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Meet Canada's fanciest pigeon that's preening to keep championship titleSimone Biles ends a year of glory with an unexpected achievement that will surprise everyone
Italian player to have removable defibrillator fittedORLANDO, 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.Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove is to have a removable heart-starter device implanted following his recent collapse in a Serie A game, Italian media reports say. Bove collapsed on the pitch during Fiorentina's home game with Inter Milan on December 1, leading to the abandonment of the match. He will have the operation on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT), which is part of the medical protocol before he can be discharged from hospital. The Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), a type of pacemaker that can prevent fatal cardiac arrests by discharging a jolt to restore a regular heart rhythm, is not permitted in Serie A. Once all the results of the medical examinations carried out in recent days on the 22-year-old Italian have been collected, Bove can then decide whether to have the device removed, which would allow him return to play in the Italian league. Denmark's Christian Eriksen was unable to continue playing for Inter Milan after having an ICD fitted following a cardiac arrest in 2021 during a European Championship match. Eriksen later joined English club Brentford after the Serie A club terminated his contract.
Cover Five: After key bowl win, is Nebraska’s next step 9 wins in 2025?VALPARAISO, Ind. (AP) — Valparaiso hired longtime Marietta coach Andy Waddle as its new football coach, athletic director Laurel Hosmer announced Monday. Waddle is scheduled to be formally introduced on campus Wednesday. He spent the last 12 seasons turning around the Division III program located in Southeastern Ohio. There, he went 55-61 after inheriting a winless team. He led the Pioneers to their first 8-0 start last season and matched the 1920 squad's school record with a 13-game winning streak that started in 2023. In 2024, Marietta made its first postseason appearance since 1973. Waddle went 16-5 over the past two seasons and produced seven winning records over the last eight seasons. The Pioneers had only two winning seasons in the previous 20 years. “I think there is a great group of young men on the (Valparaiso) roster, and we’re excited to invest in those student-athletes and continue to add more high-quality people and football players to the program,” Waddle said of the program located in Indiana's northwest corner. “I think Valpo is not only an outstanding fit for me professionally, but also an outstanding fit for me and my family.” Waddle spent eight seasons working with the defense as an assistant for his alma mater, Wittenberg, where he was an all-conference defensive back. He also has coached at Mansfield University in Pennsylvania and at Maryville College in Tennessee. “His experience building success and winning culture as a head coach, passion for developing student-athletes on and off the field and high character made it clear he was the right leader for our football program,” Hosmer said in a statement. The move comes two weeks after Hosmer announced the school would not give Landon Fox a contract extension after his deal expired. Fox was 21-42 in six seasons at Valparaiso. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
NEW YORK — The confetti fell not once, but twice. As the clock expired on the Nebraska football team’s 2024 season, a group of Huskers rushed to dump green confetti all over head coach Matt Rhule. On a rainy, cold day, the confetti stuck to Rhule’s face and coated players’ helmets, several of whom paused to throw the small pieces of paper in the air. And when Nebraska received its trophy for winning the Pinstripe Bowl, the confetti that rained down was red instead. Hours after the Huskers departed New York City to head home, pieces of red confetti still blew around the Yankee Stadium concourse and field. The players were gone, but the proof of their hard work remained — a lesson that the Huskers should take to heart moving forward. Let’s drop into coverage: Another Nebraska football season has now come to an end. In a memorable 2024 season, here are the key moments: * Bowl streak: Not only did Nebraska make it back to the postseason, which it had failed to do in the seven years prior, but it also ended its season with a bowl game win. The importance of heading into the offseason and the spring with momentum can’t be understated. The 2024 team will forever stand as the group that brought a winning record back to Lincoln. * Storming the field: Fans stormed the field at Memorial Stadium twice this season. Wins over Colorado and Wisconsin were special for different reasons, and the on-field emotion present after both Husker victories won’t be forgotten any time soon. * Dylan Raiola: The five-star freshman not only hit the ground running as Nebraska’s starting quarterback, but he started all 13 games, led NU to a winning record and was a steady, dependable leader. That doesn’t happen often with true freshmen quarterbacks. * In-season coordinator change: Rhule’s in-season decision to move on from Marcus Satterfield as the team’s offensive coordinator and hire Dana Holgorsen instead was a bold choice, but it was one that undoubtedly paid off. * Big-time defense: Apart from a blowout loss to Indiana, the Husker defense made big plays and kept their team in the game all