sports news update

Drew Plitt accounted for two scores and Ball State beat short-handed No. 19 San Jose State 34-13 in the Arizona Bowl on Thursday. TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Tears were shed when Ball State coach Mike Neu told his players this summer that the season had been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. When the Mid-American Conference changed course and decided to start a truncated season in November, the Cardinals were given a second chance. They turned it into the program’s first bowl win in 10 tries. Antonio Phillips returned an early interception 53 yards for a touchdown, Drew Plitt accounted for two scores and Ball State beat short-handed No. 19 San Jose State 34-13 in the Arizona Bowl on Thursday. “We knew were granted an opportunity to do something special here,” Ball State safety Bryce Cosby said. “That says a lot about these guys. I can’t even fathom the amount of sacrifice with COVID and everything. We had to do everything a little different and I’m just proud of these guys.” San...

Reserve quarterback Austin Kendall threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Simmons with 5:10 left and West Virginia held off Army 24-21 to finish its season at 9-3. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Reserve quarterback Austin Kendall threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Simmons with 5:10 left and West Virginia held off Army 24-21 on Thursday in the Liberty Bowl. Army (9-3) had a chance to tie it with 1:50 left, but Quinn Maretzki’s 39-yard field goal was wide left. Josh Chandler ended Army’s final possession with an interception, and led the Mountaineers (9-3) with 13 tackles. Simmons also scored on a 5-yard pass from starting quarterback Jarret Doege. Army quarterback Tyhier Tyler had three rushing touchdowns – from 1, 6, and 2 yards – to tie a Liberty Bowl record. The Black Knights initially were scheduled to play in the Independence Bowl but seemed left out of the bowl lineup after the Shreveport, Louisiana, bowl was canceled. They got the opportunity to play in the Liberty Bowl after T...

Warren initially felt soreness in his foot after the Pacers' loss to the Boston Celtics Tuesday. Indiana Pacers forward TJ Warren will undergo surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left foot, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports .  Warren will be out indefinitely, according to Wojnarowski. The forward was ruled out of the Pacers' game on Thursday against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to soreness in his left foot.  Warren initially felt soreness in his foot after the Pacers' loss to the Boston Celtics Tuesday. It was his other foot that hindered him in training camp due to plantar fasciitis. Warren averaged 15 points in four games this season after a breakout performance in the Orlando restart in the NBA Bubble. He had a similar procedure on his right foot in Phoenix in 2016 before fully recovering. In the 2019-20, Warren averaged 19.8 points and 4.2 rebounds in 67 games played. Five games into the season, Indiana (4-1) is in second place in the Eastern Conference....

As of now, it is not certain why the brawl was started following the game. While Mississippi State defeated No. 24 Tulsa, 28–26, on Thursday afternoon, the final seconds of the Armed Forces Bowl saw a violent brawl take place between the two teams. The teams met on the field following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Mississippi State on a late onside kick from Tulsa. Players from both teams were congregated on two distinct sides when a punch was thrown from a Mississippi State player to one of the Tulsa football players. That punch led to a spiral of players from both sides scrapping with each other, and Bulldog wide receiver Malik Heath kicked Tulsa senior safety Tieneal Martin. As the brawl continued down the field, players continued to punch and hit each other.  Tulsa sophomore safety Kendarin Ray was helped off the field after being injured during the postgame brawl. It is not certain what started the brawl.  Mississippi State head coach Mike Leac...

SI Gambling analyst Roy Larking breaks down his betting card for Cincinnati vs. Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and Auburn vs. Northwestern in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl. Happy New Year! Prior to College Football Playoff semifinal action, bettors can wager on a pair New Year’s Six bowl games. The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl is first up and features No. 8 Cincinnati battling No. 9 Georgia. An hour after that contest kicks off, Auburn and No. 14 Northwestern meet in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl. With betting odds posted at DraftKings Sportsbook - here is a breakdown and picks for those two matchups that are slated for Thursday, January 1, 2021. Are you looking for PREMIUM picks for this week's college football slate? SI PRO subscribers can get real-time betting alerts whenever information comes in. Become an SI PRO member and start "Beating the Books" today! The Vegas Whispers sharp information continues to dominate the sportsbooks with a 212-138-3 overall record. The informatio...

