Sometimes it feels like Victor Wembanyama is playing on a Fisher Price hoop. The 7-foot-4 San Antonio Spurs center routinely makes other players look miniature on basketball’s biggest stage.
The 21-year-old does so on both ends of the floor with an alien-like frame. Midway through the third quarter of a 126-98 win over the Atlanta Hawks Friday night, Wembanyama flashed his seemingly elastic wingspan while joining rare NBA air.
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The 2023 No. 1 overall pick stuck with a spinning Jalen Johnson as the Hawks’ leading scorer tried to calculate an angle to the rim. But as Johnson elevated for a floater, Wembanyama jumped and volleyball-spiked the ball into the shot clock.
Wembanyama came into the night with 49 blocks, the second most of any player in the league this season. He ranked behind only Indiana Pacers center Jay Huff, who has 68 blocks this season.
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As the Spurs improved to 7-1 in December, Wembanyama stuffed the stat sheet with 12 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks to go along with 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting in just 21 minutes of action. He came off the bench for the fourth game in a row after missing 12 straight outings because of a left calf strain.
Wembanyama remained on a minutes restriction, but his impact was still felt.
The Oklahoma City Thunder won 24 of their first 25 games of the season. They’ve now lost two of their past three.
The NBA’s top team took its third loss of the season in a thriller against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, falling 112-107. Their record is 25-3, which still puts them on pace for an NBA record-tying 73 wins, but there’s still a lot of season to go.
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Anthony Edwards was the one who put it away for the Timberwolves, hitting a go-ahead 3-pointer with 39 seconds left, then registering a block and a steal on reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the next two possessions.
“I receive a lot of criticism because I never go for the tie,” Edwards said after the game. “I’m going for the game, every time.”
Edwards finished with 26 points on 9-of-20 shooting, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks.
OKC built a 12-point lead in the first and second quarters, but Minnesota stayed within striking distance, then pounced after halftime. The Timberwolves led for most of the second half, though the Thunder came close to stealing the game with a mini-run led by Gilgeous-Alexander, who had 35 points and seven assists.
Games like this are why, even when the Thunder were winning 16 straight games and seemed unbeatable with Jalen Williams healthy again, matching the Golden State Warriors’ 73-win season was still a tall order. Reaching even 70 wins in a season means off nights basically can’t happen with any sort of regularity, and that’s what the Thunder got with a 34-for-92 shooting performance (37%) while going 11 of 39 from 3-point range (28.2%).
It was a rough night for the Thunder. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
(David Berding via Getty Images)
Gilgeous-Alexander once again went off, but Williams shot 6 of 16 from the field for 17 points with four turnovers, and Chet Holmgren was limited to 14 points and five rebounds. The Timberwolves are a good team who were playing with a night of rest, while OKC was on the second leg of a back-to-back.
The Thunder will now get two days off before a more favorable matchup against the 13-14 Memphis Grizzlies at home, then they have two straight games against the San Antonio Spurs.
NORMAN, Okla. — Emerging from the southeast tunnel here at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, the man slowly walked out from the shadows, through pumped-in fog and into this venue’s bright lights.
His face was unmistakeable: It was 50 Cent.
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Mic in hand, one of America’s most famous rappers strolled out to the football field at the break between the third and fourth quarters here Friday, donning an Oklahoma sweater emblazoned with the team’s motto this season: Hard to Kill.
In the end, the phrase is better suited for the Sooners’ opponent.
Down 17-0 on the road in a hostile environment of a first-round College Football Playoff game, its season on the line, perhaps even its head coach’s future in doubt, Alabama survived.
Hard to kill? That’s the 2025 Alabama Crimson Tide — winners over Oklahoma on Friday night, 34-24, in a somewhat-unprecedented comeback for the storied history of this famed football program.
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So many times throughout this season, we thought they were dead. Cooked. Fried. Done.
