No. 19 James Madison has made its case for a College Football Playoff berth.

Rory McIlroy has survived a bizarre encounter with a banana peel lodged in a tree to shoot a 3-under 68 at the Australian Open.

The 18th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats have lost back-to-back games and three of their last five.

Jaylen Brown had 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and the Boston Celtics cruised past Los Angeles 126-105 on Friday night, with the Lakers playing without LeBron James and Luka Doncic.

The New York Knicks jumped on the Utah Jazz with a 23-0 lead Friday night, the largest game-opening run in the NBA since the league began keeping detailed play-by-play for all four quarters.

Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers says he anticipates Giannis Antetokounmpo missing about a month as the two-time MVP recovers from a strained right calf.

Mexico is optimistic about advancing in the 2026 World Cup after being drawn against South Africa, South Korea, and a yet-to-be-determined European team.

Devin Williams could be the closer for the New York Mets next season.

Perhaps it's fitting that after the World Cup draw ceremony began, it took about 90 minutes for the actual drawing of teams to begin in earnest.

Iran will play at least one World Cup match in the United States, though a group-stage clash with the U.S. was avoided in Friday's draw.

There's another five-way tie for the lead in the Bahamas at the Hero World Challenge.

If you listen to the words spoken after the World Cup draw by the various coaches who were at the Kennedy Center, it would seem impossible for any of them to win next year’s tournament.

Vincent Kriechmayr of Austria won a World Cup super-G by navigating challenging conditions.

Michael Jordan spent about an hour testifying against NASCAR in a federal antitrust trial Friday.

Matt Campbell has been hired as Penn State’s football coach.

Roy Kramer, who as commissioner of the Southeastern Conference helped transform the league into a national power while reshaping the entire sport of college football, has died.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will start Sunday at Minnesota after missing three games with a dislocated left elbow.

Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch tore his left Achilles tendon against the Dallas Cowboys, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray will miss the remainder of the season because of a foot injury that’s kept him out of the lineup since Week 6.

Argentina and Lionel Messi will play Algeria to open their World Cup title defense as part of a group that also includes Austria.

Sports officials from United States cities have gone to the heart of the Olympic family this week to show their country wants to host more world championships and top events.

The draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is underway at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. A record 48 teams will take part in the tournament field this summer.

Ukraine has condemned two-time Olympic diver Sofiia Lyskun’s switch to represent Russia amid the ongoing war and will try to strip her of awards.

A preliminary cauldron has been lit by the Olympic flame at Italy’s presidential palace as the countdown to the Milan Cortina Winter Games approaches the two-months-to-go mark.

Prosecutors in Istanbul have issued arrest warrants for dozens of soccer players and officials in relation to a betting scandal that has shaken Turkey.

Rory McIlroy has made the weekend at the Australian Open after shooting a 3-under 68 to finish inside the 36-hole cut line.

The Atlantic Coast Conference lost its annual series with the Southeastern Conference by a 13-3 margin.

Mike Tomlin isn’t just hearing “Fire Tomlin!”.

Michael Jordan has testified in a landmark NASCAR antitrust case, stating he felt compelled to sue to force changes in a business model he believes shortchanges teams and drivers.

Jahmyr Gibbs and the Detroit Lions have beaten the Dallas Cowboys to help their playoff chances.

California has hired Tosh Lupoi as the new head coach, bringing back the former Golden Bears player and assistant.

Merab Dvalishvili is a substantial favorite to beat Petr Yan and retain his bantamweight belt in UFC 323 on Saturday night.

Kansas State has hired former quarterback and current Texas A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein as its football coach.

The Major League Baseball Players' Association has gathered Arizona to discuss the future of the game and look ahead to a possible lockout next December.

Scottie Scheffler is back in action and looks as good as ever.

The World Cup draw takes place Friday, featuring four debuting teams: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan.

Former Angels and Rangers manager Ron Washington is returning to the Bay Area to become infield coach for the San Francisco Giants on new manager Tony Vitello’s staff.

The NBA has fined the Cleveland Cavaliers $250,000 for violating the league’s player participation policy.

Marco Odermatt of Switzerland has won the downhill season-opener, beating American Ryan Cochran-Siegle in a World Cup race on a tricky but shorter Birds of Prey course.

The Trump administration has instructed U.S. embassies and consulates around the world to prioritize visa applications from foreigners wishing to visit the United States to either invest in America or attend the 2026 World Cup, 2028 Olympics and other major sporting events.

The playing surfaces at every NFL stadium will have to meet new enhanced standards set through lab and field testing by the start of the 2028 season.

The National Women’s Soccer League Players’ Association has filed a grievance with the league for rejecting a contract offer extended to Trinity Rodman by the Washington Spirit.

Gennadiy Golovkin, the power puncher who made a record-tying 20 consecutive middleweight title defenses, has been elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

House Republicans plans to vote on a bill regulating college sports has been scrapped due to divisions within their caucus.

Olympic downhill champion Corinne Suter has crashed in training and cannot ski until about a month before she is due to defend her title.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed veteran defenseman Ryan McDonagh to a three-year extension worth $12.3 million.

No. 19 James Madison believes it has the resume to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff if it wins Friday's Sun Belt championship against Troy.

Yuma Kagiyama has upstaged world champion Ilia Malinin of the United States to lead the men’s short program at the figure skating Grand Prix Final in Nagoya.

President Donald Trump will be taking center stage at the World Cup draw as he rolls out the welcome mat for teams and fans from around the globe.

