MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;A seven-game home schedule, which includes five home contests in the first six games of the season, highlights Kansas State’s 2026 football schedule that was announced Wednesday by K-State Athletics and the Big 12 Conference.

The&nbsp;Collin Klein&nbsp;era of K-State football opens with three-straight non-conference games inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium beginning on September 5, when the Wildcats host Nicholls. K-State then welcomes Washington State on September 12 for the first-ever meeting between the Wildcats and Cougars on the gridiron, while it closes non-conference play by hosting Tulane on September 19.

For the 22nd time in the 31-year history of the Big 12 – including the seventh time in the last nine years – K-State will begin conference play with a true road game when the Wildcats travel northeast to face Cincinnati on September 26. It will be K-State’s first visit to The Queen City since a 23-21 last-second victory in 1995.

Following its lone bye of the 2026 season, K-State returns for two-straight home games against Houston (October 10) and Kansas (October 17). The Wildcats are looking to win their second-consecutive home game over the Cougars, while they will be in search of their 18th-straight win over the Jayhawks.

The Wildcats’ only stretch with consecutive road games in 2026 closes out the month of October when they travel to face Arizona State on October 24 and Colorado on October 31. K-State plays at Arizona State for the sixth time ever but the first since 1989, while the Wildcats will play inside what is now known as Mountain America Stadium for the first time since a 31-14 victory over Michigan in the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl. K-State returns to Boulder after a thrilling 31-28 win two years ago, and the Wildcats are playing on Halloween for the 17th time in program history and first since 2020.

<a>The month of November trades home and away games over the final four weeks of the season beginning with a contest against Oklahoma State on November 7 inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Last season, K-State became the first road team to win a game in the series with the Cowboys since 2020, and the series is tied, 19-19, in Manhattan.</a>

K-State hits the road for the penultimate time in 2026 when it plays at TCU on November 14. The Wildcats have won three-straight games over the Horned Frogs and six of the last seven dating back to 2019.

Kansas State’s Senior Day contest will be staged on November 21 when the Wildcats face Arizona. It is the third-straight year K-State has played U of A – with the home team winning the previous two contests – but this will be the first time the programs will meet as conference foes after a pair of previously scheduled non-conference games in 2024 and 2025.

The Wildcats conclude the 2026 regular season at Iowa State on November 28. K-State will be in search of their second win in Ames in the last five tries, while it is the third time in the last five trips to Iowa State that the game against the Cyclones serves as the regular-season finale.

The 2026 Big 12 Championship game will be held on Friday, December 4 at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Information regarding season tickets for the 2026 football season will be announced next week.

<a>2026 K-STATE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (Dates Subject to Change)</a>

SEPTEMBER 5&nbsp;NICHOLLS&nbsp;MANHATTAN

SEPTEMBER 12&nbsp;WASHINGTON STATE&nbsp;MANHATTAN

SEPTEMBER 19&nbsp;TULANE&nbsp;MANHATTAN

OCTOBER 10&nbsp;HOUSTON*&nbsp;MANHATTAN

OCTOBER 17&nbsp;KANSAS*&nbsp;MANHATTAN

NOVEMBER 7&nbsp;OKLAHOMA STATE*&nbsp;MANHATTAN

NOVEMBER 21&nbsp;ARIZONA*&nbsp;MANHATTAN

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769013329831.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;A seven-game home schedule, which includes five home contests in the first six games of the season, highlights Kansas State’s 2026 football schedule that was announced Wednesday by K-State Athletics and the Big 12 Conference.The&nbsp;Collin Klein&nbsp;era of K-State football opens with three-straight non-conference games inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium beginning on September 5, when the Wildcats host Nicholls. K-State then welcomes Washington State on September 12 for the first-ever meeting between the Wildcats and Cougars on the gridiron, while it closes non-conference play by hosting Tulane on September 19.For the 22nd time in the 31-year history of the Big 12 – including the seventh time in the last nine years – K-State will begin conference play with a true road game when the Wildcats travel northeast to face Cincinnati on September 26. It will be K-State’s first visit to The Queen City since a 23-21 last-second victory in 1995.Following its lone bye of the 2026 season, K-State returns for two-straight home games against Houston (October 10) and Kansas (October 17). The Wildcats are looking to win their second-consecutive home game over the Cougars, while they will be in search of their 18th-straight win over the Jayhawks.The Wildcats’ only stretch with consecutive road games in 2026 closes out the month of October when they travel to face Arizona State on October 24 and Colorado on October 31. K-State plays at Arizona State for the sixth time ever but the first since 1989, while the Wildcats will play inside what is now known as Mountain America Stadium for the first time since a 31-14 victory over Michigan in the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl. K-State returns to Boulder after a thrilling 31-28 win two years ago, and the Wildcats are playing on Halloween for the 17th time in program history and first since 2020.<a>The month of November trades home and away games over the final four weeks of the season beginning with a contest against Oklahoma State on November 7 inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Last season, K-State became the first road team to win a game in the series with the Cowboys since 2020, and the series is tied, 19-19, in Manhattan.</a>K-State hits the road for the penultimate time in 2026 when it plays at TCU on November 14. The Wildcats have won three-straight games over the Horned Frogs and six of the last seven dating back to 2019.Kansas State’s Senior Day contest will be staged on November 21 when the Wildcats face Arizona. It is the third-straight year K-State has played U of A – with the home team winning the previous two contests – but this will be the first time the programs will meet as conference foes after a pair of previously scheduled non-conference games in 2024 and 2025.The Wildcats conclude the 2026 regular season at Iowa State on November 28. K-State will be in search of their second win in Ames in the last five tries, while it is the third time in the last five trips to Iowa State that the game against the Cyclones serves as the regular-season finale.The 2026 Big 12 Championship game will be held on Friday, December 4 at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.Information regarding season tickets for the 2026 football season will be announced next week.<a>2026 K-STATE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (Dates Subject to Change)</a>SEPTEMBER 5&nbsp;NICHOLLS&nbsp;MANHATTANSEPTEMBER 12&nbsp;WASHINGTON STATE&nbsp;MANHATTANSEPTEMBER 19&nbsp;TULANE&nbsp;MANHATTANSeptember 26 at Cincinnati*OCTOBER 10&nbsp;HOUSTON*&nbsp;MANHATTANOCTOBER 17&nbsp;KANSAS*&nbsp;MANHATTANOctober 24 at Arizona State*October 31 at Colorado*NOVEMBER 7&nbsp;OKLAHOMA STATE*&nbsp;MANHATTANNovember 14 at TCU* Fort Worth, TexasNOVEMBER 21&nbsp;ARIZONA*&nbsp;MANHATTANNovember 28 at Iowa State* Ames, Iowa

K-State, Big 12 announce 2026 football schedule

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Melvin Council Jr. scored 10 of his 18 points over the final 5:07 and No. 19 Kansas held off Colorado 75-69 on Tuesday night with assistant coach Jacque Vaughn leading the Jayhawks as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-self-kansas-hospital-health-b7707fa99739d475426a5f9b8c5def64">Bill Self</a>&nbsp;recovers from a precautionary trip to the hospital.

The Jayhawks (14-5, 4-2 Big 12) led 60-59 with 5:50 to play, but clamped down on defense. They kept Colorado scoreless for a three-minute stretch to pull away. Council was the offensive catalyst, putting an exclamation point on the game with an emphatic dunk.

Self did not make the trip after going to the hospital on Monday because he was not feeling well. He was released after receiving IV fluids. Self has missed several games in recent seasons due to heart issues.

Vaughn, who was brought on board last May, paced the sideline as the acting coach. He earned the win for Self, who's now 22-1 in his career against Colorado (12-7, 2-4).

Council had back-to-back layups that gave Kansas some separation after Colorado had a chance to take the lead. On one of his layups, Council stole the ball away from the inbounder while still out of bounds. It wasn’t called, which drew the ire of the crowd after a replay.

Tre White had 17 points 15 rebounds for Kansas for his fifth double-double this season. Darryn Peterson finished with 16 points, including a banked-in 3-pointer with 2:09 left. He hobbled to the bench in the second half after appearing to turn his left ankle, but returned.

The Jayhawks were coming off a big week, beating then-No. 2 Iowa State and Baylor to move back into the rankings.

