As the WWE universe has learned with Gunther, the mat is sacred, and that mantra is what “The Ring General” wants to display at Survivor Series: War Games. 

The longest reigning Intercontinental Champion in WWE history will put his title on the line in Chicago on Saturday against someone who is quite familiar with it: eight-time champion The Miz. 

A win for The Miz would mean tying Chris Jericho’s record for most Intercontinental Championship reigns, and ending Gunther’s record reign, in a match that presents very contrasting styles. The differences in the stars — The Miz growing in WWE while Gunther did it on the independent circuit — is something the champion is excited to dig into.

“I think it’s a very interesting challenge for me, especially with his résumé and what he’s done in the business,” Gunther told USA TODAY Sports. 

On screen, Gunther has made it a point to show no respect for The Miz, saying he’s just an entertainer, not a wrestler. The entertainer aspect of The Miz is something Gunther sees as a growing problem in WWE, he said, adding the roster is “full of those people.”

“I think one of the negative side effects over time was that people take themselves a little bit too serious, and that’s not what it’s about. It’s not about the individual person,” he said. “It’s about the sport itself, the sport itself being healthy. And yet, in this case, maybe I’m the only one that actually cares about that. So it’s on me to defend those values a little bit against somebody like The Miz, who puts himself in the forefront.

“That’s the reason why my reign was necessary; to set things straight a little bit.’

Gunther, Roman Reigns comparisons

Gunther shares a distinct feature with Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns as the only stars in WWE or NXT to currently hold a title for more than a year, with Reigns holding the title since August 2020. 

But since Gunther became champion, there’s been a vast difference in how Gunther and Reigns have defended their titles. Gunther has defended the Intercontinental Champion 17 times, while Reigns has only defended his title eight times in that same timespan. Reigns has been criticized for how few times he defended the championship this year and the lengthy breaks in action he has, while Gunther has been praised for how often he gets in the ring.

Despite the contrast in the amount of times Reigns and Gunther get in the ring, Gunther doesn’t see an issue with the volume of the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion’s matches. 

“Especially the number one title, it’s not about quantity, it’s about the quality of it,” he said. “I think it should be a very special occasion when the world champion defends his title.”

Gunther added it’s also tougher to sporadically get in the ring, as “the pressure on you as a champion grows a little bit.” He also said it’s hard on the body to be out of the ring for a lengthy period of time and then trying to get back into a flow, requiring more personal work on the champion.

“It just shows me that most of our fans out there are pretty small-minded and can only really see that far and cannot objectively analyze a situation,” Gunther said. 

With the comparisons between Gunther and Reigns, the Intercontinental Champion could perhaps be a challenger for Reigns. While the focus remains on continuing to be Intercontinental Champion, Gunther said it “will be necessary along the way” to go after the top WWE title in the future. 

He had a prime opportunity at the 2023 Royal Rumble to compete for the WWE Championship, entering at the No. 1 spot and lasting over 70 minutes in the match, making it to the final two before he was eliminated by winner Cody Rhodes. Gunther revealed he wanted to be the first superstar to enter the 30-person match because it’s “a spot where you can really earn something” by outlasting every competitor, and he hopes he can be another early entrant in the 2024 edition.

Becoming a viral WWE star

Other than the physical dominance he has displayed in the ring, Gunther has become a viral star for WWE this past year. Clips of his chop move — slapping opponents in the chest — has created some loud smacks that reverberate in an arena to create a sound that can make anyone cringe. It’s even become a meme WWE has embraced. 

Gunther said the move became a part of his skillset because he realized he had big hands and long arms, and felt like he should use them in the most effective way possible. It described it as “pure logic.”

He’s also gone viral for his entrance with fellow Imperium mates Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci. Their intimidating entrance includes Gunther wearing a coat, and just before he enters the ring, he takes the coat off and Kaiser immaculately removes it.

The secret to the move? Pure chemistry.

“We literally never tried it. Like we just did it once, it looked cool, and then we stuck with it,” Gunther said. “A lot of things just fall into place flawlessly when you know each other for that long.”

SALT LAKE CITY – Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders did not dress for Saturday’s game at Utah and missed his first start of the season after being knocked out of last week’s game with injuries at Washington State.

Sanders, son of Colorado coach Deion Sanders, sustained ankle and arm injuries against the Cougars and was on the field Saturday dressed in a baseball cap, sunglasses and coat before Colorado’s 23-17 defeat. His absence meant the Buffaloes (4-8) started a game without him for the first time and instead were forced to turn to freshman Ryan Staub, who became the eighth true freshman quarterback to start a game in school history.

Similary, Utah (8-4) also was down to its fifth-string quarterback Saturday – walk-on Luke Bottari – after injuries decimated its depth at the position all year.

In Colorado’s case, Shedeur Sanders finally succumbed to the beatings he took all season as the nation’s most sacked quarterback (52). He also finished as the Buffs’ all-time leading passer for a single season with 3,230 yards.

Without him, Staub, who hails from Stevenson Ranch, Calif., ended up fumbling the ball away on a strip-sack to end Colorado’s first possession but later rebounded to finish with 17-of-24 passing for 195 yards and a touchdown.

The Buffs also faced Utah without their leading receiver, Xavier Weaver, who was battling flu-like symptoms this week. Weaver, a graduate transfer from South Florida, finished his college career with a team-best 68 catches for 908 yards in 2023.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com.

Michigan running back Blake Corum ran for 88 yards and scored two touchdowns on his 23rd birthday, J.J. McCarthy added a touchdown pass and the Wolverines beat Ohio State for the third consecutive season, holding on for a 30-24 win.

The win moved the Wolverines to the Big Ten Championship, where they will face Iowa next Saturday night.

Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., scored on a 14-yard touchdown pass with 8:05 left, cutting the Buckeyes’ deficit to three. Michigan drained the clock on its next possession, taking almost seven minutes to tack on a 37-yard field goal.

Ohio State got the ball back with one minute left and no timeouts left. Harrison had a 22-yard catch and Julian Fleming caught a pass for 21 yards at the Michigan 39. But quarterback Kyle McCord was pressured and intercepted on the next play with 25 seconds left.

McCarthy threw for 148 yards and hit Roman Wilson on a 22-yard score in the second quarter to extend Michigan’s lead to 14-3. But Ohio State answered on a 3-yard TD catch by Emeka Egbuka, and tied the score in the third quarter with a TreVeyon Henderson 3-yard scoring plunge.

Henderson finished with 60 yards on 19 carries. Harrison had five catches for 118 yards, while McCord was 18 for 30 for 271 yards, two touchdowns and two picks.

Michigan interception seals victory against Ohio State

After Ohio State moved the ball 43 yards on back-to-back passes to Marvin Harrison Jr., and Julian Fleming, quarterback Kyle McCord threw his second interception of the game, a diving catch by Rod Moore, that clinched Michigan’s third consecutive win against its rival. – Casey Moore

Michigan field goal: Michigan 30, Ohio State 24

One minute of game play separates the Wolverines from their third consecutive victory against the Buckeyes.

James Turner’s 37-yard field goal gave Michigan a six-point lead with 1:05 on the clock. Ohio State gets the ball back with no timeouts remaining. – Casey Moore

Marvin Harrison Jr. touchdown: Michigan 27, Ohio State 24

This one’s not over yet.

Ohio State got back within three points at 27-24 after Kyle McCord found Marvin Harrison, Jr. over the middle and Harrison took it in untouched for a 14-yard touchdown catch. – Scooby Axson

What song do Michigan fans sing?

Michigan has been known to play ‘Mr. Brightside’ by The Killers at the end of the third quarter ever since 2017. The jolt it gives to the Michigan Stadium crowd is well documented.

Kurt Wisenbaugh, the director of game presentation for the Michigan athletic department at the time, told Michigan Live: ‘The purpose wasn’t necessary to hype them up. We obviously have moments, specifically on defense, when we want to get them hype and get them loud, but we also want to create moments of fun and unity. Most people enjoy sing-along songs so we wanted to try some different ones.’ – Casey Moore

Michigan field goal: Michigan 27, Ohio State 17

Michigan extended their lead to 27-17 after a 38-yard field goal by James Turner, which capped off a 44-yard drive following an Ohio State three and out.

This is the first time this season Ohio State has allowed more than 17 points.

The drive was aided by a trick play when Donovan Edwards took a pitch, ran to his right and hit Colston Loveland for a 34-yard strike. – Scooby Axson

Michigan 24, Ohio State 17: End of third quarter

The Wolverines head into the final 15 minutes with all the momentum.

Michigan will start the fourth quarter at about midfield with an opportunity to drive a dagger into Ohio State, which they held to a three and out immediately after taking the lead back. – Casey Moore

Blake Corum touchdown: Michigan 24, Ohio State 17

The play after Zinter’s injury, Blake Corum ran to the left and scored on a 22-yard touchdown run to give the lead back to the Wolverines. It was Corum’s second rushing score of the day. – Scooby Axson

Why Michigan-Ohio State game is delayed: Zak Zinter injury

Michigan offensive guard Zak Zinter, a preseason All-America selection, was carted off the field after a serious leg injury during the Michigan’s possession after Ohio State’s touchdown.

Zinter is the rock of the Michigan offensive line, having made 41 starts during his career. – Scooby Axson

TreVeyon Henderson touchdown: Ohio State 17, Michigan 17

The Buckeyes went old-school power football to get the equalizer against Michigan.

Ohio State ran the ball eight consecutive times during a 12-play, 75-yard drive. TreVeyon Henderson capped the drive with a 3-yard plunge, and the extra point by Jayden Fielding locked up the game at 17.

Ohio State has scored on three of its last four possessions. – Scooby Axson 

Michigan field goal: Michigan 17, Ohio State 10

The Wolverines took the opening possession of the second half and converted it into three points on a 50-yard field goal from James Turner.

Michigan used a Colston Loveland 21-yard catch and an Alex Orji 20-yard run on consecutive plays to get into field goal range. – Scooby Axson

TreVeyon Henderson injury

Ohio State junior running back TreVeyon Henderson was hobbled during the first half, missing the majority of one of the Buckeyes’ drives while getting his ankle taped.

Henderson missed three games in 2023 and missed four games in 2022 with a broken bone and torn ligaments in his left foot. – Casey Moore

Marvin Harrison Jr. stats

Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State’s dynamic junior wide receiver, has just two catches for 68 yards, including a 44-yard reception just before halftime.

Harrison, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison, came into the game 1,093 yards on 62 catches and 14 touchdowns, including one rushing. He’s considered a top-10 prospect for next year’s NFL draft. – Casey Moore

Michigan-Ohio State halftime score

Michigan leads 14-10.

Ohio State missed a 52-yard field goal by Jayden Fielding, trying to cut further into Michigan’s lead, as time expired in the first half.

Michigan will get the ball to start the second half.

The miss wasted a 64-yard, seven-play drive that included a spectacular 46-yard catch by Marvin Harrison, Jr.

