Texas' Steve Sarkisian questions why team bothered to play Ohio State

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian is questioning why his team played defending champion Ohio State this season with it looking possible his squad will miss the College Football Playoff field.

The No. 16 Longhorns (9-3) upset then-No. 3 Texas A&M on Friday to keep their hopes alive. But losses to then-No. 3 Ohio State, unranked Florida and then-No. 5 Georgia are a problem with several teams with fewer losses also in contention for at-large berths.

"Why did we even play Ohio State?" Sarkisian said on SiriusXM on Tuesday of the 14-7 loss. "Because if we're a 10-2 team right now that played four top-10 ranked opponents with three top-10 wins, we're not even having a discussion right now. So, my point is: Why the hell am I going to play that game next year? For what? What good does it do?"

The Buckeyes and Longhorns are slated to meet in 2026 in Austin, so perhaps next time Texas notches a big victory and isn't in a similar position.

Then again, Sarkisian says the CFP guidelines make it feel like there is no need to play a team like Ohio State.

"I'm looking at the principles of the CFP," Sarkisian said. "I'm looking at the sheet of paper right now. The first two bullet points say strength of schedule and head-to-head competition. That's the frustrating part. So, to me, when you talk about future scheduling -- and we don't get in? -- what's the point in playing them. There's no benefit to that.

"And we're going to nine games in the SEC next year. I get it, there's going to be a network (ESPN) upset if we don't play that game, because there's probably going to be 15 to 16 million viewers that would watch that game. But I get no benefit from playing the game. It does nothing for me. I have a responsibility to the University of Texas and our players to put them in the best position."

Prior to Tuesday night's reveal of the latest CFP rankings ahead of championship weekend, Texas has head-to-head victories over three Southeastern Conference programs ranked in the top 10 at the time in which the teams played -- No. 6 Oklahoma, No. 9 Vanderbilt and No. 3 Texas A&M. The Longhorns lost to No. 5 Georgia and didn't face Ole Miss or Alabama.

The big blow is the 29-21 loss to Florida on Oct. 4, a team that fired coach Billy Napier 15 days later.

No. 12 Miami of the Atlantic Coast Conference is one of the other teams facing the same uphill climb as the Longhorns. And the two coaches exchanged barbs on Monday.

Sarkisian criticized Miami coach Mario Cristobal on Monday for the Hurricanes scoring a touchdown with 41 seconds left to pad the victory margin in Miami's 38-7 win over Pitt on Saturday.

"There's teams that are ranked in front of us that haven't played any top-10 ranked teams," Sarkisian said on SEC Network. "My point to everybody is, is this about what your record is at the end? Or is this about beating quality teams and showing how good of a team you really are by beating quality teams on the field. Or is it don't play good teams, put up a bunch of yards, put up a bunch of points and make it look good. Throw fade route touchdowns with 38 seconds to go when you're ahead 31-7 so that the score looks better.

"Is the committee watching the games or are they looking at a stat sheet at the end of the game to say, 'Oh, well they won by this many points, they must've played really good.'"

Cristobal was only too happy to return serve and use Florida (4-8) as an example, a common opponent of both teams. The Hurricanes beat the Gators 26-7.

"I get it, everybody's trying to posture themselves for their programs and whatnot. The great part about stuff like that when coaches try to speak about themselves like that, they also gotta take a look at the common opponent between us and that particular coach," Cristobal said on Canes In Sight. "Seeing that we had the opportunity to really dominate that opponent while that opponent dominated them."

Miami played one top-10 team, beating Notre Dame 27-24 in its season opener.

--Field Level Media

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Texas' Steve Sarkisian questions why team bothered to play Ohio State

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian is questioning why his team played defending champion Ohio State this season with it looking ...

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Sarah Strong scores 14 to lead No. 1 UConn over South Florida 85-51

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Sarah Strong had 14 points and 10 rebounds to lead the No. 1 UConn Huskies to an 85-51 win over South Florida on Tuesday.

Blanca Quinonez added 13 points including three 3-pointers for the defending national champions. Azzi Fudd and Ashlynn Shade each scored 10 points. UConn shot 51% (32 for 63) from the floor.

UConn (8-0) scored the first 10 points of the game and took a 29-10 lead after the first period. The Huskies led 48-16 at halftime.

