It’s not every college football bowl game that features ritualistic sacrifice of a bowl game mascot after completion of the game.

But then, not every team gets to play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.

In what is proving to be a college football bowl game staple, No. 19 Iowa State — which won the Pop-Tarts Bowl Saturday with a thrilling 42-41 come-from-behind win vs. No. 16 Miami — dug into a giant Pop-Tart in a postgame ceremony. The bowl game mascot entered a giant toaster and emerged, presumably fully toasted and ready for consumption by the Cyclones.

Of note: Pop-Tarts Bowl MVP Rocco Becht chose cinnamon roll flavor for the team to eat.

Two other Pop-Tarts mascots were on hand, holding roses in what appeared to be a eulogic moment among the bowl game mascots. But never fear: The mascot that entered the giant toaster held a sign that reads, ‘follow your dreams’ — presumably the final wish of the life-size toaster pastry.

Give the Pop-Tarts Bowl credit: It has fully bought into the gimmick of a food-based bowl game, featuring edible mascots, a bowl game trophy that functions as a toaster, and even adding sprinkles to the sidelines of Saturday’s game in Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

Considering the effort that goes into it, it only makes sense to eat the mascot at the end of the day.

SAN ANTONIO – So that was it.

That was the last episode of the Deion Sanders Family Show at Colorado, starring Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.

And it was a massive flop.

Colorado got pummeled here by BYU in the Alamo Bowl Saturday night, 36-14, bringing its father-son drama to a close with a flat performance in front of a sellout crowd of 64,261 at the Alamodome.

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, son of coach Deion Sanders, faced pressure from the BYU defense for much of the game and was sacked four times. He finished 16-of-23 passing for 208 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions.

Hunter had another big game with four catches for 106 yards and a touchdown, along with four tackles on defense. But the Buffs didn’t seem to want this game as badly as BYU did and committed seven penalties in the first half alone, including one that nullified an interception in the first half by Deion Sanders’ other son on the team, safety Shilo.

Each of those players will try to climb the ladder to the NFL next year, leaving Sanders to climb a different mountain without them next year in his third season as Colorado’s coach.

The Buffaloes finish the season 9-4, their best season since 2016, when they finished 10-4 after a blowout loss in the Alamo Bowl.

In this year’s game, Colorado trailed 20-0 at halftime, failed to score on its first six possessions and finished with 210 yards of total offense. BYU got 93 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries from running back LJ Martin. The Cougars finish the season with an 11-2 record.

Colorado vs. BYU highlights

Final: BYU 36, Colorado 14

Colorado keeps fighting late

Shedeur Sanders is still in the game and still fighting even though the game is out of reach in the final minutes against BYU. He threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Sav’ell Smalls with 2:17 left to help cut BYU’s lead to 36-14.

Colorado then attempted an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, but it didn’t work. In his final college game, Shedeur Sanders has completed 16 of 23 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. 

Shedeur Sanders still in game

The Cougars have scored on three of their four second-half possessions, the latest coming on a 31-yard field goal from Will Ferrin as BYU extended its lead to 36-7 with 5:28 left.

BYU has 335 yards of total offense compared to 128 for Colorado. Yet Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders still came out to play quarterback for Colorado on the next series. 

BYU extends lead

And that about wraps it up. BYU has scored again, this time on 9-yard touchdown from running back LJ Martin to put the Cougars up 33-7 with 10:27 left.

Martin has 88 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries while Colorado has mustered just 125 total yards. 

Colorado blows big opportunity after BYU interception

BYU answered Colorado’s only touchdown of the game so far by threatening to score again. But this time BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff threw an interception in the end zone to Colorado safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, who returned the ball 17 yards.

Colorado still couldn’t take advantage of it and punted after three plays on the next series. BYU still leads 27-7 with about 13 minutes left.

Colorado finally gets on the board with nice Travis Hunter TD

Travis Hunter has come to the rescue of the hapless Buffs. He finally scored Colorado’s first touchdown of the game with 6:14 left in the third quarter – a 43-yard catch that he reeled in near the 22-yard line before cutting toward the middle to score. BYU now leads 27-7.

Shedeur Sanders threw the pass and is now 10-of-14 passing for 118 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Hunter has played all 72 snaps and has 103 yards receiving on three catches.

