The College Football Playoff has rounded into form. But one of the most controversial decisions in the format’s history is around the corner.

After Washington topped Oregon in Friday night’s Pac-12 championship game to secure one spot in the playoff field, Alabama may have followed suit with a 27-24 upset of Georgia to win the SEC.

The loss snaps Georgia’s 29-game winning streak and makes it highly unlikely the Bulldogs get back to the playoff and play for the program’s third national championship in a row.

Later on Saturday, Florida State pulled off an ugly 16-6 win against Louisville in the ACC championship game and Michigan will swallowed Iowa to take home another Big Ten crown. That leaves the selection committee with three unbeaten teams.

But that’s not to say the Seminoles are guaranteed to land in the top four. Despite the unblemished record, the committee could decide to round out the semifinals with Alabama and Texas. Nearly regardless of what the committee offers, this is set to be the most scrutinized and criticized decision in the history of the four-team format.

With that huge decision to come on Sunday, here are the winners and losers from conference championship weekend:

Winners

Texas

Quinn Ewers threw for 452 yards and four touchdowns and Texas took care of business against Oklahoma State to complete a torrid close to the regular season. Whether that’s enough depends on what happens in the ACC, leaving the Longhorns rooting hard for Louisville to beat Florida State and eliminate the Seminoles from contention. To get this close to the playoff and come up just short would be an understandable letdown, but that shouldn’t take away from the bigger picture. Texas made a huge statement on Saturday and throughout the entire season: We’re back and probably here to stay. Falling shy of the top four would reflect much more on the depth of teams in this year’s race than on the Longhorns, who compiled a résumé that would’ve put them in the playoff in almost every other year of the format.

Nick Saban

Alabama could be the playoff’s second seed depending on what happens in the Big Ten. That’s not the most incredible thing given what this program has achieved throughout Saban’s tenure. But take a step back and think about where the Tide stood in September, after losing to Texas and struggling to put away South Florida. The incredible growth shown by this year’s team starts with quarterback Jalen Milroe, who was benched in non-conference play but rebounded to rank among the best in the country during the second half of the year. Milroe started slowly against the Bulldogs but was terrific from there, finishing with 13 completions in 19 throws for 192 yards and adding 29 yards on the ground with two combined touchdowns. Looking at the entire picture, this has been the greatest in-season coaching job of Saban’s unparalleled career.

Michigan

The Wolverines closed out a romp through the Big Ten with a 26-0 win against offensively inept Iowa, and while the Wolverines didn’t play terrific the final score might as well have been 260-0. This should get Michigan to No. 1 in the final playoff rankings ahead of Washington, but the Huskies’ strength of schedule and deeper list of wins could be enough to convince the committee to keep the Wolverines in second. In the end, where Michigan falls doesn’t matter. While this will be an outstanding playoff field regardless of who joins Michigan and UW, the Wolverines have to be considered the favorite for the national championship with Georgia out of the picture.

SMU

SMU won 26-14 at Tulane and will be the Group of Five representative in the New Year’s Six ahead of Conference USA champion Liberty. That can be attributed to three reasons: Liberty’s pathetic strength of schedule, the well-earned reputation of the American and the Mustangs’ unbeaten march through league play after losing to Oklahoma and TCU in September. While a big day for SMU, the Green Wave didn’t just lose out on a second New Year’s Six bowl in a row but are on the verge of losing coach Willie Fritz, who is expected to replace Dana Holgorsen at Houston.

Boise State

Even in a down year and even without former coach Andy Avalos, who was fired last month, Boise State is still the top team and program in the Mountain West. The Broncos captured the conference championship with a convincing 44-20 win against UNLV that bolsters interim coach Spencer Danielson’s case for the permanent position. Boise won all three games under Danielson — Utah State, Air Force and UNLV — to take home the Mountain West for the first time since 2019 and the fifth time overall. Quarterback Taylen Green had major struggles throughout the regular season but played his best Saturday against the Rebels, completing 12 of 15 attempts for 226 yards and two touchdowns with 90 yards and two more scores on the ground.

Troy

Kimani Vidal ran for 233 yards and five touchdowns — yes, five touchdowns — and Troy captured a second Sun Belt championship in a row under coach Jon Sumrall with a 49-23 win against Appalachian State. While not mentioned as a major contender for one of this year’s Power Five job openings, Sumrall has now compiled an overall record of 23-4 and lost only twice in conference play. After ending last season on an 11-game winning streak, the Trojans will head into the postseason having won 10 games in a row.

