SAN ANTONIO—Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer loosened up the Army defense with his arm. Then the Irish took advantage with their legs.Kizer threw for three touchdowns and collected 72 of Notre Dame’s season-high 261 yards rushing, helping the Irish beat Army 44-6 on Saturday in ND’s annual Shamrock Series Game.C.J. Sanders returned the opening kickoff for a score, and then Kizer took over. He was 17 for 28 for 209 yards with an interception before he was replaced by Malik Zaire for the fourth quarter.Tarean Folston and Josh Adams each rushed for a score as Notre Dame rebounded nicely from last weekend’s 28-27 loss to Navy. Folston had 84 yards on 13 carries, and Adams finished with 15 carries for 70 yards.

”We were able to throw the ball over their heads, and it backed them off, so it gave us some opportunities to run the football,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said.

Along the way, Kizer looked at second and third options to find open receivers.

”He is maturing as a quarterback,” Kelly said. ”I liked his leadership today. I liked his leadership all week. He was holding players to a higher standard. I liked his toughness.”

Kell Walker had a 2-yard touchdown run in the second quarter for Army’s only score. Ahmad Bradshaw, Army’s starting quarterback, was sidelined by a knee injury.The Black Knights (5-5) began the day ranked in the top 25 nationally in several defensive categories, but the Irish (4-6) were in complete control right from the start.Sanders returned the opening kickoff 92 yards, and Kizer tossed a 37-yard touchdown pass to freshman Kevin Stepherson with 10 minutes left in the first quarter. Adams had a 2-yard touchdown run with 3:44 remaining, and the rout was on.The Irish led 38-6 at halftime. Tight end Durham Smythe had second-quarter touchdown receptions of 10 and 31 yards.Notre Dame had dropped three of four. But Kizer and company got a chance to enjoy their first runaway victory in a while.The Irish host Virginia Tech on Saturday in the first-ever meeting between the schools.

MADISON—Finally, Wisconsin had a breather.Tested week after week with close games against the Big Ten’s tougher teams, the seventh-ranked Badgers assumed the role of playoff contender in beating up on one of the league’s weaker squads.Corey Clement ran for 123 yards and three touchdowns, Dare Ogunbowale added 103 yards on seven carries and Wisconsin’s defense intercepted Illinois quarterback Jeff George Jr. four times in rolling to a 48-3 win on Saturday.The Badgers (8-2, 5-2, No. 7 CFP) led by 18 after the first quarter with two scores from Clement, and 31-3 at the half on a homecoming weekend at Camp Randall Stadium.After playing five top 10 opponents over its first nine games, Wisconsin beat Illinois like it was a non-conference pushover.George had an awful day a week after helping Illinois rally to beat Michigan State. George was 5 of 16 for 79 yards in the first half against Wisconsin before getting pulled for former starter Wes Lunt.That didn’t work, either. Illinois (3-7, 2-5) managed just 60 yards and three first downs in the second half.

”I didn’t see much to talk about today. We were dominated by a better team. There was nothing we did that was good out there today,” coach Lovie Smith said.

It was that kind of afternoon for Wisconsin.Any momentum from the thrilling victory over the Spartans disappeared quickly in the first quarter. A defense allowing 191.9 yards rushing a game coming into Saturday got overwhelmed on the ground. Tackling was poor, allowing the Badgers’ backs to break free for extra yards. On offense, the deep passing game needs work. George threw two interceptions in the first quarter alone and tended to miss high on long throws down the field.Asked if his team took a step back, Smith said ”At the end of the season you put it all together. … Today we didn’t get the job done and played bad ball.” Illinois managed a few big rushing plays in the first half against the Big Ten’s best run defense. Kendrick Foster finished with 75 yards on 15 carries.With No. 3 Clemson losing to Pittsburgh, the Badgers figure to move up at least a spot when the next AP Top 25 poll is released on Sunday.Wisconsin dominated Illinois up and down the stat sheet. A few of the more eye-catching ones: Wisconsin 23, Illinois 12….Wisconsin 455, Illinois 200….Third-down conversions: Wisconsin 7 of 13, Illinois 0 of 9…..Wisconsin’s seventh straight win over Illinois is the longest win streak by either team in the history of the series…..Illinois wraps up its home schedule by hosting Iowa.

