NASCAR

When Kyle Busch crashed at Daytona in late February, he seemed more likely not to race than to win a championship.

He broke his right leg and his right foot, went through several surgeries and pushed himself through a difficult rehabilitation. He wound up missing only 11 races, however, and capped this comeback on Sunday by winning the Sprint Cup championship by virtue of his victory in the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homewood-Miami Speedway.

It was Busch’s first championship; his brother Kurt won in 2004.

“A dream of a lifetime,” Busch said. “A dream come true.”

NFL

Tony Romo returned to the Dallas lineup after seven weeks out with a broken left collarbone, and all is right with the Cowboys again. They snapped their seven-game losing streak by beating the Miami Dolphins 24-14. … The Carolina Panthers extended their record to 10-0 by pounding the Washington Redskins 44-16. Cam Newton threw five touchdown passes. And so did Tampa Bay’s Jameis Winston. The rookie led the Buccaneers to a 45-17 beating of the Philadelphia Eagles. … In the Sunday night game, the Arizona Cardinals edged the Cincinnati Bengals 34-31, handing them their second consecutive defeat. … The Baltimore Ravens lost quarterback Joe Flacco for the balance of the season with torn Achilles tendon.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Michigan State led for only one play, and it was the only play the Spartans needed to defeat Ohio State 17-14. Michael Geiger kicked a 41-yard field goal with no time remaining to hand the Buckeyes their first defeat and set off a spate of whining. Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott ripped the coaching staff and said he would forgo his senior season and turn pro; backup quarterback Cardale Jones also indicated he would head for the NFL. Ohio State dropped to eighth in the AP poll.

ELSEWHERE

In college basketball, Northern Iowa erased a 16-point deficit and downed No. 1 North Carolina 71-67 on Saturday. The new poll comes out on Monday. No. 5 Duke defeated Georgetown 86-84 on Sunday in New York. … Kevin Kisner, who had four runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour, won for the first time at the RSM Classic at Sea Island, Ga. … In the LPGA Tour’s season finale, Christie Kerr won the CME Group Tour Championship at Naples, Fla.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .