Here are the AP’s top sports stories that have moved or are planned to move today. All times U.S. Eastern. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit AP Newsroom’s Coverage Plan. Sports content can be found at http://newsroom.ap.org/page/APSports.

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UPCOMING

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SOC--WCUP DRAW-HEAT FACTOR

DESCRIPTION: The World Cup draw was held with a wintry backdrop but when play begins in June, heat will be a topic of conversation. FIFA announces game times and sites Saturday. By Noah Trister. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos.

UPCOMING: By 12/06/2025 2:00 p.m. EST

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FBC--T25-BYU-TEXAS TECH

DESCRIPTION: ARLINGTON, Texas — No. 11 BYU has to win the Big 12 championship game to get two league teams in the College Football Playoff. No. 4 Texas Tech is a virtual lock no matter what happens. By Stephen Hawkins. UPCOMING: 600 words, more on merit, photos. Game scheduled to start at noon EST.

SENT: By 12/06/2025 3:45 p.m. EST

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BKC--T25-DUKE-MICHIGAN STATE

DESCRIPTION: EAST LANSING, Mich. — No. 4 Duke plays No. 7 Michigan State at Jack Breslin Students Events Center. UPCOMING: 300 words, more on merit. Game scheduled to start at noon EST.

UPCOMING: By 12/06/2025 2:30 p.m. EST, Text

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BKC--T25-LOUISVILLE-INDIANA

DESCRIPTION: INDIANAPOLIS -- No. 22 Indiana opens one of the biggest days in Hoosiers history when it plays No. 6 Louisville on Saturday. The two national-championship winning programs have slowly been ascending the rankings this season. The game will be played just a short walk away and a few hours before the No. 2 Indiana football faces No. 1 Ohio State for the Big Ten football title. UPCOMING: 300 words, more on merit, with photos. Game scheduled to start 2 p.m. EST.

UPCOMING: By 12/06/2025 4:30 p.m. EST, Text

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SOC--MLS CUP

DESCRIPTION: FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Lionel Messi and Inter Miami take on Thomas Muller and the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday afternoon for the MLS Cup. Both sides are trying to win their first MLS title. By Tim Reynolds. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. Sidebars as warranted. Game scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. EST.

UPCOMING: By 12/06/2025 5:00 p.m. EST, Photo, Text

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GLF--WORLD CHALLENGE

DESCRIPTION: NASSAU, Bahamas -- U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun is part of a five-way tie for the lead at the Hero World Challenge, with Scottie Scheffler one shot behind in pursuit of his third straight victory in the Bahamas. Upcoming: 500 words, photos.

UPCOMING: By 12/06/2025 7:00 p.m. EST, Photo, Text

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FBC--T25-GEORGIA-ALABAMA

DESCRIPTION: ATLANTA -- No. 3 Georgia will and No. 10 Alabama will continue their rivalry when they play in the Southeastern Conference championship game on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Alabama is 7-1 against Georgia with Kirby Smart as the Bulldogs’ coach, including a win earlier this season in Athens. By Charles Odum. UPCOPMING: 600 words, more on merit, photos. Game scheduled to start at 4 p.m. EST.

UPCOMING: By 12/06/2025 7:45 p.m. EST, Text, DigitalPlans

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BKC--T25-MISSISSIPPI-ST JOHN’S

DESCRIPTION: NEW YORK -- After falling nine spots in this week’s AP Top 25 poll, No. 23 St. John’s (4-3) tries to get back on track against Mississippi (5-3) at Madison Square Garden. Rick Pitino’s team is 0-2 versus Southeastern Conference opponents this season. Ole Miss has dropped three straight overall. By Mike Fitzpatrick. UPCOMING: 300 words, photos. Game scheduled to start at 8 p.m. EST.

UPCOMING: By 12/06/2025 10:30 p.m. EST, Text

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FBC--T25-INDIANA-OHIO STATE

DESCRIPTION: INDIANAPOLIS -- No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana put their unbeaten records on the line Saturday when they play for the Big Ten championship. The Buckeyes are trying to extend the nation’s longest active winning streak to 17 as they chase their first conference crown since 2020. The Hoosiers will try to win their first league title since 1967 by extending their single season school record victory total to 13. By Michael Marot. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. Game scheduled to start at 8 p.m. EST.

