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Last Update on November 20, 2009 06:30 EST

NFL-DOLPHINS/PANTHERS

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Ricky Williams and the Miami Dolphins are looking nothing like the team that opened the NFL season 0-and-3.

The Dolphins are back in the playoff mix at 5-and-5 after Williams ran for 119 yards and scored Miami's three touchdowns in a 24-17 triumph at Carolina. He scored on a 46-yard run moments after the Panthers pulled within 17-14.

Williams came through a day after the Dolphins learned fellow running back Ronnie Brown would miss the rest of the season.

DeAngelo Williams had 122 rushing yards for the 4-and-6 Panthers.

NFL-BILLS/OWNER

UNDATED (AP) -- Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson tells The Associated Press he's prepared to revamp his entire football operation after the season and warns that no position is safe.

The 3-and-6 Bills already fired coach Dick Jauron Tuesday and replaced him with defensive coordinator Perry Fewell , who will serve as interim coach the rest of the season.

Wilson says he's open to making a lucrative offer to land a high-profile coach, although he discounts reports that the team is interested in interviewing former Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan.

Also in the NFL, Chris Simms took snaps with the Broncos' starters again Thursday, making it increasingly likely that he will start against San Diego on Sunday in place of Kyle Orton. Denver's No. 1 quarterback left last week's loss to Washington after spraining his left ankle and didn't return.

The undefeated New Orleans Saints might be without running back Reggie Bush for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay. Bush has missed two practices this week due to swelling in his knee after he ran for 83 yards and scored two touchdowns in St. Louis last Sunday. Saints coach Sean Payton would not say Thursday what Bush's chances of playing are this Sunday in Tampa Bay.

And Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis will miss his second straight game this weekend as he recovers from a concussion. Portis has not been able to practice since he was injured in a helmet-to-helmet hit against Atlanta.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL-OKLAHOMA STATE/COLORADO

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) -- Oklahoma State fell behind 21-10 Thursday night before Third-string quarterback Brandon Weeden helped the 12th-ranked Cowboys improve to 9-and-2.

Weeden threw for 168 yards and two touchdowns in the second half on a 31-28 victory against Colorado. His 28-yard touchdown pass to Justin Blackmon with 8:11 remaining proved to be the winner.

The outcome allowed Oklahoma State to keep pressure on No. 3 Texas in the Big 12 championship race. The Longhorns would have clinched the Big 12 South with an OSU loss.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL-NOTRE DAME/WEIS

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick plans to make a decision on the future of coach Charlie Weis within days of the season's end. The Fighting Irish host Connecticut on Saturday then play at No. 14 Stanford in the regular-season finale on Nov. 28. Swarbrick says the evaluation of Weis is an ongoing process.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL-KANSAS/MANGINO

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- University of Kansas officials have begun to talk with former players about allegations of abusive behavior by football coach Mark Mangino.

Former Jayhawks receiver Raymond Brown recalled Thursday how in 2007, Mangino began yelling at him and said "I'll send you back to St. Louis where you can get shot by your homies." Mangino's alleged comment came a few days after Brown's younger brother was wounded in a shooting near his home in St. Louis.

Brown and another former player also told the AP that Mangino made insensitive comments about a player's father being an alcoholic.

MLB-NL CY YOUNG

NEW YORK (AP) -- San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum is the first repeat winner of the NL Cy Young Award since Randy Johnson captured four straight from 1999-2002. Lincecum was 15-and-7 with a 2.48 ERA, and a league-high 261 strikeouts while tying for the NL lead with four complete games and two shutouts.

Only 10 points separated the top three in one of the closest ballots in the award's history. Lincecum finished with 11 first-place votes and 100 points, while Cardinals right-hander Chris Carpenter claimed 94 points as the runner-up. Cards hurler Adam Wainwright finished third despite 12 first-place votes, one more than Lincecum.

Also in baseball:

-- The Chicago Cubs have shipped reliever Aaron Heilman to the Arizona Diamondbacks for two minor league prospects. The 31-year-old right-hander was 4-4 with a 4.11 ERA in 70 appearances last season, striking out 65 and walking 34.

-- Yankees lefty Andy Pettitte and Mets utilityman Fernando Tatis were the final players to file for free agency this year. A total of 171 players filed before the signing period began Friday at 12:01am.

NBA SCHEDULE

UNDATED (AP) -- Pao Gasol made a triumphant season debut with the Los Angeles Lakers Thursday night.

Gasol delivered team-highs of 24 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Lakers' 108-93 win over Chicago. Kobe Bryant also had a memorable night, scoring 21 points while passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the Lakers' career scoring chart.

Ron Artest added 15 points for the Lakers, who finally had their full starting lineup intact for their ninth victory in 12 games to start the season.

Utah and New Orleans were Thursday's other NBA winners.

The Jazz hadn't won a regular-season game in San Diego since February 1999 until Deron Williams contributed 21 points in Utah's 90-83 win over the Spurs. Carlos Boozer scored 10 of his 18 points in the final period and finished with 11 rebounds.

Peja Stojakovic was the star in the Hornets' 110-103 win over the Suns, hitting seven 3-pointers and finishing with 25 points and 13 rebounds. Devin Brown and rookie Marcus Thornton each scored 19 for New Orleans, which won its second straight under new head coach Jeff Bower.

T25 BASKETBALL-SCHEDULE

UNDATED (AP) -- It will be No. 6 North Carolina taking on unranked Syracuse in the 2K Sports Classic final Friday at Madison Square Garden.

