Eagles will reportedly rest Jalen Hurts and other key starters in Week 18 despite chance at No. 2 seed in NFC

The Philadelphia Eagles have a shot at securing the No. 2 seed in the NFC in Week 18, but theteam is reportedly going to prioritize restover putting its best players on the field. The Eagles are expected to rest Jalen Hurts and other key starters when the team takes on the Washington Commanders on Sunday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

If Hurts is held out of the contest, it's presumed backup Tanner McKee will get the start against the Commanders in Week 18. McKee has appeared in three games this season, throwing just three passes.

While Hurts was the only player specifically mentioned in the report, other key offensive starters like A.J. Brown, Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith, among others, could also miss the contest.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni previously hinted at the possibility the team could rest its starters in Week 18. When asked about it Monday,Sirianni mentioned the benefits of having a "bye" weekheading into the playoffs. He noted that the two most recent times the team rested its starters in Week 18 — 2022 and 2024 — it reached the Super Bowl.

While that's a solid reason for once again employing the strategy, it could raise some eyebrows among Eagles fans. Philadelphia enters Week 18 with a shot at the No. 2 seed in the NFC. If the Eagles beat the Commanders and the Chicago Bears lose to the Detroit Lions, the Eagles would jump up to the No. 2 seed in the NFC. That would ensure the Eagles host home games throughout the playoffs unless they have to play the No. 1 seed — which hasn't been determined, but will be one of the Seattle Seahawks or San Francisco 49ers. As it stands, the Eagles will enter Week 18 as the No. 3 seed in the NFC.

With the Eagles resting their starters, the Commanders presumably have a better chance of winning the contest. But after a strong 2024, Washington has fallen back to earth following multiple injuries to quarterback Jayden Daniels, who the team shut down with a few weeks left in the regular season. Daniels' backup, Marcus Mariota, is also injured, which could lead to the Commanders once again turning to third-string quarterback Josh Johnson. That could lead to the game being much closer than expected despite the Eagles reportedly writing it off as a "bye" week.

Despite another strong season, the Eagles face plenty of questions entering the playoffs. The team's offense, which ranked seventh in points per game last season, hasn't found its rhythm this year. The Eagles rank 19th in points per game this season, the team's first under new offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo.

While the Eagles could use Week 18 as an opportunity to right the ship — something the Los Angeles Rams will look to do after head coach Sean McVay said theteam needed to improve— Philadelphia will instead hope a week of rest has everyone feeling good ahead of the playoffs.

There's no definitive evidence that supports either approach. The Eagles have shown in recent seasons that rest can work. McVay's Rams have shown, at times, that rest in Week 18 can lead to a team coming out flat in the playoffs.

Despite the fact there's no right answer, that won't stop Eagles fans from ripping Sirianni and the team if it suffers a disappointing loss in the first week of the playoffs after taking it easy in Week 18.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

Eagles will reportedly rest Jalen Hurts and other key starters in Week 18 despite chance at No. 2 seed in NFC

The Philadelphia Eagles have a shot at securing the No. 2 seed in the NFC in Week 18, but theteam is reportedly going to ...

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Christian McCaffrey injury update: 49ers' RB misses practice

Christian McCaffreyis the engine that powers theSan Francisco 49ers' offense.

Could an injury prevent him from playing in the regular season finale? The star running back has managed to avoid those issues all season long, but he popped up on the injury report with a back ailment ahead ofWeek 18.

Early indications are that it's just a stiff back for McCaffrey and the overall concern appears to be minimal. Regardless, his status is now in question for the team's matchup against theSeattle Seahawkson Saturday, Jan. 3.

49ERS PLAYOFF PICTURE:Scenarios, chances for San Francisco to win NFC West

The No. 1 seed in the NFC is on line in San Francisco and all eyes are now on the health of McCaffrey.

Here's the latest on the 49ers running back.

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Best images of the 2025 NFL season

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18)makes a catch for a touchdownagainst the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

Christian McCaffrey injury update

McCaffrey missed practice on Tuesday, Dec. 30 with a stiff back.

The running back has routinely missed the first official practice of the week all season for rest-related reasons. Given his injury history, it appears San Francisco has been doing everything in its power to ensure the star would be fresh for a postseason run.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan didn't seem too concerned about the injury for McCaffrey,telling reporters on Dec. 30that it's only a stiff back. The coach added that it was an ailment that popped up against theTennessee Titanson Dec. 14.

"I know he battled it hard that week, but I haven't heard anything about it since," Shanahan said. "It might have stiffened up in the game, and it was sore from Sunday night, so that's why we've got him on here today."

Shanahan indicated that the team has been holding walkthrough practices since their Week 18 contest against the Seahawks comes on a short week.

Injuries have been a problem for the 49ers throughout the 2025 season, but McCaffrey doesn't appear to be in danger of missing the regular season finale at this time.

That concern will ramp up if he continues to be sidelined though.

More:Seahawks at 49ers: Predictions, picks and odds for NFL Week 18 game

49ers RB depth chart

• Christian McCaffrey

• Brian Robinson Jr.

• Jordan James

• Isaac Guerendo

McCaffrey handles a majority of the workload in the San Francisco backfield with a small dose of Robinson snaps sprinkled in.

James and Guerendo remain on the outside looking in at this point in the season.

Shanahan indicated that James moved ahead of Guerendo on the depth chart, but it would still take an injury for him to get some playing time.

If McCaffrey can't go in Week 18, expect the 49ers to roll with a combination of Robinson and James.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Christian McCaffrey injury update: 49ers RB has stiff back

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

Christian McCaffrey injury update: 49ers' RB misses practice

Christian McCaffreyis the engine that powers theSan Francisco 49ers' offense. Could an injury preven...

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Female Chef Accusing Stefon Diggs of Assault Shares Alleged Texts From Patriots Star: 'I Won't Be Paying You S---'

Kathryn Riley/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• The former chef of the New England Patriots' star receiver Stefon Diggs provided text messages she allegedly exchanged with her former boss to police after accusing him of assault

• The exchange starts with the woman demanding that the recipient, who she says is Diggs, pay out her entire contact for the season despite leaving early

• Diggs allegedly responded that he did not want to pay her and another chef and that he "don't got to do a mf thing"

Stefon Diggsallegedly refused to pay out the full contract of his former female chef, according to text messages she shared with police, which she claims are from the New England Patriots' star receiver.

The texts were included in an incident report created by the Dedham Police Department and obtained by PEOPLE whichdetails Diggs' alleged assault of the chef.

The exchange that the female provided to police began with a text she sent to a recipient she identified as Diggs, which read: "You will [be] paying me out for the season & the money you said you would give me for my business. wasted my f---ing time being here because you got a f---ing circus going on. I'm out of your life."

The person who the female identified as Diggs then responded: "I won't be paying you s---," followed by another text which said, "F--- I look like paying you and paying another xhef [sic]."

That same individual later texted: "I don't got to do a mf thing."

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty

It is unclear if the texts were sent before or after the alleged incident between the female chef and Diggs that resulted in police filing a felony charge of strangulation and a misdemeanor charge of assault against the footballer.

The texts are not timestamped and there is no timeline for the exchange provided in the police report.

The chef sent the texts to police after she first reported her allegations against Diggs on Dec. 16 — two weeks after the alleged incident.

She alleged to police that things escalated between her and her former employer after she approached him about back pay she claimed to be owed, according to the report. Then, Diggs allegedly walked into her bedroom after the two had "been having an ongoing text exchange over money owed to [her]," the report states.

As the two again started to discuss the matter, Diggs allegedly became "angered," the woman told police, per the report. She alleged that Diggs then "smacked her across the face," and she pushed him away.

