News sport : Independence Bowl: Only one of Miami and South Carolina will finish above .500

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Duck Commander Independence Bowl

Miami (6-6) vs. South Carolina (6-6)

Shreveport, La.

Dec 27, 2014


This is yet another bowl game between teams that fell short of expectations this season.


Miami has been rebuilding under coach Al Golden and has yet to progress to the level that fans expected when he was hired. In fact, the 6-6 season is his worst since his first campaign in 2011 when they were ineligible for the postseason.


South Carolina was picked to finish first in the SEC East, but was blasted by Texas A&M in the season opener and never fully recovered. The 6-6 campaign was the worst in coach Steve Spurrier’s tenure since 2007 when they didn’t qualify for a bowl game. Two of his teams have finished 7-6, but the last was in 2009. The Gamecocks have won 11 games in each of the last three seasons.


South Carolina will have its hands full with Miami’s top three offensive threats in quarterback Brad Kaaya, running back Duke Johnson and receiver Phillip Dorsett, who led the team with 31 catches for 826 yards and nine touchdowns.


Kaaya was named the ACC Freshman of the Year. His 2,962 yards are the fourth-best by a freshman in ACC history and 25 touchdowns matches the fourth-most in Miami history. Running back Duke Johnson has complemented Kayaa well. After flirting with 1,000-yard seasons the past couple years, he finally broke through with 1,520 and 10 touchdowns. He became the Hurricanes’ all-time leading rusher with 3,387 career yards.


South Carolina has one of the nation’s worst rushing defenses, allowing 214.4 yards per game. It also allows 433.6 yards per game and 31.2 points per game. Nine different players have rushed for at least 100 yards on the Gamecocks this season, including Furman’s Hank McCloud.


But for as bad as the South Carolina defense has been this season, the offense has been able to pick up most of the slack and has the ability to get into a shootout if it needs to. That might be the case if the Miami offense, which can be pretty potent, is allowed to get into a rhythm.


Vegas odds: Miami (-3.5)


FUN FACT


South Carolina running back Mike Davis needs just 73 yards to join Archie Rogers as the only running backs in school history to have multiple 1,000-yard seasons..


PREDICTIONS


Graham: This is Duke Johnson’s final game and I think he makes the most of it against a bad South Carolina defense. Al Golden might not have had a great season, but this game could be the start of a better 2015. Miami 38, South Carolina 35.


Nick: Which team wants to finish 7-6. Which team cares? Do either? This is the ultimate crapshoot and the ultimate "game that looks good until you see the records of the teams." SEC. For no good reason. South Carolina 23, Miami 20.


Sam: Both of these teams are pretty puzzling and haven't played up to their potential this year. In the end, Duke Johnson and Brad Kaaya should be able to do what they want against the South Carolina defense. Miami 30, South Carolina 24.


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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!


And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook






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News sport : Pat Narduzzi officially introduced as Pitt head coach

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Pat Narduzzi gestures as he speaks at a news conference in Pittsburgh where he was introduced as the new head football coach for Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) Three days after it was reported that Pitt was close to a deal with its next head coach, the school made the hire official.


Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi was introduced as the Panthers’ head coach at a press conference on Friday afternoon. Narduzzi, who has been the defensive coordinator for the Spartans since 2007, takes over for Paul Chryst, who left to be the head coach at Wisconsin last week.


Narduzzi has produced a top 10 defense nationally with Michigan State over the last four seasons, including a Spartans team that was No. 7 in the country this season in total defense. Additionally, Narduzzi was the winner of the 2013 Broyles Award, which is given to the nation’s top assistant coach.


“Our goal was not only to find the best football coach but also a person who would uphold the values and mission of the University of Pittsburgh. In Pat Narduzzi we have found that person,” said Dr. Randy Juhl, Pitt’s acting athletic director.


“His achievements on the football field are well documented. Pat is widely regarded as a rising star in the coaching profession who is ready to lead his own program. It was obvious from our conversations that he also embraces the responsibilities he has beyond the game. Pat wants to impact the lives of his student-athletes long after their Pitt careers end. We are excited about what our young men can accomplish, on and off the field, under his watch.”


Narduzzi has been an assistant under Mark Dantonio for the past 11 seasons. From 2004-06, he was the defensive coordinator at Cincinnati before Dantonio accepted the head-coaching gig at Michigan State.


Additionally, Narduzzi had stints as a defensive assistant at Miami (Ohio), Rhode Island and Northern Illinois.


Before beginning his first job as a head coach at any level, Narduzzi will coach the Michigan State defense for one last time when the Spartans take on Baylor in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day.


“I am very honored to be the new head football coach at the University of Pittsburgh,” Narduzzi said. “I want to thank Chancellor Gallagher, Executive Vice Chancellor Jerry Cochran, Dr. Randy Juhl and Donna Sanft for providing me with this tremendous opportunity. It is an honor to join a program with such great history and tradition.


