ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Nyheim Hines ignited an emotionally charged atmosphere celebrating injured Bills safety Damar Hamlin by returning two kickoffs for touchdowns, and Buffalo clinched the AFC’s second playoff seed with a 35-23 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday. The loss, coupled with Miami beating the New York Jets, eliminated the Patriots (8-9) from the playoffs for the second time in three years, and just the fourth time in 23 seasons during Bill Belichick’s coaching tenure.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Sonny Dykes needed only about five minutes with Joe Gillespie to know that he wanted the defensive coordinator who wields an atypical 3-3-5 base scheme on his staff at Texas Christian University. While utilizing the unorthodox lineup with three linemen, three linebackers and five defensive backs, the Horned Frogs have played fast and free all the way to the national championship game in Dykes' first season as their head coach.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is breathing on his own and able to talk after having his breathing tube removed, his agent said Friday — the latest step in his remarkable recovery in the four days since going into cardiac arrest and being resuscitated on the field during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Hamlin even joined the Bills' team meeting on Friday morning via videoconference, and told them “love you boys.”

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has begun to communicate in writing with his family and others who have been at his bedside since he went into cardiac arrest three days ago — and his first question was, “Did we win?” his doctors said Thursday. “The answer is yes, Damar, you won. You’ve won the game of life." Dr. Timothy Pritts told reporters in a conference call from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where Hamlin was rushed after collapsing and being resuscitated on the field during the Bills' game against the Bengals on Monday night.

The NFL said Thursday it will not resume the Bills-Bengals game that was suspended Monday night after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin collapsed and went into cardiac arrest on the field. The league said some of the factors in coming to its decision included that “not playing the Buffalo-Cincinnati game to its conclusion will have no effect on which clubs qualify for the postseason. No club would qualify for the postseason and no club will be eliminated based on the outcome of this game.”

STATESBORO, Ga. (AP) — Andrei Savrasov scored 18 points as Georgia Southern beat Marshall 81-76 on Thursday night. Savrasov also had three steals for the Eagles (10-6). Jalen Finch added 17 points while going 7 of 12 and 2 of 4 from the free throw line, and he also had eight assists. Tai Strickland shot 5 of 7 from the field and 2 for 5 from the line to finish with 13 points.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jose Placer buried a 3-pointer with 2 seconds remaining and finished with 32 points to send North Florida to an 89-86 victory over Kennesaw State on Thursday night. Placer had a big night from beyond the arc for the Ospreys (7-8, 2-1 Atlantic Sun Conference), as he connected on 10 of his 15 3-point attempts. Jarius Hicklen add 16 points, while Carter Hendricksen scored 10.

MONROE, La. (AP) — Tyreke Locure had 25 points in University of Louisiana-Monroe's 66-58 victory over Georgia State on Thursday night. Locure had six rebounds for the Warhawks (7-9). Jamari Blackmon scored 14 points while going 6 of 17 (2 for 8 from distance) and added four steals. Thomas Howell recorded 13 points and finished 6 of 11 from the field.

The Masters expanded its reach to elite amateurs on Thursday when it offered a special invitation to NCAA champion Gordon Sargent, the first time in more than 20 years an amateur received such an invitation. Augusta National also awarded a special invitation to Kazuki Higa, who won four times on the Japan Golf Tour and captured the money list last year.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has shown what physicians treating him are calling “remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours,” the team announced Thursday, three days after the player went into cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated on the field. “While still critically ill, he has demonstrated that he appears to be neurologically intact,” the Bills said in a statement. “His lungs continue to heal and he is making steady progress.”

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — This exclusive field of champions might be the most anticipated event of the year. And it's nowhere near the Pacific shores along Kapalua. The Masters Club is the formal name of the annual dinner Tuesday night at Augusta National during the Masters in April, and the guest list is restricted to Masters champions and Chairman Fred Ridley.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — De’Andre Hunter and John Collins each scored 22 points and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Sacramento Kings 120-117 on Wednesday night to end a four-game slide. “Feels great,” Hawks coach Nate McMillan said. “That’s what we have been talking about. We have to close out games and make plays down the stretch.” Collins also grabbed 12 rebounds as Atlanta bounced back after losing 143-141 in double overtime at Golden State on Monday night. Trae Young and Dejounte Murray each scored 21 points.

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia’s proud defense has allowed a combined 71 points in its two postseason games, including the 42-41 last-minute win over Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinal. Even against stiff competition in the postseason, when higher-scoring games can be expected, that's a humbling and somewhat shocking development for No. 1 Georgia (14-0) as it heads into Monday night's national championship game against No. 3 Texas Christian University (13-1).

