(Undated) — Here is the latest sports news: All-SEC CFP Championship Game set. Packers taking responsibility away from Thompson. Bears fire John Fox. Cardinals’ Arians retires. Rockets lose Harden for at least two weeks.
>>College Football Playoff Recap
(Undated) — The College Football Playoff National Championship Game is going to be an all-SEC affair. Number-three Georgia advanced with a 54-48 double-OT win over number-two Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl in the first of two CFP semifinals on New Year’s Day. The Bulldogs will square off with number-four Alabama next Monday night in Atlanta. The Crimson Tide beat number-one Clemson, 24-6, in the Sugar Bowl.
>>Report: Packers’ Thompson Taking On New Role
(Green Bay, WI) — Ted Thompson is no longer in charge of the Packers. Multiple outlets announce Thompson will stay on with Green Bay in an advisory role and they will hire a new general manager. Thompson’s been the top man in the Packers’ personnel department since 2005. He hired Mike McCarthy as head coach, drafted Aaron Rodgers and helped the Packers win Super Bowl XLV in 2011.
>>Bears Lower The Boom On Coach John Fox
(Chicago, IL) — John Fox is out as head coach of the Chicago Bears. The Bears decided to part ways with Fox after the team went 5-11. During Fox’s three years in the Windy City, the Bears were 14-and-34. Fox was initially signed to a four-year contract in January 2015 after coaching the Denver Broncos. Over 16 seasons, Fox owns a record of 113 wins and 123 losses with Chicago, Denver and the Carolina Panthers.
>>Cardinals Coach Arians Retires
(Tempe, AZ) — Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians is calling it a career. Arians announced he is retiring after five seasons in the desert. The 65-year-old finishes as the winningest coach in franchise history with 50 victories. Arians ends his tenure 49-30-and-1 and 1-and-2 in the playoffs. That includes a franchise record 13 wins in 2015 and trip to the NFC Championship.
>>Rockets’ Harden To Miss At Least Two Weeks
(Houston, TX) — The Rockets are going to have to play some games without their best player. Houston announced MVP-candidate James Harden will be out for at least two weeks because of a Grade 2 hamstring strain. Harden suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of their double overtime win against the Lakers on New Year’s Eve. Houston is at the Magic on Wednesday.
>>MONDAY’S SCOREBOARD
NBA
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Toronto Raptors 131, Milwaukee Bucks 127 (OT)
Brooklyn Nets 98, Orlando Magic 95
Minnesota Timberwolves 114, Los Angeles Lakers 96
Portland Trail Blazers 124, Chicago Bulls 120 (OT)
NHL
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New York Rangers 3, Buffalo Sabres 2 (OT) (Winter Classic at Flushing, NY)
College Football Bowl Games (CFP Rankings)
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#4 Alabama Crimson Tide 24, #1 Clemson Tigers 6
(Sugar Bowl – CFP National Semifinals at New Orleans, LA)
#3 Georgia Bulldogs 54, #2 Oklahoma Sooners 48 (2OT)
(Rose Bowl – CFP National Semifinals at Pasadena, CA)
#12 UCF Knights 34, #7 Auburn Tigers 27 (Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Atlanta, GA)
#14 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 21, #17 LSU Tigers 17 (Citrus Bowl at Orlando, FL)
South Carolina Gamecocks 26, Michigan Wolverines 19 (Outback Bowl at Tampa, FL)
Top-25 College Basketball (“USA Today” Coaches’ Poll)
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#7 West Virginia Mountaineers 77, Kansas State Wildcats 69
>>TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE (All times are Eastern)
NBA
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7:00 p.m. – Portland Trail Blazers at Cleveland Cavaliers
7:30 p.m. – San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks
9:00 p.m. – Atlanta Hawks at Phoenix Suns
10:00 p.m. – Charlotte Hornets at Sacramento Kings
10:30 p.m. – Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Clippers
NHL
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7:00 p.m. – Boston Bruins at New York Islanders
7:00 p.m. – Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes
7:00 p.m. – Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers
7:00 p.m. – Tampa Bay Lightning at Toronto Maple Leafs
7:30 p.m. – San Jose Sharks at Montreal Canadiens
8:00 p.m. – Florida Panthers at Minnesota Wild
8:00 p.m. – New Jersey Devils at St. Louis Blues
8:30 p.m. – Columbus Blue Jackets at Dallas Stars
9:00 p.m. – Winnipeg Jets at Colorado Avalanche
9:30 p.m. – Los Angeles Kings at Edmonton Oilers
10:00 p.m. – Nashville Predators at Vegas Golden Knights
10:00 p.m. – Anaheim Ducks at Vancouver Canucks
Top-25 College Basketball (“USA Today” Coaches’ Poll)
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7:00 p.m. – #5 Xavier Musketeers host Butler Bulldogs
9:00 p.m. – #6 Texas A&M Aggies host Florida Gators
7:00 p.m. – #8 TCU Horned Frogs at #17 Baylor Bears
9:00 p.m. – #11 Kansas Jayhawks host #21 Texas Tech Red Raiders
7:00 p.m. – #20 Tennessee Volunteers host Auburn Tigers