Losers

Georgia

There’s really no way to get Georgia into the playoff, ending the Bulldogs’ hopes of making college football history with a third national championship in a row. There’s an argument for getting them into the field, which goes something like this: Georgia is better than everyone and would beat anyone, Alabama included if they had another matchup with the Crimson Tide in the championship game. Then there’s the argument for not including Georgia in the field, which would go: They didn’t win the SEC and there are too many qualified Power Five champions in the mix for the Bulldogs to get the benefit of the doubt. The loss to Alabama doesn’t signify the end of the dynasty by any means but there’s a sense that Georgia has missed on a chance to enter college football immortality, and those chances don’t come around too often.

Florida State

Despite beating Louisville and completing an unbeaten season, the Seminoles could be left out of the playoff in favor of Alabama or Texas. One reason for this snub is the way FSU has looked without quarterback Jordan Travis, who has missed the past two games. Primary backup Tate Rodemaker started the close win against Florida but was replaced against Louisville by Brock Glenn, who completed 8 of 21 attempts for 55 yards but did avoid any turnovers. Where the Seminoles could get squeezed by the committee is in the discussion over which teams are most deserving of finishing in the top four and which teams are simply the best in college football. While Florida State deserves to be there as an unbeaten Power Five champion, the four best teams may simply be Michigan, Washington, Texas and Alabama.

Toledo

Toledo lost a narrow one to Illinois in non-conference play but rolled from there, and could’ve conceivably made the New Year’s Six if not for the two teams at the top of the American Athletic. But that would’ve required a win against Miami (Ohio) in the MAC championship game, which wasn’t in the cards. After losing 21-17 to Toledo during the regular season, the RedHawks clamped down on the Rockets’ offense and harassed quarterback Dequan Finn into one of his worst games on the year. Finn hit on only 18 of 36 throws for 273 yards with a touchdown and an interception as Miami pulled off a 23-14 win for the 17th conference crown in program history.

The playoff selection committee

There will be no good, acceptable decision should Florida State beat Louisville. The options in that case are to leave out an unbeaten Power Five champion, to ignore the Longhorns’ win at Alabama earlier this season, or to leave out the Crimson Tide. The committee would be damned in any direction. While this could be made easier should Louisville win, this could shape up to be a very tough Sunday morning for the committee.

Hello Coach Steve,

I just read your article “When should kids specialize in a sport? Five tips to help you find the right moment” and I found it very interesting; as a student athlete myself it gave me a lot to think about.

My sport, the same as Ms. Vitas’, is rowing, but the difference is I’m a freshman in high school. My coaches really stress morning workouts, supplementary workouts and limited rest time. I’m curious what you think about constant stress on the body and its effects on someone young like myself?

Thank you

Marley  

Ask yourself these 4 questions, and follow your intuition

Dear Marley,

Thank you for asking this important question, which tugs at all athletes, regardless of their sport. To help answer it, I reached back out to Sophia Vitas, the Team USA rower you mentioned and I quoted in my column about the importance of playing multiple sports at younger ages. I also touched base with a pediatrician (Denise Scott) and a primary care sports medicine physician (Gregory Walker).

Drawing from their perspectives, as well as my own and those of other medical experts and athletes I’ve met over the years, here are some questions you can ask yourself to figure out if you are putting too much strain on yourself:

1. Are you listening to your body?

Let’s get two issues out of the way:

First of all, if you are rowing (or engaging in the rowing motion) more than eight months out of the year, find another sport to do for the other four months to reduce wear and tear on your rowing muscles. This is a direct recommendation for young athletes like yourself from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), and it applies to any sport.Secondly, does anything physically hurt? I’m talking about a sharp or stabbing pain that doesn’t go away. If that is the case, immediately consult a physician or orthopedist (or both).

Now ask yourself if you’re constantly fatigued. Exercise should energize and rejuvenate you after you rest, not tire you out.

As a general guideline, do not train more hours per week than your age in years. (That would be 14 for a typical high school freshman like yourself.) The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the NATA also recommend taking two days off from physical activity per week to rest.

Even 14 hours of pure rowing (or performing the rote motions of any sport) per week can be detrimental to a young athlete, especially if you are in the middle of a growth spurt.

