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  • Patriots punch ticket to 12th Super Bowl with gritty 10-7 win over Broncos in snowy Denver

    Patriots punch ticket to 12th Super Bowl with gritty 10-7 win over Broncos in snowy Denver

    DENVER — Drake Maye ran for 68 yards and threw for 86 in sloppy, snowy conditions and scored New England’s only touchdown on a 6-yard keeper, propelling the Patriots to their 12th Super Bowl with a 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

    Christian Gonzalez intercepted Jarrett Stidham, starting in place of an injured Bo Nix, at New England’s 36 with 2:11 remaining and the Patriots (17-3) iced their first playoff win in Denver when Maye ran for 7 yards on third-and-5 from his 41.

    New England became the third team in the Super Bowl era to win a conference championship with 10 points or less. Buffalo beat Denver 10-7 in the 1991 AFC title game, and the Los Angeles beat Tampa Bay 9-0 in the 1979 NFC championship game.

    The Broncos (15-4) finished one step shy of fulfilling Sean Payton’s preseason prediction of a trip to Super Bowl 60.

    Both kickers missed two field goals in the frigid conditions with Denver’s Wil Lutz and New England’s Andy Borregales wide on long tries just before the snow came in at halftime.

    The Patriots fell behind 7-0, but had a key fourth-down stop near their own end zone to spark the comeback. Their victory was their 40th in the playoffs, breaking a tie with the San Francisco 49ers for the most in NFL history.

    It was sunny at kickoff with a temperature of 26 degrees, but by halftime the snowflakes began falling and grounds crews had to use snowblowers to mark the hashmarks and yard lines by the fourth quarter, when it was 16 degrees.

    After gaining just 72 yards in the first half, the Patriots opened the second half in swirling snow with a 16-play, 64-yard drive that ate up 9 1/2 minutes and ended with a 23-yard field goal by Borregales that gave New England its first lead at 10-7.

    The Patriots managed just four first downs and 72 yards in the first half, punting five times and missing a field goal. But they capitalized on a short field when New England’s defense set up Maye at the Denver 12 with a takeaway and Maye took it in from 6 yards out to tie it at 7 at halftime.

    Stepping in for the injured Nix (ankle surgery), Stidham’s first completion since the 2023 regular-season finale was a 52-yard dart to Marvin Mims Jr. to the New England 7 that set up Courtland Sutton’s 6-yard touchdown catch that started the scoring.

  • NBA postpones Timberwolves-Warriors game in Minneapolis; Charles Barkley calls event ‘sad’ on national broadcast

    NBA postpones Timberwolves-Warriors game in Minneapolis; Charles Barkley calls event ‘sad’ on national broadcast

    MINNEAPOLIS — The NBA game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors was postponed on Saturday afternoon following another fatal shooting by a federal officer in Minneapolis.

    The game was rescheduled for Sunday afternoon. The Timberwolves and Warriors are also scheduled to play on Monday night.

    The league announced the decision was made to “prioritize the safety and security of the Minneapolis community” after 37-year-old Alex Pretti was killed in a confrontation with officers on a street in a commercial district less than two miles from Target Center, the downtown arena where the Timberwolves play.

    On Saturday, Sixers legend Charles Barkley, on the panel for ESPN’s telecast of Saturday’s Sixers-Knicks thriller commented on the situation, saying: “It’s gonna end bad, it’s already ended badly twice,” in reference to Pretti and the killing of Renee Good on Jan. 7 in Minneapolis at the hands of officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

    With the crowd of protesters growing around the shooting site on Saturday, the Minnesota National Guard was assisting local police to try to keep the peace.

    The Minnesota Twins were holding their annual winter fan festival at Target Field, across the street from Target Center, and ended the event an hour early for the “expedited departure” of all guests.

    Thousands of people marched through downtown on Friday with the air temperature well below zero in protest of the presence and tactics of the federal force that swelled to about 3,000 officers in the Twin Cities area this month as part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

    Two weeks ago, 37-year-old Renee Good was fatally shot in her car as she drove away from a group of officers following a confrontation. The Timberwolves held a moment of silence for Good before their game the following night.

