The second edition of the College Football Playoff rankings will come out Tuesday. The big question of the night will be which school is ranked No. 2.
Texas moves into CFP field in this week’s bowl projections
This week's forecasted College Football Playoff field got changed after the results of Week 11 of the season with one notable addition.
The Breakdown | New Zealand stars Barrett and McKenzie show how skill and vision can flourish
The veteran All Black duo both grew up on dairy farms and may not have flourished in English rugby’s rigid system
This week’s column is being compiled slightly differently. It’s not easy to type while looking upwards and smiling warmly at the bookshelf but, hey, that’s the price to be paid for method sportswriting. When you’re putting together a piece on Damian McKenzie, the All Blacks’ so-called “smiling assassin”, it’s important to try to get into character.
The head bandage took time to apply as well, as did the fake-blood drizzle of ketchup down the cheek. Anyone who watched the later stages of New Zealand’s win against Scotland on television on Saturday, however, will appreciate why the extra touches felt appropriate. It is not every day a player preparing to kick the clinching points in a major Test resembles a happy, beaten prizefighter.
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With team in the cellar, Mavs fire GM Nico Harrison 9 months after Luka trade
With team in the cellar, Mavs fire GM Nico Harrison 9 months after Luka trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Dallas Mavericks confirmed they fired general manager Nico Harrison during a scheduled meeting with team governor Patrick Dumont on Tuesday morning, confirming recent rumors of a change in the front office.
ESPN insider Shams Charania announced the team’s plan to fire Harrison and replace him in the interim with executives Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi. The team confirmed the interim placements and said a comprehensive search will begin for a permanent general manager.
“This decision reflects our continued commitment to building a championship-caliber organization, one that delivers for our players, our partners, and most importantly, our fans,” said Dumont of Harrison’s firing.
Harrison had been the team’s GM and president of basketball operations for the last four seasons, which included two trips to the Western Conference finals, a trip to the NBA Finals and the unforgettable blockbuster trade that led to fans screaming for his ouster.
Nine months ago, Harrison traded superstar Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick. The backlash was swift and unrelenting. For months after the trade, disenchanted Mavericks fans protested the trade and chanted “Fire Nico” at every opportunity.
In April, at the season-ending press conference, Harrison said he stood by the deal but didn’t realize how much fans loved the 26-year-old Slovenian.
“I did know that Luka was important to the fan base,” Harrison said. “I didn’t quite know it to what level.”
Harrison said in April that he’d hoped the team he put together, which included Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II, would be improved by the addition of Anthony Davis from the Lakers. Because of injuries, that team never really materialized, and the Mavs fell flat.
Even after winning the lottery for the No. 1 draft pick and selecting Cooper Flagg, the Mavs are among the worst teams in the NBA and are ranked second to last in the Western Conference with a 3-8 record (2-5 at home) and five straight losses, including Monday night’s 116-114 loss to Milwaukee where fans renewed the chants calling for the team to “Fire Nico.”
The Mavericks’ next game is at home against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.
Phillies can't ‘run it back' in 2026 after Dodgers repeat
Phillies can't ‘run it back' in 2026 after Dodgers repeat originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Running it back. Three words Phillies fans are tired of hearing.
The Phils have reached the postseason for four straight years, and for four straight years, they’ve come up short. They shocked everyone with a run to the 2022 World Series, only to fall to the Astros in six games. When a core stays together that long – and produces a similar ending each October – change becomes expected.
Yet 15 players on the 2025 Opening Day roster were also on the 2022 team. It’s a battle-tested group, but the results are stale.
Even after a 96-win season, urgency hangs over the franchise because of one unavoidable obstacle in the National League:
The Dodgers.
Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell – their star power feels endless, especially after winning back-to-back World Series titles.
In 2024, their rotation fell apart with injuries to Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and Emmett Sheehan. It didn’t matter. They slugged their way to a championship.
In 2025, the script flipped. This time, the Dodgers were healthy but their bats went cold. Again, it didn’t matter. Yamamoto carried them. He made five postseason starts, threw two complete games – the first pitcher to do that since 2001 – and posted a 1.45 ERA. After throwing 96 pitches in Game 6, he still came out of the bullpen in the Game 7 finale and tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings. World Series MVP was an automatic for the second-year right-hander.
President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski put it bluntly when asked about L.A. at the end-of-season presser:
“The Dodgers have a really good club … We battled them, and I think we’re in the same neighborhood – but we didn’t beat them and we have work to do in order to do that.”
Now, it’s clear. If the Phillies want to win a championship, the path runs directly through Los Angeles – the team that eliminated them in the NLDS this past season.
