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Penn State drops third consecutive game, grapples with star player Drew Allar’s season-ending injury

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Penn State drops third consecutive game, grapples with star player Drew Allar’s season-ending injury

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Penn State returned to State College, Pennsylvania, looking to bounce back from last week’s upset loss against the UCLA Bruins. But the Northwestern Wildcats had other plans on Saturday.

Wildcats running back Caleb Komolafe sprinted for 72 yards and scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter to help lift Northwestern to a 22-21 win at Beaver Stadium. The narrow victory secured Northwestern’s third consecutive victory, while Penn State dropped its third straight.

“I truly believe that our football team expected to win today,” Northwestern coach David Braun said. “Ultimately, the message was you’ve got a football team that’s got their back up against the wall, but also a football team that may be questioning who they are.”

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Northwestern quarterback Preston Stone, left, celebrates his team’s win over Penn State on Saturday in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)

The Wildcats ended their 11-year windless drought at Beaver Stadium.

Penn State got the ball back with just under five minutes remaining following Komolafe’s touchdown, but quarterback Drew Allar suffered an apparent leg injury on a third-down play. 

After the game, Penn State coach James Franklin confirmed Allar would miss the remainder of the season with an unspecified injury. Backup Ethan Grunkemeyer replaced him, was stopped on a fourth-down run, and the Wildcats ran out the clock.

QB TY SIMPSON SHINES, ALABAMA OUTLASTS MISSOURI IN 3RD STRAIGHT RANKED SEC WIN

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Backup Ethan Grunkemeyer replaced him and was immediately stopped on a fourth-down run and the Wildcats ran the clock out from there.

Allar finished 13 for 20 for 137 yards passing and added 25 yards rushing and a touchdown. Allar returned for his senior season to make better of the season-ending interception he threw in last season’s College Football Playoff semifinal against Notre Dame.

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar sits up on the field during an injury timeout Saturday at Beaver Stadium.  (Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)

The Nittany Lions committed six penalties for 71 yards in the first half.

Franklin took responsibility for Penn State’s recent struggles. “I take full responsibility for all of it,” Franklin said. “I hired all the staff, I recruited all the players. I believe in all of them. But we’re not getting it done right now.”

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Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin stands on the field following the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium on Saturday in State College, Pa. (Matthew O’Haren/Imagn Images)

Iowa will host Penn State next week, and Grunkemeyer is expected to start at quarterback for the Nittany Lions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Caitlin Clark to serve as analyst ahead of Lakers-Knicks game on NBC’s ‘Basketball Night in America’ debut

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Caitlin Clark to serve as analyst ahead of Lakers-Knicks game on NBC’s ‘Basketball Night in America’ debut

Wonder what Caitlin Clark thinks about the confusion surrounding Austin Reaves’ imminent return to the Lakers lineup? Or whether Jeanie Buss has turned on LeBron James? Or if she has nothing but praise for Luka Doncic?

Tune in to the Lakers’ matchup against the New York Knicks on the NBC Sports debut of “Basketball Night in America” on Sunday night to find out. Clark, the uber-popular WNBA star, will serve an analyst on the pregame show, beginning at 3 p.m. PT, one hour before tipoff.

Should Reaves return Friday or Sunday after missing a month with a left calf strain, it would mark only the seventh time the guard has played together with James and Doncic. That might be the first topic addressed by Clark, who will join the studio team of Maria Taylor and three former NBA stars: Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady.

Expectations that Reaves would take the floor Wednesday in a nationally televised game against the Cleveland Cavaliers were heightened Tuesday when ESPN insider Shams Charania posted on X that the Lakers guard would be “available to return to the lineup on Wednesday.”

A few moments later, however, the post was deleted with no explanation and the Lakers’ injury report lists Reaves as out.

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Clark might stick to lauding Doncic, considering that the superstar NBA guard complimented her game in 2024, saying “that’s the women’s Steph Curry. She can shoot it better than me.”

Clark, who attended Iowa, is the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history. In two seasons with the Indiana Fever, she was named WNBA Rookie of the Year and is a two-time All-Star despite missing much of the 2025 season with a severe groin injury.

“Caitlin is one of the most captivating players and dynamic scorers in basketball,” NBC Sports Executive Producer Sam Flood said in a statement. “We’re excited to have Caitlin join Hall of Famers Melo, Vince, Tracy and Reggie in New York for the launch of Sunday Night Basketball.”

The Lakers-Knicks game will begin a doubleheader that also includes the Oklahoma City Thunder facing the Denver Nuggets.

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Steelers usher in new coaching era; Mike McCarthy-Aaron Rodgers reunion talk builds

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Steelers usher in new coaching era; Mike McCarthy-Aaron Rodgers reunion talk builds

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Earlier this month, the Pittsburgh Steelers entered a head coaching search for just the third time since hiring Chuck Noll in 1969.