UPCOMING: By 12/06/2025 11:40 p.m. EST, Text, DigitalPlans

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FBC--T25-DUKE-VIRGINIA

DESCRIPTION: CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Duke plays No. 17 Virginia at Bank of America Stadium in the ACC championship game. Both teams are looking for their first win in an ACC championship game but the bigger question is whether one of these teams will make the College Football Playoff. By Steve Reed. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. Game scheduled to start at 8 p.m. EST.

UPCOMING: By 12/06/2025 11:40 p.m. EST, Text, DigitalPlans

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MMA--UFC 323

DESCRIPTION: LAS VEGAS — Merab Dvalishvili defends his bantamweight title against Petr Yan at UFC 323. By W.G. Ramirez. UPCOMING: 500 words, photos. Main card scheduled to start at 10 p.m. EST.

UPCOMING: By 12/06/2025 11:59 p.m. EST, Photo, Text

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BKC--T25-AUBURN-ARIZONA

DESCRIPTION: TUCSON, Ariz. — No. 2 Arizona faces its latest high-level test when No. 20 Auburn visits McKale Center. By Basketball Writer John Marshall. UPCOMING: 300 words, photos. Game scheduled to start at 10 p.m. EST.

UPCOMING: By 12/06/2025 11:59 p.m. EST, Text

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NEW AND DEVELOPING

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SOC--ENGLISH ROUNDUP

Arsenal stunned late by Aston Villa and Man City closes gap at the top to 2 points

SUMMARY: The Premier League title race has been blown open after Arsenal conceded in stoppage time and lost at Aston Villa 2-1. Emiliano Buendia struck at the death and stunned first-placed Arsenal. That has allowed second-placed Manchester City to close the gap at the top to two points after beating Sunderland 3-0. Villa is a point further back in third. Chelsea could not take advantage. It dropped points for the third game in a row in a 0-0 draw at Bournemouth.

WORDS: 699 - MOVED: 12/06/2025 1:30 p.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:4ca4c8945aec72ac71da5ec83bf517eb&mediaType=text

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FBC--T25-BIG 12-YORMARK

Big 12’s Brett Yormark says college athletics needs legislation that’s stalled in Congress

SUMMARY: Big 12 Commission Brett Yormark says legislation currently stalled in Congress is needed to regulate college athletics and put a stop to what he essentially calls uncapped spending for name, image and likeness in football. Yormark was speaking before the Big 12 championship game. Congress was on track to vote on the SCORE Act before the effort failed for now in the U.S. House of Representatives. Yormark says he supports revenue sharing but not unregulated spending on players.

WORDS: 668 - MOVED: 12/06/2025 1:23 p.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:409bdf670c30a35065411513b2687096&mediaType=text

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FBC--CFP LOOKAHEAD

Playoff posturing: James Madison roots for Duke, Alabama looks to take care of business

SUMMARY: The James Madison Dukes are rooting for Duke. Tulane is riding a wave straight into the bigtime. Alabama needs to take care of business. Notre Dame and Miami can only sit back, wait and hope. Saturday’s slate of conference title games will set the stage for the last debate among members of the College Football Playoff selection committee, who will release the bracket for the 12-team tournament Sunday.

WORDS: 995 - MOVED: 12/06/2025 11:10 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:57eb76f0431aa7d97aa99bc6ac530cb3&mediaType=text

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CAR--F1-ABU DHABI GP

Verstappen takes pole position for F1 title-deciding Abu Dhabi GP ahead of Norris and Piastri

SUMMARY: Max Verstappen took a brilliant pole position for the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ahead of Formula 1 title rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The thrilling three-way battle will be decided on Sunday at the Yas Marina Circuit. The McLaren driver Norris is 12 points ahead of Red Bull’s Verstappen and 16 ahead of McLaren teammate Piastri. Verstappen is aiming for his fifth straight F1 title — Norris and Piastri are chasing their first. All three drivers have won seven races. Pole position is crucial in Abu Dhabi, with every driver winning from pole since 2015.

