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Raise your hand if you had Russell Wilson pegged as washed up.

You know who you are. Wilson had the worst season of his career in 2022, his first year with the Denver Broncos, and it was so easy for people to pile on.

No, the football that Wilson produced last season under then-coach Nathaniel Hackett wasn’t pretty.

But look at him now. The reports of his demise were so premature.

Wilson, 34, has been revived along with the team that takes a three-game winning streak into Sunday night’s clash against the Minnesota Vikings.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

It has moved Courtland Sutton so much that the Broncos receiver posted a “Russell Wilson Apology Form” this week on X. Sutton, whose incredible toe-drag touchdown catch on a fourth down helped Denver (4-5) stun the Bills in Buffalo on Monday night, posted the hilarious form addressed to Wilson, memo-style, as the ultimate reminder of the bashing directed at the quarterback last season.

Wilson, typically, didn’t have much reaction when asked if he is owed an apology.

“I’m just focused on winning,” he said during a mid-week news conference. “I’m focused on playing great football. It’s about my teammates and what we’re doing well. I don’t need anybody’s approval. For me, (it’s not about) any critics or anything. I just focus on what God gave me.”

Let Russ cook?

Nah, this is not that. Wilson has hardly put the team on his back, Patrick Mahomes-style, and scorched the stat sheet and scoreboard. The Broncos have the NFL’s 28th-ranked passing game.

As promised, new coach Sean Payton’s offense has been built with balance, which is why Denver has developed a physical rushing attack allowing it to run on 47% of the snaps, higher than the NFL average.

It’s the efficiency – and Wilson’s penchant for going off-script and tapping into his inner Houdini to make incredible plays from from unlikely escapes – that has been so essential to RW3 getting back on track.

Wilson ranks fourth in the NFL with a 104.0 passer rating that is nearly 20 points higher than his career-low number (84.4) from last season. The rating is bolstered by an 18-to-4 TD-to-INT ratio that is striking on multiple levels. Despite his below-average yardage output, Wilson ranks third in the league for scoring passes and has already topped the 16 TD passes he produced during the entire 2022 season. His minimal number of picks (below the pace that resulted in 11 interceptions last season) and a 67.9% completion rate also underscore a certain flow in Payton’s offense.

“He sees coverages right away,” Payton said of Wilson following the game on Monday night, alluding to quick improvisation to find completions in the face of pressure. “For him, a lot of times it’s the cavities in the rush. It’s not just dropping back and throwing over the rush.”

Sometimes it is simply making magic out of disaster. The fourth-down play at the Bills’ 7-yard line on Monday night included a scrambling Wilson spinning out of a would-be sack, then rolling left and throwing while off-balance to connect with Sutton, streaking across the back of the end zone.

As Wilson sees it, “You always want to be within the rhythm of the play.”

The scrambling that allowed for that signature play was a reminder of the nifty footwork that made Wilson such an elusive threat during his heyday with the Seattle Seahawks. It also brought to mind the buzz about Wilson’s sleeker physique as training camp opened. Although he would not reveal how much weight he shed since the 2022 campaign ended (he was still listed at 5-11, 215), there was a noticeable difference, according to long-time camp observers. And Wilson acknowledged that he followed through on his pledge to have the best offseason of his life.

Whatever the methods, it’s working, And not just for Wilson, given the team’s rebound from a 1-5 start. Denver’s 32nd-ranked defense has settled down since the early-season debacle at Miami (70 points and 726 yards allowed). The special teams have had significant impact that includes rookie returner Marvin Mims.

The next steps for the offense, Wilson said, should begin with discipline that reduces penalties.

“This game is hard to play when it’s third-and-15, third-and-17, against really good pass-rushers and everything else,” Wilson said. “I think the best thing we can do is stay on schedule. When we stay on schedule, we give ourselves a great chance.”

 A sentiment that surely applies to the big picture, too.

A better point of view?

Maybe this is a sudden trend in the copycat NFL. A week after Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator/play-caller Matt Canada came out of the booth upstairs and worked from the sidelines – and voila, his unit scored a touchdown on its first possession for the first time this season – San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks made a similar switch.

