HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) — Jimmie Johnson was chasing much more than a championship.

NEW YORK (AP) — Mississippi, California and North Carolina, teams that started the season with lofty expectations before stumbling, have surged back into the AP Top 25 college football poll.

NEW YORK (AP) — Iowa and Penn State ended their seasons eligible for an at-large BCS bid, and Oklahoma State and Virginia Tech are also in position to be eligible for invites to the four big-money bowl games even though they have no shot to win their conferences.

CHICAGO (AP) — Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles found a way to pull out a close win. They also hurt the Chicago Bears in the process.

SEATTLE (AP) — The image most expected of David Beckham and Landon Donovan holding the championship of Major League Soccer for the league's marquee franchise will wait.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The defense Bill Belichick didn't want to put on the field a week ago kept the offense of the New York Jets off it Sunday.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints keep on rolling.

BALTIMORE (AP) — The undefeated Indianapolis Colts found yet another way to win a close game, their 19th straight victory.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Charlie Weis wouldn't blame Notre Dame for firing him.

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL teams will soon be working with independent neurologists on concussion issues.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — More than two decades ago, after Larry Bird made a shot from behind the backboard that didn't count in a preseason game, the NBA changed the rule on plays like that. Kobe Bryant was glad they did.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Bryan Bickell scored his first goal of the season 1:12 into the third period, and Antii Niemi made 30 saves to lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a 1-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night.

First Period_None. Penalties_Sharp, Chi (slashing), :45; Eager, Chi, major (fighting), 4:27; Rypien, Van, major (fighting), 4:27; Kesler, Van (high-sticking), 13:04; Ladd, Chi (high-sticking), 17:36; Byfuglien, Chi (holding), 17:36; Burrows, Van (cross-checking), 17:36.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — World champions Ryan Lochte and Rebecca Soni won male and female athlete of the year awards Sunday night at the Golden Goggles honoring the year's top American swimming performances.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kobe Bryant scored 26 points, including an astonishing basket from behind the backboard, and the Los Angeles Lakers cruised to a 101-85 rout of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night.

DETROIT (AP) — An ailing Matthew Stafford threw his fifth touchdown pass from 1 yard to Brandon Pettigrew, and Jason Hanson's extra point with no time on the clock gave the Detroit Lions a thrilling 38-37 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

St. THOMAS, Virgin Islands (AP) — JaJuan Johnson had 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead No. 7 Purdue to an 85-60 win over St. Joseph's on Sunday night in the Paradise Jam.

Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss or shootout loss.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Scottie Reynolds scored 21 points, Corey Stokes added 18 and No. 5 Villanova beat Mississippi 79-67 on Sunday to win the Puerto Rico Tip-Off.