  • Clemson’s Dabo Swinney alleges tampering by Ole Miss’ Pete Golding and calls for reforms

    Clemson’s Dabo Swinney alleges tampering by Ole Miss’ Pete Golding and calls for reforms

    Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is accusing Mississippi coach Pete Golding of tampering with transfer player Luke Ferrelli and said Friday he has forwarded evidence to the NCAA.

    “If you tamper with my players, I’m going to turn you in. It’s just that simple,” Swinney said during a news conference. “I’m not out to get anybody fired, but there has to be accountability and consequences for this type of behavior and total disregard for the rules.

    “If this happened in the NFL, which is an actual league with rules, they would be fined, they would take draft picks, they hit the cap, whatever,” Swinney continued. “This is such a terrible example for young coaches in this profession. … To me, this situation is like having an affair on your honeymoon.”

    Ferrelli, a former linebacker at California, entered the transfer portal on Jan. 2 and committed to Clemson four days later. Ferrelli subsequently enrolled, began classes, and began attending meetings and workouts, Swinney said.

    Ferrelli reentered the portal on Jan. 22 and committed to Ole Miss.

    “You can’t sign with the Browns and practice a week, and then the Dolphins call you and say we’re going to give you a little more money and you say, ‘See ya, boys,’ and go play for the Dolphins. That’s not the real world,” Swinney said.

    Ole Miss athletic officials did not respond to Swinney’s allegations when contacted on Friday by The Associated Press.

    NCAA vice president of enforcement Jon Duncan said in a statement that the association “will investigate any credible allegations of tampering and expect full cooperation from all involved as required by NCAA rules.”

    Swinney alleged that Golding maintained contact with Ferrelli after the linebacker had enrolled at Clemson, even texting, “I know you’re signed, but what is your buyout?”

    When Swinney found out about it, he said he initially told Clemson general manager Jordan Sorrells that he wanted to give Golding “some grace” because the Rebels’ coach was newly promoted after Lane Kiffin left for LSU over Thanksgiving weekend.

    Swinney asked Sorrells to tell Ole Miss officials “that we know what’s going on, and if he doesn’t cease communication, I’m going to turn him in. I really thought that would be the end of it, but it wasn’t.”

    Swinney said Ferrelli’s agent confirmed that Golding had continued reaching out to the player, so Clemson officials asked for copies of the text messages.

    “The agent communicated that if we were to add a second year at $1 million to the already agreed-upon deal with Luke, then they would gladly give us whatever we need to turn Ole Miss in,” Swinney said. “Jordan, appropriately, said, ‘No, we’re not doing that.’”

    Clemson athletic director Graham Neff said the university’s main reason for making the allegations public was to spur changes to the college football calendar and related rules — or lack thereof — that have contributed to upheaval across the sport.

    “The NCAA was surprised a school was willing to come forward as directly and transparently as we were,” Neff said. “We need to look real hard at how we got here, but (also) how to get out of it.”

    Neff added that Clemson was exploring its legal options.

    “This is not about a linebacker at Clemson,” Swinney added. “I don’t want anyone on our team that doesn’t want to be here.

    “It’s about the next kid and about the message being sent if this blatant tampering is allowed to happen without any consequences.”

    Swinney also called the January transfer portal window “stupid,” saying it causes “flat-out extortion in some cases” because players and schools are making major decisions during “such a short period of time, right in the middle of when people are trying to play bowl games, playoff games, et cetera.”

    If the system is not reformed, Swinney warned, there will be unintended consequences for players who transfer among multiple schools while chasing short-term financial payouts — particularly if they don’t make it to the NFL.

    “We’re going to have some screwed-up 30-year-olds … that have no degrees, that have spent their money, that can’t play football anymore and aren’t connected to anything,” Swinney said.

  • Source: White Sox add former Phillie Seranthony Domínguez to their bullpen

    Source: White Sox add former Phillie Seranthony Domínguez to their bullpen

    CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox added former Phillies reliever Seranthony Domínguez to their bullpen on Friday, agreeing to a $20 million, two-year contract with the right-hander, according to a person familiar with the deal.

    The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the move was pending a physical.

    Domínguez, 31, played for Baltimore and Toronto last year, going 4-4 with a 3.16 ERA and two saves in 67 games. He was traded to the Blue Jays on July 29.