Marcus Johansson scored at 2:20 of overtime, Braden Holtby made 32 saves and the Washington Capitals snapped the Blackhawks seven-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory over the Blackhawks on Friday night.Jay Beagle scored two goals, giving him three on the season, and the Capitals won for the sixth time in seven games in the opener of a three-game trip.Washington defenseman Dmitry Orlov made a nice pass to Johansson for the one-timer that beat Corey Crawford on the glove side. It was Johansson’s seventh goal of the season.Marian Hossa had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks, who extended their point streak to 10 games. Defenseman Brian Campbell also scored, and Crawford finished with 24 stops.The Blackhawks played without center Artem Anisimov, who was scratched after he left Wednesday night’s 2-1 overtime win at St. Louis with an upper-body injury. Anisimov, who has eight goals and nine assists in 14 games, could return as soon as Sunday against Montreal.The Hawks were trailing 2-1 when it pulled Crawford for an extra attacker with 2:13 to go. It broke through for the tying score when Artemi Panarin’s shot went off the stick of Washington defenseman Brooks Orpik and trickled through to Hossa on the side of the crease for his seventh goal in eight games.Washington jumped in front in the first after Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov was sent off for holding Hossa. Defenseman Matt Niskanen made a great diving play to knock the puck out of the Washington zone, starting a 2-on-1 with T.J. Oshie and Beagle.Oshie made a nice saucer pass to Beagle, who knocked it in for his first career short-handed goal. It was his first point since he scored his first goal of the season in a victory at Winnipeg on Nov. 1.Campbell responded with a tying power-play goal just 22 seconds later, but Beagle skated behind the net for a nifty wraparound and a 2-1 Washington lead at 14:44.It turned into a goaltender battle from there, with Crawford and Holtby taking turns frustrating would-be scorers.Holtby stopped a big drive by Brent Seabrook late in the first and made a right blocker stop on Panarin early in the third.Justin Williams got open for a nice look late in the second, but Crawford used a blocker to knock it over the net. He also made a glove save on John Carlson with 12:18 left in the third.Crawford went to the locker room with 7:02 left in the second, replaced by Scott Darling, but he quickly returned to the ice.

NOTES—Vinnie Hinostroza replaced Anisimov in the lineup. C Tyler Motte (lower body) and D Michal Rozsival also were inactive. … The Capitals scratched RW Brett Connolly and D Nate Schmidt. … The Blackhawks and Capitals also play on Jan. 13 in Washington….The Blackhawks host Montreal on Sunday night.Hossa

MIAMI—For 13 years, Dwyane Wade made plenty of what the Miami Heat call ”winning plays.” He made another one Thursday.And the Heat didn’t enjoy this one.Wade turned a debated foul call into two big free throws with 13.7 seconds remaining, helping the Bulls hang on for a 98-95 win and ensuring that his return to the arena he called home for 13 seasons would be a winning one.It was Wade’s first time facing the Heat as an opponent, and afterward he seemed more than a little relieved that this was over.

”I can only imagine what he was going through today,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. ”A lot of emotions coming back here.”

The Bulls were up 94-92 when Wade got the call that went against Miami’s Justise Winslow, a foul along the sideline on an inbounds pass where it appeared that the 12-time All-Star may have embellished a bit for effect.If he did, it worked.

”If it was last year, he got pushed out of bounds,” a smiling Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. ”This year? He’s selling it.”

Jimmy Butler scored 20 points and Rajon Rondo finished with 16 points and 12 assists for the Bulls. Robin Lopez had, and Wade scored 13 on 5 for 17 shooting.

”I thought I’d shoot better, since I’ve been knowing these rims for a while,” Wade said.

But he made the two big free throws when it counted most, and acknowledged afterward that he might have gotten a break.

”I got the vet call,” Wade said.

Said Winslow: ”I didn’t agree with the call. I think that was because of the stage, because of him being back here. I don’t think if he was at another venue, another regular game, they would have made that call.”

