PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bailey Zappe threw three first-half touchdown passes, and the New England Patriots snapped a five-game skid while damaging the playoff hopes of the Pittsburgh Steelers with a 21-18 victory. Zappe passed for 240 yards in his second start for the Patriots, who became the second two-win team in five days to hand the Steelers a potentially season-altering loss at home. Hunter Henry had two touchdown catches for New England. Ezekiel Elliott had 140 yards from scrimmage and caught a TD for the NFL's lowest-scoring offense. Mitch Trubisky had a touchdown pass and a rushing TD for Pittsburgh but made some questionable throws in place of the injured Kenny Pickett.
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Keshon Gilbert scored 25 points and Robert Jones scored 18 points and Iowa State beat Iowa 90-65 as the Cyclones celebrated the program’s 600th win at Hilton Coliseum. The win also was the largest point differential between the two teams in the 76 games played between the rivals. Iowa State beat Iowa 73-53 in 2021, the largest differential prior to Thursday. Payton Sandfort scored 14 points and reserves Dasonte Bowen and Owen Freeman scored 13 points and 11 points respectively for the Cyclones.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas State forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin was dismissed from the team late Wednesday, more than a month after his arrest for disorderly conduct. That has triggered a wave of criticism aimed at the school administration from some fans. Tomlin's arrest stemmed from a bar fight and led Kansas State coach Jerome Tang to immediately suspended him. But as the season progressed, many Kansas State fans were antsy for Tomlin’s return to the team, even chanting his name during an overtime win against Villanova this week. Athletic director Gene Taylor finally issued a statement late Wednesday that said Tomlin “will no longer be able to continue with the K-State men’s basketball team."
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech senior forward Devan Cambridge will miss the rest of the season because of a knee injury. Cambridge got hurt in the Red Raiders’ 87-58 victory over Omaha, a day before the school announced Thursday that the transfer from Arizona State will miss the rest of this season. Cambridge started Texas Tech’s first eight games, averaging 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds. He began his college career with three seasons at Auburn, then went to Arizona State last season to play with his brother. He could file for a medical hardship waiver with the Big 12 for another season.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has hired former Baylor and BYU assistant Jeff Grimes to be its assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. He replaces Andy Kotelnicki, who left Jayhawks coach Lance Leipold’s staff for the same position at Penn State. Grimes helped lead Baylor to Big 12 and Sugar Bowl titles in 2021 before directing one of the best offenses in school history last season. But he was let go along with several other coaches from Baylor coach Dave Aranda's staff following a 3-9 finish this season.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A federal lawsuit filed by a group of states alleges the NCAA’s transfer rule for college athletes violates antitrust law. The lawsuit filed in West Virginia challenges the NCAA’s authority to impose a one-year delay in the eligibility of certain athletes who transfer. The suit says the rule “unjustifiably" restrains these athletes' ability to engage in the market for their labor. NCAA rules allow underclassmen to transfer once without having to sit out a year. Any additional transfer as an undergraduate would require a waiver from the NCAA for the athlete to compete immediately. The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order against the NCAA from enforcing the transfer rule.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is The Associated Press college football player of the year. Daniels received 35 of the 51 first-place votes and 130 total points from AP Top 25 poll voters. Washington quarterback Michael Penix was second with 15 first-place votes and 97 points. Oregon QB Bo Nix was third ahead of Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison and Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II. Daniels is the second LSU player in five seasons to win the award; Joe Burrow won in 2019, when he also won the Heisman Trophy.
UNDATED (AP) — Jon Rahm is now part of Saudi-funded LIV Golf. The shocking news was confirmed when Rahm donned a black LIV Golf jacket during an appearance on Fox News. Rahm leaves right as the PGA Tour and the Saudi backers of LIV Golf are racing to finalize an agreement to become commercial partners. Those talks now are in jeopardy. One of golf's best players and the current Masters champion going to the rival league is certain to deepen the divide in golf. The deal is reported to be in the $500 million range, which likely includes equity in his new team.
NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto’s arrival is a sign the New York Yankees want stars to help them rebound from their worst season in three decades. Acquiring the three-time All-Star outfielder from San Diego was a vintage George Steinbrenner move. The Yankees got Soto and Gold Glove center fielder Trent Grisham for right-handed pitchers Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vásquez and Drew Thorpe along with catcher Kyle Higashioka. General manager Brian Cashman says “we certainly want to try under the Steinbrenner leadership to make this the mecca of baseball.”
THURSDAY SCORES
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Final New England 21 Pittsburgh 18
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Indiana 128 Milwaukee 119
Final L.A. Lakers 133 New Orleans 89
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Toronto 4 Ottawa 3
Final Buffalo 3 Boston 1
Final OT San Jose 6 Detroit 5
Final Los Angeles 4 Montreal 0
Final N-Y Islanders 7 Columbus 3
Final Nashville 5 Tampa Bay 1
Final SO Dallas 5 Washington 4
Final Chicago 1 Anaheim 0
Final Winnipeg 4 Colorado 2
Final Philadelphia 4 Arizona 1
Final Calgary 3 Carolina 2
Final Vancouver 2 Minnesota 0