    Chicago had some additional payroll flexibility after trading center fielder Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets on Tuesday night. Domínguez likely will close games with his new team.

    Are the Phillies ‘running it back’? Maybe, but that’s not the most important question for 2026

    The rebuilding White Sox finished last in the AL Central last year with a 60-102 record, a 19-game improvement from the previous season. They signed Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami to a $34 million, two-year contract in December, and speedy infielder Luisangel Acuña came over in the Robert trade.

    The White Sox also have a promising group of young position players that includes Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel and Chase Meidroth.

    Domínguez made his major league debut with the Phillies in 2023. He is 23-23 with a 3.50 ERA and 40 saves in 322 career games. He also has 360 strikeouts in 306 innings.

    Domínguez pitched in 12 postseason games in 2025, helping Toronto reach the World Series. He went 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA.

  • Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder on the FBI’s ‘Most Wanted’ list, has been arrested

    Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder on the FBI’s ‘Most Wanted’ list, has been arrested

    ONTARIO, Calif. — Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, a top FBI fugitive accused of moving some 60 tons of cocaine from Latin America into the United States annually and orchestrating several killings, was arrested in Mexico and then flown to California, officials said Friday.

    Wedding, 44, turned himself in Thursday at the U.S. embassy in Mexico City. FBI Director Kash Patel said his arrest came after U.S. investigators worked with authorities in Mexico, Canada, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic for more than a year.

    Officials say Wedding used semitrucks to move cocaine between Colombia, Mexico, Canada, and Southern California, and they believe he was working under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful drug rings. Authorities said his aliases included “El Jefe,” “Public Enemy,” and “James Conrad Kin.”

    “He’s the modern-day El Chapo,” Patel told a news conference in California, comparing Wedding to the legendary former Sinaloa cartel kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, who is imprisoned in the U.S. after pleading guilty to drug trafficking charges.

    An image of former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding is displayed on a video monitor along with bricks of cocaine during a news conference at the FBI offices in Los Angeles on Oct. 17, 2024.

    Wedding was previously convicted in the U.S. of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to prison in 2010, federal records show. He now faces charges related to running a multinational drug trafficking ring as well as the killings of a federal witness and three other people.

    It was not immediately known if Wedding had an attorney who could comment on his behalf. He had no lawyers listed in federal court records for the cases pending against him.

    ‘It takes a united front’

    U.S. authorities believe the former Olympian, who competed in a single event for his home country in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, had been hiding in Mexico for more than a decade before his apprehension.

    Wedding was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list last March, and authorities had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

    “When you go after a guy like Ryan Wedding, it takes a united front, and that’s what you’re seeing here,” said Patel, who declined to give details about the arrest. He praised Mexico’s government and “global partnerships” for their roles in the operation.

    Mexico’s Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch wrote on X earlier Friday that a Canadian citizen had turned himself in at the U.S. embassy. A member of Mexico’s Security Cabinet later told the Associated Press that individual was Wedding. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

    Wedding is expected to appear in federal court Monday, said Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI field office in Los Angeles.

    Davis said 36 people have been arrested in connection with the drug ring Wedding is accused of running, and authorities seized large volumes of drugs, weapons, and cash, as well as millions of dollars worth of automobiles, motorcycles, artwork, and jewelry from Wedding and others charged in the case. Rewards of up to $2 million are available for information leading to additional arrests and convictions.

    Charges of ordering killings

    Wedding was indicted in 2024 in the U.S. on federal charges of running a criminal enterprise, murder, conspiring to distribute cocaine, and other crimes. Prosecutors said Wedding’s drug ring moved large shipments of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and California to Canada and other U.S. locations.

    The murder charges accuse Wedding of directing the 2023 killings of two members of a Canadian family in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment, and for ordering a killing over a drug debt in 2024.

    Last November, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Wedding had also been indicted on charges of orchestrating the killing of a witness in Colombia to help him avoid extradition to the U.S.

    Authorities said Wedding and co-conspirators used a Canadian website called “The Dirty News” to post a photograph of the witness so he could be identified and killed. The witness was then followed to a restaurant in Medellín in January and shot in the head.

