Elite 8 Matchup with No. 6 Florida State Next Up for Surging Buckeyes

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November 28, 2025

Elite 8 Matchup with No. 6 Florida State Next Up for Surging Buckeyes
Ohio State is seeking its second trip to the College Cup

NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals — Ohio State vs. #6 Florida State
Date: November 28, 2025
Time: 5p.m.
Venue: Tallahassee, Fla. – Seminole Soccer Complex
Website: NCAA Bracket
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Season Stats: Ohio State | Florida State
Rosters: Ohio State | Florida State
Prematch Interviews: Lori Walker-Hock & Molly Pritchard

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State is headed to the Elite 8 for just the third time in program history and will take on No. 6 Florida State on Friday evening. Kickoff will be at 5 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

The Buckeyes are looking to continue an impressive run and reach the College Cup for the second time, joining the 2010 team that played in the semifinals in Cary.
Ohio State is the lone unseeded team remaining in the final eight as the Buckeyes wins have come at No. 19 Georgia, at No. 2 Notre Dame and vs. No. 23 Baylor.
Friday’s match will be just the second meeting all-time between Ohio State and Florida State. The Buckeyes won the only other meeting 2-1 on Sept. 3, 2000. That game was played at a neutral site in Columbia, Mo.
The Buckeyes are 3-7 all-time against the ACC in the NCAA Tournament, including a win at Notre Dame last weekend.
The two wins in South Bend last week were two of the most thrilling of the season. Both games were won on goals by Buckeye sophomores in double-overtime. Jadin Bonham collected a cross in the box and slotted home the winner against Notre Dame with just :34 seconds to play in the second OT. Anika Poremba then beat the Baylor keeper from the left side of the six-yard box to send the Buckeyes on to the Elite 8.
Bonham’s goal was the third latest goal scored in program history. Poremba’s goal was the third of her career.
Senior goalkeeper Molly Pritchard has been the leader of one of the top defenses in the country. She is fourth nationally in goals-against average at just 0.458. She has also been part of all 11 shutouts this season, giving her a school-record 32 for her career.
Fellow senior captain Mirann Gacioch has been the anchor on the back line. She is the only player on the team to have played every minute of every match this season and has played every minute in each of the last 40 matches. She has also been on the pitch for 835 postseason minutes in her career.
Junior Amanda Schlueter has been a difference maker in the NCAA Tournament. She scored the game-winning goal in the win at Georgia and had a goal and an assist on the game-winning goal against Baylor. She leads the team with 10 goals and five assists this season and is now seventh in program history in career points with 76.
Florida State is 13-2-4 on the year and has wins over Samford, Lipscomb and Georgetown in the NCAA Tournament. The Seminoles two losses came in a five-day span in October at Notre Dame and at home to Stanford. FSU has the sixth-best scoring offense in the country at 2.68 goals per game.

#GoBucks

Nevada Rebounds with Convincing 77–64 Victory Over UCSB

College

By

Reid Kotiranta

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November 25, 2025

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Nevada needed a stabilizing performance after back-to-back frustrating losses, and Saturday night at Lawlor Events Center they delivered exactly that — a composed, energetic, and balanced effort resulting in a 77–64 win over UC Santa Barbara. The spark, unquestionably, came from Corey Camper Jr., who turned in a career-best performance with 27 points on 9-of-14 shooting, including four three-pointers. He attacked off the dribble, found his rhythm early, and continued to hit big shots whenever the Gauchos threatened to build momentum. Fourteen of his points came after halftime, helping Nevada keep UCSB at arm’s length.

Photo Cred:

Camper Jr. wasn’t alone. Elijah Price added 14 points and eight rebounds, anchoring Nevada inside with strong finishes and relentless work on the glass. Tayshawn Comer matched him with 14 points, capitalizing at the free-throw line and helping maintain offensive flow when UCSB tightened its defensive pressure. Defensively, Nevada played one of its most connected games of the young season. The Pack held UCSB to 40.4% shooting overall and 29.2% from three, effectively cutting off driving lanes and contesting perimeter looks.

