Star freshman QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is not entering the transfer portal, but will instead stay at Cal, he announced on Saturday.
College football live updates, scores: BYU vs. Texas Tech in the Big 12 title game
How will it all shake out on conference championship Saturday?
This Blackhawks Big Move Is A Clear Home Run
The Chicago Blackhawks have been one of the NHL's most pleasant surprises this season. After entering the season expected to be among the bottom NHL clubs again, the Blackhawks instead have a 12-9-6 record and are fifth in the Central Division.
One major reason for the Blackhawks having such a solid start to the season has been the incredible play of goaltender Spencer Knight. In 19 games so far this campaign, the 2019 first-round pick has recorded a 9-5-5 record, a .919 save percentage, and a 2.44 goals-against average. With numbers like these, he is well on his way to having a breakout season for the Blackhawks.
Knight is only continuing to shine as this season continues, too. During his most recent start against the Los Angeles Kings on Dec. 4, he saved 26 out of 27 shots in Chicago's 2-1 win. With this, there is no question that the young goalie is impressing.
With the way Knight has been playing for the Blackhawks, it is clear Chicago's decision to acquire him from the Florida Panthers in the Seth Jones trade is looking like a home run. Knight is proving that he can be an impactful NHL starting goaltender, and he should be a huge part of Chicago's roster as they look to continue to head into the right direction.
Which Central Division Team Is Under The Most Pressure To Go All The Way?
The NHL’s Central Division is proving to be the toughest in the league, with three teams at the top – the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild – that are the top four teams in the entire league.
The Avalanche have the NHL’s top record at 19-2-6, while the Stars are just behind them with the league’s second-best record at 19-5-5, and the Wild are fourth overall at 15-8-5. Those three teams are not separated by much, and the Avs, Stars and Wild are all well on their way to locking up a Stanley Cup playoff spot.
However, if the question is “which of these three teams is under the most pressure to translate their hot start into playoff success?” in this writer’s point of view, it's the Stars.
First, we have to acknowledge some other truths. For starters, it’s clear the Avalanche have absolutely gone all-in this season, and they couldn’t have asked for a better start – including their 8-1-1 record in their past 10 games. We did pick Colorado as our Stanley Cup pick, and we haven’t seen anything to change our minds.
Meanwhile, Minnesota has also gone 8-1-1 in its past 10 games, getting arguably the best goaltending from its tandem of rookie goaltender Jesper Wallstedt and Filip Gustavsson. And Minnesota’s mix of young and old talent has been effective in a way we have to give them credit for.
Now that the Avalanche and Wild have gotten their flowers, we’re going to tell you why we believe the Stars are under the most pressure in this division.
That discussion starts with the terrible luck they’ve had this week with injuries – specifically, veteran center Tyler Seguin, who is projected to be out for the season after getting hurt Tuesday in a game against the New York Rangers.
With Seguin now sidelined potentially until next season, there’s a major hole in Dallas’ lineup, and it can’t be easily filled, even if there were several above-average forwards on the trade block, which there isn't.
The Stars are built to win now, but in the Jamie Benn and Seguin Era that began in 2013-14, Dallas hasn’t been able to put it all together and win a Cup.
Yes, the Stars advanced to the Cup final against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019-20, and made it to the Western Conference final for the past three seasons. But success in the third and fourth rounds has eluded the Stars.
Four Best Long Shots To Win The NHL's Eastern And Western ConferenceThe Ottawa Senators and Minnesota Wild among the NHL squads that are long shots to advance to the Stanley Cup final, but can they pull it off?If Dallas does take a step backward and lose in the first or second round this season, Stars GM Jim Nill might need to take a long, hard look at changing things up in the hope they’ll find the right championship mix. And that's if he signs another contract with the team, as he's in the final year of his deal.
Now, the beauty of where Dallas is at the moment is that, by-and-large, the Stars can be a playoff team and a legitimate Cup threat for many years to come.
With youngsters like center Wyatt Johnston, defenseman Thomas Harley and center Mavrik Bourque, you’ve got a foundation you can rely on for many seasons, including this one.
Even goaltender Jake Oettinger, defenseman Miro Heiskanen, and left winger Jason Robertson are just 26 years old, and Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz are 29 years old. So there’s no sense that this Stars team will crumble into dust anytime soon.
That said, there are also Stars that need success sometime soon. Dallas captain Benn is 36 years old, center Matt Duchene is 34, and center Seguin is 33, although, has won a Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in 2011.
Nonetheless, time is of the essence right now. And that sense that Father Time is counting down on some key veterans is only increasing.