The Tar Heels escaped with a 77-73 win over No. 15 Ohio State after blowing most of a 19-point lead in the final 10:30 minutes. Deon Thompson finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds to lift the 4-and-0 Heels.

The Orange ripped No. 13 California 95-73 to earn the right to face North Carolina Scoop Jardine scored a career-high 22 points, and Wes Johnson finished with 17 and 11 rebounds.

Dayton and Villanova barely pulled out victories in the opening round of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off.

Paul Williams scored seven of his 13 points in the final minute to lift the No. 18 Flyers past 21st-ranked Georgia Tech 63-59. Chris Johnson scored 19 points for the 2-0 Flyers.

Freshman Isaiah Armwood drained a go-ahead three-pointer with 17 seconds left to push the fifth-ranked Wildcats past George Mason 69-68. Scottie Reynolds had 18 points for Villanova, which trailed by 13 in the first half.

Also in top-25 action:

-- Top-ranked Kansas scored 23 straight points in the first half before completing a 94-44 rout of Central Arkansas. Tyrel Reed canned four three-pointers and was one of four Jayhawks to finish with 12 points.

-- No. 4 Kentucky knocked off Sam Houston State 102-92 as DeMarcus Cousins had 27 points and 18 rebounds. Freshman John Wall is averaging 20 points in his first two games after delivering 21 points and six assists for the Wildcats.

-- And No. 24 Minnesota rode freshman Rodney Williams and his 17 points, six rebounds and four steals to a 76-51 win over Utah Valley.

NBA-WILLIAMS PLEA

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- A person with knowledge of the case against retired NBA star Jayson Williams tells The Associated Press the former player has agreed to a plea deal that would send him to prison for up to three years.

The person says Williams will plead guilty to aggravated assault Friday and will have to serve at least 18 months in prison.

The charge stems from the fatal shooting of a hired driver in 2002 in New Jersey. Jurors were deadlocked over a reckless manslaughter count in the first trial, but convicted Williams of covering up the shooting.

SAN DIEGO STATE-AD RESIGNS

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- San Diego State athletic director Jeff Schemmel has resigned after an investigation of his travel expenses.

The inquiry stems from a deposition given by a woman at her divorce proceedings. Carolyn Lineberger said she met Schemmel for multiple trysts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and Point Clear, Ala. while married to her husband. Lineberger also testified that Schemmel told her he had no university business in Point Clear except to see her. But his travel records showed he requested university reimbursement for the rental car and gas he used to drive 330 miles from Atlanta to Point Clear to see her in January, according to the San Diego Times Union-Tribune.

NHL-SCHEDULE

UNDATED (AP) -- The Chicago Blackhawks set a team-record a month ago by erasing a five-goal deficit in a 6-5 overtime win against Calgary. The Hawks didn't need a comeback Thursday night after exploding for five goals in the second period of a 7-1 rout of the Flames.

Kris Versteeg provided a pair of power-play goals during the second-period. Troy Brouwer and Patrick Kane also scored with the man advantage for the Blackhawks.

Chris Phillips scored twice and Pascal Leclaire turned back 25 shots as the Senators ripped the Penguins 6-2 in Ottawa. Phillips scored just one goal in his first 18 games before tallying twice in a 2:03 span of the third period to give the Senators a 5-1 lead and chase Marc-Andre Fleury from the nets.

Mike Fisher set up three goals for Ottawa.

Five other NHL games weren't decided until after regulation, including Boston's 4-3 shootout victory in Atlanta. Patrice Bergeron provided the lone shootout tally after Michael Ryder scored twice in regulation.

Martin Erat contributed the deciding shootout tally in Nashville's 3-2 verdict over New Jersey. Jason Arnott scored twice for the Predators, who handed the Devils their second straight road loss since a 9-and-0 start.

Erik Johnson scored 17 seconds into OT to lift St. Louis over Phoenix 3-2. Keith Tkachuk and T.J. Oshie also lit the lamp for the Blues, and Chris Mason made 13 of his 34 saves in the third period.

Carolina erased deficits of 3-0 and 4-3 before beating Toronto 5-4 on shootout goals by Tuomo Ruutu and Jussi Jokinen . Tim Gleason scored twice, Ruutu had four assists and Erik Cole notched the equalizer with 2.9 seconds left in regulation.

Anaheim coughed of a three-goal lead before Scott Niedermayer scored a power-play goal 52 seconds into overtime to give the Ducks a 4-3 win over Tampa Bay. Corey Perry extended his career-best point streak to 13 games with a power play goal and two assists for the Ducks.

Also on ice, Chris Phillips scored twice and Pascal Leclaire turned back 25 shots as the Senators ripped the Penguins 6-2 in Ottawa. Phillips scored just one goal in his first 18 games before tallying twice in a 2:03 span of the third period to give the Senators a 5-1 lead and chase Marc-Andre Fleury from the nets.

Kristian Huselius scored twice and Rick Nash notched a power-play goal as Columbus dumped Dallas 4-1. Huselius and Raffi Torres scored 21 seconds apart during a five-minute power play to put the Blue Jackets ahead 4-0 midway through the contest.

LPGA-CHAMPIONSHIP

RICHMOND, Texas (AP) -- Lorena Ochoa is the leader through 18 holes of the LPGA Tour Championship. Ochoa fired a 6-under-par 66 to move one shot ahead of Reilley Rankin.

Michelle Wie withdrew from the tournament because of a sprained left ankle after firing a 72, four days since earning her first tour victory.