EUGENE, Or. – During Saturday’s UFC 297, Dricus Du Plessis dethroned Sean Strickland by controversial split-decision to become the new UFC Middleweight Champion. Fan reaction to the decision was mixed. Opinions at the University of Oregon’s Rec Center were similarly divided. “I think Sean Strickland won the main event,” said sophomore Kellen Powell. “I think there’s a pretty common consensus that Sean won the fight.” Junior Ben Kuriel agreed with Powell. “I had to give it to Strickland, just because I felt like Du Plessis didn’t do enough to really take the belt from the champion,” said Kuriel. However, junior Anthony Testa disagreed. “Over the last three rounds, Du Plessis really dominated because he was landing more of the dominant punches,” said Testa. “I think Du Plessis won.” Like Strickland and many other UFC fans, Testa wants to see a rematch between the two fighters. Du Plessis’ next fight could be announced soon. Fans are divided in who they want to challenge Du Plessis first. Former two-time champion Israel Adesanya has plenty of history with Du Plessis, and fans like Powell want to see the two face off. "I think he’s gonna beat Du Plessis," said Powell. Kuriel wasn't so sure. “I don’t know, I feel like Adesanya doesn’t really need a title shot right now. I feel like there’s other stuff going on,” he said. Instead, Kuriel wants to see Strickland and Du Plessis fight again. “I think there should be a rematch," said Kuriel. "Honestly I might give it to Du Plessis in the rematch.” Fans may not have to wait long to discover Du Plessis' next opponent. The highly anticipated UFC 300 card is a main event away from completion, and the middleweight title has been heavily linked to the top spot. Strickland's severe cut that he suffered in round five may not see him medically cleared, which would only matter if he was assigned a rematch. Many people, myself included, expect Adesanya to regain the throne in a win over Du Plessis sometime this year.

In an absolutely earth-shattering development, Sir Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari agreed to a partnership starting in 2025. Thursday's announcement comes less than a month before the 2024 season kicks off in Bahrain. Hamilton and Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz Jr. will now drive all of 2024 knowing they have a team change coming after the season's final race in Abu Dhabi. Hamilton is statistically the most successful F1 driver of all time. The British driver holds the records for most wins (103), most pole positions (104) and most podiums (197). He also holds the records for most career points (5,041.5) and most laps led (5,451). His seven world championships are tied for the most ever, and he was mere laps away from an eighth title before Abu Dhabi's 2021 safety-car controversy. Hamilton, who is about to start his 18th season, spent his first six years with McLaren. He was a point away from a rookie title win in 2007, and rebounded by winning his first world championship in 2008. He continued to score wins in the following years but did not have a car capable of reliably challenging for the championship. Upon joining the midfield Mercedes team in 2013, Hamilton's success skyrocketed. Mercedes capitalized on 2014 regulation changes to become one of the most dominant F1 teams of all time. Hamilton would win six of the next seven drivers' championships, only losing to teammate Nico Rosberg in 2016. Hamilton will be leaving a Mercedes team with which he's won 82 races in 11 seasons. Hamilton's joining Ferrari, the most famous and prestigious F1 team in the history of the sport. The team saw extreme success in the 2000s alongside legendary drivers like Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barichello, Felipe Massa and Kimi Räikkönen. However, Räikkönen's championship in 2007 remains the team's most recent driver's championship. The team has not enjoyed consistent success since and will look to Hamilton to change that. Ferrari currently has two talented drivers in Charles Leclerc and Sainz. Leclerc is considered the grid's best qualifier and is under contract through 2026. Despite some consistency issues and difficulties converting pole positions into wins, Leclerc is seen by most as slightly superior to Sainz. Sainz, however, is consistent and great at providing technical feedback that his team can use to improve the car. His masterful performance in Singapore resulted in the only 2023 win for a team other than Red Bull. Sainz will be the Ferrari driver moving, though it's not known where. The hole at Mercedes will need filling, and Sainz has an enticing amount of talent. However, many expect Williams sensation Alex Albon to replace Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025. Albon has elevated Williams considerably and has a great relationship with Mercedes driver George Russell. Sainz will most likely want to avoid the Williams seat, meaning he'll likely have to look elsewhere for a 2025 seat. Sainz has history with the Red Bull and Renault (now Alpine) programs, both of which remain options for 2025. Red Bull's second seat will be up for grabs if Sergio Perez continues to underperform, and Red Bull would likely be ecstatic to secure someone like Sainz as their second driver. Alpine's Esteban Ocon has struggled with penalties, as has teammate Pierre Gasly. Neither is under contract past 2024, giving Sainz a potential way in. Hamilton and Sainz's moves could inspire plenty of shakeups elsewhere on the grid. In a group of only 20 seats, a chain reaction is almost bound to happen. It'll remain to be seen if any other changes are announced prior to Feb. 21's preseason testing.

