MONDAY SPORTS: Bowl destinations; NFL week 14; Kobe returns to hardwood

The Vizio BCS National Championship game is set. Top-ranked Florida State from the ACC will face off against #2 Auburn from the SEC on January 6 in Pasadena, California. The Clemson Tigers are headed to its second BCS bowl. The Tigers will face Ohio State in the Discover Orange Bowl on January 3 in Miami. It’s Clemson’s first matchup with the Buckeyes since the 1978 Gator Bowl, a game which saw Ohio State coach Woody Hayes punch Clemson’s Charlie Bauman following a late-game interception. The South Carolina Gamecocks are also headed to Florida. The Gamecocks will face Wisconsin for the first time in its history in the Capital One Bowl on January 1 in Orlando. The Sugar Bowl will feature Alabama against Oklahoma. Baylor will face Central Florida in the Fiesta Bowl. The Rose Bowl has Stanford and Michigan State.Nebraska and Georgia will face eacth other in the Gator Bowl game in Jacksonville.

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In the final regular season polls released Sunday, South Carolina is #8 and Clemson is #11 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The Gamecocks are 8th and the Tigers are 12th in the AP poll.

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NFL — WEEK 14:

Green Bay Packers 22, Atlanta Falcons 21

Baltimore Ravens 29, Minnesota Vikings 26 — Five touchdowns were scored in the final 2:05 of the game, which had six different lead changes in the fourth quarter, the most fourth-quarter lead changes in a game in NFL history.

Denver Broncos 51, Tennessee Titans 28 – Broncos kicker Matt Prater set a new NFL record with a 64-yard field goal at the end of the first half, breaking the previous record of 63 yards.

New Orleans Saints 31, Carolina Panthers 13

Tonight’s Monday Night Football game on ESPN:

Dallas Cowboys at Chicago Bears (8:30 p.m. ET)

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Kobe Bryant finally returned to competition Sunday night, nearly eight months after tearing his Achilles tendon during a game in April. Sunday’s game fittingly took place at home in Los Angeles. before a cheering and supportive crowd, as Bryant’s Lakers took on the Toronto Raptors. Kobe understandably showed some rust, however, scoring just nine points with eight rebounds as the Lakers lost 106-94.

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The South Carolina Lady Gamecocks continue winning. Dawn Staley’s 12th-ranked club won their 9th straight Sunday with a 76-61 win over Charlotte.