BYU turns interception into another touchdown

BYU is running away with it now. The Cougars scored on their first possession in the second half, getting a 13-yard rushing touchdown up the middle from running back Sione I Moa to help put BYU up 27-0.

BYU got the ball near midfield after coming up with an intercepted pass from Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Then the Cougars went 55 yards in nine plays to extend their lead.

Sanders’ pass was thrown left to receiver Jimmy Horn Jr., but Horn got hit as he tried to grab it and coughed it up to BYU cornerback Evan Johnson.

Colorado has not scored in six possessions. 

Halftime: BYU 20, Colorado 0

BYU kicker Will Ferrin kicked a 54-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, extending the Cougars’ lead to 20-0 as Colorado got off to a terrible start in the Alamo Bowl.

Colorado has committed seven penalties for 50 yards, gave up three quarterback sacks for 49 yards and even had an interception from safety Shilo Sanders nullified by an offside penalty. The Buffs also have minus-9 yards rushing, mostly because of those sacks.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders has completed seven of 10 passes for 70 yards. Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter has two catches for 60 yards.

Coach Deion Sanders told ABC at halftime that the Buffaloes will make adjustments to “make it like a new team.” 

BYU takes 17-0 lead with punt return touchdown

BYU is playing like it really wants to win this game. Colorado is not. This time, BYU’s Parker Kingston returned a punt 64 yards for a touchdown to help lift the Cougars to a 17-0 lead with 5:32 left before halftime.

Colorado has suffered more quarterback sacks (three) and penalties (five) combined than quarterback Shedeur Sanders has completions (six). The Buffs are scoreless after four possessions.

Travis Hunter has big gain, but Colorado misses FG after Shedeur Sanders sack

Colorado got a temporary spark from Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, who caught a short pass near midfield before cutting back and turning on the jets for a 58-yard gain, his longest catch of the season. But then Colorado imploded again. Shedeur Sanders got sacked for a 23-yard loss after he failed to get rid of the ball. Then kicker Alejandro Mata missed on a 48-yard field goal. BYU still leads 10-0 with 11:12 left before halftime. 

End of first quarter: BYU 10, Colorado 0

BYU is trying catch Colorado off guard and win this game early. After kicking a 51-yard field goal late in the first quarter, the Cougars surprised Colorado with an onside kick, which they recovered to give them possession at their own 46-yard line.

But after three plays, Colorado cornerback DJ McKinney intercepted a pass near the Colorado goal line to stop BYU’s uprising, for now.

‘I think we’re in a good spot right now,’ BYU head coach Kalani Sitake told ABC after the first quarter.

Colorado has brutal three-and-out

Colorado’s Alamo Bowl team suddenly looks like the Colorado team of 2023, which finished 4-8. On their second possession of the game, the Buffaloes committed two false start penalties and suffered a quarterback sack before punting. BYU still leads 7-0 with less than five minutes left in the first quarter.

Shedeur Sanders has completed four of five passes for only 10 yards on his first two possessions.

BYU takes early lead

Colorado is off to another slow start and is down 7-0 to BYU with 7:10 left in the first quarter. BYU scored on its second possession of the game, capping a 52-yard scoring drive with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back LJ Martin. BYU needed only six plays to score on that possession as Colorado gave up big plays of 28 and 11 yards right before the touchdown.

Emotional pregame walk for Sanders family

Coach Deion Sanders put his arms on the shoulder of his two sons as he walked with them and between them shortly before the game. This is his last game coaching Shedeur and Shilo Sanders after coaching them since youth football in Texas. Both are playing in their final game with their college eligibility exhausted after following their father from Jackson State to Colorado.

His oldest son Deion Jr. filmed the walk for his YouTube channel, which chronicles the Colorado football program.

Ralphie makes (slow) run before game

Colorado better hope this is not an omen. Ralphie VI, Colorado’s live bison mascot, made a slow charge out of the game for her pregame run on the field before the Alamo Bowl. She barely ran and then turned around near the 38-yard line before picking up her pace and running back into her stall to be trucked away.

This was her first run at a game outside Boulder since her debut in 2021. She has been tentative on runs even at home, often going slow and short before running back to her truck. 

Who is Miss Peggy, the Colorado superfan? 