Kyle McCord went 12 for 19 for 156 yards, with one touchdown and one interception in the first half, while Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy had 85 yards passing with a 22-yard touchdown throw to Roman Wilson.

Neither team has run the ball effectively. Ohio State is averaging 3.1 yards per rush and Michigan has 34 yards on 18 attempts, a 1.9 per carry average. – Scooby Axson

Ohio State defense stops Michigan

The Buckeyes forced the Wolverines to punt for the first time since their second possession. Junior Jack Sawyer earned a big-time sack against J.J. McCarthy on third-and-5 from the Ohio State 46.

Michigan punter Tommy Doman had another amazing punt, downed at the Buckeyes’ 2. – Casey Moore

Emeka Egbuka touchdown: Michigan 14, Ohio State 10

The Buckeyes struck right back after the Wolverines’ touchdown with a Kyle McCord 3-yard touchdown pass to Emeka Egbuka.

That capped off a seven-play, 73-yard drive during which McCord completed all four of his passes for 48 yards. – Scooby Axson

J.J. McCarthy stats

Michigan’s junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy is 6 for 9 for 61 yards and a touchdown so far against Ohio State. McCarthy was 5 for 7 passing for 61 yards on the Wolverines’ second scoring drive.

McCarthy came into the game with 2,335 passing yards and 18 touchdowns with four interceptions. He’s completed 73.8% of his passes. – Casey Moore

Roman Wilson touchdown: Michigan 14, Ohio State 3

Michigan used a 14-play, 75-yard drive to extend its lead over Ohio State after J.J. McCarthy hit Roman Wilson on a 22-yard touchdown pass.

The play was reviewed to confirm that Wilson had control of the ball all the way through the end of the play.

Michigan converted two fourth downs and McCarthy went 5 for 7 passing for 61 yards on the scoring drive, which took 6:51 off the clock. – Scooby Axson

Michigan on fourth down

The Wolverines have made good on three fourth-down conversions and its not even halftime yet.

Michigan has been successful on two fourth-down tries during its current drive, a fourth-and-1 from the Ohio State 39-yard-line and another fourth-and-1 from the Buckeyes’ 22.

The first one came during the first quarter on Blake Corum’s 1-yard touchdown run. – Casey Moore

Michigan 7, Ohio State 3: End of first quarter

One down, three to go.

Michigan has driven into Ohio State territory as the first quarter has come to an end. The key play on the drive has been J.J. McCarthy connecting with tight end Colston Loveland on a 16-yard pass across the middle. – Casey Moore

Kyle McCord stats

Ohio State’s junior quarterback Kyle McCord has completed 4 of 10 passes for 47 yards and an interception during the first quarter against Michigan.

McCord has completed 66.4% of his passes coming into the game, totaling 2,899 yards, 22 touchdowns and four interceptions. – Casey Moore

Ohio State field goal: Michigan 7, Ohio State 3

Ohio State got on the scoreboard after giving Michigan a short field via an interception on its last drive.

The Buckeyes drove 51 yards on nine plays and settled for a 43-yard field goal by Jayden Fielding. The drive was aided by a 15-yard hands to the face personal foul by Michigan. – Scooby Axson

Blake Corum touchdown: Michigan 7, Ohio State 0

Michigan called Blake Corum’s number four times, the last carry resulting in a 1-yard touchdown run on fourth down to give the Wolverines the 7-0 lead with 5:36 left in the first quarter. – Scooby Axson 

Michigan interception of Ohio State’s Kyle McCord

After a booming 71-yard punt by Michigan’s Tommy Doman, Ohio State started at its own 20. On the first play from scrimmage, though, Buckeyes QB Kyle McCord was intercepted by sophomore Will Johnson, who returned it to the Ohio State 7.

The Wolverines have the first legitimate scoring opportunity of the afternoon. – Casey Moore

Michigan’s second possession much like first

Michigan had two short runs by Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, and then quarterback J.J. McCarthy was unable to get a pass away on third down and settled for a short scramble of 2 yards. The Wolverines have a total of 13 yards through two possessions. – Scooby Axson

Ohio State nets first down, but drive stalls

Ohio State earned the game’s first first down during its second possession.

After a 2-yard run by TreVeyon Henderson, quarterback Kyle McCord hit Henderson for an 11-yard pass and a new set of downs.

From there, the drive stalled out at the Buckeyes’ 46-yard line. Michigan starts its second possession at its own 21. – Casey Moore

Ohio State, Michigan trade three-and-outs

The 119th meeting between Michigan and Ohio State got off to a slow start as both teams did nothing the first time they had the ball.

Michigan won the toss and deferred until the second half, and Ohio State went three and out on their first possession after two TreVeyon Henderson runs and a dropped pass by Emeka Egbuka.

The Wolverines also went nowhere, going three and out, on two incomplete passes and a 5-yard Blake Corum run. – Scooby Axson

How to watch Ohio State-Michigan game: Time, TV channel

The game between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan begins at noon ET.

The game will be broadcast on FOX and can be streamed on the FOX Sports app and on FOXSports.com/live. Fans can also stream the game at FuboTV.

Ohio State vs. Michigan picks and predictions

USA TODAY Sports’ team of college football reporters and editors give their predictions for ‘The Game,’ with four of six experts picking the Buckeyes to come out ahead in Ann Arbor:

Scooby Axson: Michigan 24, Ohio State 17Jace Evans: Ohio State 24, Michigan 17Paul Myerberg: Michigan 27, Ohio State 21Erick Smith: Ohio State 26, Michigan 20Eddie Timanus: Ohio State 33, Michigan 26Dan Wolken: Ohio State 24, Michigan 19

Michigan vs. Ohio State: How to bet ‘The Game’

The top college football betting apps favor Michigan in their rivalry game against Ohio State. The Wolverines are 3.5-point home favorites over the Buckeyes in the annual Big 10 showdown, according to the BetMGM college football odds. Looking to wager? Check out thebest mobile sports betting apps offeringCollege football betting promos in 2023.

Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has some of the best odds to win the Heisman in 2023 and boasts a 9.7% ticket percentage at BetMGM.

Not interested in this game? Our college football betting guide can help you get started.

If you’re new to sports betting, don’t worry. We havetips for beginners on how to place a bet online. And USA TODAY readers can claimexclusive promos and bonus codes with theonline sportsbooks and sports betting sites. – Richard Morin

Michigan vs. Ohio State betting odds

The Wolverines are favorites to defeat the Buckeyes, according to the BetMGM college football odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering college football betting promos in 2023, including the new ESPN BET app.

Spread: Wolverines (-3.5)Moneyline: Wolverines (-165); Buckeyes (+140)Over/under: 46.5

Top 25 college football scores today

Here are the kickoff times and TV info for Top 25 teams in the US LBM Coaches Poll:

No. 3 Michigan 30, No. 2 Ohio State 24No. 25 SMU 59, Navy 14No. 14 LSU 42, Texas A&M 30Kentucky 38, No. 9 Louisville 31No. 22 Liberty at Texas-El Paso, CBSSN, 3:30 p.m.Vanderbilt at No. 23 Tennessee, SEC, 3:30 p.m.No. 8 Alabama at Auburn, CBS, 3:30 p.m.No. 16 Arizona at Arizona State, ESPN, 3:30 p.m.BYU at No. 21 Oklahoma State, ABC, 3:30 p.m.Washington State at No. 5 Washington, Fox, 4 p.m.No. 4 Florida State at Florida, ESPN, 7 p.m.No. 17 Notre Dame at Stanford, Pac-12, 7 p.m.No. 1 Georgia at Georgia Tech, ABC, 7:30 p.m.Iowa State at No. 20 Kansas State, Fox, 8 p.m.North Carolina at No. 24 North Carolina State, ACC Network, 8 p.m.

Where is ESPN College GameDay this week? 

The final week of the college football regular season is typically a joyfully chaotic one, with no shortage of passionate, high-stakes rivalry games populating the schedule. Even among that group, though, one game this year stands that much taller. And now, it’s getting the “College GameDay” treatment.  

ESPN’s famed college football program will air live Saturday from Ann Arbor, Michigan for No. 3 Michigan’s game vs. No. 2 Ohio State. 

Week 13 will mark the first time this season Michigan has hosted “College GameDay,” which hasn’t visited the university’s Ann Arbor campus since Nov. 27, 2021 — the last time the Wolverines welcomed Ohio State to Michigan Stadium.  

Michigan has been a part of a game that hosted “College GameDay” 37 times, ranking it fifth among FBS programs. Ohio State has hosted the program the most times (23) and appeared on it the most (59). 

In the 13 previous times they have hosted “College GameDay,” the Wolverines have gone 10-3.  

Michigan will be called a fraud with loss to Ohio State 

Michigan’s football program has won 23 consecutive Big Ten games, two conference championships and asserted a level of dominance over Ohio State that has at times made the Buckeyes’ fan base question whether Ryan Day runs a tough enough program to compete at the highest level of the sport.  

But if the Wolverines lose to Ohio State on Saturday, it will all look like a gigantic fraud.  

That’s the unvarnished, and perhaps unfair truth of the stakes this year. In some ways, it’s bigger than the rivalry. It’s more relevant than who plays in the Big Ten title game next week. And given the context of what’s been happening at Michigan lately, it’s far more urgent than even winning a national championship. 

Regardless of what you think about the sign-stealing scandal that has embroiled the program for the last month and will keep head coach Jim Harbaugh out of Michigan Stadium for the last of his three-game suspension, the consequences of losing this time to Ohio State are crystal clear. 

Without this victory, on this day, under these circumstances, the conclusion that Michigan flipped this rivalry by cheating will be served up for Buckeye Nation like a carved turkey placed in front of an offensive line.  

And Michigan will never live it down. 

– Dan Wolken

Michigan vs. Ohio State all-time series record 

Michigan officially leads the overall series 60-51-6. 

In the past 30 years, Ohio State leads the rivalry over Michigan with a record of 18-10. This does not include the vacated 2010 matchup, which the Buckeyes won 37-7. The 2006 matchup was the only time the teams were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 with the Buckeyes the top team in the nation and the Wolverines right behind them. The game kicked off a day after the death of legendary Michigan coach Bo Schembechler. Ohio State outlasted Michigan 42-39 in Columbus in what would be Troy Smith’s Heisman Trophy season.

Ohio State-Michigan game this year marks the end of a glorious era  

A case can be made that Saturday’s game in Ann Arbor is the biggest in the history of the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry. 

Two undefeated teams. The No. 2 Buckeyes vs. the No. 3 Wolverines. A Big Ten championship game berth and probably a College Football Playoff at stake. Add in the unprecedented absence of Jim Harbaugh because of Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal, and the rivalry almost feels on the verge of boiling over. 

Yep, it should be one for the ages at the Big House. 

But one thing is certain: This is the last Ohio State-Michigan game of its kind. 

Next year, the Big Ten abandons its divisional format with the arrival of the four programs from the disintegrated Pac-12 Conference. 

In a division-less Big Ten, it won’t be shocking if Ohio State and Michigan met in back-to-back weeks – in the regular-season finale and then in the conference title game. 