“I had a huge growth spurt (in) 8th/9th grade, so adequate rest was definitely my friend,” Vitas wrote in an email. “Trying to out-grind my body when it’s telling me to rest has never done me any good in the long run.”

According to Scott, a pediatrician and pediatric endocrinologist who also answers questions about children’s health issues for JustAnswer.com, a growth spurt contributes to the skeleton growing faster than the body’s supporting structures. During growth spurts, she says, muscles and ligaments become tight and more susceptible to injury.

This tightening issue can be compounded by injuries related to growth plates, which are at the end of long bones where growth occurs. The stress of athletics during growth spurts and on growth plates, Scott says, can lead to difficulty in healing and even potential uneven growth of extremities.  

“Overuse injuries stem from preventing enough time between activities for rest and healing, especially when one sustains the same movements repetitively,” Scott says. “I have known numerous teens who sustained sports injuries requiring surgery, putting them out for an entire season.

“The rest periods are crucial. This is when muscle rebuilds itself, and for an adolescent experiencing a growth spurt, additional rest is vital.”

2. Are you cross training?

Scott has spoken with her kids’ coaches about the importance of training to work different muscle groups while allowing others to rest. For example, a cross country team can swim laps one day or bike another rather than run every time the team trains.

As a former rower, I know the sport involves a lot of off-water training, such as weightlifting, jogging and running stairs to maximize your strength and endurance. These cross-training activities should be factored into your 14-hour maximum of activity per week.

However, as important as diversity of movement is to training, you have to factor in the level at which you are training. If all of your training is at a high rate of intensity, you are risking physical as well as mental burnout.

Walker, a primary care sports medicine physician at Children’s Hospital Colorado, suggests that decreased intensity workouts might benefit your aerobic and musculoskeletal health.

Walker cites Matt Fitzgerald’s book “80/20 running,” which talks about how elite runners spend only 20% of their time training at their peak levels of intensity. At the other times, they train at a much more sustainable level (i.e. running slow enough to have a conversation with your teammates while you are doing it). In rowing terms, think easy, steady-state rows on the water vs. 2,000-meter sprints in races or the ergometer (rowing machine).

These so-called Zone 2 workouts prepare our bodies for the high-intensity ones without putting a huge burden on the body for recovery. You can think of this 80/20 concept, Walker says, in terms of a five-day week, in which you take Wednesday and Sunday off.

“Monday, Thursday and Friday would be ‘easy days’ where the focus is on more aerobic work,” he says. “Tuesday could be a threshold day and Saturday would be longer workout with majority of time spent in Zone 2.”

3. What’s your goal?

Let’s back up for a moment. Maybe you don’t want to be an elite-level endurance athlete just yet. (You’re 14 so that is perfectly normal.) Maybe you just want to compete against other kids alongside your friends as part of your overall high school experience.

“When I was her age, I was definitely not taking sports that seriously,” Vitas told me.

You know the story of Vitas from my column on sports specialization. She played a variety of sports in high school but didn’t develop a true passion or intensity for one until she walked on as a rower at the University of Wisconsin. She’s now 30 and has reached an Olympic level at that sport.“I know rowing is a good way to get a college scholarship,” Vitas said in October. “But from my experience at UW, I saw a lot of the recruited athletes who had started rowing in middle school, in high school didn’t have a very successful collegiate career, whereas the walk-ons — there’s six or seven Badgers right now in the national team rotation who were walk-ons — so I think that kind of speaks volumes to starting young vs. starting later.”

If you are burned out with rowing, you could participate in other sports, even recreationally, and come back to rowing later. It may not hurt your progress at all.

We know from research that only about 7% of high school athletes play a varsity sport in college. However, rowing is unique in that you can walk on to college crews, even with no experience. (The experience you have already will only help you.)

I walked on to my college crew with no prior experience as a freshman in college, when my post-pubescent body was prepared for the physical and mental rigors of it.

4. Have you talked to your coach?

When I was a collegiate rower in the mid-1990s, we didn’t question our coaches’ training demands. We simply met them. We don’t live in that oppressive world anymore. We know more about the physical toll (not to mention the mental one) excessive athletic activity can bear on young bodies, which are still developing emotionally and physically.