Diggs is then accused of attacking the woman, who alleged in her interview with police that he "tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck."

She told police that she "did have trouble breathing and could've blacked out," and also alleged that "as she tried to pry [Diggs'] arm away, he tightened his grip."

Diggs allegedly released her at some point and "threw her on the bed," the woman claimed, according to the report.

She alleged that Diggs then left the bedroom and said, "Thought so."

Kathryn Riley/Getty

The female told police she did not want to file a police report when she first reported the incident, but had a change of heart on Dec. 23 and asked police to move forward with charging Diggs.

It was after that first meeting and before deciding to pursue charges that the woman provided police with her text messages, which the report noted came from a different phone number than the one provided by the female.

She told police that the texts were sent from her work phone.

A lawyer for Diggs, who is in hisfirst year of a three-year, $69 million contractwith the Patriots and recentlywelcomed a new babywith hisGrammy-winning girlfriend Cardi B, told PEOPLE he "categorically denies the allegations."

David Meier, who is representing Diggs, called the claims made by the employee "unsubstantiated, uncorroborated" before adding that they "were never investigated — because they did not occur."

He also said that the allegations are a "direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee's satisfaction."

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE's free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

The Patriots reiterated that Diggs "categorically denies the allegations" in a separate statement. "We will continue to gather information and will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary," the organization added.

The NFL said the league was monitoring the situation.

Diggs is due to appear in Dedham District Court on Jan. 23 to be arraigned in the case.

Read the original article onPeople

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

Female Chef Accusing Stefon Diggs of Assault Shares Alleged Texts From Patriots Star: 'I Won't Be Paying You S---'

Kathryn Riley/Getty NEED TO KNOW The former chef of the New England Patriots' star receiver Stefon Diggs provided text messages she a...

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No. 16 USC suffers shocking, walk-off loss to TCU in overtime of Alamo Bowl

For a nine-win team such asUSC, once again on the outside looking in at theCollege Football Playoff, the bowl season can feel a bit like purgatory. One foot in the past season, the other in the future, your team trapped somewhere in-between.

There were glimpses of each Tuesday night for USC in a brutal30-27 overtime defeatto Texas Christian in the Alamo Bowl. There were equal reminders all night both of what could have been this season, had USC ever played at its best for long, and also flashes of why it never managed to be.

In one moment, there was freshmanTanook Hines, sprinting to catch a deep ball in stride, announcing himself as a rising star. In another, a TCU running back was busting his way through tackles on third-and-long, rumbling improbably into the end zone, deflating any such delusions of grandeur.

But after oscillating between those opposing poles, the final minutes against TCU took the Trojans on a tour of all their most glaring concerns from the 2025 season, from the leaky defense to the missed opportunities on offense.

The Trojans saw a two-score lead evaporate in the final minutes of regulation. They got all the way to the five-yard line in overtime, only for the offense to stall and settle for a field goal. They even sacked TCU quarterback Ken Seals on second and 10, pushing the Horned Frogs out of field-goal range and forcing a third and 20.

All signs in that moment pointed toward the Trojans securing their 10th win, a feat they achieved only once over the past eight years. But then, against a three-man USC rush and with eight defenders in coverage, Seals checked down to running backJeremy Paynein the flat.

"We did everything right defensively to put them in that position,"USC coach Lincoln Rileysaid.

Nothing, though, went right for USC after that. Payne broke through a tackle from cornerbackMarcelles Williams. Two defenders, linebackerJadyn Walkerand safetyKennedy Urlacher, collided as they reached Payne next, missing him entirely. Then, he slipped through safetyChristian Pierce's hands and was suddenly sprinting free 35 yards for the win.

"Wasn't a lot of time this year that we missed multiple tackles on a play," Riley said. "It just happened in the worst time possible."

Read more:Meet the Hanson family, the secret to USC's offensive line success

That's how most of the fourth quarter and overtime felt for USC, as TCU racked up 159 yards and 17 points over its final three drives.

Of course, there had been multiple chances before then for USC to put the game away, just like there were multiple chances for USC to make more of its 9-4 finish this season. The Trojans averaged nearly a full yard per play more than TCU. They racked up eight plays of 20 yards or more — a reminder of how explosive they could be.

In the red zone, though, the offense unraveled. QuarterbackJayden Maiava, who was inconsistent most of the night, threw a third-quarter interception in the end zone, just as USC looked primed to push down the gas pedal.

Four other times, the Trojans stalled inside of TCU's 25-yard line and settled for field goals. In the process, kickerRyon Sayeriset the USC record for field goals in a season at 21.

"We just did not execute good enough in the red zone on either side of the ball," Riley said. "If we did that, it's probably a different feeling."

Instead, the Trojans will have to carry this bitter taste into the offseason, with questions already looming about what comes next. Not the least of which being what direction USC will take its defense, after coordinatorD'Anton Lynn departed for Penn Statejust before the game.

Riley wouldn't comment on why Lynn was replaced as playcaller the day of the bowl game. But when asked how he felt about the future of his defense, Riley projected a particularly sunny outlook.

"I feel fantastic," he said. "But those who really study the game and watch how we've played and the way we've been able to improve, the arrow is just pointing straight up."

Of all the questions raised Tuesday, how USC might replace its No. 1 wideout next season was not one of them. Hines had already done his part to earn that role, but declared it to the world anyway in a six-catch, 163-yard performance.

King Miller also continued to solidify his place in a tandem with Waymond Jordan in 2027, as he rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown, coming up just short of the 1,000-yard mark in a season he started as a walk-on.

But the silver linings largely stopped there, even if the circumstances made for an unusually uphill climb with USC's roster. Over a dozen starters or would-be starters sat out. Three of the Trojans' starting offensive linemen didn't dress. Both of their top receivers and top tight end were in street clothes, having declared for the NFL draft. Twenty-five players listed in USC's two-deep Tuesday were either freshmen or redshirt freshmen.

Without Lynn calling plays, which a source described as "a mutual agreement", defensive line coach Eric Henderson stepped into the role.

It went quite smoothly at first. USC held TCU to two straight three-and-outs — and just 11 total yards in two drives — to open the game.

Read more:USC defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn takes Penn State defensive coordinator job

But on the ensuing possession, Maiava threw into heavy coverage and was intercepted, his first of two on the day. The momentum USC had built up early dissolved almost instantly.

The defense's strong start faded into disarray. And while it came roaring back after halftime, forcing an interception and limiting TCU to just 35 yards in the third quarter, USC's offense couldn't fully capitalize. A one-handed touchdown pass to Jaden Richardson nearly did the trick, giving the Trojans a 21-14 lead that seemed primed to balloon from there.

But it never did. And in the final, stunned moments of its season, Riley was left offering the same assurances that USC will soon be out of purgatory.

"When you've been in those programs and been a part of those teams that have done those things, you feel what it's like," Riley said. "And this place is doing all the things that you need to do to put yourself in position to go bust that door down and do it."

Sign up for more USC news with Times of Troy. In your inbox every Monday morning.

This story originally appeared inLos Angeles Times.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

No. 16 USC suffers shocking, walk-off loss to TCU in overtime of Alamo Bowl

For a nine-win team such asUSC, once again on the outside looking in at theCollege Football Playoff, the bowl season can feel a bit like pu...

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Big Ten dunks on SEC in college football coaching carousel. That's the cold truth

TheBig Ten is thrivingso far this postseason. (OK, so maybe Southern Cal's tackling isn't thriving, but the rest of theB1Gis doing just fine.)

With a couple of exceptions, theSEC is wilting.

