Sports
Ducks ignore ‘outside noise,’ improve CFP hopes
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Since entering the Big Ten last year, Oregon has shown it can win in several of the league’s most hostile environments, not losing a single road game. Perhaps more impressive: How the Ducks have won.
The latest example came Saturday at Iowa‘s Kinnick Stadium as No. 9 Oregon won 18-16 following Atticus Sappington‘s 39-yard field goal with three seconds to play. Oregon prevailed without top wide receiver Dakorien Moore and top tight end Kenyon Sadiq. Another starting receiver, Gary Bryant Jr., left Saturday’s game with a right ankle injury on the team’s second series and did not return.
As a steady rain fell and temperatures dropped, the Ducks leaned on their run game, which gashed No. 20 Iowa for 261 yards on 36 carries, and special teams, which produced 12 points, including a safety after a bad snap by Iowa.
“We said special teams had to be special today,” coach Dan Lanning said.
Iowa has won consistently under coach Kirk Ferentz by being better at the line of scrimmage and in the kicking game. But Oregon held the edge in both areas Saturday.
The Ducks outrushed Iowa by 121 yards.
“Oregon’s always been the team of the flashy uniforms and fast spread offense, explosive,” linebacker Bryce Boettcher said. “Coming to the Big Ten, I get it, Iowa’s been a classic team running the ball, I-formation, and we did it better than them tonight, which is pretty cool to see.”
Oregon’s rushing total marked the most yards Iowa has allowed since 2022, and its 7.3 yards-per-rush average is the highest the Hawkeyes have surrendered since 2014, when Indiana averaged 8.1. Led by Noah Whittington, all four Oregon rushers averaged more than 6 yards per carry, and all four had a run of 19 yards or longer.
“We went into this game saying, ‘We run in the trenches,'” said Whittington, who had 118 rushing yards. “We don’t really pay attention to the outside noise, but going into this game, it was kind of put in our faces by the coaching staff, ‘Our O-line wasn’t going to be able to hold up with what Iowa had up front.'”
Despite Oregon’s consistent running success, its game-winning drive hinged on the arm of quarterback Dante Moore, who had just 65 total passing yards as the Ducks took possession with 1:51 left, after Iowa marched 93 yards in 12 plays to take its first lead of the game. Moore had thrown an ugly interception in the end zone and never established a passing rhythm, but he completed 5 of 6 attempts, including a 24-yarder to Malik Benson that put the Ducks into field goal range.
Benson and fellow wide receivers Jeremiah McClellan and Cooper Perry all recorded their first receptions of the game on the final drive.
“Dante was lights out in that drive,” Lanning said. “It reminds me of what we do in practice. We put our guys in a lot of scenarios like that, but I don’t ever give them 1:51.”
Despite a strong special teams showing, Oregon needed one more kick to win from Sappington, who had connected from 46 and 40 yards but had three misses from beyond 30 yards on the season. Whittington initially wanted to close his eyes and pray, but Moore told him to watch the pressure-packed kick, which they both had seen Sappington make many times in practice.
Sure enough, it sailed through.
“When [Iowa] called timeout to ice me, I just go through my process, breathe, know that it’s all out there for me to go get it,” Sappington said. “That moment was made for me.”
After debuting in the CFP standings at No. 9, Oregon strengthened its playoff profile with a win that should resonate with the selection committee. The Ducks finish the regular season against three teams with winning records — Minnesota, No. 19 USC and No. 23 Washington — a challenging path for a young team, but one that doesn’t make Oregon flinch.
“Our guys are resilient, they’re tough, they can handle tough moments,” Lanning said. “If it’s a four-quarter fight, we can do a four-quarter fight. I had guys coming up to me at the end of the game, like, ‘Coach, breathe.’ That’s what I’m telling them all week.
“For them to be able to come up and say that same thing to me, it just tells you that they believe in what we’re doing.”
The matchup between the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers and the Penn State Nittany Lions turned wild in the fourth quarter. The Hoosiers held a 20-10 lead before Nicholas Singleton and the Penn State offense got moving. Then IU QB, and Heisman candidate, Fernando Mendoza threw and interception that set up an incredible finish.