Don’t get it twisted – if the Avalanche get knocked out of the post-season in the first or second round, there could be significant changes for them next summer, same goes for the Wild.
But Nill has built his Stars team to win right away. So, in the coming weeks and months, the Stars must continue to deliver positive results, or Dallas may suffer consequences that Minnesota or Colorado may avoid.
Predicting The NHL's Central Division Rankings In 2025-26The NHL’s Central Division is super competitive. We’re predicting how it will end up by April.
The Stars’ lineup is the envy of many teams. But there’s an attendant pressure on Dallas that comes with having so many talented players. That’s why the Stars are under the most amount of pressure to stick the landing and win their first Cup since the 1998-99 campaign.
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NHL Rumors: Penguins Have Interesting Potential Sabres Target
The Pittsburgh Penguins have had a nice start to the 2025-26 season. After entering the campaign expected by many to be among the worst teams in the NHL, they have started the year with a 14-7-5 record. With this, they are currently third in the Metropolitan Division standings.
If the Penguins continue to stay on the right side of the standings and are in a playoff spot near the deadline, it would be understandable if they looked to add to their roster. One specific area they could look to improve in this scenario is the left side of their defense.
Because of this, one player whom the Penguins should seriously consider pursuing is Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram.
If the Penguins landed Byram, he would instantly give the left side of their top four a major boost. Furthermore, he would also provide the Penguins another option to work with for both their power play and penalty kill if acquired.
Byram also stands out as a potential fit for the Penguins because he is still young at 24 years old. Thus, he could work well on a retooling club like Pittsburgh if brought in.
In 28 games so far this season with the Sabres, Byram has posted six goals, seven assists, 13 points, and 34 blocks.
Aston Villa v Arsenal: Premier League – live
⚽ Premier League updates from the 12.30pm GMT kick-off
⚽ Live scores | Table | Villans on the rise again | Mail Barry
1 min: Arsenal launch the ball forward down the right flank, win a throw-in and then concede a free-kick. From near the corner flag, Emi Martinez wellies the ball upfield as hard as he can.
1 min: Arsenal get the ball rolling in what could be a thrilling game, their players wearing white shirts, with burgundy shorts and socks. Villa are in their usual home colours.
Continue reading...Red Wings' Patrick Kane Officially Sets New NHL Record
The six-game road swing for the Detroit Red Wings continues with a matchup on Saturday evening against the Seattle Kraken.
Their most recent tilt was a 6-5 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday evening, a wild back-and-forth affair that saw multiple Detroit comebacks that ultimately fell just short.
Part of the comeback effort was the 496th career goal from forward Patrick Kane, who knotted the score at 4-4 in the third period with a patented wrist shot from the top of the slot that beat goaltender Elvis Merzlikins.
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Kane, who is hot on the trail of Mike Modano to become the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history, did pass Modano in one specific category with his performance on Thursday. He registered his 359th career multi-point game, passing Modano for the most by a U.S.-born player:
Patrick Kane just recorded his 359th career multi-point game, passing Mike Modano (358) for the most by a US born skater in NHL history! #LGRWpic.twitter.com/EvACkgTAvc
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 5, 2025
Kane's goal was his fourth of the season and first since mid-November, but he's also added 14 assists, giving him 18 points in 19 games.
He missed multiple games earlier this season when he was felled by an upper-body injury that he suffered late in Detroit's 2-1 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in mid-October.
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Mitchell Starc’s bat-and-ball double whammy at dusk propels Australia into the light | Geoff Lemon
England endured their tormentor’s late batting stand and when tourists surrendered to 97 for three the bowler attacked
If you really squinted – perhaps with the aid of a 36-hour plane trip or a handful of 1970s anxiety medication – there was a time when you could have claimed England had pulled off a tactical masterstroke. When the looming threat of the day was Mitchell Starc bowling in the gloaming at around 6pm Brisbane time, perhaps the smart play was to let him bat in the hot sun for four hours first, tuckering him out so your openers could smash him.
It may have been a calculation Starc also considered when wondering whether to throw the bat or to keep on grinding out runs. In the end, he valued more that each of them added to Australia’s lead. The team’s principal bowling weapon burnished his series contribution with 77 runs from 141 balls, 22 runs below his highest score and three deliveries below his longest. Scott Boland similarly produced his second-longest innings, riding shotgun with an unbeaten 21 from 72 balls, a partnership that wore England thin.