L'or Mputu had 12 points and seven rebounds to lead South Florida (5-4). Carla Brito had eight points and seven rebounds. The Bulls had 20 turnovers.

The Huskies went on a 15-2 run to end the first period and pushed their lead to 42-12 midway through the second period. UConn led by as many as 38 in the second half.

UConn is 143-0 all-time against American Conference opponents.

UConn: Hosts Depaul on Sunday.

South Florida: Hosts Houston Christian on Friday.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign uphereandhere(AP mobile app). AP women's college basketball:https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-pollandhttps://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

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Sarah Strong scores 14 to lead No. 1 UConn over South Florida 85-51

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Sarah Strong had 14 points and 10 rebounds to lead the No. 1 UConn Huskies to an 85-51 win over South ...

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Alabama's playoff fate could hinge on SEC championship clash with Georgia

Alabama's trip to theSEC championshipoffers some reward and plenty of risk.

The Crimson Tide's path to the playoff narrowed before the calendar flipped to September after a loss to Florida State inWeek 1. Months later, despite winning 10 of their last 11 games and clinching the SEC championship game, Alabama still isn't a sure thing for the College Football Playoff.

That could change this weekend. A win against Georgia on Saturday would secure a spot for Alabama as one of the five highest-ranked conference winners. A loss would put the Tide's fate in the hands of the CFP committee, which could dock them for a third loss — even if it stemmed from a championship game competitors didn't qualify for.

Saturday gives Alabama the chance to take control of its own destiny, and the Tide have no interest in giving any outsiders final say.

As far as second-year coachKalen DeBoeris concerned, his team's future shouldn't be a topic of debate. The Tide are 10-2 this season. Their only loss aside from a Week 1 blunder was a close one against a ranked Oklahoma team in Week 12. That was after knocking off six conference opponents, four of which were ranked.

"We're in the championship game with a 7-1 record, won four conference games on the road in the toughest conference," DeBoer said Monday. "I just think when you're really trying to have a playoff, you need your best teams in there. There's no doubt in my mind that we are one of the best teams. I don't say that arrogantly. I just really believe that's what it is."

It doesn't help that the CFP committee is subjective by nature, and the playoff race is overcrowded. But no matter how the numbers are crunched, even with a loss, DeBoer argues his squad has proved it belongs.

"There's a ton of metrics I know people look at: strength of record, FPI. We're right at the top," he said. "Playing in your conference championship in the SEC shouldn't be something that we're worried about as far as what that would do to our playoff hopes. We got here by earning it."

Should Alabama lose on Saturday, earning aCFP bidwould be historic. No three-loss team has ever appeared in the playoff. Alabama would have to compete for one of the seven remaining spots. In the SEC alone, Texas A&M, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt would have stronger overall records. In other words, Alabama's back is against the wall, but that's not a new feeling this season.

"Man, I feel like honestly we've kind of had that mindset ever since our first loss," senior linebacker Deontae Lawson said. "Just control what we can control, and that's doing our best to win the game, leave nothing up for chance."

The Crimson Tide have had Georgia's number in recent years. Kirby Smart is 1-7 against his former team, and Bama has won the past three. In September, Alabama snapped Georgia's33-game win streakat home with a 24-21 victory. That offers the locker room some peace of mind ahead of the heavyweight showdown.

"We've already beat this team before. We're going to go out there and make sure we do the same thing," Tim Keenan III said. "We're going to make sure we handle business on our own end and not leave it up to the committee to make decisions for us."

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign uphere. AP college football:https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-pollandhttps://apnews.com/hub/college-football

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Alabama's playoff fate could hinge on SEC championship clash with Georgia

Alabama's trip to theSEC championshipoffers some reward and plenty of risk. The Crimson Tide's path to t...

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Macron heads to China for talks with Xi on trade ties and Russia's war in Ukraine

PARIS (AP) — Emmanuel Macron heads toChinaon Wednesday for a three-day state visit focusing on trade and diplomatic talks as the French president seeks to enlist Beijing in pressuring Russia toward a ceasefire with Ukraine.

Macron will advocate for an agenda of cooperation in economic and trade matters aimed at achieving a balance that ensures "sustainable, solid growth that benefits everyone," his office said.

