News sport : Georgia Tech runs for 452 yards in dominant Orange Bowl win over Miss. St.

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MIAMI GARDENS, FL - DECEMBER 31: Justin Thomas #5 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets scores a touchdown during the second half of the Capital One Orange Bowl game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Sun Life Stadium on December 31, 2014 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) Georgia Tech’s rush attack could not be stopped.


Led by quarterback Justin Thomas and running back Synjyn Days, the 12th-ranked Yellow Jackets racked up a whopping 452 rushing yards in a dominant 49-34 Orange Bowl win.


Thomas, the speedy 5-foot-11 sophomore, showcased his mastery of coach Paul Johnson’s option offense and ran for 121 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries. Days, the 232-pound senior, racked up 171 yards on 21 carries and scored three times – including a crucial 69-yard run on the second play of the second half.


The Yellow Jackets also worked in the passing game when they needed it, especially in the first half. In all, Tech gained 577 yards in a statement victory for the program.


The Yellow Jackets were successful on the ground from the start.


Mississippi State opened the game with the ball and quarterback Dak Prescott was intercepted on the Bulldogs’ third play. Four plays later, Days scored from three yards out and the Yellow Jackets had their first of six rushing scores on the day.


Later on in the first, Tech surprised the Bulldogs by faking the option and looking downfield. Thomas hit 6-foot-5 senior receiver Darren Waller behind the defense for a 41-yard touchdown, giving Georgia Tech a 14-0 lead.


Mississippi State was able to battle back in the second quarter. Prescott was able to establish a rhythm and led three scoring drives – two that ended in Evan Sobiesk field goals and another that ended with a Prescott five-yard touchdown run, cutting the GT lead to 14-13.


The Yellow Jacket offense then went back to work. Thomas led a 12-play, 82-yard drive that culminated in a Thomas 13-yard rushing score. Tech was back on top 21-13 with 29 seconds left in the half.


Instead of taking a knee and regrouping in the locker room, Mississippi State’s offense quickly advanced past midfield to the Tech 42-yard line. That’s when Prescott went to the air for a perfectly executed Hail Mary that landed in the arms of Fred Ross after a deflection.


The improbable touchdown looked to give the Bulldogs all of the momentum heading into the second half, but Tech’s offense had other ideas. Days took a handoff to the left, broke two tackles and tight-roped the sideline for a 69-yard score, bringing Tech’s lead to 28-20.


It was a sign of things to come in a third quarter. The Tech defense forced a turnover on downs and a fumble, allowing the offense to extend their lead on two more Thomas touchdown runs – one from 32 yards and another from 15 yards.


The first of those scores featured a nasty juke and his breakout speed.



Mississippi State didn’t go away in the fourth quarter. Prescott, who threw for 453 yards and three touchdowns along with 47 yards rushing, hit De’Runnya Wilson for two touchdown passes in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough to put a scare into the Yellow Jackets.


The win is the first Orange Bowl victory for Georgia Tech since 1952 and gives the Yellow Jackets 11 wins on the season.


For Mississippi State, it’s an underwhelming finish. The Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 in the country for over a month, but they finished 10-3 after losing three of their final four games.


For more Georgia Tech news, visit JacketsOnline.com.


For more Mississippi State news, visit BulldogBlitz.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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Goalkeeper woe for struggling Everton

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Everton's bid to arrest an alarming run of form has been hit by an injury to goalkeeper Tim Howard ahead of Thursday's trip to Hull City in the Premier League.


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KINGSTON UPON HULL, United Kingdom – Everton's bid to arrest an alarming run of form has been hit by an injury to goalkeeper Tim Howard ahead of Thursday's trip to Hull City in the Premier League.


Howard will be out for up to six weeks after damaging his calf in the 1-0 Boxing Day defeat by Stoke City, leaving Everton with only 24-year-old Joel Robles – who has made only 11 top-flight starts – as back-up.


Aside from the Spaniard, the only other goalkeepers on Everton's books are 18-year-olds Jindrich Stanek and Russell Griffiths, and manager Roberto Martinez has hinted the club may be forced to bring in reinforcements.


“That is something we are going to assess,” Martinez said. “Joel had his first start in the league and that was a great way of him having an introduction.


“We've just found out about Tim so we're going to make a decision. We only have Russell and Jindrich, so we need to assess that over the next few days.”


Christmas defeats against Stoke and Newcastle United have left Everton on a run of six defeats from their last eight games in all competitions and with just one victory from their last seven league matches.