Their pressure translated into 15 forced turnovers, which Nevada turned into transition opportunities and 24 points — a crucial separator in a game that was competitive early. UCSB hung around behind 13 points from Miro Little and 12 from Hosana Kitenge, but the Gauchos lacked the consistency to keep pace once Nevada’s shooters found rhythm. Whenever Santa Barbara made a push, Nevada answered — usually through Camper Jr., whose confidence seemed to elevate the entire lineup.

The turning point came early in the second half. With the score still close, Nevada put together a decisive 13–4 run, tightening up defensively and moving the ball purposefully on offense. That burst stretched the lead into double digits, and the Pack never allowed UCSB back within striking distance. Late free throws from Price sealed the win, but by then Nevada had already established control. From the defensive intensity to the balanced scoring, it was one of the Wolf Pack’s most complete performances of the season.

Photo Cred: Reno Gazette Journal

Head coach Steve Alford praised his team’s composure afterward, highlighting the improved defensive focus and the value of forcing UCSB into uncomfortable shots. After a rough week, Nevada looked more like a group settling into its identity. The win moves the Wolf Pack to 4–2 on the season, and they now turn their attention to the Acrisure Series, where they’ll face Washington — a step up in competition and another opportunity to show they’re trending in the right direction.

Shedeur Sanders: Why the Stats Don’t Tell the Truth

By

Will Siegel

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November 25, 2025

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The Perfect Situation

The Cleveland Browns entered the season caught in no-man’s-land. Expectations were higher than mediocrity, yet the team lacked a true identity. They drafted two quarterbacks in the offseason—Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders—hoping to spark something new, but still had an aging Joe Flacco on the roster. Flacco was ultimately named the Week 1 starter, with Gabriel backing him up.

However, Flacco struggled early. He started the season 1–3, throwing for only 615 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions. Something needed to change, and before the Browns traveled to London for Week 5, it was announced that Flacco would be benched in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel to provide much-needed energy. Flacco was traded to the Bengals shortly afterward. But Gabriel didn’t provide the boost the Browns were hoping for, going 1–5 as the starter before leaving Week 11 with a concussion.

Photo Cred: NFL

He finished his run with just 818 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions. When Gabriel exited against the Ravens, Shedeur finally got his chance to take the field. Unfortunately, Sanders did not fare well against Baltimore’s defense. He completed only four of sixteen passes for 47 yards and an interception.

To give the quarterbacks some benefit of the doubt, Cleveland’s offense has offered very little help—no player has reached 700 rushing yards, and no receiver has eclipsed 500 receiving yards this season. With Gabriel still in concussion protocol entering Week 12, Sanders got the opportunity he had been waiting for. And this time, the Browns delivered, defeating the Raiders 24–10 for their third win of the season.

Stats Don’t Tell the Story

Shedeur Sanders ended the night 11-of-20 for 209 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. On paper, that’s a solid performance for a first career start—he even became the first Browns quarterback to win his debut since 1995. But digging deeper, and especially if you watched the game, the picture becomes clearer.

It wasn’t that Sanders lacked confidence in big downfield throws—it felt more like head coach Kevin Stefanski didn’t trust him to make them. The offense was built almost entirely on short checkdowns and underneath routes. Even his lone touchdown came on a 66-yard screen pass that almost any quarterback in the league could have completed.

Photo Cred: AP

That leads to the next point: Sanders’ stats were heavily inflated. In addition to the long touchdown screen, he had one more explosive play—finding fellow rookie Isaiah Bond on a broken play for 52 yards. While these plays count, the context matters: without those two “lucky” gains, Sanders would have been 9-of-18 for just 93 yards for the entire game. In fact, 146 of his 209 passing yards came after the catch, leaving only 63 air yards—an alarming total in today’s NFL.

Even though Sanders was understandably happy with the win, the Browns still have a long way to go before they can fully believe in him as the answer. The win also came against the Las Vegas Raiders, a team that entered the game with the same 2–8 record. If Sanders can deliver consistently against better competition, fans may slowly start to believe in the young quarterback.