Continue reading...Columbus Blue Jackets (31 pts) vs. Florida Panthers (26 pts) Game Preview
The Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers play today at Amerant Bank Arena.
Blue Jackets Stats
- Power Play - 18.8% - 16th in the NHL
- Penalty Kill - 71.8% - 30th in the NHL
- Goals For - 80 - 20th in the NHL
- Goals Against - 89 - 20th in the NHL
Panthers Stats
- Power Play - 17.9% - 20th in the NHL
- Penalty Kill - 80.5% - 19th in the NHL
- Goals For - 76 - 25th in the NHL
- Goals Against - 82 - 17th in the NHL
Series History vs. The Panthers
- Columbus is 26-21-0-6 all-time, and 10-14-0-2 on the road vs. Florida.
- The CBJ are 2-8-2 in the last 12 against Florida.
- The Jackets went 0-2-1 last season against the Cats.
Who To Watch For The Panthers
- Brad Marchand leads the Panthers with 15 goals and 27 points.
- Anton Lundell leads Florida with 14 points.
- Sergei Bobrovsky is 10-8-1 with a SV% of .886. His last start was on December 4th.
- Daniil Tarasov is 2-4-1 with a SV% of .907. His last start was on November 28th.
CBJ Player Notes vs. Panthers
- Zach Werenski has 15 points in 25 career games against Florida. He also has a hat trick against Bobrovsky
- Charlie Coyle has 15 points in 30 games.
- Sean Monahan has 14 points in 19 games vs. the Panthers.
Injuries
- Erik Gudbranson - Upper Body - Missed 19 Games - IR - No timeline for a return
- Boone Jenner - Upper Body - Missed 11 Games - IR - Could return this week
- Mathieu Olivier - Upper Body - Missed 4 Games - IR- No timeline for a return
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 50
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
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NHL Trade Rumors: Flyers Quieting Noise Around Skilled Forward
The Philadelphia Flyers are going to have to make a trade and clear bodies from the winger position at some point in the near future, but, until then, they're reportedly trying to cool the noise surrounding one player in particular.
Talented young forwards Tyson Foerster, Matvei Michkov, and Porter Martone figure to be three of the Flyers' four top-six wingers of the future, which leaves room for only one more top dog.
Travis Konecny, who is in the first year of his eight-year, $70 million ($8.75 million AAV) contract, is assured that final spot, almost by default, though he is coming off a career-best 76 points in 2024-25.
The odd men out, at least for the more premium roles on the team going forward, are going to be Owen Tippett and Bobby Brink.
Tippett, 26, has been the popular name in trade talks due to his rare combination of size and speed, his inconsistency, and a $6.2 million cap hit through 2031-32 on a contract that sees its modified no-trade clause kick in on July 1, 2026.
The Discourse Around Matvei Michkov Makes No SenseThe great debate for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> so far this season has been whether or not star sophomore forward Matvei Michkov is getting a fair shake under new head coach Rick Tocchet and being put into positions to truly succeed.
But, Tippett quietly does have nine goals and 18 points in 26 games this season, which puts him on pace for 28 goals and a career-high 56 points. It's not 40 or even 30 goals, no, but the Flyers apparently believe the former No. 10 pick has even more to give.
“I think the Flyers are trying to do everything they can to calm the noise around him. I think it’s bothered him a little bit. I think he’s definitely heard it," NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said of Tippett in his latest episode of "32 Thoughts."
"I think the Flyers are trying to say, ‘Look, this is not our doing.’ I do think the Canucks asked about him. I don’t think that’s going to be happening."
The Canucks, of course, come into play based on the connections between them and first-year Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet, who coached a plethora of Vancouver players of interest to the Orange and Black, headlined by Quinn Hughes.
NHL Rumors: 3 Potential Trade Fits For Flyers' Owen TippettFlyers forward Owen Tippett has been in the rumor mill. Let's look at some possible fits for the forward if Philadelphia ends up officially shopping him. Hughes to the Flyers is all crazy talk right now and would require the Flyers to pay up with an eye-watering package of futures, prospects, and young NHL players, and that would immediately bite them if Hughes were not to re-sign beyond 2027, when his current contract expires.
It is fascinating, though, that the finger-pointing towards Tippett has reached such a fever pitch that the Flyers have to go out of their way to tell the player the opposite is true, and that this information comes from the top NHL insider in Friedman.
Time will tell if the Flyers trade Tippett before his trade protection kicks in on July 1, if at all, but the situation is worth monitoring, especially if and when Martone arrives to squeeze his fellow winger off a featured role.