Robin Lopez had 16 points for the Bulls, who prevailed in a game that had 14 ties and 19 lead changes. Doug McDermott scored 13 for the Bulls, and Nikola Mirotic added 10.Hassan Whiteside led Miami with 20 points and 20 rebounds. Dion Waiters and Josh Richardson each scored 16 for the Heat, who lost point guard Goran Dragic to a sprained left ankle in the third quarter.Winslow scored 15 and Tyler Johnson added 14 for Miami.Richardson tied the game with a 3-pointer with 6:13 remaining, but the Bulls scored the next six points and led the rest of the way. After the game, Wade went over and greeted the wife of Heat managing general partner Micky Arison, then general manager Andy Elisburg before leaving the floor and blowing a kiss to the fans who remained.

”That was the most emotional part of the night for me,” Wade said.

Wade spent the last couple minutes of halftime greeting Heat staff – with a big hug for Spoelstra. … Wade has made a career on his pump fake, which he taught to some Heat players – and Johnson burned him with it in the second half. ”It’s good that he takes notes,” Wade said.It was the third career 20-20 game for Whiteside. The only player to have more in a Heat uniform is Rony Seikaly, with 12. … Winslow entered the game in a 10-for-43 slump over his last three games, then shot 6 for 12 on Thursday. … Dragic left in a walking boot, but X-rays were negative.

NOTES—Rondo isn’t always the friendliest sort with opponents, but when he got a layup blocked by Whiteside with 5:20 left he offered the Heat center a congratulatory hand-slap….There was one thing Wade wanted that he didn’t get Thursday: He wanted to be on the floor with Udonis Haslem, his teammate on all three Miami championship teams. ”Let me get 1-on-1 with UD, that’s what I’ve been waiting on. That right there would make my night,” Wade said. Spoelstra said he was disappointed with himself that he didn’t make it happen….The Bulls host Washington on Saturday. It’s the lone home game in a stretch

AFC GAMES: JAX over Hou, SD over Mia,
NFC GAMES: Atl over PHIL, ARIZ over S.Fran
INTER-CONF GAMES: N.ORL over Denv, CAR over K.City, NYJ over LA Rams,.Dal over PITT
THURSDAY NIGHT: BALT over Cleve
SUNDAY NIGHT: N.ENG over Seat
MONDAY NIGHT: NYG over Cin
NFC NORTH GAMES: WASH over Minn, TENN over GB, Bears over TB
Teams in ALL CAPS are Home Teams
LAST WEEK: LES 9-4(70-52-2), ZACH 5-8(60-62-2), TONY 8-5(62-60-2) SHANE 9-4(70-52-2)

ST. LOUIS—Artemi Panarin scored 25 seconds into overtime and Corey Crawford made 27 saves, leading the Blackhawks over the St. Louis Blues 2-1 on Wednesday night for their seventh straight win.Crawford won his sixth consecutive game and improved to 15-5-5 against the Blues. The Hawks have earned a point in nine straight games.Panarin scored on a wrist shot from the slot for his sixth goal of the season.St. Louis’ Alex Pietrangelo tied it with 2:11 left in the third on a drive from the point that squeezed past Crawford, who got a piece of the shot.Early in the second period, Marian Hossa pounced on the rebound of a shot by Gustav Forsling and shot it in for a 1-0 lead. It was his seventh goal of the season and sixth in the last seven games.The Hawks have outscored opponents 30-15 during this nine-game run.Jake Allen made 28 saves for the Blues. He has lost three of his last four and fell to 5-4-2.This is the Blackhawks longest winning streak since they won 12 in a row from Dec. 29, 2015 to Jan. 19, 2016.

NOTES—Artem Anisimov had a career-high 11-game point streak snapped after exiting in the second period with an injury. … St. Louis LW Alexander Steen is one goal shy of 200 for his career. … The Blues placed D Joel Edmundson on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. He will be re-evaluated in three weeks. … The teams will meet on Jan. 2 in the Winter Classic at Busch Stadium. … Duncan Keith has 11 assists, tops among all defensemen. … The Blues have hit the goalpost or crossbar 15 times this season, tops in the NHL.The Blackhawks host Washington on Friday night in the first of back-to-back home games.

