SPORTS HEADLINES

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No. 1 Ohio State tops No. 15 Michigan 27-9, will play No. 2 Indiana for B10 title

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Julian Sayin threw three touchdown passes, including a 35-yarder to Jeremiah Smith on a fourth down in the second quarter, and No. 1 Ohio State beat No. 15 Michigan 27-9 in a dominant performance. The defending national champion Buckeyes likely earned a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff. They can keep their top seed with a win against No. 2 Indiana in the conference championship game Saturday night in Indianapolis. Ohio State coach Ryan Day should sleep well, a year after losing The Game when his team was favored by about three touchdowns.

Ohio State punches ticket to Big Ten title game, SEC and ACC await Saturday night results

The final day of college football’s regular season is packed with crucial games that will determine conference championship matchups and postseason rankings. Ohio State has secured a perfect 12-0 season and a spot in the Big Ten championship after defeating Michigan. The Buckeyes will face Indiana in the title game. In the ACC, Virginia and SMU can advance to the conference championship with wins. In the SEC, Alabama is set to face Georgia in the title game with a win against Auburn. The playoff picture is still taking shape across various conferences, with several teams vying for spots.

Mateer throws late TD pass, No. 8 Oklahoma beats LSU 17-13 to likely secure playoff spot

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — John Mateer threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Sategna with 4:16 left to overcome three interceptions, and No. 8 Oklahoma beat LSU 17-13 on Saturday night to likely wrap up a College Football Playoff spot. The Sooners (10-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference, No. 8 CFP) are in position to host a first-round game after winning four straight. Mateer was 23 of 38 for 318 yards and two touchdowns, and Sategna caught nine passes for 121 yards. Oklahoma held the Tigers (7-5, 3-5) to 198 total yards and came up with a late stop to hold on. LSU played through rumors about its coaching situation. Brian Kelly was fired earlier and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin has been rumored to be his replacement.

Bear Bachmeier and LJ Martin lead No. 11 BYU past UCF for a 41-21 victory

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Bear Bachmeier threw for 289 yards and a touchdown to help No. 11 BYU beat UCF 41-21. LJ Martin added 95 yards and three touchdowns on the ground for the Cougars (11-1, 8-1 Big 12, No. 11 CFP), who clinched a spot in the Big 12 championship game next Saturday. Parker Kingston added 181 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. Tayven Jackson threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns to lead UCF. The Knights (5-7, 2-7 Big 12) did not qualify for a bowl game for a second straight season after giving up 31 unanswered points to the Cougars.

No. 13 Miami races past No. 24 Pitt 38-7 to state its case for a CFP berth

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Carson Beck passed for 267 yards and three touchdowns as No. 13 Miami beat No. 24 Pittsburgh 38-7. The win kept Miami’s slim hopes for a spot in the ACC title game alive at least for a few hours. More pressing for the Hurricanes is whether they did enough to impress the voters for the College Football Playoff. Miami finished the regular season 10-2 and won its last four games by an average of 26 points. Pitt fell to 8-4 and saw its own chances of reaching the ACC championship disappear while being overwhelmed by the deeper and more talented Hurricanes.

Lions lose 4-time Pro Bowl C Frank Ragnow for year with hamstring strain after he ended retirement

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Frank Ragnow’s season is over before it started. The team announced Saturday that the four-time Pro Bowl center failed a physical because of a hamstring strain, days after coming out of retirement. The Lions say Ragnow reported to the team’s training facility on Friday and an exam showed he has an injury that will prevent him from playing this season. The 29-year-old Ragnow was reinstated off the retirement list on Wednesday in a move welcomed by the Lions, who have missed him on the offensive line this year. The Lions host the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night.

Messi’s Inter Miami advances to MLS Cup final with 5-1 win over NYCFC in East final

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi has led Inter Miami to the MLS Cup final after a 5-1 win over New York City FC. Tadeo Allande scored twice in the first half, with assists from Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets. Mateo Silvetti added an insurance goal in the 67th minute, set up by Messi. This marks Messi’s 405th career assist, believed to be a record in soccer history. Inter Miami, the No. 3 seed in the East, will host either San Diego or Vancouver for the league title. This is Inter Miami’s first MLS final appearance.

Behind the scenes of Cortina’s trailer-park Olympic Village: 400 mobile homes in an Alpine valley

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — The temporary Olympic Village in Cortina d’Ampezzo that will house up to 1,400 athletes and other team members during the Milan Cortina Games consists of nearly 400 rented mobile homes arranged in close proximity to one another on a humid valley floor. The Village is a 10-minute drive or a 1-hour walk north of downtown Cortina in an unpopulated area. In other words it’s in the middle of nature. Government commissioner Fabio Saldini says “You have the opportunity to hear the sound of the mountains” and “isolate yourself if you wish” or “go out for a pleasant workout.”

No backup plan for Olympic ice hockey arena as construction goes down to the wire

MILAN (AP) — There is no backup plan if the main ice hockey arena for the Milan Cortina Winter Games is not ready on time. Construction is behind schedule and going right down to the wire. A test event at the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena had to be moved, and new ones won’t be until January 9-11. Andrea Francisi the Chief Games Operations Officer for Milan Cortina told The Associated Press on Saturday there is no plan B. However, he is confident “for the moment” the venue will be ready in time. The first Olympics game at the main hockey arena is the women’s preliminary round competition on February 5, one day before the opening ceremony.

Brown grass cost a famed golf course a big tournament and highlighted Hawaii water problems

HONOLULU (AP) — The Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort on Maui is famous for its ocean views and hosting The Sentry, a $20 million PGA Tour event. However, drought and a dispute over irrigation water have led to the cancellation of the event. The course’s condition has improved, allowing 17 holes to reopen. Environmentalists are now raising concern over the use of drinking water for irrigation. A separate, ongoing lawsuit over the ditch system highlights the challenges of maintaining golf courses in drought-prone areas. The situation raises questions about the future of golf in Hawaii.