Sun setting on England’s Ashes dream as Australia close on second Test triumph
Tourists collapse under lights for more Gabba pain
England wilted in the Brisbane heat, their top order collapsing under the lights to leave hopes of securing the Ashes in tatters on day three of the second Test at the Gabba.
England slipped from 90 for one to 134 for six as Australia’s attack snared the wickets of Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook and Jamie Smith.
Continue reading...Granderson: At last, the players themselves are the voice of the NBA
Three words perfectly summed up what LeBron James has been trying to tell us most of his life.
His pass to Rui Hachimura in the closing seconds of Thursday’s game led to the game-winning basket. With that pass, James sacrificed a chance to score at least 10 points in an NBA-record 1,298 consecutive games. When the game is on the line, the sports industry wants stars like him to take the last shot because that’s how the industry traditionally defines greatness.
People say: “Jordan would’ve shot it. Kobe would’ve shot it.” And ever since Sports Illustrated put James on the cover in 2002 — next to the words “chosen one” — he has been trying to tell us he defines greatness differently.
He reiterated that after the game against Toronto, when asked what feelings he had toward his scoring streak ending.
“None. We won.”
The sports industry, the machine, will discuss whether to feel the same way.
But we can’t pretend he hasn’t been telling us the same thing for more than 20 years: All he cares about is making the right play for the team. He’s been saying that since the S.I. cover. And that has been particularly true since creating his own media company, Uninterrupted, back in 2014.
He and Yankees great Derek Jeter, who started the Players Tribune that same year, are pioneers when it comes to modern athletes telling their own stories. And in the decade since, it’s been captivating watching athletes move beyond the gatekeeping of traditional media and the limitations of social media to create podcasts and produce documentaries (or at least try) — all to tell their own stories.
That’s not to say every time a group of former or active players steps in front of a mic, brilliance is heard. In fact, a lot of what we hear is just retelling stories we’ve heard a thousand times, only with less structure. Oftentimes there are ego-driven attempts to rewrite history under the guise of “setting the record straight.” As if we don’t have Google and can’t see the record for ourselves. But it is in their own words, which adds something to the discussion. And because there’s more of it, I’m finding some of the best stuff out there isn’t from the gods of the game like James, but the near-mortals.
Take “Run It Back” on FanDuel TV. The sports media machine is driven by stars, but the league is mostly made of voices like the ones on that show. The players who didn’t lead teams to heights and whose faces never made it to the cover of a magazine. And until recently, most of the insight from most of the players was just lost because we didn’t hear their voices. But now — particularly this season, with networks investing heavily in athlete-driven NBA content — more sources are bringing more texture. People like “Run It Back” co-host Chandler Parsons.
“I like the inside info, and I like the takes from the other guys,” Parsons said about hearing from the non-superstars. “I like hearing from Draymond Green and hearing what he has to say through his eyes and not through a third party…. As an athlete who has been in my shoes and played the game at the highest level, I respect their takes and I respect their opinion.”
In the early days of Monday Night Football, Howard Cosell, the original sports media provocateur, often griped about former NFL players leaving the field and walking into the booth. He would say sports media was the only profession where someone with no experience could be handed a big check to do the job at the highest level. That was back in the 1970s, when TV networks were few and media-savvy athletes like the great Muhammad Ali were even fewer.
Parsons graduated from the University of Florida with a journalism degree, so perhaps he avoids the scorn of Cosell’s ghost. Still, without the explosion of streaming networks and podcasting, there’s a good chance we wouldn’t have heard much from him and others like him, just because they weren’t household names. It was his appearance on another athlete-driven podcast, “All the Smoke,” that elevated him as a viable NBA analyst.
“I had no idea I wanted to do this,” Parsons said.
Same for Matt Barnes, who along with Stephen Jackson, started their podcast “All the Smoke” after careers in the NBA and stints with traditional media. To understand how popular it is today: Since joining YouTube in 2019, the show has amassed more than half a billion views, has landed interviews with Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Michelle Obama and Gov. Gavin Newsom and has grown into a full-fledged production company.
Barnes, who is the CEO of All the Smoke Productions, told me that because of the increase in NBA content in the so-called manosphere, there can be pressure to give takes for clicks. (I told him that sounded familiar.)
“There are some athletes in this space who say some of the craziest s—,” Barnes said. “I feel like if I put the work in and have deep, meaningful conversations, I’ll go viral for something that’s an interesting story.”
