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AP Sports Digest

Posted 1/26/26

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. …

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AP Sports Digest

Posted

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.

For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, including agate, contact AP Customer Support at apcustomersupport@ap.org or 877-836-9477.

The New York sports desk can be reached at 800-845-8450, ext. 1630. Sports photos, ext. 1918; graphics, ext. 7636.

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UPCOMING

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FBN--ON FOOTBALL-DARNOLD

DESCRIPTION: Sam Darnold is heading to a Super Bowl before Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and the rest of his Class of 2018 quarterbacks. On his fifth team in his eighth season, Darnold led the Seahawks to 14 wins in the regular season and played his best game in the NFC championship. By Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi.

UPCOMING: By 01/26/2026 4:00 p.m. EST, Text

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CAR--IMSA-IN THE PITS

DESCRIPTION: DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The Porsche Penske Motorsports program was one of the few bright spots in 2025 for Team Penske, which had a rough IndyCar season and saw its three-year run as NASCAR champions snapped. So it was only fitting that the sports car team opened Roger Penske’s 60th anniversary as a team owner with another win -- a rare three-peat in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. By AP Auto Racing Writer Jenna Fryer.

UPCOMING: By 01/26/2026 4:00 p.m. EST, Text

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SOC--ENGLISH ROUNDUP

DESCRIPTION: Everton hosts Leeds in the Premier League. 200 words, photos.

UPCOMING: By 01/26/2026 5:00 p.m. EST, Text, Photo

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FBN--PATRIOTS ANALYSIS

DESCRIPTION: There’s something about playoff games in the snow and second-year Patriots quarterbacks. In the 2001 season Tom Brady benefitted from the “tuck rule” in leading New England to a divisional round victory over the Oakland Raiders in the snow on the way winning the franchise’s first Super Bowl. And Sunday, Drake Maye ran in the Patriots’ only touchdown in their 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos in snowy conditions to send them back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2018 season. Next is a 2015 Super Bowl rematch with the Seattle Seahawks. By Kyle Hightower. 750 words, photos by 6 p.m.

UPCOMING: By 01/26/2026 6:00 p.m. EST, Text

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SOC--WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS CUP

DESCRIPTION: Coach Juan Carlos Amorós says Gotham FC already has a league trophy and a confederation title. So naturally, the next step is an intercontinental championship. The National Women’s Soccer League club is vying to win the first Women’s Champions Cup in England this week, starting on Wednesday when the team will face Brazil’s Corinthians in a semifinal. UEFA Champions League winner Arsenal plays Morocco’s ASFAR in the late semifinal at Gtech Community Stadium. By Anne M. Peterson. Upcoming: 600 words and photos.

UPCOMING: By 01/26/2026 6:03 p.m. EST, Text

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BKN--LAKERS-BULLS

DESCRIPTION: CHICAGO — Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers visit Coby White and the Chicago Bulls. The Lakers have won three of four, and the Bulls are going for their fifth consecutive win. By Jay Cohen. UPCOMING: 300 words, photos. Game starts 8 p.m. ET.

UPCOMING: By 01/26/2026 11:00 p.m. EST, Text, Photo

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NEW AND DEVELOPING

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BKN--BUCKS-ANTETOKOUNMPO

Bucks have no timetable on when Giannis Antetokounmpo might return from right calf strain

SUMMARY: Giannis Antetokounmpo’s potential return date remains uncertain as the Milwaukee Bucks forward recovers from a calf strain that he had predicted might keep him out for four to six weeks. The two-time MVP said after the Bucks’ 102-100 loss to Denver on Friday that an MRI would determine he had a calf or soleus strain in his right leg. Bucks coach Doc Rivers confirmed the calf strain diagnosis Monday but didn’t speculate on when Antetokounmpo might return. Antetokounmpo previously missed eight games from Dec. 5-26 with a right calf strain.

WORDS: 423 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 1:28 p.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:91f4172200c0799a21636f1f8f1d60b4&mediaType=text

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BKC--T25-MEN’S POLL

Arizona still unanimous No. 1 in AP Top 25 poll ahead of showdown with No. 13 BYU

SUMMARY: Arizona remains the unanimous No. 1 in the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll. Nebraska climbed to a program-best fifth place. Duke held steady at No. 4, while Gonzaga moved up two spots to sixth. Michigan, Iowa State, Illinois and Houston round out the top 10. Purdue dropped to No. 12 after back-to-back losses last week. North Carolina made the biggest climb, moving up six spots to No. 15. The Big 12 and Big Ten continue to dominate the rankings with the former having six Top 25 teams and the Big Ten with five.

WORDS: 764 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 1:02 p.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:758ca762436516744d4f3c41d4addf0c&mediaType=text

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FBN--CHARGERS-MCDANIEL

Mike McDaniel joins Harbaugh, Herbert as Chargers’ offensive coordinator after Dolphins firing

SUMMARY: Mike McDaniel has agreed to become the Los Angeles Chargers’ offensive coordinator. He spent the past four seasons as the Miami Dolphins’ head coach. McDaniel was fired less than three weeks ago after going 35-33 and missing the playoffs in the past two years. After interviewing for multiple head coaching jobs this month, McDaniel has agreed to join Jim Harbaugh with the Chargers, who finished their second straight 11-6 season under the veteran head coach with a second playoff exit in the wild-card round.