Then came a 75-yard touchdown march, a blocked punt, a pick-6 and 27 unanswered points, a late defensive stand in a three-point game and then an impossible-to-believe reception from Germie Bernard to punctuate and seal the win.
Players streamed off the field here, “We’re going to LA! We’re going to LA!”
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Rose Bowl officials distributed single roses as players gripped them with their teeth in a roaring locker room celebration. The ninth-seeded Tide (11-3), the second-to-last team into the field, meets top-seeded Indiana (13-0) in Pasadena on Jan. 1.
“Y’all kind of wrote us off. Appreciate that,” a smiling Alabama QB Ty Simpson said afterward, the hero of this unconscionable comeback.
Think about this: By the time Oklahoma took a 17-0 lead, Simpson and Alabama’s offense managed 12 yards on nine plays and punted three times.
The Tide looked lost. It looked like the Jekyll version of this yo-yo of a season before the Hyde arrived. And, boy, did it.
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Bama scored on five of the next seven drives — a shocking turn of events when considering the previous 18 drives dating back to the Iron Bowl. Alabama had two scoring drives in those 18 tries.
“I was trying to get guys to believe just one score, one score. Just chip away,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. “Resiliency has been kind of a theme all season long. Showed up in a big way tonight.”
A brief off-stage moment after the postgame news conference showed even the coach’s surprise. DeBoer leaned over to Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne and said, “Whew! Never been down 17!”
Alabama’s Keon Keeley celebrates after his team beat the Oklahoma Sooners on Friday. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
(Stacy Revere via Getty Images)
DeBoer and Byrne briskly walked out of the news conference room, embracing one another in a joyous moment that is likely, at some point soon, to transform into a new contract for the coach. The two sides have been working toward a deal as the Michigan head coaching jobs hangs open.
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What now in Ann Arbor? Many within the industry believed the Wolverines were awaiting the result of Friday night’s game. An Alabama loss would have paved the way, perhaps, for a more serious conversation with the coach about UM’s vacancy.
If the Tide’s 17-point hole had held up, if they’d lost, would DeBoer have really left one of the country’s best gigs? If so, it wouldn’t have been because of the Tide’s lack of support, said ex-coach Nick Saban while on “College GameDay,” originating from here in Norman on Friday.
“Kalen DeBoer has the total and complete support of the University of Alabama,” Saban said. “They want him to be the coach at Alabama. Maybe they can get him at Michigan, I don’t know.”
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Now, after the win, it would be a logistical hurdle. The Wolverines aren’t expected to wait any longer, certainly not another two weeks, when the Tide tangle with the Hoosiers.
There are two more rounds beyond that and Simpson expects to be there.
“We’re not done yet. That’s all I got to say,” he said.
The Alabama quarterback marched the Tide back from the dead, lifted them out of their coffin, dug’em up from the dirt.
Hard to kill? It’s these guys, loaded with talent, skills and five-star signees.
“The game is going to come back to us,” DeBoer said. “We have too many good players. That’s what happened tonight. The game came back to us.”
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The stars shined during the stunning 17-point rally.
Simpson completed 23- and 29-yarders to begin the comeback on that nine-play touchdown march. Tim Keenan blocked a punt that turned into a field goal. Zabien Brown intercepted OU quarterback John Mateer and returned it 50 yards for the tie.
After halftime, Daniel Hill ran for 30 yards — the Tide’s longest rush since Week 2 — and Simpson fired a 30-yard scoring strike to Lotzeir Brooks.
Finally, nursing a three-point lead, with about 8 minutes left, Bernard made a 24-yard grab behind the back of a defender, gripping the ball somehow, some way and falling to the turf to set up the game-sealing score.
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Hard to kill?
That’s Alabama.
Bernard made his catch a few minutes after 50 Cent’s surprise performance. As players huddled to prepare for the fourth quarter, the rapper swept onto the field singing his hit, “Many Men.”
As they heard the tune and saw the familiar face on the stadium’s Jumbotron, Bama players erupted from their sideline huddle, moving toward the rapper as they sang with him. As it turns out, the team holds a tradition of listening each Friday to that tune. It fired them up.