COACH STEVE: What young athletes can learn from the gentle Frank Howard — and not the harsh style of coach Bob Knight

Your teammates are likely feeling the same stress as you. Tell them how you’re feeling, then approach your coaches as a group. Share your concerns about wear and tear. If your coaches are looking out for you, they will listen, and even adjust.

Rowing, as you know, is about the positive vibes you feel from throwing your effort into it. Wins come as that effort, and teamwork, is realized.

As you know, though, rowing has always been more of a ‘feel’ sport than one about winning. Think of those good rows where everyone has sway and cadence and the eight-person boat seems to glide across the water. Once you achieve that feeling, it almost doesn’t matter if you win or lose the race.

All sports can work the same way. Trying your best, and working as a team, are best achieved when everyone is pulling in the same direction, including your coaches.

Steve Borelli, aka Coach Steve, has been an editor and writer with USA TODAY since 1999. He spent 10 years coaching his two sons’ baseball and basketball teams. He and his wife, Colleen, are now sports parents for a high schooler and middle schooler. His column is posted weekly. For his past columns, click here.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. − They are brilliant executives in Major League Baseball who have been trying to change the world, helping erode the deep-rooted prejudices and intolerance in the sport, but spent the summer living in fear. 

Billy Bean, 59, MLB’s senior vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion after a 10-year professional playing career, is in desperate need for a bone marrow transplant as he battles acute myeloid leukemia. 

Catalina Villegas, 36, a collegiate tennis player at Northwestern State University in Louisiana before becoming director of MLB’s diversity, equity and inclusion, is recovering after undergoing breast cancer surgery and six aggressive rounds of chemotherapy, praying the disease is gone forever from her body. 

Together, they will be honored during MLB’s 10th annual charity auction, Stand Up to Cancer, started by Hall of Fame president Josh Rawitch. Villegas will be making the trip from her Dallas home. Bean will remain home with a compromised immune system, waiting for that phone to ring with a bone marrow donor. 

“Mentally, it’s a new challenge,’ Bean tells USA TODAY Sports. “I’ve been fit my whole life, but there have been some nights where I can not recognize how my body feels. I still can not enjoy food.

HOT STOVE UPDATES: MLB free agency: Ranking and tracking the top players available.

Bean pauses, his voice cracking. 

“I’m not angry, I’m hopeful,’ he says, “but it hit me really, really hard. I spent 21 days in a hospital with my immune system compromised, I couldn’t have visitors. It was a very isolating experience, especially when you don’t know what the outcome is.’

The isolation, the emptiness, and of course, fear saturates the mind – and corrodes the soul. 

“You need support, because you don’t feel whole,’ Bean says. “You don’t feel strong. You don’t have energy. It’s like, I’m not interested in watching TV. I’m not into reading books. When I have the energy, I just focus on work.’

Bean can’t go out running in Central Park or ride a Peloton bike twice a week with his husband, Greg Baker, as he did before the diagnosis of Aug. 28 that turned his life upside down. 

You can’t play pickleball and run through the neighborhood like Villegas did with her wife, Jennifer Crocker-Villegas, until being diagnosed March 22 with Stage 2 breast cancer. 

Cancer robs you of all that, and makes you wonder if you’ll ever regain the strength to live a normal life. 

“It’s such a horrible disease, it’s tough when you don’t know what going to happen,’ says Villegas who lost her grandmother to breast cancer at the age of 39 and her father to leukemia six years ago. “Your mind goes through very dark places. You go into survival mode. There’s the isolation. You don’t have the energy to work out. You don’t have the energy to go to the office. You don’t have the energy to do anything.’

Bean, only the second MLB player to publicly disclose he’s gay after his retirement, is one of baseball’s biggest stars. He’s a tireless worker who has opened doors in baseball that have been slammed shut for a century. 

He was tired, and had lost weight, but figured it just a matter of stress. It wasn’t until several of his friends were alarmed at his weight loss that he stepped on a scale. He had lost 22 pounds. 

He went in for a morning appointment with his doctor, was lying in an emergency room by the afternoon, was undergoing chemotherapy the next day and didn’t leave the hospital for three weeks. 

“I didn’t even realize that I lost that much weight,’ Bean says, “but I just wasn’t feeling well. I figured, I’ll just go for a run, drink some water, and I’d be fine. But I was going through night sweats. I finally went in, saw the doctor and nurse practitioner, and they said, ‘There’s something going on here.’ 

“I heard of leukemia, but I never heard of AML. It was a total shock.’