King suffered a knee injury late in the second quarter of Tuesday's Cheez-It Bowl. Miami quarterback D'Eriq King will undergo surgery after tearing the ACL in his right knee in the Hurricanes' 37–34 loss to Oklahoma State in the Cheez-It Bowl , the school announced on Thursday. A timetable for King's return will be determined after surgery but he is expected to be available for the start of the 2021 fall camp in August. King suffered the injury late in the second quarter of Tuesday night's game when he scrambled to his right and his knee buckled on the run. The redshirt senior stayed on the ground for several minutes before Miami's staff helped him to the medical tent. He went to the locker room shortly before halftime and returned to the sideline in the second half with a brace on his knee. "We are obviously disappointed for D'Eriq but we know he is in great hands with our medical staff," coach Manny Diaz said in a statement . "D'Er...

Breaking down the semifinal battle between the Fighting Irish and the Crimson Tide. DALLAS — The sunset was always the thing, holding college football in thrall. The Rose Bowl had to be played at a certain time, every year, so that America could be transfixed by the warm sun rays as they bathed idyllic Pasadena in golden light. Then the orb slipped behind the San Gabriel Mountains and the game reached its fourth-quarter climax. Welp. Here in 2020, the sun will set over the strip malls on the Tom Landry Expressway in Arlington, Texas, where the Rose Bowl has been relocated to AT&T Stadium. Nobody will see it, for two reasons: the forecast is for clouds, and the game will be indoors. So much for idyllic. But at least there is a College Football Playoff semifinal being played. How long it holds our collective interest is another matter, one that rests heavily on the skill and will of heavy underdog Notre Dame as it takes on undefeated, No. 1 Alabama. Storyline you're already...

Ohio State played without 22 players in the Big Ten title game due to COVID-19 quarantine protocols. Although Ohio State will have several players back for the College Football Playoff semifinal against Clemson , coach Ryan Day said some of the Buckeyes might not be in game shape. The team played without 22 players , including top receiver Chris Olave and linebacker Baron Browning, in its Big Ten championship victory over Northwestern on Dec. 19. Under conference rules, players exposed to COVID-19 had to quarantine for 21 days. The team feared the players would miss the CFP semifinal if they qualified, however, the Big Ten changed the rule after Ohio State won the conference title game and secured a CFP spot. Although the rule change allows Olave and others to rejoin the Buckeyes, Day is uncertain how they'll look against Clemson. "Full strength is a floating target right now," Day said, via ESPN . "Those guys who come off quarantine and isolation, they have a p...

Florida suffered a 55–20 blowout loss to Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl. Following Florida's 55–20 blowout loss to Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl, coach Dan Mullen said the Gators could have skipped the game due to the number of players available to play. "With the number of people that were out for the game, we were under numbers actually," Mullen said, via ESPN . "We had the numbers to not play the game." Despite their depleted roster, the team still desired to compete in the top-10 matchup to gain experience . "I give our guys credit. ...Our young guys wanted to go play in that game, and they wanted to get that experience and wanted to be on that stage." Mullen estimated Tuesday that he would have 60 scholarship players available. This season, the SEC set a minimum mark of 53 scholarship players for game participation, but teams could choose to play if they didn't reach the threshold. The league also established minimums for three positions: qu...

Breaking down the semifinal battle between the Buckeyes and Tigers. NEW ORLEANS — Who would have guessed that Ohio State and Clemson would meet in a College Football Playoff semifinal? They’ve only done that three times in the last five seasons. It hasn’t worked out for the Buckeyes, who lost last year’s meeting 29–23 after blowing an early 16–0 lead and dropped a 31–0 rout to the Tigers in the 2016 semifinal. In fact, Clemson has won all four meetings with Ohio State in the series history, winning the Orange Bowl, 40–35, in 2013 and claiming a two-point Gator Bowl win in 1978. The Tiger is squarely on the Buckeyes’ backs. And to get it off, they will need a whale of a game from QB Justin Fields and an electric performance from twin tailbacks Trey Sermon and Master Teague. They’re a one-two punch that could give Clemson DC Brent Venables fits in the same way that Fields and RB J.K. Dobbins did last season (Ohio State had 516 yards, outgaining Clemson by 99 yards). It doesn’t get...

SI's Chris Mannix, Rohan Nadkarni, and Howard Beck share their thoughts on the ongoing developments between James Harden and the Houston Rockets Before the season began, James Harden did not shy away from sharing his feelings about wanting a change in scenery. Several different teams have been thrown around as destinations for Harden, but nothing has fully taken shape yet. SI's Chris Mannix, Rohan Nadkarni, and Howard Beck share their thoughts on the ongoing developments between James Harden and the Houston Rockets.