"I am very eager to begin working with the young men who are already in the program and meet people throughout the Pitt community. We are going to work very hard on the field, in the classroom and in the community to make the University of Pittsburgh proud.”



According to Yahoo Sports’ Pat Forde, the 48-year-old Narduzzi also interviewed for the Colorado State job, but was “more interested” in the opening at Pitt.


Narduzzi is now Pitt’s fifth head coach since 2010, following Dave Wannstedt, Mike Haywood, Todd Graham and Chryst.


Under Chryst, the Panthers went 6-6 this season and will play Houston in the Armed Forces Bowl on Jan. 2.


For more Pittsburgh news, visit Panther-lair.com.


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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!







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News sport : Rutgers players wear NYPD hats on sidelines of Quick Lane Bowl

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Rutgers players and staff members sported NYPD hats on the sidelines during Friday's Quick Lane Bowl.






The hats were in support of the two fallen officers, Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, who were shot and killed on Saturday by a man who apparently wanted revenge for the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.


Coach Kyle Flood wore a patch on his shirt earlier in the week. From NJ.com:



"I'm the proud sibling of a sergeant on the NYPD,'' Flood said. "My brother’s been a member of the force for the last 23 years. He's a sergeant in what they call Emergency Service Unit. They've gone through a tough time over the last week. I thought it was important for me as a family member, for my grandfather who was a member of the NYPD, (for) my uncle, my brother and three of my cousins ... my family is really intertwined with that organization and we live under their protection.




"So I wanted to support them in whatever way I could.''



Rutgers dominated the first half of the game against North Carolina and took a 23-0 lead into the locker room.


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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!







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News sport : Devil Ball Golf's 18 for '15 (Part 3): Wrap-around gift or curse?

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We're back with Part 3 of Devil Ball Golf's 18-part 2015 preview, setting the table for the year to come in golf. In this installment, we wonder what Year 2 of the PGA Tour's wraparound schedule will look like.


The 2014-15 season will mark the second time the PGA Tour's season has bridged calendars, with the tour's fiscal year, so to speak, running from October to September, concluding when a FedEx Cup winner is crowned in Atlanta. It would seem the PGA Tour's denizens looked at the new approach with weary eyes, wondering if offering full FedEx Cup points for the former Fall Series event would mean they'd have to significantly adjust their regular-season schedules to assure their positioning for a playoff run, as well all the perks that come with advancing all the way to the Tour Championship.


For the most part, the tour's stars made it through the playoffs, with noted exceptions Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, who had their worst combined campaigns since Woods turned pro in 1996. Conversely, Dustin Johnson, who skipped the playoffs entirely as part of his ongoing "leave of absence," had such a solid regular season that he still advanced to East Lake and earned almost $200,000 for not even playing.


In addition to the extended regular season, the PGA Tour has also announced changes to the playoff points distribution, giving out fewer points in the playoffs than the past six seasons with the hope that more consistent players in the regular season will be more protected.


The wraparound schedule and the change to the playoff structure combine to make the regular season more important, with the PGA Tour clearly hoping for better participation among its top players. However, the world's best don't seem convinced. The result? January and February tournaments could actually suffer, with stars choosing to start their season in earnest with the Florida Swing in March. With the WGC-Match Play moving, at least temporarily, to May, the first two months lack an anchor event that is a true magnet for the top 50 in the world. Kapalua's no longer the draw it once was for the prior season's winners (and it also feels out of place). The Clambake and Northern Trust Open have good fields, but have lost a step. Phoenix continues to be a great party, but not a must-play event. The Farmers Insurance Open, with Tiger Woods' and Phil Mickelson's patronage, remains strong, but competes with the allure of the European Tour's run through the United Arab Emirates.


The result is a run of events that have a handful of big names every week, but no formal gathering until March. That means an opportuity for up-and-coming players as well as Web.com Tour and Web.com Tour Finals graduates to pick up critical FedEx Cup and Official World Golf Ranking points, as well set up opportunities to play in the bigger events that follow after the Masters, including a six-tournament run in a seven-week span, starting with the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and culminating in the FedEx Cup playoff finale.



Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.







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News sport : Miscues cost Illinois in Heart of Dallas Bowl loss to La. Tech

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DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 26: Houston Bates #94 of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs celebrates a 35-18 win against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl at Cotton Bowl on December 26, 2014 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) Whether it was penalties, turnovers or missed field goals, Illinois just could not get out of its own way against Louisiana Tech in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.


Those miscues, coupled with a solid all-around performance on both sides of the ball from the Bulldogs, led to a 35-18 Tech win on a rainy day at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.


Junior tailback Kenneth Dixon had a big day for the Bulldogs, running for 63 yards and a touchdown while also catching four passes for 79 yards and another score. Quarterback Cody Sokol overcame a slow start to throw for 247 yards and lead the Bulldogs to a win.