With Gabriel cleared from concussion protocol heading into Week 13, Stefanski announced that Sanders will start again, this time against the San Francisco 49ers. The Niners are a much stronger opponent and present a far greater challenge. If Sanders performs well and leads the Browns to an upset, the league will take notice. Until then, Sanders looks to prove that last week’s showing was only the beginning.

2026 Pro Bowl Games Vote Opens on Thanksgiving

By

Stephen Patrick

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November 25, 2025

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NEW YORK — Nov. 24, 2025 — The 2026 Pro Bowl Games Vote presented by Jersey Mike’s will launch on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025.

For the first time, the 2026 Pro Bowl Games powered by Verizon will move to Super Bowl LX Week in the San Francisco Bay Area. The event brings the league’s top players together for an AFC vs. NFC flag football showdown, which will preview the elite athleticism and competition of the sport ahead of its LA28 Olympics debut. The revamped programming gives the league’s best athletes an opportunity to compete during the NFL’s biggest week of the year, surrounded by their families, friends and select fans, and provides all fans with a must-see TV event that helps culminate the end of the season.

The televised event will air live from San Francisco’s Moscone Center South Building on Tuesday, Feb. 3, which will be transformed into a dynamic flag football arena. Coverage of the Pro Bowl Games powered by Verizon will begin on ESPN starting at 6:30 p.m. ET with the flag game at 8 p.m. ET. The game will air on ESPN, Disney XD and ESPN Deportes.

Fans can vote as often as they would like to help determine the 88-man roster and send the league’s best players at each position to the Bay Area for the Pro Bowl Games starting on Thursday, Nov. 27 until Monday, Dec. 15, across a variety of platforms, including:

ProBowl.com/Vote
On club sites (i.e., http://www.baltimoreravens.com/ pro-bowl-games/vote)
Social voting – Fans can vote directly on “X” (formerly Twitter) by posting the first and last name of the player, tagging the player’s official X handle or creating a hashtag including the player’s first and last name. All three of these methods must include either #ProBowlVote or Pro Bowl Vote. During the final two days (Dec. 14-15), social votes will count as double.
Madden Mobile – New this year, fans can access Pro Bowl Games voting on Madden NFL 26 Mobile through the Pro Bowl event tile in the Madden Mobile Ultimate Team™ mode. Votes can be made using Ballot Tokens (up to 30 per day) and Ballot Tokens reset daily at 10:30 a.m. ET. Votes on Madden Mobile also count double during the final two days of voting (Dec. 14-15).

For more information on how to vote, visit probowl.com/howtovote.

Player selections will be determined by the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches, with each group’s vote counting as one-third toward determining the all-star players who will be selected to this year’s Pro Bowl Games. The NFL is the only sports league that combines voting by fans, coaches and players to determine its Pro Bowl teams. NFL players and coaches will cast their votes on Friday, Dec. 19.

For more information on the Pro Bowl Games, visit ProBowl.com.

Media Contact: Sam Drexler, Sam.Drexler@nfl.com

Defense Leads the Way as Texans Take Down Buffalo

By

James McCaffrey

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November 23, 2025

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This week on Thursday Night Football, the Houston Texans upset the Buffalo Bills in Houston to improve to 6-5 on the season. The Texans are fighting for an AFC wildcard spot and have now won three straight games with backup quarterback Davis Mills, while starter C.J. Stroud remains sidelined with a concussion. Although Mills has performed respectably in relief, the driving force behind Houston’s success is its defense, which has been the number one ranked unit in the league all year.

Led by a loaded defensive line featuring Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter, along with strong linebackers and two lockdown corners, the Texans have proven capable of shutting down nearly any offense. Houston sacked Bills quarterback Josh Allen eight times Thursday night, overwhelming a Buffalo offensive line typically considered one of the league’s top pass protection units. The Texans faced similar offensive struggles last season and only reached the playoffs due to a weak division, but their defense carried them to a win in the Wild Card round for the second straight year.