“It gave us some juice,” linebacker Deontae Lawson said afterward as he glanced toward Simpson, on the stage with him at the postgame news conference.
Simpson laughed and turned to the room of reporters.
“I’ll be honest,” he said. “I didn’t know that was 50 Cent, but I did know that song.”
Feng: Notre Dame fans will be watching in droves to see which one of these two teams that beat them this season will advance in the CFP.
Texas A&M had an undefeated season until a home loss to Texas in the regular season finale. That surprising loss kept the Aggies out of the SEC championship game.
Texas A&M is solid on both sides of the ball, ranking eighth on offense and fifth on defense in my adjusted success rate. If there is any weakness, the Aggies do allow explosive run plays on defense (69th in my adjusted yards per carry metric). This might have been a disaster against Notre Dame and Jeremiah Love, but they get Miami instead.
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Miami stumbled in the middle of the season with ACC losses to Louisville and SMU. However, the losses came by a total of nine points, and then the Hurricanes dominated in their last four games.
Just like Texas A&M, Miami excels on both sides of the football, ranking seventh on offense and 10th on defense in my adjusted success rate. RB Mark Fletcher missed a few games this season before returning for the last two games but with limited carries. Fletcher is an excellent back who might be able to generate explosive plays against the Aggies.
All of my metrics rate these two teams about the same. A market that favors Texas A&M by the home field parameter I use is fair. However, my model predicts 55.7 points, and the only potential significant injury is Miami CB Keionte Scott.
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Bet: Over 51.5
Craig: Ole Miss entered the postseason expecting stability, only to watch head coach Lane Kiffin exit before the finish line. Defensive coordinator Pete Golding now takes over the headset, bringing real credibility but a real challenge. We’ve already seen two midseason DC promotions this year — Auburn with D.J. Durkin and Colorado State with Tyson Summers — and both units slipped. Golding’s situation is more controlled, but it still forces him to split focus during the most scheme-heavy stretch of the year.
Offensively, the Rebels lose one of the best play-callers in the sport, but they kept enough staff and skill talent to stay explosive. And if there’s ever a moment to make a statement, this is it. Don’t be surprised if Golding pushes the throttle — a big postseason performance would send a loud message that Ole Miss isn’t dependent on Kiffin to compete at the highest level.
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Bet: Tulane-Ole Miss over 56.5 (-110)
Feng: It’s a shame that the committee sent James Madison to Oregon.
Head coach Bob Chesney took over from Curt Cignetti and has compiled a 21-5 record in two seasons at JMU. This team has an elite defense that ranks 10th in my yards-per-play numbers even after adjustments for their Sun Belt conference schedule. Freshman Sahir West has starred with seven sacks this season.
The James Madison offense has been explosive in the run game, as it ranks eighth in my adjusted yards per carry. RB Wayne Knight has rushed for 6.7 yards per carry, and QB Alonza Barnett III also contributes to the ground game.
However, Oregon is an elite team with a real chance to win the national championship (13.1% by my numbers). They were so loaded at running back that high-profile transfer Makhi Hughes decided to redshirt after four games because he was behind holdover Noah Whittingham and also two freshmen.
In addition, Oregon has an excellent defense, which ranks third in my adjusted yards per play. Coach Dan Lanning comes from a defensive background, and he will have a plan and the talent to eliminate the Dukes’ explosive runs.
The CFP would hit the next level with an upset from an 11 or 12 seed. James Madison at Ole Miss would have been an excellent matchup for the underdog, as my numbers would have made Ole Miss about a six-point favorite. It is doubly frustrating because all of my metrics have 12-seed James Madison way ahead of No. 11 Tulane, the team that actually plays at Ole Miss.
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Instead, James Madison faces one of the favorites, and my numbers have Oregon by 16.3 points. Oregon might struggle a little bit without star freshman WR Dakorien Moore, and the Dukes’ defense should keep them in the game. However, Oregon should cruise comfortably to meet Texas Tech.