Case in point: “Smoke” was among the first media outlets to have NBA legend Dwyane Wade on to talk about his transgender daughter. It was a powerful episode that a decade ago would never have been initiated by former athletes. That’s not just a reflection of the times changing. It embodies how players now see themselves, and speak for themselves, in these changing times.
Players and former players are the new voice of the NBA. They’ve always been there. They just needed to be heard.
YouTube: @LZGrandersonShow
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
How to watch the Texas Tech vs. BYU Big 12 Championship football game today: Kickoff time, channel, where to stream and more
Here's what to know about how to watch the Big 12 Championship game between Texas Tech and BYU.
With MSU calling, Novi DCC’s Samson Gash put team over recruitment
Samson Gash put the team before his future to help Novi Detroit Catholic Central win the Division 1 football championship.
Celtics finish tough 15-game stretch looking like much better team
Celtics finish tough 15-game stretch looking like much better team originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
BOSTON — When the Celtics suffered a tough loss at home to the Utah Jazz on Nov. 3 that dropped their record to 3-5, they did not look like a playoff-caliber team. They weren’t in sync offensively, the defense was not executing at a high level and the offseason additions were still settling into their roles.
Fast forward one month and the Celtics look like a much better team. And not only that, they have the look of a squad that could make a run in the Eastern Conference playoffs if healthy.
Beginning on Nov. 5 with a win against the Washington Wizards and ending Friday with a win over the rival Los Angeles Lakers at TD Garden, the C’s have just wrapped up one of the toughest portions of their regular season schedule.
This 15-game stretch, during which the C’s earned an 11-4 record, spanned one month and included matchups versus a lot of quality opponents. Eleven of the 15 games were against teams currently in a playoff spot.
The Celtics beat the No. 1 team in the East (Detroit Pistons), the No. 2 team in the East (New York Knicks), twice beat the No. 4 team in the East (Orlando Magic), and the No. 2 team in the West (Los Angeles Lakers).
Boston has won four straight games — its longest win streak of the season so far — after dispatching the shorthanded Lakers. The C’s are 9-2 in their last 11 games, which has vaulted them up from the play-in tournament spots to fifth place in the East standings. Only four games separate the Celtics from the first-place Pistons.
What’s been going right for the Celtics? Well, quite a bit, actually.
During this 15-game stretch, the Celtics ranked No. 7 in the league in points per game (120.6), fifth in field goal percentage (49.5), No. 3 in 3-point percentage (40.1), No. 12 in rebounds per game (44.7), No. 8 in blocks per game (5.4), No. 1 in offensive rating (126.0), and No. 3 in net rating (10.7).
“We got guys who are finding their stride, feeling confident, and you can see it,” Celtics wing Jaylen Brown said postgame.
Speaking of Brown, he has been the leading force for the Celtics. He averaged 30.4 points over this 15-game span — the fifth-highest in the league — while shooting 48.5 percent from the field, along with 7.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He’s literally playing at an MVP level of late, and proving that he absolutely can play like a true No. 1 option in the absence of Jayson Tatum.
Jordan Walsh also is making a strong impact at both ends of the floor, but especially on defense. His perimeter defense, hustle, tenacity and rebounding have made a huge difference in Boston’s recent success, evidenced by the team’s 9-2 record since he was elevated to the starting lineup.
He has shot 18-of-19 from the field (94.7 percent) over his last three games. He’s also averaged 15.3 points per game over his last four contests.
Despite the uptick in performance on a team basis and individually, there are still plenty of areas where Boston can improve.
Even though the Celtics’ defense has been better of late, their defensive rating of 114.7 (17th in the league) is far below where it’s been in previous seasons. The Celtics need to rebound better, too. They rank 17th in rebounds per game. Drawing fouls has been difficult for the C’s as well. They are the only team in the association averaging fewer than 20 free throw attempts (19.2) per game.
The Celtics also could use another center who can rebound and defend the paint. Neemias Queta is making a strong case to be in the Most Improved Player Award conversation, but the depth behind him isn’t great.
The Celtics have hit their stride over the last 15 games. This is a scrappy team getting contributions from a lot of different guys, headlined by Brown’s heroics.
There’s still a lot of season left to play, but it’s fair to say the Celtics have exceeded expectations to this point. And the scary part for the rest of the league is they can play a lot better.
“I think the expectation level has always been the same in my brain,” Brown said. “Just come out, compete and maximize our potential and kind of go from there. Don’t focus on the end result, focus on what you control and what’s in front of you. And that’s winning each possession, being the harder playing team, all that good stuff.
“It sounds boring, but that’s the type of stuff that leads to building a really good team.”