How would BCS seed CFP? Notre Dame, Alabama get in under computer model

It's a different year, withmore teams in the College Football Playoffs, butAlabamais still a lightning rod for criticism.

The Crimson Tide were left in the CFP field of 12 and, in fact,were not droppedafter an abysmal SEC championship game showing againstGeorgiain which they rushed for minus-3 yards and suffered a 28-7 drubbing at the hands of the Bulldogs.

REQUIRED READING:CFP bracket hot takes, from upset pick to committee flub to champion prediction

Left out in the cold was an independent that did not play during conference championship weekend: Notre Dame, which flipped with Miami after being ahead of the Hurricanes in the penultimate rankings. The selection committee has since been lambasted, with its inherent biases being heavily criticized. However, human biases aside, the computer model that once governed the final rankings – the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) – agrees … kind of.

The BCS would have had Notre Dame in and Alabama behind the Irish at No. 10, leaving Miami on the outside looking in. That would see Notre Dame in Norman taking on Oklahoma in its first-round game and Alabama heading to College Station to play Texas A&M.

Also notably, under the BCS system Ohio State would still be No. 2 and a hair's breadth ahead of Georgia, which would leave an Indiana-OSU national championship. It would be a controversial year by any metric, but that's a byproduct of conference expansion creating tiebreakers that lead to odd conference championship matchups.

What would BCS final rankings be?

Here's a look at roughly what the final BCS rankings would look like. The Harris Interactive College Football Poll, part of the BCS formula, of course no longer exists. But it can be simulated by the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll. Bold indicates a playoff berth under the current format:

1. Indiana (13-0)

2. Ohio State (12-1)

3. Georgia (12-1)

4. Texas Tech (12-1)

5. Oregon (11-1)

6. Mississippi (11-1)

7. Texas A&M (11-1)

8. Oklahoma (10-2)

9. Notre Dame (10-2)

10. Alabama (9-3)

11. Miami (10-2)

12. BYU (11-2)

13. Vanderbilt (11-2)

14. Texas (9-3)

15. Utah (10-2)

16. USC (9-3)

17. Michigan (9-3)

18. Tulane (11-2)

19. James Madison (12-1)

20. Arizona (9-3)

21. Virginia (10-3)

22. Navy (9-2)

23. North Texas (11-2)

24. Iowa (8-4)

25. Georgia Tech (9-3)

Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia and Texas Tech would get byes. Oregon would play James Madison in Eugene, Mississippi would see Tulane in Oxford, Texas A&M plays Alabama in College Station, and Notre Dame ends up in Norman to play Oklahoma.

There would still be controversy, of course. It's par for the course in these rankings. But at least according to the computers, it's not Alabama getting in the field that's an issue. It's Miami jumping Notre Dame after a week in which neither team played.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Notre Dame, Alabama would have been in CFP under BCS rankings

byAll About ...

in

14:22

How would BCS seed CFP? Notre Dame, Alabama get in under computer model

It's a different year, withmore teams in the College Football Playoffs, butAlabamais still a lightning rod for critic...

Read More

Will Diamondbacks trade Ketel Marte? Five good fits as rumors swirl on slugger

In the absence of a Tarik Skubal blockbuster,Major League Baseball's winter meetingswill have to make do with the best of what's still around.

Can the industry conjure up a more interesting trade than one involvingArizona Diamondbacksinfielder Ketel Marte? Alas, a deal involving the 32-year-old whose connection with his current teammight be a bit strainedlooms as the meetings' potential highlight on the trade market.

In that spirit, let's examine a handful of Marte trade destinations that may make sense for the acquiring team and the Diamondbacks:

Pittsburgh Pirates

As close to an ideal match as you'll find. The Pirates have signaled that they're kinda-sorta open for business, but forays such as their reported offer to Kyle Schwarber will still land in the "lol sure" file of any self-respecting agent.

No, you have to plant a flag and build some credibility before making money moves – the Blue Jays are a fine example of all this – and the Pirates are a long way from that stage, assuming their perpetually penurious ownership group ever reaches it.

Enter Marte. He has six years and $102.5 million remaining on an extension he signed in April, a per annum that certainly fits the Pirates' model (think if it as a Bryan Reynolds Jr.-type deal).

The Pirates finished last in runs scored but have some pitching to spare; the Diamondbacks lost Merrill Kelly at the trade deadline and are losing Zac Gallen. If Pittsburgh can expand a package beyond simply a salary swap that unloads the $55 million still due Mitch Keller, this one could work.