The visit to Hull presents an opportunity to rectify that run, although Everton's injury problems extend beyond the goalkeeper position.


England defenders Phil Jagielka and John Stones are expected to be missing with ankle injuries, while full-back Tony Hibbert is two weeks from match fitness.


Leon Osman, another potential defensive stand-in, has a split tendon in his foot, with no return date currently scheduled, while midfielders Darron Gibson and Steven Pienaar also remain on the long-term injured list.


There is even a doubt for Thursday over the fitness of influential midfielder James McCarthy.


“At the moment, we're a little bit weak and we need to get stronger,” said Martinez.


“When you don't get results, you are going to get a lot of doubts and a lot of opinions from outside. Now our focus has to be very narrow, on a positive performance and result from the Hull game.”


Hull's preparations for the match have been carried out amid speculation surrounding their manager, Steve Bruce.


Bruce has been linked with a move to take over as manager of Newcastle United, with Alan Pardew expected to be named Crystal Palace manager.


Bruce, who turns 54 on Wednesday, supported Newcastle as a boy and has previously expressed regret at rejecting the chance to manage the club in 2004.


But his immediate priority is to lift his current team's morale after their defeat at Leicester City on Sunday.


The Tigers had ended a run of 10 matches without a win by beating Sunderland 3-1 on Boxing Day, but were brought back down to earth at the KC Stadium as Leicester snatched a 1-0 victory.


“They are deflated,” said Bruce, whose side have won only once at home this season. “If you get beaten and deserve to, then fine. But when you don't deserve it, of course it leaves a bad taste.


“For all the good work at Sunderland, it has unravelled a bit. That is the way this league works and we have to stay with it. We have a big game on Thursday and we go again.”


Bruce will be without midfielders Tom Huddlestone and Stephen Quinn, who are both suspended, but defender James Chester will return, having served a one-match ban.


Andy Robertson could also return after suffering with a knee problem, but Mohamed Diame and Michael Dawson remain sidelined. – Sapa-AFP






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News sport : Texas coach Charlie Strong fires two offensive assistants

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Texas head coach Charlie Strong yells to his players during the first half of the Texas Bowl NCAA college football game against Arkansas Monday, Dec. 29, 2014, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) After putting up only 59 yards of offense in a brutal Texas Bowl loss to Arkansas on Monday night, Texas head coach Charlie Strong decided to make a few changes to his staff.


The program announced on Wednesday night that Strong fired wide receivers coach Les Koenning and tight ends coach Bruce Chambers.


“Les and Bruce are both good men and good football coaches,” Strong said in a statement. “It’s unfortunate that it didn’t work out, but I just feel like we need to make a chance and head in a different direction in their positions. We wish them the best.”


Chambers was the only holdover from Mack Brown’s staff and Koenning, who played at Texas in the late 1970’s, joined Strong’s staff after serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Mississippi State from 2009-2013.


According to a release, the search for Chambers' and Koennig's replacements will "begin immediately."


After the 31-7 Texas Bowl loss to Arkansas, the Longhorns finished 6-7 in Strong’s first year with the program, losing five times by 20 or more points.


For more Texas news, visit Orangebloods.com.


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News sport : Mississippi State ends Orange Bowl's first half with Hail Mary (GIFs)

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Georgia Tech looked to have the momentum going into halftime of the Orange Bowl until a Mississippi State prayer was answered.


The Yellow Jackets had just taken a 21-13 lead with 29 seconds left in the half. Instead of just taking a knee and going into the locker room, the Bulldogs moved the ball to the Georgia Tech 42-yard line and dialed up a Hail Mary.


Quarterback Dak Prescott had plenty of time and fired deep into a crowd in the back right corner of the end zone. The ball deflected out of a crowd of MSU receivers and GT defensive backs and into the diving arms of Fred Ross, who was trailing the play.




Ross was positioned perfectly, waiting for the tip. When the ball went his way, he laid out and scooped it up just before it hit the turf for a Mississippi State touchdown.




The score cut Georgia Tech’s lead to 21-20 at the break and was Ross’ fourth catch (for 64 yards) of the first half.


For more Mississippi State news, visit BulldogBlitz.com.


For more Georgia Tech news, visit JacketsOnline.com.


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News sport : Willie Aikens reunited with AL championship ring after 33 years

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(Willie Mays Aikens on Twitter) Former major leaguer Willie Mays Aikens received perhaps his greatest Christmas gift in 33 years this holiday season. The former Kansas City Royals first baseman had been without his 1980 American League championship ring since 1981, when he says it was stolen from his apartment. But thanks to the remarkable efforts of one kind person, he was finally reunited with his coveted jewelry on Christmas Eve.