And what of the coaching carousel? Did the Big Ten club theSECthere, too? You could make that case.

LSU scored the big fish by securingLane Kiffin. Mostly, though, SEC schools hired promising but largely unproven up-and-comers, while Big Ten schools like Michigan and Penn State landed veteran winners with solid resumes.

On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hostsBlake ToppmeyerandJohn Adamsevalute which conference did it better in this hiring cycle.

Subscribe to SEC Football UnfilterediTunes|Google Play|Spotify

They also debate which conference has the better complete roster of coaches. And they discuss which SEC schools would have been well-served by hiringKyle Whittingham, who wound up at Michigan.

Coaching hires in the SEC

• LSU: Lane Kiffin (Mississippi)

• Auburn: Alex Golesh (South Florida)

• Florida: Jon Sumrall (Tulane)

• Arkansas: Ryan Silverfield (Memphis)

• Kentucky: Will Stein (Oregon offensive coordinator)

• Ole Miss: Pete Golding (promoted from defensive coordinator)

Overview:LSU made the splashiest hire of this coaching cycle, plundering Kiffin from a conference rival and luring him away from a playoff team. Elsewhere, three SEC schools hired coaches from the American Conference, while two schools went the coordinator route.

TOPPMEYER:How can Ole Miss get revenge on Lane Kiffin? By proving him wrong

ADAMS:Tennessee football goes out with a whimper against Illinois

Coaching hires in the Big Ten

• Michigan: Kyle Whittingham (Utah)

• Penn State: Matt Campbell (Iowa State)

• Michigan State: Pat Fitzgerald (formerly at Northwestern)

• UCLA: Bob Chesney (James Madison)

Overview:This marks a sharp pivot from the SEC's strategy of raiding the American. UCLA went the Group of Five route with Chesney, but the other three Big Ten schools making hires turned to veterans. Whittingham is the winningest coach in Utah history. Campbell is the winningest coach in Iowa State history. Fitzgerald is the winningest coach in Northwestern history.

Which conference hired better?

Advantage goes to the Big Ten. Bravo to LSU for securing Kiffin, but the rest of the SEC hired less proven coaches than Whittingham, Campbell or Fitzgerald. That doesn't mean someone like Sumrall or Golesh won't succeed, but any of the SEC's hires not named Kiffin seems riskier than someone who's as accomplished as Campbell.

Which conference has better roster of coaches?

Toppmeyer:The Big Ten has the better full roster of coaches. At the top, the SEC is just as good. I'd put an SEC five-pack of Kirby Smart, Kalen DeBoer, Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian and Josh Heupel up against the Big Ten's Ryan Day, Curt Cignetti, Dan Lanning, Whittingham and Campbell.

In the middle of the conferences and in the lower-third, I give the nod to the Big Ten. Consider, Bret Bielema (Illinois) probably ranks somewhere in the No. 8 range of the Big Ten's pecking order of coaches. Bielema beat South Carolina and Tennessee in bowl games in the past two seasons. He's won 19 games with the Illini the past two years. That's no small feat, and he's just one example of the Big Ten's solid collection of down-ballot coaches.

A few years from now, we might say the SEC's coaches are as good or better than the Big Ten's, but we can't say that now. Too many unproven figures.

Adams:Toppmeyer is right. The Big Ten enjoys the edge.

The SEC remains strong at the top, but it can't match the Big Ten's quality in the middle or lower ranks. The Big Ten upgraded its roster of coaches in this hiring cycle. The SEC took ambitious shots on younger candidates. That might work, so we reserve the right to re-evaluate this in a couple of years. For now, I'd take the Big Ten's coaching roster.

Later in the episode

∎ The hosts unpack theCollege Football Playoffquarterfinal matchups, includingwhat's at stake for Kalen DeBoerin Alabama-Indiana and whetherMississippi plays with house moneyin a rematch with Georgia.

Where to listen to SEC Football Unfiltered

• Apple

• Spotify

• iHeart

• Google

Blake Toppmeyeris the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist.John Adamsis the senior sports columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel.Subscribe to theSEC Football Unfilteredpodcast, and check out theSEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Big Ten beats SEC in college football coaching carousel

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

Big Ten dunks on SEC in college football coaching carousel. That's the cold truth

TheBig Ten is thrivingso far this postseason. (OK, so maybe Southern Cal's tackling isn't thriving, but the rest ...

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The NFC South, the NFL's weirdest division, will end the year on a perfectly ridiculous note

The battle for the NFC South will come down to a game between the division's top two teams on Saturday …but the title itself might not be decided until Sunday.

The Panthers (8-8) face the Buccaneers (7-9) on Saturday night in Tampa. If the Panthers win, end of story, Carolina takes the division. (More on that in a moment.) If the Bucs win, though, the two teams would be tied at 8-9 … and they'd have to wait until the outcome of Sunday's Falcons-Saints game. If the Falcons win, you'd have three teams tied at 8-9 … and thePantherswould win by a series of tiebreakers.

For any other division in football, this would be a ridiculous, borderline unbelievable turn of events. For the NFC South, it's called "a season."

The NFC South is the point on the NFL map where the border with the college football universe is the thinnest, and consequently a whole lot of SEC crazy tends to seep into the water supply. The four teams that make up the NFC South — Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay and New Orleans — are the most ramshackle collection of weirdos in the NFL.

You don't want to play any NFC South team at any point in the year, because you never quite know how it's going to go (see:Monday night's Rams-Falcons game). These four teams shoot themselves in the foot with numbing regularity, but they might just be standing on your foot when they fire.

Five of the NFL's eight divisions have sent all four members to the Super Bowl. (Sorry, AFC South and AFC/NFC Norths.) No division has sent all four teams to the big game more recently than the NFC South (New Orleans 2009, Carolina 2015, Atlanta 2016, Tampa Bay 2020). And yet, almost every time an NFC South team manages to reach the big game, it faceplants for a few seasons afterward, like a pageant winner ascending the podium and then immediately falling off the back as soon as she receives her crown.

In other words, you must take the NFC South seriously, even though it is a profoundly unserious division.

Consider how this season alone has gone:

• The Falcons' backup quarterback is on a $180 million contract. They have one of the game's three best running backs, a vicious pass defense, a young and hungry receiving corps, and yet have lost nine games already this season. They've beaten both the Rams and Bills in prime time … and lost to both the Dolphins and Jets. They might well finish with a record equal to the division winner … and they were eliminated from the playoff picture weeks ago.

• The Panthers are the odds-on favorite to win the division — a 78 percent chance, per The Athletic — and yet nobody's quite sure if their quarterback will be around much longer. Bryce Young has engineered six game-winning drives this season, second in the league only to Bo Nix's seven, but the fact that the Panthers have won only eight games total is a sign that this is a team that needs game-winning drives a little too often. And again, Carolina being a division winner with a below-.500 record is very much on the table.

• The Bucs are the four-time defending division champs, and after starting the season 5-1, appeared headed to an easy fifth. But they've lost seven of their past eight, including four in a row. They've won exactly one game since before Halloween — and that was a three-point victory over the woeful Arizona Cardinals. Everybody on the entire team is injured, including two separate players since you started reading this sentence.

• The Saints somehow built an entire 2025 team and forgot they might need an NFL-caliber starting quarterback. They immediately proceeded to go 1-8 to start the season. But they've swept the season series against the likely division winner, and they're on a four-game winning streak. Of course.

This is the division victimized by 28-3 andthe Minneapolis Miracle, the division where Cam Newton capped an MVP season with an LVP Super Bowl, where a creamsicle-clad team lost its first26games. Sub-.500 teams have won the divisiontwicein the past 11 seasons. So are you at all surprised that the 2025 season might end in a three-way 8-9 tie?

