Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF
Playoff pairings: LSU vs. Oklahoma; Ohio State vs. Clemson
UNDATED (AP) — LSU will play Oklahoma and Ohio State will face defending national champion Clemson in the College Football Playoff.
The selection committee revealed the pairings Sunday for the national semifinals and the final four were no surprise. The only mystery involved which team would be the No. 1 seed. The 13-member committee went with Southeastern Conference champion LSU.
The 13-0 Tigers will head back to Atlanta for their playoff game to face the 12-1 Big 12 champion Sooners in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 28.
LSU used a convincing victory against Georgia at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday to move up to No. 1. Ohio State had been No. 1 last week in the committee's rankings, but slipped to No. 2 after coming from behind against Wisconsin to win the Big Ten title on Saturday night.
The Buckeyes will face third-seeded Atlantic Coast Conference champion Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, on Dec. 28. Both teams are 13-0. The national championship game is set for Jan. 13 in New Orleans.
The rest pairings for the other New Year's Six bowls will be set later Sunday when the committee releases its complete top 25.
T25-COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLL
Top 25: LSU finishes season No. 1, Ohio St, Tigers, OU next
UNDATED (AP) — LSU has finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25, followed by Ohio State, Clemson and Oklahoma.
The Tigers will head into postseason having been atop the AP poll for the last seven weeks. The Sooners moved up two spots in Sunday's rankings after winning the Big 12 championship.
Georgia slipped a spot to No. 5 after losing the Southeastern Conference title game to LSU. Florida is No. 6. Oregon jumped six spots to No. 7 after winning the Pac-12 championship.
No. 8 Baylor held its spot after losing to Oklahoma in overtime. Alabama and Auburn tied for ninth.
Wisconsin dropped a spot to No. 11 after losing to Ohio State in the Big Ten championship and Utah fell seven spots to No. 12 after being upset by Oregon.
The only team to fall out of the rankings is Virginia, which was blown out by Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. Oklahoma State moved back into the rankings at No. 25.
NFL-SCHEDULE
Six teams have shots at playoff clinchings in Week 14
UNDATED (AP) — Four AFC teams can secure playoff berths, or even division titles, on Sunday.
If Baltimore wins at Buffalo, the Ravens own the AFC North. They also take the division if Pittsburgh loses as Arizona. A win gives Baltimore a playoff berth at the least.
Should the Bills win their game with Baltimore, they can get a postseason spot if Oakland loses to Tennessee, Houston falls to Denver, and Indianapolis is beaten by Tampa Bay.
The AFC West goes to Kansas City if it wins at New England and the Raiders lose. The Patriots get a playoff berth with a win, or if they lose to the Chiefs, with defeats for the Texans and Colts, plus a tie between the Titans and Raiders.
The Saints already have won the NFC South. If San Francisco wins at New Orleans, it's in the playoffs as long as the Rams lose to Seattle in a Sunday night game. A victory for the Seahawks puts them in the postseason.
NFL-BROWNS-BECKHAM SURGERY
AP Source: Browns' Beckham to have postseason surgery
CLEVELAND (AP) — Browns star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. intends to undergo postseason surgery for a sports hernia. That’s according to a person familiar with the injury, who tells The Associated Press that Beckham has been dealing with the injury for most of the season. The person says Beckham plans to play the final four regular-season games before undergoing the operation, which hasn’t been scheduled yet.
NFL Network was first to report Beckham's plan for surgery.
Beckham's injury could help explain his lack of major production with the Browns, who acquired the three-time Pro Bowler from the New York Giants in a trade in March.
Beckham has 57 receptions for 805 yards, solid stats but not up to his standards. He's only caught two touchdown passes and has only one 100-yard receiving game in his past 10.
He was listed as “limited” on the team's injury report this week with a groin injury. Beckham skipped most of the team's offseason program and didn't play in any exhibition games.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-FLORIDA STATE-NORVELL
Florida State makes Memphis’ Mike Norvell new head coach
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Mike Norvell is Florida State’s new coach, taking over a Seminoles program that has struggled while he was helping to build Memphis into a Group of Five power.
Florida State made it official Sunday with an announcement and a news conference was scheduled for noon in Tallahassee, Florida.
Norvell will replace Willie Taggart, fired Nov. 3 by Florida State after going 9-12 as head coach. The Seminoles, who won the 2013 national title, finished the season becoming bowl eligible at 6-6 under interim coach Odell Haggins.
Memphis wrapped up its program-record 12th victory at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium on Saturday in the American Athletic Conference championship win over Cincinnati.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
