Pac-12 title game at Levi’s Stadium is for the Rose Bowl
While the other Power Five conferences will hold championship games that will help determine the field for the College Football Playoff, the prize in the Pac12 title game will be a more traditional one.
When No. 17 Utah takes on No. 10 Washington tonight at Levi’s Stadium, the teams will be battling for a spot in the Rose Bowl — the reward that has been given almost annually to the top Pac-12 team for about a century.
Getting to this game is quite an accomplishment for the Utes (9-3, 6-3), who made the move from the Mountain West conference to the more prestigious Pac12 in 2011. Utah has made a bowl game the past four years but is making its first appearance in the Pac-12 title game and is seeking its first trip ever to the Rose Bowl.
The Huskies (9- 3, 7-2) are playing in the conference title game for the second time.
These teams met previously on Sept. 15, with the Huskies winning 21-7 at Utah. MOUNTAIN WEST HONORS
» Boise State senior quarterback Brett Rypien is the Mountain West offensive player of the year, and Fresno State junior linebacker Jeff Allison is the defensive player of the year. Nevada running back Toa Taua was selected as the freshman of the year, and Matt Wells of Utah State is the coach of the year.
San Jose State tight end Josh Oliver and defensive back Dakari Monroe were the Spartans’ first-team selections, and defensive lineman Bryson Bridges earned second-team honors. Linebacker Ethan Aguayo, receiver Thai Cottrell, punter Bryce Crawford and defensive lineman Boogie Roberts were honorable mentions.
• Wells, 10-2 this season and 44-34 in six seasons as coach of his alma mater, was hired by Texas Tech on Thursday to replace Kliff Kingsbury. VANDERBILT PLAYER DIES OF
CANCER » Vanderbilt tight end Turner Cockrell died at home after battling cancer for more than a year. He was 21.
Soccer
EARTHQUAKES MAKE MOVES » The Earthquakes exercised the contract options on goalkeeper Matt Bersano and defenders Harold Cummings, Paul Marie, Jimmy Ockford and Kevin Partida. The team declined the options on defender Ye- ferson Quintana, midfielders Jahmir Hyka and Chris Wehan and forwards Danny Musovski and Mohamed Thiaw. ATLANTA, PORTLAND TO PLAY FOR MLS TITLE » Atlanta United advanced to Major League Soccer’s championship match in just its second season, despite losing to the New York Red Bulls 1- 0. Atlanta United won the two-match Eastern Conference final by a 3-1 aggregate score. Atlanta will host Portland in the MLS Cup on Dec. 8. Portland beat Sporting Kansas City 3-2 to advance on 3-2 aggregate.
College basketball
WERTZ LEADS SANTA CLARA » Trey Wertz scored a career-best 33 points, and Josip Vrankic added 19 to lead Santa Clara (2- 5) to an 8170 win over visiting Jackson State (1-7).
Golf
REED, CANTLAY SHINE AS TIGER STRUGGLES » Tiger Woods’ return to tournament competition didn’t start nearly as well as his last one ended.
Woods had a chip roll back into the hazard for a triple bogey, leading to a 1- over 73 that left him eight shots behind Patrick Reed and Patrick Cantlay in the Hero World Challenge in Nassau, Bahamas. Reed birdied three of his last five holes for a 7-under 65 to match Cantlay.
Olympics
2026 IS RACE BETWEEN SWEDEN AND ITALY » After finding it difficult to sell the 2026 Winter Olympics, the IOC finally has two countries that are all in: Sweden and Italy. It’s Stockholm against a joint Italian bid of Milan and Cortina d’ Ampezzo. The winner will be selected in June.
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PORTLAND GROUP SEEKING MLB TEAM PROPOSES BALLPARK » A group seeking to lure a Major League Baseball team to Portland announced that it has signed an agreement in principle to develop a 45-acre waterfront site. The agreement with the Port of Portland was announced by the Portland Diamond Project.
Swimming
LEDECKY, MANUEL, ADRIAN POST WINS » Katie Ledecky won the 400-meter freestyle for second title in two days at the USA Swimming Winter National Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina, and fellow Olympic champions Simone Manuel and Nathan Adrian took the 50 freestyles.