WORDS: 204 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 12:53 p.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:c3f62d9a5d5fdafb7c02c61891d0a7d3&mediaType=text

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BKW--T25-WOMEN’S POLL

SEC sets record with 10 ranked teams, a 1st in 50-year history of women’s AP Top 25; UConn, UCLA 1-2

SUMMARY: The Southeastern Conference has set a record with 10 teams in The Associated Press women’s Top 25 basketball poll. Georgia enters at No. 23 after defeating then-No. 11 Kentucky. This gives the SEC the most teams ever in a single week in the poll’s 50-year history. UConn remains the unanimous No. 1 choice and is the only undefeated team in women’s college basketball. UCLA moves up to No. 2 after South Carolina’s overtime loss to Oklahoma. After the SEC, the Big Ten has seven ranked teams. The Big 12 has four teams in the Top 25.

WORDS: 508 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 12:03 p.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:7788e54399ded9afe4a6de118e6dd538&mediaType=text

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CAR--F1-PRESEASON TESTING

F1 teams test all-new cars in private amid concerns they could break down

SUMMARY: F1 has started a new era with the public and the media excluded from its private testing session in Barcelona. It’s hard to imagine a bigger contrast to last year’s lavish launch party that involved 16,000 fans and famous faces in London. F1 has an 11th team this year as Cadillac makes its debut. Only 10 are in Spain after Williams was hit by delays. It’ll be hard to gauge who’s got a head start on F1’s new regulations. The second test in Bahrain next month is when the focus switches to performance.

WORDS: 593 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 11:48 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:a9928f8fa367767bd18b1780ae6187d3&mediaType=text

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OLY—SKI-WINTER OLYMPICS-DIVERSITY-EUROPE

Europe’s rising diversity is not reflected at the Winter Olympics. Culture plays a big role

WORDS: 1063 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 11:27 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:5bfec64352581e0eacb8c15620c632ad&mediaType=text

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US—WINTER WEATHER-SPORTS

The NHL postponed the Columbus Blue Jackets’ home game against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night because of a major winter storm that created dangerous travel conditions across much of the United States. SENT. 450 words.

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TEN--AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Pegula knocks 2025 champion Keys out of Australian Open, faces Anisimova in quarterfinals

SUMMARY: Defending champion Madison Keys has been knocked out of the Australian Open by Jessica Pegula in an all-American fourth-round match. The sixth-seeded Pegula next faces another American after fourth-seeded Amanda Anisimova made it to the quarterfinals for the first time. Pegula beat her good friend and podcast co-host 6-3, 6-4. Keys was defending a major title for the first time after making her Grand Slam breakthrough here last year. Anisimova advanced 7-6, 6-4 over Wang Xinyu as the temperature started to rise at Melbourne Park.

WORDS: 916 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 10:17 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:23c6b4b46ef66ec5a438b31ace9b1a04&mediaType=text

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FBN--BILLS-COACHING SEARCH-RIVERS

Philip Rivers removes himself from consideration for Bills head-coaching job, AP sources say

SUMMARY: Philip Rivers has informed the Buffalo Bills he is withdrawing from consideration for the team’s head-coaching job, two people with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were private. The Athletic first reported the news. The 44-year-old quarterback, who came out of retirement last month and started three games with the Indianapolis Colts, interviewed with the Bills on Friday. Buffalo’s search process began Wednesday, two days after Sean McDermott was fired following a nine-year tenure. Including Rivers, Buffalo has met with seven candidates.

WORDS: 333 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 10:17 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:30e60d7d881619df15a2d7442e4f10a3&mediaType=text

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OLY--US TEAM NAMED

US names 232-athlete roster for Milan Cortina Olympics, led by five-timers including Vonn, Humphries

SUMMARY: The U.S. team released its 232-person roster for the Milan Cortina Olympics and it includes Lindsey Vonn, Kaillie Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor, who are among the seven Americans making their fifth trip to the games. Other five-timers are hockey player Hilary Knight, figure skater Evan Bates and snowboarders Faye Thelen and Nick Baumgartner. Meyers Taylor leads a group of 33 returning medalists. She has won three silver medals and two bronze while another bobsledder, Humphries, has taken three gold. Mikaela Shiffrin and Chloe Kim have two golds each.

WORDS: 195 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 10:10 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:8b990f3ae8cb9205fd6dc9634a641ec7&mediaType=text

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TEN--AUSTRALIAN OPEN-SINNER

Sinner extends winning streak to 18 at Australian Open, advances to quarterfinals

SUMMARY: Jannik Sinner may have felt lucky to survive the Australian Open third round but he has rebounded quickly in a straight-sets win over fellow Italian Luciano Darderi to reach the quarterfinals for a ninth consecutive Grand Slam event. The two-time defending champion struggled with the extreme heat and cramping in his Saturday afternoon win over No. 85-ranked Eliot Spizzirri and only took control after the roof was closed in the third set. In an evening match in cooler conditions, Sinner was cruising until Darderi lifted his tempo in the third set. He’s on an 18-match winning streak at Melbourne Park and will next face No. 8 Ben Shelton in a rematch of their 2025 semifinal.

WORDS: 651 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 8:10 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:8ce92d05f822b23ef3b0508aed34dc68&mediaType=text

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OLY--SKI-ITALY’S NEW STAR

Host Italy has new skiing star for Olympics and he’s gone from tragedy to triumph

WORDS: 853 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 7:19 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:8e3852a3ae270d0d75b4eff11a93afbb&mediaType=text

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OLY--SKI-PINHEIRO BRAATHEN

A Brazilian skier at the Winter Olympics? Lucas Pinheiro Braathen could make history

WORDS: 827 - MOVED: 01/26/2026 5:10 a.m. EST

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:793323fb693d0f2c7676d369978a60df&mediaType=text

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MOVING TOMORROW

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—Super Bowl Guide

—OLY--Cortinas Axis Games

—Australian Open

—US--Washington Midair Collision-Investigation

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