Kareem Hunt ran for 122 yards and scored a touchdown with 1:15 left in Toledo’s 31-24 comeback victory over Northern Illinois on Wednesday night in NIU’s Chi-Town Showdown at the White Sox’s newly re-named Guaranteed Rate Field.Logan Woodside threw for three touchdowns in the second half after entering the game with 34, tied with Jake Browning of No. 4 Washington for the national lead. That helped the Rockets (8-2, 5-1 Mid-American) overcome a 14-3 halftime deficit and snap a six-game losing streak in the series.Woodside’s second touchdown pass to Michael Roberts gave Toledo its first lead, 24-21, early in the fourth quarter. The Huskies (3-7, 3-3) tied the game on Christian Hagan’s 22-yard field goal with 4:31 left but the Rockets answered with a 9-play, 71-yard drive.Woodside finished 23 of 33 for 286 yards. Jon’Vea Johnson had six catches for 129 yards, including a 39-yard reception to set up the winning score.Aaron Covington’s interception with 15 seconds to play sealed the win.Ryan Graham had three touchdown passes for the Huskies, one to Kenny Golladay, who had 14 catches for 143 yards. Graham also ran for 97 yards.

ATLANTA—Former Bull Thabo Sefolosha loves it when the Atlanta Hawks get so many players contributing on offense.Eight of the Hawks’ 10 players scored in double figures Wednesday night, led by Sefolosha, whose primary role is a defensive specialist off the bench.

”Everybody can play on this team,” he said. ”On different nights, a different guy steps up. It’s a huge plus to have that.”

Sefolosha scored 20 points, Dwight Howard added 18 and Atlanta beat the Bulls 115-107 for its third consecutive victory.Paul Millsap had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Hawks, and Dennis Schroder scored 13. Howard grabbed 10 boards as Atlanta outrebounded the Bulls 49-30.Jimmy Butler finished with 39 points and Dwyane Wade had 25 for the Bulls, who have lost four of five.The output was Butler’s highest since he scored a career-high 53 points against Philadelphia on Jan. 14 last season.

”They got what they wanted, and then we decided to start playing – once again,” Butler said. ”Defense is all about effort, let’s get that straight. We’ve got to man up and guard, take it personal. We’ll be fine, but we’ve got to guard.”

Atlanta carried over some momentum from Tuesday’s rare victory at Cleveland. The defending NBA champion Cavaliers had won 11 straight in the series, including two playoff sweeps.Sefolosha sparked the Hawks when he entered late in the first quarter, scoring 16 of their 21 points in a 3:44 stretch that spanned the first two periods to help Atlanta take a 45-31 lead.Sefolosha loved how Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer changed the defense to keep Butler and Wade in check.

”In the second half we switched it up a little bit,” Sefolosha said. ”They’re good players, so we’re not going to stop them every time, but we got just enough stops and we had good offense at the end to pull through.”

The Hawks led by 17 early in the second on Millsap’s jumper, but the Bulls pulled within three early in the third. Kent Bazemore was called for a technical foul after slamming into Butler near the rim on a fast break, and Butler hit three free throws.After Wade’s jumper put the Bulls up 74-73, the Bulls took their biggest lead at five on Doug McDermott’s fast-break dunk before Tim Hardaway Jr.’s runner put Atlanta up 86-85 late in the third.The Hawks led the rest of the way, pushing the margin to 11 when Hardaway hit a straightaway 3-pointer. McDermott’s short jumper made it 103-101 with 4:54 remaining, but the Bulls didn’t get any closer.

”Our depth in the entirety of the roster is something we have a lot of faith and belief in,” Budenholzer said. ”Tonight you kind of saw that.”