Isaiah Johnson led Colorado with 19, while Barrington Hargress added 17. Colorado has dropped four in a row.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768994579162.jpeg" alt="Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr., left, looks to pass the ball as Colorado guard Isaiah Johnson, back right, and forward Bangot Dak defend in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr., left, looks to pass the ball as Colorado guard Isaiah Johnson, back right, and forward Bangot Dak defend in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)</figcaption>
 </figure>BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Melvin Council Jr. scored 10 of his 18 points over the final 5:07 and No. 19 Kansas held off Colorado 75-69 on Tuesday night with assistant coach Jacque Vaughn leading the Jayhawks as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-self-kansas-hospital-health-b7707fa99739d475426a5f9b8c5def64">Bill Self</a>&nbsp;recovers from a precautionary trip to the hospital.The Jayhawks (14-5, 4-2 Big 12) led 60-59 with 5:50 to play, but clamped down on defense. They kept Colorado scoreless for a three-minute stretch to pull away. Council was the offensive catalyst, putting an exclamation point on the game with an emphatic dunk.Self did not make the trip after going to the hospital on Monday because he was not feeling well. He was released after receiving IV fluids. Self has missed several games in recent seasons due to heart issues.Vaughn, who was brought on board last May, paced the sideline as the acting coach. He earned the win for Self, who's now 22-1 in his career against Colorado (12-7, 2-4).Council had back-to-back layups that gave Kansas some separation after Colorado had a chance to take the lead. On one of his layups, Council stole the ball away from the inbounder while still out of bounds. It wasn’t called, which drew the ire of the crowd after a replay.Tre White had 17 points 15 rebounds for Kansas for his fifth double-double this season. Darryn Peterson finished with 16 points, including a banked-in 3-pointer with 2:09 left. He hobbled to the bench in the second half after appearing to turn his left ankle, but returned.The Jayhawks were coming off a big week, beating then-No. 2 Iowa State and Baylor to move back into the rankings.Isaiah Johnson led Colorado with 19, while Barrington Hargress added 17. Colorado has dropped four in a row.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas: At Kansas State on Saturday.Colorado: Hosts UCF on Saturday.

🏀 Kansas beats Colorado with Bill Self missing from the bench

MANHATTAN, Kansas (AP) — PJ Haggerty poured in 34 points and gave Kansas State the lead in the final minute in an 81-78 win over Utah on Tuesday.

Haggerty’s jump shot with 39 seconds left gave the Wildcats (10-9, 1-5 Big 12) a two-point lead that they held onto for their first Big 12 win of the season. He was 15 of 29 to go with eight rebounds and two steals. David Castillo had 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Nate Johnson added 17 points, five rebounds and six assists.

Haggerty entered the game fourth in the country with 22.8 points per game, and as the first Wildcat to score in double figures over the first 18 games since Jacob Pullen in 2009-10. It’s his 14th game this season with 21 points or more. He scored 28 in the second half.

Terrence Brown had 33 points for the Utes (9-10, 1-5), shooting 14 of 24 with four steals. Seydou Traore scored 15 to go with six rebounds. Don McHenry added 15 points and six rebounds, but the career 80% free throw shooter went 2 of 5 at the stripe, costing the Utes in the final seconds.

Starting from the 5:32 mark, Haggerty and Brown each scored eight points, and were the only players to score until McHenry drew a foul with 11 seconds remaining. With a chance to tie the game at the line, he made 1 of 2 attempts.

Johnson made a pair of free throws on the other end, and Brown's game-tying 3-point attempt caromed off the rim as the buzzer sounded.

The Wildcats entered with a five-game losing streak, including two to top-10 opponents in No. 1 Arizona and then-No. 10 BYU.

The Utes will travel to Provo to face No. 13 BYU on Saturday.

The Wildcats host in-state rival, No. 19 Kansas on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768993063056.png" alt="K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kansas (AP) — PJ Haggerty poured in 34 points and gave Kansas State the lead in the final minute in an 81-78 win over Utah on Tuesday.Haggerty’s jump shot with 39 seconds left gave the Wildcats (10-9, 1-5 Big 12) a two-point lead that they held onto for their first Big 12 win of the season. He was 15 of 29 to go with eight rebounds and two steals. David Castillo had 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Nate Johnson added 17 points, five rebounds and six assists.Haggerty entered the game fourth in the country with 22.8 points per game, and as the first Wildcat to score in double figures over the first 18 games since Jacob Pullen in 2009-10. It’s his 14th game this season with 21 points or more. He scored 28 in the second half.Terrence Brown had 33 points for the Utes (9-10, 1-5), shooting 14 of 24 with four steals. Seydou Traore scored 15 to go with six rebounds. Don McHenry added 15 points and six rebounds, but the career 80% free throw shooter went 2 of 5 at the stripe, costing the Utes in the final seconds.Starting from the 5:32 mark, Haggerty and Brown each scored eight points, and were the only players to score until McHenry drew a foul with 11 seconds remaining. With a chance to tie the game at the line, he made 1 of 2 attempts.Johnson made a pair of free throws on the other end, and Brown's game-tying 3-point attempt caromed off the rim as the buzzer sounded.The Wildcats entered with a five-game losing streak, including two to top-10 opponents in No. 1 Arizona and then-No. 10 BYU.<h2>Up next</h2>The Utes will travel to Provo to face No. 13 BYU on Saturday.The Wildcats host in-state rival, No. 19 Kansas on Saturday.

🏀 Haggerty scores 34 as Kansas State holds off Utah

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Fernando Mendoza lowered his pads into a defender, spun in a full circle, used his hand to keep his balance,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/espn/status/2013456653866201453">then launched himself horizontally</a>&nbsp;and reached the ball over the goal line — an Indiana touchdown and a ready-made poster pic for a title run straight from the movies.

The Heisman Trophy winner’s touchdown Monday night put an exclamation point on a 27-21 win over Miami that closed out an undefeated season and brought an improbable — maybe impossible? — national championship to a program that had known nothing but losing and indifference for almost 140 years.

“Let me tell you: We won the national championship at Indiana University. It can be done,” said coach Curt Cignetti, who took over a program with a nation-leading 713 losses and turned it into the game's biggest winner in the span of two years.

Cignetti, the 64-year-old coaching lifer, started it. Mendoza helped get the Hoosiers over the line. He finished with 186 yards passing, but it was that tackle-breaking, sprawled-out 12-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-4 with 9:18 left that defined this game — and the Hoosiers' season.

“I had to go airborne,” said Mendoza, who had his lip split and his arm bloodied by a ferocious Miami defense that sacked him three times and hit him many more. “I would die for my team.”

Mendoza's TD gave Indiana a 24-14 lead — barely enough breathing room to hold off a frenzied charge by the hard-hitting Hurricanes — a team that barely made the College Football Playoff and barely showed up in the first half of the final before coming to life behind 112 yards and two scores from Mark Fletcher.

“They're the best thing that happened to the University of Miami in 25 years,” said coach Mario Cristobal, who was part of the title run that put this colorful program on the map in the 1980s and '90s.

The CFP trophy now heads to the most unlikely of places: Bloomington, Indiana — home of the college that famously boasts the most living alumni (805,000), including billionaire Mark Cuban and several thousand of his closest friends who packed Miami's home stadium and turned a title-game ticket into a $4,000-or-more splurge.

“It's way up there, that's for damn sure,” Cuban said when asked where this ranked among the out-of-nowhere success stories he helped bankroll on his reality show “Shark Tank.”

Indiana finished 16-0 — using the extra games afforded by the expanded 12-team playoff to match a perfect-season win total last compiled by Yale in 1894. President Donald Trump was in the stands for what he said “turned out to be a great game” after a slow start — Indiana led 10-0 at half.

In a fitting bit of symmetry, this undefeated title comes 50 years after Bob Knight’s basketball team went 32-0 to win it all in that state’s favorite sport.

That hasn’t happened since, and there’s already some thought that college football — in its evolving, money-soaked, name-image-likeness era — might not see a team like this again, either.

Players like Mendoza — a transfer from Cal who grew up just a few miles away from Miami’s campus, “The U” — certainly don’t come around often.

Two fourth-down gambles by Cignetti in the fourth quarter, after Fletcher’s second touchdown carved the Hurricanes' deficit to three, put the QB in position to shine.

The first was a 19-yard-completion to Charlie Becker on a back-shoulder fade those guys have been perfecting all season. Four plays later came a decision and play that wins championships.

Cignetti sent his kicker out on fourth-and-4 from the 12, but quickly called his second timeout. The team huddled on the field and the coach drew up a quarterback draw, hoping the Hurricanes would be in a defense they had shown before.