The chaos of the NFC South is glorious to behold, yes. But it might be time to institute some changes. Idea: After this season, relegate the entire division to the SEC and promote some replacements. Bringing Georgia, Alabama, Ole Miss and Texas into the NFL couldn't be any weirder than what we're dealing with now.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

The NFC South, the NFL's weirdest division, will end the year on a perfectly ridiculous note

The battle for the NFC South will come down to a game between the division's top two teams on Saturday …but the title...

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NFL playoff picture: Projected AFC, NFC brackets, wild-card matchups

The final week of the 2025 NFL season has arrived, and the league's playoff picture looks a lot different from what most anticipated it would when thePhiladelphia Eagleshosted the Dallas Cowboys to open the season.

Notably, theKansas City Chiefswere eliminated from playoff contention in Week 16, marking the first time since 2015 they failed to win the AFC West. Instead, theDenver Broncoshave emerged with that division title. They will be battling the New England Patriots – who had a terrific turnaround in Mike Vrabel's first season working withDrake Mayeand Co. – and theJacksonville Jaguarsfor the conference's No. 1 seed.

If that isn't topsy-turvy enough, the NFC's No. 1 seed from 2024, theDetroit Lions, failed to make the playoffs.Instead, the No. 1 seed will go to either the Seattle Seahawks, who have emerged as a legitimate Super Bowl threat after inkingSam Darnoldin free agency, or theSan Francisco 49ers, who are back in the postseason for the third time in the last four seasons.

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Best images of the 2025 NFL season

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18)makes a catch for a touchdownagainst the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

A total of 12 playoff berths have been wrapped up entering Week 18. The final two will be decided by head-to-head matchups in the season's final week, while many teams are playing for seeding scenarios as the campaign closes.

Here's how the NFL's playoff picture and bracket look ahead of Week 18.

NFL playoff picture

*=team has clinched a playoff berth.

AFC playoff picture

1. Denver Broncos (13-3, AFC West winners)*

2. New England Patriots (13-3, AFC East winners)*

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4, AFC South leaders)*

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7, AFC North leaders)

5. Houston Texans (11-5, wild card No. 1)*

6. Los Angeles Chargers (11-5, wild card No. 2)*

7. Buffalo Bills (11-5, wild card No. 3)*

In the hunt:Baltimore Ravens(8-8)

While six of the AFC's playoff berths have been clinched entering Week 17, none of the teams have yet clinched a specific seed. That means the conference's pecking order could change quickly during the final week of the 2025 NFL season.

NFC playoff picture

1. Seattle Seahawks (13-3, NFC West leaders)*

2. Chicago Bears (11-5, NFC North winners)*

3. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5, NFC East winners)*

4. Carolina Panthers (8-8, NFC South leaders)

5. San Francisco 49ers (12-4, wild card No. 1)*

6. Los Angeles Rams (11-5, wild card No. 2)*

7. Green Bay Packers (9-6-1, wild card No. 3)*

In the hunt: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)

The Packers are the lone team to clinch a specific seed in the NFC playoff race. They are locked into the No. 7 slot. Week 18 results could change the rest of the standings.

NFL wild-card matchups, full bracket

Here are the wild-card round games in each conference entering Week 18.

AFC wild-card matchups

No. 1 Denver Broncos: BYE

The Broncos can clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC and a coveted first-round bye with a victory over the Chargers in Week 18. Los Angeles is planning to sit some of its starters, including top quarterbackJustin Herbert, with the team locked into a wild-card berth, which should benefit Denver in its quest.

No. 2 New England Patriots vs. No. 7 Buffalo Bills

The Patriots have won the AFC East for the first time since 2019 and will be guaranteed a top-three seed in the conference. They would need the Broncos to lose (or tie) to overtake them for the No. 1 seed, so New England seems more likely to play on wild-card weekend.

Currently, the Patriots are set to face the Bills in what would be the third matchup between the teams this season. New England won the first meeting 23-20 in Week 5 before Buffalo bounced back with a come-from-behind 35-31 victory in Week 15 to snap a 10-game Patriots winning streak.

The Bills can be seeded anywhere from No. 5 to No. 7 in the AFC. It isn't yet clear whether they will play starters in Week 18 against the New York Jets asJosh Allen nurses a lingering foot injury.

No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars vs. No. 6 Los Angeles Chargers

The Jaguars have an outside chance to catch the Broncos for the No. 1 overall seed, but they will likely be more focused on staving off the Texans for the AFC South title. So long as Jacksonville can beat the 3-13 Tennessee Titans, Liam Coen's team will have at least one home playoff game.

Meanwhile, the Chargers are set to rest their starters in Week 18, so it's unclear whether they will be able to hold onto the No. 6 seed. If they do, they will get a chance to avenge their 31-30 loss to the Jaguars in the 2022 wild-card round. Los Angeles held a 27-0 lead in that game before Jacksonville came storming back to earn the narrow victory.

No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers vs. No. 5 Houston Texans

The Texans have a wide variety of potential outcomes in Week 18. They could be seeded as high as No. 3 overall in the conference, while they could slip all the way to No. 7, pending the results of the Week 18 games. Houston has a lot for which to play, as the Texans can catch the Jaguars in the AFC South race, so they will likely keep their starters in for Week 18.

Meanwhile, the Steelers are playing a winner-take-all game against the Ravens. The winner will take home the AFC North title and the conference's No. 4 overall seed. The loser will go home. Pittsburgh would make it into the postseason field in the event of a tie, but it appears to be a true 50-50 proposition for Mike Tomlin's squad to make the playoffs.

NFC wild-card matchups

No. 1 Seattle Seahawks: BYE

The Seahawks are playing the San Francisco 49ers in Week 18. The winner of that game will be the NFC West champion and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. The loser will lock down either the No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the conference. The Seahawks have a slight edge in the contest, as they will be the No. 1 seed in the event of a tie.

No. 2 Chicago Bears vs. No. 7 Green Bay Packers

The Bears' narrow loss to the 49ers on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 17 guaranteed they would be either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the NFC playoff race. A win over the Detroit Lions would set the Bears up with their third date against the Packers, who are locked into the conference's No. 7 seed.

Chicago and Green Bay have split their season series to date. The Packers won the first game 28-21 afterCaleb Williamsthrew an interception in the end zone while trying to mount a game-tying drive in the game's final minute. A couple of weeks later, Williams threw a 46-yard touchdown toDJ Moorein overtime to cap off a big-time fourth-quarter comeback that positioned the Bears to win the NFC North for the first time since 2018.

The Packers and Bears last met in the postseason in 2011. Aaron Rodgers led the No. 6-seeded Packers to a 21-14 victory en route to Green Bay winning its fourth Super Bowl title.

No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles vs. No. 6 Los Angeles Rams

The Eagles will be either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the NFC playoff picture, while the Rams will be either the No. 5 or No. 6 seed. It all depends on how they fare in Week 18 and how the teams ahead of them in the standings – the Bears, Seahawks and 49ers – fare.

An Eagles-Rams matchup would be a repeat of the teams' Week 3 meeting. Philadelphia won that one 33-26, but it's worth noting that Los Angeles led in the fourth quarter. However, a couple of field goal blocks allowed the Eagles to stave off defeat and improve to 3-0.

Would the Eagles be so lucky again? Maybe, but the game would figure to be tight. The two teams did meet in the playoffs last season, after all. Philadelphia earned a 28-22 win amid snowy conditions at Lincoln Financial Field but Los Angeles nearly executed a 13-point comeback over the final five minutes before the Eagles came up with one final stop.