NOTES—Wade will return to Miami on Thursday for the first time with an opposing team. The 12-time All-Star, who helped the Heat win three NBA titles in 13 seasons, had 23 points at the end of the third but went 1 for 4 from the field in the fourth…..Bazemore jammed his right pinkie against the backboard on his hard foul. X-rays were negative, but he wore a protective sleeve on the finger. He said he got the technical for slamming his mouthpiece to the floor….Bulls G Michael Carter-Williams made the two-game road trip even though he’s sidelined four to six weeks with a bruised left knee. Fred Hoiberg said Carter-Williams is ”moving around well,” but his timetable hasn’t changed….The Bulls visit Miami on Thursday.
Kareem Hunt ran for 122 yards and scored a touchdown with 1:15 left in Toledo’s 31-24 comeback victory over Northern Illinois on Wednesday night in NIU’s Chi-Town Showdown at the White Sox’s Newly Re-Named Guaranteed Rate Field.Logan Woodside threw for three touchdowns in the second half after entering the game with 34, tied with Jake Browning of No. 4 Washington for the national lead. That helped the Rockets (8-2, 5-1 Mid-American) overcome a 14-3 halftime deficit and snap a six-game losing streak in the series.Woodside’s second touchdown pass to Michael Roberts gave Toledo its first lead, 24-21, early in the fourth quarter. The Huskies (3-7, 3-3) tied the game on Christian Hagan’s 22-yard field goal with 4:31 left but the Rockets answered with a 9-play, 71-yard drive.Woodside finished 23 of 33 for 286 yards. Jon’Vea Johnson had six catches for 129 yards, including a 39-yard reception to set up the winning score.Aaron Covington’s interception with 15 seconds to play sealed the win.Ryan Graham had three touchdown passes for the Huskies, one to Kenny Golladay, who had 14 catches for 143 yards. Graham also ran for 97 yards.

The Blackhawks appeared to be in big trouble when Patrick Kane was whistled for hooking in overtime, handing a power play to the potent Dallas Stars.Then Scott Darling came up with a huge stop, and Marian Hossa finished another big win.Darling made a terrific kick save on Patrick Eaves, Hossa scored at 4:31 of overtime and the Blackhawks beat the Dallas Stars 4-3 on Sunday night for their sixth consecutive victory.

”It took every inch of me to get that one,” the 6-foot-6 Darling said.

Jonathan Toews had a goal and two assists and Kane scored for the third time in four games, helping the Blackhawks sweep the home-and-home set with the Stars. Kane had a goal and an assist in Saturday night’s 3-2 victory in Dallas.

”We’ve been focusing really well on the process of just playing well and improving our overall game,” Toews said. ”A while back, the focus was our penalty kill had to get better. I think we’ve improved every single game.”

Kane’s second hooking call of the night set Dallas up with a prime opportunity in overtime. But Darling got over to knock away Eaves’ shot, helping the Blackhawks to their 18th successful kill in their last 19 tries.

”He made a great save on me,” Eaves said. ”That was the look we wanted and it just didn’t go in.”

Hossa then drove one by a screened Kari Lehtonen for his sixth of the season. Darling, subbing for red-hot starter Corey Crawford, made 32 stops as the Blackhawks improved to 7-1-1 at home.

”The good thing is this team never quits,” Hossa said. ”Six wins in a row, I think we’re on the right path.”

Gemel Smith scored his first two NHL goals for Dallas, including a short-handed breakaway in the second. Tyler Seguin also scored in the opener of a five-game road trip.

”Those are hard losses,” coach Lindy Ruff said. ”We had our opportunity with the power play in overtime.”

The Stars had a 2-1 lead in the third when Dallas winger Antoine Roussel was sent off for playing the puck with a broken stick. Then Kane was whistled for hooking at 3:02, making it 4 on 4 for 94 seconds.The Blackhawks made the most of the extra space on the ice, jumping in front with two goals in a span of 56 seconds.First, Hossa made a terrific pass through the legs of Dallas defenseman John Klingberg to a streaking Toews for a beautiful one-timer at 3:39. After Darling denied Jamie Benn with a pad save on a breakaway, Toews was stopped by Lehtonen on the other side, but the puck went right to Artem Anisimov for the rebound goal.Anisimov’s team-best eighth goal, extending his career-long point streak to 11 games, looked like the winner until Smith redirected Klingberg’s shot past Darling with 1:20 remaining. The tying goal came moments after Dallas pulled Lehtonen for an extra attacker.Lehtonen finished with 29 stops in his first start since Oct. 29. Antti Niemi made 29 saves in Saturday night’s loss.Seguin’s sixth goal at 15:34 of the first put Dallas in front and stopped the Hawks penalty-kill streak at 15 in a row. With Duncan Keith in the box for hooking, Seguin knocked in a rebound for his sixth point in his last four games.Smith made it 2-0 when he beat Darling with a nice backhander at 8:29 of the second.The Blackhawks played with a short bench for the last part of the game after rookie forward Tyler Motte was ridden into the boards by Stars forward Radek Faksa with about seven minutes left in the second.