“We rolled the dice and said, ‘They’re going to be in it again and they were,’” Cignetti said. “We blocked it well, he broke a tackle or two and got in the end zone.”

Mendoza's play could very well join John Elway's “helicopter” run in Super Bowl 32 as one of the greatest examples of a quarterback willing to put everything on the line to win it all. Mendoza might soon have something else in common with Elway: This game did little to diminish his projection as the first pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

“Everyone on the team, including my coach, makes fun of my running style,” Mendoza said. “But it’s fourth down, so you’ve got to put it all on the line. Every player, if they had that opportunity, they’d put their body on the line, too.”

A team listed 18th in the first CFP rankings moved to 10th and sneaked into the playoff, bringing as many questions about the process as the selection itself.

The Hurricanes proved they belonged all the way. Fletcher was a one-man force, hitting triple digits for the third time in four playoff games and turning a moribund offense into something much more.

His first touchdown run was a 57-yard burst through the right side that pulled Miami within 10-7 early in the third quarter.

But after forcing an Indiana punt deep into Miami territory, Hoosiers lineman Mikail Kamara slid past the ’Canes’ protectors and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/CFBPlayoff/status/2013450145979867387">blocked the kick</a>. Isaiah Jones recovered to make it 17-7. Miami was in comeback mode the rest of the way.

It ended as a one-score game, and the ’Canes — the visiting team playing on their home field — moved into Indiana territory before Carson Beck’s heave got picked off by Jamari Sharpe, a Miami native who made sure the only miracle in this season would be Indiana’s.

This was a program that was so bad that coach Lee Corso stopped a game in 1976 to take a picture of a scoreboard when it read “Indiana 7, Ohio State 6.” Indiana lost 47-7.

There were hundreds of losses in front of half-empty stadiums between then and now.

But those days are over. The Hoosiers — yes, the Hoosiers — are national champions.

“I know nobody thought it was possible,” Cignetti said. “It probably is one of the greatest sports stories of all time.”

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Fernando Mendoza lowered his pads into a defender, spun in a full circle, used his hand to keep his balance,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/espn/status/2013456653866201453">then launched himself horizontally</a>&nbsp;and reached the ball over the goal line — an Indiana touchdown and a ready-made poster pic for a title run straight from the movies.Maybe they’ll call it “Hoosiers.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768906574424.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Heisman Trophy winner’s touchdown Monday night put an exclamation point on a 27-21 win over Miami that closed out an undefeated season and brought an improbable — maybe impossible? — national championship to a program that had known nothing but losing and indifference for almost 140 years.“Let me tell you: We won the national championship at Indiana University. It can be done,” said coach Curt Cignetti, who took over a program with a nation-leading 713 losses and turned it into the game's biggest winner in the span of two years.Cignetti, the 64-year-old coaching lifer, started it. Mendoza helped get the Hoosiers over the line. He finished with 186 yards passing, but it was that tackle-breaking, sprawled-out 12-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-4 with 9:18 left that defined this game — and the Hoosiers' season.Indiana would not be denied.“I had to go airborne,” said Mendoza, who had his lip split and his arm bloodied by a ferocious Miami defense that sacked him three times and hit him many more. “I would die for my team.”Mendoza's TD gave Indiana a 24-14 lead — barely enough breathing room to hold off a frenzied charge by the hard-hitting Hurricanes — a team that barely made the College Football Playoff and barely showed up in the first half of the final before coming to life behind 112 yards and two scores from Mark Fletcher.“They're the best thing that happened to the University of Miami in 25 years,” said coach Mario Cristobal, who was part of the title run that put this colorful program on the map in the 1980s and '90s.The CFP trophy now heads to the most unlikely of places: Bloomington, Indiana — home of the college that famously boasts the most living alumni (805,000), including billionaire Mark Cuban and several thousand of his closest friends who packed Miami's home stadium and turned a title-game ticket into a $4,000-or-more splurge.“It's way up there, that's for damn sure,” Cuban said when asked where this ranked among the out-of-nowhere success stories he helped bankroll on his reality show “Shark Tank.”Indiana finished 16-0 — using the extra games afforded by the expanded 12-team playoff to match a perfect-season win total last compiled by Yale in 1894. President Donald Trump was in the stands for what he said “turned out to be a great game” after a slow start — Indiana led 10-0 at half.In a fitting bit of symmetry, this undefeated title comes 50 years after Bob Knight’s basketball team went 32-0 to win it all in that state’s favorite sport.That hasn’t happened since, and there’s already some thought that college football — in its evolving, money-soaked, name-image-likeness era — might not see a team like this again, either.Players like Mendoza — a transfer from Cal who grew up just a few miles away from Miami’s campus, “The U” — certainly don’t come around often.Two fourth-down gambles by Cignetti in the fourth quarter, after Fletcher’s second touchdown carved the Hurricanes' deficit to three, put the QB in position to shine.The first was a 19-yard-completion to Charlie Becker on a back-shoulder fade those guys have been perfecting all season. Four plays later came a decision and play that wins championships.Cignetti sent his kicker out on fourth-and-4 from the 12, but quickly called his second timeout. The team huddled on the field and the coach drew up a quarterback draw, hoping the Hurricanes would be in a defense they had shown before.“We rolled the dice and said, ‘They’re going to be in it again and they were,’” Cignetti said. “We blocked it well, he broke a tackle or two and got in the end zone.”Mendoza's play could very well join John Elway's “helicopter” run in Super Bowl 32 as one of the greatest examples of a quarterback willing to put everything on the line to win it all. Mendoza might soon have something else in common with Elway: This game did little to diminish his projection as the first pick in the upcoming NFL draft.“Everyone on the team, including my coach, makes fun of my running style,” Mendoza said. “But it’s fourth down, so you’ve got to put it all on the line. Every player, if they had that opportunity, they’d put their body on the line, too.”For Miami, it was a very close call.A team listed 18th in the first CFP rankings moved to 10th and sneaked into the playoff, bringing as many questions about the process as the selection itself.The Hurricanes proved they belonged all the way. Fletcher was a one-man force, hitting triple digits for the third time in four playoff games and turning a moribund offense into something much more.His first touchdown run was a 57-yard burst through the right side that pulled Miami within 10-7 early in the third quarter.But after forcing an Indiana punt deep into Miami territory, Hoosiers lineman Mikail Kamara slid past the ’Canes’ protectors and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/CFBPlayoff/status/2013450145979867387">blocked the kick</a>. Isaiah Jones recovered to make it 17-7. Miami was in comeback mode the rest of the way.It ended as a one-score game, and the ’Canes — the visiting team playing on their home field — moved into Indiana territory before Carson Beck’s heave got picked off by Jamari Sharpe, a Miami native who made sure the only miracle in this season would be Indiana’s.How big a miracle?This was a program that was so bad that coach Lee Corso stopped a game in 1976 to take a picture of a scoreboard when it read “Indiana 7, Ohio State 6.” Indiana lost 47-7.There were hundreds of losses in front of half-empty stadiums between then and now.But those days are over. The Hoosiers — yes, the Hoosiers — are national champions.“I know nobody thought it was possible,” Cignetti said. “It probably is one of the greatest sports stories of all time.”

🏈 Indiana completes undefeated season, wins national title, beating Miami in CFP final

DENVER (AP) — The Denver Broncos wrangled their biggest win in a decade from Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills but suffered an enormous loss in the process.

About an hour after second-year quarterback Bo Nix led the Broncos to a 33-30 win on Wil Lutz's 23-yard field goal in overtime Saturday, Denver coach Sean Payton returned to the postgame lectern to deliver the stunning news.

He said Nix broke his right ankle a few plays before Lutz's kick sent the top-seeded Broncos (15-3) to the AFC championship game against either New England or Houston.

Nix will have season-ending surgery Tuesday in Birmingham, Alabama.

“We celebrate the season for him," Payton said. “And listen, the city's ready and we'll be ready for the next challenge.”

Backup QB Jarrett Stidham takes over for Nix. He took just one snap this season, a kneel-down in a blowout win over Dallas in Week 8.

“Stiddy’s ready,” Payton declared. “He's ready. I said this at the beginning of the season I've got a 2 that's capable of starting for a number of teams. And I know he feels the same way. So, watch out."

Stidham has appeared in 20 games in six NFL seasons, starting four and winning one.