According to Shawn Anderson of Hall of Very Good, the now 60-year-old Aiken says the ring was stolen from his apartment while he was visiting his mother in South Carolina. For 33 years — 14 of which Aikens spend in prison after he was found guilty on four counts of crack cocaine distribution — the whereabouts of his ring were unknown, but that changed recently when Kim Accurso received a heads up that it may be in a Kansas City pawn shop.



“I pounded the pavement to find the owner of that pawn shop. I tracked him down and eventually we set up a meeting,” Accurso continued. “He had the ring. I told him my story and he agreed to help me out.”




The pawn shop owner told Accurso that “some big guy” pawned it more than 30 years ago and it’s been sitting in a safe ever since. It’s a mystery as to how it made its way back to Kansas City from South Carolina, but one thing is certain…that ring is back where it belongs.




“Willie was thrilled to have it back. It all worked out so wonderful,” Accurso added. “The ring is safe at home.”




As Anderson readily pointed out in wake of his piece, it's fair to question the circumstances surrounding the ring's disappearance and wonder if we're hearing the whole story.



Regardless, it doesn't change the fact that Aikens has turned his life around since rejoining society on June 4, 2008 and is living a clean life, which is perhaps the best story to be told here. He's even written a book on his remarkable journey, in addition to rejoining the Royals as a minor league coach and spring training instructor.


The circumstances also won't change the kind and extraordinary efforts made by Kim Accurso, who obviously didn't owe Aikens anything, but just wanted to do the right thing. There's a lot we can learn from her actions and her determination to provide happiness and perhaps even closure to an important chapter in Aikens' life.


You're encouraged to read more on this story at Hall of Very Good.


BLS H/N: Cut 4


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News sport : Tim Miles and Tom Crean have heated exchange during Hoosiers' road win

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Nebraska coach Tim Miles and Indiana coach Tom Crean exchanged words Wednesday during the Big Ten Conference opener between their teams won 70-65 by the Hoosiers.


Miles shouted most of what he had to say to Crean within a few feet of Crean’s face while officials held him back with 9 minutes, 42 seconds left in the game. The incident came during a stoppage in play following a hard foul by Nebraska’s Tai Webster on a dunk attempt by Hoosiers’ big man Hanner Mosquera-Perea.


Crean appeared to tell Miles to shut up from a distance and the two men came together with officials between them as Miles began to scream at Crean. The Indiana coached stood with his hands on his waist staring at Miles. When the game ended approximately 30 minutes later, Miles marched down the sideline and shook hands with Crean, pausing to say something to his counterpart.


Miles didn’t have much to say about those heated moments when asked about them in the postgame press conference. Meanwhile, Crean made a point of tracking down a reporter to tell him he did not tell Miles to shut up on television replays.




It was a frustrating loss for the Huskers who have fallen to 8-5, including unexpected losses to the likes of Incarnate Word and Hawaii. Nebraska came back from a 16-point deficit in the first half only to fall behind again by 13 after the altercation between coaches.


Husker stalwarts Shavon Shields and Terran Petteway combined to score 43 points and snare 15 rebounds, but the rest of the team didn’t provide much to complement the pair. Shields went all out at one point during the Huskers’ second half rally diving on to the scorer’s table and into the laps of the Big Ten Network crew to save a loose ball.


The Hoosiers were the better team and came to Lincoln prepared for a fight after losing to the Huskers on the road last season. Indiana scored 38 points in the paint and 18 points off the bench.


Mosquera-Perea seemed to be the biggest problem for Nebraska, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in just 22 minutes. Emmitt Holt also played well inside for Crean in what has to be an encouraging start to conference play for the Hoosiers.


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News sport : Boise State gets key defensive stop in 38-30 win against Arizona in Fiesta Bowl

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Boise State can’t play in the Fiesta Bowl without making it as exciting as possible.


In its two previous appearances, the Broncos needed a trick play to secure victory. While Boise State emptied its bag of tricks Wednesday in the first half to gain the lead against Arizona, it needed a good old-fashioned defensive stop to secure the 38-30 victory.


Arizona quarterback Anu Solomon took a sack with just seconds remaining with his team at the 8-yard line driving for the game-tying score. The Wildcats did not have a timeout and the clock ran out giving the Broncos the victory.