Four weeks after parting ways with beloved head coach Pete Carroll, the Seattle Seahawks have found a replacement. Former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald has agreed to a six-year deal that makes him the team's next head coach. Macdonald had a second interview Wednesday morning and the hiring announcement immediately followed. Macdonald's hiring comes after a 2023 season that saw the Ravens' defense lock down opposing offenses with unparalleled efficiency. He'll look to turn around a Seahawks defense that struggled despite the presence of a number of talented players. Macdonald was a coaching assistant in Baltimore from 2014 to 2020. In 2021, he accepted a job as the University of Michigan's defensive coordinator. That year's Michigan team went 12-2, earning a Big Ten championship and an appearance in the 2021 College Football Playoffs. He would then return to Baltimore as the defensive coordinator for the 2022 season and would continue with the team in 2023. Macdonald will now be the league's youngest head coach at 36 years old. His first job will be to fill their offensive and defensive coordinator positions, which were both vacated after an underwhelming 2023 campaign. On offense, Seattle will be looking for a scheme that can efficiently utilize their three talented wide receivers. The lack of throws to star wideout DK Metcalf was a major cause of fan outrage last year, as Metcalf dominated when given the ball. On the ground, Macdonald can rely on the young and talented Kenneth Walker III to run the ball, which has historically been the focus of previous Baltimore and Seattle offenses. On defense, Macdonald will have some work to do. There are a number of free agents that fans want to resign. Defensive tackle Leonard Williams is a name that many want to see back. Fan-favorite and future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner has displayed a desire to return, but his age may turn Macdonald away. Jamal Adams' future, marred by injuries and inconsistent play, is another major decision for Macdonald to make this offseason. Thankfully, Macdonald has a crop of young stars to utilize. Cornerback Devon Witherspoon is a favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, an award many thought teammate Tariq Woolen should have won last year. Second-year edge threat Boye Mafe had nine sacks and looks to be a future weapon. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith Njigba had a promising rookie campaign, and the previously mentioned Walker is only 23. Macdonald will look to add to this group of young talent in the upcoming NFL Draft. Seattle's draft future revolves around their plans at the quarterback position. Geno Smith has played well for the most part and was recently elevated to his second Pro Bowl as a replacement for the injured Matthew Stafford. However, his age, consistency and championship potential are still sources of concern in Seattle. Given this draft's many options at quarterback, there's certainly potential for the Seahawks to draft a replacement. Macdonald could choose to trade up for Heisman winner Jayden Daniels, whose draft position has fluctuated among experts. There are other options like Bo Nix, J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix Jr. for the Seahawks to consider. These quarterbacks saw college success but aren't quite on the level of the draft's top passers. Still, if Seattle likes one of them, the Seahawks could realistically draft here. There are plenty of fans calling for a quarterback that would be open to such a move. The Washington Commanders are now the only team without a head coach. They were reportedly on their way to meet with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson when they discovered he intended to stay in Detroit. Johnson was another name heavily linked to Seattle, and his decision to stay was announced only a day before Macdonald's second Seattle interview and subsequent hiring. The Commanders are now without a clear favorite to be their next coach.

Sunday's conference championship games saw the four teams battle for their respective divisions' Super Bowl berths. Kansas City traveled to Baltimore for the AFC Championship Game, while Detroit visited San Francisco for the NFC's title clash. The winners of those two games will be headed for a February 11 showdown at Las Vegas' Super Bowl 58. AFC Championship Game: #3 Kansas City Chiefs 17 @ #1 Baltimore Ravens 10 The Ravens started the game with a three-and-out. The Chiefs responded by driving down the field for a score. Travis Kelce converted a big fourth down and then hauled in a 19-yard receiving touchdown against All-Pro Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton. The Ravens would be stuffed on third and one on their responding possession, but Lamar Jackson ran right up the middle for a gain of 21 yards to convert an early fourth down. He then used his incredible mobility to stay upright in the pocket and find rookie Zay Flowers for a 30-yard score to make it a 7-7 tie. Kansas City responded with another solid drive that ended with an Isiah Pacheco two-yard touchdown run. The Ravens' next drive ended early when Lamar was strip-sacked from behind by Charles Omenihu. Linebacker George Karlaftis recovered the fumble at the Ravens' 33 yard line. The Chiefs attempted a fourth and one conversion in the red zone but Pacheco was stopped short for a turnover on downs. A third down swatted pass forced the Ravens to punt with four minutes left, after which the teams exchanged three-and-outs. The Chiefs drove into Ravens territory as the first half wound down and added a 52-yard field goal to make the score 17-7 Chiefs entering halftime. The teams traded three-and-outs to start the second half. The third quarter was dominated by defense, with the teams exchanging punts until the Ravens got going on offense with a minute left in the quarter. Lamar repeatedly found Flowers, most notably on a 54-yard bomb to the ten yard line. Flowers stood over cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, resulting in a 15-yard taunting penalty that set the Ravens up just outside the red zone. Flowers caught two more passes, the second of which saw Flowers find open grass and dive towards the goal line. At the last second, Sneed punched the ball out of Flowers' hands. It was a fumble that the Chiefs recovered in the end zone for a touchback. The Ravens responded by forcing a punt that the Chiefs downed at the one yard line. Down ten points and with 99 yards to go, the Ravens were forced into an early fourth and three by the Chiefs defense. Lamar found Odell Beckham for the first down and the Ravens offense started to move. Lamar then hit Nelson Agholor for 39 yards, setting up the Ravens at the 25. On second and ten, Lamar aimed over the middle for tight end Isaiah Likely. Likely was heavily covered and the pass was intercepted in the end zone by Deon Bush, who had just entered two plays beforehand to replace the injured Mike Edwards. The Ravens defense did its job by forcing a three-and-out, and the Ravens' offense crossed midfield with four minutes remaining. The Chiefs' defense kept the pressure on Lamar Jackson, who settled for a 43-yard Justin Tucker field