So how do they change their identity? It’s challenging to pinpoint, but there are a number of options the Phillies could pick from.
Starpower: Ketel Marte
Credit: Denis Poroy – Imagn Images
On Monday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that the Diamondbacks are “motivated” to trade three-time All-Star Ketel Marte.
He’s coming off another elite year in Arizona, slashing .283/.376/.517 with 28 doubles and 28 homers in 126 games. It marked his third straight season with at least 25 home runs, 60 walks and 70 RBIs. The 32-year-old has cemented himself as the best at his position.
The switch-hitting Marte is the kind of hitter who changes a lineup overnight. In 2025, he posted an .891 OPS vs. lefties and .893 vs. righties, offering zero platoon vulnerability. His contract is just as appealing: six years left (player option in 2031), roughly $19 million AAV and only $28 million over the next two seasons.
Trading for him wouldn’t prevent the Phillies from spending elsewhere – including a potential Kyle Schwarber reunion.
He’s performed against the team that matters. Marte has a career .290 average and .804 OPS versus the Dodgers. And over the last two seasons, he’s slashed .321/.418/.560.
He’s also been a standout performer in October. In 21 postseason games, he’s hit .344 with a .974 OPS and 13 extra-base hits.
Acquiring Marte would take real capital. The deal starts with one of Aidan Miller or Andrew Painter plus infielder Bryson Stott, who is under control through 2027. It would be uncomfortable, but it’s a move that could change everything for the Phils.
Shuffle the pieces and add
Credit: Bill Streicher – Imagn Images
Bryce Harper has been at the center of conversation this offseason – both for production and for where he plays. Dombrowski made one thing clear after questioning Harper’s “elite” status during his media session: he views Harper as the first baseman going forward.
But if Harper moved back to right field, everything opens up. And if defense is the concern for a 33-year-old Harper in the outfield, the Phillies just played 33-year-old Nick Castellanos out there – who posted a league-low -12 outs above average.
Returning Harper to the outfield gives the Phillies the freedom to chase a middle-of-the-order bat at first base.
Pete Alonso should be the first call.
Alonso tallied 264 homers and 712 RBIs in seven seasons with the Mets. Drop that kind of production behind Harper and pitchers have no escape route. And if the Phillies brought back Schwarber too?
A top four of Trea Turner, Schwarber, Harper and Alonso truly gives you a solid chance against Los Angeles in a playoff series.
The championship window isn’t closed – but it’s not open forever. If the Phillies want to win with this core, adding another star or two to Harper and Turner is how you do it.
Lean into the youth
Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel – Imagn Images
Miller, Justin Crawford and Painter could push their way to the majors in 2026 and the Phillies might just open the door.
Dombrowski hinted that they could force their way onto the roster. “There will be some people we’re open-minded to being with our big-league club next year coming out of spring training,” he said. “Justin Crawford is one of them. Painter’s another one… I wouldn’t even preclude Aidan Miller from being that type of guy.”
Miller, 21, put together an .864 OPS with 43 extra-base hits and 59 steals in 2025. He’s only played shortstop in the minors, but if the Phillies view him as an option at second or third, it gives them flexibility to move either Stott or Alec Bohm – who enters his final year of arbitration.
Crawford brings contact and speed the Phillies haven’t had in their outfield. He hit .334 with 46 steals last season. The Crawford-Miller combination introduces something this core could use more of: true athleticism.
Painter remains the biggest wild card. After missing two full seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery, he returned in 2025 with command issues. But his stuff hasn’t gone anywhere. A fastball that touches triple digits with that size and extension isn’t common, and the Phillies know it.
There’s another arm quickly rising: Gage Wood. Their 2025 first-round pick threw a no-hitter in the College World Series and struck out 69 batters in 37 2/3 innings in his final year at Arkansas. He could make his way to the majors.
Leaning into youth could also mean acquiring young, controllable talent at a position of need – like catcher. That could include Baltimore’s All-Star Adley Rutschman, Seattle’s top catching prospect Harry Ford or prospects Carter Jensen and Blake Mitchell in Kansas City.
New blood doesn’t eliminate offseason splash moves. It complements them. And it could force evolution in Philadelphia.
Dombrowski summed it up best. “We have a good club with a lot of good players, but you don’t have unlimited [funds] … We will be open-minded to get better and make moves.”
The Dodgers aren’t slowing down and the Phillies can’t either.
Whether it’s starpower, restructuring the roster or giving the youth a chance to start, standing still isn’t an option — not when the team you’re chasing keeps hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy.