season long. The likes of Nash Hutmacher, Ty Robinson, Isaac Gifford, John Bullock, MJ Sherman and DeShon Singleton have now played their final games as Huskers — and their hard work won’t be forgotten. A bowl game win deserves to be celebrated, but the national college football landscape waits for no one. That’s why even in the moments after Nebraska’s win, Rhule was already thinking about what happens next. “To be what we want to be next year, we have to be the same defensively and probably a little better in some areas,” Rhule said. “We have to really improve on offense, and on special teams we need a total overhaul of that.” Reaching a bowl game was the minimum requirement for a successful season in year two under Rhule, but finishing with a 7-6 record reflects plenty of progress. After a two-win improvement from NU’s record of 5-7 a year prior, could the Huskers again add two more wins to their resume next season? A nine-win campaign, once the benchmark for Nebraska football, would again reflect a high level of progress — but Rhule wants his players to dream bigger. “To go a bowl game, you have to get used to going to the postseason,” Rhule said. “We want to go to the College Football Playoff; we want to win national championships.” And in order to get there, Rhule’s philosophy of team building hasn’t wavered. Adjustments have been needed in the modern era of college football, but Rhule’s message to the team in the aftermath of Nebraska’s win over Boston College showed that the program’s process remains the same. “The old-school things of hard work, they work; they’re better now than they were earlier in the year and they’re better now than they were three weeks ago,” Rhule said of the Nebraska roster. “We have big plans when we come back on Jan. 20, we’re going to work and we’re going to double down on what we’ve done. I think they all understand that, and I think they all have aspirations of something really special at Nebraska.” Nebraska’s offensive outlook moving forward is a positive one, especially given the dynamism the Huskers have shown in Holgorsen’s four games as the team’s playcaller. However, the Huskers still need to get better. Raiola’s level of play, excellent for a freshman quarterback, will need to improve as a sophomore. “He’s gotten so much better as the year’s gone on in terms of his feet, his movement and those things,” Rhule said of Raiola. “He’ll have a great offseason, and he’ll make another huge jump; really, the sky’s the limit.” The personnel around Raiola will be taking a jump too. Impact transfers Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter will join Jacory Barney Jr., Jaylen Lloyd and Carter Nelson as Nebraska’s top pass-catchers, with several other young wide receivers looking to continue their growth as well. The continued presence of Emmett Johnson at running back should power a steady Nebraska run game, and the Huskers’ offensive line has experienced steady growth under the coaching of Donovan Raiola. The Huskers may look for an experienced transfer at offensive tackle, but three of the five players who started NU’s bowl game are set to return for next season. The Pinstripe Bowl win also showed that Nebraska has some serious talent in its tight end room. Thomas Fidone II caught five passes, Luke Lindenmeyer looked ready for a bigger role and Heinrich Haarberg’s potential shone through. It won’t be easy to replace all the departing talent, but there have been flashes of the future from Nebraska’s young core. Those returning Huskers will combine with several transfer portal additions to make an interesting mix of talent on the Nebraska defense. The defensive line, one of NU’s most consistent and productive units over the last two seasons, will face some pressure to hit the ground running right away. Elijah Jeudy, who was visibly fired up on the Yankee Stadium field after Nebraska’s recent win, will be a veteran leader in the young room. Cameron Lenhardt, Keona Davis, Riley Van Poppel and Sua Lefotu are among the players to expect big things from next season, while the additions of Williams Nwaneri and Jaylen George could transform the unit as well. At linebacker, Dasan McCullough is a key transfer pickup, but it’s Vincent Shavers who’s a star in the making. Having earned a Blackshirt in the lead up to Nebraska’s bowl game, Shavers “was all over the field” on Saturday, Rhule said. Willis McGahee IV will be another key player to watch moving forward. A new-look secondary will need to be figured out as well. Ceyair Wright, Marques Buford and Malcolm Hartzog are the top returning contributors, but how do incoming transfers Andrew Marshall and Justyn Rhett fit into the mix? Then there’s Blye Hill, who was poised for playing time at cornerback before redshirting due to injury, and several young Huskers such as Amare Sanders, Caleb Benning, Mario Buford and Donovan Jones who’ll all want to earn playing time. That defensive back rotation will surely be difficult to crack. Elements of Nebraska’s coaching or strategic approach to special teams play will need to change. Converting a fake punt makes a difference, but miscues nearly cost Nebraska the game on Saturday — and Rhule knows it. NU’s special teams unit “has not been good enough this year,” Rhule said after the game. There’ll be a new punter and long snapper in Lincoln next season, but what happens at kicker? John Hohl was money down the stretch while Tristan Alvano redshirted after battling injuries. Both players will be sophomores next year. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Syrian government services come to a 'complete halt' as state workers stay home after rebel takeoverFERGUS FALLS, Minn. (AP) — A jury convicted two men on Friday of charges related to human smuggling for their roles in an international operation that led to the deaths of a family of Indian migrants who froze while trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border during a 2022 blizzard. Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, an Indian national who prosecutors say went by the alias “Dirty Harry,” and Steve Shand, 50, an American from Florida, were part of a sophisticated illegal operation that has brought increasing numbers of Indians into the U.S., prosecutors said. They were each convicted on four counts related to human smuggling, including conspiracy to bring migrants into the country illegally. “This trial exposed the unthinkable cruelty of human smuggling and of those criminal organizations that value profit and greed over humanity,” Minnesota U.S. Attorney Andy Luger said. “To earn a few thousand dollars, these traffickers put men, women and children in extraordinary peril leading to the horrific and tragic deaths of an entire family. Because of this unimaginable greed, a father, a mother and two children froze to death in sub-zero temperatures on the Minnesota-Canadian border,” Luger added. The most serious counts carry maximum sentences of up to 20 years in prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office told The Associated Press before the trial. But federal sentencing guidelines rely on complicated formulas. Luger said Friday that various factors will be considered in determining what sentences prosecutors will recommend. Federal prosecutors said 39-year-old Jagdish Patel; his wife, Vaishaliben, who was in her mid-30s; their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi; and 3-year-old son, Dharmik, froze to death Jan. 19, 2022, while trying to cross the border into Minnesota in a scheme Patel and Shand organized. Patel is a common Indian surname, and the victims were not related to Harshkumar Patel. The couple were schoolteachers, local news reports said. The family was fairly well off by local standards, living in a well-kept, two-story house with a front patio and a wide veranda. Experts say illegal immigration from India is driven by everything from political repression to a dysfunctional American immigration system that can take years, if not decades, to navigate legally. Much is rooted in economics and how even low-wage jobs in the West can ignite hopes for a better life. Before the jury’s conviction on Friday, the federal trial in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, saw testimony from an alleged participant in the smuggling ring, a survivor of the treacherous journey across the northern border, border patrol agents and forensic experts. Defense attorneys were pitted against each other, with Shand’s team arguing that he was unwittingly roped into the scheme by Patel. Patel’s lawyers, The Canadian Press reported , said their client had been misidentified. They said “Dirty Hary,” the alleged nickname for Patel found in Shand’s phone, is a different person. Bank records and witness testimony from those who encountered Shand near the border didn’t tie him to the crime, they added. Prosecutors said Patel coordinated the operation while Shand was a driver. Shand was to pick up 11 Indian migrants on the Minnesota side of the border, prosecutors said. Only seven survived the foot crossing. Canadian authorities found two parents and their young children later that morning, dead from the cold. The trial included an inside account of how the international smuggling ring allegedly works and who it targets. Rajinder Singh, 51, testified that he made over $400,000 smuggling over 500 people through the same network that included Patel and Shand. Singh said most of the people he smuggled came from Gujarat state. He said the migrants would often pay smugglers about $100,000 to get them from India to the U.S., where they would work to pay off their debts at low-wage jobs in cities around the country. Singh said the smugglers would run their finances through “hawala,” an informal money transfer system that relies on trust. The pipeline of illegal immigration from India has long existed but has increased sharply along the U.S.-Canada border. The U.S. Border Patrol arrested more than 14,000 Indians on the Canadian border in the year ending Sept. 30, which amounted to 60% of all arrests along that border and more than 10 times the number two years ago. By 2022, the Pew Research Center estimates more than 725,000 Indians were living illegally in the U.S., behind only Mexicans and El Salvadorans. Jamie Holt, a Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations, said the case is a stark reminder of the realities victims of human smuggling face. “Human smuggling is a vile crime that preys on the most vulnerable, exploiting their desperation and dreams for a better life,” Holt said. “The suffering endured by this family is unimaginable and it is our duty to ensure that such atrocities are met with the full force of the law.” One juror Kevin Paul, of Clearwater, Minnesota, told reporters afterward that it was hard for the jurors to see the pictures of the family’s bodies. He said he grew up in North Dakota and is familiar with the kind of conditions that led to their deaths. “It’s pretty brutal,” Paul said. “I couldn’t imagine having to do what they had to do out there in the middle of nowhere.”