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Michael Penix Jr. leads No. 2 Washington to 37-31 victory over Texas and spot in national title game

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:32 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Michael Penix Jr. passed for 430 yards and two touchdowns, and Washington held off Texas 37-31 in the Sugar Bowl on Monday night to advance to the College Football Playoff championship game, earning both the sixth-year quarterback with two surgically repaired knees and the beleaguered Pac-12 one more game this season.The second-ranked Huskies (14-0) will face No. 1 Michigan next Monday night in Houston, looking for their first national championship since 1991 and the Pac-12’s first since Southern California in 2004. Washington is one of 10 schools fleeing the Pac-12 for other Power Five conferences next year, with the Huskies headed to join Michigan in the Big Ten.But first, the final season of the four-team playoff before expansion to 12 in 2024 comes down to a Pac-12-Big Ten matchup, just like the first when Ohio State beat Oregon.“Huskie Nation stand up,” Penix told the UW crowd in the postgame trophy ceremony. “We goin’ to the natty!”No...

A boozy banana drink in Uganda is under threat as authorities move to restrict home brewers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:32 GMT

MBARARA, Uganda (AP) — At least once a week, Girino Ndyanabo’s family converges around a pit in which bananas have been left to ripen. The bananas are peeled and thrown into a wooden vat carved like a boat, and the patriarch steps in with bare feet.The sweet juice he presses out is filtered and sprinkled with grains of sorghum, which converts the juice into ethanol, and left to ferment for up to a day. The result is a beverage Ugandans call tonto, or tontomera, a word in the Luganda language that alludes to drinkers’ poor coordination. Weaker than bottled beer, the drink has a fruity aroma and bits of sorghum floating on its dark surface.Tonto is legendary in Uganda. Folk singers have crooned about it, politicians seeking a common touch take a sip when hunting for votes, and traditional ceremonies terminate at dusk with tonto parties. Its devotees are many, ranging from officials in suits to laborers in sandals.But its production is under threat as cheap bottled beer becomes m...

Sugar Bowl: Washington Huskies hold off furious Texas Longhorns rally, punch CFP title game ticket 37-31

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:32 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns rallied in the fourth quarter and had a chance to take the lead late, but the Washington Huskies are used to playing tight games and didn't waver.The Huskies won their 10th consecutive game by 10 points or less 37-31 in the Sugar Bowl, a College Football Playoff semifinal, Monday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Washington (14-0) will take on Michigan for the CFP National Championship Game on Jan. 8 at NRG Stadium in Houston with the win. Texas' season is over at 12-2. Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. celebrates after the Sugar Bowl CFP NCAA semifinal college football game between Washington and Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, in New Orleans. Washington won 37-31. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)Washington players celebrate victory after the Sugar Bowl CFP NCAA semifinal college football game between Washington and Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, in New Orleans. Washington won 37-31. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Texas running back CJ Baxter (4) scores a ...

Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon returns from dog bite injuries sporting dog chain: “I really appreciate the city”

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:32 GMT

Aaron Gordon always shows up to work in style, but on New Year’s Day, he combined his sense of fashion with his sense of self-deprecating humor.Making his return after missing two games due to injuries caused by his Rottweiler on Christmas, Gordon wore a chain featuring a bejeweled bulldog as part of his outfit to Ball Arena on Monday night. Gordon scored 10 points in a Nuggets win over the Hornets, playing with 21 stitches on his right hand and face.“It was all good,” Gordon told The Denver Post afterward. “Everything’s good.”He acknowledged that the chain was an intentional touch. It was an accurate representation of how Gordon tackled the unusual situation in his return to practice Sunday. He joked that “when you (mess) around, you find out” while explaining the dog bites to The Denver Post, saying the incident was his own fault. And when teammates asked if it would be insensitive for them to continue barking at Gordon in reaction t...

$1.2 million Powerball ticket sold in Southern California

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:32 GMT

While there were no jackpot winners in California for Monday’s $810 million Powerball drawing, one ticket worth more than a million dollars was sold in San Bernardino County, according to the California Lottery. The lucky $1.2 million ticket, which matched five of the six numbers, was sold at the Country Store, located at 72129 Baker Boulevard in Baker.  If you haven’t yet checked your Powerball ticket, the winning numbers were: 12, 21, 42, 44, 49 and 1.  A jackpot winning ticket worth an estimated $842.4 million was sold in Michigan, according to the Powerball website.  Officials also said that six other tickets sold in California matched four out of the six numbers for a payout of nearly $23,000. Several multi-million lottery wins have landed in Southern California over the last several months. In December, a $23 million SuperLotto Plus ticket was sold in Northridge. That win came just days after a $2.9 million Mega Millions ticket matching five ...

