UNDATED (AP) — The college basketball season tips off with the top ranked teams squaring off. The Champions Classic features No. 1 Michigan State against No. 2 Kentucky followed by No. 3 Kansas taking on No. 4 Duke Tuesday night. The Jayhawks and Blue Devils meet in the first game in New York, with the Spartans and Wildcats next. The week also includes No. 5 Louisville, No. 9 North Carolina and No. 11 Virginia opening the season with Atlantic Coast Conference games to start the ACC’s first 20-game schedule.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs got far more than a couple of players back from injury and a desperately needed victory over the Minnesota Vikings to snap a three-game home losing streak. They also got their confidence back.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — When schools run afoul of the NCAA, they no longer blindly accept whatever punishment is meted out. They close ranks and hunker down, hire outside counsel and vow to fight the penalties, no matter how big or small. It’s a marked change from even 30 years ago, when schools would often accept whatever sanctions were handed down by the governing body. The biggest reason for the change? The increased stakes in big-time college sports.

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — If recent history is an indicator, Oklahoma is about to go on a run. The Sooners have won 17 consecutive November games dating back to 2014. The annual late-season surges have fueled four consecutive Big 12 titles and three College Football Playoff berths. The ninth-ranked Sooners hope to keep it going Saturday against Iowa State.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas coach Shaka Smart says guard Andrew Jones is ready for “significant” playing time after missing most of the last two seasons because of cancer treatments. Jones was Texas’ leading scorer when he was diagnosed with leukemia in early January 2018 and missed the rest of that season. He practiced with the team last year but played only a few minutes in two games. Smart says Jones is medically cleared to play and will play a lot. Texas opens the season Tuesday night against Northern Colorado

National Headlines

Dak Prescott shook off an interception on his first pass and threw for three touchdowns, and the Cowboys turned three Daniel Jones turnovers into 13 points on their way to a 37-18 win over the Giants in the Monday night game. Ezekiel Elliott ran for a season-high 139 yards as Dallas (5-3) beat New York (2-7) for the sixth straight time. DeMarcus Lawrence had one of the Cowboys’ five sacks.

UNDATED (AP) — The first College Football Playoff rankings of the season will be released Tuesday night. LSU, Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Penn State and more will be watching closely to see where they are slotted. Over the last five years, 11 of the 20 teams to appear in the top four in these initial rankings went on to reach the four-team playoff. There are four weeks left before championship weekend, when the playoff berths are awarded.

NEW YORK (AP) — Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, Houston third baseman Alex Bregman and Oakland shortstop Marcus Semien are finalists for the AL MVP award, and Washington third baseman Anthony Rendon, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger and Milwaukee outfielder Christian Yelich are the top three for the NL honor. Trout is seeking his third MVP after winning in 2014 and ’16. He finished second in 2012, ’13, ’15 and ’18. Yelich won last year’s NL award with 29 of 30 first-place votes.

BOSTON (AP) _ Boston Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez has decided to keep his contract with the Red Sox instead of becoming a free agent again. Martinez signed a five-year, $110 million deal after teams had started reporting to spring training in 2018. The 32-year-old slugger has averaged just short of 40 homers and 118 RBIs in his two seasons with the Bosox, along with a .317 average and .985 OPS.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) _ Elvis Andrus is staying with the Rangers after the shortstop passed up on a second chance to opt out of his contract and become a free agent. Andrus has $43 million and three years left on his contract in Texas. The 31-year-old shortstop hit .275 with 12 home runs, 72 RBIs and 31 stolen bases in 147 games last season, his 11th with the Rangers. Andrus is the team’s longest-tenured player, and the only player remaining from their only two World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011.

NEW YORK (AP) _ The New York Yankees have declined to make a $17.8 million qualifying offer to shortstop Didi Gregorius, which means they won’t receive draft-pick compensation if he signs with another team. Gregorius came back from Tommy John surgery in early June and hit .238 with 16 homers and 61 RBIs in 82 games. If New York doesn’t re-sign Gregorius, it could move Gleyber Torres from second to shortstop and make DJ LeMahieu the regular second baseman.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Madison Bumgarner has received a $17.8 million qualifying offer from the San Francisco Giants, a move that likely will decrease demand for him in the free-agent market. The Giants would receive at least one draft pick from any team that signs Bumgarner before next year’s draft, a compensation rule that caused pitchers Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel to wait until after the draft to sign 2019 contracts. The 30-year-old went 9-9 with a 3.90 ERA over 34 starts this year after two injury-shortened seasons.

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) _ Dwight Evans, Thurman Munson and Lou Whitaker have been added to the ballot for the baseball Hall of Fame’s modern era committee to consider next month. Former players’ association head Marvin Miller will be on a Hall of Fame ballot for the eighth time when the modern era committee meets Dec. 8 ahead of the winter meetings in San Diego. Other holdovers on the 10-man ballot are Steve Garvey, Tommy John, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker and Ted Simmons, but Luis Tiant has been dropped.

Monday Scores

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Final Dallas 37 N-Y Giants 18

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Washington 115 Detroit 99
Final Brooklyn 135 New Orleans 125
Final Houston 107 Memphis 100
Final Milwaukee 134 Minnesota 106
Final Phoenix 114 Philadelphia 109
Final Golden State 127 Portland 118