Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Eleven shots separated Phil and Tiger Sunday at Pebble Beach as Lefty secured his 40th Tour win. Jason Sobel had hole-by-hole reports.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
APDivision I-A's seven one-loss teams, the almost-Magnificent Seven, face a quandary: celebrate their success, or dwell on the bad day (or night) keeping them out of the national championship race.
Whatever the perspective, they've got us curious. So implementing the same statistical analysis used in last week's ranking of the seven unbeaten teams (turnover margin, run defense, third-down performance, red-zone efficiency and a strength-of-schedule component), Sporting News ranks them from best to worst, by the numbers. And now, the Second Seven:
1. Georgia Tech (8-1, 5-1 ACC)
Why here: A plus-seven turnover margin and great offensive efficiency on third down have helped the Yellow Jackets beat five top-50 teams in the Sagarin ratings.
Odds of reaching a BCS bowl: 5-to-1. Tech looks great to win the Coastal, but the ACC title game will be no layup.
Curtis' prediction: 12-2, with loss to Pittsburgh in the Orange Bowl
Next game: Saturday vs. Wake Forest
2. Oregon (7-1, 5-0 Pac-10)
Why here: Victories over three top-20 Sagarin teams and an automatic red-zone offense help. "We're building a lot of confidence with these wins," safety T.J. Ward said.
Odds of reaching a BCS bowl: 2-to-1. Ducks can take a league loss, provided it's not at Arizona should the Wildcats win out, and still reach the Rose Bowl.
Curtis' prediction: 12-1, Rose Bowl champs
Next game: Saturday at Stanford
3. LSU (7-1, 4-1 SEC)
Why here: Only four teams have committed fewer than LSU's seven turnovers.
Odds of reaching a BCS bowl: 6-to-1. The SEC championship remains a possibility. Tigers also could sneak into a BCS bowl with two losses if the loser of a Florida-Alabama SEC title game falls in a blowout.
Curtis' prediction: 10-3, with losses to Alabama and Ohio State in Capital One Bowl
Next game: Saturday at Alabama
4. Penn State (8-1, 4-1 Big Ten)
Why here: The nation's fifth-best run defense and a balanced offense have the Nits playing their best football of the season.
Odds of reaching a BCS bowl: 4-to-1. An 11-1 finish, which would require wins over Ohio State and at Michigan State, would get Penn State at least an at-large bid.
Curtis' prediction: 12-1, Fiesta Bowl champs
Next game: Saturday vs. Ohio State
5. Pitt (7-1, 4-0 Big East)
Why here: Big East preseason favorites play solid against the run and decent around the goal line. "Big, physical-style defense," Syracuse coach Doug Marrone said. "And a physical offensive line."
Odds of reaching a BCS bowl: 10-to-1. With an at-large spot unlikely, the Panthers' fate will rest on their finishing games at West Virginia and at home against Cincinnati.
Curtis' prediction: 11-2, with loss to Notre Dame
Next game: Saturday vs. Syracuse
6. Houston (7-1, 3-1 Conference USA)
Why here: Houston's defense allows nearly 223 rushing yards per game, but the Cougars force turnovers and seem to produce touchdowns at will. "Our team, we're never out of a game, and it's never too late to score," coach Kevin Sumlin said on a teleconference. "It really settles us down."
Odds of reaching a BCS bowl: 100-to-1. Until Conference USA can produce a 13-0 champion, it won't send a team to a big-money game.
Curtis' prediction: 12-2, with loss to East Carolina in C-USA title game
Next game: Saturday at Tulsa
7. Utah (7-1, 4-0 Mountain West)
Why here: The Utes have 13 touchdowns in 28 red-zone trips and boast zero victories against Sagarin top-50 teams.
Odds of reaching a BCS bowl: 25-to-1. Two requirements: win out and hope Boise State stumbles. Insert your own slim-and-none joke here.
Curtis' prediction: 10-3, with losses to TCU and Oregon State in Las Vegas Bowl
Next game: Saturday vs. New Mexico
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
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 Memphis fulfills BCS dream Tigers officials thrilled to announce that school has been accepted to join the Big East Conference in 2013. |
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Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
Paul Pierce has been around long enough to know what Rajon Rondo's performance can mean for the aging Boston Celtics.
