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Central State beats Mississippi Valley State 24-21 in the return of the Chicago Football Classic

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:26:10 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Central State kicked a late fourth-quarter field goal and beat Mississippi Valley State 24-21 on Saturday as the teams opened their seasons in the Chicago Football Classic on Soldier Field. It was the 25 anniversary of the game and the first since 2019 that features Historically Black Colleges and Universities. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-pollSource

Drew Allar shines in No. 7 Penn State’s opening 38-15 victory over West Virginia

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:26:10 GMT

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — With a mere flick of his wrist, rocket-armed Drew Allar began a new era in Happy Valley.This is what the 6-foot-5, 242-pound quarterback’s teammates and coaches gushed about all summer. The sophomore signal caller can make it look easy.Allar, who sat behind five-year starter Sean Clifford last year, threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start to help No. 7 Penn State beat West Virginia 38-15 on Saturday night in their season opener.“That’s the Drew we saw in preseason camp. That’s the Drew we saw in limited reps last year,” coach James Franklin said. “He was extremely poised.”KeAndre Lambert-Smith caught two touchdown passes — including a 72-yard dart that required very little windup from Allar, even though he was scrambling through the pocket when he launched it downfield. The ball soared over a lunging Mountaineer defender and fell perfectly into Lambert-Smith’s hands. The wideout didn’t even need to hit full speed to finish the sco...

Blake Watson runs for 3 TDs, Sutton Smith adds 2 more as Memphis beats Bethune-Cookman 56-10

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:26:10 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Sutton Smith ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries and Blake Watson added three rushing TDs to lead Memphis to a 56-14 win over Bethune-Cookman on Saturday night in the season opener for both teams. Watson finished with 10 carries for 75 yards. Seth Henigan completed 27 of 36 passes for 334 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for Memphis. Watson scored on a 2-yard run with 12:28 left in the first quarter and Seth Morgan kicked a 45-yard field goal about 7 minutes later to make it 10-0. Bethune-Cookman got on the board when Amarie Jones returned an interception 69 yards for a touchdown with 2:15 remaining in the period. Watson sandwiched TD runs of 15 and 2 yards around a 25-yard field goal by Morgan in the second quarter to ignite a string of 46 straight points by the Tigers. Bethune-Cookman’s Ejike Brown returned a fumble 19 yards for a touchdown to cap the scoring. The Wildcats converted 1-of-15 third downs, had just four first ...

Minnesota United plays Earthquakes to 1-1 draw

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:26:10 GMT

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — San Jose’s Daniel de Sousa Britto had six saves and Dayne St. Clair turned away five shots for Minnesota United in a 1-1 draw on Saturday night.Minnesota United (9-8-9) jumped on top in the 4th minute when Teemu Pukki took a pass from Emanuel Reynoso and scored his third goal in his seventh career appearance.Cade Cowell pulled San Jose (9-9-9) even in the 16th minute, using an assist from Jackson Yueill to score for the first time this season.San Jose snapped a seven-match winless streak in the series with a 2-0 victory late last season. The only other time the Earthquakes blanked Minnesota United was a 1-0 victory in 2017 in the first match-up.Minnesota United was coming off back-to-back shutout victories in regular-season play — a first for the club.Minnesota United will host the New England Revolution on Saturday. San Jose travels to play D.C. United on Saturday.____ apnews.com/hub/soccer Source

Michael Pratt near perfect in No. 24 Tulane’s 31-17 victory over South Alabama

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:26:10 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Michael Pratt completed 14 of 15 passes for 294 yards and four touchdowns and No. 24 Tulane beat South Alabama 37-17 on Saturday night.Three of Pratt’s scoring passes came on deep throws. He hit Jha’Quan Jackson for touchdowns of 48 and 47 yards and connected with Lawrence Keys on a 47-yard scoring play.“We took what was there — and there was a lot there,” Pratt said with a grin. “The offensive line did a great job holding up, keeping guys out of my face an the receivers did a phenomenal job winning and just made everything really easy for me.”Looking to validate its first preseason AP Top 25 ranking against a season-opening opponent that won 10 games last season, the Green Wave raced to a 24-7 lead. South Alabama briefly closed within a touchdown in the third quarter before Tulane began to pull away again on an unconventional flea flicker.Running back Shaadie Clayton-Johnson took a direct snap and handed off to Keys, who ran around the right end befor...