Colorado superfan Peggy Coppom, who turned 100 years old last month, has arrived in San Antonio for the game after Deion Sanders promised before the season that he would get her to a bowl game. She struck up a friendship with Sanders shortly after his hiring at Colorado in late 2022.  She and her twin sister Betty are estimated to have attended more than 2,500 Colorado sporting events dating to the 1940s. Sadly, Betty died in 2020 after battling pancreatic cancer. Coppom sat next to Sanders at a team luncheon at a hotel on the Riverwalk Friday before the game.  

This is Colorado’s first bowl game since the 2020 Alamo Bowl, when the crowd was capped at 11,000 because of the pandemic. Its last bowl game before that also was the Alamo Bowl in 2016. 

Ralphie, Terrell Owens and Goldberg also made the trip 

Colorado’s live bison mascot made the trip and is expected to run on the field before the game, a rare trip away from home for her. Former pro wrestler Goldberg and former NFL receiver Terrell Owens also were spotted on the Colorado sideline. Both are frequent guests of CU. Goldberg, whose son plays on the team, wore alligator boots and greeted Colorado players as they ran out of the tunnel to the field before the game. 

This is the first game trip away from home for Ralphie VI, the bison mascot, who debuted in 2021 and has been tentative on some of her pregame runs in Boulder. The last road game trip for any Ralphie was at the Alamo Bowl in 2016, by Ralphie V.

What is Travis Hunter’s insurance policy for this game? 

Colorado declined to disclose this information citing privacy laws. But Deion Sanders announced earlier this week that Hunter and Shedeur Sanders had received a record amount of insurance coverage to protect them in this college football game, paid for by Colorado. Colorado athletic director Rick George described it as disability insurance, though it’s unclear if other types of insurance are involved.  

Both Hunter and Shedeur are projected as top-10 NFL draft picks in April and stand to sign multi-year contracts in the range of $20 million to $40 million. Despite the insurance coverage, it’s still a big risk for them to play in this game instead of just skipping it until they get NFL contracts. 

Michael Westbrook, Kordell Stewart on the scene 

Thirty years after the Miracle in Michigan, former Colorado quarterback Kordell Stewart and former Colorado wide receiver Michael Westbrook stood on the sidelines together chatting about two hours before kickoff at the Alamo Bowl.  

They are arguably the best quarterback-receiver combo at Colorado to come before Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. Westbrook caught the “Miracle” pass to beat Michigan as time expired in 1994. Westbrook was the No. 4 overall pick in the 1995 NFL draft. Stewart got picked at No. 60 the same year. Both Shedeur Sanders and Hunter are expected to be top-10 NFL draft picks in April. 

Why are two Big 12 teams playing in the Alamo Bowl?  

It’s because of college football conference realignment. The Alamo Bowl had contracts to take the first non-playoff teams from the Big 12 and Pac-12 conferences. But then the Pac-12 collapsed this year with 10 teams leaving for other leagues, including Colorado, which left to return to the Big 12.  

Instead of reworking those contracts to reflect the new realignment, the Alamo Bowl will still select opponents from the same two pools of 12 teams: the 12 teams from the former Pac-12 (Colorado) and the 12 teams from the Big 12 before realignment (BYU). It will work this way again in 2025.  

BYU did not play Colorado this year but will play Colorado in Boulder in 2025.  

Also, Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark was spotted on the field before the game Saturday night at this secondary Big 12 championship game of sorts.

BYU vs. Colorado odds, line 

The Colorado Buffaloes are favorites to defeat the BYU Cougars in Saturday’s college football matchup, according to the BetMGM college football odds. Looking to wager? Check out the top college football betting apps in 2024 offering the top NCAA football betting promos and bonuses in 2024.   

Spread: Colorado (-3)  

Moneyline: Colorado (-150); BYU (+125)  

Over/under: 54.5   

When is the BYU-Colorado game in the Alamo Bowl?

Kickoff is at 7:30 ET Saturday from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

How to watch the Alamo Bowl game with BYU vs. Colorado

The game will be broadcast on ABC. Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek and Taylor McGregor will call the game.

How to stream the BYU-Colorado game

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is back from his fractured left fibula and resuming his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goal record.

Ovechkin, 39, had missed 16 games after absorbing a leg-on-leg collision during a Nov. 18 game against the Utah Hockey Club. He returned on Dec. 28, scoring an empty-net goal in that game.