Wilks called plays from the sidelines last Sunday at Jacksonville and his unit responded with a barrage of big plays – four takeaways, five sacks – as the 49es snapped a three-game losing streak with a 34-3 romp of the Jaguars.

His presence on the sideline made that much of a difference?

“Believe me, that wasn’t nowhere near the reason why,” Wilks reflected on Thursday. “We’ve got good players and me being on the sideline had nothing to do with it.”

Still, it’s tough to argue with the results. And it’s a given that Wilks will be back at field level when the 49ers host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Wilks said he enjoyed the interaction with the players during the game.

“It was good to be able to look in their eyes and communicate and create some clarity in my thoughts moving to the next series,” he said.

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan, who worked from the sideline in eight of nine seasons as a play-caller before becoming a head coach, said the field-level positioning “is one of the most overrated things in the world.”

Maybe so. But after the big win at Jacksonville, at least Shanahan didn’t have any reason to call out Wilks for questionable strategy, as was the case in Week 7 when a “zero blitz” call backfired just before halftime in Minnesota.

Quick slants

Move over, Tyreek Hill and A.J. Brown. For all the record-breaking and record-threatening numbers put up by the star receivers for Miami and Philadelphia, respectively, Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb heads into the game at Carolina with a chance to become the first player in NFL history with four consecutive games of at least 150 receiving yards. The output of Lamb and Dak Prescott – seeking his fourth consecutive 300-yard game – reflects well on Mike McCarthy’s decision to take over the play-calling duties from the departed Kellen Moore. For now. The more defining tests are yet to come….Another measure of the mess that is Buffalo’s quarterback: In losses against the Jets, Patriots and Broncos, Josh Allen has committed nine turnovers.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

The death of Minnesota native and former NHL player Adam Johnson after he was cut in the neck by a skate blade during an Oct. 28 game in England continues to have an impact on the team and on hockey leagues around the world.

South Yorkshire police announced a Nov. 14 arrest of a man in the case on suspicion of manslaughter. The man, who wasn’t identified, was released on police bail the following day.

Johnson’s team, the Nottingham Panthers, said before a Nov. 18 memorial game that it was retiring his No. 47.

The latest on the fallout from Johnson’s death:

Who is Adam Johnson?

Johnson, 29, who played parts of two seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, was in his first season with the Nottingham Panthers, scoring four goals in seven games.

He died after being cut by Sheffield Steelers defenseman Matt Petgrave’s skate in what the Panthers called a ‘freak accident.’

‘Adam, our number 47, was not only an outstanding ice hockey player, but also a great teammate and an incredible person with his whole life ahead of him,’ the Panthers said. ‘The Club will dearly miss him and will never ever forget him.’

Johnson played two seasons with the University of Minnesota-Duluth and played 13 NHL games with the Penguins during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. He had a goal and three assists.

He scored his lone NHL goal on Oct. 12, 2019, at the Minnesota Wild as part of a two-point night.

Johnson also played in the American Hockey League, Sweden and Germany before signing in England this season.

A memorial service was held for Johnson on Nov. 6 in Hibbing, Minnesota.

ADAM JOHNSON: Girlfriend found engagement ring after player’s death

Adam Johnson’s number retired before memorial game

The Panthers faced the Manchester Storm in an exhibition game on Nov. 18 at Motorpoint Arena to honor Johnson.

It is the first time that the team had played since Johnson’s death.

Nottingham announced before the game that Johnson’s No. 47 was being retired. His name and number were also inscribed on the ice behind the nets.

The game was paused in the 47th minute and fans gave a standing ovation.

The game ended in a 4-4 tie.

The Panthers will resume regular-season play on Nov. 26 against the Belfast Giants.

What is the status of the police investigation into Adam Johnson’s death?

South Yorkshire police said on Nov. 14 that a man was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in the case. The unidentified man was released on police bail the following day.

‘Our investigation launched immediately following this tragedy and we have been carrying out extensive enquiries ever since to piece together the events which led to the loss of Adam in these unprecedented circumstances,’ Detective Chief Superintendent Becs Horsfall said in a statement Tuesday.