Oklahoma set a Cotton Bowl record with 684 total yards as the Sooners blew out the Gators, 55-20. Spencer Rattler threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score, Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 186 yards and No. 8 Oklahoma beat 10th-ranked SEC runner-up Florida 55-20 on Wednesday night in the Cotton Bowl. Back in the same NFL stadium where 11 days earlier they won their sixth consecutive Big 12 title, the Sooners (9-2, No. 6 CFP) jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first seven minutes. The 55 points were their most ever in a bowl game, while piling up a Cotton Bowl-record 684 total yards. Rattler threw a 27-yard TD pass to fellow freshman Marvin Mims on the game’s opening drive, and Florida’s first possession ended with Tre Norwood’s 45-yard interception return for a touchdown. That was the first of three picks thrown by Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Kyle Trask in the first quarter, after only five all season. Oklahoma played in its sixth consecutive New Year’s Six bowl ...

Hammon assumed acting head coach duties after Popovich received two technical fouls for arguing a non-call with the officials. Late in the second quarter of Wednesday's game against the Lakers, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was ejected after receiving two technical fouls for arguing with officials. The ejection occurred after Popovich thought DeMar DeRozan was fouled driving to the basket for a layup, but there was no foul called. Popovich left with the Spurs trailing the Lakers, 52-41. He was replaced by assistant coach Becky Hammon , who took over head coaching duties for the rest of the game. Hammon, 43, is in her seventh season as a Spurs assistant after an accomplished 16-year career in the WNBA. Last season, Popovich was ejected from a game in November and replaced as acting head coach by a committee that included Hammon, though then-assistant Tim Duncan was charged with calling plays. Hammon has previously served as head coach for the Spurs during the NBA Summer Leag...

The senior known as "Smitty" has put together a truly special career in Tuscaloosa, and he now has  chance to go out on top. Alabama has had some famed pass catchers over the years. Don Hutson is considered the first great wide receiver, modernizing the position in the 1930s. Dennis Homan and Ray Perkins starred on some great teams in the 1960s. Ozzie Newsome was a Hall of Fame tight end in the ‘70s. But it wasn’t until the Nick Saban Era that Alabama began to stockpile large quantities of elite talent at wide receiver. What started with Julio Jones continued with Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley and others. There are eight Alabama wideouts on NFL rosters this season. ‘Bama now has achieved peak wideout weaponry. When a team can lose two top-15 NFL draft picks (Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy), then have a third star break his ankle midway through the season (Jaylen Waddle) and still have the best receiver in the nation? That’s Wide Receiver U. The amazing thing is that DeVont...

The winning coach of Wednesday’s bowl game may want to avoid his players in the final seconds. Bowl season is the most festive time of the year of the college football calendar, featuring a slate of strange game sponsors and even stranger celebrations. But one bowl game on Wednesday may be taking things a bit too far. Tuesday night marked the 31st edition of the Cheez-It Bowl, culminating in a celebratory Cheez-It bath for Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy in the final seconds. We could see another variation of the traditional Gatorade bath on Wednesday as Wisconsin and Wake Forest square off in the Duke's Mayo Bowl. A tub of mayo dumped on one's head is, admittedly, a horrifying idea, though it's not completely out of the question.  The Duke's Mayo Bowl Twitter account tweeted a photo teasing a potential mayo dump on Wednesday morning, likely sending a shiver down the spine of both Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson and Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst. It...

The College Football Playoff is approaching with Alabama taking on Notre Dame in the Rose Bowl and Clemson squaring off against Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. The College Football Playoff is approaching with Alabama taking on Notre Dame in the Rose Bowl and Clemson squaring off against Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. So, what should we expect from each matchup to set up the national championship? Sports Illustrated host Robin Lundberg discussed the big New Year's Day games with SI's Wilton Jackson.

Vegas Whispers 2020 Sugar Bowl Breakdown, Betting Odds & Preview! No. 2 Clemson Tigers have been installed as moderate favorites to take down No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes on New Year’s Day. The oddsmakers at DraftKings Sportsbook have installed projected No.1 overall NFL draft pick QB Trevor Lawrence and Clemson as 7.5-point favorites to advance to the Championship game against the winner of No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Notre Dame. The Vegas Whispers sharp information, shared here only at Sports Illustrated , are red-hot on all released plays, so be sure to sign up for SI Fantasy PRO and receive real-time alerts for all Vegas Whispers plays! The information is on a torrid streak going 9-0 ATS in the last 9 NFL released games and now stands at 67-46-1 ATS in NFL wagering this season. In NCAA Football, the respected information at 29-20 ATS on the season. UFC bettors, courtesy of Casey Olson’s information, finished 2020 at 210-87-6 ATS (71%) on all wagers for all SIPRO members. Over...