Arizona State went 8-4 in 2025 despite not having QB Sam Leavitt for five games. Leavitt, who could enter the transfer portal in January, played in just seven games after he was one of the Big 12’s breakout stars in 2024.
The Sun Devils made the College Football Playoff after winning the Big 12 a year ago. ASU went 11-3 and lost the Peach Bowl to Texas after Leavitt threw for over 2,800 yards and Cam Skattebo — the fifth-place finisher in the 2024 Heisman Trophy voting — rushed for over 1,700 yards.
An ASU alum, Dillingham improved ASU by eight wins in his second season. Arizona State hadn’t won 11 games in a season since 1996 when Jake Plummer led the Sun Devils to the Rose Bowl.
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Before going to Arizona State, Dillingham was an offensive coordinator at Auburn, Florida State and Oregon. His offensive pedigree made him an appealing candidate for many Michigan fans given the presence of five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood. The Michigan native started as a freshman in 2025 after choosing the Wolverines over LSU.
With Dillingham’s extension, it appears Michigan will need to broaden its search for a head coach. Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer had also been mentioned as a potential target, but DeBoer has publicly stated he isn’t going anywhere, and Alabama won 34-24 over Oklahoma on Friday night in the College Football Playoff to advance to the Rose Bowl.
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Michigan is looking for a coach after firing Moore with cause last week. Moore was fired following evidence he had an inappropriate relationship with a staffer and was arrested hours later after allegedly going to the staffer’s house after his firing. Moore has been charged with felony home invasion and two misdemeanors and has a January court date.
Moore was Michigan’s offensive coordinator before succeeding Jim Harbaugh ahead of the 2024 season. After Michigan won the national championship in 2023, the Wolverines won 17 games in Moore’s tenure.
Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht announced Saturday that he would be entering the transfer portal.
Becht has been a three-year starter for the Cyclones and will have one year of eligibility remaining. He was 205-of-339 passing for 2,584 yards and 16 TDs with nine interceptions over 12 games in 2025. Becht suffered a shoulder injury at the end of the season and would have missed a bowl game had the Cyclones played in one. Iowa State opted out of the postseason after coach Matt Campbell took the Penn State job.
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Not long after Campbell left for Penn State, Iowa State hired Washington State coach Jimmy Rogers.
“I’ve had meaningful conversations with coach Jimmy Rogers, and I’m confident he will elevate this program to new heights,” Becht said. “But after deep consideration, I’ve decided to pursue new opportunities for my senior season. This decision was not taken lightly — it comes from a place of growth, purpose and belief in where my path is leading.”
Becht, the son of former NFL tight end Anthony Becht, played in 42 games across three seasons with the Cyclones. Over his career, he’s 714-of-1,177 passing for 9,274 yards and 64 TDs with 27 touchdowns.
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Iowa State was 8-4 in 2025 after making the Big 12 title game and going 11-3 in 2024. The Cyclones lost to Arizona State in the conference championship game to miss out on a shot at the College Football Playoff.
Becht, who redshirted in 2022, had surgery on his non-throwing shoulder for what was reportedly a torn labrum. He dealt with the injury for much of the season and should be fully recovered for the 2026 season.
Could he end up at Penn State with Campbell? The Nittany Lions will need to replace Drew Allar after Allar’s final season in State College ended prematurely with a leg injury in 2025. Becht’s announcement came a day after TCU QB Josh Hoover said he would be entering the transfer portal. There are already multiple experienced quarterbacks who have said they will transfer, including Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby, Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola and Missouri’s Beau Pribula.
One of the biggest College Football Playoff matchups of this weekend might just be the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes vs. the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies. The Aggies have never made it to the CFP before, and they’ll play their inaugural game in front of a home crowd at Kyle Field in College Station, TX. The winner of this weekend’s first round game will move on to face No. 2 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Dec 31. You can take a look at the entire CFP bracket, including first round pairings and the complete schedule of upcoming playoff and bowl games here.