‘We have been speaking to highly specialised experts in their field to assist in our enquiries and continue to work closely with the health and safety department at Sheffield City Council, which is supporting our ongoing investigation.’

How have hockey organizations reacted to Johnson’s death?

The English Ice Hockey Association announced that approved hockey neck guard/protectors would become mandatory equipment for players at all levels after Dec. 31.

‘It is unacceptable for any player to lose their life while playing sport,’ the association said. ‘Our responsibility is not only to avert the recurrence of such a heart-breaking accident, but also to pre-emptively address other foreseeable incidents in the future.’

The Western Hockey League, a Canadian junior hockey league, announced that neck guards will be required as of Nov. 3 or whenever the equipment is available. The guards must be worn during games and practices.

The Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League already require them.

The NHL discussed skate cuts last season after several injuries, and deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Sirius XM that commissioner Gary Bettman reached out to NHL Players’ Association executive director Marty Walsh to get cut-resistant guards on the radar.

“We have been really pushing hard cut-resistant materials and guards for our players,’ Daly said. ‘It is an adjustment for them.”

Daly noted that the AHL and ECHL require cut-resistant materials for wrists and forearms.

“Obviously (with) the most recent horrific accident, really we’ll step up the neck guards for sure,” he said.

Walsh told the Associated Press: “We’re going to explore everything. We have to continue to have conversations on this as we move forward here. It’s a change for the players, but it’s also about protecting them, so I think we will have those conversations as we move forward here.”

Meanwhile, Boston Bruins forward Jakub Lauko said he would wear a cut-resistant neck guard because of what happened to Johnson and his own close call. Lauko was cut near the eye by a skate blade last month.

‘It’s too much of a risk,’ he told reporters. ‘When you can put something on the neck, it’s better. It’s the most vulnerable spot on the body. I’m going to start wearing neck guards, wrist guards, too, add some layer of protection to areas that are vulnerable. You know, it’s always better to be ready than sorry.’

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

After much speculation, Tiger Woods has committed to playing in the 2023 Hero World Challenge at Albany in the Bahamas.

Woods has been away from the golf course since having surgery after withdrawing from the 2023 Masters. However, videos of Woods caddying for his son, Charlie, without a noticeable limp have circulated on social media for the last few weeks creating hope we’d see the 15-time major champion sooner rather than later.

The Hero World Challenge — an event hosted by Woods and his TGR Ventures — is a non-official PGA Tour event, boasting a field of 20 of the best players in the world including Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Max Homa, Rickie Fowler, Viktor Hovland and Collin Morikawa.

Woods didn’t participate in the Hero last season due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot.

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It’s hard to imagine the first night of the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix going much worse than it did Thursday night.

Trouble started when Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz ran over a drain cover during Free Practice 1, the first session of the weekend. From there, the session was stopped and eventually cancelled, keeping teams waiting until 2:30 a.m. Friday morning local time to start again.

Fans weren’t allowed back into the stands to watch Free Practice 2. In a joint statement Friday afternoon, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and Las Vegas Grand Prix CEO Renee Wilm outlined the reasoning behind barring fans from returning.

The statement pointed to risks involved with the late start, specifically public safety and security officials working long shifts, transportation employees reaching the legal limit of hours allowed by federal law, and hospitality staff needing time to resupply guest areas.

But that reasoning’s not enough for some attendees. Both Formula 1 and the Las Vegas Grand Prix are being sued.

The Las Vegas-based Dimopoulos Law Firm and co-counsel JK Legal & Consulting filed a class-action lawsuit against Formula 1 for forcing fans to leave before Free Practice 2. The suit is seeking at least $30,000 in damages.

Single-night tickets for Thursday’s action were sold for as much as $919 starting last November, per Fox 5 Vegas. Prices dropped closer to the event but still cost more than $100.

Formula 1 offered a $200 discounts at the gift shop for fans who bought single-night tickets for Thursday and not those who bought three-day passes. That’s not enough for Matt Raddue, Jack Diep, Jory Levy, Carlos Mauricio Gil, and James Dayap, the plaintiffs named in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges a breach of contract, deceptive trade practices, and negligence by Liberty Media, Formula 1’s parent company, and TAB Contractors, Inc., the company tasked with track maintenance.