The real star of the day, however, was defensive end Houston Bates. Bates, a fifth-year senior, transferred from Illinois to La. Tech to be closer to home and he turned in an insane performance – seven tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks – against his former team.


The Illini racked up yards in bunches in the first half, but didn’t have much to show for it on the scoreboard – mainly due to eight penalties. A defensive holding penalty on a La. Tech fourth-and-one set up the Bulldogs’ first score of the game, a Jarred Craft 15-yard run that gave the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead.


Illinois was able to respond on its next drive with a 27-yard Taylor Zalewski field goal, but the momentum swung back in Tech’s favor in a big way soon after. On the first play of the Bulldogs’ ensuing drive, Sokol hit Dixon out of the backfield on a wheel route for an 80-yard score.


The next Illinois drive looked promising, but came up empty when Zalewski missed from 42. After forcing a La. Tech three-and-out, Illinois moved down the field quickly and scored on a Reilly O’Toole (24/39 for 295 yards) 25-yard touchdown pass to Jon Davis, but Zalewski missed the extra point, making it 14-9.


Illinois’ next drive resulted in another costly miscue as O’Toole was intercepted by Xavier Woods. Tech appeared to get away with a hold on Illinois receiver Mike Dudek (7 catches, 84 yards) and the ball floated right into the arms of Woods, who returned it 69 yards for a score.


Illinois missed another field goal a few minutes later and the Bulldogs went into the half up 21-9.


The second half was a different story – at first. The Illini were able to cut the lead to three early in the fourth quarter after a Donovonn Young 3-yard touchdown run (two-point conversion failed) and a David Reisner (filling in for Zalewski) 43-yard field goal.


Following the field goal, Illinois looked like it had forced a turnover of its own when LaKeith Walls sacked and stripped Sokol near midfield. Defensive lineman Jihad Ward scooped up the fumble and scampered the other direction, only to have the ball knocked loose. Sokol picked himself up and sprinted down the field and recovered the fumble at the Bulldogs’ 16-yard line.


That hustle paid off for Sokol. Three plays later, he hit Carlos Henderson for a 70-yard gain down to the Illinois 3-yard line which set up a Dixon touchdown run that gave the Bulldogs a 28-18 lead with 6:15 to play.


The La. Tech defense, including two more sacks from Bates, sealed the win from then on out. Blake Martin added the exclamation point in the form of a 28-yard touchdown run with 3:43 to go, giving the Bulldogs their first bowl win since 2008.


After going 4-8 in 2013, the win gave the Bulldogs a 9-5 record in their second season under Skip Holtz.


The Illini finish at 6-7.


For more Louisiana Tech news, visit BleedTechBlue.com.


For more Illinois news, visit OrangeandBlueNews.com.


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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!







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News sport : Celtic fans salute Kevin Garnett in what may be his final game in Boston (Video)

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Kevin Garnett spent the first 12 seasons of his career in Minnesota. By the time his contract runs out this July, he’ll have spent two seasons in Brooklyn. In comparison with those bookends, his 2007-2013 turn with the Boston Celtics wouldn’t seem to have the same sort of legitimacy and permanence as, say, John Havlicek’s 16-year run with the C’s.


That didn’t stop a fantastic and appreciative Boxing Day crowd in Boston from giving Garnett the reception he deserved on Friday afternoon. The Celtics faithful lauded the visiting Brooklyn Nets big man with cheers in what could be his final game in Boston as an active player.


Watch:



Garnett remains undecided on a retirement decision, possibly because biding his time on a poorly-constructed and middling Brooklyn Nets team in the potential final year of his career isn’t working as the storyboard ending for some who might arguably be the best player of his generation. It’s only been a few years, but he feels far removed from Boston’s brilliant 2008 title run and the near misses in 2010 and 2012.


Following the game, which Brooklyn won by a 109-107 score, Garnett was his typical self, tossing out big brother-isms to the assembled media:



Boston coach Brad Stevens, who was born four months after KG, added this:



KG contributed just six points and four rebounds in 16 minutes during the BKN win. These numbers are sadly nearly in line with his per game averages since joining the Nets a year and a half ago. It’s true that an ungodly amount of minutes and Garnett’s near-40 timeline have contributed to his decline, but if you’ll allow us a little bit of sportswriter-ese, it is fair to wonder whether or not Kevin’s heart was tossed out with the bathwater when he was dealt from Boston back in the summer of 2013. This man still competes like nobody else, but something has changed.


Garnett had to waive his no-trade clause in that deal, as he readily and correctly accepted the chance to chase down another ring with a veteran crew in Brooklyn, but his per-minute numbers and efficiency stats shrank considerably last year in his first season with Brooklyn. That trend has continued in 2014-15, which would make an eventual retirement all the more appropriate once his contract ends this July. Brooklyn’s win on Friday moved them into a tie with the Miami Heat for the seventh spot in the Eastern playoff bracket, but at 13-15, who really cares?