    Wedding faces separate drug trafficking charges in Canada that date back to 2015, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

    Second FBI fugitive also apprehended

    Patel identified a second apprehended fugitive as Alejandro Rosales Castillo, a 27-year-old U.S. citizen charged with murder in the 2016 killing of a North Carolina woman. He also faces a federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. According to the FBI, Castillo was arrested a week ago in Mexico.

    Mexico has increasingly sent detained cartel members to the U.S. as the country attempts to offset mounting threats by President Donald Trump, who said last month U.S. forces “will now start hitting land” south of the border to target drug trafficking rings.

  • Maxey scores 36, Embiid has triple-double in Sixers’ 128-122 overtime win over the Rockets

    Maxey scores 36, Embiid has triple-double in Sixers’ 128-122 overtime win over the Rockets

    PHILADELPHIA — Tyrese Maxey scored six of his 36 points in overtime, Joel Embiid had 32 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists and the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Houston Rockets 128-122 on Thursday night.

    Kelly Oubre Jr. added 26 points for the 76ers, who evened their home record at 12-12. Paul George returned to the lineup for Philadelphia after missing two straight games due to left knee injury management and had 10 points.

    Kevin Durant scored 36 points for the Rockets, who had won three in a row. Amen Thompson added 17 for Houston.

    The 76ers scored the first five points of the extra session, on George’s 3-pointer and VJ Edgecombe’s follow from close range after he grabbed an offensive rebound, to take control.

    Philadelphia had a chance to win it in regulation, but Durant blocked Maxey’s driving layup attempt with 13.2 seconds left. Maxey added 10 assists.

    The 76ers opened up a 94-88 lead early in the fourth quarter, but it took 3:23 for Philadelphia to score another point. Reed Sheppard’s third three-pointer of the quarter put Houston up 105-96 with 6:25 remaining. The 76ers tied it twice late in regulation, the last on Maxey’s layup with 40.1 seconds left.

    Aaron Holiday (back spasms) was downgraded from questionable to out for the Rockets. Houston also was without center Steven Adams (left ankle sprain).

    Hall of Famer Julius “Dr. J” Erving, who led the 76ers to the 1983 NBA title, was in attendance.

  • Mets acquire ace pitcher Freddy Peralta from Brewers in trade

    Mets acquire ace pitcher Freddy Peralta from Brewers in trade

    NEW YORK — The active New York Mets acquired ace pitcher Freddy Peralta and right-hander Tobias Myers from Milwaukee on Wednesday night in a trade that sent two prized young players to the Brewers.

    Milwaukee received pitcher Brandon Sproat and minor league infielder/outfielder Jett Williams. Both were rated among the game’s top 100 prospects by Baseball America.

    Peralta gives the new-look Mets a front line starter after their rotation faltered in the second half of a hugely disappointing 2025 season. The move came hours after New York formally introduced free agent addition Bo Bichette at a Citi Field news conference, and one night after the team obtained talented center fielder Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the Chicago White Sox.

    Dave Dombrowski says ‘we’re content’ despite big-name free agents still available. ‘Not elite’ offseason continues for Phillies

    “Acquiring Freddy adds another established starter to help lead our rotation,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said in a statement. “Throughout the offseason, we sought to complement our rotation with another front-end pitcher, and we’re thrilled we are able to bring Freddy to the Mets.”

    Peralta went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA in 33 starts last season, when he led the National League in wins and finished fifth in Cy Young Award voting. He struck out 204 batters in 176⅔ innings and earned his second All-Star selection.

    The 29-year-old Peralta hasn’t been on the injured list since 2022, when the right-hander was sidelined by a strained lat and later elbow inflammation. He is set to make $8 million this season and can become a free agent following the World Series. He is the latest former Brewers player acquired by Stearns, who ran Milwaukee’s front office from 2015-23.

    “He obviously knows the players well. Look, he and I have worked very well together for many, many years. I obviously care about him a lot,” Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said. ”Today’s his anniversary and I was at his wedding. We go back a long way. I think I might have ruined his anniversary dinner. Look, he’s a dear friend. Hopefully, again, these are the types of trades that work out for both guys.”

    The Phillies were ‘very close’ to getting Bo Bichette and ended up with J.T. Realmuto. Here’s how it happened.