Nix got hurt on a keeper where he lost 2 yards and was tackled by safety Cole Bishop. Nix was limping after the play, but there was no indication that he suffered such a serious injury.

On the next play, Nix threw a deep pass to Marvin Mims Jr. that drew a 30-yard pass interference flag and got the Broncos well into field-goal range. Nix then took a knee to center the ball for Lutz’s game-ending field goal.

Nix tied Russell Wilson’s NFL record with two dozen victories in his first two seasons. Saturday’s victory was his first in the playoffs. The Broncos lost last year at Buffalo but Nix led Denver to the AFC’s top seed this season.

“He’s a tough cookie,” Payton said. “And this team all year has lost key players and will rise up for the next challenge.”

Before word of Nix's injury broke, Denver was jubilant over the Broncos' first playoff victory in a decade.

Denver's game-winning drive came after nickel back Ja'Quan McMillian intercepted Allen's deep pass in overtime.&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2012692527359651953">McMillian's pick</a>&nbsp;was Denver's fifth takeaway of the game after they were minus-3 in turnover differential during the season.

McMillian wrested the ball away from Brandin Cooks at the Broncos 20-yard line when a field goal would have won the game for Buffalo (13-6).

“He actually had the ball coming down and I had my hand on the ball,” McMillian said. “I was able to take it from him. I fell on top of him, just held the ball up, showed the fans some love.”

“I feel that way,” he said. "But at the end of the day, you don’t, you know, no matter, ultimately this is where we’re sitting now.”

Referee Carl Cheffers said in a pool report, “The receiver has to complete the process of a catch. He was going to the ground as part of the process of the catch and he lost possession of the ball when he hit the ground. The defender gained possession of it at that point. The defender is the one that completed the process of the catch, so the defender was awarded the ball.”

Cooks said he just has to make sure next time not to leave it in the "officials' hands.”

Nix said nothing about being hurt&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFLonCBS/status/2012696279042711683">during a postgame interview</a>&nbsp;with CBS, and he sounded as if he was looking forward to the next game.

“It’s great to have home-field advantage in a situation like this. It’s exciting. This is why you play the game, this is why you compete. You get to playoff football, and good things happen,” Nix said.

Former Broncos kicker Matt Prater nailed a 50-yard field goal with 5 seconds left in regulation, knotting it up at 30-all. That came after Nix's 26-yard touchdown throw to Mims with 55 seconds left had given Denver a 30-27 lead.

Allen, who hadn't turned the ball over in his previous six playoff appearances, threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles.

“I felt like I let my teammates down," a teary-eyed Allen said.

The Bills failed once again to reach the Super Bowl with Allen under center even though Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson weren’t standing in his way this time as that trio of franchise quarterbacks all missed the postseason party.

Coming off the first road playoff win of his career, Allen’s first three turnovers helped Denver built a 23-10 lead before he threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Keon Coleman and a 14-yarder to Dalton Kincaid to give Buffalo a 24-23 lead early in the fourth quarter.

The Broncos scored 10 points in the final 22 seconds of the first half to take a 20-10 lead into the locker room, and they got their third takeaway just two plays into the second half on Nik Bonitto’s strip-sack of Allen that was recovered by Malcolm Roach at the Bills 17, leading to a field goal.

Denver avenged a 31-7 loss at Buffalo in the playoffs last year.

“We weren't ready last year,” Payton said. “But we were ready today.”

Bills: LB Dorian Williams (neck) got hurt covering the opening kickoff and was taken to a hospital. ... DT Ed Oliver (knee) left in the third quarter.

Broncos: WR Pat Bryant sustained a concussion on Denver's initial drive after he caught three passes for 32 yards. ... WR Troy Franklin pulled a hamstring.

The Bills are left wondering what it'll take to get to the Super Bowl.

The Broncos host their first AFC championship game in a decade.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768728440275.png" alt="Photo Denver Broncos" />
 <figcaption>Photo Denver Broncos</figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — The Denver Broncos wrangled their biggest win in a decade from Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills but suffered an enormous loss in the process.About an hour after second-year quarterback Bo Nix led the Broncos to a 33-30 win on Wil Lutz's 23-yard field goal in overtime Saturday, Denver coach Sean Payton returned to the postgame lectern to deliver the stunning news.He said Nix broke his right ankle a few plays before Lutz's kick sent the top-seeded Broncos (15-3) to the AFC championship game against either New England or Houston.Nix will have season-ending surgery Tuesday in Birmingham, Alabama.“We celebrate the season for him," Payton said. “And listen, the city's ready and we'll be ready for the next challenge.”Backup QB Jarrett Stidham takes over for Nix. He took just one snap this season, a kneel-down in a blowout win over Dallas in Week 8.“Stiddy’s ready,” Payton declared. “He's ready. I said this at the beginning of the season I've got a 2 that's capable of starting for a number of teams. And I know he feels the same way. So, watch out."Stidham has appeared in 20 games in six NFL seasons, starting four and winning one.Nix got hurt on a keeper where he lost 2 yards and was tackled by safety Cole Bishop. Nix was limping after the play, but there was no indication that he suffered such a serious injury.On the next play, Nix threw a deep pass to Marvin Mims Jr. that drew a 30-yard pass interference flag and got the Broncos well into field-goal range. Nix then took a knee to center the ball for Lutz’s game-ending field goal.Nix tied Russell Wilson’s NFL record with two dozen victories in his first two seasons. Saturday’s victory was his first in the playoffs. The Broncos lost last year at Buffalo but Nix led Denver to the AFC’s top seed this season.“He’s a tough cookie,” Payton said. “And this team all year has lost key players and will rise up for the next challenge.”Before word of Nix's injury broke, Denver was jubilant over the Broncos' first playoff victory in a decade.Denver's game-winning drive came after nickel back Ja'Quan McMillian intercepted Allen's deep pass in overtime.&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2012692527359651953">McMillian's pick</a>&nbsp;was Denver's fifth takeaway of the game after they were minus-3 in turnover differential during the season.McMillian wrested the ball away from Brandin Cooks at the Broncos 20-yard line when a field goal would have won the game for Buffalo (13-6).“He actually had the ball coming down and I had my hand on the ball,” McMillian said. “I was able to take it from him. I fell on top of him, just held the ball up, showed the fans some love.”Cooks said he thought it was a catch.“I feel that way,” he said. "But at the end of the day, you don’t, you know, no matter, ultimately this is where we’re sitting now.”Referee Carl Cheffers said in a pool report, “The receiver has to complete the process of a catch. He was going to the ground as part of the process of the catch and he lost possession of the ball when he hit the ground. The defender gained possession of it at that point. The defender is the one that completed the process of the catch, so the defender was awarded the ball.”Cooks said he just has to make sure next time not to leave it in the "officials' hands.”Or McMillian's.Nix said nothing about being hurt&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFLonCBS/status/2012696279042711683">during a postgame interview</a>&nbsp;with CBS, and he sounded as if he was looking forward to the next game.“It’s great to have home-field advantage in a situation like this. It’s exciting. This is why you play the game, this is why you compete. You get to playoff football, and good things happen,” Nix said.Former Broncos kicker Matt Prater nailed a 50-yard field goal with 5 seconds left in regulation, knotting it up at 30-all. That came after Nix's 26-yard touchdown throw to Mims with 55 seconds left had given Denver a 30-27 lead.Allen, who hadn't turned the ball over in his previous six playoff appearances, threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles.“I felt like I let my teammates down," a teary-eyed Allen said.The Bills failed once again to reach the Super Bowl with Allen under center even though Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson weren’t standing in his way this time as that trio of franchise quarterbacks all missed the postseason party.Coming off the first road playoff win of his career, Allen’s first three turnovers helped Denver built a 23-10 lead before he threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Keon Coleman and a 14-yarder to Dalton Kincaid to give Buffalo a 24-23 lead early in the fourth quarter.<h2>Quick strikes</h2>The Broncos scored 10 points in the final 22 seconds of the first half to take a 20-10 lead into the locker room, and they got their third takeaway just two plays into the second half on Nik Bonitto’s strip-sack of Allen that was recovered by Malcolm Roach at the Bills 17, leading to a field goal.Denver avenged a 31-7 loss at Buffalo in the playoffs last year.“We weren't ready last year,” Payton said. “But we were ready today.”<h2>Injuri</h2><h2>es</h2>Bills: LB Dorian Williams (neck) got hurt covering the opening kickoff and was taken to a hospital. ... DT Ed Oliver (knee) left in the third quarter.Broncos: WR Pat Bryant sustained a concussion on Denver's initial drive after he caught three passes for 32 yards. ... WR Troy Franklin pulled a hamstring.<h2>Up next</h2>The Bills are left wondering what it'll take to get to the Super Bowl.The Broncos host their first AFC championship game in a decade.