No. 4 Carolina Panthers vs. No. 5 San Francisco 49ers

The NFC South title remains up for grabs. The winner will likely be the victor of the Panthers vs. Buccaneers game in Week 18, but there remains a scenario in which Tampa Bay wins and the Atlanta Falcons beat the New Orleans Saints head-to-head to create a three-way tie in the division that will send Carolina to the postseason. Either way, the Panthers have the edge to win the divisional crown.

Meanwhile, the No. 5 seed is also in flux. All that's presently known is it will belong to one of the three NFC West teams. The 49ers are presently slotted in there, but they could move up to the No. 1 seed with a win over the Seahawks.

If the Panthers and 49ers meet in this game, it would be a rematch of their "Monday Night Football" meeting in Week 12. San Francisco won that defensive slog 20-9, a game in which it forcedBryce Younginto multiple turnovers.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NFL playoff picture: Projected AFC, NFC brackets in Week 18

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

NFL playoff picture: Projected AFC, NFC brackets, wild-card matchups

The final week of the 2025 NFL season has arrived, and the league's playoff picture looks a lot different from what m...

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Marlins acquire outfielder Esteury Ruiz from World Series champion Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Miami Marlins acquired outfielder Esteury Ruiz from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night in a trade for minor league right-hander Adriano Marrero.

The speedy Ruiz led the American League with 67 stolen bases for the Athletics in 2023. He is a career .241 hitter during four major league seasons with four teams, but excels as a baserunner and a defender.

The Dodgers acquired Ruiz from the A's last April, and he was a little-used reserve when he was in the majors forthe back-to-back World Series champions. Ruiz batted .190 in 19 games for Los Angeles, largely playing as a defensive replacement or a pinch runner.

The Marlins designated infielder Eric Wagaman for assignment to make room on their 40-man roster for Ruiz. The trade opened a spot on the Dodgers' 40-man roster.

As a capable backup outfielder, Ruiz could be the Marlins' replacement for Dane Myers, who was traded to Cincinnati last weekend.

AP MLB:https://apnews.com/MLB

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

Marlins acquire outfielder Esteury Ruiz from World Series champion Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Miami Marlins acquired outfielder Esteury Ruiz from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night in a t...

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Bowl game schedule today: Breaking down the five college football bowls on Dec. 31

The final day of 2025 offers another full schedule ofcollege football bowl games, culminating in the first of the fourCollege Football Playoffquarterfinal contests.

But before Ohio State and Miami renew acquaintances for the first time in nearly a quarter century, there are several other compelling matchups on the undercard. The traditional year-endSECvs.Big Tentwin bill in the Sunshine State is on the docket, and the ACC champion and a couple of contenders from the Big 12 also take the field.

Here's everything you need to know if you want to end the calendar year with a day of gridiron action before that other ball drops at midnight.

ReliaQuest Bowl: No. 12 Vanderbilt vs. Iowa (8-4)

Time/TV:noon ET, ESPN in Tampa, Fla.

Why watch:The New Year's Eve fun kicks off with this attractive matchup of teams that were, at least for parts of the season, in the playoff conversation. TheCommodoresadmittedly were significantly closer to the at-large pool, but the Hawkeyes gave eventual Big Ten champion and No.-1 seed Indiana as much of a battle as anyone. Vanderbilt QB and Heisman runner-up Diego Pavia will play, but one of his top weapons, TE Eli Stowers, will not as he prepares for the NFL draft. TheIowadefense is always fundamentally sound, and LB Karson Sharar will lead the effort to keep Pavia bottled up. Hawkeyes' QB Mark Gronowski isn't quite the explosive two-way threat Pavia is, but he does have 15 rushing TDs to go along with his eight scoring throws. His primary pursuer will be Commodores' DE Miles Capers.

Why it could disappoint:It shouldn't, but it will also not be a track meet. These are similarly constructed teams that don't often beat themselves, and the game-changing play could be delivered by the special teams.

Sun Bowl: Arizona State vs. Duke

Time/TV:2 p.m. ET, CBS in El Paso, Texas.

Why watch:It's a devilish matchup in west Texas as improbable ACC champDuketakes on an ASU squad responsible for Texas Tech's lone regular-season loss. Unfortunately from a competitive standpoint, theSun Devilswill be without most key contributors due to injury or intent to transfer. The good news is veteran QB Jeff Sims saw considerable playing time during the season when Sam Leavitt was sidelined. He'll rely on RB Kanye Udoh for ground support with Raleek Brown also among the optouts. The Blue Devils are in better personnel shape, with QB Darian Mensah not only expected to play but also slated to return next season. Top RB Nate Sheppard and WR Cooper Barkate should also be available.

Why it could disappoint:It probably will to be honest. The Sun Devils will be able to put a viable team on the field, but Duke's more experienced lineup could take charge in short order. Duke, 34-17.

Citrus Bowl: No. 14 Texas vs. No. 17 Michigan

Time/TV:3 p.m. ET, ABC in Orlando, Fla.

Why watch: This is certainly a high-profile matchup in terms of name recognition. There's also most assuredly a curiosity factor with the Wolverines in a messy coaching transition and theLonghornshoping to lay a foundation for next season. Several key defenders for both teams won't be available, including Texas DBMichael Taaffe and Michigan DL Jayshaun Barham. Longhorns QB Arch Manning and Wolverines QB Bryce Underwood will be around, though the latter's plans for when Kyle Whittingham and his new coaching staff arrive in Ann Arbor remain to be seen.

Why it could disappoint:It's hard to know what to expect in this one, as both teams have numerous players out with injuries even beyond the optouts and transfers. There aren't likely to be many offensive fireworks regardless.

Las Vegas Bowl: No. 15 Utah vs. Nebraska

Time/TV:3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

Why watch:The final non-playoff contest of the day pits theUtes, whose only two losses came against the Big 12 finalists, and the Cornhuskers, whose promising season was derailed by injuries and second-half meltdowns. The game will mark the head coaching debut for Morgan Scalley, Utah's long-time defensive coordinator who will succeed Kyle Whittingham perhaps one contest sooner than expected. Utes' QB Devon Dampier and RB Wayshawn Parker are expected to play, and they should be able to control the clock by keeping the ball on the ground. Nebraska was already without QB Dylan Raiola for the final month of the campaign, and leading RB Emmett Johnson is opting out of this one. QB T.J. Lateef will be around, though he had limited success in November losses to Penn State and Iowa.

Why it could disappoint:Even if Nebraska had its opening-day lineup, there would be major mismatch potential. This will probably be over quickly.

Cotton Bowl: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Miami (Fla.)

Time/TV:7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN in Arlington, Texas.

Why watch:The first of the four quarterfinal bowls features the defending CFP championBuckeyes, again officially the Big Ten runners-up but this time receiving a first-round bye due to new seeding policies, against the Hurricanes, the last team in from the at-large pool according to the rankings but justifying their inclusion with a first-round victory at Texas A&M. Miami QB Carson Beck could use another strong outing from RB Mark Fletcher and his run blockers, who will be up against the stingy Buckeyes' ground defense that surrenders just 84.5 yards a game. Beck has a constant big-play threat in WR Malachi Toney, but the deep waters in the middle of the field where S Caleb Downs and LB Sonny Styles patrol can be quite treacherous. Ohio State QB Julian Sayin might need to stretch the field more as well. He certainly has the weapons with WRs Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, but the issue will be having enough time to find them with Hurricanes' DEs Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor coming at him from the edges.