Witness to deadly downtown shootout says party was a 'powder keg'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:32 GMT

Gunfire erupted in what witnesses called an underground, illegal New Year’s Eve party at a warehouse in downtown Los Angeles early Monday morning leaving two people dead. Police said the shooting broke out at around 1 a.m., following some sort of dispute and investigators believe there were multiple gunmen.  Arriving officers saw a large group of people in the street in front of the location and heard what they believed to be gunfire, Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Ryan Whiteman said. Several victims with gunshot wounds were located and attended to by first responders. “At this time, we have two confirmed fatalities,” Whiteman said. The victims were described as a male and a female who were in their 20s. Eight other people were transported to local medical centers in unknown condition following the incident, Whiteman said. LAPD on the scene of a deadly shooting that left two people dead and eight others injured in downtown L.A. on Jan. 1, 2024. (RMG News)Hundreds...

Young girl, father dead after crash that left 4 others in critical condition

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:32 GMT

A five-year-old girl and her father are dead and three other patients are in critical condition after a crash in the Harvard Park neighborhood of Los Angeles on New Year's Eve. The two-vehicle crash took place shortly after 11 p.m. Sunday in the 5000 block of South Normandie Avenue. Three people were ejected as a result of the crash and two others were trapped inside their vehicle, according to a news alert from the Los Angeles Fire Department. One of the trapped patients, a 30-year-old man, died at the scene before he could be extracted from the vehicle, according to the Fire Department. The 3-year-old girl, who was rescued from the wreckage, was taken to a local hospital in grave condition. Actor Ian Ziering takes beating from mini-bikers in Hollywood A 22-year-old man, a 1-year-old girl and a 9-year-old girl were all ejected in the crash. All were transported in critical condition, the Fire Department stated. There was no immediate word on what caused the crash.

US Open champion Gauff starts 2024 with 6-4, 6-2 win over Claire Liu in Auckland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:32 GMT

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff started her 2024 season and her defense of the Auckland Tennis Classic title Tuesday with a rusty-at-times 6-4, 6-2 win over American compatriot Claire Liu.Gauff used her powerful forehand well but took time to find her range, over-hitting at times in the first set.She raced to an early 4-0 lead then dropped serve, served for the first set at 5-2 and lost serve again to love before composing herself to overcome a tenacious performance by Liu.Gauff defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the U.S. Open final 2–6, 6–3, 6–2 for her first major title last year.On Tuesday, Gauff mostly stuck to the baseline while Liu came more often and effectively to the net. But as Gauff settled in and found her service rhythm, she took the second set more convincingly in 35 minutes, the match in 82 minutes.“Happy to start off the season with a win,” Gauff said. “I needed to be tested.“I feel like I played well today for the first match in a while and I’m h...

Leonard reaches 13,000 career points in his return, Clippers beat Miami 121-104 for 3rd straight win

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:32 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points in his return from injury, Paul George added 23 and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the short-handed Miami Heat 121-104 on Monday night for their third straight win.The Clippers opened the new year where they left off after going 11-2 in December for the West’s best record during the month. Norman Powell added 22 points off the bench and James Harden had 15 points and 10 assists.Leonard was back after missing four games with a hip contusion. The Clippers held things down in his absence, going 2-2.Leonard’s dunk to open the fourth gave him 13,000 career points. He had six rebounds and five assists before sitting down for the game’s final 5:43.Leonard got off to a slow start, missing both of his shot attempts in the first when he was scoreless. But Leonard found his spots in the second, scoring 13 points including 10 in a row, as the Clippers erased a 14-point deficit to lead 59-58 at halftime.Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 21 point...

Sugar Bowl Winners

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:24:32 GMT

Jan. 1, 2024 — CFP: No. 2 Washington 37, No. 3 Texas 31Dec. 31, 2022 — No. 5 Alabama 45, No. 11 Kansas St. 20Jan. 1, 2022 — No. 7 Baylor 21, No. 8 Ole Miss 7Jan. 1, 2021 — CFP: No. 3 Ohio State 49, No. Clemson 28Jan. 1, 2020 — Georgia 26, Baylor 14Jan. 1, 2019 — Texas 28, Georgia 21Jan. 1, 2018 — Alabama 24, Clemson 6 (CFC SF)Jan. 2, 2017 — Oklahoma 35, Auburn 19Jan. 1, 2016 — Mississippi 48, Oklahoma St. 20Jan. 1, 2015 — Ohio St. 42, Alabama 35 (CFC SF)Jan. 2, 2014 — Oklahoma 45, Alabama 31Jan. 2, 2013 — Louisville 33, Florida 23Jan. 3, 2012 — Michigan 23, Virginia Tech 20, OTJan. 4, 2011 — Ohio St. 31, Arkansas 26Jan. 1, 2010 — Florida 51, Cincinnati 24Jan. 2, 2009 — Utah 31, Alabama 17Jan. 1, 2008 — Georgia 41, Hawaii 10Jan. 3, 2007 — LSU 41, Notre Dame 14Jan. 2, 2006 — West Virginia 38, Georgia 35Jan. 3, 2005 — Auburn 16, Virginia Tech 13Jan. 4, 2004 — LSU 21, Oklahoma 14Jan. 1, 2003 — Georgia 26, Florida St. 13Jan. 1, 2002 — LSU 47, Illinois 34Jan. 2, 2001 — Miami 37, Florida 2...