The Olympic flame for the Milan Cortina Winter Games has landed in Rome following a handover in Greece.

The Haas Formula 1 team will get a new name next season, further showcasing its relationship with Japanese automaker Toyota.

Cooper Flagg didn't wilt in the month the Dallas Mavericks were without injured forward Anthony Davis.

Alex Ovechkin scores twice, reaching 911 career goals, as the Washington Capitals beat the San Jose Sharks 7-1.

The attorney for two teams suing NASCAR has described series chairman Jim France as a "brick wall" in negotiations over a new revenue-sharing model.

Austin McNamara's rise as a top punter for the New York Jets began with YouTube videos.

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray was listed as questionable just a few hours before Wednesday night’s game at Indiana.

Jamal Murray scored a season-high 52 points and Nikola Jokic fell just short of another triple-double to help the Denver Nuggets hold off the short-handed Indiana Pacers 135-120 on Wednesday night.

Rory McIlroy had a self-described “rollercoaster” of a round at Royal Melbourne in the first round of the Australian Open.

Giannis Antetokounmpo left the Milwaukee Bucks’ game with the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night after straining his right calf in the first quarter.

Matthew Stafford’s 192 career interceptions are the most among active quarterbacks.

Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Wednesday there have been no talks between team officials and Giannis Antetokounmpo regarding the two-time MVP’s potential exit from Milwaukee.

Devin Williams and the Mets have finalized a $51 million, three-year contract that locks in a critical late-inning reliever as New York rebuilds its bullpen this offseason.

New York Jets cornerback Kris Boyd returned to the team's facility just over two weeks after being shot in Manhattan.

Mississippi athletic director Keith Carter and others challenge Lane Kiffin's account of events surrounding his departure for LSU.

The changing landscape of college football means the nation’s premier recruits are no longer signing with the same handful of programs.

First place is on the line in three division matchups in Week 14.

Elden Campbell, a center who played 15 seasons in the NBA — including nine with the Los Angeles Lakers — and later won a championship with the Detroit Pistons, has died.

Kylian Mbappé scored twice and had an assist as Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to end a three-match winless streak in the Spanish league.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels still has not been cleared for contact and his status for Sunday’s game at the Minnesota Vikings is up in the air.

The Dallas Cowboys' 31-28 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving Day was the most-watched regular-season game in NFL history.

The New York Liberty have hired Golden State Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco as their head coach, the team announced Wednesday.

A record 64 nations will be in Friday's World Cup draw as FIFA expands the tournament from 32 to 48 teams.

The Colorado Rockies have hired Josh Byrnes as their new general manager.

Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin is expected to miss the rest of the NHL season with a torn ACL in his right knee.

Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman has announced his retirement after nearly 35 years in coaching and the last seven leading the Wildcats, a run that included the Big 12 championship three years ago and a bowl trip every season but one.

Germany will host the 2029 Women's European Championship.

Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft have been selected as finalists for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins has testified in a federal antitrust case against NASCAR.

Chris Paul's return to the Los Angeles Clippers has ended abruptly.

Host Australia and three-time champion New Zealand have been drawn into the same group at the expanded Rugby World Cup in 2027, with the winner likely to face defending champion South Africa in the quarterfinals.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 38 points and made a key 3-pointer with 3:34 left, Jalen Williams added 22 points and six assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder held off the determined Golden State Warriors 124-112.

Derek Dixon made a tiebreaking layup with 16 seconds remaining and scored five of North Carolina’s last six points to lift the No. 16 Tar Heels to a 67-64 win at No. 18 Kentucky.

UConn fans have been eagerly awaiting Braylon Mullins' debut, and he delivered when it mattered the most Tuesday night.

The Kennedy Center, known for theater and opera, becomes the sports world's focus on Friday.

Fifth-ranked UConn has beaten No. 21 Kansas 61-56.

Isaiah Evans hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 19.7 seconds left, and No. 4 Duke held on to beat No. 15 Florida 67-66 in the ACC/SEC Challenge.

A new wave of peptides, often banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, is easily available online, raising concerns about potential Olympic doping scandals.

Barcelona has increased its Spanish league lead by coming from behind to defeat Atletico Madrid 3-1.

The White House and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee have each lent support for a bill designed to regulate college sports that has been criticized by opponents as a giveaway to the NCAA and its most powerful schools.

Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin and Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza each have one prize in mind for their showdown this weekend in Indianapolis: a Big Ten championship.

New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen pointed to the talent on the roster as a reason why he deserves to keep his job and oversee the search for the team's next head coach.

Carter Hart made his first NHL appearance in nearly two years, playing for the Vegas Golden Knights against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Rap artist Toosii is taking time off from his multi-platinum music career by going forward with his dream to pursue football after saying he has committed to Syracuse University.

Serena Williams has thrown cold water on the idea that she might be preparing to return to tennis.

If Dave Canales coached a team in a more high-profile market, he’d receive more national attention for the job he’s doing with the Carolina Panthers.

Denny Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner, has outlined the financial struggles facing NASCAR teams.

Ole Miss lost a coach but gained in the College Football Rankings, moving up a spot to No. 6 despite the sudden departure of Lane Kiffin to LSU.

Barcelona says three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmatí will be out of action for about five months after successfully undergoing surgery on her fractured leg on Tuesday.

Isack Hadjar will team up with his childhood hero Max Verstappen at Red Bull next year after an impressive rookie season.

The New York Jets and the Eastern College Athletic Conference have announced the launch of the largest collegiate women's flag football league in the U.S., set to start in February.