‘That’s crazy,’ Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord said. ‘I think that’s just the world of college football now with everything going on and its twists and turns. But that would be wild.’

– Bill Rabinowitz, Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State-Michigan rivalry history, records 

Ohio State and Michigan first faced off in 1897, making it a 125-year-old rivalry, one of the oldest in college football. The Wolverines won 36-0 in Ann Arbor. Michigan was dominant in the infancy of the series, starting 13-0-2 behind head coach Fielding Yost. 

The two teams battled in their first Big Ten Conference game in 1918 after the Wolverines rejoined the league. Michigan won 14-0. The rivalry game has been an annual affair ever since. 

Among the memorable games is the 1950 ‘Snow Bowl’ in Columbus where Michigan won 9-3 with a Rose Bowl berth on the line. 

– Victoria Hernandez 

Who was the last Ohio State coach to lose three in a row to Michigan? 

Michigan last defeated Ohio State three seasons in a row in 1995-97, when John Cooper was the Buckeyes’ coach. 

Each of Michigan’s wins during that stretch was decided by a single score: 

1995: Michigan 31, Ohio State 23 1996: Michigan 13, Ohio State 9 1997: Michigan 20, Ohio State 14 

Making those close setbacks that much more painful was the fact that Ohio State was firmly in national title contention entering each game. It was undefeated entering both of the first two contests and ranked no lower than No. 4 in any of the games (including a No. 2 Coaches Poll ranking in 1995 and ’96). Conversely, the Wolverines were No. 20 in 1995 and No. 22 in 1996. 

Cooper also had a six-year winless streak vs. Michigan from 1988 through 1993, including four straight losses, a tie, and another loss, before winning his first rivalry matchup vs. Michigan in 1994. 

Michigan Heisman Trophy winners 

Three Wolverines have won the Heisman Trophy. 

Tom Harmon was the first one to take home the award in 1940. 

He was followed by Desmond Howard in 1991 after a record receiving season. The wide receiver famously struck the Heisman pose after a 93-yard punt return in the 1991 rivalry game, which the Wolverines won 31-3 over the Buckeyes.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson won the trophy in 1997. He remains the only defensive player to win the coveted award. 

– Victoria Hernandez

Ohio State Heisman Trophy winners 

A player from Ohio State has won the Heisman Trophy seven times. The Buckeyes are the only football program with a player who won the hallowed award twice − Archie Griffin, who won it in 1974 and 1975. 

Ohio State’s most recent winner is quarterback Troy Smith, who took home the award in 2006 after throwing a then-school record 30 touchdowns in an undefeated regular season. 

The other winners are: Eddie George (1995), Howard Cassady (1955), Vic Janowicz (1950) and Les Horvath (1944). – Victoria Hernandez 

Why is Jim Harbaugh suspended?

Michigan announced in a statement that the school and football coach Jim Harbaugh have ‘resolved their pending litigation’ with the Big Ten Conference and accepted his three-game suspension for the remainder of the regular season.

Harbaugh was punished as part of a sign-stealing scandal that is being investigated by both the NCAA and Big Ten. As part of the settlement between Michigan and the Big Ten, the conference will drop its investigation.

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The WarGames went on, but it didn’t end without a bang.

WWE held its final main roster pay-per-view of 2023 on Saturday with one of its most iconic events with a twist, Survivor Series: WarGames.

Five matches took place inside Allstate Arena − the home of WrestleMania 22 − just outside of Chicago on Saturday night, highlighted by the men’s and women’s WarGames matches.

The matches were full excitement, with the men’s and women’s WarGames matches living up to the billing. The WWE Universe got to see the return of Randy Orton after being out with an injury for 18 months. But the comebacks didn’t end there, as after the event ended, one of the biggest returns in recent memory happened, and it is sure to send shockwaves heading into 2024.

Here is a recap of Saturday night’s action:

CM Punk returns

It’s clobbering time.

it’s been rumored for weeks, but CM Punk shocked the WWE Universe by returning to the company for the first time since 2014.

Allstate Arena went insane seeing its hometown star back in the company as he celebrated with the crowd, as the show went off the air.

Men’s war games match: The Judgment Day (Damian Priest, Finn Bálor, Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh) and Drew McIntyre defeats Cody Rhodes, Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins, Sami Zayn, Jey Uso and Randy Orton

The main event of the night began with Finn Bálor and Seth Rollins in the ring, but was notably missing Randy Orton in the cage with all the other teammates.

The two longtime rivals gave a great start to the match, but The Judgment Day got the early advantage with JD McDonagh entering and bringing the kendo sticks into the rings. The momentum shifted with each new entrant, including the crowd getting hyped for Jey Uso and Sami Zayn with “yeet” and “ucey” chants. 

But when it came time for Orton to appear to help his disadvantaged squad, there was no star in sight to come to the aid of team Rhodes. 

The Judgment Day launched a ruthless assault with Priest launching Rollins into a table, and Rhea Ripley surprisingly came out to deliver the money in the bank contract. But Orton finally appeared and Allstate Arena went into a frenzy.

One-by-one, the “Apex Predator” took out each member of The Judgment Day with all of his vintage moves before the faction went on offense. It was then an all-out frenzy, but Uso and Orton had a stand off after since Uso was the one who put Orton out of action. 

But Uso delivered a super kick to Priest, and each star on team Rhodes delivered their own finishing move on every star. Orton capped it off with an RKO off the top of the cage on McDonagh, and Rhodes landed a cross Rhodes on Priest to secure the victory in Orton’s return.