That play was one of the many the Broncos defense had to come up with in the second half as the offense that led the Broncos to 31 first-half points went ice cold in the second half. The Broncos final score came off a pick-six by Donte Deayon late in the third quarter.


Arizona actually stormed back from a 31-17 halftime deficit while it stymied the Broncos offense. Boise State quarterback Grant Hedrick had 272 passing yards in the first half, but finished with 309 for the game. Running back Jay Ajayi, who was playing in his final game as a Bronco, had 107 yards rushing and three touchdowns in the first half and finished with just 134.


That put the entire game on the shoulders of the defense, which wobbled a bit, but came up admirably late in the game, allowing just a field goal on the Wildcats’ final three drives.


Boise State has played in the Fiesta Bowl three total times and each game — all Boise State wins — has come down to the wire. In 2007, the Broncos used a Statue of Liberty trick play in overtime for the game-winning score. Against TCU in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl it used a fake punt to ultimately set up the game-winning score. And while the Broncos used a couple trick plays in the first half, including a Statue of Liberty play, to help build their lead, it was the lack of creativity by Arizona’s offense that ultimately helped the Boise State defense secure the game.


The win gave the Broncos their 12 win of the season, their eighth season with at least 12 wins since joining the FBS.


For more Arizona news, visit GOAZCats.com.


For more Boise State news, visit Blue-Turf.com.


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News sport : Doug Marrone opts out of contract, done as Buffalo Bills' coach

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There's always at least one crazy firing in the NFL offseason. Except, Doug Marrone wasn't really fired.


He just opted out.


[Join FanDuel's $1.75M Wild Card fantasy league: $25 to enter; top 14,530 teams paid]


Marrone is out as Buffalo Bills coach, and that was his choice. According to a statement by the Buffalo Bills just a few hours before the calendar turned to 2015, he opted out of his contract after two years as head coach. Marrone is now a free agent, and can pursue another job. Before Marrone opted out, there were five NFL head-coaching openings. Now there are six.


ESPN's Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen reported that Marrone walks away with his 2015 salary of $4 million "without it counting as an offset against any future salary." The out clause in his contract activated if the Bills changed ownership, which happened when Terry Pegula bought the team.


Within minutes, there was speculation that the New York Jets would have a strong interest in Marrone. The Jets' division rivals are unexpectedly looking for a new coach.


"Doug Marrone informed me late today that he has decided to exercise the option clause in his contract and relinquish his responsibilities as our head coach," Pegula said in a statement. "We are disappointed that Coach Marrone will no longer be an important part of our organization. We thank him for all of his hard work and leadership during his tenure and wish him and his family the best with the next chapter in their lives.


"We will now begin the important process of conducting a thorough search for a new head coach as we continue to strive to reach our goal of returning to the playoffs and bringing a championship to Buffalo for our fans."


It's not often you see a coach just leave on his own, and it has to be a tough blow to the ego of the Bills, who haven't been to the playoffs since 1999. Buffalo made strides this season, finishing 9-7 and just out of the playoffs, though the retirement of quarterback Kyle Orton the day after the season ended made the 2015 outlook a little bleaker.


Marrone's time in Buffalo finishes with a 15-17 record over two seasons. Now the Bills have to start over. One would imagine Marrone has his eyes set on another opening. It's tough to believe he walked away from one of 32 NFL headl-coaching jobs without a backup plan in place.


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News sport : Derrick Rose on his terrible three-point percentage: 'I’m not going to stop shooting'

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It’s just fine – without sounding like a hot take-spewing blowhard – to conclude that Derrick Rose is a different player this season.


There have been flashes of greatness. Up until his last two games with the Chicago Bulls, Rose was approaching All-Star level efficiency numbers as he regained confidence in the pull-up two-pointers and floaters that made him so great prior to his ACL and meniscus tears. Over the last two contests, though, Rose has missed 28 of 35 shots (including 11 of 12 misses from behind the three-point arc), and he’s in danger of setting all sorts of records for the worst three-point shooter ever to take so many dang treys.


Rose, on record at least, isn’t backing off of those looks. From the Chicago Tribune (via Pro Basketball Talk):



“Terrible,” Rose said, when asked to describe [Tuesday] night. But Rose won’t stop shooting. “My confidence to shoot is there,” he said. “All of them were on target. They’re just not falling. I’m not going to stop shooting. If they go under (screens), I’m going to shoot the shot. I work on it enough. I just haven’t seen them go in yet.”



There is a reason why defenders are going under screens set for Rose.