Ovechkin entered this season needing 42 goals to break Gretzky’s record of 894 career goals, which has stood since 1999. The Capitals captain has 16 goals this season.

If he doesn’t reach the record this season, he has one more season left on his contract.

Here’s where Ovechkin stands in his chase of Gretzky’s goal record:

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have?

Ovechkin has 869 career goals.

How close is Alex Ovechkin to Wayne Gretzky’s goal record?

Ovechkin needs 26 goals to break Gretzky’s record.

How many goals does Alex Ovechkin have this season?

Ovechkin has 16 goals and 10 assists in 19 games. Factoring in the 16 games he missed, that is a 52-goal pace.

What did Alex Ovechkin do in his last game?

He had one goal on three shots in a 5-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. His empty-net goal, the 60th of his career, sealed the victory. He played 14:58 in his first game back from his broken leg.

When is Alex Ovechkin’s next game?

The Capitals play Sunday, Dec. 29, in Detroit against newly hired coach Todd McLellan. Ovechkin has 24 goals in 35 career games vs. the Red Wings.

Alex Ovechkin career goal breakdown

Even strength: 548, third overall

Power play: 316, a record

Short-handed: 5

Empty net: 60, a record

Game winners: 132, second overall

Multi-goal games: 177, second overall

Goalies scored against: 178, tied for record

Hat tricks: 31, sixth overall

Who are the NHL’s top all-time goal scorers?

The top 21 NHL all-time goal scorers all have 600 or more goals. All of the players are in the Hockey Hall of Fame, except Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and Jaromir Jagr, who are still playing.

1. Wayne Gretzky,  894 goals in 1,487 games

2. Alex Ovechkin, 869 goals in 1,445 games

3. Gordie Howe, 801 goals in 1,767 games

4. Jaromir Jagr, 766 goals in 1,733 games

5. Brett Hull, 741 goals in 1,269 games

6. Marcel Dionne, 731 in 1,348 games

7. Phil Esposito, 717 goals in 1,282 games

8. Mike Gartner, 708 goals in 1,432 games

9. Mark Messier, 694 goals in 1,756 games

10. Steve Yzerman, 692 goals in 1,514 games

11. Mario Lemieux, 690 goals in 915 games

12. Teemu Selanne, 684 goals in 1,451 games

13. Luc Robitaille, 668 goals in 1,431 games

14. Brendan Shanahan, 656 goals in 1,524 games

15. Dave Andreychuk, 640 goals in 1,639 games

16. Jarome Iginla, 625 goals in 1,554 games

17. Joe Sakic, 625 goals in 1,378 games

18. Bobby Hull, 610 goals in 1,063 games

19. Dino Ciccarelli, 608 goals in 1,232 games

20. Sidney Crosby, 602 goals in 1,309 games

21. Jari Kurri, 601 goals in 1,251 games

Thomas revealed his condition during an appearance on “Come And Talk 2 Me,” a podcast co-hosted by former NBA star and NBA broadcaster Mark Jackson and his son, Mark Jackson Jr. (who goes by the name “Bluu” on the show). 

“I know people are watching, and I’ve gotten a lot of love from people who have said, ‘Well, what is he going through?’ Thomas said while telling a story about playing for legendary Indiana coach Bob Knight. “And I haven’t really told anybody. I’ve got Bell’s palsy, and that’s why you see me like this. 

Bell’s palsy is a neurological disorder that causes partial paralysis of one side of the face. As Thomas spoke, the right side of his mouth was slightly stiff. 

“I appreciate the prayers and the love, but that’s what’s happening with my mouth right now. I just want everyone to know who’s going to be watching this show.” 

The list of athletes who have recently had Bell’s palsy include Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who was diagnosed in April, and former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Levi Wallace in 2022. Typically, it’s a temporary condition that resolves within months. 

Widely recognized as the greatest player in franchise history, Thomas led the ‘Bad Boys’ to back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990. He made 12 All-Star teams and five All-NBA teams.

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on X @omarisankofa.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

The NBA handed down suspensions following a brawl between the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns.

The incident happened in the Mavericks’ 98-89 win over the Suns on Friday in Phoenix. The fight broke out with 9:02 remaining in the third quarter after Suns center Jusuf Nurkić committed an offensive foul against Mavericks center Daniel Gafford as Dallas led 60-44. Nurkić walked up to Dallas forward Naji Marshall afterward and escalated the altercation by striking Marshall in the head. Marshall retaliated by throwing a punch at Nurkić.

