The Utah Utes were playing shorthanded all season long, primarily at quarterback. Cam Rising never took the field for Kyle Whittingham’s team, leaving Bryson Barnes and Nate Johnson — mostly Barnes — to handle the offense. One of the things which attracted USC to new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn is that when Lynn’s UCLA defense went up against Utah’s limited …

Jim Harbaugh and Michigan are currently playing a game of Let’s Make A Deal!, and Harbaugh possibly is waiting to see what’s lurking behind Door No. 2. As explained by Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Michigan has offered Harbaugh a contract that pays out $125 million over 10 years. With one catch. He can’t pursue or take an NFL job …

Dec. 24—Parity reigned on the area football scene this fall. More than in recent memory. But a familiar program — Unity — tops The News-Gazette’s final Top 10 poll of the 2023 season. Sports Editor Matt Daniels with the full breakdown: 1. Unity Record: * 9-3 What worked: Some midseason adjustments propelled the Rockets to a strong finish and a …

The 2023 NFL season has been a disaster for the New York Jets, but a handful of key figures are expected to remain beyond this season. There’s “no indication” that the Jets plan on firing head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, NFL Network reported Saturday. The report also noted that offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is expected to …

USATSI Geno Smith returns for the Seattle Seahawks as they try to keep their playoff hopes alive against the Tennessee Titans in Week 16 on CBS and Paramount+. The Titans are out of the playoff race after being doomed by a last-minute field goal in a 19-16 loss to the Houston Texans last week. They’re also expected to be without rookie …

USATSI Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis has been ruled out for Sunday’s Week 16 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks. The rookie had been officially listed as questionable due to an ankle injury but was ultimately not able to suit up for this home contest. Now, quarterback Ryan Tannehill has been thrust back into the starting role under center. Levis sprained his …

The Sugar Bowl is just over a week away, and we still have plenty of questions about the matchup. It is perhaps the most unpredictable game Texas will have played since the Oklahoma game which stands as cause for concern. 365 Sports has questions of its own about the matchup. Host Paul Catalina addressed some of the questions that will …

Dan Campbell and the Lions could clinch the NFC North on Sunday. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) The Detroit Lions should win the NFC North, but they haven’t clinched the division just yet. The Minnesota Vikings are the only team standing in Detroit’s way, and that threat could end Sunday. The Lions and Vikings go head-to-head in a matchup that …

Dec. 24—Why Ryan Jefferson is the Coach of the Year Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond didn’t take a step back following the graduation of current Illinois running back Kaden Feagin. Rather, the Knights improved upon 2022’s 8-3 mark and claimed their first undefeated regular season since 2004, when it competed as Arthur-Lovington. Jefferson’s Knights won the 10-team Lincoln Prairie Conference championship thanks in part …

Doing a deep dive into the Week 16 NFL player props could allow you to find several advantageous plays in regards to NFL anytime TD bets. Several big-name players have plus-money prop odds to score this weekend, including Justin Jefferson, Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley and Travis Kelce. With +115 NFL prop odds, Jefferson is just the fourth-favorite to score in …

The Denver Broncos (7-7) will return from a three-game road trip to face the New England Patriots (3-11) on Christmas Eve. Denver lost two of those three road games, falling one game back of an AFC Wild Card spot. Quarterback Russell Wilson has gone over 220 passing yards in two straight games, throwing three total touchdowns and one interception during …

Ben Bryant passed for 222 yards and found Bryce Kirtz in the corner of the end zone midway through the fourth quarter, helping Northwestern beat Utah 14-7 Saturday night in the Las Vegas Bowl. Bryant went 22 for 34 with two touchdowns as Northwestern (8-5) closed out its season with a fourth straight win. The Wildcats limited Utah (8-5) to …

The Miami Dolphins (10-4) will try to take another step toward clinching the AFC East title when they face the Dallas Cowboys (10-4) on Sunday afternoon. Miami bounced back from a disastrous loss to Tennessee with a 30-0 win over the Jets last week. The Dolphins are two games ahead of Buffalo in the division standings heading into the Week …

The Indianapolis Colts (8-6) will travel to take on the Atlanta Falcons (6-8) on Sunday and both teams are still in the thick of the playoff hunt in their respective conferences. The Colts would be the No. 7 seed in the AFC if the NFL playoffs started today but they’re still in play to win the AFC South. Meanwhile, the …

The Chicago Bears look to continue their improved play on defense when they host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. Chicago (5-8) scored a defensive touchdown in Week 15, but it wasn’t enough to defeat Cleveland in a 20-17 loss. Arizona (3-11) fared poorly in a 45-29 defeat against San Francisco. The Cardinals won the teams’ most recent matchup in …