Top 25 MLB players from 2000-2025 ranked by Wins Above Replacement

Seattle Mariners

What's old is new, eh? The Mariners signed Marte out of the Dominican Republic in 2010 (Julio Rodriguez was just 9 years old at the time) and nurtured him into a big leaguer before dealing him to Arizona in a package headlined by Mitch Haniger and Jean Segura.

Now, the Mariners are in need of infield reinforcements. They could run it back a third time with Jorge Polanco, who came up clutch for them throughout the postseason. Or, they could burn some trade capital and welcome Marte back to the Pacific Northwest.

For one, it's not like the Mariners have left their offensively deficient ways totally in the rear view. Re-signing Josh Naylor went a long way toward shoring that up, but the loss of Eugenio Suarez – he put up a .956 OPS in a seven-game ALCS – needs to be mitigated.

The Mariners have the pitching depth to deal from without disrupting their consensus top five, and a trove of middle infielders that could be viewed as eventual Marte replacements. We've heard baseball ops chief Jerry Dipoto likes to trade every now and then, too.

Detroit Tigers

These guys land in almost every one of these exercises, and that won't change until they've built a World Series-friendly roster. For the same reason they'd be a good fit for Alex Bregman or any number of impact bats, Marte would represent a significant offensive upgrade – an everyday 145 adjusted OPS in the lineup.

In Comerica Park, he might not reach 36-homer heights as he did in 2024, but his 15.9% career strikeout rate would add a nice contact element in a lineup featuring Riley Greene (30.7% K rate in 2025) and Spencer Torkelson (26%). While there's no obvious major league-ready piece that could come off Detroit's roster and get shipped to Arizona, the Diamondbacks would be well-positioned to reinvest in the free agent market minus Marte.

Philadelphia Phillies

The kids grow up so fast these days, don't they?

Believe it or not, Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott is just two seasons from free agency. Third baseman Alec Bohm hits the market after this season and has been a walking trade rumor the past couple years.

Acquiring Marte would help backfill against those losses and adding a switch-hitter to the Phillies lineup would protect against the club leaning too left- or right-handed in the future. It would also give the Phillies a potentially elite infield in the long term, with Bryce Harper at first, Marte at second, and Trea Turner and top prospect Aidan Miller on the left side of the diamond.

It just so happens the Diamondbacks have a vacancy at third base; adding Bohm might be a marriage of temporary convenience. Throw in one of the lefty relievers the Phillies may shop – such as Matt Strahm – and a starting pitching piece from the upper minors, and suddenly it's a nice present and future deal for Arizona.

Toronto Blue Jays

Presumably, the Blue Jays' reported due diligence on Marte revolves around a Bo Bichette departure. Perhaps the Jays are figuring on that, or simply realize it's a possibility.

We'll make that assumption for the sake of this exercise, as well. Marte would give the Blue Jays a fairly absurd top of the lineup, sandwiched between George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., while allowing Ernie Clement and Addison Barger to float between third base and the outfield, respectively.

In short, it'd create admirable depth in the short term and provide a much-needed bat for future seasons should Bichette and Springer depart in consecutive years. Would the Diamondbacks be interested in inheriting Jose Berríos's contract from the pitching-rich Blue Jays and try to keep him healthy?

With a little financial assistance along with a few other assets, sure.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Will Ketel Marte get traded? Rumors, contract, stats for D'backs slugger

byAll About ...

in

14:22

Will Diamondbacks trade Ketel Marte? Five good fits as rumors swirl on slugger

In the absence of a Tarik Skubal blockbuster,Major League Baseball's winter meetingswill have to make do with the bes...

Read More

Arizona takes No. 1 in AP Top 25 men's basketball poll, Iowa State up to No. 4, Gonzaga into top 10

Arizona took over the top spot inthe AP Top 25men's college basketball poll on Monday, a reward for a perfect start to the season that includes a quartet of wins against ranked foes, includinga lopsided victory over Auburnlast weekend.

Purdue, which had spent the past three weeks at No. 1, slid to sixth followingits 81-58 home lossto Iowa State and the entire poll got a shakeup as only two teams remained in the same spots from last week.

The Wildcats received 33 of 60 first-place votes from a national media panel to claim No. 1 for the first time since Dec. 11, 2023, and only the third time since the 2013-14 season. They edged No. 2 Michigan, which earned 19 first-place votes, thanks in part to wins over Florida, UConn and UCLA, along with their 97-68 romp over the then-No. 20 Tigers on Saturday night.