Why it could disappoint:There weren't many points scored the last time both teams took the field, though that hardly meant their respective contests lacked drama. A barrage of mistakes might lead to a one-sided affair. For what it's worth, Ohio State has not had a game like that this year, while Miami has.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:College football bowl games today schedule includes five matchups

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

Bowl game schedule today: Breaking down the five college football bowls on Dec. 31

The final day of 2025 offers another full schedule ofcollege football bowl games, culminating in the first of the fourCol...

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104-year-old Army veteran nails anthem performance for NHL crowd

For one night on Long Island, New York, the heated NHL rivalry between the Islanders and the Rangers was put on ice.

Escorted by the Islanders' Energy Team in front of more than 18,000 fans on Saturday, 104-year-old Dominick Critelli took his seat, adjusted his soprano saxophone and played one of his favorite melodies, "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Critelli, a decorated Army staff sergeant who survived World War II's Battle of the Bulge, immigrated to the U.S. from Italy when he was 8. He has been playing the sax since he was 13.

"It makes me happy," he said.

Critelli has performed in front of large crowds before, including UBS Arena in 2023, but this performance, he said, was personal.

"I lost a lot of friends," he said of his fallen brothers-in-arms. "I'm doing this for them."

Medals and memories of Critelli's youth adorn his home in Floral Park, New York. In his front yard, an American flag waves above a sign with the same patriotic colors. "A proud veteran lives here," it reads.

Critelli says he practices his instrument an hour a day, and he glides from tune to tune, including one of his favorites — "Oh, Marie," with ease and precision.

At the arena, his mission was straightforward: Stay sharp and pay tribute to the country he loves.

"I mean, is there any better song to play than 'The Star-Spangled Banner'?" he says? "Beautiful, you put your heart in it."

As he played, chants of "U-S-A" rang through the rafters. But Critelli says he was so focused, he didn't even hear it.

"Oh my God, I missed that!" he said, laughing.

"I was so interested in 'the land of the free," Critelli added. "I want the kids to remember that, because that's very important to them."

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

104-year-old Army veteran nails anthem performance for NHL crowd

For one night on Long Island, New York, the heated NHL rivalry between the Islanders and the Rangers was put on ice. ...

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Deron Rippey Jr., No. 1 PG in ‘26, commits to Duke

Duke received a commitment on Tuesday from five-star Deron Rippey Jr., considered the top point guard in the Class of 2026.

The addition of Rippey boosted Duke's class to No. 1 in the rankings from both ESPN and the 247Sports composite.

Rippey, hailing from the New York borough of Brooklyn, chose Duke over finalists Miami, North Carolina State, Tennessee and Texas.

"It was a very tough decision," Rippey said, per 247Sports. "I went back to what I value in a program long-term, both as a family and as a player. Duke offers a lot of benefits beyond athletics, but academics, resources, alumni support, high-level coaching and professional development."

The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder plays for Blair Academy in New Jersey. He is rated the No. 12 overall prospect and No. 1 point guard in his class by the 247Sports composite rankings.

At Duke, he joins five-star Cameron Williams (No. 4 overall, No. 1 power forward), five-star Bryson Howard (No. 13 overall, No. 5 small forward) and four-star Maxime Meyer (No. 102 overall, No. 12 center) in next year's class.

That pushed Duke ahead of the likes of Michigan State, Kansas and Maryland in 247Sports' class rankings; ESPN also said Duke would move from No. 3 to No. 1 in its class rankings.

--Field Level Media

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

Deron Rippey Jr., No. 1 PG in ‘26, commits to Duke

Duke received a commitment on Tuesday from five-star Deron Rippey Jr., considered the top point guard in the Class of 202...

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Luke Altmyer trucks ref, powers Illinois to Music City Bowl win over Tennessee and first back-to-back 9-plus-win seasons in program history

Luke Altmyer was an unstoppable force Tuesday night in the Music City Bowl.

Nothing was getting in the way of a milestone victory in his 35th and final start as Illinois' quarterback: not Tennessee's 94-yard, go-ahead kickoff return touchdown in the fourth quarter, and especially not an official who found himself in the path of the redshirt senior earlier in the night.

Altmyer incidentally trucked that ref on a 14-yard run during a third-quarter touchdown drive, and he responded with another touchdown drive after the pixie dust settled from the Volunteers' special-teams magic.

Illinois QB Luke Altmyer just did to a ref what Derrick Henry does to NFL defenders every Sunday.Fitting the Music City Bowl is in Henry's old stomping groundspic.twitter.com/yPE2L3kEsE

— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul)December 31, 2025

Altmyer, once an Ole Miss transfer who ended up authoring a three-season legacy at Illinois, already led all active FBS quarterbacks with six career game-winning drives in the final minute or overtime. The Starkville, Mississippi, native had one more in him, as David Olano made a 29-yard field goal as time expired.

With the 30-28 victory, the Fighting Illini (9-4, 5-4 Big Ten) recorded back-to-back nine-plus-win seasons for the first time in program history. They won 10 games in 2024, and Altmyer picked up where he left off to stitch together an impressive 2025 campaign.

Tennessee (8-5, 4-4 SEC) suffered another gut-wrenching defeat in a season that also included one-score losses to Georgia and Oklahoma, a pair of College Football Playoff teams.

Altmyer threw for 196 yards and a score and ran for 54 yards and a score. He clocks out with 23 wins at Illinois, tied with Jack Trudeau for the second-most victories recorded by a Fighting Illini quarterback. Kurt Kittner is atop that list with 24.

Illinois took a 10-7 lead into the half and went up two scores early in the third quarter, thanks to a strip-sack and fumble recovery.

Fighting Illini outside linebacker Joe Barna flew off the edge, wrapped up Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar and jarred the ball loose.

It bounced toward the end zone, and Illinois' Leon Lowery Jr. hopped on it for the touchdown after defensive lineman James Thompson Jr. got a crack at collecting the loose change.

Tennessee entered averaging 40.8 points per game. The Volunteers' offense had a lot more to offer, starting with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that ended with the first of running back DeSean Bishop's two rushing touchdowns. That rebuttal made it 17-14.

Then came Altmyer's bowling ball run that knocked over a ref as if he was a pin. Soon after, he paired a 15-yard dart to tight end Tanner Arkin with a 2-yard zone-read touchdown run.

Tennessee's next counterpunch was even more methodical. The Vols patiently hummed to the tune of a 14-play, 79-yard touchdown drive that featured a third-and-15 connection between Aguilar and wide receiver Mike Matthews.

Things got rocky for the Illini when Tennessee went on top with 4:58 to go. Following a 28-yard Illinois field goal, true Volunteers freshman wideout Joakim Dodson muffed the ensuing kickoff before quickly redeeming himself with a recovery, a couple moves and a sprint down the left sideline for a touchdown that put his team ahead 28-27.

Vols back in front!📺 ESPN📲https://t.co/Of3njOtsCzpic.twitter.com/KUCYR79ylT

— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football)December 31, 2025

Altmyer was unfazed, though.

He used his legs for key pickups. And he quarterbacked an offense that executed in short-yardage at the most critical of times.

Lined up as a fullback, tight end Jordan Anderson plowed forward for 13 yards on a gotta-have-it fourth-and-1. Later in the drive, 255-pound running back Kaden Feagin picked up three yards on third-and-1 deep in Tennessee territory.

That conversion allowed Illinois to chew clock and wait for the game-winning field goal.