Bean started making calls, informing his family and closest friends of the news, and one of the most emotional calls was to Patrick Courtney, MLB’s chief communications officer. It was as if Bean felt as if he was letting Courtney and MLB down. He knew how much they accomplished together to help erase hate in baseball, but feared the mission would be put on hold. 

“Nobody knows all of the work he does with teams and individuals,’ Courtney says. “He has made such an impact for us. He just didn’t want anything to slow down his momentum.’

Courtney, who lost his college roommate to cancer this summer, says their office was devastated. 

‘It’s been rough on everyone here knowing what they’ve been going through,’ Courtney says. “First Catalina, and now him. This has been such a battle.’

The disease has affected us all. We have family members who have lost their lives or battled cancer. We have best friends and neighbors going through chemo and radiation now. We have associates at work who have had to leave their jobs. 

Rich, poor. Black, white. Gay, straight. Republican, Democrat. Cancer doesn’t care. 

“I remember going to the chemo room, it’s like walking into this big clubhouse, with six seats in there,’ Villegas says. “You’re plugged in there and connected for six hours with people from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and everyone in there are fighting for their lives. 

“That is the one beautiful lesson that cancer teaches you. 

“It doesn’t discriminate.’

It was during the postseason that Lovullo heard Bean was sick, but when he called, Bean told him not to worry about him. Go win a World Series, Bean told him. The diagnosis could wait. 

Lovullo called back a day after the World Series was over, and Bean hit him with the stunning news. 

“You hear the word ‘cancer,’ you hear the word, ‘leukemia,’ and it just rattles you,’ Lovullo says. “He explained exactly what he was going through. We laughed. We cried. And I got informed. 

“Billy has always been such a giver. He’s one of the best human being I ever met. He’s just always been available to everyone, touching everyone. 

“I want the world to know what a great human he is. I know it’s not in his DNA to allow people to give back to him. Well, now it’s time for him to catch all of that love. I want the world to know it’s for him.’’ 

Bean badly wishes he could be there to hear Lovullo, he says, and give him a hug, but his doctors are prohibiting him from flying. Villegas says she’ll gladly pinch-hit and share that love, hugging all of those who have reached out to both of them. 

“I think it will be very emotional,’ Villegas says. “It’s not about me. It’s not about Billy. It’s about creating awareness that this happens to a lot of people. And when it happens, it’s hard for family members and friends. 

“It’s so emotional, but it’s ok to feel down, it’s OK to ask for help.’

Villegas and Bean will continue to fight the fight. They will persevere. They believe in their heart of hearts they’ll beat this ruthless disease, and will spend the rest of their lives spreading awareness that no symptom or sign should ever be ignored. 

Villegas, who noticed a lump on her breast three months before she finally went to the doctor, will let the world know that no matter how busy your lifestyle, don’t wait. Bean, who had been exhausted for weeks, waking up in the middle of the night soaked in sweat, will share the message that any kind of delay can cost a life. 

“We have so much to be thankful for, and all of the support we’ve received,’ Villegas says. “Now, we can share our story, create some awareness in hopes of saving some lives, and tell the survivors what to expect.  

“There are going to be some good days, but bad days, but there is hope and a light at the end of tunnel. Just like any life obstacle, you have to believe that things get better. You’ve got to find that sunshine at the end of the day, right? 

“This will be our story to tell.’

Some eagle-eyed TV viewers helped turn the runner-up in Dr Pepper’s annual halftime contest at the Big 12 championship game into a $100,000 scholarship winner.

While Texas and Oklahoma State were in their locker rooms at AT&T Stadium on Saturday, students Gavin White of Ohio State and Ryan Georgian of Penn faced off to see who could toss more footballs into a hole in a giant Dr Pepper can.

Georgian emerged as the winner after a second tiebreaker round. However, viewers on social media noticed an apparent scoring error in the first tiebreaker that should have given the win to White.

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Even before Texas ultimately won the game, the soft drink company headed off the bubbling controversy by announcing both participants would receive the grand prize due to the ‘on-field technical error.’

‘As such, Dr Pepper will recognize both finalists as grand prize winners with both receiving the 100k award in tuition,’ the company said in a statement.

Think of the college football postseason is more a marathon than a sprint. There’s 42 games running from the first series of matchups on Dec. 16 through the College Football Playoff championship game on Jan. 8.