Photo Cred: Bleacher Report

Even when Stroud returns, his performance last season and so far this year does not inspire much confidence in Houston’s offense becoming more than mediocre. Still, this defense is capable of smothering virtually anyone, making it very realistic that they could once again hold an opponent under 20 points and win a playoff game without needing much from the offense. Buffalo’s outlook is less encouraging despite having a better record, as the lack of pass-catching weapons continues to limit the offense.

Even with Josh Allen, a strong offensive line, James Cook producing at a high level on the ground, and a 7-4 record, frustration around the team is mounting. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady’s play-calling has become predictable and stale, often relying on the same few short, underneath concepts. Bills fans have grown frustrated watching Allen—who dominated the league from 2020 to 2022 pushing the ball deep downfield—reduced to screens and quick throws.

Photo Cred: AM800

Recently fired Giants head coach Brian Daboll was the Bills offensive coordinator during Allen’s first four seasons, including his breakout 2020 and 2021 campaigns when he played at an MVP level. With fan frustration growing, Daboll’s firing immediately sparked speculation about replacing Brady and reuniting Allen with his former coordinator. When asked about the possibility, head coach Sean McDermott said, “Brian’s a great coach. Unfortunate to see that happen to him. At this point, that’s not under any type of consideration.”

Although a reunion is unlikely during the season, moving on from Brady and bringing Daboll back after the year is still very possible if the offense doesn’t evolve and attack more aggressively downfield. McDermott’s job security is also far from guaranteed, especially in the eyes of the fanbase. Allen will be 30 next season, and McDermott’s defenses have repeatedly collapsed in the playoffs, costing Buffalo multiple potential Super Bowl appearances. If the defense once again sinks the Bills in the postseason, it will be difficult to justify giving McDermott another year as the head coach.

Seven from Sunday – Week 12

By

Stephen Patrick

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November 23, 2025

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NEW YORK –– Nov. 23, 2025 –– A look at seven statistical highlights from games played during the 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET windows on Sunday, November 23, the 12th week of the 2025 season.

With two games remaining in Week 12, there have been 10 games within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter and eight games decided by seven points or fewer, including comeback overtime victories by Dallas (overcame 21 point deficit to win), Kansas City (overcame 11 point deficit to win) and Detroit (overcame 10 point deficit to win), the most overtime games in a week since Week 9, 2024.
There have been 47 games decided by a game-winning score in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter or in overtime this season, the most through Week 12 in NFL history.

The 2025 NFL season has seen eight made field goals of 60-or-more yards, including a career-long 63-yard field goal by Cincinnati’s Evan McPherson today, the most in any season in NFL history.

The New England Patriots (10-2) recorded their ninth-consecutive win in Week 12 and became the first team this season to reach 10 wins.

Cleveland defeated Las Vegas, 24-10, in rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ first career start as the Browns became the first team in the Super Bowl era with five rookies each recording 40-or-more scrimmage yards in the same game.
Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett had three sacks, four tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in the Browns’ 24-10 win at Las Vegas.
Garrett has 75 career games with a sack since entering the NFL in 2017 and is the fourth player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, with at least 75 games with a sack in his first nine career seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers DeMarcus Ware (79 games) and Reggie White (79), as well as Von Miller (77).

Garrett has 18 sacks this season, surpassing Mark Gastineau (17.5 sacks) for the second-most sacks in a player’s first 11 games of a season since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer Reggie White (19).

Garrett, who has 18 sacks this season and had 16 sacks in 2021 and 2022 is third player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, with at least 16 sacks in three career seasons, joining J.J. Watt (four seasons) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Reggie White (four).

Garrett has 26 tackles for loss this season, the most by a player in his team’s first 11 games of a season since 2000, surpassing Von Miller (24 tackles for loss in 2012 with Denver) and J.J. Watt (24 in 2012 with Houston).