The Washington Wizards are 0-4 and though it is early, for a squad many projected to be a playoff team, it has to be cause for concern. So what is wrong in Washington? Sports Illustrated host Robin Lundberg, SI's Wilton Jackson, and "The Fantasy Exec" Corey Parson gave their thoughts.

The Milwaukee Bucks set an NBA record for three-pointers in a blowout win over the Miami Heat. The Milwaukee Bucks set an NBA record for three-pointers in a blowout win over the Miami Heat. The game was nationally televised and so far this season there have been many high-profile matchups that have been decided by wide margins. So, what is the reason for the blowouts and could they be a problem for the NBA? Sports Illustrated host Robin Lundberg, SI's Wilton Jackson, and "The Fantasy Exec" Corey Parson weighed in.

Happy birthday LeBron James! LeBron turned 36-years-old today and this is his 18th season in the NBA. So, amongst all he has accomplished, what is your favorite LeBron memory? Sports Illustrated host Robin Lundberg, SI's Wilton Jackson, and "The Fantasy Exec" Corey Parson shared their favorite moments from James in honor of his birthday.

SI Gambling analyst Roy Larking has college bowl games that feature Wake Forest vs. Wisconsin and Florida vs. Oklahoma on his Wednesday NCAA football betting card. College football bowl season continues with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and Wisconsin Badgers meeting in the Duke's Mayo Bowl. That contest is followed by the Florida Gators battling the Oklahoma Sooners in the Cotton Bowl Classic. With betting odds posted at DraftKings Sportsbook - here is a breakdown and picks for those two matchups slated for Wednesday, December 30th. Are you looking for PREMIUM picks for this week's college football slate? SI PRO subscribers can get real-time betting alerts whenever information comes in. Become an SI PRO member and start "Beating the Books" today! The Vegas Whispers sharp information continues to dominate the sportsbooks with a 212-138-3 overall record. The information received from Frankie Taddeo, Sports Illustrated's Vegas Gambling Insider, is currently 2...

Vegas Whispers Rose Bowl Breakdown, Betting Odds & Preview! No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide have been installed as heavy favorites to easily take down No. 4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish on New Year's Day. The oddsmakers at DraftKings Sportsbook have now installed Heisman Trophy finalist Alabama QB Mac Jones and Alabama as 19.5-point favorites to advance to the Championship game against the winner of No. 2 Clemson and No. 3 Ohio State. The Vegas Whispers sharp information, shared here only at Sports Illustrated , are red-hot on all released plays, so be sure to sign up for SI Fantasy PRO and receive real-time alerts for all Vegas Whispers plays! The information is on a torrid streak going 9-0 ATS in the last 9 NFL released games and now stands at 67-46-1 ATS in NFL wagering this season. In NCAA Football, the respected information at 29-20 ATS on the season. UFC bettors, courtesy of Casey Olson's information, finished 2020 at 210-87-6 ATS (71%) on all wagers for all SIPRO mem...

Despite Sam Ehlinger missing the second half after sustaining a shoulder injury, Texas remains undefeated in five bowl games under Tom Herman. SAN ANTONIO — Casey Thompson passed for 170 yards and four touchdowns and No. 20 Texas overcame an injury to senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger and beat Colorado 55-23 in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Tuesday night. Freshman running back Bijan Robinson had 183 yards on 10 carries with a TD for Texas (7-3). The Longhorns are undefeated in five bowl games under Tom Herman. Ehlinger missed the second half after sustaining a shoulder injury in second quarter. He returned to the field in the third quarter in warmups, with his right arm in a sling. There was no immediate word on the extent of Ehlinger’s injury. Ehlinger played the entire first half, completing 10 of 16 passes for 160 yards and a score. Colorado was playing its sixth game of the season due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Pac-12 initially canceled its season only to reverse the decisio...

Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger was ruled out for the second half after injuring his shoulder. Texas starting quarterback Sam Ehlinger suffered a shoulder injury in the first half against Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. Ehlinger was ruled out for the second half of the matchup but later returned to the Longhorns' bench with his arm in a sling and donning street clothes. Casey Thompson took over as the quarterback at the start of the third quarter.  Ehlinger's injury comes hours after Miami quarterback D'Eriq King exited the Cheez-It Bowl with a right knee injury , marking a tough day for star QBs in bowl game appearances. The Longhorns QB went 10-of-16 for 160 yards and tallied a single touchdown to help Texas take a 17-10 halftime lead over Colorado. However, he was sacked on his two final dropbacks.  Ehlinger hasn't announced yet if he'll take advantage of the NCAA freezing the eligibility of its athletes this fall and return for the 2021 season. He's cur...