On Jan. 13, Mike Tomlin announced he would step down after 19 seasons as the franchise’s head coach.

During the search for their next head coach, the Steelers interviewed a number of candidates, many of them young assistants in the vein of Noll, Mike Tomlin and Bill Cowher, all of whom arrived in Pittsburgh as relative unknowns and left with Super Bowl rings and Hall of Fame-worthy resumes.

During an introductory press conference with the Steelers that got emotional at times, McCarthy, a Pittsburgh native, beamed with pride about his third head coaching opportunity.

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy at a news conference announcing him as the new Pittsburgh Steelers head coach at PNC Champions Club at Acrisure Stadium Jan. 27, 2026, in Pittsburgh.  (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

“I thought I’d at least be able to get started,” the new Steelers head coach said, trying unsuccessfully to choke back his emotions while looking out at members of the McCarthy family inside Acrisure Stadium.

McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers spent several years together when both were part of the Green Bay Packers. McCarthy coached the Packers to a 125-77-2 record from 2006-18. Rodgers left the Packers after the 2022 season. He spent two seasons with the New York Jets before signing a one-year deal with the Steelers last offseason.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy during the first half against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium Jan. 5, 2025. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)

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While Rodgers had a relatively productive first season with the Steelers, the 42-year-old quarterback is undoubtedly much closer to the sunset of his storied career than the onset. It is unclear whether Rodgers will return to the Steelers in 2026, pursue an opportunity with another team or simply step away from the game.

The possibility of a reunion between Rodgers and McCarthy was brought up during Tuesday’s news conference. McCarthy expressed optimism about potentially getting another shot at coaching Rodgers. 

“Definitely, I don’t see why you wouldn’t,” McCarthy replied to reporters’ questions about possibly working with the four-time MVP.

TOM BRADY TALKS AARON RODGERS’ POSSIBLE RETIREMENT, IMPROVING IN BROADCAST BOOTH

In 2022, ahead of Dallas Cowboys coach McCarthy’s return to Lambeau Field, Rodgers said the passage of time had given him a greater appreciation of the seasons he spent with his former coach.

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“It’s probably normal in any relationship you have,” Rodgers said at the time. “When you’re able to take time away, and you have that separation, it’s natural to look back and have a greater sense of appreciation and gratitude and thankfulness for that time.”

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy, right, speaks at a news conference introducing him as the next head coach of the Steelers as owner Art Rooney II  listens in at PNC Champions Club at Acrisure Stadium Jan. 27, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

McCarthy oversaw the Packers’ 2010 season when the franchise won its lone Super Bowl title during Rodgers’ career, but the relationship between the quarterback and coach eventually soured. McCarthy was fired late in the 2018 season.

Neither McCarthy nor his hometown Steelers have been back to the big game since. He knows the clock is ticking.

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“It’s time to bring another championship back to this great city,” McCarthy said Tuesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Prep basketball roundup: Mission League finalizes tournament plans

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Prep basketball roundup: Mission League finalizes tournament plans

It’s time to see which Mission League basketball teams are ready for some March Madness in February.

The tournament is set to begin Thursday after Tuesday’s final results clarified seedings.

The final game of the night was Crespi pulling out a 65-61 win over Loyola when Isaiah Barnes scored while falling down with 15 seconds left for the game-clinching basket. Despite the loss, Loyola claimed fourth place in the seedings while finishing in a three-way tie for fourth with Crespi and St. Francis.

The Cubs, though, are 14-14 and will need a win Saturday against the winner of Thursday’s Bishop Alemany (No. 8) vs. St. Francis (No. 5) game to keep alive their Southern Section playoff hopes. You need a .500 or better record to be considered for an at-large berth.

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The other Thursday game has No. 7 Chaminade at No. 6 Crespi. That winner will play at Harvard-Westlake on Saturday.

Crespi was led by 6-foot-9 Rodney Mukendi, who scored 17 points. Deuce Newt had 15 points for Loyola.

Harvard-Westlake 90, St. Francis 56: Joe Sterling got back his shooting touch, making seven threes and finishing with 27 points. Amir Jones added 17 points for Harvard-Westlake. St. Francis did not play center Cherif Millogo.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 81, Bishop Alemany 48: The Knights claimed second place in the Mission League and an automatic spot for the Southern Section playoffs. Zach White had 26 points and 10 rebounds. Notre Dame played without NaVorro Bowman.

Sierra Canyon 79, Chaminade 28: Brandon McCoy had 18 points and Maxi Adams added 17 points for the Mission League regular-season champions.

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Crean Lutheran 76, La Habra 67: The Saints took over first place in the Crestview League.

Mira Costa 53, Peninsula 41: Logan Dugdale has 17 points and 10 rebounds for Mira Costa (23-4).

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