Derrick doesn’t quite have his MVP-level legs back yet, but he is still faster and stronger than most other NBA point guards when it comes to penetrating the paint. His work from behind the arc, however, is approaching Antoine Walker/Kobe Bryant-levels of ridiculousness – Rose is still shooting 5.4 threes per game in only 28 minutes a contest, and he’s making only 26 percent of those looks.


Worse, and this was the case prior to Rose’s injuries, the way he attempts those three-pointers vary from chuck to chuck. Rose will sometimes toss up a line drive, sometimes he put some arc on it, sometimes he’ll twist his body far too much to the left, and sometimes he’ll square up perfectly. All approaches, even the perfect one, usually create the same result. He’ll miss three of four shots from long range whether he’s shooting a line drive or a fundamentally-sound look.


As is the case with Bryant, Rose shouldn’t be shamed for shooting too much. He should be shamed for shooting the wrong shots.


During Derrick’s ACL rehabilitation, there was the hope that the time off would help him improve his dodgy three-point stroke. Those sorts of improvements didn’t take, but that’s just fine! Rose is the rare player that you don’t mind seeing toss up an 19-footer, even a somewhat contested one, because he used to be so great at them. His percentages on the right side of the floor approximate his pre-injury numbers, and his Chicago-styled one-handed runner remains an absolute killer. His numbers from close to the rim or from 10-feet in are exemplary this season.


He has to lose the three-pointer. Playing a game as a guard without use of a three-pointer in 2015 might seem like an anachronism, but Dwyane Wade is producing yet another killer season without relying much on that sort of threat, and numbers indicate that defenses aren’t really tripping over themselves to close out on Derrick once he lines up for his own sort of threat from out there.


He has to stop. It’s not helping his team, and the so-called “threat” of his three-point dalliances aren’t aiding in his abilities to get to the rim.


“Dalliances,” if we’re frank, is a kind way of putting it. Rose is tossing up 15 shots in those 28 minutes, which is fine, but over a third of them are three-pointers that he’s missing at a miserable rate. These Bulls weren’t constructed to win with Derrick Rose having to score 29 points and bail the squad’s offense out – prior to Rose’s recent swoon, this was a top five offense.


Chicago has the horses to win it all this year, and Rose remains one of them. He has to focus on what he does best, however, to make a difference for this team. He can’t be deluded into thinking that balancing an inside/outside game is helping his squad, or his potency. Somebody is going to have to encourage him to re-find that inner-Rod Strickland, and keep things closer to that painted area.


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News sport : Rose Bowl: The first-ever CFP game features a matchup of two Heisman winners

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Rose Bowl

Oregon (12-1) vs. Florida State (13-0)

Pasadena, Calif.

Jan. 1, 2014


FILE - In this Oct. 11, 2014, file photo, Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota passes during the first half of an NCAA college football game against UCLA in Pasadena, Calif. The College Football Playoff participants are well represented on The Associated Press All-America team. Heisman winner Marcus Mariota is the first Ducks' quarterback to be an All-American. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File) The matchup between this year’s Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota and last year’s winner Jameis Winston is one of the most anticipated matchups of the season.


And while the focus will rightfully be on the two stellar signal callers, it should be on the defenses.


Both of these defenses have struggled with consistency this season. Florida State’s defense has been almost nonexistent in most of the first halves the Seminoles have played this year, but have rebounded to have stellar second-half performances to secure victories.


Oregon’s defense ranked 82nd in the country allowing 413.8 yards per game, but only 22.5 points per game. The Ducks had their best performance of the year in the Pac-12 title game when it limited Arizona 224 yards and just 13 points.


The Ducks will be without star cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, who suffered a torn ACL during practice earlier this month. But, Oregon plays a lot of guys on defense and some of their lopsided wins have allowed backups to get key playing time and experience.


There’s no doubt Florida State and Oregon are going to be able to score, it’s just a matter of which defense is going to be able to limit that scoring.


So far this season, few teams have been able to limit Mariota, who thrown for 3,783 yards with 38 touchdowns and just two interceptions. There is no quarterback more efficient than Mariota. And when he’s not beating teams with his arm, he’s rushing for 669 yards and another 14 scores.


Winston hasn’t been nearly as precise as he was a year ago. The sophomore has thrown for 3,559 yards and 24 touchdowns, but he’s also thrown 17 interceptions, which is 10 more than he threw a year ago as a first-time starter. Still, he’s worked wonders for the Florida State offense this season by bringing them back from multiple-touchdown deficits to keep his undefeated streak alive. Winston still has never lost a game in his collegiate career.