Illinois didn't make a run to the CFP like some thought Bret Bielema's crew might after turning heads last season. But it did beat an ACC champion in Duke and a ranked USC team as well as Tennessee while making program history.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

Luke Altmyer trucks ref, powers Illinois to Music City Bowl win over Tennessee and first back-to-back 9-plus-win seasons in program history

Luke Altmyer was an unstoppable force Tuesday night in the Music City Bowl. Nothing was getting in the way of a ...

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Who is coaching Michigan vs Texas? Wolverines coach for Citrus Bowl

Former Utah coach Kyle Whittinghamwill be Michigan's third head coach since 2023 when he takes over the program ahead of the 2026 season.

Whittingham replacesSherrone Moore,who was fired in December for cause after an investigation uncovered an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. Whittingham, who signed a five-year deal, was the second-longest tenured head coach in college football with one program, leading the Utes from 2005-25.

GRADING THE HIRE:Kyle Whittingham an upgrade for Michigan, just not a home run

The 66-year-old coach stepped down from his position on Dec. 12 before landing the Michigan job. Utah defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley, who was dubbed the coach-in-waiting in 2024.

Whittingham won't be coaching in Michigan's upcoming bowl game against Texas, though. He won't coach in his first game until the season opener against Western Michigan in 2026.

Who's coaching theWolverinesin the Citrus Bowl? Here's what to know of Michigan's staff despite Whittingham being hired.

Who is coaching Michigan vs Texas in Citrus Bowl?

Michigan will be led byinterim head coach Biff Poggiagainst theLonghorns, along with a few other coaches sticking with the program throughout the bowl game. Poggi was named the interim coach on Dec. 10 after Moore was fired.

Whittingham is in the process of building his staff but is reportedly close to hiring BYU's Jay Hill as defensive coordinator and Utah's Jason Beck as offensive coordinator.

Poggi served as the Wolverines' interim coach for games against Central Michigan and Nebraska this season following a 2-game suspension for Moore. He went 6-16 as the head coach at Charlotte from 2023-24 before returning to Michigan's staff in 2025.

Poggi was an analyst at Michigan in 2016 and later returned to the school as associate head coach from 2021-22 before leaving to be Charlotte's head coach. The Baltimore native was the head coach from 2017-20 at St. Frances Academy, a high school powerhouse in Baltimore.

Steve Casula will serve as interim play caller for the bowl game after Chip Lindsey left to be the next offensive coordinator at Missouri. Wink Martindale will call the defense, as he has the last two seasons.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Who is coaching Michigan vs Texas? Wolverines coach for Citrus Bowl

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

Who is coaching Michigan vs Texas? Wolverines coach for Citrus Bowl

Former Utah coach Kyle Whittinghamwill be Michigan's third head coach since 2023 when he takes over the program ah...

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College Football Playoff: Biggest storylines to watch in this week's quarterfinal games

The College Football Playoff quarterfinals kick off on New Year's Eve, as the best eight remaining teams in the country square off to determine a national champion.

After the first round featured games on home fields, the action now shifts to neutral sites. The four quarterfinal games will take place at the Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl.

Let's dive into what to expect from all the action.

No. 10 Miami vs. No. 2 Ohio State (7:30 p.m. ET, Dec. 31)

The Hurricanes enter this game as a first-round winner after surviving a 10-3 defensive struggle against Texas A&M. The Buckeyes have been one of the better teams in the country all season, losing only once (and not until the Big Ten title game).

This could be another tough night for the offenses. Miami's biggest strength this year has been along the defensive line, a group that registered seven sacks in the team's playoff opener. Ohio State, meanwhile, hasn't given up more than 16 points in a game yet this season.

The Buckeyes have a definitive advantage on offense, however, with elite talent on the perimeter and a quarterback in Julian Sayin who has completed 78.4% of his passes this season while throwing 31 touchdowns. Miami will likely need to put more on the plate of signal-caller Carson Beck, who hasn't always been trusted to push the ball down the field.

No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 4 Texas Tech (Noon ET, Jan. 1)

As the seeding would imply, this is game is expected to be the closest matchup in the quarterfinals. Once again, both sides excel at stopping their opponent, as the Ducks and Red Raiders finished eighth and second, respectively, in scoring defense this season. Oregon does have an exciting offensive talent in quarterback Dante Moore, who is seen as one of the top potential prospects in the upcoming NFL draft.

Moore is coming off one of his best performances of the year, scoring five total touchdowns in a drubbing of a hapless James Madison team. Texas Tech, meanwhile, has not played since Dec. 6, when it defeated BYU for the second time in the Big 12 championship.

No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 1 Indiana (4 p.m. ET)

The Rose Bowl has all the making of a classic.

On one side is arguably the most storied brand in college football, a program synonymous with championship excellence.

On the other side is a school that entered this season with the most losses in college football history.

The Hoosiers have proven themselves at multiple turns this year, beating Oregon on the road early in the season then defeating Ohio State for the Big Ten title and the top ranking in the country. Curt Cignetti appears to be the most confident coach in the country, and if anybody is truly unbothered by the Crimson Tide mystique, it's him.

Alabama hasn't always been inspiring under coach Kalen DeBoer, who is desperately trying to carve his own legacy after taking over for Nick Saban. The three-loss Crimson Tide were a dubious playoff selection, but they picked up the best win of DeBoer's career in the first round, coming back from a 17-0 deficit to defeat Oklahoma 34-24.

This should also be a great quarterback duel betweenHeisman winner Fernando Mendozaand redshirt junior Ty Simpson. The two players have combined to throw 61 touchdowns but only 11 interceptions this season.

No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Georgia (8 p.m. ET)

This game is a rematch of a Nov. 9 shootout that saw the Bulldogs win 43-35, the Rebels' lone loss of the season.

Ole Miss led that game 35-26 entering the fourth quarter but gave up 17 unanswered points as its offense went ice cold in the final frame. If there's a major concern for the Rebels, it's that the typically more methodical Georgia team was able to beat them at their own game.

The Bulldogs have been rolling since a September loss to Alabama, going undefeated in that span. Georgia has won four of its last five games by at least 20 points.

And of course, the subplot here is Ole Miss's coaching situation. Can the players continue to stay focused amid the drama, as the school worries about tampering on the coaching staff and former coach Lane Kiffinpotentially attending the game? We'll find out soon enough.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

College Football Playoff: Biggest storylines to watch in this week's quarterfinal games

The College Football Playoff quarterfinals kick off on New Year's Eve, as the best eight remaining teams in the country square off to d...

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NFL hot seat rankings: Which coaches are in most trouble ahead of Week 18?

At a time when a sizable number ofNFLcoaches are trying to plot a path past the regular season, many more are simply looking to hang on for another year.

The arrival of Week 18 also brings about plenty of speculation about Black Monday, the annual date on which teams that fall short of the postseason begin enacting staff changes. Upheaval is almost a certainty, with theNew York GiantsandTennessee Titanshaving already dismissed their leaders.

But this year's setup seems to entail a good bit more mystery than that of previous years. With few buzzy names in the assistant coaching ranks – at least among offensive play-callers – might teams exhibit a bit more patience in forging ahead with known entities? Mike Tomlin's name has drawn the most attention among coaches facing an uncertain future, but reports have indicated an outright firing by the Pittsburgh Steelers isn't expected as a potential resolution even if the two sides were to split. Meanwhile, while the New York Jets' Aaron Glenn andCincinnati Bengals' Zac Taylor each fell well short of expectations in 2025, neither appears to be at imminent risk of being dismissed – though the coaching cycle routinely produces a surprise or two.