Both were ejected from the contest on Friday. One day later, Nurkić was handed a three-game suspension without pay, while Marshall received a four-game suspension without pay. The league noted that Marshall ‘attempted to further engage Nurkić in a hostile manner in the corridor outside the locker rooms’ following the on-court incident, likely leading to his stiffer punishment.

Dallas forward P.J. Washington — who shoved Nurkić to the ground after Nurkić traded blows with Marshall — was also ejected and suspended one game without pay for ‘escalating’ the incident.

All things Suns: Latest Phoenix Suns news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

After the game concluded, Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer said the incident is ‘not good for anybody.’

‘I think that level of altercation is not good for our team. It’s not good for anybody individually, it’s not good for our league,’ he said, adding that he didn’t ‘know all the details of what got it to that point.’

Dallas head coach Jason Kidd praised his team for sticking up for each other.

“Protecting each other, that’s what that was,’ Kidd said Friday. ‘Teammates, emotions can get high. For our guys to protect one another, we talk about it, it was displayed tonight. It was good to see those guys protect each other. Now we move on, gotta get ready for Portland.”

Dallas star Kyrie Irving pledged to cover any fines Marshall and Washington received: ‘That’s part of basketball sometimes. Haven’t seen it (in a while). Maybe that’s just the way we end 2024, where somebody actually swings in the NBA. Maybe that will help our ratings.’

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

Thanks to quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Tee Higgins, the Cincinnati Bengals’ playoff hopes are still alive.

In a must-win game against the Denver Broncos in Week 17, the tandem connected 11 times for 131 yards and three touchdowns, including an overtime game-winner. And three and a half hours after the game’s opening kickoff, the Bengals took down the Broncos 30-24.

The Bengals are 8-8 after the win and now hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Broncos.

Cincinnati’s win was massive for not only the Bengals, but the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins as well. All three teams needed the Broncos to lose to stay alive in the AFC playoff race.

Denver will head home in Week 18 needing a win over the Kansas City Chiefs to clinch its first postseason berth since 2015. Should they lose, a Bengals road win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18 would push Cincinnati into the AFC’s final playoff spot and leave the Broncos on the outside looking in.

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

Here’s how the full story of how the Bengals pulled off the overtime win at home:                                        

Bengals-Broncos highlights

Tee Higgins scores game-winning touchdown

The Bengals’ playoff hopes are still alive thanks to Higgins’ third touchdown catch of the day.

Denver wasn’t able to score on its first or second overtime possessions, and the Bengals put together a five-play, 63-yard touchdown drive to win the game after their missed field goal.

Joe Burrow found his wideout in the front-left corner of the end zone for a three-yard touchdown pass, and Higgins pulled it in to win the game.

Cade York doinks upright on game-winning FG attempt

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor opted to try a 33-yard field goal attempt for the win on a third-down play on the Denver 15.

York, who has been filling in for the injured Evan McPherson, pushed his game-winning field goal attempt to the left. It bounced off of the left upright and harmlessly back onto the field.

Denver takes back possession on its own 23-yard line and 2:43 left to play in overtime. The Broncos advance to the playoffs with a win or tie.

Bengals go scoreless to open overtime

Cincinnati gained 17 yards on five plays before punting the ball away to begin overtime. As a result, for the remaining 6:43 of the period, whichever team scores first will win.

Denver took over on its own 10-yard line after Bengals punter Ryan Rehkow’s good punt.

End of regulation: Broncos 24, Bengals 24

This game is headed to overtime after Cincinnati kneeled out the final eight seconds of regulation.

The Bengals won the coin toss and elected to receive the ball to start overtime.

Marvin Mims hauls in touchdown pass in final seconds

Mims pulled down a contested catch on a 25-yard pass from Bo Nix on fourth down. The play and ensuing PAT tied the game for the Broncos with just eight seconds left to play.

It capped off a seven-play, 70-yard touchdown drive in under 90 seconds to tie the game after the Bengals’ late score.

The game is tied, 24-24, with eight seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Joe Burrow puts Cincinnati ahead with one-yard rush

Following Chase Brown’s slide, the Bengals needed only one more play to score a touchdown. Burrow took the ball across the goal line with a tush-push play from Denver’s 1-yard line.