    Myers, 27, was 9-6 with a 3.00 ERA in 25 starts and two relief appearances as a rookie in 2024 before going 1-2 with a 3.55 ERA in six starts and 16 relief outings last year as Milwaukee won its third consecutive division title and advanced to the NL Championship Series.

    “Over the past two seasons, Tobias has become an extremely valuable major league pitcher,” Stearns said. “His ability to pitch out of both the rotation and bullpen allows him to help our team in multiple ways.”

    Peralta’s departure marks the third straight offseason in which the cost-conscious Brewers have traded a star pitcher entering the final year of his contract.

    Two years ago, they dealt 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes to Baltimore for infielder Joey Ortiz and left-hander DL Hall. Last winter, the Brewers sent two-time All-Star reliever Devin Williams to the New York Yankees for left-hander Nestor Cortes and third baseman Caleb Durbin.

    “These decisions are always tough,” Arnold said. ”We loved having Freddy Peralta here and everything he meant to this franchise. I just had an emotional call with him.”

    Burnes and Williams both spent just one season with the teams that acquired them from Milwaukee before signing elsewhere in free agency. Burnes agreed to a $210 million, six-year contract with Arizona before the 2025 season, and Williams signed a $51 million, three-year deal with the Mets last month.

    Although the Brewers won’t have Peralta to anchor their rotation, they do bring back two-time All-Star Brandon Woodruff, who accepted the team’s $22,025,000 qualifying offer. Woodruff went 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA last year after missing the 2024 season with a shoulder injury.

    Hard-throwing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski got called up last June and was quickly picked for the All-Star team as a rookie. He finished 5-3 with a 4.36 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 66 innings.

    “We feel we have a really good core of starters to deal from,” Arnold said. “I still feel like we’ll have a very strong rotation.”

    Arnold said Sproat and Williams will compete for spots on the opening-day roster.

    The 25-year-old Sproat made his major league debut in September and went 0-2 with a 4.79 ERA in four starts for the Mets, who selected him in the second round of the 2023 amateur draft from the University of Florida. He was rated the fifth-best prospect in New York’s system by MLB.com.

    “He’s a guy we’ve liked going back to the draft. He’s major league ready. He’s going to compete for a spot in our rotation,” Arnold said. “This guy has incredible stuff. Very high octane, really good movement on his four-seamer and two-seamer. Really good secondary weapons and a really good changeup.”

    The 5-foot-7 Williams, 22, batted .261 with 17 homers, 34 doubles and 52 RBIs in 130 games combined at Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse last year. He was drafted No. 14 overall by the Mets in 2022 out of high school in Texas and was their third-rated prospect, according to MLB.com.

    “This kid’s a gamer. He’s not that big, but I can tell you he plays with a ton of heart and he’s got incredible tools,” Arnold said. “He’s one of the fastest players in the minor leagues. I think his versatility is something that’s going to fit very, very well for this team.”

    Peralta is 70-42 with a 3.59 ERA and 1,153 strikeouts in 931 innings over eight major league seasons, all with Milwaukee. He joins a Mets rotation that also includes Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga.

    Peralta ranks second in the majors with 40 wins since 2023. He and Dylan Cease are the only two pitchers with at least 200 strikeouts in each of the past three years.

    To open space on their 40-man roster, the Mets designated right-hander Cooper Criswell for assignment.

  • Mets acquire CF Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the White Sox

    Mets acquire CF Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the White Sox

    CHICAGO (AP) — The New York Mets acquired Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, filling a hole in center field.

    New York sent infielder Luisangel Acuña and minor league pitcher Truman Pauley to Chicago for Robert, who has struggled with injuries and inconsistency since a stellar 2023 season.

    The Mets had been looking for outfield help since they traded Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien. They were in the mix for Kyle Tucker before he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

    The trade was announced after New York finalized a $126 million, three-year contract with Bo Bichette, a two-time All-Star shortstop who is moving to third base with the Mets.

    Robert hit a career-low .223 with 14 homers, 53 RBIs, and a career-best 33 steals in 110 games last year. Despite the shaky performance, the White Sox picked up his $20 million option for 2026.

    Robert’s contract also has a $20 million club option for 2027 with a $2 million buyout.