The action states ‘F1 and/or its contractors and safety organizations had a duty to inspect the track to make sure that it was safe for use by the racers and was race-ready for the ‘Practice Run’ event.’

It adds that ‘F1 and/or its contractors and safety organizations failed to detect the flaws and/or poor installation of the subject manhole cover sealed by TAB and failed to ensure that the track was race-ready for the ‘Practice Run’ event.’

A race spokesperson said Saturday afternoon that organizers cannot comment on the litigation and stated, “our focus is on ensuring that our fans have an entertaining experience in a safe and secure environment which is always our top priority,’ per the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Friday night’s Free Practice 3 and Qualifying sessions went off without a hitch. The Las Vegas Grand Prix wraps up with the Grand Prix race starting at 1:00 a.m., ET. Sunday morning.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

PULLMAN, Wash. – NCAA President Charlie Baker said he feels “bad” for the undefeated football players at James Madison University but said it wouldn’t be fair to give them a waiver from an NCAA rule that prevents them from being eligible for postseason play this season.

“Yeah, I feel bad for those kids, but I also feel bad for the kids who play for a team that is eligible that would not make it” if JMU got a waiver, Baker said in an interview Friday with USA TODAY Sports.

Baker said those other eligible schools could suffer potential damage if the Dukes (10-0) were given the waiver to play in the postseason. He named Liberty (10-0) and Tulane (9-1) as among those who could be boxed out of a top bowl in that case.

“It’s a zero-sum game,” Baker said Friday at Washington State University, where he was visiting. “If you put more and more in, it’s not like there’s another space for more and more. Somebody else comes out, who’s qualified and isn’t on probation.”

Why aren’t the Dukes eligible to play in a bowl game?

They are in the midst of a two-year transition to the lucrative Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of college football after moving up from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), where there are fewer resources and player scholarships. The NCAA requires such “reclassifying” teams to be ineligible for the FBS postseason during this two-year period.

The Dukes are in the second year of the transition and have asked for a waiver from the NCAA but have been denied. If their waiver request had been approved, they could have been included in the College Football Playoff rankings and might have set their sights on an elite bowl game.

NCAA President cites another example

Baker likened the case of the Dukes to that of Merrimack College in Massachusetts, where Baker previously served as the state’s governor. In March, Merrimack won a conference tournament title in men’s basketball but wasn’t allowed to play in the NCAA tournament because it was in the final year of a four-year transition from Division II to Division I. Fairleigh Dickinson represented the Northeastern Conference instead despite losing to Merrimack, 67-66.

In James Madison’s case, if the Dukes got a waiver, Baker said it wouldn’t be fair to those who might lose out on a bowl berth because of it after “playing all season with the understanding that they were playing to be in a bowl.” By contrast, James Madison knew they would be ineligible no matter how well its season went.

Baker noted the Dukes still could end up in a bowl game through the backdoor if there aren’t enough teams with the minimum record of 6-6 to qualify. In that case, they would be allowed to fill an open spot as needed, likely in a lower-tier game as opposed to the kind of top bowl game they could be shooting for now in the CFP rankings if granted a waiver.

What is the point of the rule?

Baker acknowledged the rule should be reexamined. It was essentially designed to prevent teams from making a hasty move up the ladder in college sports to the detriment of its teams and support staff.

But  the advent of players transferring freely between schools and other big recent changes in college sports “probably means that at this point and time we should take a look it going forward,” Baker said. “But I have no problem with the rule as it stands.”

Such requirements and restrictions for reclassifying teams “are based on factors beyond athletics performance,” the Division I Board of Directors Administrative Committee said in a recent statement. ‘They are intended to ensure schools are properly evaluating their long-term sustainability in the subdivision. Sponsoring sports at this level requires increased scholarships, expanded athletics compliance efforts, and additional academic and mental health support for student-athletes, and the transition period is intended to give members time to adjust to those increased requirements to position student-athletes at those schools for long-term success.”