goal to make the score 17-10 Chiefs with 2:34 remaining. On the ensuing drive, the Ravens brought 12 defenders onto the field. It was first and five when Roquan Smith attempted to renew the downs with an intentional offsides penalty. He was overly physical in doing so, earning himself a 15-yard personal foul penalty that set the Chiefs up at their own 45. The Ravens defense used both of their remaining timeouts to force a third and nine with the game on the line. With 2:19 remaining, Mahomes went deep over the middle to Marques Valdez-Scantling for 32 yards and a game-clinching first down. The Chiefs drained the clock to win and advance to Super Bowl 58. It'll be Mahomes' fourth Super Bowl appearance in the last six years. NFC Championship Game: #3 Detroit Lions 31 @ #1 San Francisco 49ers 34 Jared Goff and the Lions started with the ball and immediately drove downfield. Four plays in, an end around saw receiver Jameson Williams take the ball 43 yards for an opening touchdown. The 49ers had a solid drive in response but were stopped at the 30 and forced to attempt a 47-yard field goal. Rookie kicker Jake Moody, whose debut season has been eponymously moody, missed just wide right, giving the ball back to Detroit at the 37. Detroit again drove down the field in dominant fashion, finishing with a goal line score from running back David Montgomery to make it 14-0 Detroit. San Francisco got the ball back and repeatedly got the ball in Christian McCaffrey's hands to great success. They led an eight-play drive that culminated in a two-yard McCaffrey touchdown run. The 49ers would then force a midfield stop, although standout linebacker Dre Greenlaw was banged up in doing so. The 49ers' offense was faced with an early third and ten on their responding drive. A Lions blitz impacted Purdy's throw, which was intercepted by linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez. The Lions' offense capitalized with a five-play drive that ended in a 15-yard Jahmyr Gibbs touchdown run. With the score 21-7, the 49ers got the ball back but could muster nothing, punting immediately. Detroit got the ball back with five minutes remaining and drained all but ten seconds off before securing a field goal to make it 24-7 Lions going into halftime. The 49ers started the second half with a nine-play field goal drive. The Lions started to drive but found themselves in fourth and two at the 49ers' 28. Reynolds dropped a catchable pass and the 49ers took over. Brock Purdy found Deebo Samuel for 17 yards before throwing a moonball downfield to Brandon Aiyuk. The pass hit a Lions defender in the helmet and bounced up, allowing Aiyuk to dive and make the catch at the five yard line for a gain of 51. Two plays later, Aiyuk was in the end zone holding the ball, with the score now 24-17. The Lions gave the ball to Gibbs on first down but he fumbled and the 49ers recovered in excellent field position. Four plays later, McCaffrey carried the ball across the line to equalize the score at 24-24. The stumbling Lions would go three-and-out and the surging 49ers continued to drive. They made it deep into Lions territory before allowing a pair of sacks and settling for the go-ahead field goal. Now losing for the first time all game, the Lions drove down the field with urgency. Presented with fourth and three at the 30 yard line, the Lions elected to go for it. Goff rolled out of an empty set but couldn't connect with Amon-Ra St. Brown. Capitalizing on the turnover, the 49ers led a seven-play drive that ended with an Elijah Mitchell rushing touchdown. Down ten points with three minutes to play, the Lions drove across midfield at the two-minute warning and found themselves at the one yard line fifty seconds later. They attempted to run it in on third and goal but were stuffed and forced to burn a timeout. Goff connected with Williams for a touchdown, leaving Detroit down three and reliant on the onside kick. The onside kick nearly prevailed but was recovered by George Kittle to secure a Super Bowl appearance for the 49ers.

Less than three weeks after leading the Michigan Wolverines to a college football national championship, Jim Harbaugh is returning to the NFL. The Los Angeles Chargers have been making a visible push for Harbaugh since firing Brandon Staley in December, and now they've secured Harbaugh as their coach of the future. Harbaugh is leaving a Wolverines squad that went 15-0 while securing a Big Ten title and National Championship. Harbaugh's successful college career saw three Big Ten Championship wins and success at both Stanford and Michigan. He also had a brief NFL stint from 2011-2014 as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. His NFL experience included a berth to Super Bowl XLVII and a Coach of the Year award. He'll be hoping to regain that same success as the head coach of the team he once played quarterback for. Harbaugh will now focus on getting star Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert the support he deserves. Despite consistently making some of the league's best throws and consistently having some of the league's best stats, Herbert's career record sits at 30-32 after four seasons. Harbaugh's Chargers have the fifth overall pick and will likely spend it on a pass-catcher. Herbert's current receiving options currently include the aging Keenan Allen, who's on the last year of his contract, and Mike Williams, who is dynamic but often injured. The Chargers spent last season's first round pick on wideout Quentin Johnston, who struggled mightily in his debut season. Potential options with pick five include tight end Brock Bowers and wideouts Malik Nabers Jr and Rome Odunze. Harbaugh will also need to repair a Chargers defense that has yet to see consistent success while Herbert has been around. Khalil Mack is entering the last year of his contract and will be 33 in less than a month. The Chargers have plenty of other roster holes for Harbaugh to fill with the team's seven draft picks, but Harbaugh's presence in a big market like Los Angeles should create plenty of interest among free agents as well. Meanwhile, Michigan will defend their 2023 national championship under a new head coach. One current favorite is current Michigan offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, who coached four games this season as Michigan's interim head coach while Harbaugh served a suspension that resulted from a sign-stealing scandal. Moore's Michigan program will likely see significant number of decommitments in the coming days, similar to what Washington and Alabama experienced following the recent loss of their head coaches. A rapid replacement at head coach could speed or slow those decommitments, depending on how the new hire is received. There are now four NFL head coaching jobs available. The Seahawks, Panthers, Falcons and Commanders are all still searching for their next leader. Interviewers are targeting a number of coaches that remain in the playoffs, and interviews will have to wait until those coaches are no longer busy. It could be a while before we see another coaching seat filled. I'll be reporting on the most notable moves but will certainly report on the Seahawks' new coach when their hiring process is completed.