Women’s World Championship match: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Zoey Stark

Zoey Stark made it known early she wasn’t going to go down easy in the biggest match of her young career, and Ripley made it an intense match from the get-go. 

Ripley displayed her power and strength and Stark attempted to counter each move, but Ripley hardly ceased momentum each time. Stark landed some moves, and the sliding knee looked to be her best chance, but Ripley then did what she does best.

Ripley got out of the Z-60, and executed the Rip Tide to get the win and continue her dominance in the women’s division. 

Dragon Lee vs. Santos Escobar

It was a quick adjustment for Dragon Lee to take over in place of Carlito, but the replacement bout was still a fast-paced match with lots of quick turns.

Lee has been one of the best young stars on the roster, and showed his ability against Santos Escobar in a match that had the crowd into it. Lee looked to have the match won off a powerbomb, but Escobar used a destroyer and then delivered the knockout blow to get the win. It wasn’t for much other than the respect gained within LWO, but Escobar’s win could create another plot in the new bad blood with Rey Mysterio. 

Intercontinental Championship match: Gunther (c) vs. The Miz

The Miz tried early and often to play mind games with the champion by going after his left knee, but Gunther didn’t stay down for long, delivering punishing blows to the challenger. 

Gunther played into the heel role and got the crowd into it, and controlled a majority of the match while doing so. The Miz delivered some shots to the knee in an attempt to turn the tide, and went for the skull crushing finale, but couldn’t execute. Gunther then went for his signature powerbomb, but The Miz became one of the few to kick out. The Miz got his finisher off, but the champion also kicked out.

The two stars then went back and forth in a fast sequence. Gunther went for a frog splash, but landed awkwardly and didn’t land all of it. Luckily, Gunther was able to use a sharpshooter-like submission to make The Miz tap, retaining the title in a surprisingly great match.

Women’s WarGames match: Damage CTRL (Bayley, Iyo Sky, Kairi Sane and Asuka) vs. Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch and Shotzi

Bayley and Becky Lynch started the match, and both competitors went blow-for-blow, but Dakota Kai made her presence felt outside of the cage by hitting Lynch with a kendo stick and giving it to Bayley. Shotzi was the first newcomer of the match, and brought the chaos by using chairs and a steel trashcan brought into the ring.

Iyo Sky was the first new person in Damage CTRL and was able to even the score, flying all over the ring. The advantage in the match continued to change with each new person entering the ring, which included an impressive elbow drop from Kairi Sane with the help of Sky. Sky also had the move of the match by going up to the top of the cage, putting a trash can on her and taking out all the other stars with a daring leap.

Damage CTRL pulled out all of the objects to take out the other side, but the tide changed with Flair going off the top of the cage to take out Damage CTRL. It continued with a power bomb from Lynch and Flair on Sane, and team Belair got all the momentum at the end, with Belair neutralizing Asuka’s mist with a fire extinguisher. The finishing touch was Lynch on Bayley, and team Belair prevailed to pick up the major win over the women’s group.

When is Survivor Series: WarGames 2023?

Survivor Series is Saturday, Nov. 25 at 8 p.m. ET. The kickoff show will begin at 7 p.m. ET.

How to watch Survivor Series: WarGames 2023

The event can be streamed on Peacock, but you must have their premium or premium-plus subscription to watch. Internationally, it will be available on WWE Network.

Survivor Series: WarGames 2023 match card

Matches not in order of schedule

Dragon Lee vs. Santos EscobarIntercontinental Championship match: Gunther (c) vs. The MizWomen’s World Championship match: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Zoey StarkWomen’s WarGames match: Damage CTRL (Bayley, Iyo Sky, Kairi Sane and Asuka) vs. Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch and ShotziMen’s WarGames match: The Judgment Day (Damian Priest, Finn Bálor, Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh) and Drew McIntyre vs. Cody Rhodes, Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins, Sami Zayn, Jey Uso and Randy Orton

Survivor Series: WarGames 2023 predictions

Dragon Lee defeats Santos EscobarIntercontinental Championship match: Gunther © defeats The MizWomen’s World Championship match: Rhea Ripley (c) defeats Zoey StarkWomen’s war games match: Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch and Shotzi defeats Damage CTRL (Bayley, Iyo Sky, Kairi Sane and Asuka)Men’s war games match: The Judgment Day (Damian Priest, Finn Bálor, Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh) and Drew McIntyre defeats Cody Rhodes, Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins, Sami Zayn, Jey Uso and Randy Orton

What are WarGames?

Created by Dusty Rhodes in 1987, WarGames is one of the most unique matches in WWE in that it involves two rings side-by-side, and has become a staple in the company since its introduction into NXT in 2017.

The two rings are surrounded by a roofless steel cage, and are contested by two or three teams. The match begins with one competitor from each team starting in the ring. After five minutes, another competitor from one team enters the match to give a brief 2-on-1 advantage. Three minutes afterward, a competitor from the disadvantaged team enters to even the odds. Teams then alternate entrants until all competitors are in the match.

A team wins by pinning or submitting any member of the other team.

The return of Randy Orton

After 18 months, the “Viper” will finally return.

Randy Orton will make his WWE return at Survivor Series as part of the team taking on The Judgment Day in the men’s WarGames match. Cody Rhodes announced Orton’s return during “Monday Night Raw” this week. 

The decorated star was sidelined in May 2022 after he suffered a legitimate back injury in the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship match against The Usos on “Smackdown.” The injury resulted in Orton missing SummerSlam 2022 and Saturday will be the first time he will appear for WWE this year.