You can watch coverage of this week’s Miami vs. Texas A&M game starting at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 20.
Where to watch the Miami vs. Texas A&Mgame without cable
You can tune in to the Miami vs. Texas A&M game on ABC as part of ESPN on ABC. ABC is available on streaming platforms, including DirecTV and Sling, but for the most comprehensive college football coverage, you can also watch this game and hundreds more on the ESPN app with an ESPN Unlimited subscription.
College football playoff game/bowl schedule this week:
All time Eastern
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Saturday, Dec. 20
12 p.m. | No. 10 Miami (Fla.) at No. 7 Texas A&M | College Football Playoff First Round Game | ABC 3:30 p.m. | No. 20 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss | College Football Playoff First Round Game | TNT 7:30 p.m. | No. 24 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon | College Football Playoff First Round Game | TNT
Monday, Dec. 22
2 p.m. | Utah State vs. Washington State | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, Idaho) | ESPN
Tuesday, Dec. 23
2 p.m. | Louisville vs. Toledo | Boca Raton Bowl (Boca Raton, Fla.) | ESPN 5:30 p.m. | Western Kentucky vs. Southern Miss. | New Orleans Bowl (New Orleans, La.) | ESPN 9 p.m. | Ohio vs. UNLV | Frisco Bowl (Frisco, Texas) | ESPN
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Wednesday, Dec. 24
8 p.m. | Cal vs. Hawai‘i | Hawai’i Bowl (Honolulu, Hawai’i) | ESPN
Friday, Dec. 26
1 p.m. | Northwestern vs. Central Michigan | GameAbove Sports Bowl (Detroit, Mich.) | ESPN 4:30 p.m. | New Mexico vs. Minnesota | Rate Bowl (Phoenix, Ariz.) | ESPN 8 p.m. | UTSA vs. FIU | First Responder Bowl (Dallas, Texas) | ESPN
How to watch college football games in 2025
NCAA football games will air across ESPN, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and the college conference networks. If you don’t have cable, it can be challenging to stay up-to-date with your favorite team. Here’s what we recommend to stream NCAA football in 2025.
The two top teams in the NFC North will meet this Saturday, and both are on a quest to clinch a playoff berth this week. The No. 1 Chicago Bears will face the No. 2 Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field; the Bears will need a win to secure a playoff berth. The Packers, who will be playing without Micah Parsons for the rest of the season now that he’s out with a torn ACL, could also clinch a playoff spot under the right conditions… Basically, both teams just need a win, and for the No. 3-ranked Detroit Lions to lose.
The Packers vs. Bears game will kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET on Fox. Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch this Saturday’s game and get the full Week 16 schedule for the rest of the league.
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How to watch the Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears:
The Packers vs. Bears game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET/5:20 p.m. PT this Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025.
Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears game channel:
The Saturday game between the Packers and Bears will air on FOX.
How to watch the Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bearsgame without cable:
You can stream FOX on platforms like DirecTV and Fubo, and the game will also be available on FOX’s streaming platform FOX One. You can also tune in on NFL+ for mobile viewing.
bundle FOX One with ESPN’s newly revamped streaming service for $39.99/month.
Many NFL games are broadcast on local channels, so if you’re looking to catch an in-market game, it may be as simple as turning on your TV (or setting up a digital TV antenna) or finding a live TV streaming service that carries the correct RSN (Regional Sports Network). If you want to watch out-of-market games, a $7 monthly subscription to NFL+ will let you watch every out-of-market-game local and primetime game in the season on your phone — but only a select few regular season games on your TV. You could also spring for the uber-expensive NFL Sunday Ticket package to get every out-of-market Sunday game of the season.