🏈Broncos reach AFC title game with win over Bills, but lose Nix with ankle injury

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Anthony Roy scored 23 points, Vyctorius Miller was fouled on a corner 3-point shot with 2.8 seconds left and hit all three free throws and Oklahoma State beat Kansas State 84-83 on Saturday night.

Parsa Fallah had 17 points, nine rebounds and two steals for Oklahoma State and Kanye Clary had 12 points and six assists. Andrija Vukovic added 11 points on 5-of-5 shooting and Miller finished with nine points, seven rebounds and four assists.

The Cowboys (14-4, 2-3 Big 12) are 24-0 under coach second-year coach Steve Lutz when they score at least 81 points. The 53-year-old Lutz earned his 100th career win in four-plus seasons.

Kansas State (9-9) is 0-5 in conference play for the first time since the 1996-97 season.

PJ Haggerty scored 14 of his 21 points in the second half for the Wildcats and Abdi Bashir Jr. added 15, which included 5 3s. Khamari McGriff scored 14 points on 7-of-7 shooting before he fouled out with 6:02 remaining. Nate Johnson also scored 14.

Haggerty made a running floater that gave Kansas State a two-point lead with 49 seconds to play. Kanye Clary missed back-to-back 3-point shots but Miller secured OSU's second consecutive offensive rebound on a tie-up with 4.0 seconds remaining. Miller then caught the inbounds pass in the corner and was fouled.

Clary and Miller each hit a 3 as Oklahoma State scored eight of the first 11 second-half points to push its lead into double figures with 17:22 left in the game.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768728142293.png" alt="Photo K-State Athlatics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athlatics</figcaption>
 </figure>STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Anthony Roy scored 23 points, Vyctorius Miller was fouled on a corner 3-point shot with 2.8 seconds left and hit all three free throws and Oklahoma State beat Kansas State 84-83 on Saturday night.Parsa Fallah had 17 points, nine rebounds and two steals for Oklahoma State and Kanye Clary had 12 points and six assists. Andrija Vukovic added 11 points on 5-of-5 shooting and Miller finished with nine points, seven rebounds and four assists.The Cowboys (14-4, 2-3 Big 12) are 24-0 under coach second-year coach Steve Lutz when they score at least 81 points. The 53-year-old Lutz earned his 100th career win in four-plus seasons.Kansas State (9-9) is 0-5 in conference play for the first time since the 1996-97 season.PJ Haggerty scored 14 of his 21 points in the second half for the Wildcats and Abdi Bashir Jr. added 15, which included 5 3s. Khamari McGriff scored 14 points on 7-of-7 shooting before he fouled out with 6:02 remaining. Nate Johnson also scored 14.Haggerty made a running floater that gave Kansas State a two-point lead with 49 seconds to play. Kanye Clary missed back-to-back 3-point shots but Miller secured OSU's second consecutive offensive rebound on a tie-up with 4.0 seconds remaining. Miller then caught the inbounds pass in the corner and was fouled.Clary and Miller each hit a 3 as Oklahoma State scored eight of the first 11 second-half points to push its lead into double figures with 17:22 left in the game.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas State: Hosts Utah on Tuesday.Oklahoma State: Plays Tuesday at TCU.

🏀 Roy scores 23 as Oklahoma State beats Kansas State

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Freshman Darryn Peterson scored 26 points on 11-of-13 shooting, Flory Bidunga had 23 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks, and Kansas beat Baylor 80-62 on Friday night.

Kansas led by 15 points after opening the game on a 19-4 run, but the Bears rallied behind an 8-0 run to take their first lead at 37-36. The Jayhawks scored the final seven points of the half, capped by a stepback jumper by Peterson, who had 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting.

Bidunga threw down an alley-oop dunk while being fouled and he made the free throw to cap Kansas’ 15-3 run to begin the second half for a 58-40 lead. Baylor began the second half by making just 1 for 6 shots — after missing its final four field goals of the first half.

Kansas led by at least 14 points the rest of the way.

Peterson, averaging a team-high 21.8 points per game, has six games of 20 or more points for Kansas (13-5, 3-2 Big 12), which was coming off an 84-63 win against No. 2 Iowa State on Tuesday. The Jayhawks have shot above 50% from the field the past two games.

Cameron Carr led Baylor (11-6, 1-4) with 24 points and five 3-pointers. Tounde Yessoufou added three of Baylor's 11 3-pointers and 20 points.

It marked the first time since Dec. 10, 1966, that the two teams met while both were unranked in the AP poll.

The Jayhawks lead the all-time series with Baylor, 37-11, including 21-1 at Allen Fieldhouse

Baylor: Returns home to play No. 15 Texas Tech on Tuesday.

Kansas: Goes on the road to face Colorado on Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768619755528.png" alt="Photo Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Freshman Darryn Peterson scored 26 points on 11-of-13 shooting, Flory Bidunga had 23 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks, and Kansas beat Baylor 80-62 on Friday night.Kansas led by 15 points after opening the game on a 19-4 run, but the Bears rallied behind an 8-0 run to take their first lead at 37-36. The Jayhawks scored the final seven points of the half, capped by a stepback jumper by Peterson, who had 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting.Bidunga threw down an alley-oop dunk while being fouled and he made the free throw to cap Kansas’ 15-3 run to begin the second half for a 58-40 lead. Baylor began the second half by making just 1 for 6 shots — after missing its final four field goals of the first half.Kansas led by at least 14 points the rest of the way.Peterson, averaging a team-high 21.8 points per game, has six games of 20 or more points for Kansas (13-5, 3-2 Big 12), which was coming off an 84-63 win against No. 2 Iowa State on Tuesday. The Jayhawks have shot above 50% from the field the past two games.Cameron Carr led Baylor (11-6, 1-4) with 24 points and five 3-pointers. Tounde Yessoufou added three of Baylor's 11 3-pointers and 20 points.It marked the first time since Dec. 10, 1966, that the two teams met while both were unranked in the AP poll.The Jayhawks lead the all-time series with Baylor, 37-11, including 21-1 at Allen Fieldhouse<h2>Up next</h2>Baylor: Returns home to play No. 15 Texas Tech on Tuesday.Kansas: Goes on the road to face Colorado on Tuesday.

🏀 Peterson scores 26, Bidunga adds a double-double as KU tops Baylor

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Riley Kugel scored 19 points, Jamichael Stillwell added 18, and UCF weathered Kansas State's comeback bid to win 82-73 on Wednesday night.

The Knights (14-2, 3-1 Big 12) shot 53% from the field and 47% from beyond the arc. Themus Fulks had 13 points (6-for-11 shooting) and dished 12 assists for his fifth game with 10 or more assists this season. Devan Cambridge chipped in with 11 points on perfect 4-for-4 shooting.

UCF narrowly won the rebound battle, 35-34, paced by seven rebounds each from Kugel and Stillwell.

A 20-6 run near the midway point of the first half put UCF up by double-figures, and they led 42-28 at halftime.

K-State cut the lead to one point in the second half, but could not pull ahead in the frame. Their last lead came with 15:24 remaining in the first.

PJ Haggerty scored 23 points (9-for-18 shooting) for the Wildcats (9-8, 0-4), and Khamari McGriff added 15 points. Nate Johnson racked up 10 assists. K-State struggled from beyond the arc, converting on just six of their 30 3-point attempts.

UCF won their second straight game, after their 11-game winning streak was snapped by Oklahoma State on Jan. 6. Kansas State has dropped four straight contests after winning four straight to end their non-conference schedule.

Kansas State: visits Oklahoma State on Saturday.