After facing Appalachian State Saturday, James Madison plays its regular season finale a week later at Coastal Carolina.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

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HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) — Kaedin Robinson’s toe barely touched the goal line before the football squirted out and he scored the winning touchdown in overtime as Appalachian State beat previously unbeaten and 21st-ranked James Madison 26-23 on Saturday.

James Madison jumped ahead in overtime when Camden Wise booted a 25-yard field goal, giving the Dukes a 23-20 lead. But on third down from the 8 yard line, Appalachian State’s Joey Aguilar tossed a strike to Robinson, who made the catch at the 5 and broke two tackles before stepping on the goal line for the winning TD, just before losing control of the ball.

The loss ended James Madison’s 10-game winning streak this season and 13-game run overall, and comes three days after the Dukes (10-1, 6-1 Sun Belt) had their appeal for a waiver that would allow them to be invited to a bowl game without extenuating circumstances denied by the NCAA. The Virginia Attorney General hired a law firm that is arguing for JMU’s inclusion in bowl consideration based on its record, national ranking and success in its two-year process reclassifying from the Football Championship Subdivision to the Bowl Subdivision, the game’s top tier.

Robinson finished with four catches for 68 yards and two touchdowns. Aguilar was 28-for-46 passing for 318 yards and three touchdowns with an interception for Appalachian State (7-4, 5-2).

Jordan McCloud was 27-for-46 passing for 276 yards with a TD and interception. Elijah Sarratt had eight catches — including two that helped force overtime — for 128 yards and a touchdown for James Madison.

Appalachian State was leading 3-0 after one quarter, and the Dukes added a field goal of their own early in the second.

James Madison added a safety midway through the second quarter after Aguilar was called for intentional grounding in the end zone.

The lead didn’t last long. McCloud fumbled two plays later to give possession back to Appalachian State in JMU territory. Aguilar completed a 27-yard pass to Eli Wilson, then to Robinson for eight yards and a touchdown to make it 10-5 at halftime.

Aguilar found Wilson for a 16-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter.

James Madison’s offense finally came alive. McCloud capped a 16-play 75-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run as the Dukes closed within 17-12 with 8:20 left.

Aguilar was clutch on the ensuing drive, moving the chains each time it appeared JMU was poised to get the ball back. The Mountaineers added another field goal with 3:55 remaining.

McCloud completed a pass to Sarratt on 4th-and-18 to keep JMU’s hopes alive and then the pair hooked up for a TD on the next play as JMU moved within two points with 0:57 left in the fourth McCloud hit Sarratt on a 2-point PAT that tied the score at 20.

Takeaways for both teams

The game had big implications in the Sun Belt East race, though it remains unclear. Appalachian State remained in the hunt for the division title if the Dukes can beat Coastal Carolina next week. That is, if JMU remains ineligible for the conference title.

However, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares intends to file a lawsuit against the NCAA next week and ask for an injunction that could make the Dukes postseason eligible. In that case, JMU could secure a spot in the championship game with another victory.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Michigan accomplished something no other college football team has done before.

The Wolverines became the first program to win 1,000 games after the 31-24 victory against Maryland on Saturday afternoon to move to 11-0 this season ahead of the regular season finale against Ohio State.

It was the most points the Wolverines have given up this season, but the Michigan offense’s strong first half was too much for Maryland to overcome. The Wolverines also got two safeties on the day.

Even though he wasn’t coaching the Wolverines in College Park due to a three-game suspension related to the sign-stealing scandal, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh acknowledged the milestone prior to Saturday’s game.

‘Just really want to shout out the Green Bay Packers, most wins in NFL history: 793,’ he said. ‘Most wins in high school football, Valdosta, Georgia: 951. Michigan Wolverines: 999. No one has won more. Nobody. I want to thank everyone who has put on the winged helmet.’

Michigan’s 1,000 wins at a glance

It’s been a long road to history for Michigan, for got its first win as a program in 1879 against Racine. That game was 1-0 victory for the Wolverines, back in a time when points were only scored for field goals. More than 140 years later, the 1,000 victories have included:

11 national championships44 conference titles17 undefeated seasonsEight Rose Bowl wins

Which teams have the most wins in college football history?