"Obviously it's nothing you shy away from," Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd said of being No. 1. "You know, you're at Arizona. The big stage. It's part of being at a program like this. But we have bigger things on our mind."

The Wolverines also moved up one spot for their best ranking since March 2021.Duke claimed six first-place votesand moved up to No. 3. And the Cyclones parlayed their big win in West Lafayette, Indiana, into a six-spot climb to No. 4 and a first-place vote. Iowa State has never been ranked No. 1 in the AP poll era, which began with the 1948-49 season.

"They stole our spirit," said Purdue coach Matt Painter, whose team tied a record for largest margin of defeat at home as the nation's No. 1 team. "Our reason for having a high frustration level was them. They're damn good. They took us to the woodshed."

UConn remained ahead of Purdue at No. 5after beating Kansasinside Allen Fieldhouse last week.

Houston was seventh, Gonzaga climbed three spots to eighth, Michigan State was ninth and BYU rounded the top 10 following a week of high-profile matchups across college basketball.

Louisville dropped five spots to No. 11 after losing to Arkansas. Alabama remained at No. 12, followed by Illinois, North Carolina and Vanderbilt, the only unbeaten team left in the SEC and one of just eight left in Division I men's basketball.

Texas Tech was next, followed by the Razorbacks, who jumped eight spots after also beating Fresno State last week. Florida fell to No. 18 following its 67-66 loss to the Blue Devils, while Kansas moved up to No. 19 and Tennessee finished out the top 20.

The last five in the poll were Auburn, St. John's, Nebraska, Virginia and UCLA.

TheNo. 23 Huskers are 9-0for only the third time in school history, and they have won 13 straight dating to last season, the third-longest run in school history. The ranking is their best since they were 21st the second week of the 2014-15 season.

Rising and falling

Arkansas was No. 14 in the preseason poll, nearly dropped out entirely, but made a big jump this week back to No. 17 following its two wins. Iowa State's climb to No. 4 has been a steady one since it was ranked 16th in the preseason poll.

Tennessee tumbled seven spots to No. 20 this week following losses to Syracuse and Illinois. Purdue and Louisville each fell five spots.

Nebraska and Virginia both made their poll debuts, replacing Indiana and USC. The Cavaliers did not receive a single vote last week but earned enough to join the rankings at No. 24. UCLA also returned to the rankings while Kentucky dropped out.

Conference watch

The Big 12, Big Ten and SEC lead the way with six ranked teams apiece, but the Big 12 has the nation's No. 1 team. It also has four in the top 10, while the Big Ten has three and the SEC none. The ACC has four ranked teams, the Big East two and the West Coast one.

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

byAll About ...

in

14:22

Arizona takes No. 1 in AP Top 25 men's basketball poll, Iowa State up to No. 4, Gonzaga into top 10

Arizona took over the top spot inthe AP Top 25men's college basketball poll on Monday, a reward for a perfect start t...

Read More

National Park Service removes MLK Day and Juneteenth as free admission holidays

The National Park Service has removed Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from its list of free admission days, according to the agency's website.

Several days were added, however, including Sept. 17, which is Constitution Day, and June 14, which is Flag Day and President Donald Trump's birthday.

Admission fees have beenwaived on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for several years.

Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery, was added as a free admission day last year after being recognized as a federal holiday during the Biden administration in 2021.

RELATED STORY |National Park Service to offer digital passes, raise fees for foreign visitors

The changes are the latest efforts by the Trump administration to remove all diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Entrance fees vary from park to park but are typically around $35 per vehicle. The free admission holidays will only apply to U.S. citizens and residents.

The new list of free entry dates:

• President's Day: Feb. 16

• Memorial Day: May 31

• Flag Day/President Donald Trump's birthday: June 14

• Independence Day weekend: July 3–5

• 110th Birthday of the National Park Service: Aug. 25

• Constitution Day: Sept. 17

• Theodore Roosevelt's birthday: Oct. 27

• Veterans Day: Nov. 11

Watch: What is Juneteenth?

byAll About ...

in

13:42

National Park Service removes MLK Day and Juneteenth as free admission holidays

The National Park Service has removed Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth from its list of free admission days, acc...

Read More

ICEBlock app maker sues Trump administration over its pressure on Apple to remove app

The maker of an iPhone app that flagged sightings ofU.S. immigration agentssued the Trump administration for free speech violations on Monday, alleging that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi used her "state power" to forceAppleto remove the app.

Apple in October removedICEBlock and other apps from its app store after Bondi said they put Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at risk by enabling people to track ICE activity in their neighborhoods.