NOTES—Hossa’s goal was his 1,100th career point. … Stars C Jason Spezza was scratched with a lower-body injury after he got hurt in the second period Saturday night. … The Stars placed C Jiri Hudler (illness) on injured reserve and center Justin Dowling was promoted from Texas of the AHL. Dowling was scratched, and D Patrik Nemeth played forward in his first game since Oct. 29. … Blackhawks LW Andrew Desjardins was a healthy scratch. Desjardins was activated from injured reserve on Saturday, but Quenneville wanted to stay with the same lineup from the victory in Dallas. Desjardins could make his season debut Wednesday at St. Louis. ”We’d like to get him in here, yeah,” Quenneville said. ”I don’t want to say for sure.” … Blackhawks D Trevor van Riemsdyk (right arm injury) skated Sunday. He was placed on IR on Saturday….The Blackhawks visit St. Louis on Wednesday night.

INDIANAPOLIS—After spending two days dissecting the problems from their last loss, the Indiana Pacers found some solutions Saturday.And they didn’t even need their best player, Paul George, to bail them out.Instead, Indiana made a season-high 12 3-pointers, forced 18 turnovers and pulled away from the struggling Bulls for a resounding 111-94 victory, after George was banished to the locker room for the final 13 1/2 minutes after inadvertently kicking the ball into the stands.

”This is what we feel we can do out on the floor,” Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. ”Again, it’s going to be a process and it’s going to take time for us to continue to build. But this is the type of game we want to build off of.”

There was a reason this one looked easy.After seeing their problems exposed on tape, the embarrassed Pacers (3-3) found motivation in proving everyone wrong this time – especially against a team playing back-to-back games for the first time this season.The Pacers took full advantage of the opportunity.C.J. Miles scored 20 points off the bench, making four 3s. Myles Turner finished with 16 points and four blocks, and George still had 13 points and seven rebounds.That was more than enough against the Bulls (3-3), who have lost three straight.Jimmy Butler and Doug McDermott each scored 16 points, while Rajon Rondo had nine points and five assists. But Rondo (four) and Butler (six) combined for nearly as many turnovers as the Pacers had as a team (12).

”Right out of the gate, you could see it was going to be tough,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. ”We’ve got to find a way to bounce back and do the things to be successful.”

The game was only tied once, at 2-2, and Indiana soon took control.George appeared to be upset when there was a no-call on one of his shots and then he was called for a foul on the Bulls’ ensuing possession. He was assessed a technical foul and immediately ejected. He said he apologized to the fan the ball hit. ”I just meant to kick the ball against the stanchion,” George said. ”My soccer skills aren’t as good as I thought. I’m glad my teammates were able to pick up this win and me not be at fault for a loss.”

After George’s departure, with 1:42 left in the third, the Pacers had two 3s out of their next four baskets. Indiana, which took 26 attempts, had made 10 3-pointers three other times this season.Bulls: Had an eight-game streak with 100 or more points snapped. … One night after Wade made five 3-pointers, his highest single-game total since April 2009, he was 1 of 9 from the field and 0 for 2 on 3s. … Guard R.J. Hunter returned to his hometown for the first time with the Bulls.Extended the lead to 26 in the second half, their largest lead of the season. The previous best was 16 points against the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 1. … The Pacers scored 62 points in a half for the second time this season and topped the 100-point mark for the fifth time in six games.