Detroit running back Jahmyr Gibbs had a career-high 11 receptions, a career-best 264 scrimmage yards (219 rushing, 45 receiving) and three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving), including the go-ahead 69-yard touchdown run, in overtime and wide receiver Amon Ra-St. Brown had nine receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown in Detroit’s 34-27 overtime win against the New York Giants.
Gibbs joined Pro Football Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson [11 receptions, 271 scrimmage yards (220 rushing, 51 receiving) and three rushing touchdowns on Dec. 1, 2002] as the only running backs ever with at least 10 receptions, 250 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns in a game and 10 receptions and 200 rushing yards in a game.

Gibbs, who has 1,330 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns this season, is the fifth running back since 1990 with at least 1,200 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns in each of his first three seasons, joining Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Pro Football Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson and Ricky Watters.

Gibbs, who has 10 rushing touchdowns this season, is the seventh player all-time with at least 10 rushing touchdowns in each of his first three career seasons and the first since Adrian Peterson (2007-09).

Gibbs – who turns 24 years old in March of 2026 – has 44 career scrimmage touchdowns, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss (43 touchdowns) for the second-most scrimmage touchdowns by a player under the age of 24 in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers Barry Sanders (47 scrimmage touchdowns) has more.

Per Next Gen Stats, Gibbs reached a max speed of 22.17 miles per hour on his 69-yard overtime touchdown run, the fourth-fastest speed by any ball carrier this season. Gibbs is now responsible for three of the top four speeds by ball carriers this season.

For more information on Next Gen Stats, check out NFL Pro, available within NFL+ Premium. With NFL+ Premium, get access to NFL Pro and track advanced analytics powered by Next Gen Stats and watch All-22 film. Available on desktop and mobile web, visit pro.nfl.com for more information.

St. Brown has 505 career receptions since entering the NFL in 2021 and joined Michael Thomas (510 receptions) as the only players in NFL history with at least 500 receptions in their first five career seasons.

Seattle wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 167 receiving yards and two touchdowns on eight receptions in the Seahawks’ 30-24 win at Tennessee.
Smith-Njigba leads the NFL with 1,313 receiving yards this season and surpassed DK Metcalf (1,303 receiving yards in 2020) for the most receiving yards in a season in Seahawks franchise history.

Smith-Njigba is the fifth player ever with at least 1,300 receiving yards in his first 11 games of a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Elroy Hirsch (1,349 receiving yards in 1951 with the Los Angeles Rams), Charlie Hennigan (1,327 in 1961 with the Houston Oilers), Tyreek Hill (1,324 in 2023 with Miami) and Julio Jones (1,305 in 2018 with Atlanta).

Smith-Njigba is the third player in NFL history with at least 75 receiving yards in 11 consecutive games within a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison (14 consecutive games in 2002 with Indianapolis) and Cooper Kupp (13 in 2021 with the Los Angeles Rams).

Smith-Njigba, who has at least 100 receiving yards in eight of 11 games this season, is the sixth player in NFL history with at least 100 receiving yards in eight of his team’s first 11 games of a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Michael Irvin (nine of Dallas’ first 11 in 1995) and Elroy Hirsch (eight of Los Angeles’ first 11 in 1951) as well as Adam Thielen (nine of Minnesota’s first 11 in 2018), Charlie Hennigan (eight of Houston Oilers’ first 11 in 1961) and Julio Jones (eight of Atlanta’s first 11 in 2018).
Green Bay defensive lineman Micah Parsons had two sacks in the Packers’ 23-6 win over Minnesota.
Parsons, who has 10 sacks this season, joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Reggie White as the only players since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, with at least 10 sacks in each of their first five seasons.

Parsons has 17 career games with at least two sacks, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Jared Allen (17 games) for the fourth-most games with at least two sacks by a player in their first five seasons since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers Reggie White (24 games) and Richard Dent (19) as well as JJ Watt (21) have more.
Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes passed for 352 yards in the Chiefs’ 23-20 overtime win against Indianapolis.
Mahomes has 50 games with at least 300 passing yards in his first nine career seasons and is the third quarterback all-time with at least 300 passing yards in 50 games in his first 11 career seasons, joining Drew Brees (57 games) and Matt Ryan (53).