The lawsuit from ICEBlock app maker Joshua Aaron argues that the government's actions violated the First Amendment.

"We're basically asking the court to set a precedent and affirm that ICEBlock is, in fact, First Amendment-protected speech and that I did nothing wrong by creating it," Aaron said in an interview Monday. "And to make sure that they can't do this same thing again in the future."

Aaron said the other part of the lawsuit "is to basically have them stop threatening myself and my family."

The lawsuit asks a federal judge to protect the Texas-based software developer from prosecution, alleging "unlawful threats made by Attorney General Bondi, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, ICE Acting Director Todd M. Lyons, and White House Border Czar Tom Homan to criminally investigate and prosecute Aaron for his role in developing ICEBlock."

The Department of Justice said it had no comment on the lawsuit beyond Bondi's previous statements about the app.

With more than 1 million users, ICEBlock was the most widely used of the ICE-tracking apps in Apple's app store until Bondi said in October that her office reached out to Apple "demanding that they remove ICEBlock" and claiming that it "is designed to put ICE agents at risk just for doing their jobs."

Apple soon complied, sending an email to Aaron that said it would block further downloads of the app because new information "provided to Apple by law enforcement" showed the app broke the app store rules.

According to the email, which Aaron shared with The Associated Press in October, Apple said the app violated the company's policies "because its purpose is to provide location information about law enforcement officers that can be used to harm such officers individually or as a group." Aaron has countered that it works no differently from Apple's own maps app that lets drivers know about nearby police speed traps.

Google also followed Apple in taking down some ICE-tracking apps from its app store in October, though ICEBlock was never available on its Android phone platform.

Aaron said Trump's immigration enforcement initiatives have only grown more aggressive since his app was taken down, and less information makes possible a "paramilitary force that can continue to operate with impunity." He's repeatedly compared Trump's immigration enforcers to the "Gestapo" secret police force of Nazi Germany, though the lawsuit itself doesn't make that connection, instead drawing on U.S. founders' warnings against domestic despotism.

"I mean, these are people that are wearing masks --- which is the antithesis of everything about this country -- and they are not identifying themselves, and they're zip-tying children and they're throwing women into vans," Aaron said by phone Monday.

Bondi told Fox News earlier this year that Aaron was endangering law enforcement and "giving a message to criminals where our federal officers are. And he cannot do that. And we are looking at it, we are looking at him, and he better watch out, because that's not protected speech."

Aaron said he launched the app in April as a way to help immigrant communities protect themselves from surprise raids or potential harassment. Immigrant advocates had mixed feelings about the app's usefulness, but civil liberties experts said efforts to remove it resembled what authoritarian governments have done outside the U.S., such as when Chinese pressure in 2019 ledApple to remove an appthat enabled Hong Kong protesters to track police.

Apple, which is not a party in the lawsuit, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about it.

byAll About ...

in

13:42

ICEBlock app maker sues Trump administration over its pressure on Apple to remove app

The maker of an iPhone app that flagged sightings ofU.S. immigration agentssued the Trump administration for free speech ...

Read More

Nearly 10,000 Crayola magnetic cubes recalled due to loose magnets that could harm children

The federal government isrecallingnearly 10,000 Create-on Crayola pip cubes due to safety concerns involving loose magnets that could pose serious health risks to children.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall, citing concerns that magnets within the building cubes can come loose. If children put these magnets in their mouths, they can stick to each other or other metal objects and become lodged in their digestive systems.

The commission warns that swallowed magnets could potentially twist or block intestines, poison the blood or even cause death.

RELATED STORY |Infant play yards that were sold on Amazon have been recalled for serious safety concerns

The magnetic building cubes were sold in sets of 24 or 27 cubes. The 24-piece sets were available at Michael's stores nationwide and through the Michael's website, while the 27-piece sets were sold online through Amazon.

So far, there are no reports of any injuries related to the recalled products.

People who own these magnet sets should either dispose of them or return them to the store for a refund, the CPSC said.

byAll About ...

in

13:42

Nearly 10,000 Crayola magnetic cubes recalled due to loose magnets that could harm children

The federal government isrecallingnearly 10,000 Create-on Crayola pip cubes due to safety concerns involving loose mag...

Read More

Their season on the brink, the Steelers did what they always do under Mike Tomlin: Push back

PITTSBURGH (AP) —Aaron Rodgerswas smiling. But he wasn't kidding.

