Weekly Update November 25, 2024 – Happy Thanksgiving!

Baseball: Awards for the season.

Basketball – NBA: Cavs take first loss. Westbrook gets 200th Triple-Double. Other crazy games.

Basketball – NCAAM: More upsets this week. Lots of tournament abroad. NCAAW: SC loses!

Football – NCAAF: 7 losses in Top 25. 3 in Top 10. 2 undefeated teams go down. Scaries. Top headlines. Gameday at the Texas rivalry.

Football – NFL: Tx showdown on MNF. 5 close games. Barkley has best Phili day in history. Standings.

Golf: McNealy wins first PGA Title.

Motorsports: F1 Championship decided. Russell wins Vegas.

Olympic Sports: Shiffrin wins 99. Glen wins in CHN. McEwon retiring. Money moves.

Quick Headlines: Tennis. Soccer. UFC.

Baseball – MLB:

• The MLB baseball season is over and we now have all the awards out as well.
  • AL MVP: Yankees Aaron Judge
  • NL MVP: Dodgers Shoehei Ohtani
  • AL Cy Young: Tigers Tarik Skubal
  • NL Cy Young: Braves Chris Sale
  • AL ROY: Yankees Luis Gil
  • NL ROY: Pirates Paul Skenes
  • Full awards

Basketball-NBA:

• The Cavaliers took their first loss of the season to the Celtics on Tuesday this past week. It was a close game 120-117. This game was also in NBA Cup Group Play.

• Also on Tuesday during NBA Cup play, Russell Westbrook got his 200^th Triple-Double. That mark has never been hit in NBA history and he is still going.
• This week:
  • Paul George left the game on Wednesday with an injury. It looked like he hyper extended his knee – the same one that was bothering him before. The 76ers went on to lose that game 117-111 to the Grizzlies. After this week, the 76ers are now 3-13 and their own fans booed them on Sunday.
  • Thursday’s game of the Pistons vs Hornets went into OT after Carolina only scored 16 points in the 4Q to let the Pistons back in it. They would get the last laugh though, winning by 2. Lakers star AD misses a free throw in the final 20 seconds to go up by 3 and that set up magically 3-pointer by the Magic to win the game which they nailed.
  • In NBA Group play, Giannis had a 37 point Triple-Double on Friday as they went to beat the Pacers by 12.

• • Charlotte might’ve had that OT time earlier in the week but this one hurts. On Saturday, the Hornets lost to the Bucks even after LaMelo Ball balled out with 50 points. They would still lost 125-119.

Basketball – NCAA:

• Upsets this week: #15 Marquette killed #6 Purdue on Tuesday, easily winning 84-66. Technically this one isn’t an upset but its too good not to share the results. #22 St. John’s outscored #13 Baylor by 14 in the 1H but the Bears came back to tie it up and take the game to OT. We would get into 2OT before we finally got a result. St. Johns was up by 2 with 3 seconds to go at their own end but Baylor chucked the ball down the court and made a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to steal the win by 1!! They would then lose the next day to #11 Tennessee, only scoring 20 in the 1H. They mustve been tired. #17 Arizona loses again but this time to #12 Duke who beats them by 14. In the in-state rivalry, Nebraska upset #14 Creighton 74-63. That is the Bluejays 2^nd straight loss to a inferior Nebraska team. #22 St. John’s would lose again this time to unranked Georgia on Sunday by 3 in a low scoring affair. #24 Rutgers got beat by Kennesaw St by 2 to finish out the week. bu

• NCAAW: South Carolina lost their first game since 2023. #5 UCLA ended their 43 game winning streak. UConn’s HC sets the all time win record. He has coached for 40 years and has 11 national championships, 6 perfect seasons. It was a touching trinute night!

Football-NCAAF:

• Week 12 Top 25 Upsets.
  • #5 Indiana had a great first drive scoring first and it looked like it was going to be a great game. Indiana was punting the ball away at the end of the half and the punter fumbled the snap. That set up for an easy buckeye TD right before half. Then Ohio state controlled the rest of the game. Final score was 38-15 but it felt worse. IU has now lost to Ohio State 30 straight times, thats since 1970.