Mahomes has 35,329 passing yards in 123 games and surpassed Matthew Stafford (126 games) as the fastest player to reach 35,000 regular-season passing yards in NFL history.
Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson had 107 scrimmage yards (70 rushing, 37 receiving) in the Falcons’ 24-10 win over New Orleans.
Robinson, who turns 24 years old following the 2025 regular-season, has 25 career games with at least 100 scrimmage yards and is the sixth running back under the age of 24 all-time with at least 25 games with 100-or-more scrimmage yards, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Edgerrin James (32 games) and Emmitt Smith (25) as well as Ezekiel Elliott (29), Clinton Portis (28) and Christian McCaffrey (25).

Additional notes from Sunday include:
- Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott passed for 354 yards and two touchdowns and added a rushing touchdown in the Cowboys’ 24-21 win over Philadelphia.
  Prescott has 34,378 career passing yards and surpassed Tony Romo (34,183 passing yards) for the most passing yards in Cowboys franchise history.
- Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts passed for 289 yards and had three touchdowns (two rushing, one passing) in Week 12.
  Hurts has nine career games with two rushing touchdowns and a touchdown pass and surpassed Cam Newton (eight games) for the second-most such games in NFL history, trailing only Josh Allen (12).
- New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston passed for 366 yards and two touchdowns and added a 33-yard touchdown reception against Detroit.
  Winston’s 33-yard touchdown reception is the third-longest touchdown reception by a starting quarterback in the Super Bowl era, trailing only Marcus Mariota (41-yard touchdown reception on Dec. 13, 2015 with Tennessee) and Tyler Thigpen (37-yard touchdown reception on Nov. 2, 2008 with Kansas City).
  
  Winston is the second player ever with at least 300 passing yards, two touchdown passes and a touchdown reception in a single game, joining Matt Ryan (Dec. 30, 2018 with Atlanta).
- Baltimore running back Derrick Henry rushed for two touchdowns in the Ravens’ 23-10 win over the New York Jets.
  Henry has 30 career games with at least two rushing touchdowns and joins Pro Football Hall of Famers LaDainian Tomlinson (38 games) and Emmitt Smith (36) as the only players in NFL history with at least 30 career games with multiple rushing touchdowns.
- Arizona tight end Trey McBride had nine receptions for 79 yards in Week 12.
  McBride has 301 receptions since entering the NFL in 2021, tied with Jimmy Graham (301 receptions) for the most receptions by a tight end in his first four seasons in NFL history.
- Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. Watt had a sack and forced fumble against Chicago.
  Watt has 115 career sacks, the fifth-most sacks by a player in his first nine career seasons since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers Reggie White (137 sacks), Demarcus Ware (117) and Jared Allen (117), as well as Myles Garrett (120.5, in his ninth season) have more.

For more from NFL Communications, visit media.nfl.com

FWAA-NFF SUPER 16 POLL (Week 12 – Nov. 14)

By

Memphis Spence

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November 23, 2025

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ead25b51-6252-4b8a-b307-6b7f7474e9d3 — Photo Cred: FWAA

The latest available FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll from Sports Radio America and the National Football Foundation is from Week 13 of the 2025 season, covering games played through November 23, 2025.

FWAA-NFF SUPER 16 POLL (Week 13 – Nov. 21)
Ayokunle Spencer (Panel)
WEEKLY SUPER 16
POLL
1 Ohio State
2 Texas A&M
3 Indiana
4 Georgia
5 Oregon
6 Ole Miss
7 Texas Tech
8 Notre Dame
9 Oklahoma
1 0 Alabama
1 1 Vanderbilt
1 2 BYU
1 3 Utah
1 4 Miami (FL)
1 5 Michigan
1 6 Texas

Wildcats Earn Statement Win Over Huskies in Instant Classic

College

By

Keegan Rathje

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November 21, 2025

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da34c8c9-2ee9-4222-8325-6dca6ad26004 — Photo Cred: Yard Braker

