravens, got hired at Michigan this past January and the rest is history.“Just extremely fortunate,” Macdonald said. “Talk about just luck of the draw. Man, am I blessed that that happened, so otherwise we wouldn’t be sitting here.”

Ties that bind: Some in CFP will face their former schools

John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, the league said. He was 85.

The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause.

Madden gained fame in a decade-long stint as the coach of the renegade Oakland Raiders, making it to seven AFC title games and winning the Super Bowl following the 1976 season. He compiled a 103-32-7 regular-season record, and his .759 winning percentage is the best among NFL coaches with more than 100 games.

But it was his work after prematurely retiring as coach at age 42 that made Madden truly a household name. He educated a football nation with his use of the telestrator on broadcasts; entertained millions with his interjections of “Boom!” and “Doink!” throughout games; was an omnipresent pitchman selling restaurants, hardware stores and beer; became the face of “Madden NFL Football,” one of the most successful sports video games of all-time; and was a best-selling author.

Most of all, he was the preeminent television sports analyst for most of his three decades calling games, winning an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality, and covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks from 1979-2009.

“People always ask, are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy?” he said when was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “I’m a coach, always been a coach.”

He started his broadcasting career at CBS after leaving coaching in great part because of his fear of flying. He and Pat Summerall became the network’s top announcing duo. Madden then helped give Fox credibility as a major network when he moved there in 1994, and went on to call prime-time games at ABC and NBC before retiring following Pittsburgh’s thrilling 27-23 win over Arizona in the 2009 Super Bowl.

“I am not aware of anyone who has made a more meaningful impact on the National Football League than John Madden, and I know of no one who loved the game more,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement.

Burly and a little unkempt, Madden earned a place in America’s heart with a likable, unpretentious style that was refreshing in a sports world of spiraling salaries and prima donna stars. He rode from game to game in his own bus because he suffered from claustrophobia and had stopped flying. For a time, Madden gave out a “turducken” — a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey — to the outstanding player in the Thanksgiving game that he called.

“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.”

When he finally retired from the broadcast booth, leaving NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” colleagues universally praised Madden’s passion for the sport, his preparation, and his ability to explain an often-complicated game in down-to-earth terms.

“No one has made the sport more interesting, more relevant and more enjoyable to watch and listen to than John,” play-by-play announcer Al Michaels said at the time.

For anyone who heard Madden exclaim “Boom!” while breaking down a play, his love of the game was obvious.

“For me, TV is really an extension of coaching,” Madden wrote in “Hey, Wait a Minute! (I Wrote a Book!).”

“My knowledge of football has come from coaching. And on TV, all I’m trying to do is pass on some of that knowledge to viewers.”

Madden was raised in Daly City, California. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines for Cal Poly in 1957-58 and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the school.

Madden was chosen to the all-conference team and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, but a knee injury ended his hopes of a pro playing career. Instead, Madden got into coaching, first at Hancock Junior College and then as defensive coordinator at San Diego State.

Al Davis brought him to the Raiders as a linebackers coach in 1967, and Oakland went to the Super Bowl in his first year in the pros. He replaced John Rauch as head coach after the 1968 season at age 32, beginning a remarkable 10-year run.

With his demonstrative demeanor on the sideline and disheveled look, Madden was the ideal coach for the collection of castoffs and misfits that made up those Raiders teams.

“Sometimes guys were disciplinarians in things that didn’t make any difference. I was a disciplinarian in jumping offsides; I hated that,” Madden once said. “Being in bad position and missing tackles, those things. I wasn’t, ‘Your hair has to be combed.’”

“I always thought his strong suit was his style of coaching,” quarterback Ken Stabler once said. “John just had a great knack for letting us be what we wanted to be, on the field and off the field. ... How do you repay him for being that way? You win for him.”

And boy, did they ever. Many years, the only problem was the playoffs.

Madden went 12-1-1 in his first season, losing the AFL title game 17-7 to Kansas City. That pattern repeated itself during his tenure; the Raiders won the division title in seven of his first eight seasons, but went 1-6 in conference title games during that span.

Still, Madden’s Raiders played in some of the sport’s most memorable games of the 1970s, games that helped change rules in the NFL. There was the “Holy Roller” in 1978, when Stabler purposely fumbled forward before being sacked on the final play. The ball rolled and was batted to the end zone before Dave Casper recovered it for the winning touchdown against San Diego.

The most famous of those games went against the Raiders in the 1972 playoffs at Pittsburgh. With the Raiders leading 7-6 and 22 seconds left, the Steelers had a fourth-and-10 from their 40. Terry Bradshaw’s desperation pass deflected off either Oakland’s Jack Tatum or Pittsburgh’s Frenchy Fuqua to Franco Harris, who caught it at his shoe tops and ran in for a TD.