The biggest difference between these two teams will be pace of play. Oregon likes to jump on its opponents early and bury them before they can get into any sort of rhythm. While Florida State is used to marching back from deficits, it might not be able to slow the Oregon defense enough to close the gap.


However, if Florida State is able to keep this game close late, it puts itself in familiar territory and a place where it has excelled all season.


ODDS: Oregon (-8)


FUN FACT: Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota has the best passer rating of any quarterback in the second half. Mariota’s first-half rating of 173.05 jumps up to 208.85 in the second half, which is actually more than 13 points better than the next player.


PREDICTIONS


Graham: I have a hard time seeing this game as a close contest considering what we’ve seen from both teams this year. Oregon will be the best team the Seminoles have faced all season and the best scoring offense it's faced. While I appreciate Jameis Winston’s ability to motivate his team and lead it in come-from-behind wins, I think he’ll find himself in too deep of a hole in this one. Oregon 45, Florida State 31.


Nick: It feels imperative for Oregon to get out to a big lead in the first half. Florida State is like a crazy cat in the second half of games as it's always finding a way to escape. The undefeated streak ends on Thursday, though it won't be surprising in the slightest if it doesn't. Oregon 34, Florida State 31.


Sam: There's just something about Jameis Winston in big games, he always gets it done. With Oregon's top corner Ifo Ekpre-Olomu out, Winston will be able to exploit the Ducks' secondary. Marcus Mariota won't go down easy, but the FSU undefeated streak will continue. Florida State 38, Oregon 34.


For more Mississippi State news, visit BulldogBlitz.com.


For more Georgia Tech news, visit JacketsOnline.com.


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News sport : Boise State runs its signature 'Statue of Liberty' play for a score in the Fiesta Bowl (again)

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Boise State is playing in its third Fiesta Bowl, but paid homage on Wednesday to the first game that put the program on the map.



Boise State Statue of Liberty against Arizona

During the first quarter against Arizona, Boise State quarterback Grant Hedrick took the snap on the 16-yard line, pretended to throw a screen pass and instead held the ball down for running back Jay Ajayi to take the hand off and scamper into the end zone.


Boise State ran a similar “Statue of Liberty” play against Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl to win the game.



It was good to see coach Bryan Harsin throw out a oldie but goodie so early in the contest. At the time, it put the Broncos up 21-0.


For more Boise State news, visit Blue-Turf.com.


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News sport : TCU makes a big statement with 42-3 win against Ole Miss in Peach Bowl

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Dec 31, 2014; Atlanta , GA, USA; TCU Horned Frogs linebacker Paul Dawson (47) reacts after sacking Mississippi Rebels quarterback Bo Wallace (not pictured) during the second quarter in the 2014 Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome. (Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports) TCU spent the past few weeks trying not to comment on being left out of the College Football Playoff, and that was probably a good thing, considering the Horned Frogs’ performance in the Peach Bowl spoke volumes.


No. 6 TCU dismantled No. 9 Ole Miss 42-3 in one of the most dominating performances between two top 10 teams this season.


The 39-point loss tied for the most lopsided bowl loss in SEC bowl history (Georgia-Nebraska, 1969 Sun Bowl), and it was TCU’s first bowl win against an SEC opponent since defeating LSU in the 1936 Sugar Bowl.


And the dominance started early.


From the opening snap, TCU’s defense swarmed Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace. It was stronger and faster than Ole Miss’ offensive line and the Horned Frogs managed an interception on the Rebels’ first drive of the game.


TCU jumped out to a 14-0 lead with 6:23 remaining in the first quarter and never looked back. It forced four turnovers — all by Wallace — and was held to 129 yards of total offense, including just nine yards rushing. TCU punctuated its performance by mocking Ole Miss' signature "landshark" posture by pretending their hand was a fin at the front of their helmet.


Ole Miss' three points came on a field goal with 7:18 remaining in the game after a TCU turnover gave the Rebels a short field.


TCU didn’t have a stellar offensive day, but it didn’t need to with the way its defense played. Quarterback Trevone Boykin completed 22-of-31 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns, but he also threw three really ugly interceptions. Running back Aaron Green led all rushers with 67 yards and a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown.


Boykin’s three picks were really the only thing that kept the game from really getting out of hand as the Horned Frogs seemed like a threat to score on every offensive drive. In fact, TCU only punted four times the entire day.


