Montana State beats Illinois State 35-34 in OT thriller for 1st national title since 1984
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Myles Sansted kicked the extra point in overtime as Montana State won its first national championship since 1984, beating Illinois State 35-34 Monday night in the Football Championship Subdivision title game. The Bobcats found a way to top a season that featured two wins over in-state rival Montana over a four-week span. Montana State found a way to top that with a thrilling finish in the first overtime in the 48 years of this title game. Justin Lamson tied with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Taco Dowler on fourth-and-10. Hunter Parsons blocked the extra point attempt after Tommy Rittenhouse threw a 10-yard TD pass to Dylan Lord to give Illinois State its only lead at 34-28 to open overtime.
Four NFL head coach firings increase the total of openings to six
The number of NFL head coach firings stands at six. The coaches fired on Black Monday are Jonathan Gannon of the Arizona Cardinals, Pete Carroll of the Las Vegas Raiders and Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns. Raheem Morris was fired by the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night. Two other coaches were fired during the season. They were Brian Daboll of the New York Giants and Brian Callahan of the Tennessee Titans.
What are the NFL’s rules about timing and interviews for coaching searches?
The NFL coaching carousel is in full swing as six teams search for new head coaches. The New York Giants, Tennessee, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Cleveland, and Arizona have already fired their head coaches. This month, top assistants on playoff teams must balance their current roles with potential interviews. The NFL has strict rules on when and how these interviews can occur. For playoff teams, virtual interviews are limited to three hours and vary based on playoff schedules. The Rooney Rule requires teams to interview diverse candidates for head coach and coordinator positions. General manager interviews follow slightly different rules.
Season of the kicker unravels with missed field goal sending Ravens home and Steelers to playoffs
The Pittsburgh Steelers narrowly defeated the Baltimore Ravens after a dramatic ending on Sunday night. Steelers kicker Chris Boswell missed an extra point, leaving the Steelers with a slim 26-24 lead. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson then set up rookie kicker Tyler Loop for a potential game-winning 44-yard field goal. Despite a perfect setup, Loop missed the kick, pushing it to the right. Ravens coach John Harbaugh defended the decision to attempt the kick from that distance. The game highlighted the increasing accuracy and expectations for NFL kickers, who have been making longer field goals more frequently.
The NBA season is nearing the midway point. There are some surprises, good and bad
The Boston Celtics have surprised many by maintaining their strong performance despite major lineup changes. Jaylen Brown is the only starter remaining from last year, with Jayson Tatum out due to injury and others traded. As of Monday, the Celtics are 23-12 and second in the Eastern Conference. Coach Joe Mazzulla credits the team’s understanding and execution of their roles. Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons lead the East with a 27-9 record, surprising some but not their coach, J.B. Bickerstaff. Other surprises include the Phoenix Suns’ resilience and struggles for teams like Milwaukee and Atlanta.
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss plans to return, pending NCAA ruling on eligibility
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss plans to return to school next season if the NCAA approves his request for an additional year of eligibility. Chambliss announced his decision three days before the Rebels play Miami in the Fiesta Bowl. Chambliss took a redshirt his first season at Ferris State and another due to medical reasons his second season there. Ole Miss filed a waiver request with the NCAA in November. Chambliss threw for over 3,600 yards and 21 touchdowns after taking over as the Rebel’s starter the third game of the season. Ole Miss plays Miami in the Fiesta Bowl, which doubles as a College Football Playoff semifinal.
Chelsea gives new manager Liam Rosenior a six-year contract
LONDON (AP) — Chelsea has confirmed hiring Liam Rosenior as the new manager. Rosenior left Strasbourg on Tuesday and has signed a contract to 2032. The attack-minded Rosenior becomes the second Black Chelsea coach after Ruud Gullit. He has been praised for transforming Strasbourg into a force in French soccer. Rosenior’s previous roles include assistant coach at Derby under Wayne Rooney. This marks his first coaching job in the Premier League. Chelsea recently parted ways with Enzo Maresca after 18 months. Rosenior will face the challenge of bringing consistency to a talented but underperforming team. He sees this as a rare opportunity for a Black British coach in the Premier League.
Jordan Stolz focused on the Olympics at US speedskating trials. Everyone will focus on him in Milan
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Now star speedskater Jordan Stolz can really turn all of his attention to being fully prepared to pursue four gold medals at the Milan Cortina Olympics. During the U.S. long track speedskating trials, Stolz didn’t actually need to perform well or produce good results. To earn his spots for the Feb. 6-22 Winter Games, the 21-year-old from Wisconsin simply needed to show up at the starting line for his quartet of events at the Pettit National Ice Center. He wrapped up the four-day trials Monday by winning the mass start. He also will compete in Italy in the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters, events in which he owns two world titles apiece.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr ejected after heated exchange over no-call in 4th quarter vs Clippers
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr was ejected in the fourth quarter of a 103-102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Kerr was given back-to-back technical fouls after he was upset about John Collins of the Clippers not being called for goaltending. The 60-year-old coach crossed over the midcourt line on the sideline while yelling. An assistant and players Gary Payton II and Gio Santos tried to restrain him. It was the fifth ejection of Kerr’s coaching career. He walked off to jeers from the Intuit Dome crowd. Rapper Snoop Dogg was doing commentary for streaming service Peacock and he joked that the “Arizona Wildcat” was coming out of Kerr, who played basketball for the university in the late 1980s.
Arizona holds No. 1 spot over Michigan by single point in one of the closest AP Top 25 races ever
Arizona holds onto the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 by a single point over Michigan. This marks one of the closest races in the poll’s 78-year history. The Wildcats received 32 first-place votes, while the Wolverines got 29. The top six teams remain unchanged, with Iowa State, UConn, Purdue, and Duke following Michigan. Nebraska is in the top 10 for the first time since 1966, riding an 18-game winning streak. The Big 12 has seven ranked teams, including four in the top 10, while the Big Ten has six in the poll and three in the top 10.
Read more on The Herald Journal
