Buffaloes stun Nebraska
BOULDER, Colo., Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Chris Brown highlighted a shocking offensive display with an almost unthinkable six rushing touchdowns Friday and the Colorado Buffaloes shook up college football's heirarchy with a 62-36 dismantling of the second-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Nebraska came into the game as the No. 1 team in the Bowl Championship Series ratings and had an undefeated season and a national championship within sight. But the Buffaloes staggered Nebraska with 28 first-quarter points and then fought off a comeback with three touchdowns from Brown in the fourth quarter to earn a spot in next week's Big 12 Conference title contest.
The 14th-ranked Buffaloes will play for the league crown next Saturday in Dallas against either Oklahoma or Texas.
Oklahoma must beat Oklahoma State today to reach the conference championship game. If the Sooners do win Saturday, they will likely join the Miami Hurricanes in the top two spots of the BCS ratings, which determine the teams that will meet for the national crown in the Rose Bowl.
But Oklahoma would still have the Buffaloes to deal with next week and Miami has Washington and Virginia Tech remaining on its schedule. Additional upsets could create hope for Florida, Oregon and Texas to reach the NCAA title game.
Brown gained 198 yards and put on a dominating performance during the fourth quarter, when Nebraska finally ran out of gas in the thin Rocky Mountain air.
The Cornhuskers, who trailed by 26 points late in the first half, climbed back within 12 with one full quarter to play. But two interceptions thrown by Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch helped lead to three quick Colorado touchdowns -- scoring runs of one, 13 and eight yards by Brown.
Elsewhere in holiday weekend action, Texas scored twice in the fourth quarter to down Texas A&M, 21-7; LSU moved closer to a spot in the SEC title game by beating Arkansas, 31-28; and California avoided a winless season by defeating Rutgers, 20-10.
Robby Gordon wins first NASCAR race
LOUDON, N.H., Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Four-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon started from the pole position and led for 257 of 300 laps Friday, but Robby Gordon bumped him late and went on to win the season-ending New Hampshire 300.
Robby Gordon captured his first career Winston Cup race victory, nudging Jeff Gordon into Mike Wallace with 16 laps left before taking over the lead for good.
A first-time winner in his 62nd career start, Robby Gordon announced he was donating the winnings to the fire fighters of New York City. The New Hampshire 300 was postponed to this week after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Triggering the race's seventh caution, Robby Gordon impatiently nudged race-leader Jeff Gordon from behind at the third turn of the 1.058-mile oval. That forced No. 24 into Wallace, whose No. 12 car spun.
Jeff Gordon, the newly crowned NASCAR Winston Cup champion, led the race at the midway point. But the halfway leader had won just five of 35 races prior to Friday and the Loudon event continued the trend.
Philadelphia wins seventh in a row
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Matt Harpring scored 17 points and helped smother his former team Friday night as the Philadelphia 76ers rolled to their seventh consecutive victory, 79-68 over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Harpring was the key acquisition for the 76ers in a five-player deal this summer that sent forwards Jumaine Jones and Tyrone Hill to the Cavaliers. His hard-nosed style has fit right in with Philadelphia and he has added some scoring, averaging 12.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.
The 6-8 forward scored eight points in the first quarter and the Sixers never trailed thereafter as they shut down the Cavs at virtually every turn. It was the fewest points allowed by Philadelphia since last March 14, when it limited Chicago to 67.
The Sixers had 13 steals and eight blocks. They held the Cavs to 34 percent shooting and that included a flurry in which Cleveland scored 10 points in the final three minutes of garbage time.
Other NBA results: Atlanta 106, Detroit 99; Toronto 91, Boston 89; Orlando 109, Charlotte 99; Dallas 104, Miami 94; San Antonio 97, Indiana 79; Phoenix 103, Memphis 89; Utah 106, Los Angeles Clippers 101; Portland 97, Denver 90; Seattle 99, Houston 81; Los Angeles Lakers 106, Golden State 90.
Red Wings extend winning streak
DETROIT, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Steve Yzerman had a power-play goal and an assist and Dominik Hasek stopped 34 shots Friday night, leading the Detroit Red Wings to their sixth straight win, 3-1 over the St. Louis Blues.