TCU ranked No. 3 heading into the final wave of rankings and soundly defeated Iowa State to make their case to stay in the top four. However, the committee essentially wiped the slate clean and promoted No. 5 Ohio State into the top four and dropped the Horned Frogs all the way down to No. 6 behind Baylor, the only team that defeated it all season.


The move sparked all sorts of controversy and debate about the validity and the politics of the rankings, but TCU coach Gary Patterson and his players stayed largely above the fray and said their only focus was on Ole Miss.


But it’s clear, the Horned Frogs knew a dominating performance against Ole Miss would be the most powerful statement they could make and it also would set them up for a potential playoff run in 2015.


If there’s one other positive TCU can take from this game, it’s that it will end its season with a statement win while only one of the teams in the College Football Playoff can claim the same.


For more TCU news, visit PurpleMenace.com.


For more Ole Miss news, visit RebelGrove.com.


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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 : Seton Hall earns a head-turning victory to open Big East action

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Seton Hall didn’t have much of an argument for being ranked in the top 25 going into Wednesday’s game against No. 15 St. John’s. The Pirates had lost to two of the three best opponents on their schedule.


They significantly improved their case after beating the Red Storm 78-67 to open Big East Conference play and doing it without, perhaps, their best player, Isaiah Whitehead, who is out indefinitely with a stress fracture in his foot.


If Seton Hall can follow up with another win, or at least a solid performance, against undefeated No. 6 Villanova on Saturday, coach Kevin Willard might have to evolve from coaching an up-and-coming group to suddenly managing expectations. \


Willard started the season with a 66-66 career mark at Seton Hall in four seasons and a 24-48 record in conference games. Starting 11-2 with a victory over a ranked Big East opponent to open league play is a nice way to take some of the pressure off.


Could this finally be the year Seton Hall gets back to the NCAA tournament and Willard gets that monkey off his back? The Pirates aren’t quite to that bridge yet.


Still, it has to be encouraging for patient Seton Hall fans to see their team come together and play cohesively without Whitehead. Forward Angel Delgado was a beast on the boards collecting 12 rebounds to go with his 13 points and d Jaren Sina dropped some timely 3-pointers to keep the Red Storm at bay.


Three other players also scored in double figures fro Willard, led by guard Sterling Gibbs’ 25 points. Willard clearly has options when it comes to putting the ball in the basket and his team seems to like a high-pressure defensive style. Having depth in the backcourt has been a blessing in the wake of Whitehead’s injury and it helped take down St. John’s.


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[Kyle Ringo is the assistant editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at kyle.ringo@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Did LeBron James promise Dwyane Wade they're 'gonna reunite again?' (Video)

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This is dumb.


This is really dumb.


Is this real?


It’s still dumb.


On Wednesday, with the eyes of the nation staring down college football bowls and the same suit they’ve worn to New Year’s Eve parties for the last seven years, a Reddit user splashed online to claim LeBron James was telling Dwyane Wade on Christmas Day that James would be well on his way to Miami should the Cleveland Cavaliers fail to make something meaningful happen this year.


Watch, and turn up your speakers (and turn down your own personal brand of throbbing cynicism):



The Reddit user claims James said, "Like I said, if we aren't better this year, we're gonna reunite again and do some bigger and better things, alright?" Others have parsed it out to, "Listen, we've done it before. We're gonna reunite again and do some better things, alright?"


Now that your eyes have stopped rolling, let’s settle down a bit.


Even if the quoted variations are true, this could mean absolutely anything. This could be a discussion about a relationship – it’s not uncommon for displaced friends to promise future meetings while warming themselves in the light of the figurative Christmas fire – or some sort of post-playing career transitional partnership.


If you think this has something to do with LeBron James promising Dwyane Wade he’ll be back in Miami once he opts out of his contract this summer, you’re taking a rather large bite.


If James fled Ohio once again this summer after his massive and much-adored love letter to the state, Cavs fans wouldn’t just burn his jerseys. They’d burn Florida. Militias would be created, and huge gobs of Gold Star Chili (they wouldn’t waste the good stuff) would be thrown at the whole of South Beach.


LeBron James has been pretty tone deaf before, as we saw during his 2010 decision, but the underlying theme in both his 2010 and '14 choices was secrecy. Nobody had the scoop before James announced it, and as sound as his friendship with Wade might be, the dude is not going to hint at 2015 free agency plans with all manner of microphones and cameras milling about in the NBA’s most-watched game of its season so far.