• • #7 Alabama gets stunned by Oklahoma, who scored 24 straight points on the Tide and controlled the game. The Sooners won every stat line including a big one being the turnover margin. Sooners had one early but Milroe would throw 3 INT in the 2H. Fewest points by Bama since 2004 and haven’t lost 3 games in one season since 2010. Longest streak in sec history at 182 games over 10+ points. Broken. 
• 
  • #9 Ole Miss and Florida were locked in a dead heat. Both scored nothing 1st, 14 in the 2nd and 3 in the 3rd. Until Florida scored the winning TD with 7min left to go in the game. Ole Miss had a chance to come back. But Dart threw an INT. It overturned (rightfully) and then gets another the very next play to end it. Gators knocked them out of the cfp (most likely).
  • #21 Arizona state and RB Skattebo scored the first 21 straight points. (Onside kick after 14). But #14 BYU clawed their way back to within a score in the 4Q. They would throw an INT in the final minute so ASU just had to bleed the clock. Which they almost did. ASU was throwing it away on 4th down, no big deal however there was still 1 second on the clock. Arizona state stormed the field early. So byu gets the ball back for a Hail Mary attempt and they had to get the fans off the field. They get everyone off the field and the Hail Mary attempt looked great but it was incomplete and short of the end zone. Arizona state beats byu. Now you can storm the field.
  • #15 Texas A&M went to Auburn in what was obviously a trap game. Even Vegas only had the Aggies favored by 1 on Saturday. For good reason. Auburn went up early 21-0. Then Texas am scored the next 21 to tie it up. Then we went back and forth. Aggies led in 4th for the first time. Auburn hit a fg in the final 5 seconds to take the game to OT. We would then still be tied at the end of OT, 2OT, 3OT and then we get to the 4th. Auburn gets a successful 2-pt and the Aggies drop their thiers. Auburn wins and storms the field in 4OT.

• • #16 Colorado never stopped Kansas on any drive! That’s how this game went for the buffs who had control of their own destiny. Kansas went 76 yards in 6 plays and knocked the buffs on their heels and they kept answering. Kansas wins 37-21. After losing 5 straight they knock off their 3rd ranked team in a row.
  • Undefeated #19 army went to #6 notre dame and it was ugly. Army scored a TD at the beginning of 2Q to make it 14-7 ND and then the Irish proceeded to score the next 28 points. Nd routes army 49-14.

• Some scaries that shouldn’t have been:
  • #4 Penn State was down 10 points to Minnesota before they would come back to tie it up. Minnesota then blocks a punt, scores off that and blocks an extra point and runs it back for 2. But Penn State got aggressive with a fake punt in the final 3:30 to go in the game. That set up the game winning TD. Penn State wins by 1.
  • #22 Iowa State was on the ropes on a Utah team who is a dead team walking. Utah missed a 54 yard FG to win the game, missed it wide.
  • #3 Texas and Kentucky was tied 7-7 and then Texas started to roll, 24-7. That was until a pick 6 brought back from Wildcat hope. Texas would ultimately win 31-14.
  • #12 Boise State had a scare in Laramie. But Jeanty couldn’t be contained forever. He would still have 169 yards rushing with the team only scoring 17 points. They only beat Wyoming by 4.
  • #24 Illinois missed a 58 yard FG to win in the final seconds of the game But turns out a TO was called and they went for it instead and get a TD out of it. Illinois survives!

• Unranked quick highlights:
  • There was 41 points scored in the 4Q of the Texas Tech/Oklahoma State game. TT would get the last laugh and keeps OSU winless in conference play.
  • 2016 was the last time Nebraska was bowl eligible until this year. They got the W over Wisconsin who has had a dreadful end to their season.
  • Fresno State put up 28 points in the 1H which was enough to hold on to beat Colorado State who had been undefeated in the MW.
  • Michigan put up 50+ points on Northwestern.
  • Pitt was undefeated and has now lost their last 4 in a row. This week was to Louisville.
  • Oregon State takes the Pac 12 Championship with a last second FG.

• Gameday is going to the renewed rivalry for Texas vs Texas A&M. And its for all the marbles as the winner gets to play Georgia for the SEC Championship game.
  • SEC: UGA vs winner of Texas and A&M
  • ACC: SMU and if Miami wins on Saturday, they are in. If they lose, Clemson gets the spot.
  • Big Ten: Oregon is in. If Ohio St beats Michigan, theyre in. If they lose, Penn St is in (with a win over Maryland). Indiana is the other team if Ohio State loses and Penn State loses. If everyone loses, Buckeyes are in again.
  • Big 12: There are 9 teams in contention to get into the championship game. Iowa St, ASU, Colorado and BYU all enter this week at 6-2. If two of them win their game, those are in the champ game. If all 4 win, tie breakers go to ASU and Iowa St. If Iowa St loses, its BYU and ASU. The teams that are 5-3 need at least 3 of the teams ahead of them to lose and must win to stand a chance.
    • • The only way they aren’t is if ASU wins, BYU loses, TT beats WV, Baylor has to beat Kansas, TCU beats TCU then ASU is out. If ASU loses, its Iowa St and BYU in the game.