France is aiming to attract more investment from Chinese companies and facilitate market access for French exports. During the visit, officials from both nations are expected to sign several agreements in the energy, food industry, and aviation sectors.

Macron is committed to defend "fair and reciprocal market access," his office said.

France will host the Group of Seven summit in 2026 involving the world's most advanced economies, while China will chair the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which includes the United States, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and Russia.

The 27-nation bloc runs a massive trade deficit with China — over 300 billion euros ($348 billion) last year. China alone represents 46% of France's total trade deficit.

France and the European Union have described China as a partner, competitor and systemic rival. Recent years have been marked bymultiple trade disputesacross a range of industries after the EUundertook a probeinto Chinese electric vehicles subsidies. China responded with investigations into imports of Europeanbrandy, pork and dairy products.

In July, Macron welcomed exemptions for most cognac producers as a positive step. France is China's first supplier of wine and spirits.

Macron's talks with President Xi Jinping will also address Russia's war in Ukraine, particularly following ameeting Monday in Pariswith Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss potential terms for a ceasefire.

"What we want ... is that China can convince and influence Russia to move toward a ceasefire as quickly as possible and consolidate that ceasefire through negotiations which, in our view, should lead to solid security guarantees for Ukraine," a French top diplomatic official said.

Paris expects Beijing to "refrain from providing Russia with any means whatsoever to continue the war," the official said, speaking anonymously in line with the French presidency customary practices.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said last week that Beijing believes in "dialogue and negotiation" to resolve Ukraine war and supports "all efforts" leading to peace. Since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict, China "has played a constructive role in promoting a political resolution of the crisis," she said.

Macron, who will be accompanied by his wife, Brigitte, is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday evening, with plans to visit the 18th-century Qianlong Garden complex in the Forbidden City, which has been recently reopened to the public after a major renovation.

On Thursday, Macron will meet with Xi at the Great Hall of the People. Both leaders will then participate in a Franco-Chinese business forum. In the afternoon, Macron's agenda includes talks with Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

The French presidential couple will then travel to Chengdu in China's Sichuan province.

On Friday, Macron and Xi will have talks in Dujiangyan, on the site of one of the world's oldest irrigation system. Macron will later meet with students from the Sichuan University.

Chengdu is also home to the Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, where Yuan Meng, thefirst giant panda born in Francewho got his name by first lady Brigitte Macron, is now staying. France last monthsent back to Chinaa couple of star giant pandas who lived in the country for 13 years andgave birth to three cubs.

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Macron heads to China for talks with Xi on trade ties and Russia's war in Ukraine

PARIS (AP) — Emmanuel Macron heads toChinaon Wednesday for a three-day state visit focusing on trade and diplomatic talks...

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Driverless Waymo vehicle goes through tense police stop in L.A.

LOS ANGELES — This trip wasWaymodangerous than it needed to be.

The robotaxi operated by Waymo was driven just a few feet away from a Los Angeles police felony stop downtown following a vehicle chase early Sunday — a brief brush with danger that was caught on video by incredulous onlookers and ended with nobody hurt, according to video and police.

The driverless vehicle could be seen in the video making a left turn and passing a white truck pulled over at the corner by several police cruisers with their lights flashing.

The suspected driver was face down on the street at the time, the video showed.

Immediately, police officers could be heard yelling at the vehicle to get away.

But instead of splitting, the Waymo appeared to slow down briefly and signal it was turning right.

"Go to your left! Go to your left!" a police officer was heard yelling at the wayward Waymo. "Go through."

Meanwhile, the man on the ground looked up to see what was going on. Police are then seen in the video approaching him with their weapons drawn.

The Los Angeles Police Department said the incident took place about 3:40 a.m. at Broadway and First Street, outside Times Mirror Square and downtown's federal courthouse.

The department said the vehicle's proximity and failure to avoid passing the guns-drawn traffic stop did not influence officers' tactics. It said police subsequently shut down the intersection temporarily, as is customary for such a situation.

LAPD's Traffic Coordination Division develops protocols and polices regarding driverless vehicles. It's not clear whether it would investigate. The police department said the division is in regular contact with Waymo as the technology evolves.

Waymo said the entire encounter lasted barely 15 seconds.