Gunther on why his reign ‘was necessary’

As the WWE universe has learned with Gunther, the mat is sacred, and that mantra is what “The Ring General” wants to display at Survivor Series: WarGames. 

The longest reigning Intercontinental Champion in WWE history will put his title on the line in Chicago on Saturday against someone who is quite familiar with it: eight-time champion The Miz. 

On screen, Gunther has made it a point to show no respect for The Miz, saying he’s just an entertainer, not a wrestler. The entertainer aspect of The Miz is something Gunther sees as a growing problem in WWE, he said, adding the roster is “full of those people.”

“I think one of the negative side effects over time was that people take themselves a little bit too serious, and that’s not what it’s about. It’s not about the individual person,” he said. “It’s about the sport itself, the sport itself being healthy. And yet, in this case, maybe I’m the only one that actually cares about that. So it’s on me to defend those values a little bit against somebody like The Miz, who puts himself in the forefront.

“That’s the reason why my reign was necessary; to set things straight a little bit.’

Read more about Gunther’s thoughts on The Miz, Roman Reigns and his viral coat grabhere.

Will CM Punk return to WWE?

With WWE holding another pay-per-view in the Chicago-area, fans have wondered: will CM Punk return?

The former WWE Champion was a major signing for All Elite Wrestling in 2021, but was fired by the company with cause on Sept. 2 after Punk was involved in a backstage altercation following the “All In” pay-per-view in London.

Since then, there’s been major speculation about Punk rejoining WWE for the first time since 2014, with fans looking for any hints of a possible return. There was also belief that Punk was going to be the fifth member of Rhodes’ team in the WarGames match before Orton was announced as the final member of the group.

Several outlets have reported that Punk isn’t expected to be at Survivor Series nor sign with WWE in the immediate future, but the company has had major surprises in recent years, including Rhodes’ return in 2022, so it can’t be entirely ruled out until Survivor Series is over.

It’s the worst division in the NFL. Sure, these things tend to run in cycles, but for the here-and-now (and like last year), the label belongs to the NFC South.

The Dirty South.

Get this: The Atlanta Falcons (4-6) have dropped three consecutive games, which matches the longest current losing streak in the entire league. Those same Falcons, though, will be playing for first place when the New Orleans Saints visit Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday.

Say what?

This is what happens when no team in the division has a winning record – and the threat looms that the NFC South will be won with a losing record for the second year in a row.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

At the moment, the Saints (5-5) lead the division, with the Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers a game behind in the standings. The Carolina Panthers are out of the race, but to own a 1-9 record and not be mathematically eliminated says something else about the division.

Think about the Cincinnati Bengals for a minute as their season has spun out of control. Cincy is in last place in the A-North, the only division featuring teams without a losing record. Yet if they were in the NFC South, the Bengals (5-5) would own a share of first place.

It’s no wonder that in speaking to reporters in the locker room this week, Falcons tight end Jonnu Smith had a straight face when he talked about playing meaningful* football this time of year.

“Playing with a sense of urgency is one of the keys,” Smith said.

In other words, somebody’s got to win this division. Thus, the Saints, Falcons and Bucs are lining up.

Added Smith, “Here we are at 4-6 and we still have everything still in front of us. So nobody needs to panic.”

With seven weeks remaining in the regular season, this race* will be sorted out the old-fashioned way – in the trenches, with bad blood dripping from divisional rivalries. Each of three potential division champs has four divisional games remaining. And these can be so tricky to predict. Although the Saints have defeated the Falcons three consecutive times and are 9-2 in the past 11 matchups in the heated rivalry, the series is deadlocked, 54-54, including postseason.

And the way this thing is going, the division crown might not be settled until the Falcons and Saints meet in New Orleans in Week 18.

The Bucs were 8-9 when they won the division last year. They won it in 2021, too, with a 13-4 mark. But that was with Tom Brady, the season after they won the Super Bowl as a wild-card entrant.

Well, there will be no team from the NFC South making the playoffs as a wild-card team this time around, even with an expanded NFL playoff field calling for seven teams from each conference. When it’s all settled, with these NFC South teams playing each other, the division winner might be crowned with an asterisk*. 

“I think everybody understands where we’re at right now,” said Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, preparing for the game at Indianapolis on Sunday. “Obviously, we’d like to be in a different situation. Looking at the division, we still have a lot of division games left, so for us to keep that singular focus, it’s more of a mentality of controlling your own destiny.”

Perhaps that destiny for whichever team wins the division is a one-and-out cameo playoff appearance. But first, somebody has to claim the spot.

What makes the difference? Issues to fix run the gamut. The Bucs have the NFL’s worst rushing attack and rank next-to-last in defending the pass. The Saints have been stung by key injuries, including the setback (knee) that forced them to place star receiver Michael Thomas on IR this week. The Falcons have had turnover issues, especially Desmond Ridder (seven fumbles), the young quarterback who was benched yet regained the starting nod as Taylor Heinicke nurses a hamstring injury.

Will the schedule provide an edge? Probably not. There will be a lot of bad football matchups involving these teams down the stretch. The Falcons don’t play a single team that currently has a winning record, while the Saints and Bucs each have one team on the slate with a winning record.

All three of the NFC South contenders* rank among the five easiest schedules in the NFL. That includes the Bucs’ fortune of facing the Panthers twice down the stretch.

However this shakes down, it could be fun* to watch it unfold. Even if the football promises to be ugly.

Add Cowboys’ DaRon Bland to mix for top defensive honor

If I had to cast my vote today for the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year, I’d give the nod to Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett for his amazing impact on arguably the NFL’s best defense.