This weekend's action proved too much for the Bucs, Packers, Bills and Texans. Now, only four teams remain in the hunt for a place in Super Bowl 58. Before these last four teams can book flights to Vegas, they'll need one more win in their respective conference championship games this Sunday. These are my predictions for the 2023-'24 AFC and NFC Championship games. AFC Championship Game: #3 Kansas City Chiefs @ #1 Baltimore Ravens: 3 P.M. ET Context: Oh look, it's the two teams we thought would be here in the preseason. I know I picked the Bills this weekend, but at this point a Mahomes AFC championship game seems is an annual occurrence. The #1 Ravens stampeded into this game with a domination of red-hot rookie CJ Stroud and his Houston Texans. Lamar Jackson looks like the league MVP and the Ravens' defense is playing unbelievably. Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are playing in their sixth straight AFC championship game. Mahomes has never been eliminated prior to this game and is 3-2 in AFC title matchups. However, he'll be on the road again this week for only the second time in his playoff career. He's never played this game on the road but is 3-1 against the Ravens in his career. Meanwhile, Lamar is playing in his first AFC championship game. The Ravens haven't made it this far since their Super Bowl-winning 2012-'13 season. The Game: The Ravens' defense will be what decides this game. They've locked down great offenses all season, and this isn't the best offense Kansas City's ever had. Patrick Mahomes' receiving options will be challenged by a Ravens defense that is fast and tackles well. If the Ravens can lock down Travis Kelce and stop the Chiefs from running the ball, they can feel confident defending wideouts that have struggled to sync up with Mahomes all year. Meanwhile, the Chiefs' defense will need to contain Lamar, whose pocket mobility is a serious challenge for any defense. The Chiefs failed to sack Josh Allen last weekend and will need to improve on that if they hope to beat the Ravens on Sunday. I think that if the Ravens play their best football, they're not going to lose to anyone this year. Mahomes will likely keep things extremely close, but defense wins championships, and the Ravens have the league's most dominant defense. Official Pick: Baltimore Ravens 31, Kansas City Chiefs 24 NFC Championship Game: #3 Detroit Lions @ #1 San Francisco 49ers: 6:30 P.M. ET Context: San Francisco took about all it could handle in a surprise thriller against Green Bay last weekend. Brock Purdy threw a number of questionable passes that Green Bay's defense couldn't intercept, while San Francisco's Dre Greenlaw caught two. Greenlaw's heroics were needed following the team's offensive inconsistencies. Meanwhile, the Lions beat the Buccaneers at home after a second-half offensive surge carried them into the lead. The Lions will go on the road for the first time this postseason against a 49ers squad that has been vulnerable to good teams while playing at home. The Lions will need to capitalize on the 49ers' less-than-perfect momentum if they hope to advance to the Super Bowl. The Game: Turnovers ended up defining last week's game and will likely do so again this weekend. Lions DBs Brian Branch and C.J. Gardner-Johnson are both interception machines and are poised to capitalize on any Purdy mistakes. The Lions' defense will also rely on star edge Aiden Hutchinson to impose pressure on both Purdy and star running back Christian McCaffrey. Hutchinson will have to get past All-Pro tackle Trent Williams if he wants to bring that pressure from the left side. The 49ers offense will be hanging on football Swiss Army knife Deebo Samuel's injury status. Samuel left the field early last weekend and his status isn't currently known. The Lions' offense will hope to utilize star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown and star running back Jahmyr Gibbs to against 49ers defensive weapons like edge Nick Bosa, linebacker Fred Warner and cornerback Charvarius Ward. Ultimately, it'll be on Purdy to decide this game. If he struggles and turns the ball over, the 49ers lose. If he shines, the 49ers' superior roster should win in convincing fashion. I think it'll be fairly close, but the 49ers are expected to win for a reason. Official Pick: San Francisco 49ers 27, Detroit Lions 23

Eight have become four, and each team is now a win away from a trip to Las Vegas and Super Bowl 58. This is a recap of this weekend's four Divisional Round matchups. AFC: #4 Houston Texans 10 @ #1 Baltimore Ravens 34 Both offenses got off to slow starts, though Baltimore's was more productive early. The teams traded first quarter field goals before Baltimore drove down and scored with a goal-line pass from Lamar Jackson to veteran Nelson Agholor. Houston couldn't respond offensively but forced a Baltimore punt that Steven Sims returned 67 yards for a game-tying touchdown. The teams entered halftime tied 10-10 after a missed Texans field goal. The Texans couldn't get anything going after halftime, while Lamar tallied another passing touchdowns and two rushing scores. Penalties repeatedly killed the Texans' momentum, which was already damaged by the Ravens' overpowering defense. The Ravens dominated in the trenches, blitzing effectively and totally containing the run. Lamar had the same kind of performance that elevated him to the top of this year's MVP rankings. They'll play at home next week against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship. #3 Kansas City Chiefs 27 @ #2 Buffalo Bills 24 The Bills started with the ball and drove shakily into the red zone on a drive with fumble scares, tackles for loss and a batted pass. They finished a seven-minute opening drive with a field goal. The Chiefs responded with a field goal of their own. Buoyed by an effective run game, the Bills again drove down the field. Josh Allen capped the drive with a 15 yard rushing score early in the second quarter. Patrick Mahomes responded with a red zone drive but overthrew two end zone throws and had to settle for another field goal and a 10-6 deficit. The Bills punted on their next position, and the Chiefs finally got into the endzone. Mahomes hit star TE Travis Kelce for a 22-yard touchdown to make the score 13-10 Chiefs with three and a half minutes left. Allen responded by driving his team down the field and running for another touchdown with 26 seconds left, securing a 17-13 Bills lead going into halftime. Kansas City exploded into the second half with a rapid touchdown drive. It took the Chiefs six plays to reach the end zone, ultimately getting in via a three-yard screen pass to Kelce. The Bills responded with an extremely time-consuming 15-play drive that took more than eight minutes off the clock. Allen ended the drive by rolling to his left and firing a precise dart to Khalil Shakir at the front pylon. It was the first touchdown of the year allowed by covering cornerback L'Jarius Sneed. The Chiefs followed with an eight-play surge that ended with an Isiah Pacheco touchdown run. The score was now 27-24 Chiefs after five straight lead changes. The Chiefs then forced a three-and-out that became a turnover on downs after a failed fake punt that saw Damar Hamlin tackled short of the first down. The Chiefs seemed primed to take a ten-point lead before Buffalo's Jordan Poyer forced a fumble on Kansas City's Mecole Hardman as he approached the goal line. The ball went out of bounds through the end zone for a touchback. The Bills would again be shut down on offense and forced to punt immediately, but would get the ball back following a Chiefs punt. The Bills drove all the way to the Kansas City 26 with 1:47 left, where Tyler Bass attempted a 43-yard field goal. It initially appeared to be going in before bending sharply to the right and going wide. Isiah Pacheco ran for a first down as the Chiefs drained the clock and escaped Buffalo with a win. Mahomes and the Chiefs are headed to their sixth AFC Championship game in a row when they visit the Baltimore Ravens next weekend. NFC: #7 Green Bay Packers 21 @ #1 San Francisco 49ers 24 This game was much closer than many people would have predicted. Both offenses struggled to move the ball in the first quarter. Green Bay's offense was slightly more potent, scoring the quarter's only points with a field goal. The Packers started the second quarter in the red zone, but Jordan Love's fourth-and-one tush push was ruled short. It was challenged and the ruling was upheld, although somewhat controversially. The 49ers' offense responded with a long drive that was capped off by a 32-yard touchdown pass to George Kittle. Jordan Love made some clutch throws on the Packers' next drive but again failed to progress in the red zone. They settled for a field goal and a 6-7 49ers lead. San Francisco tried a 48-yard field goal 10 seconds before halftime, but Green Bay's Colby Wooden blocked the kick. The Packers forced a three-and-out on defense to open the half and followed up with a Jordan Love touchdown pass to take the lead at 13-7. Christian McCaffrey responded with a 39-yard touchdown run to make the score 14-13. The Packers returned the ensuing kickoff to 75 yards before fumbling and recovering the ball at the 20. Jordan Love passed for a touchdown and two-point conversion to make it 21-14 Packers, a third lead change of the third quarter. They got the ball back but a pass to Tucker Kraft was tipped and picked by Dre Greenlaw. The 49ers capitalized with a field goal. The Packers attempted to answer with a field goal of their own, but rookie kicker Anders Carlson barely missed. The 49ers capitalized again, draining the clock and scoring via McCaffrey with 1:07 left on the clock. The score was 24-21 49ers and the stage was set for Love to pull off a classic Aaron Rodgers-style game-winning drive. With 52 seconds left, Love rolled out and threw across his body into a crowd of 49ers defenders. Greenlaw intercepted it again to secure a victory for San Francisco. Despite a poor last throw, Love played great for most of the game and will likely get a massive contract extension this offseason. Brock Purdy came up clutch when it mattered, and he'll now look forward to an NFC Championship matchup at home against the Detroit Lions. #4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23 @ #3 Detroit Lions 31 Another playoff game, another slow start. The Lions' offense went three-and-out but their defense responded with a sack and an interception. Detroit scored a field goal and the Buccaneers responded with one of their own. Detroit's Jared Goff hit Josh Reynolds for a score early in the second, and Tampa's Baker Mayfield found Cade Otton to equalize with ten seconds remaining. Despite Tampa Bay holding a statistical edge at the half, Detroit stayed even on the scoreboard by avoiding both penalties and turnovers. The teams traded touchdowns late in the third quarter, but the Lions kept pushing. Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown scored touchdowns on their next two drives, extending the Lions lead to 31-17 with 6:22 left. The Lions defense continued to pressure Mayfield, but he rallied, converting on fourth and 14 with a 25 yard throw to Pro Bowler Mike Evans that got the Bucs across midfield. Mayfield delivered two more surgical strikes in a row to David Moore and Chris Godwin, driving the team into the red zone. With 4:41 left, Mayfield threw a strike to Mike Evans for the touchdown, but the two failed to connect on a two-point conversion. The Lions got the ball back up 31-23 and drove across midfield before punting at the two minute warning. The Bucs were given 1:59 and one timeout, and needed to 90 yards, score a touchdown and then get the two-point conversion. However, two plays into the drive, Mayfield threw an interception to linebacker Derrick Barnes that sealed another Detroit victory. The Lions will travel to San Francisco next week to challenge the #1 49ers for a trip to the Super Bowl. Resulting Championship Games: AFC: #3 Kansas City Chiefs @ #1 Baltimore Ravens NFC: #3 Detroit Lions @ #1 San Francisco 49ers

Tara VanDerveer, head coach of the Stanford women's basketball team, is one game away from a historic 1,203rd college coaching win. VanDerveer tied the great Mike Krzyzewski's record of 1,202 college wins on Friday with an 88-63 home win over Oregon. The Cardinal will host 15-2 Oregon State tomorrow with a chance at securing coaching history for VanDerveer. VanDerveer started coaching college basketball in 1978 and took the Stanford job in 1985. She's now 70 years old and is in the midst of her 38th season, but her visible passion for the game has remained unchanged. Over the course of her coaching career she's won three national titles and 26 conference titles, as well a gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Coached by VanDerveer, the Americans went 60-0 that year, including an Olympic record of 8-0. The team consisted of stars like Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Katrina McClain. The squad became known as "the Dream Team", one of the greatest women's basketball teams ever assembled. The team's success at the Olympics is credited for inspiring the creation of the WNBA. VanDerveer's incredible career comes with a list of incredible stats. 1986-87, Stanford's first season in the Pac-10, is VanDerveer's only Stanford season to date that didn't end in a March Madness appearance. Her teams have played at an astounding 36 postseason tournaments in a row and are headed for a top seeding at this season's tournament as well. From 2007 to 2012, her teams made the Final Four five seasons in a row. In 2011, she was named AP College Basketball Coach of the Year and Naismith College Coach of the Year, and was also inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. VanDerveer has already cemented her legacy as one of the greatest coaches of all time. She'll have a chance to add a little more cement on Sunday when she hosts the Oregon State Beavers. Both teams sport an undefeated home record and come into the game with only two losses on their respective records. It's not clear if Stanford star Cameron Brink, who injured her knee in the first quarter of Friday's game, will be playing. Stanford's is currently ranked #8 and looking to elevate in a rapidly changing AP Top 25. They're also tied with Colorado for first in the Pac-12. Both Stanford and Colorado are 5-1 in conference play while Oregon State is 4-2, but an Oregon State win tomorrow would elevate the Beavers above Stanford in Pac-12 ranking. The remainder of this season offers plenty other conference games that VanDerveer can add to her legendary wins tally, but she'd better keep an eye over her shoulder. Geno Auriemma, coach of the long-dominant Connecticut women's team, is only seven wins behind VanDerveer at 1,195 career wins. He's a year younger than VanDerveer at 69 and seems to have more seasons in him. We could bear witness an epic duel of wins if both legends continue to coach.

Antonio Pierce and the Oakland Raiders have come to terms on a deal that solidifies Pierce's role as the team's next head coach. Pierce was named the interim head coach after a 3-5 start by Josh McDaniels, who was starting his second season as Raiders head coach. Pierce reinvigorated the team's locker room and finished the season 5-4. Pierce had been the team's linebackers coach since 2022 and was extremely popular with the team. His promotion from interim head coach to head coach comes two seasons after a controversial Raiders decision not to promote 2021-2022 interim head coach Jeff Bisaccia. Bisaccia was promoted to interim head coach following Jon Gruden's resignation in October 2021. Similarly to Pierce, Bisaccia was popular in the locker room and led the team to an improved second half of his interim season. Bisaccia's 7-5 end to the season was even enough to earn the Raiders a playoff berth. Fans and players liked Bisaccia and wanted him to coach the team moving forward, but the Raiders failed to resign him and he became special teams coordinator for the Green Bay Packers. Fans were worried that Pierce's Raiders career would suffer a similar fate to Bisaccia's, but that's no longer a concern. Pierce will become just the third interim coach in the last ten years to be elevated to the head coaching position. Pierce and Raider's fans will now await owner Mark Davis' decision regarding the team's next general manager. They hold nine draft picks this year, including number 13 overall. The Raiders have quarterback questions and plenty of roster holes for Pierce and the team to address this offseason.