Acuña homers in 3rd straight game against Dodgers as Braves win 4-2 in 10 for 6th in a row

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:26:10 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. homered for the third straight night at Dodger Stadium and Orlando Arcia hit a three-run shot in the 10th inning that sent the streaking Atlanta Braves to a 4-2 victory over Los Angeles on Saturday.Bryce Elder pitched six effective innings and the Braves (90-45) won their sixth consecutive game, becoming the first major league club to reach 90 wins this season.Atlanta will try for a four-game sweep Sunday in this much-anticipated matchup between the top two teams in the National League. Married north of Los Angeles before Thursday’s game, Acuña once again outshined Dodgers star Mookie Betts in their chase for NL MVP.With one out in the third inning, Acuña launched a 454-foot homer to center field that came off his bat like a rocket at an astounding 121.2 mph. It was the 32nd homer this year and third of the series for Acuña, the first player in big league history with 30 home runs and 60 stolen bases in a season.Los Angeles tied it 1-all in the bo...

Swann throws 2 TD passes to Sheppard, Vanderbilt beats Alabama A&M 47-13

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:26:10 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Will Sheppard scored two touchdowns on short receptions, and Sedrick Alexander reached the end zone twice on fourth-quarter runs to help Vanderbilt beat Alabama A&M 47-13 Saturday.Sheppard finished with six receptions for 62 yards, and Jayden McGowan added six catches for 70 yards. Alexander ran for 87 yards on 12 carries.AJ Swann completed 15 of 29 passes for 194 yards with one interception and directed a balanced attack that amassed 194 yards passing and 160 yards rushing before the reserves took over midway through the fourth quarter. The sophomore quarterback connected with Sheppard on the two touchdowns and scored his first career rushing touchdown on a third-quarter sneak.Vanderbilt is 2-0 for the second straight time under third-year head coach Clark Lea. Alabama A&M, an FCS program, is 0-1.“This team is not done growing,” Lea said. “We’re going to try to take every opportunity we can to keep working toward what our highest level is. … We’re no...

Pavia, Thomas help New Mexico State cruise to 58-21 victory over Western Illinois

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:26:10 GMT

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Diego Pavia threw for 317 yards and two touchdowns, Star Thomas added 96 yards rushing and a pair of scores and New Mexico State rolled to a 58-21 victory over Western Illinois on Saturday night in a season opener. Pavia was 16-of-20 passing including a 75-yard touchdown pass to Bryce Childress and an 80-yarder to Jonathan Brady, each in the third quarter. Brady finished with 102 yards receiving on four catches. Matt Morrissey was 16-of-30 passing for 215 yards and had two touchdown passes to lead Western Illinois. The Leathernecks pulled to 20-14 just before halftime on a Ludovick Choquette 21-yard touchdown run. Ethan Albertson’s 37-yard field goal and Pavia’s two long TD passes helped the Aggies pull away in the third.AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-pollSource

Drake Maye throws 2 TDs, No. 21 North Carolina has 9 sacks in 31-17 win over South Carolina

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:26:10 GMT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina Tar Heels have a Heisman Trophy candidate in quarterback Drake Maye.Now, they may have a talented defense to match.“The sky would be the limit,” Maye said about the Tar Heels’ potential.Maye threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns and North Carolina’s upstart defense had nine sacks as the 21st-ranked Tar Heels defeated border rival South Carolina 31-17 on Saturday night in a neutral-site game. It was the second-most sacks in UNC history since the school began tracking the team stat in 2000.British Brooks ran for 103 yards and Omarion Hampton added two short TD runs for the Tar Heels.Maye, who grew up in the Charlotte suburb of Huntersville, led scoring drives on five of North Carolina’s first six possessions, excluding a kneel down at the end of the first half.The redshirt sophomore made NFL-type throws — back-shoulder fades, deep outs and sidearm tosses under pressure — while repeatedly keeping alive plays with this feet. He wasn’...

Wells propels Virginia Tech past Old Dominion 36-17

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:26:10 GMT

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Grant Wells threw three touchdown passes and rushed for a score to lead Virginia Tech to a 36-17 season-opening win over Old Dominion on Saturday night.Wells, who won the starting quarterback job over Baylor transfer Kyron Drones in the preseason, completed 17 of 29 passes for 251 yards to help the Hokies avenge a 20-17 upset loss to the Monarchs in last year’s season opener.“We’re pretty levelheaded,” Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry said. “We’re not going to get too high or too low. We didn’t do that last year, and we certainly could have. We’ll enjoy the win, and there will be some light-hearted moments before we get into the film (Sunday), but there will be plenty to correct and plenty to work on. We still have a pretty long way to go to be the team that we can be.”Wells threw touchdown passes of 20 yards to Jaylin Lane, and from 10 and six yards out to Ali Jennings, as the Hokies snapped a 14-game streak of scoring fewer than 30 points. Wells also scored on ...