James was correct, in his postgame press conference, to point out the double standard fans and media use when it comes to judging players and teams making transaction decisions. The Cavs are in real trouble this year of just being a pretty good team, Dwyane Wade is currently having an All-Star-worthy bounce-back year, and old habits die hard. Not only does James have a player option for next year, but so does Wade – and James’ ostensible Miami replacement in Luol Deng.


Would the entire lot of them opt out to take less money to play in Miami? If you’ll recall, the only reason James, Wade, Deng and Kevin Love (who has yet to sign a contract extension) are working with these flexible contracts is to ensure their ability to eventually make as much money as possible under NBA salary bylaws. With that in place, it’s still possible that …


… wait. Stop. Seriously.


James and Wade both probably own cell phones, and the ability to text each other without anyone hearing anything. James isn’t going to drop something like this with the klieg lights on and the cameras rolling. Anything’s a possibility with LeBron, but let’s just wait until July to work with an air of certainty, OK?


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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 : Cotton Bowl: Can Michigan State's tough D contain the Baylor offense?

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Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

Michigan State (10-2) vs. Baylor (11-1)

Arlington, Texas

Jan. 1, 2015


Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty (14) points upward with teammate offensive linesman Jarell Broxton (61), right, following his touchdown over Kansas State in the first half of NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Waco Tribune Herald, Jerry Larson) This year’s Cotton Bowl between Baylor and Michigan State is a classic matchup featuring a high-powered offense versus a stout defense matchup.


The fifth-ranked Bears boast the top offense in the country in both points and yards per game. Led by quarterback Bryce Petty, Baylor averaged a whopping 48.8 points and 581.3 yards per game en route to an 11-1 record and a share of the Big 12 crown.


The Bears, like their Big 12 brethren TCU, just missed out on the College Football Playoff, leading to some outspoken criticism from head coach Art Briles. They’ll look up to back up their head coach’s talk with Petty in the passing game. The senior threw for 3,305 yards and 26 touchdowns to a deep and talented group of receivers. Corey Coleman led the Bears with 57 catches for 969 yards and 10. Antwan Goodley added 50 catches for 833 yards and six touchdowns while Antwan Goodley caught 51 passes for 737 yards and six scores as well.


The Bears have a solid run game too with Shock Linwood (1,226 yards, 16 TDs), but they could struggle against a Spartans defense that is third nationally in rush defense (97.5 yards per game) and fifth in total defense (293.5 ypg). Michigan State will play its final game with Pat Narduzzi as defensive coordinator after Narduzzi accepted the head-coaching gig at Pittsburgh.


While Michigan State is known for its defense, the Spartan offense was seventh in the country in scoring at 43.1 points per game and 13th in total offense with 496.5 yards per game. The Spartans’ only two losses came at the hands of Oregon and Ohio State – two College Football Playoff participants.


Junior quarterback Connor Cook threw for 2,900 yards and 22 touchdowns while only giving away six interceptions. The Spartans were extremely balanced all year with senior Jeremy Langford rushing for 1,360 yards and 19 touchdowns on the year. Cook’s favorite target was Big Ten receiver of the year Tony Lippett, who caught 60 passes for 1,124 yards and 11 touchdowns.


Baylor’s defense will be key in this one. You know the Bears will be able to score, but will the Bears be able to stop the Spartans from keeping pace?


ODDS


Baylor (-2.5)


FUN FACT


Interestingly, Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said that Tony Lippett, the Spartans’ leading wideout, will also start at defensive back for the third straight game to help against Baylor’s pass offense. He’s played a lot of cornerback in the past, so it’s not new territory for him, but he could be in for a ton of snaps against the Bears’ quick-strike offense.


PREDICTIONS


Graham: Michigan State isn't as good as Baylor, but I wonder about Baylor's motivation in this contest after being left out of the College Football Playoff. Still, the Bears should come into this game with a chip on their shoulder and that should be enough to motivate them to victory. Baylor 28, Michigan State 17.


Nick: Is the Big 12's bowl disaster going to continue? I'm not sure this is a good matchup for Baylor. Cook will match Petty and Michigan State will get a key stop late in the game. Michigan State 31, Baylor 29.


Sam: While Baylor’s offense against Michigan State’s defense is the matchup everyone’s been talking about, I think Baylor’s defense is the key. I’m not sure the Bears will be able to keep the Spartans out of the end zone at crucial parts of the game. Michigan State 37, Baylor 33.


For more Baylor news, visit SicEmSports.com.


For more Michigan State news, visit SpartanMag.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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