Football – NFL:

• Wrapping up week 11 MNF: it was the Texas team showdown between the Texans and the Cowboys. And it was not much of a game. The Cowboys scored 10 points in the 2Q and that was it, all game. The Texans never gave the lead to the Cowboys and handed Dallas their 5^th straight loss at home.

• TNF: It was a snowy showdown in Cleveland. There were 4 lead changes in this game. We only had 1 TD in the first 3Qs and it was by the Browns. But the Steelers got 2 more in 2 minutes after the Browns fumbled. Then the Browns threw an INT on their next drive and you were like ok here is where the 8-2 Steelers put the game away but instead they went 3& out. The Browns would score a TD in the blizzard in the final minute to go up 24-19 (failed 2-pt). That was enough to win and upset Pitt.

• There were 5 close games this week (week 12):
  • The Vikings were leading 24-10 with 8 minutes to go in the game. But the Bears came on strong in those final minutes. They score a TD with 7:22 left, Vikings get a FG and the Bears get the ball back with just 1:56 on the clock. After a nice kick return, they would go 40 yards in 8 plays to score with 22 seconds left (and a successful 2-point conversion). They get an onside kick which results in a FG to take us to OT. After all that success in the 4Q, they go 3&out in OT and the Vikings nail a FG to crush Chicago’s dreams.

• • The Cowboys/Commanders game was very blaisee until the 4Q when all hell broke loose. Combined the two teams scored 41 points in the 4Q. Dallas was 24 of those points and seeing as they were already winning by 1, that seals a victory for the Cowboys. Should’ve known as the game was not in Dallas.

• • The Chiefs went up early 20-9 against the Panthers. Very normal no concerns but the Carolina team came back in the 4Q to tie it up with 1:46 left. The TD and 2-point conversion where both run in by Hubbard. But then Mahomes did what he does and leads the Chiefs on a 57 yard drive to get into FG range and nail the 31 yarder for the W. In this game, TE Kelce would get 62 yards which moved him up to 3^rd on the most receiving yards by a TE in NFL history.
  • The Titans/Texans game was a weird one. The win probability chart changed teams 16xs and there were 5 turnovers and a safety. The Titans scored 17 straight points but still only led 20-17 at half. Both turnovers in the 1H only resulted in FGs. The Texans would then get a pick 6 at the end of the 3Q and a FG would put them up 27-23. But the Titans went 70 yards in 1 play for the go-ahead TD. Texans would miss a FG and then get a safety to add insult to injury and a loss 27-32.

• The not so close ones:
  • The Lions kept the Colts out of the endzone the entire game only giving up 2 FGs in the 1H to win 24-6.
  • The Dolphins scored 24 points in the 2Q. They went on to score more but that was all that was needed to beat the Pats who only scored 15 in garbage time.
  • The Bucs put up 30 straight points against the Giants who only managed 1 TD in the final 12 minutes of the game. That stopped the shutout but Bucs win 30-7 and the Giants are winless at home.
  • The Packers killed the 49ers 38-10. Not too unexpected as QB Brock Purdy was out along with Nick Bosa and Trent Williams.
  • The Seahawks won the battle of the birds, beating the Cardinals 16-6.

• SNF: Eagles RB Saquon Barkley had himself a day on SNF. He rushed for 255 yards, which is an Eagles record and 2 TDs. The Rams would score 3 times to not let the game get out of hand but they really didn’t have control of the game. They would lose 20-37.
• Jets fired their GM Joe Douglas on Tuesday. Remember they also fired their HC back n October.
• We are now 2/3 of the way through the season so lets check in on the standings. Both leagues are led by teams with just 1 loss. In the American, the Chiefs sit in 1^st with the Bills 1 win behind. Steelers sit 1 win behind the Bills after the loss this weekend. In the National, the Lions sit atop at 10-1. The Eagles and Vikings are tied at 9-2.
  • Three teams are dangeoursly close to being eliminated from playoffs: the Giants, Jags and Raiders all sit at 2 wins.

Golf:

• Maverick McNealy won the RSM Classic on Sunday with a birdie on the final hole to win by 1 – phew! There was a 3-way tie for 2^nd at -15. McNealy had been on the PGA Tour for 5 years and it took 134 starts for him to get his first win. This tournament was big for some other players who are trying to keep their PGA Tour cards. Daniel Berger finished 2^nd to keep his for another year. Joel Dahmen also managed to make a par putt to stay the weekend and make the cut. He then rallied shooting 64, staying at #124 (of 125 who keep their cards).

