The final stretch of the season is here. The AFC playoff race is just about set, the NFC is duking it out and there’s a host of teams just waiting to be officially eliminated from the playoffs. This week’s Four Verts starts with a division that’s the very definition of duking it out. NFC North is living up to the …

247Sports Texas added a major commitment from one of the top available players in the country as five-star athlete Michael Terry III committed to the Longhorns on National Signing Day. Terry, a member of the Class of 2025 at Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio, Texas, picked the Longhorns over Nebraska and Oregon.  Terry ranks as one of the …

Already on injured reserve with a concussion, Trevor Lawrence’s season likely was finished anyway. If there was any questions about whether he might return for Week 18, the Jaguars quarterback now definitively is done. He will undergo season-ending surgery on the AC joint injury in his left shoulder, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports. Lawrence is expected to recover from …

Trinity Christian celebrated senior Elijiah Oehlke on Wednesday as the Crusaders’ quarterback made his future at Wake Forest official, signing an offer from the Demon Deacons on the first day of the early signing period in a ceremony with friends, family, coaches and staff. A two-time NCISAA all-state passer who threw for more than 4,000 yards in his two seasons …

Shanahan confident rookie Guerendo ready for feature 49ers role originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area Kyle Shanahan is confident that rookie Isaac Guerendo can perform as the team’s lead running back. Guerendo, a fourth-round 2024 NFL Draft pick, is slated to make his first career start against the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium after injuries to star …

No. 2 Texas will have an opportunity to get revenge for its regular-season loss to No. 5 Georgia when they meet in the 2024 SEC Championship on Saturday afternoon during the Championship Week college football schedule. The Bulldogs picked up a 30-15 road win in Austin earlier this season, but they are 2.5-point underdogs in the Championship Week college football …

The NFL and the league’s players’ union agreed to modify their substance abuse policy, increasing the THC level for a positive test, according to a memo that was sent to agents and players on Wednesday. The positive THC level was increased from 150 ng/ml (nanograms per milliliter) to 350 ng/ml, per the memo, which was obtained by The Associated Press. …

The NFL and the NFL Players Association have tweaked the substance abuse policy. Among the changes, the threshold for a positive test has been significantly increased. PFT has obtained the new policies negotiated by the league and the NFLPA. The prior limit for THC concentration was 150 ng/ml. As of Friday, it’s 350 ng/ml. Generally speaking, it takes a week …

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on Rivals.com, the leader in college football and basketball recruiting coverage. Be the first to know and follow your teams by signing up here. Another busy National Signing Day is in the books and with that there are winners and losers on the day. Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney takes a look. NATIONAL SIGNING DAY: …

Rams coach Sean McVay announced Monday that quarterback Matthew Stafford came out of Sunday’s game with a minor ankle sprain. Stafford’s lateral ankle sprain, though, is not expected to affect his work week. He started the practice week with a full practice Wednesday. “[It feels] pretty good. I’ll be good to go,” Stafford said, via a transcript from the team. …

A champion will be crowned on Friday when the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (8-4) take on the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (8-4) in the 2024 Conference USA Championship Game. The Hilltoppers have lost two of their past three games but are coming off a 19-17 victory over Jacksonville State on Nov. 30. Prior to the loss against WKU, the Gamecocks had won …

Making case for Patriots taking OT in first round of 2025 NFL Draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston The New England Patriots have a lot of roster weaknesses to address early in the 2025 NFL Draft next April. Wide receiver is one of the most obvious examples. Cornerback and edge rusher need to be bolstered, too. But a strong …

On a bonus episode of The College Football Enquirer, Dan Wetzel, Ross Dellenger and SI’s Pat Forde unpack the recent drama surrounding the frustrated individuals complaining about being boxed out of the College Football Playoff. They cover comments coming from Iowa State, SMU, Ole Miss, Miami, and more. They also question the necessity of having to play a conference championship …

On Tuesday morning’s PFT Live, I threw out the idea of the Bears ditching the normal approach to hiring head coaches and calling the 49ers to see whether they’d be willing to trade Kyle Shanahan. It’s either a good idea, or it’s a slow week. Regardless, Shanahan was asked about Bears quarterback Caleb Williams today, because the 49ers face Williams …

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Midway through a slick commitment video that featured Oregon head coach Dan Lanning explaining how five-star cornerback Na’eem Offord would fit into his program, a familiar octogenarian popped up on screen: Nike cofounder Phil Knight. The Oregon super booster didn’t say anything in the video that announced Offord, the nation’s No. 2 cornerback and No. 12 overall …