  • 76ers fall to Suns, 116-110, despite 25 points from VJ Edgecombe

    76ers fall to Suns, 116-110, despite 25 points from VJ Edgecombe

    PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Devin Booker scored 27 points and Jalen Green added 12 points in his return to the lineup as the Phoenix Suns beat the 76ers 116-110 on Tuesday night in a matchup of teams playing the second game of a back-to-back.

    Grayson Allen and Jordan Goodwin scored 16 points apiece, and former Villanova star Collin Gillespie and Oso Ighodaro each added 12 as the Suns won their third straight game and for the 12th time in 16 games.

    Paul George out Tuesday vs. Suns with left knee injury management

    Rookie VJ Edgecombe led the 76ers with 25 points. Kelly Oubre Jr. finished with 21 points, and Tyrese Maxey added 20. Andre Drummond finished with eight points and 15 rebounds for the Sixers, who lost for the fourth time in six games.

    Philadelphia was without Joel Embiid (right ankle injury management) and Paul George (left knee injury management).

    Green played in just his third game of the season, and his first since Nov. 8, because of a right hamstring injury. He is in his first season with the Suns, arriving in the offseason as part of the trade in which Kevin Durant was sent to the Houston Rockets.

    Green came off the bench to score seven points in nine minutes in the first half, and went on to shoot 4 for 11 from the field, including 2 for 4 from distance, in 20 minutes, with three assists and two rebounds.

    The Suns, coming off a win over Brooklyn on Monday, got 13 points from Booker, 10 from Ighodaro, and were perfect on 13 shots from the free-throw line on the way to a 57-53 lead at the break.

    The Sixers, who beat Indiana on Monday, opened the second half with a 13-2 run for a 66-59 lead. The Suns tied it at 68 and built a 97-84 lead by the end of the third period. Phoenix extended its lead to 103-86 with 9 minutes, 37 seconds left in the fourth after Sixers coach Nick Nurse received a technical foul for contesting a call. Philadelphia chipped away down the stretch, but never really threatened.

    Up next

    The Sixers host Houston on Thursday (7 p.m., NBCSP) in the fifth game of a six-game homestand.

  • Indiana completes undefeated season and wins first national title, beating Miami 27-21 in CFP final

    Indiana completes undefeated season and wins first national title, beating Miami 27-21 in CFP final

    MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Fernando Mendoza bulldozed his way into the end zone and Indiana bullied its way into the history books Monday night, toppling Miami 27-21 to put the finishing touch on a rags-to-riches story, an undefeated season, and the national title.

    The Heisman Trophy winner finished with 186 yards passing, but it was his tackle-breaking, sprawled-out 12-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-4 with 9 minutes, 18 seconds 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 touchdown gave turnaround artist Curt Cignetti’s team a 24-14 lead — barely enough breathing room to hold off a frenzied charge by the hard-hitting Hurricanes, who came to life in the second half behind 112 yards and two scores from Mark Fletcher but never took the lead.

    Curt Cignetti’s path to the CFP national championship included a stop at Temple and lessons from John Chaney

    The College Football Playoff trophy now heads to the most unlikely of places: Bloomington, Indiana — a campus that endured a nation-leading 713 losses over 130-plus years of football before Cignetti arrived two years ago to embark on a revival for the ages.

    “Took some chances, found a way. Let me tell you: We won the national championship at Indiana University. It can be done,” Cignetti said.

    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.

    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 era — might not see a team like this again, either.

    Players like Mendoza — a transfer from California 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 Mendoza 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.”

    Not known as a run-first guy, Mendoza slipped one tackle, then took a hit and spun around. He kept his feet, then left them, going horizontal and stretching the ball out — a ready-made poster pic for a title run straight from the movies.

    Maybe they’ll call it “Hoosiers.” This was a program so bad that a coach once stopped the game early to take a picture of the scoreboard when it read “Indiana 7, Ohio State 6.” The Hoosiers lost 47-7.

    This year, though, they beat Ohio State in the Big Ten title game on their way to the top seed in the playoff.

    Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza celebrates after scoring against Miami during the second half of Monday’s CFP title game.

    They won their first two games by a combined score of 94-25 and Mendoza threw more touchdown passes (eight) than incompletions (five).

    This one was nowhere near as easy.

    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.

    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.

    “Did I think something like this was possible? Probably not,” Cignetti said. “But if you keep your nose down and keep working, anything is possible.”