Motorsports:

• George Russell may have won the Las Vegas GP but Max Verstappen is the real winner as he locked up the Championship. This is his 4^th. All Verstappen had to do was finish in front of Norris to secure the title and he did exactly that getting 5^th with Norris 6^th. Russell became the 7^th multi race winner of the season is what has been a much wider open season than many expected. Mercedes finished 1, 2 in Vegas.
• GM will be added to the F1 grid in 2026 with likely a Cadillac!

Olympic Sports:

• We are one step closer to the triple digits as Mikaela Shiffrin got WC win #99 this past weekend in Austria. She heads to North America (VT) for two races this weekend, a giant slalom and slalom. She will have two cracks at it!
• Amber Glenn took the win for Team USA in the Cup of China ISU GP. She set her PR in the free skate with 144.7 after 7 clean triples. With this win, she secures her spot in the GP Final. Americans did not win any of the other categories in the GP that weekend (no Ilia).
• AUS swimming phenom Emma McKeon has retied from swimming at the age of 30. She has 14 Olympic medals, 6 of them gold from 3 Olympic games. Her Tokyo 7-medal performance the most ever by a female swimmer and tied for the most by a female (any sport). She took gold in Paris in the 4x100m free relay and hinted that Paris might be her last games. Wow!

• Some sports making money moves:
  • League One Volleyball, LOVB, has gotten a combined $100MM from investment groups to help operate the new pro league that will launch in January. That $100MM is on top of the $60MM that the league raised from famous names like KD, Candace Parker, Lindsey Vonn and comedians Amy Schumar and Chelsea Handler. The league will start with 8 teams: ATL, HOU, SLC, AUS, Madison (WI) and Omaha (Neb). ESPN will show 10 matches.
  • Business woman Michele Kang donated the largest investment in women’s sports when she pledged $30MM to US Soccer. Its also the largest donation by a women to US Soccer. Kang was the first woman of color to own a NWSL team (WA Spirit). Since then she added another team in ENG and FRA. She has also donated to the women’s rugby 7s teams.

Some quick highlights:

• Sidney Crosby got his 600^th goal this week. He is the 2^nd Penguin all time to achieve that feat.
• Boston Bruins fired their HC.
• Orlando Pride have won their first NWSL championship.
• Nadal is officially retired after his last match on Tuesday in the Davis Cup.

• Djokovic hired recently retired Andy Murray to be his coach ahead of the upcoming Australian Open.
• Conor McGregor was found liable for sexual assault on a woman in 2018 after a long night of partying. He was found liable by a Irish civil court.

What to watch this week

Basketball – NBA:

• Tues 11/26
  • Bucks at Heat @ 6:30pm on TNT *NBA Cup
  • Lakers at Suns @ 9pm on TNT *NBA Cup
• Wed 11/27
  • Knicks at Mavericks @ 6:30pm on ESPN
  • Thunder at Warriors @ 9pm on ESPN
• Fri 11/29
  • Clippers at Timberwolves @ 6:30pm on ESPN *NBA Cup
  • Thunder at Lakers @ 9pm on ESPN *NBA Cup

NCAAM: (only ranked teams and on normal TV)