UCF: hosts No. 1 Arizona on Saturday. ___&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768444381078.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Riley Kugel scored 19 points, Jamichael Stillwell added 18, and UCF weathered Kansas State's comeback bid to win 82-73 on Wednesday night.The Knights (14-2, 3-1 Big 12) shot 53% from the field and 47% from beyond the arc. Themus Fulks had 13 points (6-for-11 shooting) and dished 12 assists for his fifth game with 10 or more assists this season. Devan Cambridge chipped in with 11 points on perfect 4-for-4 shooting.UCF narrowly won the rebound battle, 35-34, paced by seven rebounds each from Kugel and Stillwell.A 20-6 run near the midway point of the first half put UCF up by double-figures, and they led 42-28 at halftime.K-State cut the lead to one point in the second half, but could not pull ahead in the frame. Their last lead came with 15:24 remaining in the first.PJ Haggerty scored 23 points (9-for-18 shooting) for the Wildcats (9-8, 0-4), and Khamari McGriff added 15 points. Nate Johnson racked up 10 assists. K-State struggled from beyond the arc, converting on just six of their 30 3-point attempts.UCF won their second straight game, after their 11-game winning streak was snapped by Oklahoma State on Jan. 6. Kansas State has dropped four straight contests after winning four straight to end their non-conference schedule.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas State: visits Oklahoma State on Saturday.UCF: hosts No. 1 Arizona on Saturday. ___&nbsp;

🏀Kugel's 19 points, Stillwell's 18 lift UCF over Kansas State 

MANHATTAN, Kan. –&nbsp;One of the most electrifying and dynamic players in the early 2000s, Kansas State's Terence Newman has been selected to the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame Induction Class of 2026.Newman is the seventh K-State player or coach to be selected to college football's highest honor and the fourth in the last 15 years. He joins former running back Darren Sproles (Class of 2021), linebackers Gary Spani (Class of 2002) and Mark Simoneau (Class of 2012), as well as coaches Lynn "Pappy" Waldorf (Class of 1966), Charles Bachman (Class of 1978) and Bill Snyder&nbsp;(Class of 2015).

The 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on December 8, 2026, at the Bellagio Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Once the 2026 Hall of Fame Class is officially inducted, only 1,129 players and 241 coaches will have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame from the nearly 5.86 million who have played or coached the game during the past 157 years. In other words, less than two one-hundredths of a percent (.02%)&nbsp;of the individuals who have played/coached the game have earned this distinction.

Regarded as one of the most dynamic football players in school history, Newman electrified fans playing for Snyder from 1999-2002 and followed his Wildcat days with a 15-plus-year career in the NFL.

A two-time All-Big 12 selection, Newman put together an unforgettable senior season in 2002, earning Consensus All-American honors as a cornerback and returner while also earning All-Big 12 First Team and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors. He also won the 2002 Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the nation’s top defensive back.

Newman, a K-State Ring of Honor and Athletics Hall of Fame member, was also a two-time All-American while competing for K-State Track &amp; Field, winning two Big 12 Championships with a school record 6.62 in the Indoor 60-meters and 10.20 in the Outdoor 100-meters, two marks that still stand.

In 2003, Newman became the second-highest draft pick in school history as the No. 5 overall selection in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys and earned two Pro Bowl selections during his career.

Joining Newman as players in the Class of 2026 are Jerry Azumah, RB (1995-98) – University of New Hampshire; Ki-Jana Carter, RB (1991-94) – Penn State University; Bruce Collie, OT (1981-84) – University of Texas at Arlington; George Cumby, LB (1976-79) – University of Oklahoma; Aaron Donald, DT (2010-13) – University of Pittsburgh; Marvin Harrison, KR/WR (1992-95) – Syracuse University; Garrison Hearst, RB (1990-92) – University of Georgia; Chris Hudson, DB (1991-94) – University of Colorado; Mark Ingram, RB (2008-10) – University of Alabama; Olin Kreutz, C (1995-97) – University of Washington; James Laurinaitis, LB (2005-08) – Ohio State University; Jordan Lynch, AP/QB (2010-13) – Northern Illinois University; Herman Moore, WR (1988-90) – University of Virginia; Bob Novogratz, OG (1957-58) – United States Military Academy; Ndamukong Suh, DT (2006-09) – University of Nebraska; Peter Warrick, WR (1996-99) – Florida State University; Eric Weddle, S (2003-06) – University of Utah.

Coaches being inducted include Jim Margraff – Johns Hopkins University [MD] (1990-2018); Gary Patterson - Texas Christian University (2000-21); Chris Petersen – Boise State University (2006-13); University of Washington (2014-19).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768426882173.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>KENNY LANNOUMANHATTAN, Kan. –&nbsp;One of the most electrifying and dynamic players in the early 2000s, Kansas State's Terence Newman has been selected to the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame Induction Class of 2026.Newman is the seventh K-State player or coach to be selected to college football's highest honor and the fourth in the last 15 years. He joins former running back Darren Sproles (Class of 2021), linebackers Gary Spani (Class of 2002) and Mark Simoneau (Class of 2012), as well as coaches Lynn "Pappy" Waldorf (Class of 1966), Charles Bachman (Class of 1978) and Bill Snyder&nbsp;(Class of 2015).The 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on December 8, 2026, at the Bellagio Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.Once the 2026 Hall of Fame Class is officially inducted, only 1,129 players and 241 coaches will have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame from the nearly 5.86 million who have played or coached the game during the past 157 years. In other words, less than two one-hundredths of a percent (.02%)&nbsp;of the individuals who have played/coached the game have earned this distinction.Regarded as one of the most dynamic football players in school history, Newman electrified fans playing for Snyder from 1999-2002 and followed his Wildcat days with a 15-plus-year career in the NFL.A two-time All-Big 12 selection, Newman put together an unforgettable senior season in 2002, earning Consensus All-American honors as a cornerback and returner while also earning All-Big 12 First Team and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors. He also won the 2002 Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the nation’s top defensive back.Newman, a K-State Ring of Honor and Athletics Hall of Fame member, was also a two-time All-American while competing for K-State Track &amp; Field, winning two Big 12 Championships with a school record 6.62 in the Indoor 60-meters and 10.20 in the Outdoor 100-meters, two marks that still stand.In 2003, Newman became the second-highest draft pick in school history as the No. 5 overall selection in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys and earned two Pro Bowl selections during his career.Joining Newman as players in the Class of 2026 are Jerry Azumah, RB (1995-98) – University of New Hampshire; Ki-Jana Carter, RB (1991-94) – Penn State University; Bruce Collie, OT (1981-84) – University of Texas at Arlington; George Cumby, LB (1976-79) – University of Oklahoma; Aaron Donald, DT (2010-13) – University of Pittsburgh; Marvin Harrison, KR/WR (1992-95) – Syracuse University; Garrison Hearst, RB (1990-92) – University of Georgia; Chris Hudson, DB (1991-94) – University of Colorado; Mark Ingram, RB (2008-10) – University of Alabama; Olin Kreutz, C (1995-97) – University of Washington; James Laurinaitis, LB (2005-08) – Ohio State University; Jordan Lynch, AP/QB (2010-13) – Northern Illinois University; Herman Moore, WR (1988-90) – University of Virginia; Bob Novogratz, OG (1957-58) – United States Military Academy; Ndamukong Suh, DT (2006-09) – University of Nebraska; Peter Warrick, WR (1996-99) – Florida State University; Eric Weddle, S (2003-06) – University of Utah.Coaches being inducted include Jim Margraff – Johns Hopkins University [MD] (1990-2018); Gary Patterson - Texas Christian University (2000-21); Chris Petersen – Boise State University (2006-13); University of Washington (2014-19).

 Terence Newman Elected to College Football Hall of Fame

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas finally showed what it could do with a healthy Darryn Peterson and a regular rotation Tuesday night.

The timing couldn't have been worse for second-ranked Iowa State.

After falling from the AP Top 25 following a second loss in their first three Big 12 games, the Jayhawks roared away from the stunned Cyclones the moment the ball was thrown up. Tre White hit four early 3-pointers and went on to score 19 points, Peterson contributed 16 before more cramping issues, and Kansas coasted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-state-cyclones-kansas-jayhawks-96bf5daca216794e231c8435598e5dc0">an 84-63 victory</a>&nbsp;over previously unbeaten Iowa State.

“This is more what I envisioned,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “We've got an elite player — we got an elite scorer — and even tonight, when (Peterson) went to get his own, he can do some things other guys can't do. But the thing is the other guys are good players. We don't need to defer to him. I don't know that we've found that balance yet. But tonight was the closest thing to it.”

Melvin Council Jr. added 15 points and Flory Bidunga had 10 for the Jayhawks (12-5, 2-2 Big 12), who led by 26 in the first half, had that advantage trimmed to 11 midway through the second, then answered with a 10-0 run to put the game away.