Michigan entered the season already on top of the list of most wins in college football history, and in second place is rival Ohio State and Alabama. It’ll be awhile before either school will join Michigan as college football teams to reach 1,000 wins, as the earliest it could be done is in 2024 for Ohio State. However, the Buckeyes would need to win three-straight undefeated national championship seasons.

Here are the teams with the most college football wins:

(Asterisk includes Saturday, Nov. 18 results)

Michigan: 1,000 wins*Ohio State: 963 winsAlabama: 963 wins*Texas: 945 winsNotre Dame: 945 winsOklahoma: 942 winsYale: 935 winsPenn State: 929 wins*Nebraska: 917 winsHarvard: 901 wins

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CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Michael Penix Jr. threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and No. 5 Washington remained undefeated and clinched a spot in the Pac-12 championship game with a 22-20 victory over No. 10 Oregon State on Saturday.

Played in a nearly constant rain, it was the final Pac-12 game at Reser Stadium as the conference currently stands. The Pac-12 collapsed over the summer, leaving Oregon State and Washington State as the lone remaining teams.

Rome Odunze caught seven passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns for the Huskies (11-0, 8-0, No. 5 CFP), who have won 18 consecutive games. Washington is departing for the Big Ten next season, along with Oregon, USC and UCLA.

Penix completed 13 of 28 passes for 162 yards. He has thrown for 30 touchdowns this season.

Damien Martinez ran for 123 yards and two touchdowns for the No. 10 Beavers (8-3, 5-3, No. 11 CFP), who were effectively eliminated from a shot at the conference championship. The loss ended a nine-game winning streak for Oregon State at Reser.

The Beavers closed to within 22-20 on Atticus Sappington’s 35-yard field goal with 10:40 left in the game. Washington was forced to punt on the next series, and Oregon State fell short when DJ Uiagalelei’s fourth-and-5 pass to Jack Velling at midfield was incomplete.

The win kept Washington alone atop league standings in front of No. 6 Oregon, which also has national championship aspirations and defeated Arizona State 49-13 earlier on Saturday. The Ducks have just one loss — to Washington earlier this season. The Beavers visit Oregon on Friday in Eugene.

On Washington’s first series of the game, Penix hit Odunze with a 12-yard touchdown pass in a steady downpour at Reser. The Beavers answered with Damien Martinez’s 3-yard TD scamper.

The Huskies went up 9-2 on a safety when Oregon State misplayed a punt with a bad snap that went over the head of the punter.

The wet and slippery conditions caused problems for both teams. Washington’s Dillon Johnson gained of 42 yards to get to the Oregon State 9-yard line, but fumbled and the Beavers recovered. Then Anthony Gould fumbled a pass from DJ Uiagalelei and Washington recovered on the Oregon State 19. The Huskies, aided by a pass interference call, went on to score on Penix’s 5-yard keeper.

Penix danced on the sidelines in celebration.

Oregon State closed the gap with Sappington’s 38-yard field goal, but Washington capped the first half with Penix’s 38-yard scoring pass to Odunze to lead 22-10.

A 39-yard field goal attempt by Washington’s Grady Gross went wide left early in the third quarter.

Martinez scored on a 5-yard dash with 1:29 left in the third quarter to close the gap to 22-17. The 16-play drive took 9:56 off the clock and shifted momentum to the Beavers.

Uiagalelei gained 26 yards on a fourth-and-1 keeper to keep an Oregon State drive alive early in the final quarter. Martinez extended the drive, taking a short pass from Uiagalelei and stretching it for 19 yards, but the Beavers ultimately settled for Sappington’s 35-yarder.

MOUNTAIN WEST ALLIANCE?

This week two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that the Beavers and the Cougars were moving toward keeping the Pac-12 alive as a two-team conference for the time being while striking a deal with the Mountain West to fill out their schedules. That could possibly lead to a longer-term deal between the schools and the Mountain West.

Earlier in the week a judge in ruled that Oregon State and Washington State, as the sole remaining members of the Pac-12, have sole control of the conference’s assets. But the departing schools appealed to the Washington Supreme Court and won a temporary stay. Oregon State and Washington State have until Nov. 28 to respond.