In those days, a pass that bounced off an offensive player directly to a teammate was illegal, and the debate continues to this day over which player it hit. The catch, of course, was dubbed the “Immaculate Reception.”

Oakland finally broke through with a loaded team in 1976 that had Stabler at quarterback; Fred Biletnikoff and Cliff Branch at receiver; tight end Dave Casper; Hall of Fame offensive linemen Gene Upshaw and Art Shell; and a defense that included Willie Brown, Ted Hendricks, Tatum, John Matuszak, Otis Sistrunk and George Atkinson.

The Raiders went 13-1, losing only a blowout at New England in Week 4. They paid the Patriots back with a 24-21 win in their first playoff game and got over the AFC title game hump with a 24-7 win over the hated Steelers, who were crippled by injuries.

Oakland won it all with a 32-14 Super Bowl romp against Minnesota.

“Players loved playing for him,” Shell said. “He made it fun for us in camp and fun for us in the regular season. All he asked is that we be on time and play like hell when it was time to play.”

Madden battled an ulcer the following season, when the Raiders once again lost in the AFC title game. He retired from coaching at age 42 after a 9-7 season in 1978.

Survivors include his wife, Virginia, and two sons, Joseph and Michael. John and Virginia Madden’s 62nd wedding anniversary was two days before his death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640439615693.jpeg" alt="John Madden in 2007 wikicommons" />
 <figcaption>John Madden in 2007 wikicommons</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOSH DUBOW, AP Pro Football WriterJohn Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, the league said. He was 85.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Raiders Family is deeply saddened by the passing of the legendary John Madden. Statement » <a href="https://t.co/9Drm7UNvf6">https://t.co/9Drm7UNvf6</a> <a href="https://t.co/HA0GDGPN46">pic.twitter.com/HA0GDGPN46</a>&mdash; Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) <a href="https://twitter.com/Raiders/status/1475992603254423553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause.Madden gained fame in a decade-long stint as the coach of the renegade Oakland Raiders, making it to seven AFC title games and winning the Super Bowl following the 1976 season. He compiled a 103-32-7 regular-season record, and his .759 winning percentage is the best among NFL coaches with more than 100 games.But it was his work after prematurely retiring as coach at age 42 that made Madden truly a household name. He educated a football nation with his use of the telestrator on broadcasts; entertained millions with his interjections of “Boom!” and “Doink!” throughout games; was an omnipresent pitchman selling restaurants, hardware stores and beer; became the face of “Madden NFL Football,” one of the most successful sports video games of all-time; and was a best-selling author.Most of all, he was the preeminent television sports analyst for most of his three decades calling games, winning an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality, and covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks from 1979-2009.“People always ask, are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy?” he said when was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “I’m a coach, always been a coach.”He started his broadcasting career at CBS after leaving coaching in great part because of his fear of flying. He and Pat Summerall became the network’s top announcing duo. Madden then helped give Fox credibility as a major network when he moved there in 1994, and went on to call prime-time games at ABC and NBC before retiring following Pittsburgh’s thrilling 27-23 win over Arizona in the 2009 Super Bowl.“I am not aware of anyone who has made a more meaningful impact on the National Football League than John Madden, and I know of no one who loved the game more,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement.Burly and a little unkempt, Madden earned a place in America’s heart with a likable, unpretentious style that was refreshing in a sports world of spiraling salaries and prima donna stars. He rode from game to game in his own bus because he suffered from claustrophobia and had stopped flying. For a time, Madden gave out a “turducken” — a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey — to the outstanding player in the Thanksgiving game that he called.“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.”When he finally retired from the broadcast booth, leaving NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” colleagues universally praised Madden’s passion for the sport, his preparation, and his ability to explain an often-complicated game in down-to-earth terms.“No one has made the sport more interesting, more relevant and more enjoyable to watch and listen to than John,” play-by-play announcer Al Michaels said at the time.For anyone who heard Madden exclaim “Boom!” while breaking down a play, his love of the game was obvious.“For me, TV is really an extension of coaching,” Madden wrote in “Hey, Wait a Minute! (I Wrote a Book!).”“My knowledge of football has come from coaching. And on TV, all I’m trying to do is pass on some of that knowledge to viewers.”Madden was raised in Daly City, California. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines for Cal Poly in 1957-58 and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the school.Madden was chosen to the all-conference team and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, but a knee injury ended his hopes of a pro playing career. Instead, Madden got into coaching, first at Hancock Junior College and then as defensive coordinator at San Diego State.Al Davis brought him to the Raiders as a linebackers coach in 1967, and Oakland went to the Super Bowl in his first year in the pros. He replaced John Rauch as head coach after the 1968 season at age 32, beginning a remarkable 10-year run.With his demonstrative demeanor on the sideline and disheveled look, Madden was the ideal coach for the collection of castoffs and misfits that made up those Raiders teams.“Sometimes guys were disciplinarians in things that didn’t make any difference. I was a disciplinarian in jumping offsides; I hated that,” Madden once said. “Being in bad position and missing tackles, those things. I wasn’t, ‘Your hair has to be combed.’”The Raiders responded.“I always thought his strong suit was his style of coaching,” quarterback Ken Stabler once said. “John just had a great knack for letting us be what we wanted to be, on the field and off the field. ... How do you repay him for being that way? You win for him.”And boy, did they ever. Many years, the only problem was the playoffs.Madden went 12-1-1 in his first season, losing the AFL title game 17-7 to Kansas City. That pattern repeated itself during his tenure; the Raiders won the division title in seven of his first eight seasons, but went 1-6 in conference title games during that span.Still, Madden’s Raiders played in some of the sport’s most memorable games of the 1970s, games that helped change rules in the NFL. There was the “Holy Roller” in 1978, when Stabler purposely fumbled forward before being sacked on the final play. The ball rolled and was batted to the end zone before Dave Casper recovered it for the winning touchdown against San Diego.The most famous of those games went against the Raiders in the 1972 playoffs at Pittsburgh. With the Raiders leading 7-6 and 22 seconds left, the Steelers had a fourth-and-10 from their 40. Terry Bradshaw’s desperation pass deflected off either Oakland’s Jack Tatum or Pittsburgh’s Frenchy Fuqua to Franco Harris, who caught it at his shoe tops and ran in for a TD.In those days, a pass that bounced off an offensive player directly to a teammate was illegal, and the debate continues to this day over which player it hit. The catch, of course, was dubbed the “Immaculate Reception.”Oakland finally broke through with a loaded team in 1976 that had Stabler at quarterback; Fred Biletnikoff and Cliff Branch at receiver; tight end Dave Casper; Hall of Fame offensive linemen Gene Upshaw and Art Shell; and a defense that included Willie Brown, Ted Hendricks, Tatum, John Matuszak, Otis Sistrunk and George Atkinson.The Raiders went 13-1, losing only a blowout at New England in Week 4. They paid the Patriots back with a 24-21 win in their first playoff game and got over the AFC title game hump with a 24-7 win over the hated Steelers, who were crippled by injuries.Oakland won it all with a 32-14 Super Bowl romp against Minnesota.“Players loved playing for him,” Shell said. “He made it fun for us in camp and fun for us in the regular season. All he asked is that we be on time and play like hell when it was time to play.”Madden battled an ulcer the following season, when the Raiders once again lost in the AFC title game. He retired from coaching at age 42 after a 9-7 season in 1978.Survivors include his wife, Virginia, and two sons, Joseph and Michael. John and Virginia Madden’s 62nd wedding anniversary was two days before his death.___