WORDS: 785 - MOVED: 12/06/2025 10:57 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:8c9245368f52eb35d9b68a65b4ce660b&mediaType=text

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OLY--MILAN CORTINA-TICKET SALES

Nearly half the tickets for Milan Cortina Olympics still unsold with 2 months to go

SUMMARY: Construction on the main hockey arena is still not finished. Spectator and media areas at the controversial sliding venue also need to be completed. And with exactly two months to go to the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics there is another major area that local organizers are concentrating on. Only slightly more than half of the 1.5 million tickets for the games have been sold. As the torch relay began in Rome just over 850,000 tickets had been sold. Interest among Italians remains low. Local organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier tells The Associated Press “that’s normal” and that “local fans get interested closer” to the games and the torch relay should help raise interest.

WORDS: 552 - MOVED: 12/06/2025 8:03 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:f7b7b5715f4992eb1604f5f1c6715932&mediaType=text

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SOC--WCUP-US PATH

Tyler Adams sets bold goal of farthest US World Cup advancement

SUMMARY: Tyler Adams has set a bold goal for the U.S. soccer team, aiming to reach the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 1930. The U.S. team, ranked 14th, will start Group D against Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California. The Americans will then face Australia in Seattle six days later and conclude group play on June 25 against the winner of playoffs among Turkey, Slovakia, Romania and Kosovo. Defender Tim Ream emphasizes the team’s desire to win the World Cup. Coach Mauricio Pochettino highlights the importance of choosing the right players to build a strong team.

WORDS: 618 - MOVED: 12/06/2025 6:00 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:2cbeb673a2ebea468df498afa9bcef99&mediaType=text

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OLY--MILAN CORTINA-TORCH RELAY

Summer Olympians begin torch relay for Milan Cortina Winter Games on 2-month countdown

SUMMARY: Olympic swimming champion Gregorio Paltrinieri started off the torch relay for the Milan Cortina Winter Games on Saturday marking exactly two months before the Feb. 6 opening ceremony. Paltrinieri carried the torch around the track of the statue-lined Stadio dei Marmi at the Foro Italico to begin a trek covering 12,000 kilometers that will wind its way through Italy before reaching Milan’s San Siro Stadium for the opening ceremony. In all, there will be 10,001 torch bearers. Also due to carry the torch Saturday were tennis player Matteo Berrettini, retired NBA player Andrea Bargnani and former motorcycle racer Max Biaggi.

WORDS: 551 - MOVED: 12/06/2025 5:59 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:548f7d1255a62f6c763708e27e9080ce&mediaType=text

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GLF--AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Banana peel moment! A slippery slope for McIlroy during his 3rd round at the Australian Open

SUMMARY: Rory McIlroy has survived a bizarre encounter with a banana peel lodged in a tree to shoot a 3-under 68 at the Australian Open. His 54-hole score of 5-under 208 Saturday left him nine strokes behind the leader at Royal Melbourne. On the par-4 second hole, McIlroy missed the fairway right and his ball ended up under a small tree and under a banana peel. McIlroy tried in vain to hit his club through the banana skin to hit his ball back on to the fairway. But it only traveled about 30 feet and he ended up making a double-bogey six.

WORDS: 564 - MOVED: 12/06/2025 3:24 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:d5ed744370aa027c703f4437b6868fcf&mediaType=text

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MOVING TOMORROW

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FBC--COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

AP coverage of the College Football Playoff bracket release at noon Eastern.

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FBN--BENGALS-BILLS

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills (8-4) seek to continue from a dominating win over Pittsburgh in hosting Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals (4-8) on Sunday. The Bengals are counting on a late-season surge in the race for the AFC North title. By John Wawrow. Game starts at 1 p.m.

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CAR--F1-ABU DHABI GP

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — The Formula 1 title will be decided as contenders Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri face off in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

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