But not so fast.

Although Garrett is making his case with his NFL-high 13 sacks and four forced fumbles, Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland has forced his way into the conversation with a single-season, NFL-record five interceptions returned for touchdowns.

What a remarkable feat, which Bland brought home with a 63-yard return against Washington on Thanksgiving Day. The second-year pro also leads the league with seven picks.

It is never a surprise to find the edge rushers among the top candidates to win the top defensive honors. In this case, Garrett is joined by Danielle Hunter (Vikings), T.J. Watt (Steelers), Maxx Crosby (Raiders) and Micah Parsons (Cowboys).

Yet Bland might ultimately make the others move over, so to speak. What makes his case even more special is that he’s stepped in to replace Trevon Diggs, who suffered a torn ACL in practice that ended his season before Week 2.

That Bland has emerged on the NFL scene as a fifth-round pick also speaks highly of the Cowboys’ personnel department, headed by VP Will McClay.

Can he win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award? Bland has six more games to make his case – and put up a few more pick-six touchdowns.

What happens after Steelers’ shake-up?

It wasn’t a surprise that the Pittsburgh Steelers finally parted ways with embattled offensive coordinator Matt Canada. But the timing of the move this week? Well, that’s the shocking part, even after the embarrassing loss last weekend at Cleveland.

It marked the first in-season transition for a Steelers coordinator or head coach in 82 years, since Art Rooney compelled his co-owner, Bert Bell, to resign as head coach in 1941. And now there are co-coordinators as Mike Tomlin split up the duties between quarterback coach Mike Sullivan and running backs coach Eddie Faulkner, with Sullivan pegged to call the plays.

Beginning with the matchup at Cincinnati on Sunday, it will be interesting to see whether Pittsburgh makes it a point to better utilize talented receiver George Pickens.

This week’s C.J. Stroud milestone watch

The Houston Texans quarterback heads into the matchup against Jacksonville on Sunday with a shot at becoming the first rookie to post four consecutive 300-yard games.

Just one day after an NBA spokesman confirmed the league was looking into allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a minor that stemmed from a social media post, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey is playing against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, head coach Mark Daigneault said.

‘Available to play, will play,’ Daigneault said of his availability. ‘No change in status from a basketball standpoint. Still, I have no comment on anything else.’

Asked what makes him comfortable with his decision to play while the league looks into the situation, Daigneault said, ‘Just with the information that we have at this point, that’s the decision that we’ve made. It’s really not even a decision, to be honest with you.’

When asked if the NBA looking into things will impact Giddey’s availability moving forward, Daigneault said ‘it’s obviously a league matter at this point,’ and that ‘the ball is in their court on that.’

Giddey, in his first public comments since the accusations of a relationship with an underage girl were posted late Wednesday night on X, told media after practice Friday that he has ‘no further comment right now.’

‘I get the question, guys,’ Giddey added. ‘I completely understand you guys want to know about it. Just for right now, I don’t have anything to say.’

Texas isn’t done with the Big 12 just yet.

Keilan Robinson scored twice — including a 95-yard kickoff return — and Bert Auburn had a historic night with five field goals as No. 7 Texas rolled to a 57-7 win over Texas Tech at Royal-Memorial Stadium on Friday night. With the blowout victory, the Longhorns punched their ticket to next Saturday’s Big 12 championship game in Arlington for the first time since 2018.

Texas (11-1, 8-1) must wait until Saturday to find out if it will face Oklahoma, Oklahoma State or Kansas State in the title game. Texas last won a conference championship in 2009.

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Since Jonathon Brooks is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, the sold-out crowd was unable to see a battle between two of the Big 12’s top running backs. Tahj Brooks ended up running 19 times for 95 yards for Texas Tech, and Texas also didn’t shy away from its rushing attack as it built an early lead.

Robinson scored the game’s first touchdown on a 10-yard run, and Jaydon Blue’s 69-yard touchdown run in the second session was Texas’ longest rushing play of the season. Over the first 11 games of the season, Robinson and Blue had combined for one touchdown on their 43 combined carries.

Texas also got four field goals from junior Bert Auburn in the first half as it built a 26-7 lead. The second of those field goals was a 37-yard kick that also made some history. That field goal was Auburn’s 25th of the season and 16th consecutive make. Both of those accomplishments established school records.

Texas Tech (6-6, 5-4) never got closer than 19 points in the second half.

Among the second half’s highlights were a 95-yard touchdown scored by Robinson on the opening kickoff and an interception that Jett Bush returned 43 yards for a score. Auburn made a career-long 54-yard kick to become the fifth Texas kicker to make five field goals in a single game.

Texas QB Arch Manning makes collegiate debut

Freshman quarterback Arch Manning made his much-anticipated collegiate debut in the Texas Longhorns’ football game against Texas Tech on Friday.

Manning had not appeared in a game during the first 11 weeks. He entered with 2:03 left in the third quarter. Texas led 50-7 at the time.

Manning entered the game to a lot of applause from a sold-out crowd at Royal-Memorial Stadium. He handed the football off on his first two snaps but then picked up a first down when he took off on a 5-yard scramble. Manning drove the Longhorns down to the Texas Tech 6 on his first possession, but he misfired on a fourth-down pass into the end zone.

On his first possession, Manning threw incomplete on both of his pass attempts. He mishandled a snap but also had 5- and 12-yard rushing gains.

Manning was a five-star prize in the 2023 recruiting cycle. He is listed as the third-string quarterback on UT’s depth chart, and Texas opted to start redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy instead earlier this season when Quinn Ewers was sidelined by a shoulder injury.