AP Sports SummaryBrief at 10:56 a.m. EST

College football turns upside down, but this final four is a collection of the sport's big programs In the first round of the College Football Playoff, the teams seeded 5-8 all won.

In the second round, they all won again.

The moral of this story: Who knows, other than something doesnt totally add up when not a single one of the top four teams, all of which received byes, advances into college footballs final four.

The semifinals are set: Next Thursday in the Orange Bowl, it will be No.

6 Penn State vs.

No.

7 Notre Dame.

Then, Friday in the Cotton Bowl, it will be No.

5 Texas vs.

No.

8 Ohio State.

Jets interviewing former Titans coach Mike Vrabel for their head coaching job, AP source says A person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that the New York Jets were scheduled to interview former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel for their head coaching vacancy.

Vrabel will be the second known coaching candidate to meet with the Jets, who spoke to former Washington and Carolina coach Ron Rivera on Thursday.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Friday because the team only announces meetings with candidates after interviews are completed.

The Athletic first reported Vrabel would speak to the Jets.

The 49-year-old Vrabel served in a consultant role with Cleveland this season, but his contract expired earlier this week.

Georgia's Kirby Smart defends aggressive but ill-fated play calls in CFP loss to Notre Dame NEW ORLEANS (AP) Georgia coach Kirby Smart says he doesn't regret aggressive offensive play calls that backfired during the Bulldogs' College Football Playoff quarterfinal loss to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.

A decision to have inexperienced quarterback Gunner Stockton drop back to pass in the final minute of the first half went badly when he was sacked by Notre Dame's RJ Oben and fumbled.

Notre Dame recovered and scored a touchdown one play later.

Smart's bid for his third national title with the Bulldogs fell short as he was frequently outmaneuvered by Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman.

CFP semifinals by the numbers: All four teams are members of the exclusive 900-win club The College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams to get some new blood.

The final four are decidedly blueblood.

The semifinals match Penn State against Notre Dame at the Orange Bowl on Jan.

9 and Texas against Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Jan.

10.

All four teams are among the eight programs with at least 900 all-time victories.

Ohio State ranks second with 976 wins, Notre Dame and Texas are tied for fourth with 961 and Penn State is seventh with 943.

Top-ranked UCLA women head to Indiana where the reminders of Hall of Fame coach John Wooden abound LOS ANGELES (AP) Top-ranked UCLA is headed to Indiana this weekend for a pair of games where the undefeated womens team will find reminders of Hall of Fame coach John Wooden in his home state.

Wooden led the UCLA mens teams to a record 10 NCAA championships.

He died at age 99 in 2010.

The Bruin women play at Indiana on Saturday and at Purdue, which is Woodens alma mater, on Tuesday.

They are sure to face noisy crowds in Bloomington and West Lafayette given the states well-known love of basketball.

UCLA is undefeated at 14-0.

Big 12 commissioner calls for 'national standards' for calling targeting after controversial play DALLAS (AP) Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is calling for more consistency on what constitutes a targeting penalty after no call was made on Texas safety Michael Taaffes high hit on Arizona State receiver Melquan Stovall late in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Peach Bowl.

Taaffe struck Stovall with a helmet-to-helmet hit as Stovall caught a pass near midfield with 1:15 left in regulation Wednesday.

No flag was thrown, but referee Larry Smith of the Big Ten halted play to check the replay for possible targeting.

As Stovall was being helped off the field, Smith announced there was no penalty.

Freeman and Notre Dame handle 'tough moments' and oust Georgia from CFP with 23-10 win in Sugar Bowl NEW ORLEANS (AP) Riley Leonard passed for a touchdown, Jayden Harrison returned a kickoff 98 yards for a score, and Notre Dames defense made it hold up in a 23-10 victory over No.

2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl that sends the third-ranked Fighting Irish into the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.

In a game that was delayed by a day because of a deadly terror attack in the host city, Notre Dame made enough big plays and got some help from a clever move by coach Marcus Freeman.

He sent out the punt team deep in his own territory before running all 11 players off the field, and an offside penalty gave the Irish a critical first down.

On Football: Baker Mayfield's success in Tampa Bay has turned him into a coach-builder TAMPA, Fla.

(AP) Baker Mayfield revived his career in Tampa Bay and became a coach-builder in the process.

Mayfields success with the Buccaneers in 2023 helped Dave Canales become head coach of the Carolina Panthers after just one season as an offensive coordinator.

Mayfield has played even better under Liam Coen, who will be among the top candidates for coaching vacancies this offseason.

The Buccaneers need a victory over the Saints on Sunday to clinch their fourth straight NFC South title.

At some point, Coen will get an opportunity to interview with other teams.

The Jets, Saints and Bears are looking for new coaches with more openings to come next week.

Postponed Sugar Bowl played with enhanced security about 36 hours after terror attack in New Orleans NEW ORLEANS (AP) Snipers were positioned on rooftops outside the Superdome in New Orleans as fans filed in for the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish won the College Football Playoff semifinal 23-10.

The game was originally scheduled for Wednesday night but was postponed until Thursday afternoon because of a terror attack on New Orleans' Bourbon Street that killed 14 revelers early on New Year's Day.

Flags were at half-staff at the stadium, and a moment of silence was held before the singing of the national anthem.

Fans said they felt safe amid the enhanced security.

Surging Ohio State to face tenacious Texas in the Cotton Bowl for a spot in the CFP title game PASADENA, Calif.

(AP) Texas will be a whole lot closer to home than Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.

The Buckeyes appear to be a whole lot closer to Atlanta.

Thats where the winner of the Cotton Bowl, which doubles as a College Football Playoff semifinal this year, will be heading next for the national championship game.

But first, two powerhouse college football programs meet Jan.

10 at the Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium.

Ohio State has rebounded from two regular-season losses to rout a pair of elite opponents by a combined 45 points, while Texas has survived two difficult tests on its CFP journey..

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