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The National Rural Health Association says costs for hospitals have gone up and funding for rural hospitals has gone down, because COVID-19 funds are no longer a factor. The emergency funds helped many hospitals that were at risk of closing before the pandemic to keep their doors open through 2020.

Robert Pascasio is the CEO of OmniPoint Health Hospital in Anahuac, Texas. He says rural hospitals are struggling to maintain their operations after dealing with higher costs and labor shortages.

‘COVID increased costs for all of us across the board. Labor costs are up, substantially. Supply costs are up, substantially,’ Pascasio said. ‘We’re still experiencing shortages. A lot of folks got out of healthcare as a result of COVID.’

Now, COVID funds that kept many rural hospitals open during the pandemic have ended, resulting in the closure of 18 rural hospitals in addition to 18 that no longer offer in-patient care since the funding stopped over a year ago.

Carrie Cochran-McClain of The National Rural Hospital Association says many hospitals across the country are now at risk of closing.

‘We have up to a third of rural hospitals that are vulnerable to closure,’ McClain said. ‘Rural hospitals are finding themselves in worse conditions than when they went into the pandemic and when they received those funds.’

Pascasio says he has worked hard with the local government entities to ensure OmniPoint’s doors stay open.

‘It’s hard: finding staff, moving forward with getting the facilities staffed completely and with the right kind of folks, and the costs that go with that. It was nice while we had it — the funding we received. But, the costs haven’t gone away, while the funding has,’ Pascasio said.

He says supplemental funding has helped them keep their doors open.

‘There’s hardly a day that goes by that I don’t read about some hospital somewhere closing, because they just don’t have the funding,’ Pascasio said. ‘If not for the supplemental funds, we may be one of the ones that folks were reading about going away.’

He also notes that rural hospitals are typically the largest employers in their areas. So, the majority of jobs in these rural areas are eliminated when the hospitals close.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

It was the announcement Senate Democrats were dreading.

When it came, it appeared to strike a major blow to their hopes of holding their razor-thin Senate majority in the 2024 elections.

‘I have made one of the toughest decisions of my life and decided that I will not be running for re-election to the United States Senate,’ Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced earlier this month.

Manchin, a moderate Democrat and former governor, won over 60% of the vote in his 2012 re-election, but his margin of victory fell to just three points in 2018.

The consensus was that Manchin was the only Democrat who could win in West Virginia next year after his state shifted dramatically to the right over the past decade. Former President Donald Trump carried West Virginia by nearly 40 points in the 2020 election.

Democrats control the U.S. Senate with a 51-49 majority, but Republicans are looking at a favorable Senate map in 2024, with Democrats defending 23 of the 34 seats up for grabs. Three of those seats are in red states that Trump carried in 2020 — West Virginia, Montana and Ohio.

Five other blue-held seats are in key swing states narrowly carried by President Biden in 2020 — Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

‘Democrats have multiple pathways to protect and strengthen our Senate majority and are in a strong position to achieve this goal,’ Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman David Bergstein argued in a statement after Manchin’s announcement.

‘In addition to defending our battle-tested incumbents, we’ve already expanded the battleground map to Texas and Florida,’ Berstein added, pointing to what he called ‘unpopular Republican incumbents.’

Texas and Florida, where incumbent senators Ted Cruz and Rick Scott are seeking re-election, appear to be the only potentially competitive GOP-held seats up for grabs next year. 

Here’s a look at the five seats most likely to flip in 2024.

West Virginia

With Manchin not seeking re-election, National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) chairman Sen. Steve Daines said, ‘We like our odds in West Virginia.’

Right now, the main action is in the Republican Senate primary, where popular Democrat-turned-Republican Gov. Jim Justice has the backing of the NRSC and Trump.

Justice has rasied more money than his main rival, conservative Rep. Alex Mooney, who enjoys the support of the fiscally conservative Club for Growth.

The first Democrat to jump into the race following Manchin’s departure is 32-year-old Zachary Shrewsbury, a native West Virginian and Marine Corps veteran.