"Safety is our highest priority at Waymo, both for people who choose to ride with us and with whom we share the streets," a Waymo spokesperson said. "When we encounter unusual events like this one, we learn from them as we continue improving road safety and operating in dynamic cities."

Waymo is owned by Google's parent company, Alphabet. It currently operates in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area and Phoenix, according to its website, and isexpandingto Miami and Orlando, Florida; Dallas; Houston; San Antonio;San Diego; Las Vegas; and Detroit.

In July, the company said it had passedmore than 100 million mileswithout a human behind the wheel and not one fatality.

But there have been several snafus since the since the service opened to the public in November 2024. And the company has gotten some unwanted attention.

FiveWaymo vehicles were torchedin June by anti-ICE protesters in Los Angeles.

In July, a cyber-pranksterreportedly sent 50driverless Waymo vehicles down a dead-end street in San Francisco, another incident that went viral.

Then in September, police in the San Francisco suburb of San Bruno were conducting a DUI operation when a self-driving Waymo made an illegal turn in front of them.

The police wereunable to give anybody a ticketbecause, well, there was nobody to ticket. But they contacted the company, which promised to fix the "glitch."

In November, Waymo announced it would begin offeringrides on freewaysafter having previously limited its robotaxis to city streets.

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Driverless Waymo vehicle goes through tense police stop in L.A.

LOS ANGELES — This trip wasWaymodangerous than it needed to be. The robotaxi operated by Waymo was driven just a...

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Putin Issues Grave Warning to Europe Amid Peace Talk Discord

Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with members of the media after addressing participants of the VTB Investment Forum in Moscow on Dec. 2, 2025. Credit - Sergei Ilnitsky—Getty Images

Russian PresidentVladimir Putinissued a stark warning to Europe on Tuesday, declaring that Russia is "ready" for a military confrontation if one were to break out.

Speaking at an investment forum in Moscow, Putin said he has no desire for conflict but cautioned that "if Europe suddenly wants to wage a war with us and starts it, we are ready right away."

He added that any European move toward war could lead to "a situation in which there won't be anyone to negotiate with."

The Russian leader also took aim atUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's European allies, who have expressed support for helping Kyiv achieve a dignified peace deal. Accusing Europe of hindering the U.S.-led negotiations, Putin claimed they had put forward demands that are "absolutely unacceptable" to Russia and had obstructed the "entire peace process." He argued that European governments have "no peaceful agenda."

Alexander Kazakov—Getty Images" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Putin made his remarks as a U.S. delegation led by President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff waited for him in another part of Moscow to discuss details of aRussia-Ukraine peace plan. Putin, known for keeping foreign leaders waiting, arrived late in the evening for the meeting, which also included Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. After a brief exchange of greetings, cameras were removed from the room and the closed-door talks began.

The meeting concluded nearly five hours later. Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev called the talks "productive" in aposton X, and Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that "the discussion was very useful, constructive and very substantive." But Ushakov stressed that "there is still a lot of work to be done, both by Washington and by Moscow," and noted that "so far, a compromise hasn't been found" on the critical issue of territory.

"Contacts will continue," he said.

Kremlin Press Office—Getty Images" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

The meeting follows the widespread leak of theTrump Administration's 28-point peace planon Nov. 20. Zelensky and his European allies criticized the initial draft, which called for Kyiv to reduce its army and make significant land concessions.

Read More:Putin and Trump Envoy Witkoff Meet for High-Stakes Peace Talks

Ukrainian and U.S. officials met last week in Geneva to review a refined version of the proposal—the details of which have yet to be released. These talks were bolstered by a meeting in Florida over the weekend, which saw U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio lead talks opposite Ukraine's new negotiator Rustem Umerov, who serves as the country's National Security and Defense Council secretary. (Umerov took over the helm from Andriy Yermak, who resigned as Zelensky's chief of staff last week after a raid on his home by two national anti-corruption agencies amid a widespread corruption scandal.)

Rubio told reporters after the meeting that while the sit-down was "productive," there was still "more work to be done." "Obviously, there's another party involved [Russia] that will have to be a part of the equation," he added, having previously said that both Russia and Ukraine "must agree to difficult but necessary concessions."