2023 was a great year for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. From emotional storylines and title changes to great fights and insane knockouts, last year had it all. As an avid fan of the UFC, I tried to free up every possible Saturday night. Sadly, as someone with college and a job to split time between, I didn't get to watch every fight or every event. I missed moments like Islam's headkick of Volkanovski and Aspinall's interim title win over Pavlovich (though I saw Pereira stop Prochazka immediately afterward). I didn't wake up for The Korean Zombie's emotional sendoff against Max Holloway, which wasn't the only fight that didn't work with my time zone. With that in mind, this list won't include every great moment from the past year, it'll only include what I saw. These are my top five favorite UFC memories from 2023. Honorable Mention: Sean Strickland beats the odds and Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 The fact that I was rooting for Adesanya took away my immediate enjoyment of this fight, but I can't help but feel good for Strickland. He shocked the world and realized his lifelong dream at the same time in one of the craziest upsets in UFC history. 5. Josh Emmett obliterates Bryce Mitchell with one-punch KO at UFC 296 I was settling in for UFC 296 over vacation and expecting a great night of fights because of the event's stacked card. Things started with a literal bang when Josh Emmett's first punch obliterated Bryce Mitchell, who lay stiff and shaking on the canvas for several moments afterwards."Oh my god,"I kept repeating as I sat alone in the living room. "Oh my god. Oh my god." It was momentarily difficult to enjoy the knockout given the concern for Mitchell, but he was thankfully able to leave the cage on his feet. The KO of the Year-nominated finish was instant and brutal and epitomized the most popular part of MMA fighting, a one-strike flush knockout. 4. Leon Edwards embarrasses Colby Covington in front of Donald Trump at UFC 296 They say the longer you wait for something, the sweeter it is to finally get it. The feeling was plenty sweet when Colby Covington lost his title challenge to welterweight champ Leon Edwards. Colby lost some fan respect with his pre-fight references to Leon's late father and followed up that trash talk with a middling performance against the incumbent Edwards. The champion looked to be in total control and even took the wrestling-based Covington down, winning a dominant 49-46 unanimous decision. I have a number of personal differences with both Covington and Trump but regardless was pleasantly surprised to hear fans boo Covington's aging bad guy gimmick. UFC 296 seemed to mark a step down the ladder for a fighter that to me has long represented the dark side of MMA. 3. Justin Gaethje knocks out Dustin Poirier for the BMF belt at UFC 291 I was driving home with my best friend at the time and had this fight pulled up on my phone. I was driving and listening while he narrated. We were trying to get to my house to watch the end of the main event when I pulled up to a stop sign and glanced over just in time to see a Justin Gaethje kick land behind Dustin Poirier's guard. Poirier fell and Gaethje followed up with a hammerfist to win the BMF belt while my friend and I lost our minds. Fans can debate the merits of the BMF belt but can't deny the incredible action we saw that night. Gaethje's defense against Max Holloway at UFC 300 should be similarly thrilling. 2. Sean O'Malley TKOs Aljamain Sterling on my birthday at UFC 292 I had August 19 marked off of work for two reasons: It was my birthday, and UFC 292 was happening. I watched the fights at some friends' house while the party developed. When the lanky, tattooed, rainbow-haired striking machine Sean O'Malley dropped bantamweight legend Aljamain Sterling on his forehead early in the second round, I screamed, loud. The screaming continued, Joe Rogan style, as O'Malley unloaded ground and pound to secure the title in a massive upset. I've loved Sean O'Malley's fighting style for a long time and it was incredible to see someone like him win a UFC title over a longtime great. 1. Israel Adesanya sends Alex Pereira to the shadow realm at UFC 287 This might be my favorite moment in UFC history. It had so much of everything: the emotion, the storytelling, a highlight reel finish, a feel-good celebration and a memorable post-fight interview. For context, Israel Adesanya was at a career 0-3 against the huge and dangerous Alex Pereira. After losing an extremely controversial decision in their first kickboxing fight, Adesanya had Pereira in serious trouble in the second fight only to be dropped with a left hand and stopped. Adesanya would move to the UFC and become a legendary champion, only for Pereira to follow and take Adesanya's belt in a fifth-round comeback knockout. While knowledgeable fans knew the score was two punches and a bad decision from being 3-0 Adesanya, most felt as though Pereira simply had Adesanya's number. All seemed lost in the second round of their UFC 287 title rematch, when Pereira pinned Adesanya to the fence before unloading a salvo of heavy shots. Seemingly on the brink of a fourth defeat, Adesanya launched off the cage with a pinpoint left jab and right overhand that wobbled Pereira badly. The next two Adesanya shots came lightning fast and knocked Pereira completely unconscious. Adesanya took a page out of his rival's book with an arrow-themed celebration in what was undoubtedly the best moment of his legendary career. I watch this knockout at least once a week on YouTube. It's probably in the recents section of my search bar as we speak, and for good reason. It earned UFC KO of the Year and will go down as one of the most legendary and emotional moments in UFC history.