It was the kind of performance that college basketball fans have become accustomed to seeing from the Jayhawks over the years.

Much more familiar than recent losses to unranked UCF and West Virginia.

“They were extremely well-prepared, well-coached, like we knew they would be,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “Extremely urgent (for Kansas) to come out and play with a tremendous spirit, which they did, so credit to them.

“That was an absolute beat-down,” Otzelberger added, “in their favor, unfortunately.”

There are a multitude of reasons for a stumbling start to the season, which had the Jayhawks in danger of their first 1-3 start to league play since the 1987-88 season. But the biggest may have been the cramping problems that had kept Peterson off the court for long stretches and kept the Jayhawks from getting into a rhythm even when he was available.

He was still massaging his calf on the bench Tuesday night, and at one point, Peterson grabbed it after going high for a dunk. But Self said the issue wasn't as serious as earlier in the year: “It was more of, ‘I’m not quite whole right now.'”

“Feeling better. It's coming back slowly to me,” Peterson said. “I was out for a while but every game is getting better. This was a great win, especially coming off the loss to West Virginia. We knew we had to come out and get a win.”

The Jayhawks clearly felt a sense of urgency. They even had a players-only meeting — Self insisted he knew nothing about it — during which they talked about their goals for the season and what it would take to get back on track.

“Just kind of reiterating the key things that we want to identify ourselves as this year,” White said, “and just internal conversations that made us more focused on what we want to do. It definitely made us more connected.”

It was evident from the opening minutes, when Kansas opened with an 11-3 run to get the crowd into the game.

By the 7-minute mark, the lead had grown to 31-14, and Otzelberger had wasted two timeouts trying to get things under control.

Kansas pushed the lead to 26 points before Iowa State mounted its only real comeback, stringing together some stops and getting some buckets to go on each side of halftime. But eventually, the Jayhawks found their stride again, and they quickly pushed the lead back over 20 points before emptying the bench in the final minutes.

What made the performance particularly impressive was the opposition: Iowa State was off to a 16-0 start, including a 23-point road win over then-No. 1 Purdue, and the Cyclones were one of two teams receiving No. 1 votes in the AP Top 25 this week.

“We looked a little spooked and panicked, and the moment got to us,” Otzelberger said. “We know how well prepared they were going to be. We know how competitive they're going to be. We know how much confidence they have, especially in this building. You can tell they've been on the practice court working, and getting ready, and they did a tremendous job.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768388197811.png" alt="Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas finally showed what it could do with a healthy Darryn Peterson and a regular rotation Tuesday night.The timing couldn't have been worse for second-ranked Iowa State.After falling from the AP Top 25 following a second loss in their first three Big 12 games, the Jayhawks roared away from the stunned Cyclones the moment the ball was thrown up. Tre White hit four early 3-pointers and went on to score 19 points, Peterson contributed 16 before more cramping issues, and Kansas coasted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-state-cyclones-kansas-jayhawks-96bf5daca216794e231c8435598e5dc0">an 84-63 victory</a>&nbsp;over previously unbeaten Iowa State.“This is more what I envisioned,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “We've got an elite player — we got an elite scorer — and even tonight, when (Peterson) went to get his own, he can do some things other guys can't do. But the thing is the other guys are good players. We don't need to defer to him. I don't know that we've found that balance yet. But tonight was the closest thing to it.”Melvin Council Jr. added 15 points and Flory Bidunga had 10 for the Jayhawks (12-5, 2-2 Big 12), who led by 26 in the first half, had that advantage trimmed to 11 midway through the second, then answered with a 10-0 run to put the game away.It was the kind of performance that college basketball fans have become accustomed to seeing from the Jayhawks over the years.Much more familiar than recent losses to unranked UCF and West Virginia.“They were extremely well-prepared, well-coached, like we knew they would be,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “Extremely urgent (for Kansas) to come out and play with a tremendous spirit, which they did, so credit to them.“That was an absolute beat-down,” Otzelberger added, “in their favor, unfortunately.”There are a multitude of reasons for a stumbling start to the season, which had the Jayhawks in danger of their first 1-3 start to league play since the 1987-88 season. But the biggest may have been the cramping problems that had kept Peterson off the court for long stretches and kept the Jayhawks from getting into a rhythm even when he was available.He was still massaging his calf on the bench Tuesday night, and at one point, Peterson grabbed it after going high for a dunk. But Self said the issue wasn't as serious as earlier in the year: “It was more of, ‘I’m not quite whole right now.'”“Feeling better. It's coming back slowly to me,” Peterson said. “I was out for a while but every game is getting better. This was a great win, especially coming off the loss to West Virginia. We knew we had to come out and get a win.”The Jayhawks clearly felt a sense of urgency. They even had a players-only meeting — Self insisted he knew nothing about it — during which they talked about their goals for the season and what it would take to get back on track.“Just kind of reiterating the key things that we want to identify ourselves as this year,” White said, “and just internal conversations that made us more focused on what we want to do. It definitely made us more connected.”It was evident from the opening minutes, when Kansas opened with an 11-3 run to get the crowd into the game.By the 7-minute mark, the lead had grown to 31-14, and Otzelberger had wasted two timeouts trying to get things under control.Kansas pushed the lead to 26 points before Iowa State mounted its only real comeback, stringing together some stops and getting some buckets to go on each side of halftime. But eventually, the Jayhawks found their stride again, and they quickly pushed the lead back over 20 points before emptying the bench in the final minutes.What made the performance particularly impressive was the opposition: Iowa State was off to a 16-0 start, including a 23-point road win over then-No. 1 Purdue, and the Cyclones were one of two teams receiving No. 1 votes in the AP Top 25 this week.“We looked a little spooked and panicked, and the moment got to us,” Otzelberger said. “We know how well prepared they were going to be. We know how competitive they're going to be. We know how much confidence they have, especially in this building. You can tell they've been on the practice court working, and getting ready, and they did a tremendous job.”___

🏀 Peterson and KU crush previously unbeaten Iowa State

Both Manhattan High boys and girls teams traveled to Junction City for the rivalry game. It is the first of two meetings this season. Manhattan swept Junction City on Tuesday night. The girls game was a blowout, while the boys game was a nail-biter.

Girls recap – Manhattan 66, Junction City 31.

In the girls game, Manhattan won the opening tip and scored first, and never looked back. The Lady Indians cruised to victory, winning 66-31 over the Junction City Lady Jays. JCHS kept it close for most of the first quarter, trailing 20-7 after one.

Then, Manhattan junior post player Jelena Depusoir took over for the Lady Indians. She finished the game with 25 points, all of them coming either at the free throw line or within two feet of the basket, just running up and down the floor. Manhattan led 41-16 at halftime and ultimately cruised to the 66-31 victory inside the Blue Jay Event Center.

For Junction City, Laniyah Warmack and Isabel Pruitt both had seven points to lead the Lady Jays.

With the win, MHS improves to 7-2 and will now take on Topeka Hayden on Friday night. For JC, they fall to 1-7 and will host Topeka High on Friday night.

Boys recap – Manhattan 49, Junction City 48

The first quarter featured mainly two players. For Manhattan, it was Sawyer Newton, who had eight of the 11 first-quarter points. For Junction City, it was point guard Lovell Autry, who had another stellar game. At the end of the first quarter, Manhattan led 11-7. Second-quarter action continued the great defensive play, with neither team getting settled into their half-court offenses and neither team’s big guys having success inside. Manhattan led 19-17 at the break.

In the third quarter, JC was finally able to break through and explode on a scoring spree. The Blue Jays turned defense into offense, and two big three-point makes by junior Khaliel Walker gave Junction City a 36-30 lead at the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth, Manhattan wasted no time responding. They quickly tied the game at 38, thanks to big man Easton Duff, who came alive in the fourth quarter. Duff and guard Vince Doering both hit clutch shot after clutch shot for MHS to give them a 47-46 lead with less than a minute to go. Junction City’s Lovell Autry kept the Blue Jays in the game.

The final 30 seconds were very interesting, to say the least. A five-second call on Autry, and then a made free throw put MHS on top 48-46 with 10.8 seconds to go. JC had the ball, but Asher Newton stole it away for Manhattan. Newton was fouled by JC's Khaliel Walker and then Newton assessed a technical foul. Newton shot two free throws for the common foul and made one of two. Lovell Autry shot both free throws for JC and hit both. The Indians led 49-48 with 2.9 seconds to go. Due to the technical foul, JC got the ball in the front court on the sideline. Autry tried throwing a lob, but it was too long and ricocheted off the backboard, and Manhattan won 49-48 in JC.