Pair of rivalry games top a stacked week with 7 matchups between AP Top 25 teams
The second week of the 2025-26 season will feature two rivalry games among the seven games between AP Top 25 teams. No. 12 Louisville and No. 9 Kentucky have had one of the sport's fiercest rivalries through the years and it will continue on Tuesday in Louisville. The Cardinals made it to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six years in their first season under coach Pat Kelsey a year ago and are off to fast start with a revamped roster.
Baylor’s Nicki Collen: Bears are ‘a work in progress’ despite win over Duke
Baylor coach Nicki Collen knew her team could be something special this year even before the Bears went to Paris to tip off their season against Duke last week. After a win over the Blue Devils, the Bears moved up nine spots to No. 7 in the AP Top 25 this week, but the work was done in the offseason. Baylor players spent a lot of time this summer bonding and playing basketball.
Is There Reason For Concern With Penguins' Recent Stretch?
After an 8-2-2 start to the season during the month of October, all seemed to be going well and right for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
They were mostly healthy. Their goaltending and their shooters were putting up very high - even if unsustainable - numbers. They were holding onto leads - especially in the third period of play - and no lead ever really felt unsafe.
They seemed to be clicking on all cylinders. Then, November and a few other things happened.
Contrary to their hot October start, the Penguins are now 1-3-1 in the month of November so far. Their latest loss came in the form of a 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday, and it was their third blown lead in the past four games. They are now 9-5-3 on the season.
No matter how things are sliced, it is still very early. The Penguins have played plenty of legitimately good hockey in the first month and a half of the 2025-26, and it stands to reason that they will go through some highs and lows throughout the course of 82 games - just as every team does.
But there are some concerning trends. On Nov. 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Penguins dominated the first 40 minutes and carried a 3-0 lead into the third period, then they squandered it in the first seven minutes of the final frame. In their next game against the Washington Capitals, the Penguins went up by the same score of 3-0 early in the second period and were tied with the Caps by the end of the period. They eventually did win that one despite the blown lead.
Takeaways: Penguins Fall To Kings, 3-2, For Third Loss In Four GamesAfter earning just one of four points on a back-to-back weekend set against the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils/">New Jersey Devils</a> and <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/los-angeles-kings">Los Angeles Kings</a>, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> may just welcome the brief Swedish vacation they’ll embark on starting Monday.
Then, in the L.A. game, the Penguins took a 2-1 lead into the third and allowed two unanswered goals en route to the loss.
But, in this case, it's not just about the blown leads. It's about how they are happening.
Despite winning only one of their last five games, the Penguins have been the better team on the ice for a large fraction of that time. They will dominate large stretches of games only to end up on the wrong side of the scoresheet. And the reason they're losing these leads is because they have loosened up in their own zone.
Let's be clear: This string of games is not because of a lack of effort. It seems like the Penguins just ran out of gas during the third period against the Kings, and - for most games - they're largely controlling play. But defensive lapses here and there - as has been the case dating back a few years for the Penguins - are costing them dearly.
In the game against the Maple Leafs, the winning goal came as a result of blown coverage by young defensemen Owen Pickering and Harrison Brunicke in the defensive zone. During the Washington game, the Capitals kept pushing, and the Penguins' net-front play kept failing them. Against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, the lone regulation goal by the Devils came as a result of an egregious defensive zone turnover by Kris Letang that directly resulted in a goal.
New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) on XGrits blew the roof off this place.And it didn't stop there. On the Kings' second goal Sunday, Letang engaged in an ill-advised pinch, forward Anthony Mantha didn't cover, and Ryan Shea was left hanging out to dry. And, on the game-winning goal by Kevin Fiala, Erik Karlsson simply got walked near the net front.
Prior to these last several games, the Penguins were generally limiting these Grade-A looks, even when momentum started swinging the other way. And they were scoring with more frequency, too, which isn't surprising given some of the names they're missing from the lineup right now.
All that said, there's not reason to panic quite yet. Again, the Penguins are largely controlling play, they've been getting contributions from up and down their lineup, and the general process is much better. There is buy-in from both the team and the coaching staff, and that has shown itself on the ice.
These next two games in Stockholm, Sweden are big ones for the Penguins, and they represent an opportunity to get back on track and get closer to full health. As long as they simplify and hone the defensive details of their game, they should still be in pretty good shape moving forward.
Penguins Five-Day Break Before Sweden Games Comes At Perfect TimeThe Pittsburgh Penguins have five days off before their next game, and it couldn't come at a better time. Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
Panthers wrap up road trip with resounding 3-2 win in Las Vegas
The Florida Panthers wrapped up their latest road trip on Thursday night in Las Vegas.
