SPORTS HEADLINES

Ravens wrap up the AFC North with a 35-10 rout of Cleveland; Jackson surpasses 4,000 yards passing

BALTIMORE (AP) — Lamar Jackson threw two touchdown passes, and the Baltimore Ravens won the AFC North for the second straight season, clinching the division with a 35-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns. The Ravens will open the playoffs at home against either the Los Angeles Chargers or Pittsburgh Steelers. Baltimore was two games behind the Steelers in the division before winning its final four to finish on top. Cleveland ended a dreadful season with six straight losses. Both Bailey Zappe and Dorian Thompson-Robinson took snaps at quarterback in the finale. Neither could move the ball much.

Chiefs finally depart KC for Denver amid ice storm after 4 hours spent waiting on the tarmac

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs finally departed from Kansas City International Airport for their game in Denver on Saturday after spending about four hours stranded on the tarmac amid an ice storm that blanketed the region ahead of an impending blizzard. The Chiefs tried to move up the flight as the weather bared down on them. But the plane they were expected to use was delayed in arriving, so the team had to stick with its mid-afternoon departure. Just before it took off, airport officials announced that all flight operations were suspended due to “rapid ice accumulation.” A break between the line of ice and the arrival of snow provided enough time to de-ice the plane, clear the runway and get the Chiefs off the ground.

Hideki Matsuyama sets personal best with 11 birdies for a 62 and leads Morikawa by 1 at Kapalua

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Hideki Matsuyama and Collin Morikawa put on quite the show at Kapalua. Matsuyama set a personal best with 11 birdies for his round of 62. He still only leads by one shot because Morikawa also shot a 62. They were neck-and-neck all afternoon in calm conditions at The Sentry. Matsuyama set a 54-hole scoring record at 27-under 192. The Plantation course at Kapalua was built with the wind in mind. There was barely a breeze on the mountainous course overlooking the Pacific. Thomas Detry shot 65 and says it felt like a steady round. He was five shots behind.

Sonny Smart, father of Georgia coach Kirby Smart, dies after a fall in New Orleans

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Georgia says football coach Kirby Smart’s father died early Saturday of complications from hip surgery after falling in New Orleans ahead of the Sugar Bowl. Sonny Smart fell while walking on New Year’s Eve and fractured his hip. He was hospitalized and had hip surgery at Ochsner Medical Center, where he died surrounded by his family. A longtime high school football coach in Alabama and Georgia, Sonny Smart coached Kirby when he was in high school. He became a regular at his son’s games when Kirby became head coach at his alma mater in 2016.

Kawhi Leonard in the starting lineup as he makes his season debut with Clippers

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard was in the starting lineup and made his season debut as the Los Angeles Clippers hosted the Atlanta Hawks Saturday night. Leonard missed the Clippers’ first 34 games with what the team described as right knee injury recovery. It is his first NBA game action since April 26, when he played 25 minutes and scored nine points in Game 3 of the Clippers’ Western Conference first-round playoff series against Dallas. The Clippers lost that game and were eventually eliminated in six games. Coach Tyronn Lue said Leonard is on a minutes restriction, but did not say how much playing time the six-time All-Star forward would get.

Jeremiyah Love is expected to be ready for 7th-seeded Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman expects running back Jeremiyah Love to play in Thursday’s College Football Playoff semifinal game and the Fighting Irish ground game to be at full strength against sixth-seeded Penn State. Love played sparingly after re-injuring his right knee during seventh-seeded Notre Dame’s Sugar Bowl victory over second-seeded Georgia. But the only injury update Freeman provided Saturday was that backup tight end Cooper Flanagan would miss the rest of this season with a foot injury. That means the Notre Dame ground game should be at full strength, with quarterback Riley Leonard and running back Jadarian Price ready to play.

Penn State hopeful Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Abdul Carter will be ready for Orange Bowl

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State coach James Franklin thinks there’s a chance defensive star Abdul Carter will be back for College Football Playoff semifinals against Notre Dame. The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year sustained an undisclosed upper-body injury in a victory over Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Carter was injured early in the game. He returned briefly in the second quarter before exiting for good. Carter’s 11 sacks lead the sixth-seeded Nittany Lions, who will play seventh-seed Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 9.

Heat begin a new chapter: Life without Jimmy Butler, who is suspended and seeking a trade

MIAMI (AP) — For the 119th time since Jimmy Butler joined Miami, the Heat played a game without him. This was different from the others. Butler is gone, banished by the Heat for seven games over what they called conduct detrimental to the team — and he’s probably not going to play for Miami again. His suspension started Saturday when the Heat played the Utah Jazz, and the team says it will agree to his wishes and try to facilitate a trade.

No. 1 Tennessee beats No. 23 Arkansas 76-52 to match best start in program history

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Chaz Lanier scored 29 points to lead No. 1 Tennessee over No. 23 Arkansas 76-52 and tie for the best start to a season in program history. The Volunteers at 14-0 are tied with the 1922-23 team for the best start, according to the school. Igor Milicic Jr. had 13 points and 18 rebounds. Zakai Zeigler had 12 points and 7 assists. Tennessee nearly shot better from 3-point range than from the field. D.J. Wagner had 17 points and Boogie Fland 12 for Arkansas. Tennessee put together a 27-12 rebounding advantage in the first half and finished the game with a 51-29 edge.

Koby Brea hits seven 3-pointers as No. 10 Kentucky hands No. 6 Florida its first loss, 106-100

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Koby Brea scored 23 points and hit seven 3-pointers off the bench to lead No. 10 Kentucky over No. 6 Florida 106-100, handing the Gators their first loss of the season. The Gators had cut an 80-69 Kentucky lead to 89-87 on Walter Clayton Jr.’s free throws with 4:40 remaining, but Lamont Butler hit a 3 as the shot clock wound down and added two free throws to help the Wildcats hang on Saturday. Clayton scored 33 points. Alijah Martin scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half to rally Florida after Kentucky took a 52-42 halftime lead.