John Madden, Hall of Fame coach and broadcaster has died

LAWRENCE, Kan. — The Kansas men’s basketball game versus TCU on Saturday, Jan. 1 has been postponed due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols within the TCU program.

KU is currently working with the Big 12 Conference to reschedule the game for a later date this season that works for both teams.

All tickets that have been purchased to Saturday’s game versus TCU will be valid for the rescheduled contest later in the season. For any additional questions, please contact the Kansas Ticket Office by email (kutickets@ku.edu).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640714700069.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. — The Kansas men’s basketball game versus TCU on Saturday, Jan. 1 has been postponed due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols within the TCU program.KU is currently working with the Big 12 Conference to reschedule the game for a later date this season that works for both teams.All tickets that have been purchased to Saturday’s game versus TCU will be valid for the rescheduled contest later in the season. For any additional questions, please contact the Kansas Ticket Office by email (kutickets@ku.edu).

Kansas Game Versus TCU Postponed

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — There isn't a team in the league that would want to face Denver's suffocating defense in the playoffs. Thanks to the Broncos' abominable offense, nobody's worrying about having to go up against Justin Simmons, Patrick Surtain II and Bradley Chubb in the postseason.

Barring a mathematical miracle, the Broncos (7-8) will have cleared out their lockers and scattered for another offseason of uncertainty by the time wild-card weekend rolls around Jan. 15.

Coach Vic Fangio, who is 19-28 in three seasons as head coach, said Monday he's not concerned about getting fired.

