BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Jake Herslow caught a 26-yard, go-ahead touchdown pass from Clayton Tune with 3:27 left to help lift No. 21 Houston to a 17-13 victory over Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl. The Cougars marched 80 yards on eight plays to cap the third season in program history with at least 12 wins. They snapped a four-game bowl losing streak. The Tigers ended a season, coach Bryan Harsin’s first, with five straight losses for the first time in 71 years. Game MVP Tune completed 26 of 40 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns with an interception, while also rushing for 43 yards.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Davion Warren scored 15 points, and No. 25 Texas Tech rolled to a 75-53 victory over Alabama State in the final Big 12 tuneup for the Red Raiders. Warren put Texas Tech ahead for good on a 3-pointer midway through the first half. The Red Raiders will open Big 12 play Jan. 5 at eighth-ranked Iowa State after the original conference opener against Oklahoma State was postponed because of COVID-19. Gerald Liddell scored 15 points for Alabama State.
UNDATED (AP) — Having seven teams based in Canada complicates the NHL’s path through the pandemic. More restrictive virus regulations north of the U.S.-Canada border could hamper the NHL’s ability to shorten isolation periods like the NFL and NBA may do in line with new CDC guidance. The league is now trying to navigate different sets of rules in the U.S. and Canada. The league postponed nine games slated to take place in Canada because of attendance restrictions. It hopes to reschedule them when fans can return.
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Holiday Bowl has become the fifth postseason college football game to be canceled. UCLA was forced to pull out just hours before kickoff because of COVID-19 issues with the team. The Bruins were scheduled to face No. 18 North Carolina State at Petco Park, the home of the San Diego Padres. The Hawaii, Military, Fenway and Arizona bowls have already been canceled with virus issues leaving teams without enough available players. The Sun and Gator bowls have had to scramble to find replacement teams. North Carolina State is the fifth Atlantic Coast Conference team to have its bowl disrupted.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars have lined up eight interviews for their head coaching vacancy. The list includes four guys with NFL head coaching experience. The Jaguars requested permission to interview: both Dallas coordinators, Kellen Moore and Dan Quinn; both Tampa Bay coordinators, Byron Leftwich and Todd Bowles; and Green Bay offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. They also requested a sit-down with Indianapolis defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus on the first day teams with vacancies can start the hiring process. Jacksonville also plans to interview two former NFL head coaches, Jim Caldwell and Doug Pederson.
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