Steelers to rest QB Roethlisberger
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will not play in the regular-season finale in Cleveland on Sunday, opening the door for backup Mason Rudolph to start.
The Steelers are locked into the No. 2 or 3 seed in the AFC and secured at least one home playoff game by winning the AFC North division title when they beat the Colts. But with only the No. 1 seed getting a bye in the first round, coach Mike Tomlin decided it was in his team’s best interests to make sure Roethlisberger is healthy and well-rested for the postseason.
Roethlisberger admitted last week he was not 100% healthy, and he was listed on the injury report a few weeks ago with a knee injury. There also has been some speculation his surgically repaired arm is tired.
Rudolph will return to First Energy Stadium to face the Browns and Myles Garrett, who last year hit Rudolph in the head with his helmet after a skirmish. .
College football: Spencer Sanders threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns, and Oklahoma State held off No. 18 Miami 37-34 in the Cheez-It Bowl in Orlando, Florida. Oklahoma State (8-3) called 15 consecutive pass plays to open the game and stormed out to a 21-0 lead. Sanders threw TD passes of 30 and 32 yards to Brennan Presley.
Miami starter D’Eriq King left in the second quarter with a knee injury, but the Hurricanes rallied behind backup quarterback N’Kosi Perry, who threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns. Perry’s 5-yard TD pass to Michael Harley helped Miami close to 37-34 with 5:39 left, but he misfired on six of his final nine passes. ... No. 20 Texas (7-3) won the Alamo Bowl 55-23 over Colorado (4-2) in San Antonio as backup Casey Thompson threw four TD passes.
College basketball: The Arizona men’s program has self-imposed a one-year postseason ban related to its long-running NCAA rules infractions case. ...
Tuesday, Brandon Rachal hit two free throws with a tenth of a second remaining and finished with 22 points as host Tulsa (5-3, 2-1 American) won 65-64 over No. 5 Houston (7-1, 2-1). ... Clyde Trapp scored 15 points and Nick Honor had all of his 13 points in the second half as host Clemson (7-1, 1-1 ACC) rallied past No. 18 Florida State 77-67. Scottie Barnes led the Seminoles (5-2, 1-1) with 14 points. ... Corey Kispert scored 25 as No. 1 Gonzaga beat short-handed Dixie State 112-67 to extend its home winning streak to 43. ... No. 9 West Virginia used its size advantage to beat Northeastern 73-51. Derek Culver scored 18 for the host Mountaineers (8-2). ... MaCio Teague scored 20 and Jared Butler had 17 as No. 2 Baylor (7-0) hammered Central Arkansas 93-56. ... Jordan Bohannon scored 24 as No. 10 Iowa (8-2, 2-1 Big Ten) beat No. 19 Northwestern 87-72. William & Mary transfer Chase Audige had 14 for the Wildcats (6-2, 3-1). ... Kevin McCullar scored 11 points in his season debut coming off an ankle injury as No. 13 Texas Tech (8-2) cruised past visiting Incarnate Word 79-51. ... Montez Mathis had a career-high 25 points, including 16 in the second half, as No. 14 Rutgers (7-1, 3-1 Big Ten) beat visiting Purdue 81-76.
NBA: Rookie of the Year Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies will miss three to five weeks after spraining his left ankle.