Garnett, as is his custom, certainly does. There is a chance, however slight, that he may try to give 2015-16 one last go as a veteran big man working for a team that appreciates his talents. Certainly 30 out of 30 NBA teams would absolutely drool at the chance at adding Garnett in even a reduced role, regardless of how pedestrian he looks currently in relation to his years of MVP-level play.


If KG does decide to go out after an anonymous first round ouster pitched on NBA TV, well, he’s earned that choice.


And Boston, as has been the case for decades, has earned our respect when recognizing greatness from the sidelines.


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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Mark Richt says Todd Gurley will be entering the 2015 NFL draft

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Unsurprisingly, Georgia RB Todd Gurley is turning pro.


Georgia coach Mark Richt said Friday that Gurley would be "moving on" from the school in 2015.



Gurley will not play in Georgia's game against Louisville in the Belk Bowl because of a torn ACL he suffered against Auburn on Nov. 16. The game against Auburn, where Gurley had 29 carries for 138 yards and a touchdown before suffering the injury, was his first game back from an NCAA suspension for being compensated for his autograph.


He missed four games for the suspension after the NCAA said Gurley received more than $3,000 over a span of two years for autographs. When Georgia first received word that Gurley was compensated for his autograph, it immediately declared him inelgible for the Bulldogs' game against Missouri. In announcing Gurley's suspension, the NCAA said Gurley avoided more missed games because of the way Georgia swiftly handled the case.


Gurley finished 2014 with 911 yards rushing and nine touchdowns. His replacement, freshman Nick Chubb, was a first team All-SEC selection. Chubb has 1,281 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns.


The decision between Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon and Gurley for NFL teams looking to spend an early pick on a running back will likely be a tough one. Gordon, who was a Heisman finalist, may have an edge because of Gurley's knee surgery, but given the nature of ACL injuries and the recovery timeframe, the injury shouldn't hinder Gurley's stock too much and, barring any complications, he should be healthy for the beginning of the 2015 season.


Not long before the game against Auburn, Georgia reportedly upped Gurley's insurance policy which covered him in case he never played football in the pros or fell in the draft. If he falls out of the first round &nash; not an unlikely possibility because of the injury and the declining value of running backs relative to other positions in the NFL draft – Gurley could collect some money on the policy.


For more Georgia news, visit UGASports.com.


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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!







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News sport : WVU QB Clint Trickett retires after 5 concussions in 14 months

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The playing career of West Virginia quarterback Clint Trickett is over.


Trickett, a senior, told reporters on Friday that he has suffered five concussions – including two that he hid from team trainers – in the past 14 months. Because of that, Trickett will miss Monday’s Liberty Bowl against Texas A&M and Trickett will pursue a coaching career.





Trickett, a Florida State transfer, threw for 3.285 yards, 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for the 7-5 Mountaineers this season. He missed the team’s season finale against Iowa State and was expected to return for the team’s bowl game, but he could not pass concussion tests.


Overall in his career, Trickett threw for 5,837 yards, 32 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.


With Trickett out, Skyler Howard will start at quarterback for the Mountaineers. Against Iowa State – a 37-24 win – Howard completed 21-of-40 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 69 yards on seven carries.


For more West Virginia news, visit WVSports.com.


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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!







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News sport : Virginia Tech DE Dadi Nicolas to return for senior season

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Virginia Tech will have one of its best defensive players back in 2015.


Redshirt junior defensive end Dadi Nicolas announced on Twitter that he will return to the Hokies for his final season of eligibility.




The 6-foot-4, 231-pound Nicolas established himself as one of the top pass rushers in the ACC and earned second-team All-ACC honors. Nicolas led the 6-6 Hokies with 17.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks this season. In all, he had 63 total tackles and also blocked two kicks and recovered a fumble.


He made significant leaps from the 2013 season, where made 32 tackles, seven tackles for loss and four sacks. Additionally, as a redshirt freshman in 2012, Nicolas had 17 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.


According to the Roanoke Times, Nicolas said in recent weeks that he would declare for the NFL Draft if he received a first or second-round grade from the NFL Draft advisory board.


Defensive line coach Charley Wiles said last week that an extra year would help Nicolas at the next level.


"Dadi can certainly use more growth as a football player," Wiles said. "And then in the weight room when you’re just talking about over a 25-week period, it’s a lot of football. Can he sustain and hold up and hold his body weight? So it’s obviously not going to hurt him getting a year older, getting a year more experienced. And Dadi is a first- or second-round talent. But is he at that point right now?"


Nicolas and the Hokies will play Cincinnati in the Military Bowl on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. ET in Annapolis, Maryland.


For more Virginia Tech news, visit HokieHaven.com.