After Wild Card Weekend saw six teams eliminated, next weekend's Divisional Round will narrow the remaining teams from eight to four. The winners of this Divisional Round will be one game away from a spot in Super Bowl 58. My predictions for Wild Card Weekend didn't go great, but hey, that's how sports are. These are my picks for the Divisional Round of the 2023-2024 NFL Playoffs. Saturday: AFC #4 Houston Texans @ #1 Baltimore Ravens: Saturday 4:30 P.M. ET The Game: Rookie sensation C.J. Stroud looked great last week, as did the rest of the Texans team. However, they're going up against what I believe is the best team in football in the Ravens. Presumed MVP Lamar Jackson has had two weeks of rest and will look to get to his first AFC Championship. The Ravens have a great defense and are my Super Bowl pick, but Stroud and Lamar are now tied with one career playoff win apiece. Stroud and the Texans have serious momentum but I think Lamar and the Ravens are a Super Bowl team. Official Pick: Baltimore Ravens NFC #7 Green Bay Packers @ #1 San Francisco 49ers: Saturday 8:15 P.M. ET The Game: The Packers shocked the Cowboys last weekend via a multifaceted offense led by Jordan Love and Aaron Jones. They're facing a much tougher team next weekend in the #1 49ers. The 49ers have a great roster including potential OPOY Christian McCaffrey, edge threat Nick Bosa and three-time All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner. I have a rematch against the Ravens slated for Super Bowl 58, and as such I think the superior 49ers get it done against Green Bay. I'm not sure the Packers defense can handle the 49ers offense to the same degree that the 49ers defense can handle the Packer offense. Official Pick: San Francisco 49ers Sunday: NFC #4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ #3 Detroit Lions: Sunday 3:00 P.M. ET The Game: Tampa Bay ran through a crumbling Eagles team on their way to Detroit, where the Lions will attempt a second straight home defense. I think the Lions have more star power, are better coached, are more motivated, and will benefit from playing at home. If Baker Mayfield is explosive again alongside a quality Bucs defense, the Lions could be in trouble, but I think Dan Campbell's Lions get it done at home in Detroit. Official Pick: Detroit Lions AFC #3 Kansas City Chiefs @ #2 Buffalo Bills: Saturday 6:30 P.M. ET The Game: This clash between former playoff foes will be the biggest game of the weekend. Both of these AFC powerhouses consider themselves major Super Bowl contenders and are led by two of the league's best quarterbacks. Josh Allen and the Bills got the regular season win in Kansas City in December and will hope to repeat at home. I think Allen, who is 0-2 against Mahomes in the playoffs, finally gets on the board with a win. The Chiefs are mistake-prone and will go into a cold, hostile Buffalo against a Bills team determined to get past the wall that has been Kansas City. Official Pick: Buffalo Bills Resulting Championship Games: AFC: Buffalo Bills @ Baltimore Ravens NFC: Detroit Lions @ San Francisco 49ers

The 2023-2024 Wild Card Weekend games have concluded, and now only eight teams remain in the hunt for a Super Bowl title. This is a quick recap of the games played this weekend. AFC: #5 Cleveland Browns 14 @ #4 Houston Texans 45 C.J. Stroud looked unreal in an absolute domination of the league's best-rated defense. Stroud scored three times and got most of the attention, but Houston's defense deserves serious commendation. The Texans held the Browns to 14 points and scored 14 of their own on two pick-sixes. Kareem Hunt was the Browns' only scorer and Flacco struggled to handle Houston's blitzes. Stroud's Texans will go to Baltimore to face another elite defense in the #1 Ravens. #7 Pittsburgh Steelers 17 @ #2 Buffalo Bills 31 Josh Allen rolled on the visiting Steelers with three touchdown passes and a 52-yard rushing score. Mason Rudolph and the Steelers never went away but ultimately couldn't keep up with the Bills. Rudolph showed poise and got the game back to one score early in the final quarter, playing well enough to give the Steelers some quarterback questions to ponder this offseason. The #2 Bills will now host the #3 Chiefs in what will be an absolutely massive Divisional Round showdown between two of the league's best quarterbacks. #6 Miami Dolphins 7 @ #3 Kansas City Chiefs 26 The Chiefs won one of the coldest games in playoff history against the visiting Dolphins, whose offense appeared frozen solid. Miami didn't convert a third down until the fourth quarter and only scored on a reliable deep ball to former Chief Tyreek Hill. Mahomes controlled a game that featured as much explosion as the subzero temperatures would allow. The Chiefs will be feeling the cold again next week when they travel to Buffalo to play the # 2 Bills. NFC: #7 Green Bay Packers 48 @ #2 Dallas Cowboys 32 Jordan Love looked like a young Aaron Rodgers as the #7 Packers went straight through Dan Quinn's Cowboys defense. Love scored three times and running back Aaron Jones had a monster night, racking up 118 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Ceedee Lamb struggled and MVP Candidate Dak Prescott threw two interceptions, including a pick-six, as the Cowboys' playoff woes continue. The Packers will go to San Francisco next week against the #1 49ers. #6 Los Angeles Rams 23 @ #3 Detroit Lions 24 Jared Goff and the Lions managed to spoil Matthew Stafford's return to Detroit in a close one-point game. Matthew Stafford put up an impressive 120.9 passer rating but could never get ahead, as the Lions led from first points onwards. The Rams went 0/3 in the red zone, while Detroit's Goff was 22-22 when free from pressure. Detroit will host their second playoff game in 30 years (and a week) when the #4 Bucs come to town. #5 Philadelphia Eagles 9 @ #4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 32 The Eagles looked the worst they've looked all year in a total collapse on Monday night. Philadelphia couldn't tackle and went 0/9 and 0/2 on third and fourth downs respectively. They scored a meager nine points while Baker Mayfield and Rachaad White cut up the crumbling Eagles defense. Mayfield had an impressive 337 yards and three touchdowns. The Bucs will travel to Detroit next week to play the Lions.