It’s 24-17 Bengals with 1:29 left in the game. The Broncos will take over possession with the ensuing kickoff and have one timeout remaining.

Chase Brown injured on slide attempt

The Bengals’ running back slid short of the end zone to try to kill more clock for his team, but he fell awkwardly during the attempt. Brown remained down on the ground and needed medical attention before he was able to walk off the field under his own power.

Germaine Pratt picks off Bo Nix, then Ja’Marr Chase picks up 38

With Denver facing a third-and-15 outside of field goal territory, the Bengals’ linebacker undercut a throw from Nix to come away with the interception.

Cincinnati took over on its own 41 with 2:30 left. One play later, Chase took a pass from Joe Burrow down to the Denver 21.

It’s 17-17 at the two-minute warning, and the Bengals have a first-and-10 just outside the red zone.

Tee Higgins’ fumble gives Denver the ball back

With just over five minutes left, Higgins appeared to catch a pass from Joe Burrow before fumbling. The play was called an incomplete pass on the field, but Broncos head coach Sean Payton challenged the call.

After a review, the call was reversed. The Broncos take over at their own 40-yard line with 5:08 left in the game and a chance to take the lead.

Bo Nix hits Marvin Mims Jr. on 51-yard touchdown heave

Nix showed off his arm talent when he stepped into a 51-yard pass that traveled 67 yards in the air. It was the longest pass by air yardage in the NFL all season.

Mims got past the two Bengals defenders deep downfield and pulled in Nix’s toss for a game-tying touchdown.

Five plays and 75 yards after Tee Higgins’ go-ahead touchdown, the Broncos have tied the game at 17 with 8:48 remaining.

Tee Higgins puts the Bengals on top yet again

Just a couple of possessions after Higgins’ first touchdown gave the Bengals their first lead, he scored a second one to put his team back in front again.

This time, it was a 12-yard pass from Joe Burrow that Higgins hauled in for the score. With Cade York’s PAT good, it’s now 17-10 Cincinnati with 11:33 left in the game.

End of third quarter: Broncos 10, Bengals 10

This game, which has some big playoff implications for both teams, is tied after 45 minutes of action.

The Bengals will start the fourth quarter with the ball on Denver’s 36-yard line. Cincinnati will continue its possession with a first-and-10 to open the final 15 minutes of play.

Broncos’ Courtland Sutton ties the game

Broncos quarterback Bo Nix found Sutton in the back corner of the end zone for a six-yard connection and the touchdown.

The nice throw and catch (and ensuing PAT) drew Denver even with Cincinnati. It’s 10-10 with 3:10 left in the third quarter.

Cade York extends Bengals’ lead to open second half

Cincinnati’s first drive of the third quarter ended on Denver’s 3-yard line. This time, head coach Zac Taylor opted to take the points rather than go for it on another fourth down.

York’s 22-yard field goal gave the Bengals a 10-3 lead with 9:07 left in the third quarter.

Halftime: Bengals 7, Broncos 3

The Broncos weren’t able to get anything done on offense after giving up the game’s first touchdown.

Entering the second half, the Bengals will receive the kickoff with a chance to extend their lead.

Tee Higgins gives the Bengals their first lead

Higgins’ two-yard touchdown reception was also quarterback Joe Burrow’s 40th touchdown pass of the season. It gave Cincinnati its first lead of the game with under two minutes to play in the first half.

It’s now 7-3 Bengals with 1:49 to go in the second quarter.

Broncos stand tall on goal line

Cincinnati had four tries at the end zone from the 1-yard line after a defensive pass interference call on Denver cornerback Riley Moss.

But the Broncos can smell the postseason — if they win this game, they’re in — and stuffed the Bengals on four consecutive plays, including a fourth-down sack of quarterback Joe Burrow to force a turnover on downs.

Denver takes over on its own 5-yard line with 6:18 left in the first half.

End of first quarter: Broncos 3, Bengals 0

The Broncos had to punt it away on their second possession, and the Bengals will have the ball on their own 39-yard line for a first-and-10 play when the second quarter begins.

Denver kicker Will Lutz’s 30-yard field goal is still the lone difference in this game.

Broncos force turnover on downs

Playing in a must-win game to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Bengals went for it on fourth-and-1 on the Denver 22-yard line, just outside of the red zone.