#3 UConn Huskies vs. #4 Arizona Wildcats

In what may be the best non-conference game of the college basketball season, the #4 Arizona Wildcats traveled to Storrs, Connecticut to take on the #3 UConn Huskies. Despite being without two starters, the Huskies were ready for the top-five showdown, with both teams entering the contest coming off wins against top-15 opponents. UConn defeated #9 BYU, while Arizona took down #15 UCLA. This matchup marked Arizona’s first true road game after multiple neutral-site appearances, and they faced a loud and energized crowd at Gampel Pavilion. Arizona showed its versatility across the roster and executed in pressure moments, ultimately earning a 71-67 win over the Huskies.

Photo Cred: PHNX Sports

1st Half

Defense and physicality were established from the opening tip, with both teams getting into foul trouble early. Arizona freshman Brayden Burries picked up two fouls, including a technical, in under three minutes, sending him to the bench until the 8-minute mark. Despite the early whistles, both teams cleaned up defensively and maintained active ball pressure, limiting each other to 40% shooting from the field. Pace and tempo played a major role as both programs looked to impose their style.

UConn forced eight turnovers, creating multiple extra possessions and displaying strong ball control. Arizona countered by dominating the glass, outrebounding UConn 25-13, with Motiejus Krivas grabbing 10 boards in the half. UConn’s key scorer Alex Karaban was held to just one point, facing heavy defensive pressure on every touch. This shifted playmaking responsibilities to Solo Ball and Silas Demary Jr., disrupting the Huskies’ offensive rhythm. After a tight first half featuring eight lead changes and no lead larger than two possessions, Arizona led 35-33 at halftime.

Photo Cred: Fox Sports

2nd Half

Arizona kept attacking to start the second half, opening with a 14-5 run in the first five minutes. This forced the Huskies to adjust on both ends, focusing on closing out on perimeter shooters and protecting the paint. With improved defensive execution and better spacing offensively, UConn fought its way back into the game, exploiting Arizona’s struggles defending the pick-and-roll. The adjustments led to a 22-7 run over a 10-minute stretch, giving the Huskies their first lead since 22-21 with three minutes remaining.

However, with momentum slipping, Arizona turned to senior Jaden Bradley. Bradley has delivered in key moments throughout the season, including late-game scoring bursts against Florida and UCLA, and once again rose to the moment. He hit a crucial layup to put Arizona up three with 16 seconds left. The final moments came down to free throws, where Tobe Awaka closed the game out, sealing a 71-67 victory for the Wildcats.

Overview

Though not a conference game, it carried significant implications. The #1 ranking was potentially at stake, as Arizona has now collected three top-15 wins early in the season. Despite the loss, UConn showed strong resilience without leading scorer Tarris Reed Jr., but could not finish the comeback at home. Arizona limited Alex Karaban to just eight points and forced UConn to rely on its third and fourth scoring options. Even with the defeat, the Huskies should remain comfortably within the top 10 of the AP Poll. Arizona, meanwhile, is expected to rise to #1 or #2 nationally as Tommy Lloyd and the Wildcats continue to meet lofty preseason expectations.

Buckeyes Stun No. 2 Notre Dame in Overtime Thriller, Advance to Sweet 16

By

Stephen Patrick

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November 21, 2025

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Buckeyes delivered a historic NCAA Tournament win on Friday night, knocking off No. 2 Notre Dame in double overtime to secure a 1–0 victory, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the second-consecutive season.

Sophomore Jadin Bonham collected the ball in the box and found the near corner of the net for the game-winner with less than a minute to play in the second overtime.

The win marked the highest-ranked win in program history as the Buckeyes knocked-off the second ranked Irish and the top-seed in their portion of the bracket.

Mia McSweeney lofted a perfectly placed ball into the box, and Bonham calmly finished with her left foot to the bottom right corner, stunning the crowd and lifting the Buckeyes to one of the biggest wins in program history.

