college football
Inside track on the title game goes to Florida State
Florida State took firm hold of second place in the BCS standings behind top-ranked Alabama and grabbed the inside track to the national championship game.
The Seminoles were in second last week but seemed likely to get passed by Oregon if the Ducks could have remained unbeaten. Stanford, however, handed Oregon its first loss of the season on Thursday, and Florida State benefited.
The Seminoles (.9619) are a solid second in the USA Today coaches’ poll and Harris poll and second in the computer rankings that make up the final third of a BCS average.
Ohio State (.8926) is third in the polls but fourth in the computers. The Buckeyes are closer to fourth-place Stanford (.8689) than Florida State.
soccer
U.S. women top Brazil for 76th consecutive home win
ORLANDO, Fla. – Sydney Leroux scored twice in the first half and the U.S. women’s soccer team completed its sixth undefeated year with a 4-1 exhibition victory over Brazil on Sunday at the Citrus Bowl.
Abby Wambach also scored in the first half, Erika Tymrak added a goal, and goalkeeper Hope Solo made a series of diving saves in the second half.
The victory in front of the team’s biggest crowd of the year at 20,274, gave the U.S. a 13-0-3 mark this year. It also pushed the Americans’ unbeaten streak to 38 – and 76 at home.
Tennis
Djokovic and Nadal win, set up meeting in ATP final
LONDON – Defending champion Novak Djokovic set up an enticing final against Rafael Nadal with a 6-3, 6-3 victory Sunday over Stanislas Wawrinka at the ATP World Tour Finals.
Nadal ended Roger Federer’s hopes of finishing a disappointing season on a high note, defeating the six-time champion 7-5, 6-3 in the other semifinal.
Unbeaten in his round-robin matches this week, the second-seeded Djokovic extended his winning streak to 21 matches since losing in the U.S. Open final to Nadal. The two will play for the title Monday.
The world’s two highest-ranked players are unbeaten in London this week and have faced each other five times this season, with Nadal winning three times.
golf
Kirk victorious in Georgia; Scott wins on home turf
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Chris Kirk survived a wild back nine Sunday to win the McGladrey Classic, thanks to one big mistake by Briny Baird that kept him winless in 365 starts on the PGA Tour.
Kirk closed with a 4-under 66 for his second career win, though he received plenty of help from Baird. They were tied for the lead playing the 18th hole at Sea Island when Baird drove into a fairway bunker, the ball blow his feet. He topped a 4-iron that went about 90 yards and into a hazard.
Kirk only had to make par for a one-shot win over Baird (67) and Tim Clark (62).
GOLD COAST, Australia – Masters champion Adam Scott won the storm-delayed Australian PGA in his first home event since winning at Augusta National, beating American Rickie Fowler by four strokes.
ANTALAYA, Turkey – France’s Victor Dubuisson won the inaugural Turkish Airlines Open for his first European Tour title, beating Wales’ Jamie Donaldson by two strokes.
Dubuisson closed with a 3-under 69 to finish at 24-under 264. Donaldson had a hole-in-one at the 16th in a 63.
Tiger Woods and Justin Rose tied for third, four shots back.
SHIMA, Japan – Taiwan’s Teresa Lu won the Mizuno Classic, carding birdies on the last two holes and six of the final eight for a two-stroke victory.
The 25-year-old Lu, a regular on the Japan LPGA Tour after giving up her LPGA Tour membership in 2010, shot an 8-under 64. She finished at 14-under 202 and earned $180,000 for her first professional title.
Associated Press
