College playoff rankings see Michigan up to No. 2

Michigan rose to No. 2 Tuesday in the next-to-last College Football Playoff rankings, joining No. 1 Georgia, No. 3 Alabama and N0. 4 Cincinnati in the top four going into conference championship games.

Oklahoma State is fifth going into the Big 12 title game Saturday against Baylor, and Notre Dame is sixth with no games left and no head coach.

Brian Kelly left the Fighting Irish and was introduced as head coach at LSU on Tuesday after Notre Dame finished 11-1.

Georgia was first, as it has been for every ranking so far, and Michigan climbed to No. 2 after it beat last week’s No. 2, Ohio State. Michigan faces Iowa in the Big Ten title game.

Alabama is third going into the SEC championship game with Georgia, and Cincinnati is fourth heading into its American Athletic Conference title game against Houston. The playoff field will be set Sunday.

⏩ Virginia Tech hired Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry as head coach. He has been with Penn State since 2014, first as co-defensive coordinator before becoming defensive coordinator in 2016.

⏩ Louisiana Tech hired Texas Tech offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie as head coach.

⏩ Los Alamitos High quarterback Malachi Nelson, a fivestar prospect, flipped his pledge from Oklahoma to USC less than 24 hours after former Sooners coach Lincoln Riley was introduced as the Trojans’ head coach.

⏩ San Jose State junior defensive end Viliami Fehoko and senior linebacker Kyle Harmon made the Mountain West Conference first team. Senior offensive tackle Jack Snyder was on the second team.

Soccer: Sean Johnson saved Adam Buksa’s attempt during a penalty shootout and all five of Johnson’s teammates scored as visiting New York City FC advanced to its first Eastern Conference final following a 2-2 playoff draw with the New England Revolution.

⏩ In Newcastle, Australia, a late goal by Kyah Simon earned Australia a 1-1 draw against the world champion United States and denied the American women a second win in the two-game series. The U.S. scored early again through Ashley Hatch and created attacking chances but could not convert them.

⏩ The England women’s team swept to the biggest win in its history, beating Latvia 20-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Doncaster, England. There were 10 scorers and four got hat tricks, including Ellen White, who became the team’s record scorer all time with 48 goals.