AP National Sports

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan defensive lineman Mazi Smith has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. The deal comes a week after Smith was charged with a felony for having a gun in his pickup truck without a concealed-weapon permit. Smith’s record will be scrubbed clean if he stays out of trouble for a certain

By JACOB BENGE Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Cotie McMahon tied a career high with 20 points and No. 3 Ohio State allowed only seven points in the second half as the Buckeyes beat New Hampshire 92-36 on Thursday afternoon. Ahead 39-29 at intermission, the Buckeyes (9-0) outscored the Wildcats 53-7 in the second

By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writer LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev say they didn’t expect that UFC 282 would decide who gets the light heavyweight title belt. Previous light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka pulled out last month of his fight with Glover Teixeira because of a shoulder injury. Second-ranked Blachowicz  and

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang has returned to practice less than two weeks after suffering a stroke. The 35-year-old Letang skated with his teammates before a trip to Buffalo. Letang suffered the second stroke of his career on Nov. 28. The six-time All-Star called the experience “scary,” adding he will take all

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer Army football continues to wrestle with the decision to keep its football team as an independent program. The Black Knights remain without a conference affiliation headed into Saturday’s annual game against Navy. Army’s other sports programs play in the Patriot League. Air Force hasn’t been an independent since 1979

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. says on social media that he will skip the Music City Bowl to prepare for the NFL draft. The senior’s announcement Thursday on his Instagram account comes a day after Wildcats quarterback Will Levis announced he would miss the Dec. 31 contest against Iowa to

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer Brittney Griner’s loved ones and extended basketball family were ecstatic when news broke about her release from a Russian prison and that she was on her way back to the United States. It has been nearly 300 days since the WNBA star was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in

By ANDREW SELIGMAN AP Sports Writer LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The emergence of quarterback Justin Fields after a slow start to his second season is by far the most important development for the Chicago Bears in a year when wins have been scarce. The team stumbled into its bye with six consecutive losses since

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (AP) — A suburban Detroit doctor already jailed on criminal sexual conduct charges connected to his work with youth hockey organizations has been charged in two additional cases. The Oakland County prosecutor’s office says 66-year-old Zvi Levran is accused of sexually assaulting a 30-year-old man in 2020 in Levran’s Farmington Hills home

By JAMES ROBSON AP Soccer Writer DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are not ready to say goodbye to the World Cup just yet. But the clock is ticking on their careers and Qatar could be the last time we see them on soccer’s biggest stage. With that in mind, thoughts naturally

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Committee on Oversight and Reform says the Washington Commanders created a “toxic work culture” for more than two decades and downplayed sexual misconduct by men at the top levels of the organization. That’s according to a report published Thursday. The report also says team owner Dan Snyder was involved in

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers are playing to win even if their NFC playoff chances are slim. General manager Brian Gutekunst says assessing younger players can wait. The Packers have four games left in the season and are still alive in the NFC playoff chase even with a 5-8 record. Green

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer The Washington Commanders started slow and heated up in the third season with Ron Rivera in charge of the team’s football operations. It’s a familiar script for the veteran NFL coach. The Commanders are 7-5-1 at their bye week and very much in the mix for a playoff spot.

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer Longtime sports executive Tracy Marek will take over as the head of U.S. Figure Skating in January, becoming the first female chief executive in the 101-year history of the national governing body. The organization announced Marek’s hiring in a statement Thursday, the same day that one of the strongest

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams is The Associated Press college football player of the year, becoming the school’s first winner of the award since 2005 with his stellar debut season for the Trojans. Williams received 32 of the 46 first-place votes and 117 total points

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer IndyCar has landed its own “Drive to Survive” type docudrama that will showcase the buildup to next year’s Indianapolis 500. The six-part “100 Days to Indy” will air on The CW Network next spring and chronicle the 100-day window ahead of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on May

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — A University of Virginia student accused of fatally shooting three UVA football players and wounding two other students has made his first in-person appearance in court. Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. was led into a hearing wearing handcuffs, leg irons and a striped jail jumpsuit on Thursday. He sat quietly as his

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Trea Turner’s $300 million, 11-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies was finalized after the All-Star shortstop passed his physical. Turner gets salaries of $27,272,727 in each of the next 10 seasons and $27,272,730 in 2033. Turner joins a Philadelphia team that made it to the World

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — Western Michigan has hired Louisville offensive coordinator Lance Taylor to lead its football program. Athletic director Dan Bartholomae made the announcement Thursday. The 41-year-old Taylor coached running backs for three seasons each at Notre Dame and Stanford. He was also an assistant at Appalachian State and with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers

By MARK LONG AP Sports Writer GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida quarterback Jack Miller will make his first collegiate start when the Gators play 17th-ranked Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl. Miller transferred from Ohio State last December. Coach Billy Napier’s quarterback shuffle comes three days after standout Anthony Richardson left the school early