European allies are strongly opposed to the idea of Ukraine making land concessions—something Zelensky has repeatedly ruled out. Many have warned that asking Ukraine to give up territory would reward Russian aggression, noting that Moscowinvaded Ukraine in 2022.

"We shouldn't lose focus that it's actually Russia who has started this war, and Russia that is continuing this war," Kaja Kallas, the E.U. high representative for foreign affairs and security policy,told reporters on Monday. Kallas shared her fear that Ukraine could be pressured to stop the war by surrendering, something she warns would have major repercussions and is "not in anybody's interest."

Putin's comments on Tuesday echoed his recent statements about the futility of a negotiated peace. During a trip to Kyrgyzstan last week, Putinsaidpursuing any kind of peace deal was "pointless" as long as Zelensky remained in power. Celebrating Russia's recent advances on the battlefield, Putin asserted that "if Ukrainian forces leave the territories they hold then we will stop combat operations" but "if they don't, then we will achieve it by military means."

Putin's willingness to keep fighting despite mounting casualties, and his insistence that Ukraine withdraw from territory claimed by Moscow stands in direct opposition to Zelensky's vow never to cede land, leaving the sides locked in a stalemate.

There is little sign Putin is prepared to compromise. Trump previously said the Russian leader has "let [him] down" by refusing to change his position. The pair met in Alaska in August for a summit intended to explore a potential cease-fire. But the meeting ended earlier than planned, with no agreement reached. Critics argued thatPutin leftthe meeting with more leverage than Trump.

In October,Trump and the E.U. imposed new sanctions on Russia, demanding that "now is the time to stop killing." But the sanctions have done little to slow the Kremlin's campaign. In fact, the Kremlin all but dismissed the new levies, with Russia's Foreign Ministry spokespersonMaria Zakharova arguingthat Russia has a "strong immunity" to Western sanctions.

Zelensky remains supported by his European allies, but the issue of proposed land concessions and concerns over security guarantees for the future of both Ukraine and Europe remain unresolved.

For now, the Ukrainian President has said he is "waiting for signals from the American delegation after its meetings in Russia."

In anupdate shared via social media, as the talks in Moscow took place, Zelensky said the U.S. delegation is set to brief him "immediately" after the meetings end and the "next steps will depend on those signals."

"If the signals work out in a certain way—if it is fair play with our partners—then we may meet with the American delegation very quickly. At what level, we will see," he said, adding he is ready for a meeting with Trump, when the time comes.

Write toOlivia-Anne Cleary atolivia-anne.cleary@time.com.

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Putin Issues Grave Warning to Europe Amid Peace Talk Discord

Russia's President Vladimir Putin meets with members of the media after addressing participants of the VTB Investment Forum in Moscow o...

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College Football Playoff rankings: Texas A&M drops to No. 7, Alabama and Notre Dame swap spots at bottom of top 10

Texas A&M fell four spots from No. 3 to No. 7 in the next-to-last College Football Playoff rankings after the Aggies' loss to Texas.

The Aggies are still safely in the field and in line to host a first-round game. Behind A&M, Notre Dame dropped a spot to No. 10 after beating Stanford while Alabama moved up to No. 9 with its win over Auburn.

College Football Playoff rankings

1. Ohio State (12-0)

2. Indiana (12-0)

3. Georgia (11-1)

4. Texas Tech (11-1)

5. Oregon (11-1)

6. Ole Miss (11-1)

7. Texas A&M (11-1)

8. Oklahoma (10-2)

9. Alabama (10-2)

10. Notre Dame (10-2)

11. BYU (11-1)

12. Miami (10-2)

13. Texas (9-3)

14. Vanderbilt (10-2)

15. Utah (10-2)

16. USC (9-3)

17. Virginia (10-2)

18. Arizona (9-3)

19. Michigan (9-3)

20. Tulane (10-2)

21. Houston (9-3)

22. Georgia Tech (9-3)

23. Iowa (8-4)

24. North Texas (11-1)

25. James Madison (11-1)

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College Football Playoff rankings: Texas A&M drops to No. 7, Alabama and Notre Dame swap spots at bottom of top 10

Texas A&M fell four spots from No. 3 to No. 7 in the next-to-last College Football Playoff rankings after the Aggi...

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