Not longafter a 27-22 victory over Baltimoreon Sunday in which the Pittsburgh Steelers somehow pulled themselves back from the brink, their future Hall of Fame quarterback did what he's done in his unique (if occasionally self-serving) way over and over through the years.

He stared at the elephant in the room, reached out, and shook its hand.

"Maybe you guys will shut the hell up for a week," Rodgers said after the Steelers wrested back control of the AFC North with three hours of passionate if not always precise football that likely slowed — but hardly stopped — speculation about coachMike Tomlin'slong-term future in Pittsburgh.

This is what Tomlin teams do, what they have done really, throughout his 19 years with the Steelers.

A spate of lifeless play for a myriad of reasons — injuries, indifference, age, poor game plans, etc. — will nudge them toward the edge of collapse, the kind that happens almost everywhere else across the NFL but seemingly never in Pittsburgh.

Then, just as quickly, the Steelers will push back from the brink. The resolve they've lacked will return. Their coach's belief — which tends to tilt toward willful and sometimes infuriating stubbornness when things get sideways for any length of time — that "the answers are in the building," as he said after his team was pounded at home by Buffalo on the last day of November and the call for his firing echoed throughout Acrisure Stadium, will be validated.

This is what makes Tomlin such a compelling figure. The man who now has 190 regular-season victories — tied with Dan Reeves for 10th on the NFL's all-time list — has never had his team let go of the rope.

The nine men in front of the 53-year-old Tomlin on that list — six of whom are in the Hall of Fame and two of whom (Bill Belichick and Andy Reid) will be — have all endured the sting of losing seasons and painful rebuilds. Most of them were shown the door at least once.

Not Tomlin. Not yet anyway. And maybe not anytime soon.

While there's still every chance this season will be the one that finally gets away from the Steelers (7-6), there's also every chance that, despite their myriad of shortcomings, they will find a way to win a highly flawed division and host a playoff game for the first time since 2020.

The next four weeks are filled with landmines. Pittsburgh could stumble into every one of them. Or maybe the recipe they relied on in Baltimore — a suddenly revived downfield passing game, a well-timed turnover and the ability to take advantage of a couple of 50/50 calls that went their way — will prove sustainable.

The noise the Steelers are intent on tuning out will persist regardless. The only thing they have control of is the volume.

On the first Sunday in December, they grabbed the knob, cranked it to the left, and exited a place that had served as their own personal house of horrors of late with first place in hand.

Perhaps just as importantly, they showed — as they have time and again over the last 19 years — that they have their seemingly forever embattled coach's back.

"'Coach T' is a great leader for us, and he's done nothing but take the bullets for us," wide receiver DK Metcalf said. "Even when we were high or when we were low, every day he's steady (and) always motivated us to play our best ball."

What's working

Playing modern NFL football. The Steelers had gone more than a month without completing a downfield pass of more than 20 yards when Rodgers hit a streaking Metcalf for 52 yards on Pittsburgh's first offensive snap. Rodgers later extended a play and bought enough time to find Calvin Austin III for 31 yards. A little aggressiveness could go a long way for a team that had become far too safe and predictable during its midseason swoon.

What needs help

The run defense remains an issue, with no quick fix coming. The Steelers have given up 157 yards rushing per game over the last five weeks and now must face the surging Dolphins (6-7), who are averaging 192 yards on the ground during their current four-game winning streak.

Rodgers' 42-year-old legs. The NFL's oldest player appeared to enter a time machine for about 10 seconds or so during a broken play in the second quarter when he tucked the ball and beat a pair of defenders to the corner for the 37th rushing touchdown of his career.

Idle speculation. For all the airtime and words dedicated to the seemingly endless debate on Tomlin's job status, the reality is the Steelers have given zero indication in nearly 19 years since they plucked him from relative obscurity and named him as Bill Cowher's replacement that they've seen enough. And so it goes.

It's telling of the physical nature of the rivalry that tight end Darnell Washington, left tackle Andrus Peat, and inside linebacker Malik Harrison all exited with concussions.

5 — wins by the Steelers against Baltimore's Lamar Jackson. Only Kansas City has beaten the two-time MVP as many times during his career.

Try to push their home winning streak on Monday Night Football to 23 straight when the Dolphins visit Acrisure Stadium on Dec. 15.

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

byAll About ...

in

12:22

Their season on the brink, the Steelers did what they always do under Mike Tomlin: Push back

PITTSBURGH (AP) —Aaron Rodgerswas smiling. But he wasn't kidding. Not longafter a 27-22 victory over Baltimo...

Read More