The Milwaukee Bucks set a single game NBA record with 29 three-pointers with Jrue Holiday leading the way with six. The Milwaukee Bucks set a single game NBA record with 29 three-pointers in their 144-97 victory over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.  However, most wouldn't have expected this after the program's worst three-point effort in over a year this past Sunday.  The only Bucks player who didn't make the list on the historic night was two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who tallied nine points.  Khris Middleton had four three-pointers and a total of 25 points while Jrue Holiday tallied six three's in his 24-point night. Donte DiVincenzo went 5-for-6 from deep and finished with 17 points. Sam Merrill broke the record with the team's 28th three-pointer with 6:07 to go.  The Houston Rockets set the previous record against the Phoenix Suns on April 7, 2019 with 27 three-pointers. Milwaukee's previous high was 22 in 2018.  T...

Flags, penalties and injuries filled the Cheez-It Bowl as Oklahoma State topped Miami thanks to a fourth quarter sprint. The Cheez-It Bowl between No. 21 Oklahoma State and No. 18 Miami mirrored the chaotic energy that filled 2020.  Flags, penalties and injuries plagued the two teams as the Cowboys won 37-34 thanks to a fourth quarter sprint.  Oklahoma State took the lead early, going on a 21-0 run in the first quarter. However, they didn't score again until early in the fourth quarter after Miami closed to gap to just two points.  The Hurricanes scored a touchdown and field goal in the second quarter, but lost a key player late in the second quarter to a right knee injury. Quarterback D'Eriq King scrambled to his right before running five yards, ending with King grabbing his right knee.  The redshirt senior refused a medical cart to ride back to the locker room, The Athletic 's Manny Navarro reported , and limped back while appearing not to put weight on that...

Miami's D’Eriq King suffered a right knee injury just days after announcing that he was returning for one more season. Miami quarterback D’Eriq King exited the game due to an apparent right knee injury after being tackled late in the second quarter of the Cheez-it Bowl against Oklahoma State.  The Hurricanes have not provided an update on his status but tweeted their condolences for the QB.  ESPN sideline reporter Katie George said after halftime that King has been ruled out for the remainder of the game and will be reevaluated upon the team's arrival in Miami.  The 23-year-old scrambled to his right before running five yards, ending with King grabbing his right knee. The sideline took a knee as trainers tended to the redshirt senior. King refused a medical cart to ride back to the locker room, The Athletic 's Manny Navarro reported , and instead, limped back while appearing not to put weight on that leg. In 2018 while playing at Houston, King suffered a...

At Mississippi State, bowl appearances are an annual occurrence. No. 24 Tulsa, meanwhile, is set to end a brief postseason hiatus. The Bulldogs (3-7) will make a school-record 11th consecutive bowl appearance, while the Golden Hurricane (6-2) will play in their first bowl since 2016 when they meet on New Year's Eve in the Armed Forces Bowl at Fort Worth, Texas. Tulsa beat Central Michigan 55-10 in the Miami Beach Bowl in 2016. Then the Golden Hurricane went 2-10, 3-9 and 4-8 before having a breakout season this year. "Throughout this time I've seen a lot of ups and downs," senior running back Corey Taylor II said. "It's been a blessing to see how a championship team is created, and I believe this Tulsa team is definitely a championship team." Tulsa isn't an official championship team, but it did go 6-0 in American Athletic Conference regular-season play to reach the conference title game against undefeated Cincinnati on Dec. 19. The Bearcats es...

Arkansas brings an unsightly 3-7 record and a four-game losing skid into the Texas Bowl to face TCU on New Year's Eve in Houston. Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman isn't making any apologies. "We'll always have folks who will say we were 3-7 and things of that nature. If you look at our schedule and look - obviously we played 10 SEC games, certainly played four I think of the top nine teams in the country," said Pittman, whose three wins were against Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Tennessee. Teams did not need a winning record or a minimum number of victories this season to be eligible for a bowl due to the uncertainty of COVID-19. The Horned Frogs (6-4), winners of three straight and five of their last six games, last faced the Razorbacks when they split a home-and-home series from 2016-17. TCU's winning streak includes a 29-22 victory over then-No. 15 Oklahoma State on Dec. 5. The Texas Bowl will mark the Frogs' ninth game out of 11 played in Texas thi...

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has suffered a grade two left ankle sprain and will miss three to five weeks. Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant suffered a grade two left ankle sprain against the Nets on Monday. The team announced the reigning rookie of the year will be out for three to five weeks.