Sugar Bowl CFP quarterfinal between Georgia and Notre Dame postponed after deadly truck attack

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The College Football Playoff quarterfinal in New Orleans has been postponed a day after a truck plowed into a New Year’s crowd about a mile away from the site of the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame. Fifteen people were killed in the attack early Wednesday in the French Quarter. The game originally was scheduled for Wednesday night at the 70,000-seat Superdome. Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley says all parties agreed that it was in the best interest of public safety to push back the game. It’s now set for 3 p.m. Central on Thursday. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry says he’ll attend the Sugar Bowl and is confident the area in and around the stadium will be safe.

Texas avoids huge upset, beats Arizona State 39-31 in double overtime in Peach Bowl

ATLANTA (AP) — Texas avoided the first big upset of the College Football Playoff, hitting a fourth-and-long touchdown pass to keep the game going and beating Arizona State 39-31 in double overtime when an interception by Andrew Mukuba finally ended a Peach Bowl quarterfinal classic. The teams traded touchdowns on their first overtime possessions, and Quinn Ewers put Texas ahead with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Gunnar Helms, followed by a 2-point conversion pass to Matthew Golden. The fourth-ranked Longhorns finally put No. 10 Arizona State away when Mukuba picked off Sam Leavitt’s pass at the 3 to end the game. The Sun Devils were two-touchdown underdogs.

Skattebo’s do-it-all show is not enough to overcome Arizona State’s 4th-down woes against Texas

ATLANTA (AP) — Cam Skattebo’s do-it-all offensive show wasn’t enough to save Arizona State from a stretch of fourth-down failures against Texas. Led by Skattebo, Arizona State compiled big advantages in rushing yards, total yards and time of possession. The three fourth-down stops kept the Sun Devils from taking full advantage of their statistical edges in their 39-31 College Football Playoff quarterfinal double-overtime loss to Texas in the Peach Bowl. Skattebo was named offensive MVP after having 30 carries for 143 yards and two touchdowns, eight catches for 99 yards and one pass for a 42-yard TD.

Targeting no-call at Peach Bowl raises more question about disputed rule

ATLANTA (AP) — The Peach Bowl referee declined to call a targeting penalty late in the fourth quarter for a helmet-to-helmet hit by Texas safety Michael Taaffe that could’ve given Arizona State a chance to kick a winning field goal in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. The fourth-ranked Longhorns went on to beat the No. 10 Arizona State 39-31 in double overtime. The big hit by Taaffe came after Texas missed a field goal attempt with 1:39 remaining that left the game tied at 24-all. It led to a punt by Arizona State.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni set to rest Saquon Barkley in finale and end chance at NFL rushing record

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley appears set to sit out the Philadelphia Eagles final regular-season game Sunday, denying the running back his chance at breaking Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season rushing record. Barkley would finish the season with 2,005 yards rushing, just 101 yards shy of breaking Dickerson’s record of 2,105 yards set with the the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. The Eagles clinched the NFC East and the No. 2 seed in the conference, leaving little to play for in Sunday’s home game against the New York Giants. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni declined to say outright which starters would play and which ones would sit out, saying of Barkley, “he’ll probably be somebody that rests.”

Chiefs to start Carson Wentz at QB against Denver, which would clinch a playoff berth with a win

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs will start backup Carson Wentz at quarterback on Sunday in Denver in a game that means nothing to Kansas City, which has already clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, but could mean everything to the Broncos. They would clinch a playoff berth as the No. 7 seed by beating the Chiefs, while a loss coupled with a win by the Dolphins or Bengals would knock Denver from the postseason. Chiefs coach Andy Reid declined to say who else might spend the day with Mahomes on the sideline, pointing out that only so many players can be rested given roster limitations.

Penn State takes simple approach during ride into CFP semifinals

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The cliche of one game at a time can be found all across the sports world. Penn State coach James Franklin has gotten his players to buy into it wholeheartedly, pushing the program to new heights. The fifth-ranked Nittany Lions opened their first College Football Playoff berth with a blowout win over SMU and took down No. 8 Boise State 31-14 in the New Year’s Eve Fiesta Bowl. Penn State moves on to the Orange Bowl to face the winner of No. 2 Georgia and No. 3 Notre Dame. The Nittany Lions have done it with one of the nation’s best defenses and a balanced offense.

LeBron James’ youngest son Bryce commits to Arizona

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Bryce James has committed to Arizona. The youngest son of NBA star LeBron James announced his decision Wednesday on Instagram. His father congratulated him in a post of his own. Bryce James will be the second of LeBron’s sons to play Division I basketball. Bronny James played one season at USC before turning pro. He was drafted by his father’s team, the Los Angeles Lakers, and they became the first father and son to play together in an NBA game.

Xander Schauffele has 2 majors and still a long way from No. 1 in the world

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Xander Schauffele won two majors last year and still has managed to fly under the radar. That’s because of Scottie Scheffler and his dominant play. Schauffele says his goal is to reach No. 1 in the world. He’s also realistic enough to know that it could take some time. He starts the new season at The Sentry and Scheffler isn’t around. The world’s No. 1 player cut his hand on glass preparing Christmas dinner. The Sentry starts a different season in which only the top 100 players will keep full PGA Tour cards and some field sizes will be smaller.

Pelicans’ minds on New Orleans after deadly attack as they prepared to play in Miami

MIAMI (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans were in Miami when they learned of a deadly terrorist attack in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter. New Orleans plays its home games about 1 mile southwest of the intersection of Bourbon Street and Canal Street, where an Army veteran driving a pickup truck bearing the flag of the Islamic State group killed 15 people and injured at least 30 others early Wednesday when he slammed the vehicle into revelers. After facing the Heat on Wednesday night, the Pelicans are scheduled to play at home on Friday against Washington. The attack forced a one-day delay of the Sugar Bowl between Notre Dame and Georgia, a College Football Playoff quarterfinal.