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When it comes to nationally broadcast games, NFL games typically air across ESPN, NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC and NFL Network. Thursday Night Football games stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, select football games will stream exclusively on Peacock, games on CBS will stream live on Paramount+, and Monday Night Football games will air on ESPN or ABC and stream on the newly revamped ESPN+ this season. That’s six channels and four streaming platforms to keep up with this season — and that’s not counting your local RSN’s for in-market games and an NFL+ or NFL Sunday Ticket subscription for out-of-market games. Plus, Netflix is once again hosting at least two Christmas Day matches, so add that subscription into the mix. And we can’t forget about Fox One, Fox’s first streaming service, a place where you can also stream games airing on FOX (if you don’t already have access to it).
Confused? You’re not alone. Here’s a breakdown of the platforms we recommend checking out ahead of the 2025 NFL season, so that come game time, tuning into your favorite team’s games will be as easy as simply turning on the TV.
The last time the Ole Miss Rebels played the Tulane Green Wave, back in September, they dominated with a 45-10 win. The two teams will meet on Saturday for the College Football Playoff, and while No. 20 Tulane enters as the underdog against the No. 6 Rebels, their record this season – and the fact that they won the AAC – have only strengthened the team in the time since the teams last met. An upset is entirely possible… here’s a look at the odds for the game.
Streaming: HBO Max, DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling and more
When is the Tulane vs. Ole Missgame?
You can watch coverage of this week’s Tulane vs. Ole Miss game starting at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 20.
Where to watch the Tulane vs. Ole Miss CFP game without cable
You can tune in to the Tulane vs. Ole Miss game on TNT, which is available on platforms like DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling. You can also stream the game live on HBO Max.
College football playoff game/bowl schedule this week:
All time Eastern
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Saturday, Dec. 20
12 p.m. | No. 10 Miami (Fla.) at No. 7 Texas A&M | College Football Playoff First Round Game | ABC 3:30 p.m. | No. 20 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss | College Football Playoff First Round Game | TNT 7:30 p.m. | No. 24 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon | College Football Playoff First Round Game | TNT
Monday, Dec. 22
2 p.m. | Utah State vs. Washington State | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, Idaho) | ESPN
Tuesday, Dec. 23
2 p.m. | Louisville vs. Toledo | Boca Raton Bowl (Boca Raton, Fla.) | ESPN 5:30 p.m. | Western Kentucky vs. Southern Miss. | New Orleans Bowl (New Orleans, La.) | ESPN 9 p.m. | Ohio vs. UNLV | Frisco Bowl (Frisco, Texas) | ESPN
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Wednesday, Dec. 24
8 p.m. | Cal vs. Hawai’i | Hawai’i Bowl (Honolulu, Hawai’i) | ESPN
Friday, Dec. 26
1 p.m. | Northwestern vs. Central Michigan | GameAbove Sports Bowl (Detroit, Mich.) | ESPN 4:30 p.m. | New Mexico vs. Minnesota | Rate Bowl (Phoenix, Ariz.) | ESPN 8 p.m. | UTSA vs. FIU | First Responder Bowl (Dallas, Texas) | ESPN
How to watch college football games in 2025
NCAA football games will air across ESPN, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, TNT and the college conference networks. If you don’t have cable, it can be challenging to stay up-to-date with your favorite team. Here’s what we recommend to stream NCAA football in 2025.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart was fined $35,000 after flipping off the refs at halftime in Thursday’s 143–135 win over the Utah Jazz, according to the NBA.
Smart received a technical foul before the end of the first half that led to his gesture. The 31-year-old guard finished the game with 17 points and four rebounds, and shot 5-of-9 from behind the arc in 28 minutes. A few games earlier, Smart finished with a season-high 26 points, shooting 8 of 14 from 3-point range in the Lakers’ 132-119 NBA Cup quarterfinals loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
In Smart’s first season with the Lakers, he has averaged 10.6 points, 2.9 assists and 2.5 rebounds. Last season, Smart spent time with the Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards. He spent his first nine seasons with the Boston Celtics.
The Lakers are 19-7 this season. Their next games will be on Saturday against their crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers, followed by an away game against the Phoenix Suns, before their Christmas Day game against the Houston Rockets.