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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!







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Brazil 2014 - a World Cup to cherish

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The 2014 World Cup was a captivating carnival of football, rated by many as the best yet, with high drama on and off the pitch, and, in Germany, champions worthy of the name.


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Paris – The 2014 World Cup was a captivating carnival of football, rated by many as the best yet, with high drama on and off the pitch, and, in Germany, champions worthy of the name.


Despite a stressful build-up, Brazil put on an $11 billion show to remember.


From Rio's iconic Maracana to the steamy Amazon Forest setting of Manaus, football fans were treated to a month-long diet of mainly breathless, intoxicating action.


It was a timely antidote to the ever-present whiff of scandal swirling around the game's rulers.


European powerhouses Germany had already left their imprint on the tournament with that still hard to fathom 7-1 dissection of Brazil in Belo Horizonte to reach the final.


Germany's sinking of the Selecao raised sky-high expectations back in Berlin of a fourth world title, but, standing in the way of captain Philipp Lahm and his men, were Brazil's arch enemies, Lionel Messi's Argentina.


Argentina reached the final with a penalty shoot-out win over Louis van Gaal's Netherlands after a tense goalless game - the polar opposite in terms of entertainment to the magical madness served up by the Mannschaft 24 hours earlier.


A huge global audience tuned in on July 13 as Messi fixed his sights on a World Cup coronation to emulate Diego Maradona, and Germany chased its place in history as the first team from Europe to win a World Cup in the Americas.


From top to bottom, the German spine exuded quality: Manuel Neuer unbeatable in goal, Mats Hummels silky and solid in defence, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira formidable in midfield, allowing the likes of Toni Kroos and Mesut Ozil to flourish.


Thomas Mueller proved a deadly goalscoring threat with five goals – while the 36-year-old Miroslav Klose chipped in with two to become the World Cup's all-time leading scorer with a 16-goal haul.


In the final, Klose made way for Mario Goetze with two minutes of normal time remaining and the sides goalless.


With penalties looming, the baby-faced 22-year-old's chest and volley on 113 minutes proved a fitting match winner, the tournament's record-equalling 171st goal.


“It's a dream come true to win the World Cup, especially in Brazil,” said 'Super Mario'.


Social media ran amok. Twitter reported a record number of tweets a minute – 618,725 – as the final whistle went. Facebook had 280 million interactions.


As Goetze and Germany basked in their first title for 24 years, and first as a unified nation, the mood elsewhere was not quite so electric.


Spain had swaggered into town as defending champions, but endured a nightmare defence as Vicente del Bosque's boys were swept aside by the Dutch and Chile.


If Spain were disappointing, England were dismal, suffering their earliest World Cup exit for 56 years.


Defeats to Italy, who also failed to extricate themselves from the first round, Uruguay, and a goalless draw with Costa Rica, did it for Roy Hodgson's side.


Then there was Brazil.


The nation, already shook up after talismanic striker Neymar suffered a fractured vertebrae against Colombia in the quarter-finals, shed tears liberally after the German humiliation.


“We will have difficult days for the rest of our lives,” said Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who was, inevitably, fired.


Each World Cup produces its stars, one from 2014 was undoubtedly James Rodriguez, Colombia's six goal hero and author of the sensational dipping volley against Uruguay in the last 16.


There are no prizes for identifying the tournament's villain.


Missing from the Uruguayan line-up against Colombia was Luis Suarez, sent home in disgrace after nibbling between meals on Italy's Giorgio Chiellini.


Suarez came out of the sorry affair smelling of euros, a lot of them, after his mega-bucks move from Liverpool to Barcelona.


Money, or lack of it, helped trigger an implosion in Ghana's campaign, with a players' protest over unpaid bonuses only averted when their government airlifted $3 million in cash from Accra.


In general, African teams disappointed, with Algeria and Nigeria bowing out in the first knockout round after Ghana were joined by Cameroon and Ivory Coast as group stage casualties.


Messi ended up as Player of the tournament, James as top scorer, Neuer as best goalkeeper and France's Paul Pogba receiving the Young Player award.


All in all, the beautiful game blossomed in Brazil - Russia 2018 will have a hard job matching it. – Sapa-AFP






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News sport : Holiday Bowl: Can Nebraska beat USC without Bo Pelini?

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National University Holiday Bowl

Nebraska (9-3) vs. USC (8-4)

San Diego

Dec. 27, 2014


Nebraska and USC enter Saturday night’s Holiday Bowl under very different circumstances.


Cornhuskers athletic director Shawn Eichorst made the decision to fire head coach Bo Pelini after a 9-3 season, much to the chagrin of many players. Pelini was fired on Nov. 30, two days after the Huskers overcame a big deficit to beat Iowa 37-34 in overtime.