Fortunately for the Panthers, they played a third straight solid game, taking down the host Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 at T-Mobile Arena.
An evenly matched first period finally saw someone break through, and it was Florida that got the job done.
Moments after Mackie Samoskevich set up Jeff Petry with a grade-A chance coming down from the point, the puck found its way around to Donovan Sebrango.
The young blueliner quickly fed Jesper Boqvist in the high slot, and his one-timer went off the past Carl Lindbom and into the net, giving the Cats a 1-0 lead with 5:13 left in the opening period.
Boqvist made sure that the puck was picked up for Sebrango, as his primary assist was his first NHL point.
Florida’s penalty kill came up big midway through the game after the Panthers were forced to kill 1:10 of 5-on-3 time after back-to-back penalties by defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Niko Mikkola.
A few minutes later, and moments after Sergei Bobrovsky robbed Ivan Barbashev at the side of the net with a great sliding save, Brad Marchand flew down the left wing, cut to the middle of the ice and backhanded a shot over Lindbom’s glove to double Florida’s lead.
Once the third period began, it took the Golden Knights only 85 seconds to get on the board as Tomas Hertl beat Sergei Bobrovsky from the bottom of the left circle to end Bob’s big at consecutive shutouts against Vegas.
Less than four minutes later, Florida cashed in with a power play goal to restore their two-goal advantage.
Sam Reinhart scored his eighth of the season, deflecting a Seth Jones shot along the ice past Lindbom’s right pad to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead at the 4:54 mark.
Almost exactly five minutes after that, Barbashev’s shot deflected off Reinahrt’s stick as he tried blocking the puck, and it went just under the crossbar to bring the home team back within one.
That’s as close as they would get, thanks to some strong Panthers defending and a few high end saves by Bobrovsky.
Florida’s next game is at home, on Thursday against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.
On to the Caps.
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Photo caption: Nov 10, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Florida Panthers center Jesper Boqvist (70) celebrates with defenseman Jeff Petry (2) and defenseman Donovan Sebrango (6) after scoring a goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period at T-Mobile Arena. (Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)
Brian Kelly files lawsuit against LSU, claiming school is trying to fire him ‘for cause’ to avoid $54 million buyout
LSU split with Brian Kelly last month after the Tigers fell to Texas A&M at home.
No. 3 UConn tops Columbia 89-62 behind Ball and Karaban
Solo Ball had 23 points and Alex Karaban added 20 points and six rebounds as third-ranked UConn topped Columbia 89-62 on Monday night. Tarris Reed Jr. had 19 points and eight rebounds while Jayden Ross scored 10 points off the bench for the Huskies (3-0). Miles Franklin and Blair Thompson had 10 points each for Columbia (1-1).
Watch wild ending in Miami: Mitchell ties game with wild 3-pointer, Wiggins wins it on alley-oop at buzzer
Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell thought he had already taken one of the wildest games of the season to another level by hitting a corner 3 to tie the game 138-138 with 0.4 seconds left in the first overtime.
Then a brilliant play design by Heat assistant Chris Quinn — one Erik Spoelstra has been waiting to use — set up Andrew Wiggins to end it with an alley-oop.
SPIDA TIES IT WITH AN INSANE TRIPLE.
— NBA (@NBA) November 11, 2025
ANDREW WIGGINS WINS IT FOR THE HEAT.
A CRAZY OT ENDING IN MIAMI pic.twitter.com/3LkBfDbAvu
It may not have made up for Cleveland sweeping Miami in the playoffs last season, but the Heat will take the 140-138 win.
"That's a chess game. Chess match. You've got to give them credit," Mitchell said (via the Associated Press). "They made an excellent read, an excellent call and you learn from these things."
Norman Powell once again led the Heat with 33 points, while Jaime Jaquez Jr. continued his hot start with 22 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists off the bench. Wiggins' dunk gave him 23 points on the night.
Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 28 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists, while De'Andre Hunter added 23, and Evan Robles scored 21 points with 10 boards. Calvaliers coach Kenny Atkinson got ejected in the third quarter, arguing with officials when the Heat got 21 free throw attempts in the frame to the Cavs' four.
No. 15 UCLA overcomes West Georgia’s early 3-point barrage to win 83-62 without Donovan Dent
Tyler Bilodeau scored 21 points and No. 15 UCLA overcame the absence of star guard Donovan Dent and West Georgia's strong 3-point shooting to beat the Wolves 83-62 on Monday night. Dent was held out in a precautionary move because of a muscle strain. The New Mexico transfer averaged 16.5 points, 6.5 assists and three rebounds in the Bruins' first two wins of the season.