• Mon 11/25
  • Memphis at 2. UConn @ 1:30pm on ESPN2 (HI)
  • 22. Xavier at South Carolina @ 7:30pm on FS1 (FL)
  • 4. Auburn at 5. Iowa St @ 8pm on ESPNU (HI)
  • Dayton at 12. UNC @ 10:30pm on ESPN2 (HI)
• Tues 11/26
  • San Diego St at 21. Creighton @ 1pm on TBS (Vegas)
  • Oregon at 20. Texas A&M @ 3:30pm on TNT (Vegas)
  • Western Kentucky at 8. Kentucky @ 5:30pm on ESPNU
  • 6. Houston at 9. Alabama @ 7pm on TBD (vegas)
  • 1. Kansas at 11. Duke @ 8pm on ESPN (vegas)
• Wed 11/27
  • Louisville at 14. Indiana @ 11am on ESPN
  • West Virginia at 3. Gonzaga @ 1:30pm on ESPN (BAH)
  • 20. Texas A&M at 21. Creighton @ 5:30pm on MAX (Vegas)
  • Davidson at 24. Arizona @ 6:30pm on ESPN2 (BAH)
  • Stonehill at 10. Marquette @ 8pm on FS2
  • Rutgers at 9. Alabama @ 9pm on TBS (Vegas)
  • Notre Dame at 6. Houston @ 11:30pm on TBS (Vegas)
• Thurs 11/28
  • 18. Florida at Wake Forest @ 1:30pm on ESPN
  • 13. Purdue at NC ST @ 2pm on FS1
  • BYU at 23. Ole Miss @ 4:30pm on FS1
  • 25. Mississippi St at UNLV @ 8:30pm on CBSSN
  • Bahamas tournament games @ 11am & 4pm on ESPN
  • Bahamas tournament games @ 1:30pm & 6:30pm on ESPN2
• Fri 11/29
  • ESPN World Wide Sports tournament games @ 12pm & 5:30pm @ ESPN2
  • ESPN World Wide Sports tournament games @ 2:30pm @ ESPN
  • ESPN World Wide Sports tournament games @ 8pm @ ESPNU
  • Bahamas tournament games @ 10am, 2pm, 7:30pm on ESPN2
    • 4pm on ESPN
• Sat 11/30
  • Chicago ST at 15. Wisconsin @ 12pm on Peacock
  • Maryland Eastern Shore at 2. UConn @ 6pm on Peacock
  • Vegas tournament games @ 12pm, 2:30pm, 6pm & 8:30pm on TNT or TruTV
• Sun 12/1
  • South Carolina St at 22. Xavier @ 3:30pm on FS1

NCAAW: (ranked vs ranked only)

• Mon 11/25
  • 9. Kansas St at 13. Duke @ 2pm
• Wed 11/27
  • 20. NC St at 7. LSU @ 12:30pm (in BAH)
  • 19. Illinois at 14. Kentucky @ 7pm
• Thurs 11/28
  • 4. South Carolina at 15. Iowa St @ 12:30pm on FOX (in FL)
• Fri 11/29
  • 3. Notre Dame at 17. TCU @ 4pm (in Cayman)

Football – NCAAF:

• Tues 11/26
  • CFP Ranking Show @ 7pm on ESPN

Top 25
Week 14
Top 25 Games
Visitor	Home	Day	Time (CT)	TV	Line
Michigan	2. Ohio St	Sat 11/30	11:00 AM	FOX	OSU -21
16. South Carolina	12. Clemson	Sat 11/30	11:00 AM	ESPN	Clem -2.5
5. Notre Dame	USC	Sat 11/30	2:30 PM	CBSSN	ND -7.5
3. Texas	20. Texas A&M	Sat 11/30	6:30 PM	ABC	TX -6
Kansas St	17. Iowa St	Sat 11/30	6:30 PM	FOX	ISU -3
*GameDay indicated in bold*

Football – NFL:

• Mon 11/25
  • Ravens at Chargers @ 7:15pm on ESPN & ABC
• Thurs 11/28
  • Bears at Lions @ 11:30am on CBS (DET -11)
  • Giants at Cowboys @ 3:30pm on FOX (DAL-4)
  • Dolphins at Packers @ 7:20pm on NBC (GB-3)
• Fri 11/29
  • Raiders at Chiefs @ 2pm on Prime
• Sun 12/1
  • 7 games @ 12pm on CBS/FOX
    • CBS: Chargers at Falcons, Steelers at Bengals, Colts at Pats, Titans at Commanders
    • FOX: Cardinals at Vikings, Seahawks at Jets, Texans at Jags
  • Rams at Saints– or – Bucs at Panthers @ 3:05pm on FOX
  • Eagles at Ravens @ 3:25pm on CBS
  • 49ers at Bills @ 7:20pm on NBC
• Mon 12/2
  • Browns at Broncos @ 7:15pm on ESPN

Hockey:

• Wed 11/27
  • Capitals at Lightning @ 6:30pm on TNT
  • Golden Knight at Avalanche @ 9pm on TNT
• Fri 11/29
  • Penguins at Bruins @ 5:30pm on TNT
  • Avalanche at Stars @ 8pm on TNT

Olympic Sports:

• Fri 11/29
  • NCAA Volleyball: Ohio St at Minnesota @ 6pm on FS1

Soccer:

• Mon 11/25
  • Premier League: NewcastleU vs West Ham @ 2pm on USA
• Sat 11/30
  • Premier League: Nottingham Forest vs Ipswich Town @ 9am on USA
  • Premier League: West Ham vs Arsenal @ 11:30am on USA
  • Women’s International Friendly: ENG vs USA @ 11:20am on TNT
• Sun 12/1
  • Premier League: ManU vs Everton @ 7:30am on USA
  • Premier League: Liverpool vs Manchester City @ 10am on USA