GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) — The games have been stacking up for Texas, which after playing in the Southeastern Conference championship game had to win two extra games in this expanded College Football Playoff to get back to the same spot they were last season. At least the Longhorns didn’t have to travel far Wednesday for this CFP semifinal, their 16th game this season. It was only about a 45-minute flight from their campus to North Texas, where they play Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night. “You can’t take it for granted. Most people don’t get opportunities to still be playing, and then to still be playing, I mean, down the road from Austin, that’s another blessing,” All-America cornerback Jahdae Barron said after the team’s arrival. Both the Longhorns (13-2) and Buckeyes (12-2) got to the Dallas area as scheduled ahead of an expected winter storm that was forecast bring 2 to 4 inches of snow Thursday, along with sleet and rain.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Jarrett Allen scored 25 points, Evan Mobley added 21 and the Cleveland Cavaliers ended Oklahoma City’s 15-game winning streak by beating the Thunder 129-122 on Wednesday night in a marquee meeting between the NBA’s top two teams. The Cavs extended their winning streak to 11, improved the league’s best record to 32-4 — 11-0 against the West — and moved to 19-1 at home. They did it on an off night for leading scorer Donovan Mitchell, who had just 11 points on 3 of 16 shooting. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points and Jalen Williams had 25 for the Thunder in their first loss since Dec. 1. While it’s only January and there’s a lot of basketball ahead, the game’s intensity had the all vibes of a Finals matchup in June. There were 30 lead changes and neither team led by more than nine. The matchup was only the third in history between teams riding double-digit winning streaks. The last time it happened was on Jan. 26, 1995, when Seattle and Utah entered their game each on 10-game winning streaks. St. John native Dean Wade scored 11 points for the Cavaliers.
DANIA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The Big Ten plays nine conference games in football. So does the Big 12. The Southeastern Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference are among those playing eight-game league schedules. The Mountain West played a seven-game league slate. Notre Dame doesn’t have a league. Enough, Penn State coach James Franklin says. Franklin — who raised some eyebrows last month when he said that former Alabama coach Nick Saban should become commissioner of college football, a job that doesn’t technically exist and an idea that Saban didn’t seem to like very much — was at it again Wednesday, saying on the eve of his team’s matchup with Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Orange Bowl that the sport needs uniformity. “I know a lot of times when coaches talk like this people roll their eyes,” Franklin said. “But I think when every decision that we make is based on finances, then we’re not making great decisions that’s in the student-athlete and the game of football’s best interest. ... I think it should be consistent across college football.”
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The NHL postponed the Los Angeles Kings’ home game against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday with several massive wildfires burning across the greater Los Angeles area. The Kings and Flames were scheduled to play Wednesday night at the Kings’ downtown arena. The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers are scheduled to host the Charlotte Hornets in the same arena on Thursday night. “Our hearts are with our entire Los Angeles community,” the Kings said in a statement. “We appreciate the hard working first responders who are diligently working to contain the fire and protect our community. We appreciate the league’s support in keeping our fans, staff, and players safe.” The Pepperdine women’s basketball team also postponed its home game scheduled for Thursday night against the University of Portland at Firestone Field House on the school’s Malibu campus, the West Coast Conference announced. Pepperdine canceled classes Wednesday, and access to its coastal campus is restricted.
WEDNESDAY SCORES
NCAA WOMEN TOP 25
No. 4 USC 79, No. 8 Maryland 74
No. 7 UCONN 81, Xavier 27
No. 9 Ohio State 84, No. 25 Michigan 77
No. 11 TCU 80, Kansas 73
No. 12 Kansas State 71, No. 22 Utah 47
No. 17 West Virginia 89, Texas Tech 53
Nebraska 85, No. 20 Michigan State 80