ATHENS, Ga (AP) — No. 22 Auburn's first Southeastern Conference road game provided a somber reality check for coach Bruce Pearl, who said it's time to get back to work on his backcourt. Terry Roberts overcame early foul trouble to match his career high with 26 points and Georgia made first-year coach Mike White’s Southeastern Conference debut with the Bulldogs memorable by beating Auburn 76-64 on Wednesday night.

ATLANTA (AP) — Lance Terry scored a season-high 24 points, Miles Kelly added 20 and Georgia Tech snapped No. 12 Miami’s nine-game winning streak with a 76-70 win on Wednesday night. The Yellow Jackets (8-6, 1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) closed the game on a 12-0 run that ended with a pair of free throws by Kelly with 16.5 seconds remaining. That ended the scoring as Georgia Tech registered its first win over a ranked team since it beat Florida State in the 2021 ACC title game.

MACON, Ga. (AP) — Jackson Paveletzke hit a jump shot in the paint with 0.7 seconds remaining and Wofford beat Mercer 53-52 on Wednesday night. Paveletzke had 12 points and five rebounds for the Terriers (9-7, 1-2 Southern). Corey Tripp was 5 of 9 shooting o add 11 points. Messiah Jones recorded nine points.

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Tech coach Brent Key is making a couple of more changes to his staff, announcing Wednesday that a pair of defensive assistants are leaving the program. David Turner, an assistant head coach and defensive run game coordinator, and defensive line coach Larry Knight will not be retained, Key said in a brief statement.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Damar Hamlin’s recovery is moving in “a positive direction” two days after the Buffalo Bills safety collapsed and went into cardiac arrest during a game against Cincinnati, the player’s marketing representative said Wednesday. “We all remain optimistic,” Jordon Rooney, a family spokesman who described himself as a good friend of the player, told The Associated Press by phone. He said he was unable to go into further detail on Hamlin’s status at the request of his family not to provide specifics.

With tears beginning to well, Tennessee Titans linebacker Rashad Weaver shook his head and lowered it to his knees, his body swaying as he tried to express what it was like watching friend and former college teammate Damar Hamlin having to be resuscitated back to life on the football field. “I don’t know, man,” Weaver said Tuesday after sobbing uncontrollably at his locker. “I missed exactly what happened but like five seconds later, seeing the first replay of it, just kind of like everybody else sitting there and holding your breath and figure out what happened.”

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Devin Butts' 16 points helped North Carolina Central defeat Toccoa Falls 98-52 on Tuesday night. Butts was 5 of 9 shooting (4 for 8 from distance) for the Eagles (7-7). Daniel Oladapo scored 14 points while going 6 of 8 and 2 of 4 from the free throw line, and added 13 rebounds and three steals. Justin Wright was 4 of 7 shooting and went 4 for 4 from the line to finish with 13 points.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Big right guard Wes Harris and his Texas Christian University teammates are hearing again just how big and physical their next opponent is and how much of an underdog they are against Georgia in the national championship game. They heard a lot of the same things going into their College Football Playoff semifinal against Big Ten champion Michigan, which is sitting at home while the Horned Frogs (13-1) get ready to play the defending national champions Monday night.

Georgia's Stetson Bennett and TCU's Max Duggan share similar stories as quarterbacks who needed to disprove doubters before finding starring roles for next Monday's national championship game. It's no surprise Bennett says he immediately liked Duggan when the two spent time together at the Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York last month. “Max is an awesome dude,” Bennett said Tuesday.

The NFL pushed ahead Tuesday with a difficult balancing act, navigating players' emotions after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin's shocking cardiac arrest with a tight playoff schedule and emphasizing Hamlin’s health was its main focus. The league informed the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals that their game, suspended Monday night, would not be resumed this week while the Week 18 schedule remained unchanged, for now.

ATLANTA (AP) — A big part of Georgia's offense — big in every way — could be hampered in the national championship game against Texas Christian University. Georgia's two-tight end formation is uncertain due to an ankle injury suffered by Darnell Washington in Saturday night's College Football Playoff semifinal win over Ohio State. That could mean changes for Stetson Bennett's passing game when the top-ranked Bulldogs try to win a second consecutive title on Monday night in Inglewood, California, against the third-ranked Horned Frogs.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Buffalo defensive back Damar Hamlin was in critical condition early Tuesday after the Bills say his heart stopped following a tackle during the Monday Night Football game, which was indefinitely postponed. Hamlin collapsed on the field during the first quarter of the nationally televised game against the Cincinnati Bengals and was given medical treatment for nearly 20 minutes before being taken to a hospital.