Eichorst hired Mike Riley away from Oregon State, but Riley won’t coach in the bowl game. Barney Cotton, Pelini’s offensive line and associate head coach, will lead the team against the Trojans in an interim role. Following the game, Cotton will head to UNLV, where he has accepted the offensive coordinator job.


It’s hard to predict how the Huskers will play with all that’s happened in the last month, but their high-powered rushing attack should pose a challenge for a USC defense that had one of its best efforts of the season in a 49-14 win over Notre Dame in the regular season finale.


Though he was banged up down the stretch, Ameer Abdullah led the team with 1,523 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the season. Dual-threat quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. added 664 yards and five scores on the ground in addition to his 2,314 yards, 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions through the air.


Nebraska struggled mightily on the defensive side of the ball down the stretch, giving up 59, 28, and 34 points to Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa, respectively. USC and its 29th-ranked offense should have plenty of chances to exploit Nebraska’s weaknesses.


The Trojans, in their first year under Steve Sarkisian, won three of their final four games to finish 8-4. The win over Notre Dame was most impressive. Junior quarterback Cody Kessler threw for 372 yards and six touchdowns to cap off a season in which he totaled 3,505 yards, 36 touchdowns and just four interceptions while completing 70.7 percent of his passes.


Kessler looked to fellow junior Nelson Agholor early and often. The speedy Agholor caught 97 passes for 1,223 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season to lead the Trojans while tailback Javorius Allen, another junior, led the team with 1,337 yards and nine touchdowns while also catching 40 passes for 442 yards out of the backfield.


Both teams won their bowl games last year. Nebraska beat Georgia in the Gator Bowl and USC beat Fresno State in the Las Vegas Bowl. The efforts of the defenses will likely decide which team wins a second straight bowl.


ODDS


USC (-7)


FUN FACT


In four matchups, Nebraska has never beaten the Trojans. The Trojans beat the Huskers 31-21 in 1969, 28-10 in 2006 and 49-31 in 2007. In 1970, the teams played to a 21-21 tie.


PREDICTIONS


Graham: USC is the better team here, but Nebraska's emotion might be tough to ignore. Will this Huskers team win one final game in coach Bo's honor? I'm not buying it. USC wins and quarterback Cody Kessler puts up a lot of points. USC 35, Nebraska 17.


Nick: This would be a really cool buddy cop movie idea if Bo Pelini and Ed Orgeron showed up, did a little surfing, had some fun and then parachuted into the game. Please tell me that's going to happen, right? USC 33, Nebraska 24.


Sam: It’s tough to say if Nebraska will bounce back from losing Bo Pelini, but I expect Ameer Abdullah to put up some big numbers in his final game. Ultimately, USC – led by an underrated Cody Kessler – is just a better overall team and will come out on top. USC 37, Nebraska 27.


For more USC news, visit TrojanSports.com.


For more Nebraska news, visit HuskerOnline.com.


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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!







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Rooney double sinks Newcastle

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Machester United made it seven wins in eight games when they beat Newcastle United at Old Trafford.


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Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United showed their rivals no seasonal cheer on Friday as they pulled away from the pack in the Premier League with one-sided Boxing Day victories.


Leaders Chelsea set the tone by overcoming West Ham United 2-0. City following suit with a 3-1 success at West Bromwich Albion and United kept pace by beating Newcastle United 3-1, with Wayne Rooney scoring twice and making one.


Chelsea continue to lead City by three points, with United seven points further back, while West Ham's loss allowed Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Swansea City and Liverpool to make ground in the race for the top four.


Arsenal will attempt to do the same later on Friday when they welcome Queens Park Rangers to the Emirates Stadium.


Goals in each half from John Terry and Diego Costa -- his 13th of the campaign -- earned Jose Mourinho's Chelsea a one-sided home win over West Ham, who slipped to fifth.


West Ham were expected to provide a stern test after a run of five games without defeat, but despite Morgan substitute Amalfitano hitting the post late on, Sam Allardyce's team were well beaten in what was the London rivals' 100th encounter.


“We played a very good game against a very difficult opponent. When we scored, we had the game always under control,” Mourinho told Sky Sports.


“I am really happy. We are doing very well.”


City were again without injured strikers Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko at a snow-splattered Hawthorns, but they made short work of West Brom regardless to register a ninth consecutive victory.


Fernando punished an error by goalkeeper Ben Foster to put City ahead in the eighth minute, with a Yaya Toure penalty and a David Silva goal extending the visitors' lead before Brown Ideye scored a late consolation.


Manchester United returned to winning ways following last weekend's 1-1 draw at Aston Villa by sinking Newcastle at Old Trafford.


Rooney broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute, tapping in after a sliding Radamel Falco steered Juan Mata's pass across goal, and added a second goal 13 minutes later with an assured finish from Mata's pass.


The United captain, who played in midfield again, teed up Robin van Persie to head home the hosts' third goal eight minutes into the second half, before Papiss Cisse replied with an excellent late penalty.


