Opposition Victory In Ghana Signals APC’s Defeat In 2027 – PDPORLANDO, Fla. — It was a season of Iowa State comebacks. And fittingly, that's how it ended for the Cyclones. Game MVP Rocco Becht scored from a yard out on fourth-and-goal with 56 seconds remaining and No. 18 Iowa State capped the best season in school history by rallying past No. 15 Miami 42-41 in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday. Becht finished with 270 passing yards and three touchdowns for Iowa State (11-2), a program that entered this season — the 133rd year of Cyclone football — never having won more than nine games in a year. “If you look at this team, it’s really who they’ve been all year,” coach Matt Campbell said. The win marked the fourth time in 2024 that Iowa State got a winning score with less than two minutes remaining. For this one, the Cyclones rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half — with Miami quarterback Cam Ward watching after a record-setting first half — to get win No. 11. Carson Hansen rushed for a pair of touchdowns for Iowa State. And as the MVP, Becht got the honor of choosing which flavor Pop-Tart was to be sacrificed in a giant toaster. “There's only one,” Becht said. “Cinnamon roll.” Ward passed for three touchdowns in his final college game, while Damien Martinez rushed for a career-high 179 yards for Miami (10-3), which dropped its sixth straight bowl game and lost three of four games to end the season — those three losses by a combined 10 points. "Disappointed that we couldn't pull out a victory," Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “These guys have always fought and always competed and this was no exception. ... It's painful. It's as painful as it gets when you don't win. But there's a lot to build on.” NEBRASKA 20, BOSTON COLLEGE 15: Dylan Raiola passed for 228 yards and a touchdown as Nebraska built an 18-point lead through three quarters and hung on for its first bowl victory since 2015. Raiola hit Emmett Johnson with a 13-yard TD pass on fourth down with 3:02 remaining in the third quarter for a 20-2 edge and the Cornhuskers (7-6) held on for the win at Yankee Stadium. Raiola completed 23 of 31 passes in front of a sizable Nebraska crowd that celebrated the team's first bowl win since topping UCLA in the 2015 Foster Farms Bowl and first winning season since 2016. Raiola completed passes to 10 receivers, including Jahmal Banks, who finished with four receptions for 79 yards. Grayson James finished 25 of 40 for 296 yards as Boston College (7-6). UCONN 27, NORTH CAROLINA 14: Joe Fagnano threw for 151 yards and two touchdowns to help the Huskies (9-4) beat the Tar Heels (6-7) at Fenway Park, embarrassing incoming coach Bill Belichick's new team in his old backyard. Mel Brown rushed for 96 yards for UConn and Skyler Bell caught three passes for 77 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown that gave the Huskies a 10-0 first-quarter lead. Chris Culliver returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, but that would be Carolina's only production in the first half. TCU 34, LOUISIANA 3: Josh Hoover passed for four touchdowns as the Horned Frogs (9-4) routed the Ragin' Cajuns (10-4) in Albuquerque. Hoover was 20 for 32 for 252 yards with an interception. Eric McAlister had eight catches for 87 yards and a TD for the Horned Frogs. TCU's defense also had a solid day, holding Louisiana-Lafayette to 209 yards, including 61 on the game's final possession. LATE FRIDAY LAS VEGAS BOWL USC 35, TEXAS A&M 31: Jayden Maiava threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kyle Ford with eight seconds left to give Southern California the victory over Texas A&M (8-5) in the Las Vegas Bowl. A graduate of Liberty High School in nearby Henderson and a transfer from UNLV, Maiava helped the Trojans (7-6) overcome a 17-point deficit. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
None
CLEVELAND (AP) — Jameis Winston didn't throw a pick-6 on Sunday in Pittsburgh. There's progress. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * CLEVELAND (AP) — Jameis Winston didn't throw a pick-6 on Sunday in Pittsburgh. There's progress. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? CLEVELAND (AP) — Jameis Winston didn’t throw a pick-6 on Sunday in Pittsburgh. There’s progress. In this lost season for the disappointing and shockingly bad Cleveland Browns, the small victories matter. Winston, who has been entertaining if not always effective in six starts, did have a pair of interceptions. But the Browns were more harmed by Dustin Hopkins missing two more field goals in falling 27-14 to the Steelers, who haven’t lost a regular-season home game to Cleveland since 2003. Coming off a 497-yard passing performance, which included two pick-6’s in a loss at Denver last Monday night, Winston played more cautiously against the Steelers (10-3). However, he still made mistakes and couldn’t rally the Browns (3-10), who were trying to sweep the season series from their division rival for the first time in 36 years. Now that the Browns have officially and mathematically been eliminated from the AFC playoffs — logically, that happened weeks ago — it’s probably time for them to start planning ahead for next season. But that won’t include a change at quarterback as coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that Winston, who has revived Cleveland’s offense since taking over when Deshaun Watson ruptured his Achilles tendon in October, will start this week against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. “Our focus right now is really just trying to find ways to get a win,” Stefanski said. While there’s an argument to be made that the Browns should play second-year QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson over the next four weeks to see if he fits into their future, Stefanski is sticking with Winston, who has emerged as a viable option to start for Cleveland next season. Of course, with it being the Browns, all plans are subject to change. So there’s a reasonable chance that Thompson-Robinson, who made three starts and played in eight games as a rookie, could get some time before the season ends. Stefanski wouldn’t get into any specifics for his decision to ride with Winston, who has thrown for 1,892 yards while going 2-4 as a starter. “We’re just going to continue to do everything we can to play better,” Stefanski said on a Zoom call. “Obviously I think we can play better on offense. Certainly as a team we can play better, but really the focus is making sure that we put our guys in position to find a way to win.” Winston at least gives the Browns a chance to finish with some dignity. At this point, that’s all they got. What’s working Stefanski has kept his players focused and motivated. The Browns haven’t quit, and that’s a strong signal that Stefanski still has his player’s attention in a season filled with disappointment. It might be more challenging now that the Browns are only playing for pride, but guard Wyatt Teller is confident the team will fight until the end. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in playoff contention or not,” he said. “You’re going to do the best you can to play at a high level and protect your brothers.” What needs help Penalties have been a problem all season (11 in the opener) and continued Sunday as the Browns were called for nine infractions, including a pair of personal fouls in the second half. Cleveland leads the NFL with 53 pre-snap penalties. Stock up Right tackle Jack Conklin. For the second straight game, Conklin, with some help from others, held Steelers star pass rusher T.J. Watt without a sack. Conklin’s comeback after undergoing knee reconstruction last season has been a bright spot in an otherwise dark season. Stock down Hopkins. His two misses — a 38-yarder at the end of the first half and a 43-yarder early in the third quarter — were beyond deflating. Two makes and the game would have been tied at 13. So steady while going 33 of 36 and making all eight kicks from over 50 yards a year ago, Hopkins is in a 3 of 9 tailspin. The team’s decision to sign him to a three-year, $15.9 million extension this summer appears to be another miss. Still, Stefanski is confident Hopkins will find his kicking swing. “This is something that I know he can get through,” Stefanski said. “We’ll get through it together. He’s a veteran. He’s been through a lot in his career already and this is something we’ll continue to work through.” Injuries CB Greg Newsome II injured the same hamstring Sunday that he had surgery on during the summer. Stefanski said Newsome will “miss time,” but did not say how much. ... DB Mike Ford is in concussion protocol after being hurt in the first half. ... Stefanski ruled out LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah again this week with a neck injury, but didn’t provide any updates on his condition. Owusu-Koramoah was eligible to return last week. He got hurt on Oct. 27 while tackling Ravens running back Derrick Henry. Key number Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 99 1/2 — Career sacks for Myles Garrett, who recorded his 11th this season on Sunday. Garrett has 13 sacks against the Steelers, including six in his past three games. What’s next A visit on Sunday from the Chiefs and perhaps pop superstar Taylor Swift, who could celebrate her birthday (Dec. 13) with a weekend in boyfriend Travis Kelce’s hometown. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Advertisement Advertisement