“Do I acknowledge that it's certainly out there and could happen? Absolutely. But do I worry about it? I absolutely do not worry about it, for many, many reasons,” Fangio said.

Asked if he felt he and his staff deserved to return next year for the final year of his contract and if he'd come back in 2022 even without an extension, Fangio said, “Absolutely" on both counts.

Fangio said his discussions with general manger George Paton are framed on the present: “Sometimes those conversations lead into the future, but we don't go too far into the future. We're focused on the task at hand right now.”

Fangio said he and Paton “get along tremendously”, but he demurred when asked if he felt he needed to win out to finish 9-8 and snap the franchise's four-year streak of losing records.

“I'm not worried about do I have to win the next two to secure the job,” Fangio said. “That's totally not my frame of thought right now.”

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — There isn't a team in the league that would want to face Denver's suffocating defense in the playoffs. Thanks to the Broncos' abominable offense, nobody's worrying about having to go up against Justin Simmons, Patrick Surtain II and Bradley Chubb in the postseason.Barring a mathematical miracle, the Broncos (7-8) will have cleared out their lockers and scattered for another offseason of uncertainty by the time wild-card weekend rolls around Jan. 15.Coach Vic Fangio, who is 19-28 in three seasons as head coach, said Monday he's not concerned about getting fired.“Do I acknowledge that it's certainly out there and could happen? Absolutely. But do I worry about it? I absolutely do not worry about it, for many, many reasons,” Fangio said.Asked if he felt he and his staff deserved to return next year for the final year of his contract and if he'd come back in 2022 even without an extension, Fangio said, “Absolutely" on both counts.Fangio said his discussions with general manger George Paton are framed on the present: “Sometimes those conversations lead into the future, but we don't go too far into the future. We're focused on the task at hand right now.”Fangio said he and Paton “get along tremendously”, but he demurred when asked if he felt he needed to win out to finish 9-8 and snap the franchise's four-year streak of losing records.“I'm not worried about do I have to win the next two to secure the job,” Fangio said. “That's totally not my frame of thought right now.”Nobody knows how Paton, nearing his one-year anniversary on the job, will handle the Broncos' failure to make a strong playoff push. Will he prefer a new coach of his own choosing? Would he make Fangio's return contingent on his replacing some assistants such as embattled offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur or special teams coordinator Tom McMahon?Paton hasn't addressed any of those questions publicly.The Broncos are a better than 99-in-100 bet to miss the playoffs for a sixth straight season after their 17-13 flop at Las Vegas on Sunday when the offense negated another stellar defensive performance punctuated by three takeaways.Denver's offense managed an abysmal 158 yards, rushed for a mere 18 yards and converted a solitary third down in losing for the third time in four games.The Broncos' plus-3 turnover margin ordinarily would have atoned for allowing Josh Jacobs to scurry for 129 yards.Quarterback Drew Lock played nearly mistake-free in his first start of the season with Teddy Bridgewater (concussion) sidelined, but his receivers had plenty of big drops and 15 of 22 for 153 yards wasn't nearly enough to complement Denver's dominant defense.“When you get 158 yards of offense and eight first downs, it’s hard to say anything good about the offense,” Fangio lamented after the game.Fangio seems at a loss about how to fix an offense that's averaging 19.9 points overall and just 13.6 in Denver's eight losses.“We just have to keep looking at it and find a way to get it improved obviously," he said.Fangio said he'd prefer to start Bridgewater next week, but that Bridgewater remains in concussion protocol and "until he's cleared by the independent docs and says he's ready to go, we have to assume that he won't be available to play.”Despite their thin odds, Chubb said nobody's giving up on the season.“We’re not thinking about next year. We’re thinking about these next two weeks against the Chiefs and Chargers and we’re going to go out there and ruin somebody’s chances,” he said.A team that used to so often enjoy the spoils of victory is relegated once again to playing the role of spoiler.WHAT'S WORKINGThe defense is allowing 17.3 points a game, tied with the New England Patriots for best scoring defense in the league.WHAT NEEDS HELPThe offense is imploding down the stretch with dropped passes, missed assignments and a seeping unawareness of the first-down marker's location.STOCK UPMaking his second career start, ILB Jonas Griffith led the Broncos with 13 tackles, six of them solo, including two tackles for a loss.STOCK DOWNRB Melvin Gordon's seven carries for minus-4 yards was the worst game of his seven-year career.KEY NUMBER26 — The number of times in 47 games under Fangio that the Broncos have failed to score at least 20 points. The Broncos are 4-22 in those games.WHAT'S NEXTA trip to face the Chargers (8-7), also losers of two straight.