Southampton moved into the top four, three points below United, by winning 3-1 at Crystal Palace, who slipped into the relegation zone.


Sadio Mane rounded Allan McGregor to put the visitors ahead in the 17th minute, with quick-fire goals by defenders Ryan Bertrand and Toby Alderweireld making the game safe before Scott Dann scored late on.


Tottenham also exploited West Ham's defeat by winning 2-1 at bottom club Leicester City.


Christian Eriksen's 71st-minute free-kick secured victory after Leonardo Ulloa had cancelled out Harry Kane's first-minute opener for Spurs.


Swansea climbed as well, moving to within four points of the Champions League places by beating Aston Villa 1-0 thanks to Gylfi Sigurdsson's curling 13th-minute free-kick.


Liverpool ended a run of three games without victory by winning 1-0 at Burnley through Raheem Sterling's first league goal for September.


Liverpool lost goalkeeper Brad Jones to injury, which saw the dropped Simon Mignolet summoned from the bench, and Merseyside rivals Everton also lost their goalkeeper in a 1-0 defeat at home to Stoke City.


Tim Howard was forced off in the second half at Goodison Park, after Bojan Krkic had scored the game's only goal from the penalty spot in the 38th minute.


In the day's other game, Gaston Ramirez scored one and made another as Hull City escaped from the bottom three by coming from behind to win 3-1 at Sunderland.


Adam Johnson put Sunderland ahead in the first minute, but Ramirez equalised with a speculative shot and then teed up James Chester before Nikica Jelavic added a third in injury time.– AFP






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News sport : Chiefs shocker: Alex Smith out on Sunday with spleen injury

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith has been criticized for just being a game manager, but now the Chiefs face life without him in Week 17.


Smith will not play on Sunday against the San Diego Chargers due to a lacerated spleen according to Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder, via B.J. Kissel of KCChiefs.com. Chase Daniel will start on Sunday. The Chiefs need to win to stay alive for a playoff spot. The Chargers clinch a wild-card playoff spot with a win.


[Join FanDuel.com's $2.5M Week 17 fantasy league: $25 to enter; top 21,840 teams paid]


According to Kissel's report, Smith suffered the injury on a third quarter hit last week against the Steelers. It was a three-centimeter laceration that wasn't bleeding much but was enlarged. Burkholder told the Kansas City media that it could get worse if Smith took a hit and the laceration expanded, via Kissel. Smith had discomfort on Tuesday but thought it was a bug going around. The injury generally takes six weeks to heal, Burkholder said, so presumably Smith wouldn't return for the playoffs if the Chiefs make it.



"It wasn't until after I addressed & adreneline wore off that I noticed anything. I didn't relate it to a hit," Smith said, Kissel tweeted.



Daniel has one start in his career, and coincidentally enough it came in Week 17 against the Chargers.. Last season, when the Chiefs rested almost every starter, Daniel was 21-of-30 for 200 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions, and the Chiefs missed a late field goal that would have won the game. Daniel is in his sixth season and has thrown just 48 NFL passes.


This won't be a meaningless start for Daniel. Not only are the Chiefs alive in the playoff race, but the Ravens and Texans are still alive too based on the result of the Chiefs-Chargers game. It's pretty shocking news out of Kansas City, and all of a sudden the seldom-used Daniel is in a really big spot.


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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Pinstripe Bowl: Two of the nation's best defenses square off at Yankee Stadium

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New Era Pinstripe Bowl

Boston College (7-5) vs. Penn State (6-6)

New York City

Dec. 27, 2014


Two of the better defenses in all of college football will square off when Penn State and Boston College meet in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.


The Eagles, ranked No. 12 nationally in total defense, gave up an average of 313.5 yards and 20.5 points per game en route to a 7-5 record on the season. Linebackers Justin Simmons and Josh Keyes have been all over the field for BC and will look to make life difficult for Penn State sophomore quarterback Christian Hackenberg. Simmons led the Eagles with 70 tackles while also adding two tackles for loss, one sack and two interceptions. Keyes led the team with 11.5 tackles for loss and four sacks on the season while tallying 63 total tackles.


Offensively, the Eagles live and die by their running game with 251.8 yards per game on the ground. The Eagles ran the ball 589 times this year compared to 223 passing attempts. Dual-threat quarterback Tyler Murphy, a Florida transfer, led the way with 1,079 yards and 10 touchdowns on 170 carries. Freshman running back Jon Hilliman gained 712 yards and scored 12 times this season, but he averaged just 3.8 yards per carry.


When forced to go to the air, Murphy hasn’t been the most efficient passer. He completed 120-of-211 attempts (56.9 percent) for 1,526 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His top target – senior Josh Bordner – had only 26 catches on the year.