Sports
NFL asks all teams to hold moment of silence for Cowboys’ Marshawn Kneeland after shocking death: report
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This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
The NFL is asking all teams to hold a moment of silence on Sunday for Dallas Cowboys rookie Marshawn Kneeland, who died this past week, ESPN reported.
The league reportedly sent a memo to all teams on Friday requesting the moment of silence, which will be followed by a message on jumbotrons that will read: “If you or someone you know is struggling or needs emotional support, please call or text 988. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24-7 to help.”
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Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (94) walks on the field during the team’s training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard, California, on July 25, 2024. (Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Kneeland died early Thursday morning, just days after recording his first NFL touchdown on Monday night.
The Texas Department of Public Safety and the Frisco Police Department later released statements confirming that Kneeland had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following a police chase in Texas.
COWBOYS DEFENSIVE END MARSHAWN KNEELAND DEAD AT 24
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (94) recovers a blocked punt for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals in the first half at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Nov. 3, 2025. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)
Kneeland’s agent Jonathan Perzley paid tribute to the young NFL player in a lengthy statement, remembering him for his “spirit” and “goodness.”
“I watched him fight his way from a hopeful kid at Western Michigan with a dream to being a respected professional for the Dallas Cowboys. Marshawn poured his heart into every snap, every practice, and every moment on the field. To lose someone with his talent, spirit, and goodness is a pain I can hardly put into words.”
According to officials, DPS troopers attempted to make a traffic stop around 10:33 p.m. when the driver, later identified as Kneeland, refused to stop. Authorities engaged in a pursuit but eventually lost sight of Kneeland’s vehicle, ending the chase.
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Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (94) stands on the field after the game against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Aug. 16, 2025. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)
His car was later found abandoned, and authorities found Kneeland dead nearby.
Frisco police, who assisted in the DPS pursuit, released a statement saying that the abandoned vehicle was found by troopers “minutes later” and that Kneeland was believed to have fled on foot.
Police said that during their search, they learned that “Kneeland had expressed suicidal ideations.”
Kneeland was in his second season with the Cowboys after being selected 56th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. His death came just days after he recorded his first NFL touchdown in a game against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night.
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PARIS:
Novak Djokovic won the 101st title of his career when he came from behind to beat Lorenzo Musetti 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the final of the ATP event in Athens on Saturday.
The Serb is one of just three men to have racked up a century of titles – he still needs two to equal Roger Federer’s 103 while Jimmy Connors heads the list with 109.
At 38 years and five months old, the 24-time Grand Slam winner is the oldest tournament winner since Australia’s Ken Rosewall, who was 43 when he won in Hong Kong in 1977.
“An incredible battle… Three hours of a gruelling match, physically,” said Djokovic. “It could have been anybody’s match, so congrats to Lorenzo for an amazing performance. I’m just very proud of myself to get through this one.”
It was Djokovic’s second title of 2025, having won on the clay of Geneva in May.
“Novak, there are not many words to say about you and your career,” said Musetti, who fell to 1-9 against Djokovic.
“You are proving, still at your age, that you can kick us, like me today. Every time I share the court with you, I take it as a lesson, so thanks for that.”
Musetti had initially needed to win the title to secure the eighth and final place at next week’s ATP Finals. His defeat handed Felix Auger-Aliassime a spot in Turin instead, but Djokovic’s subsequent withdrawal paved the way for Musetti as well.
Musetti, who saved a match point in his semi-final win over Sebastian Korda, has lost each of his last six finals. His only ATP titles came at Hamburg and Naples in 2022.
Djokovic had long since qualified for Turin, but kept everyone guessing about his participation in the prestigious end-of-season tournament. He eventually decided to bring an early end to his season, skipping the ATP Finals for the second year in a row.
The Athens event, directed by Djokovic’s younger brother Djordje, was supposed to be held in Belgrade, as it was in 2024.
But in August, the ATP announced that the tournament would instead take place in Athens, without specifying the reasons for the relocation.
Djokovic, who had previously avoided making political statements, has in recent months on several occasions expressed support for the students who have been protesting for a year against the government of President Aleksandar Vucic.
Since then, he has fallen out of favour with the authorities in Serbia and become a target of pro-government tabloids.
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