From the Wire
![Tennessee forward Grant Williams (2) attempts a shot in between Alabama forwards Alex Reese (3) and Galin Smith (30) in the second half of the Volunteers' 71-68 victory on Saturday in Knoxville, Tennessee.]()
Vols make case for No. 1 with 71-68 victory over Alabama
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Grant Williams scored 21 points, and No. 3 Tennessee rallied past Alabama 71-68 on Saturday for its 12th straight win and a chance to climb atop the AP Top 25.
After No. 1 Duke lost to Syracuse on Monday and No. 2 Michigan fell …
![]()
LSU ends Gamecocks' SEC streak with 87-65 victory
BATON ROUGE, La. - Emmitt Williams and Naz Reid each scored 15 points as LSU extended its winning streak to seven games by defeating South Carolina 89-67 in a Southeastern Conference game Saturday night.
The Tigers (14-3, 4-0), who led for nearly …
![Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Steven Nelson (20), defensive back Orlando Scandrick (22), inside linebacker Anthony Hitchens (53) and defensive end Chris Jones (95) stretch during workouts Friday in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs host the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game today.]()
Chiefs' bandwagon rolling into Arrowhead for mighty Patriots
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It seems football fans everywhere are suddenly on the Chiefs' bandwagon, enthralled by Kansas City's record-setting young quarterback and exciting playmakers and hopeful the amiable coach can finally win the big one.
Then …
![New Orleans Saints wide receiver Ted Ginn (19) and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) dance to music during stretches at their practice in Metairie, Louisiana, on Friday. The Saints will host the Los Angeles Rams for the NFC Championship today.]()
Saints-Rams NFC title game a clash of like-minded coaches
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - One way or another, the NFC Championship between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints will be won by a coach named Sean - with an Irish surname - who designs and calls plays for one of the most innovative and productive …
![New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) gives a stiff arm to Kansas City Chiefs free safety Ron Parker (38) after catching a pass during the second half of their Oct. 18 game in Foxborough, Massachussetts.]()
How do the Patriots and Chiefs match up in title game?
It will be dark and cold, perhaps absurdly cold, Sunday night in Kansas City. Arrowhead Stadium will be lit up, though, and the winner of the Patriots-Chiefs game will head to Atlanta for the Super Bowl.
Here's how they match up:
WHEN NEW …
![Los Angeles cornerback Marcus Peters (22) breaks up a pass intended for New Orleans wide receiver Michael Thomas (13) in the first half of their game in November in New Orleans. Marcus Peters is ready to eat. The Rams' volatile cornerback promised to have "a nice little bowl of gumbo" with New Orleans coach Sean Payton after Peters felt disrespected in the wake of the Saints' win over Los Angeles.]()
Saints, Rams set to square off for NFC title
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Marcus Peters stood at a podium Wednesday and spoke about his respect for Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints. He insisted his feisty comments about the coach two months ago had been misinterpreted and blown out of …
![Los Angeles running back Todd Gurley (30) carries for a touchdown in the first half of the New Orleans Saints' victory over the Rams on Nov. 4 in New Orleans. Gurley, last year's Offensive Player of the Year, leads the NFL with 16 touchdowns. the fourth-year pro has scored at least one touchdown in each of the Rams' nine games this season.]()
How do the Saints and Rams match up in NFC title game?
The gumbo the New Orleans Saints are cooking up is flavored with lots of passes from Drew Brees to Michael Thomas, plenty of runs by Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, and enough dashes of defense to negate the high-powered offense of the Los Angeles …
![Tennessee guard Lamonte Turner (1) dribbles around Florida guard KeVaughn Allen (5) during the Volunteeers' 78-67 victory over the Gators on Saturday in Gainesville, Florida.]()
Barnes wants third-ranked Vols to take nothing for granted
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee coach Rick Barnes wants to make sure his third-ranked Volunteers avoid complacency after winning their first four Southeastern Conference games by a combined margin of 100 points.
"This game is a game of habits," …
![LEFT: Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes throws a pass during a November 19 game against the Los Angeles Rams in Los Angeles. RIGHT: New England quarterback Tom Brady throws during a Dec. 30 game in Foxborough, Massachusetts.]()
Pats' Brady, Chiefs' Mahomes achieve success different ways
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - One of them is a sixth-round pick who married a supermodel, became one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history and is still going strong well past his 41st birthday.
The other is a first-round pick who is still dating his …