Manhattan had three players in double digits. Duff finished with 13, while Doering and Sawyer Newton both finished with 12. For Junction City, Lovell Autry finished with a game-high 25 points.

Manhattan improved to 8-1, while Junction City falls to 4-4.

By Anthony GorgesJC/Little Apple PostBoth Manhattan High boys and girls teams traveled to Junction City for the rivalry game. It is the first of two meetings this season. Manhattan swept Junction City on Tuesday night. The girls game was a blowout, while the boys game was a nail-biter.Girls recap – Manhattan 66, Junction City 31.In the girls game, Manhattan won the opening tip and scored first, and never looked back. The Lady Indians cruised to victory, winning 66-31 over the Junction City Lady Jays. JCHS kept it close for most of the first quarter, trailing 20-7 after one.Then, Manhattan junior post player Jelena Depusoir took over for the Lady Indians. She finished the game with 25 points, all of them coming either at the free throw line or within two feet of the basket, just running up and down the floor. Manhattan led 41-16 at halftime and ultimately cruised to the 66-31 victory inside the Blue Jay Event Center.For Junction City, Laniyah Warmack and Isabel Pruitt both had seven points to lead the Lady Jays.With the win, MHS improves to 7-2 and will now take on Topeka Hayden on Friday night. For JC, they fall to 1-7 and will host Topeka High on Friday night.Boys recap – Manhattan 49, Junction City 48The first quarter featured mainly two players. For Manhattan, it was Sawyer Newton, who had eight of the 11 first-quarter points. For Junction City, it was point guard Lovell Autry, who had another stellar game. At the end of the first quarter, Manhattan led 11-7. Second-quarter action continued the great defensive play, with neither team getting settled into their half-court offenses and neither team’s big guys having success inside. Manhattan led 19-17 at the break.In the third quarter, JC was finally able to break through and explode on a scoring spree. The Blue Jays turned defense into offense, and two big three-point makes by junior Khaliel Walker gave Junction City a 36-30 lead at the end of the third quarter.In the fourth, Manhattan wasted no time responding. They quickly tied the game at 38, thanks to big man Easton Duff, who came alive in the fourth quarter. Duff and guard Vince Doering both hit clutch shot after clutch shot for MHS to give them a 47-46 lead with less than a minute to go. Junction City’s Lovell Autry kept the Blue Jays in the game.The final 30 seconds were very interesting, to say the least. A five-second call on Autry, and then a made free throw put MHS on top 48-46 with 10.8 seconds to go. JC had the ball, but Asher Newton stole it away for Manhattan. Newton was fouled by JC's Khaliel Walker and then Newton assessed a technical foul. Newton shot two free throws for the common foul and made one of two. Lovell Autry shot both free throws for JC and hit both. The Indians led 49-48 with 2.9 seconds to go. Due to the technical foul, JC got the ball in the front court on the sideline. Autry tried throwing a lob, but it was too long and ricocheted off the backboard, and Manhattan won 49-48 in JC.Manhattan had three players in double digits. Duff finished with 13, while Doering and Sawyer Newton both finished with 12. For Junction City, Lovell Autry finished with a game-high 25 points.Manhattan improved to 8-1, while Junction City falls to 4-4.

🏀 Manhattan sweeps Junction City on the hardwood Tuesday night

Rivalry game tonight in Junction City! Manhattan High boys and girls visit Blue Jay Event Center for their second Centennial League game of the year.&nbsp;Girls tip-off at 6:00 p.m., and the boys to follow at 7:30 p.m.&nbsp;

You can hear both games on 107.9 FM / 1420 AM KJCK Radio. Or by <a href="https://streamdb9web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/KJCKAM">clicking here.&nbsp;</a>

Girls game - Manhattan (6-2) at Junction City (1-7). Watch the game <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/z6B3t3kXY8E?si=xMbY3cAfWCHtRI0h">by clicking here.</a> Livestream provided by BlueJayMedia.&nbsp;

Boys game - Manhattan (7-1) at Junction City (4-3). Watch the game <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/MeJs-fG4Rx8?si=xJZ-t0MgxxmauJxQ">by clicking here.</a>&nbsp;Livestream provided by BlueJayMedia.

Rivalry game tonight in Junction City! Manhattan High boys and girls visit Blue Jay Event Center for their second Centennial League game of the year.&nbsp;Girls tip-off at 6:00 p.m., and the boys to follow at 7:30 p.m.&nbsp;You can hear both games on 107.9 FM / 1420 AM KJCK Radio. Or by <a href="https://streamdb9web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/KJCKAM">clicking here.&nbsp;</a>Girls game - Manhattan (6-2) at Junction City (1-7). Watch the game <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/z6B3t3kXY8E?si=xMbY3cAfWCHtRI0h">by clicking here.</a> Livestream provided by BlueJayMedia.&nbsp;Boys game - Manhattan (7-1) at Junction City (4-3). Watch the game <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/MeJs-fG4Rx8?si=xJZ-t0MgxxmauJxQ">by clicking here.</a>&nbsp;Livestream provided by BlueJayMedia.

🏀 WATCH/LISTEN LIVE: Junction City hosting Manhattan High tonight

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals announced today Kauffman Stadium’s outfield wall is being moved in for the 2026 season.

This change will likely create more home runs (and robbed home runs), more extra-base hits, and more exciting action on the field – while bringing fans closer to seeing it. The decision was made by Baseball Operations for competitive reasons, including to bring The K more in line with other Major League ballparks.

Work on the project has begun, and will be complete ahead of the Royals home opener vs the Twins on Monday, March 30.

“We’ve discussed this possibility for years, and after much work by our Research &amp; Development department, believe this will be a positive change for our baseball team,” Royals Executive Vice President and General Manager J.J. Picollo said. “We wanted more consistency throughout the season, while making sure the specifics put us in the best position to succeed.”

The wall will come in 8 to 10 feet starting near each foul pole – the gaps will go from 387 feet to 379 – and taper back toward centerfield, which will remain 410 feet. The height of the wall will also change, from 10 feet tall in most places to 8 ½ feet. About 150 seats will be added in left field and about 80 new drinkrail seats in right.

The club’s research estimates the changes will take the run value of fly balls at The K from the bottom third of MLB ballparks to the middle, primarily through more extra-base hits.

Over the last three seasons, these specific changes would have benefitted the Royals overall, even accounting for more extra-base hits by opponents.

“Making this a fairer ballpark will help with roster construction, but more importantly will allow our players to keep the same approach regardless of where we play,” Royals Vice President – Research &amp; Development/Assistant GM Dr. Daniel Mack said. “Our approach was carefully considered to account for as many factors as possible. We believe this will ultimately reduce the constraints within Kauffman Stadium.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768320255230.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas City RoyalsKANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals announced today Kauffman Stadium’s outfield wall is being moved in for the 2026 season.This change will likely create more home runs (and robbed home runs), more extra-base hits, and more exciting action on the field – while bringing fans closer to seeing it. The decision was made by Baseball Operations for competitive reasons, including to bring The K more in line with other Major League ballparks.Work on the project has begun, and will be complete ahead of the Royals home opener vs the Twins on Monday, March 30.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768320463164.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>“We’ve discussed this possibility for years, and after much work by our Research &amp; Development department, believe this will be a positive change for our baseball team,” Royals Executive Vice President and General Manager J.J. Picollo said. “We wanted more consistency throughout the season, while making sure the specifics put us in the best position to succeed.”The wall will come in 8 to 10 feet starting near each foul pole – the gaps will go from 387 feet to 379 – and taper back toward centerfield, which will remain 410 feet. The height of the wall will also change, from 10 feet tall in most places to 8 ½ feet. About 150 seats will be added in left field and about 80 new drinkrail seats in right.The club’s research estimates the changes will take the run value of fly balls at The K from the bottom third of MLB ballparks to the middle, primarily through more extra-base hits.Over the last three seasons, these specific changes would have benefitted the Royals overall, even accounting for more extra-base hits by opponents.“Making this a fairer ballpark will help with roster construction, but more importantly will allow our players to keep the same approach regardless of where we play,” Royals Vice President – Research &amp; Development/Assistant GM Dr. Daniel Mack said. “Our approach was carefully considered to account for as many factors as possible. We believe this will ultimately reduce the constraints within Kauffman Stadium.”

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