COLLEGE FOOTBALL-AP POLL

Irish reliving glory years

UNDATED (AP) — Notre Dame ends the regular season as the No. 1 team in the AP college football poll. It's the first time the Fighting Irish have done that since their national championship season in 1988.

Notre Dame finished up a perfect 12-0 regular season last week and will play Alabama in the BCS championship game in Miami on Jan. 7.

The one-loss Crimson Tide remains No. 2 after slipping past Georgia in Saturday's SEC championship game.

Undefeated Ohio State, which is banned from the postseason because of NCAA sanctions, moves up a spot to No. 3. Florida is No. 4, Oregon is fifth and Georgia falls to sixth.

The rest of the top 10 remains the same with Kansas State, Stanford, LSU and Texas A&M at seven through ten.

NFL-CHIEFS-BELCHER

Sad day in KayCee

UNDATED (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are playing with heavy hearts a day after linebacker Jovan Belcher committed suicide in a parking lot at Arrowhead Stadium, where they are hosting the Carolina Panthers.

Police are still trying to piece together the reason Belcher killed his girlfriend at their home before fleeing and then turning the gun on himself.

The Chiefs have dropped eight in a row and are an NFL-worst 1-10.

NFL-SCHEDULE

4 teams looking to wrap up titles

UNDATED (AP) — Half of the NFL's division races could be decided before the day is done.

New England wins the AFC East with a victory at Miami and Denver captures the AFC West with a win against visiting Tampa Bay. A Buccaneers loss and the Falcons are NFC South titleholders. If Tampa Bay wins, Denver can still secure the division championship if San Diego losses at home to Cincinnati.

Baltimore can eliminate division-rival Pittsburgh from the AFC North race with a victory over the visiting Steelers and can grab the division crown if the Bengals lose to the Chargers.

Also today, Chicago is home to Seattle, Green Bay is hosting Minnesota, San Francisco is playing at St. Louis, Houston is at Tennessee, Arizona is visiting the New York Jets, Detroit is entertaining Indianapolis, Jacksonville is at Buffalo, Kansas City is home to Carolina and Cleveland plays at Oakland.

Dallas hosts struggling division-rival Philadelphia tonight.

NBA-SCHEDULE

Hooping in the Big Apple

UNDATED (AP) — Today's meager NBA schedule got under way in New York, with a noon tipoff between the Knicks and Phoenix Suns. The Knicks have won two straight and at 11-4 hold a half-game lead over city-rival Brooklyn atop the Atlantic Division standings. New York is 6-0 at home. Phoenix is 7-10 and looking to avoid a third straight loss.

The only other game on the pro hoops schedule takes place this evening in Los Angeles. The Lakers will be looking to climb above the .500 plateau with a win over Orlando. They are 3-3 since Mike D'Antoni (dan-TOH'-nee) took over as coach. It will be Dwight Howard's first game against the Magic since they traded him in the offseason. The veteran center spent his first eight years in the league with Orlando, which has lost three in a row and sits 5-10 on the season.

GOLF-WORLD CHALLENGE

McDowell in familiar position

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) — Graeme McDowell brings a two-stroke lead over Keegan Bradley into today's last round of the World Challenge. The Northern Irishman is trying to win at Sherwood for the second time in three years.

Tournament host and defending champion Tiger Woods begins the day five off the pace.

GOLF-NEDBANK CHALLENGE

Late-season breakthrough

SUN CITY, South Africa (AP) — Martin Kaymer of Germany shot a 3-under 69 to earn his first title of 2012, holding on for a two-shot victory in rainy conditions at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

Kaymer finished at 8-under 280, two ahead of South African Charl Schwartzel (SHAR'-uhl SHWORTS'-uhl) , who carded a 69 of his own. Bill Haas of the United States shot a 71 to finish third.

OBIT-RICK MAJERUS

Majerus passes

LOS ANGELES (AP) — College basketball has lost one of its most jovial souls. Rick Majerus (mah-JEHR'-uhs) has died from heart failure at the age of 64.

Majerus led Utah to the 1998 NCAA final and had only one losing season in 25 years of coaching four schools.

He had been on a leave from Saint Louis since August.