The goal capped an elite defensive performance that kept the Buckeyes alive for nearly 110 minutes. Goalkeeper Molly Pritchard was sensational, turning away multiple dangerous chances as Ohio State held off relentless Notre Dame pressure. The back line anchored by McSweeney, Mirann Gacioch, Netta-Nina Hiltunen, and Berkeley Mape blocked key shots, cleared waves of set pieces, and disrupted the Irish attack throughout the match.

Pritchard and the Buckeyes held firm through Notre Dame’s 34-shot effort, preserving the clean sheet and setting the stage for the late winner.

The victory is Ohio State’s first NCAA Tournament win over Notre Dame in three matchups and sends the Buckeyes to the Round of 16 for the second consecutive season and the sixth overall.

Ohio State will face No. 23 Baylor on Sunday in South Bend, as the Lady Bears advanced with a 1–0 win over Wisconsin earlier Thursday.

#GoBucks

BryceYoung, Jordan Davis & Ethan Evans Named Week 11 NFCPlayers of the Week

By

Stephen Patrick

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November 20, 2025

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NEW YORK — Nov. 19, 2025 — Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis and Los Angeles Rams punter Ethan Evans are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 11 (November 13, 16-17).

OFFENSE: QB BRYCE YOUNG, CAROLINA PANTHERS

Young completed 31 of 45 attempts (68.9 percent) for a franchise-record and career-high 448 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a career-high 123.2 passer rating in Carolina’s 30-27 overtime win at Atlanta. Young became the fifth quarterback under the age of 25 in NFL history to record at least 30 completions, 425 passing yards, three touchdown passes and no interceptions in a game, joining Patrick Mahomes (twice), Drew Bledsoe, Lamar Jackson and C.J. Stroud.
This is Young’s first-career Offensive Player of the Week award and he is the second Offensive Player of the Week for the Panthers this season, joining Rico Dowdle (Week 5). Young is the fifth Carolina quarterback to earn Player of the Week, joining Cam Newton (10-time winner), Steve Beuerlein (Week 14, 1999), Kerry Collins (Week 15, 1996) and Jake Delhomme (Week 4, 2008).
Young is the third Alabama quarterback to win an Offensive Player of the Week award, joining Tua Tagovailoa (three-time winner) and Jeff Rutledge (Week 9, 1990). He is the second former Alabama player to win an Offensive Player of the Week award this season, joining Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs (Week 10).

DEFENSE: DT JORDAN DAVIS, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Davis recorded three passes defensed in Philadelphia’s 16-9 win against Detroit and became the fourth defensive lineman to record at least three passes defensed in a game this season. Davis contributed to a defense that held Detroit to three third-down conversions on 13 attempts and no fourth-down conversions on five attempts.
This is Davis’ first-career Defensive Player of the Week award and second Player of the Week award this season (Special Teams – Week 3, 2025). Davis is the fourth player in the last 20 seasons (2006-25) to win a Defensive and Special Teams Player of the Week award in the same season, joining Antonio Cromartie (2007), Desmond King (2018) and Bryan McCann (2010).
Davis is the second former Georgia player to earn Defensive Player of the Week this season, joining Baltimore’s Roquan Smith (Week 2). Davis becomes the third former Georgia defensive tackle to win a Defensive Player of the Week award, joining Geno Atkins (two-time winner) and Jason Ferguson (Week 6, 2003)

SPECIAL TEAMS: P ETHAN EVANS, LOS ANGELES RAMS

Evans had six punts and recorded four inside the 20 yard-line, with two inside the 10 yard-line and one inside the five yard-line, in the Rams’ 21-19 win against Seattle. Evans tied for league-highs in Week 11 with four punts inside the 20 yard-line, two punts inside the 10 yard-line and one punt inside the five yard-line. With the Rams up two points with 1:50 remaining in the game, Evans recorded a 50-yard punt that went out of bounds at the one-yard-line.
This is Evans’ second-career Special Teams Player of the Week award (Week 11, 2023) and he is the third Rams punter to win multiple Special Teams Player of the Week awards, joining Sean Landeta (five-time winner) and Johnny Hekker (four).
Evans is the only former Wingate player to win a Player of the Week award.

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