Linebacker Nik Bonitto stopped Cincinnati running back Chase Brown at the line of scrimmage, and now the Broncos will take over in their own territory with 4:23 left in the first quarter. Denver still leads 3-0.

Wil Lutz opens the scoring for Denver

The Broncos’ first drive of the game stalled after 10 plays and 58 yards, leaving Denver at the Bengals’ 12-yard line on fourth down.

Lutz knocked through a 30-yard field goal to give the Broncos a 3-0 lead with 9:45 left to play in the first quarter.

Bengals vs. Broncos start time 

Date: Saturday, December 28, 2024 
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET 

The Bengals and Broncos game will continue the Week 17 tripleheader on Saturday of the 2024 NFL season at 4:30 p.m. ET. 

Bengals vs. Broncos TV Channel 

Cable TV: NFL Network 

Bengals vs. Broncos weather updates 

It’s going to be a mild evening in December in the Queen City. According to the AccuWeather forecast, it will be near 60 degrees at kickoff. There’s a chance of rain with wind gusts maxing out at 16 mph. There’s a 50% chance of rain at kickoff increasing closer to 70% at 7 PM. 

What needs to happen for Bengals to make playoffs? 

The Bengals need four things to happen to make the playoffs. They are as follows: 

The Bengals must win their final two games; 

The Denver Broncos must lose their final two games; 

The Indianapolis Colts must lose or tie one of their final two games; 

The Miami Dolphins must lose or tie one of their final two games. 

Bengals vs. Broncos picks, predictions 

Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff feels the Week 17 Saturday matchup between the Bengals and Broncos will shape up: 

Lorenzo Reyes: Broncos 21, Bengals 18 
Tyler Dragon: Bengals 27, Broncos 25 
Richard Morin: Broncos 28, Bengals 23 
Jordan Mendoza: Bengals 30, Broncos 24 

The home of Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić was burglarized on Friday night, the latest instance of an athlete’s home being broken into.

The break-in happened Friday night, the Dallas police department told USA TODAY Sports. Officials said officers responded to the home about 10:30 p.m.

‘The preliminary investigation determined that unknown suspects entered the property and took items. This investigation is ongoing,’ police said.

The news of the incident was first reported by NBA reporter Marc Stein. Lara Beth Seager, Dončić’s business partner, told Stein no on was present at the home during the incident. It was not announced what was taken from the home.

‘No one was home at the time, and thankfully Luka and his family are safe,’ Seager said. ‘Luka has filed a police report, and an investigation is ongoing.’

Dallas had a home victory against the Phoenix Suns on Friday, but Dončic did not play after suffering a calf injury during the Mavericks’ 105-99 Christmas Day loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He is expected to be sidelined for at least a month.

The burglary continues a wave of athletes who have had their homes broken into. The homes of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were burglarized within 48 hours of each other in early October and  Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s home was broken into while he was playing on ‘Monday Night Football.’ Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. were also victims of break-ins.

The NFL and NBA have sent memos to all teams in their respective leagues warning about the high of burglaries. The NFL said organized criminals are increasingly targeting these homes and ‘law enforcement officials have noted these groups appear to exploit team schedules to target athletes’ homes on game days.’

The NBA memo, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, said the FBI has connected some burglaries to ‘transnational South American Theft Groups’ that ‘incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.’

No. 16 Miami lost the Pop-Tarts Bowl to No. 19 Iowa State on Saturday, a game that produced a thrilling 42-41 result in favor of the Cyclones.

Heisman Trophy finalist Cam Ward was brilliant in his time on the field, completing 12 of 19 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns in a single half of play vs. Iowa State. He not only led Miami to a 31-28 halftime lead, but also set the NCAA Division I record for most career touchdowns (158).

Unfortunately for Hurricanes fans, Ward did not play another down in the Pop-Tarts Bowl defeat, sitting out the remainder of the game out of halftime. Instead, backup Emory Williams finished the game for Miami, completing 5 of 14 passes for 26 yards and a game-ending interception on a Hail Mary.

Ward is projected to be a top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, but his decision not to play after halftime — after he had played the first half — elicited plenty of reactions from college football fans watching Saturday’s game:

Cam Ward sits out second half of Pop-Tarts Bowl loss: Social media reacts