Championship season took center stage over the weekend, with the NFL playoff field trimmed to four, the College Football Playoff set to crown a new national champion Monday night, and a full slate of NBA and NHL action rounding out Sunday’s sports calendar.
NFL playoff picture: championship weekend set
The NFL postseason has reached its penultimate stage, with the National Football League down to two teams in each conference ahead of championship weekend.
In the AFC, the top-seeded Denver Broncos advanced with a dramatic 33-30 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills, sparked by late-game heroics from quarterback Bo Nix. They will face the New England Patriots, who punched their ticket by forcing four interceptions from C.J. Stroud in a 28-16 win over the Houston Texans. The matchup marks a rematch of the 2015 AFC championship game.
On the NFC side, the Seattle Seahawks earned the No. 1 seed and advanced with a dominant 41-6 dismantling of the San Francisco 49ers. Seattle will host the Los Angeles Rams, who survived frigid conditions in Chicago for a 20-17 overtime win against the Bears. The game renews a familiar NFC West rivalry with a Super Bowl berth on the line.
College football: national title on the line tonight
The college football season reaches its climax Monday night as the College Football Playoff National Championship kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
The matchup features two unlikely finalists. Indiana Hoosiers, once known more for losses than wins, enter undefeated behind Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza and first-year coach Curt Cignetti. Indiana earned the No. 1 seed and cruised through the expanded 12-team CFP bracket.
Standing in the way is the Miami Hurricanes, the No. 10 seed that rode a string of postseason upsets. Quarterback Carson Beck, a first-year transfer, has guided Miami through a rugged path to the title game despite midseason conference losses.
The championship will air on ESPN, with radio coverage available on SiriusXM.
NBA: Sunday results
Sunday’s National Basketball Association action produced several notable outcomes. The Memphis Grizzlies topped the Orlando Magic 126-109, while the Houston Rockets edged the New Orleans Pelicans 119-110. The Chicago Bulls defeated the Brooklyn Nets 124-102, and the Denver Nuggets fell at home to the Charlotte Hornets 110-87. Elsewhere, the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Sacramento Kings 117-110, and the Los Angeles Lakers earned a 110-93 win over the Toronto Raptors.
NHL: close games and overtime drama
In the National Hockey League, the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Dallas Stars 4-1, while the Detroit Red Wings needed overtime to slip past the Ottawa Senators 4-3. The Edmonton Oilers shut out the St. Louis Blues 5-0, continuing their strong midseason form.
Source: USA Today, Yahoo!, The Guardian, nba.com, nhl.com