Murphy faces a tough task against the 6-6 Nittany Lions, who will make their return to postseason play for the first time since 2011. Penn State boasts the nation’s best rush defense, allowing just 84.8 yards per game and 2.56 yards per rush. Overall, the Nittany Lions are second nationally in total defense at 259.6 yards allowed per game.


Senior Mike Hull, the Big Ten linebacker of the year, led the unit with 134 total tackles (seventh-best in the nation), 10.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and one interception. Junior defensive tackle Anthony Zettel also had a huge year for Penn State with 39 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, eight sacks and three interceptions.


While its defense had a great year, Penn State’s offense (ranked No. 114 nationally) struggled mightily for most of the season. The Nittany Lions started the year at 4-0, but limped to a 6-6 finish. Playing behind an inexperienced offensive line that allowed 42 sacks, Hackenberg, the 2013 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, took a step back as a sophomore, throwing for 2,606 yards with 15 interceptions and only eight touchdown passes.


Redshirt freshman DaeSean Hamilton (75 catches, 848 yards) emerged as Hackenberg’s top target while sophomore Akeel Lynch (603 yards, 4 TDs) and senior Bill Belton (518 yards, 6 TDs) were the Nittany Lions’ best backfield options.


Despite winning only six games in James Franklin’s first season with the program, the Nittany Lions are just happy to be back in postseason play two years after being issued a four-year postseason ban by the NCAA amid the Jerry Sandusky scandal. The NCAA reduced those sanctions, which included severely reducing the number of scholarship players on the roster, in September, and Franklin hopes a bowl win can help the propel the program forward.


ODDS


Boston College (-2.5)


FUN FACT


Excluding freshmen who are redshirting, Franklin said that Penn State will play in the Pinstripe Bowl with just 41 scholarship players.


“We ended the season playing with 41 scholarship players,” Franklin said Monday on the Jim Rome Show. “We started the season with 65, and then you take the redshirt guys out and the guys who got injured, it was some real challenges."


PREDICTIONS


Graham: It's exciting to see Penn State back in a bowl game after its ban, but I’m not sure this team has the horses to pull out a win against an underrated Boston College team. Dual-threat quarterback Tyler Murphy leads the Eagles to a late win in this one. Boston College 24, Penn State 17.


Nick: This could be a long hard slog. Penn State has the best defense, in terms of yards per play, in the country. Can they keep Boston College in check? Boston College 17, Penn State 13.


Sam: This should be an ugly one. If Boston College can’t do some damage through the air, it won’t do much damage at all. Penn State’s seniors have been through a lot of rough times over the past few years. They’ll be inspired and come out with a win on a Sam Ficken field goal. Penn State 16, Boston College 13.


For more Boston College news, visit EagleAction.com.


For more Penn State news, visit BlueWhiteIllustrated.com.


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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!







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Classy Chelsea ease past West Ham

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Premier League leaders Chelsea showed West Ham United no Christmas cheer with a one-sided Boxing Day victory.


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London – Premier League leaders Chelsea showed West Ham United no Christmas cheer with a one-sided 2-0 Boxing Day victory that enhanced their status as title favourites.


Goals in each half from John Terry and Diego Costa Ä his 13th of the campaign Ä earned Jose Mourinho's side a win that enabled them to open up a provisional six-point lead over second-place Manchester City.


Fourth-place West Ham were expected to provide a stern test after a run of five games without defeat, but despite hitting the woodwork late on, Sam Allardyce's team were well beaten in what was the London rivals' 100th encounter.


“We played a very good game against a very difficult opponent. When we scored, we had the game always under control,” Mourinho told Sky Sports.


“I am really happy. We are doing very well.”


Eden Hazard overcame a knock to start for Chelsea and he proved a bewitching presence as the hosts swarmed all over their opponents from the start at Stamford Bridge.


Oscar had gone close and visiting goalkeeper Adrian had parried from Gary Cahill and Willian by the time Terry broke the deadlock in the 31st minute, tapping in after Costa headed on Cesc Fabregas's corner.


West Ham spent long periods of the first half penned inside their own area, with Adrian producing a one-handed save to thwart Nemanja Matic and Costa shooting over from a Branislav Ivanovic cross.


After Adrian had thwarted Hazard, Costa made it 2-0 in the 62nd minute, gathering a pass from Hazard and sending Carl Jenkinson and James Collins the wrong way before drilling a left-foot shot into the bottom-right corner.


Adrian athletically tipped an Oscar free-kick over the bar and Fabregas curled wide, but although Chelsea had dominated, West Ham came close to snatching a goal when substitute Morgan Amalfitano dinked a shot against the post.


Defending champions City will bid to close back to within three points of Mourinho's men later on Friday when they visit West Bromwich Albion, while third-place Manchester United host Newcastle United.


The traditional Boxing Day schedule means that all 20 English top-flight clubs are in action on the same day for the first time this season. – Sapa-AFP






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