It was the Blues' fifth straight loss.
Kris Draper and Brendan Shanahan also scored for Detroit, which has won six consecutive home games and is 11-1 at Joe Louis Arena since dropping its home opener to Calgary.
St. Louis continued to struggle offensively, getting only a first-period goal from Cory Stillman. The Blues have just one goal in their last three games and four during the losing streak.
Yzerman snapped a 1-1 tie 8:16 into the second period. Held without a point in his previous two games, he blasted a slap shot from the right point over the right shoulder of goaltender Fred Brathwaite for his seventh goal of the season and second on the power play.
Yzerman also set up Shanahan's clincher 4:35 into the third period, giving him 48 goals and 79 assists in 115 games against St. Louis.
Other NHL results: Boston 3, Vancouver 2; Minnesota 5, Phoenix 2; Buffalo 5, Calgary 2; Chicago 2, Columbus 2; New York Islanders 3, Toronto 1; Washington 6, New York Rangers 2; Tampa Bay 2, New Jersey 0; Nashville 5, Pittsburgh 0; Dallas 3, Philadelphia 3.
Syracuse wins Preseason NIT
NEW YORK, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- The 18th-ranked Syracuse Orangemen captured their third major early-season tournament in as many years Friday night, rallying from a 10-point, second-half deficit to claim the Preseason NIT title with a 74-67 victory over Wake Forest.
Syracuse (5-0) won the Great Alaska Shootout last year and brought home the Maui Invitational trophy in 1999.
Tournament MVP DeShaun Williams scored 23 points, matching his semifinal total, including seven during a 14-0 run that was capped by Kueth Duany's dunk and gave Syracuse a 54-50 advantage.
The Orangemen went ahead for good with 3 1/2 minutes remaining on a reverse layup by freshman center Craig Forth.
It was the second Preseason NIT championship for Syracuse, which won its 24th straight November game and improved to 45-30 at Madison Square Garden under coach Jim Boeheim.
This was the first meeting between Syracuse and Wake Forest (4-1).
In the consolation game, Melvin Ely scored all 14 of his points in the second half and also grabbed 10 rebounds as No. 21 Fresno State held off a late run for a 63-58 victory over 11th-ranked Michigan State.
English soccer players avoid strike
MANCHESTER, England, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- The Professional Footballers' Association -- the union for soccer players in the English Premier League -- called off its strike Friday after reaching an agreement regarding the division of television money.
Officials for the players and league hammered out a deal that gives the PFA an average of $24.68 million in each of the next three years. The union had asked for $36.43 million while the league had offered $14.57 million.
"We have secured what we believe is the long term future of the PFA and I believe there is satisfaction on both sides," PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor said.
The parties avoided what would have been English soccer's first strike. The players, who voted almost unanimously to refuse to take part in televised matches, had been set to boycott nine Premier matches on Dec. 1-2.
76ers sign Ruffin
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- The Philadelphia 76ers Friday signed forward Michael Ruffin, who spent his first two seasons with the Chicago Bulls, and put rookie center Alvin Jones back on the injured list.
Ruffin was waived by the Bulls on Oct. 25. The 6-8, 248-pounder played in 116 games, averaging 2.4 points and 4.4 rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench.
A second-round pick in 1999, Ruffin was a four-year standout at Tulsa, averaging 9.4 points and 9.5 rebounds in 128 college games.
Jones will spend his second stint on the injured list, this time due to a left ankle sprain. He started the year on the injured list with right knee tendinitis before being activated on Nov. 9 and played in five games, recording a total of nine minutes.
Woods seeks Skins Game title
INDIO, Calif., Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Fresh from a victory at the Grand Slam of Golf, Tiger Woods goes after another lucrative prize beginning today when he competes in the revamped Skins Game.
A purse of $1 million will be at stake when Woods tees off with defending champion Colin Montgomerie of Scotland, Jesper Parnevik of Sweden and Australia's Greg Norman.
Woods, the world's top-ranked player, fired a 7-under-par 65 on Wednesday in Hawaii to capture his fourth straight PGA Grand Slam of Golf title and $400,000.
