Alabama dominates AP All-America team
College Football Playoff No. 1 Alabama placed six players on The Associated Press All-America team released Monday, including five on offense and an unprecedented three at the skill positions.
The Crimson Tide contingent is led by quarterback Mac Jones, wide receiver DeVonta Smith, and running back Najee Harris. It’s the first time in the four decades since the AP began putting two running backs and two wide receivers on the first team that any team has placed a quarterback, running back and receiver on the first team.
Alabama tackle Alex Leatherwood and center Landon Dickerson also made the first team offense.
With cornerback Patrick Surtain II, the Crimson Tide claimed six firstteam selections, the most in the nation.
STANFORD WR FEHOKO DECLARES FOR DRAFT >> Stanford wide receiver Simi Fehoko is skipping his senior season to enter the NFL draft.
Fehoko finished his Stanford career with 62 receptions for 1,146 yards and nine touchdowns in 22 games. He was named a first-team All-Pac-12 player this season by The Associated Press after catching 37 passes for 584 yards and three TDs in six games.
Fehoko caught a schoolrecord 16 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns in his final game when the Cardinal beat UCLA in double overtime at the Rose Bowl.
NFL WASHINGTON CUTS HASKINS; SMITH OR HEINICKE TO PLAY AT EAGLES >>
Washington released quarterback Dwayne Haskins on Monday, hours after coach Ron Rivera said either Alex Smith or Taylor Heinicke will start the regular-season finale with the NFC East at stake.
Rivera is “optimistic” Smith will be ready to play at the Philadelphia Eagles after missing the past two games with a strained right calf. Haskins started those two games, both losses, is 1-5 this season and turned the ball over three times in a 20-13 defeat to Carolina on Sunday that saw him benched for Heinicke.
Ha sk ins wa s f ined $ 40,000 and stripped of his captaincy last week after violating COVID-19 protocols for partying maskless with several people after a loss to Seattle. It was his second protocol violation this season, and his performance against Carolina ended his time in Washington.
RAVENS FINED $ 250,000 FOR COVID-19 VIOLATIONS >>
The Baltimore Ravens were fined $250,000 by the NFL for violating COVID-19 protocols, a person with direct knowledge of the punishment told The Associated Press.
T he team wa s not docked draft picks for the violations, which led to a coronavirus outbreak and the rescheduling of the Ravens’ Thanksgiving night game against Pittsburgh.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the discipline has not been announced.
In Baltimore’s outbreak, 23 players wound up on the league’s reserve/COVID-19 list, with several coaches and team personnel also affected. The game with the archrival Steelers eventually was played the following Wednesday, and the Ravens’ matchup with Dallas was moved to Dec. 8 in a rare Tuesday game.
NHL
LUNDQVI ST SCHEDULED FOR OPEN-HEART SURGERY >> Goalie Henrik Lundqvist said he’s scheduled for open-heart surgery after tests revealed a heart condition that kept him from continuing to play goal in the NHL.
Lundqvist wrote on Twitter that he’s set to have an aortic valve, aortic root and ascending aortic replacement. He did not say when.
A physical after signing with the Washington Capitals led to further tests and his decision not to play this season. Washington general manager Brian MacLellan says Lundqvist has had a heart issue all along that he managed and the team expected it to be the same.
Baseball
RAYS REPORTEDLY AGREE TO SEND EX-CY YOUNG WINNER SNELL TO PADRES >> The Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to trade 2018 American League Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell to the San Diego Padres, according to multiple reports.
Per the reports, top pitching prospect Luis Patino, catchers Francisco Mejia and Blake Hunt and right-handed pitcher Cole
Wilcox would go to Tampa Bay in the deal for Snell, a 28-year- old left-hander who has a career record of 42- 30 in five seasons, all with the Rays. He has an earned-run average of 3.24 in 108 starts, posting 648 strikeouts and 232 walks in 556 innings.
The trade is pending a review of medical records, The Athletic reported.
College basketball
GONZAGA, BIG TEN CONTINUE TO DOMINATE TOP 25 >> It’s hard to decide who has been more dominant in men’s college basketball this season: Gonzaga or the Big Ten Conference.
The Bulldogs remained the clear-cut No. 1 on Monday, earning 62 of 64 firstplace votes in The Associated Press poll after their latest win over a Top 25 foe, while the Big Ten placed nine teams in the poll, with Wisconsin and Iowa in the top 10.
Second-ranked Baylor received the other two firstplace votes and Kansas remained No. 3 after their rout of then-No. 7 West Virginia. Villanova and Houston each moved up a spot after Iowa’s overtime loss to Minnesota.
STANFORD REMAINS ATOP WOMEN’S TOP 25 >> Stanford faced its first real test of the season and passed to remain the top team in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll.
The Cardinal beat thenNo. 10 UCLA 61- 49 on Dec. 21, pulling away late in the only game between ranked opponents last week. Stanford again received 26 firstplace votes Monday from a 30-member national media panel. While Stanford stayed on top, there was a little movement among the next few teams. Louisville remained No. 2 while North Carolina State moved up to third, edging UConn by a point in the poll. South Carolina stayed fifth.
The Huskies won their lone game last week, routing Villanova, but lost two points in the voting.