Montana

Democrats breathed a sigh of relief when Sen. Jon Tester of Montana announced earlier this year that he would seek re-election in 2024 in a state that Trump carried by 16 points three years ago. The Democratic incumbent has hauled in a formidable $15 million in fundraising so far this year.

Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL and Purple Heart recipient who notched more than 200 missions in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere around the globe, launched a Republican Senate bid in late June.

Sheehy, the CEO of Bridger Aerospace, a Montana-based aerial firefighting and wildfire surveillance services company, enjoys the NRSC’s backing.

Rep. Matt Rosendale, a hard-right congressman, is seriously mulling a bid. Rosendale narrowly lost to Tester in the 2018 Senate election.

Ohio

Longtime Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown is the only member of his party to win a non-judicial, statewide election in Ohio in the past decade. As Brown runs in 2024 for a fourth six-year term representing Ohio, he will be heavily targeted by Republicans in a state that was once a premier general election battleground but has shifted red over the past six years.

Trump carried Ohio by eight points in his 2016 presidential election victory and his 2020 re-election defeat. Last year, Trump’s handpicked Senate candidate in Ohio — Sen. JD Vance — topped longtime Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan by six points despite Ryan running what political experts considered a nearly flawless campaign.

Brown, who has served as a congressman, state lawmaker and Ohio secretary of state during his nearly half century career in elective politics, is well known across the Buckeye State. The senator, known as a champion for populist causes, raked in $3.6 million in contributions during the first three months of this year.

Two Republicans who ran unsuccessfully for the 2022 GOP Senate nomination in Ohio are already in the race to oust Brown.

State Sen. Matt Dolan, a former top county prosecutor and Ohio assistant attorney general, launched his campaign in January. Dolan, whose family owns Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Guardians, shelled out millions of his own money to run ads for his 2022 Senate bid. 

He surged near the end of the primary race, finishing third in a crowded field of Republican contenders, winning nearly a quarter of the vote.

In April, Bernie Moreno, a successful Cleveland-based businessman and luxury auto dealership giant, declared his candidacy. Moreno, an immigrant who arrived in the U.S. legally from Colombia with his family as a 5-year-old boy, also shelled out millions of his own money to run TV commercials to try and boost his first Senate bid.

But he suspended his campaign in February 2022 after requesting and holding a private meeting with Trump.

In July, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose joined the race, launching a much-anticipated Senate campaign.

Arizona

With Democrat-turned-independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema appearing to gear up for a re-election campaign — even though she hasn’t officially announced a campaign — the Senate race in battleground Arizona could be the most complicated of the 2024 cycle.

Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego is already running on the left and has raised more money than Sinema, although the incumbent enjoys a healthy cash-on-hand advantage.

Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb recently became the first major GOP contender to launch a campaign.

But 2022 GOP gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake instantly became the Republican front-runner when she jumped into the race in October. Lake, a former TV news anchor and strong Trump ally, narrowly lost last year’s election for governor but refused to concede.

Pennsylvania 

The Keystone State, which is a perennial general election battleground, will likely live up to its reputation once again in 2024 as it holds what will arguably be one of the most competitive and expensive Senate races across the country.

Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, who served a decade as the state’s auditor general and then treasurer before first winning election to the Senate in 2006, is seeking a fourth six-year term in office.

Casey, who’s not expected to face any serious Democratic primary challenge, is the son of a popular former governor.

Republicans appear mostly united behind Dave McCormick, who’s making his second straight Senate run.

McCormick, a former hedge fund executive, West Point graduate, Gulf War combat veteran and Treasury Department official in former President George W. Bush’s administration, was endorsed by the Pennsylvania GOP in late September, soon after he entered the race.

McCormick had been courted by national and state Republicans to run, and his candidacy gives the GOP a high-profile candidate with the ability to finance his own race that’s expected to be one of the most expensive in the country.

The Pennsylvania GOP’s endorsement will likely help McCormick avoid a crowded and combustible battle for the 2024 GOP Senate nomination like the one he faced last year. McCormick ended up losing the nomination by a razor-thin margin to celebrity doctor and cardiac surgeon Mehmet Oz, who secured a primary victory thanks to a late endorsement from Trump. Oz ended up losing the general election last November to Democrat John Fetterman.

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