Ahead of Week 18, here's our final NFL hot seat rankings, leading off with the figure most likely to be let go:

Week 5: Buffalo Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel makes a catch against the New England Patriots at Highmark Stadium. The Bills wore their new "Rivalries" uniform for the "Sunday Night Football" game, which the Patriots won, 23-20.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Week 5: Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield awaits the snap against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Both teams wore throwback uniforms in the Buccaneers' 38-35 win. The Buccaneers and Seahawks entered the NFL together as expansion teams in 1976.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Week 4: Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) hands the ball off to running back J.K. Dobbins during the "Monday Night Football" game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Empower Field at Mile High. The Broncos wore their "Midnight Navy" uniforms for the 28-3 win.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Week 4: Miami Dolphins running back De'von Achane rushes the ball against the New York Jets during a 27-21 win on "Monday Night Football" at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins wore their new their Nike "Rivalries" uniforms – the team version dubbed "Dark Waters."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Week 4: The Arizona Cardinals defense tackles Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tory Horton (15) during the first quarter of a "Thursday Night Football" game at State Farm Stadium. The Cardinals became the first NFL team to wear the new Nike "Rivalries" uniform in a game. The Seahawks won the game, 23-20.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Week 3: New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (5) stiff arms Seattle Seahawks linebacker Tyrice Knight (48) during the second quarter at Lumen Field. The Saints wore their all-white uniform and helmet combo for the first time in the 44-13 loss.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Week 3: San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey carries the ball against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers wore throwback jerseys - an homage to the team's 1950s look, as well as its 1994 Super Bowl-winning season - in the 16-15 win against the Cardinals.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Week 2: Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Sporting "The Vikings Classic" throwback uniform inspired by the team's look during the 1960s and '70s, Minnesota was defeated, 22-6.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Can't-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season

1. Pete Carroll,Las Vegas Raiders

If Carroll had one task to check off in his first season back in the NFL after his one-year absence, it was to establish a baseline level of competence for the Raiders. Maybe that seemed as though it would be aiming low for a coach selected for the NFL's 2010s All-Decade Team, but that floor wasn't something Las Vegas could count on in the previous three years. Still, Carroll's charges have hardly embodied his "always compete" mantra. In takingthe pole position for the No. 1 draft pick, the Raiders have made a full-scale reset look inevitable, with almost no silver lining to be seen for the Silver and Black. Carroll was clearly counting on a rapid turnaround, and there's little point in having the oldest coach in NFL history oversee a much more extensive build than anyone in the organization had prepared for. And with Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza serving as the potential prize for a year of pain, the franchise would serve itself well by instituting the kind of alignment that has long eluded it.

2. Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons

A three-game win streak could help build the case that Morris knows how to guide this group. But the late-season surge also underscores how badly Atlanta has underachieved on the whole. Things aren't as simple as merely running it back for the Falcons, with quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s trajectory even more uncertain following his third torn anterior cruciate ligament since the start of his college career. Atlanta has also been dogged by repeated special teams errors, a distinctly bad look for a franchise with minimal margin for error. Arthur Blank has rare patience in the NFL ownership class, but an eighth consecutive losing season – and a postseason drought only exceeded by that of the Jets – could test even the most even-tempered decision-maker.

3. Jonathan Gannon,Arizona Cardinals

It would be easy to cast misfortune as the running theme of this season for Arizona, which is 2-8 in one-score games and became the first team in NFL history to lose three consecutive contests on the final play. And with 22 players on injured reserve, the Cardinals certainly haven't been able to show what they can do at full strength, particularly offensively. But five of the defeats in the ongoing eight-game losing streak have come by at least 20 points, undermining any sense that this group is on the verge of a breakthrough. Some form of major change feels necessary in the desert, especially given the gulf between expectations and reality for Year 3 of Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort's reign. But Arizona could stop short of making a shift at the top and instead alter its outlook elsewhere on the coaching staff and at quarterback, where Kyler Murray's tenure looks to have run its course.

4. Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns

In a vacuum, a coach with a 7-26 record the last two seasons typically would find himself atop this list rather than placed in the middle. But context matters when evaluating Stefanski, who was hardly set up to succeed this year. That dynamic was particularly evident behind center, with the coach cycling a trio of starting options that constituted the league's worst collection of passing talent. Still smarting from the ill-fated Deshaun Watson trade, Cleveland set itself up for a 2026 resurgence by dealing back to earn another first-round draft pick this upcoming spring. Stefanski aided that effort by bringing along one of the league's most impressive rookie classes, giving a roster starved for young talent something resembling an actual foundation. Still, even though he ceded play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, the two-time Coach of the Year is ultimately still responsible for an attack that ranks 31st in scoring. A reprieve would be entirely reasonable given the task facing Stefanski this season, but it can't be guaranteed.

5. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens

An unceremonious end to the season isn't all that will await the loser of Sunday's regular-season capper for the AFC North title, as either Tomlin or Harbaugh will surely face a barrage of questions about the future after falling short of the playoffs. Ending the second-longest tenure of any active coach is no trivial matter, as Harbaugh has a Lombardi Trophy to his résumé and is just one year removed from coming up short in the AFC championship game. Still, the Ravens were often responsible for their own undoing throughout this season, and Harbaugh did himself no favors with Derrick Henry's late usage - or lack thereof - in a Week 16 loss to the New England Patriots. Baltimore is at risk of squandering the Kansas City Chiefs' downfall this season, and the organization needs to pounce on a potential reset for the longtime AFC heavyweight. And two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson might benefit from a fresh direction as he prepares to turn 29 and enter a distinct new chapter of his career. Still, extending the season by a week or two likely extinguishes the matter.

6. Todd Bowles,Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Having lost seven of their last eight games and now needing help to secure a fifth consecutive NFC South title, the Buccaneers are in full tailspin mode. How much of that falls on Bowles depends on your perspective. Incessant injuries have prevented the offense from ever reaching full strength, and Baker Mayfield's struggles have been so pervasive that the coach himself declared Tampa Bay has "got to be better at the quarterback position." But Bowles' defense has also weighed the team down, ranking 26th in yards allowed per play while sporting a troubling overall trend line since the Week 9 bye. Perhaps the organization opts not to pursue drastic action amid the meltdown and Bowles receives a fifth season at the helm. Regardless, the Buccaneers will have to come to terms with the significant step back the franchise has taken in a year in which it had designs on making up ground on the NFC's elite.

7. Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers

With the Packers locked into the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoff field, LaFleur certainly won't have to fear his Black Monday fate. Of the coaches to make the postseason, however, he might be on he shakiest ground. The Packers' positioning is unquestionably a disappointment for a franchise that backed an all-in approach with its early-season performance, and LaFleur has had to answer for several costly flops in critical spots. The coach's standing had already become a point of interest over the summer when new Packers president and CEO Ed Policy did not offer him or general manager Brian Gutekunst an extension. Still, LaFleur has Green Bay in the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years, and season-ending injuries to Micah Parsons, Tucker Kraft and Devonte Wyatt played significant roles in the team's late woes. Flaming out in the wild-card round might mean Green Bay at least has something to think about.

8. Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins

In following the biggest opening-week embarrassment with Tua Tagovailoa airing out his frustrations with teammates and subsequently apologizing for the finger-pointing, Miami managed to frontload many of its most persistent problems this season. That's overall a credit to McDaniel, who at least steadied a ship that looked liable to capsize around midseason. Sinceparting ways with general manager Chris Grierand trading away one of its best players in Jaelan Phillips, the Dolphins have gone 5-2. McDaniel arrived at this point by already laying the groundwork for a post-Tagovailoa transition year in 2026 with a robust run game. Owner Stephen Ross could opt for a fresh start, but McDaniel has made the most of his opportunity to see out the season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NFL hot seat rankings: Which coaches are in trouble ahead of Week 18?

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

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