The ending of a college football is bittersweet. It’s as the song goes ‘the most wonderful of time of the year’ but also the ending of another season for the sport until we see it again next August.

The playoff semifinals will be held on Jan. 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The national title game is being held at NRG Stadium in Houston.

But there’s plenty of other intriguing games to watch. Here’s the entire lineup:

Myrtle Beach Bowl: Ohio vs. Georgia Southern

DETAILS: Dec. 16, Conway, S.C., ESPN, 11 a.m.

MATCHUP: Conference USA/MAC/Sun Belt

New Orleans Bowl: Jacksonville State vs. Louisiana-Lafayette

DETAILS: Dec. 16, New Orleans, ESPN, 2:15 p.m.

MATCHUP: Conference USA vs. Sun Belt

Cure Bowl: Appalachian State vs. Miami (Ohio)

DETAILS: Dec. 16, Orlando, ABC, 3:30 p.m.

MATCHUP: Group of Five vs. Group of Five

New Mexico Bowl: New Mexico State vs. Fresno State

DETAILS: Dec. 16, Albuquerque, ESPN, 5:45 p.m.l

MATCHUP: Conference USA vs. Mountain West

LA Bowl: UCLA vs. Boise State

DETAILS: Dec. 16, Inglewood, Calif., ABC, 7:30 p.m.

MATCHUP: Pac-12 vs. Mountain West

Independence Bowl: Texas Tech vs. California

DETAILS: Dec. 16, Shreveport, La., ESPN, 9:15 p.m.

MATCHUP: Big 12 vs. Pac-12

Famous Toastery Bowl: Western Kentucky vs. Old Dominion

MATCHUP: Conference USA vs. Mid-American

DETAILS: Dec. 18, ESPN, 2:30 p.m.

Frisco Bowl: Marshall vs. Texas-Antonio

DETAILS: Dec. 19, Frisco, Texas, ESPN, 9 p.m.

MATCHUP: Group of Five vs. Group of Five

Boca Raton Bowl: South Florida vs. Syracuse

DETAILS: Dec. 21, Boca Raton, Fla., ESPN, 8 p.m.

MATCHUP: Group of Five vs. Group of Five

Gasparilla Bowl: Duke vs. Central Florida

DETAILS: Dec. 22, Tampa, Fla., ESPN, 6:30 p.m.

MATCHUP: ACC/American/SEC

Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. Troy

DETAILS: Dec. 23, Birmingham, Ala., ABC, noon

MATCHUP: ACC/American/SEC

Camellia Bowl: Northern Illinois vs. Arkansas State

DETAILS: Dec. 23, Montgomery, Ala., ESPN, noon

MATCHUP: MAC vs. Sun Belt

Armed Forces Bowl: James Madison vs. Air Force

DETAILS: Dec. 23, Fort Worth, Texas, ABC, 3:30 p.m.

MATCHUP: American vs. Conference USA

Idaho Potato Bowl: Utah State vs. Georgia State

DETAILS: Dec. 23, Boise, Idaho, ESPN, 3:30 p.m.

MATCHUP: MAC vs. Mountain West

68 Ventures Bowl: Eastern Michigan vs. South Alabama

DETAILS: Dec. 23, Mobile, Ala., ESPN, 7 p.m.

MATCHUP: MAC vs. Sun Belt

Las Vegas Bowl: Northwestern vs. Utah

DETAILS: Dec. 23, Las Vegas, ABC, 7:30 p.m.

MATCHUP: Big Ten vs. Pac-12

Hawaii Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs. San Jose State

DETAILS: Dec. 23, Honolulu, ESPN, 10:30 p.m.

MATCHUP: American vs. Mountain West

Quick Lane Bowl: Bowling Green vs. Minnesota

DETAILS: Dec. 26, Detroit, ESPN, 2 p.m.

MATCHUP: Big Ten vs. Mid-American

First Responder Bowl: Texas State vs. Rice

DETAILS: Dec. 26, Dallas, ESPN, 5:30 p.m.

MATCHUP: Big 12 vs. at-large

Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Kansas vs. UNLV

DETAILS: Dec. 26, Phoenix, ESPN, 9 p.m.

MATCHUP: Big 12 vs. Big Ten

Military Bowl: Tulane vs. Virginia Tech

DETAILS: Dec. 27, Annapolis, Md., ESPN, 2 p.m.

MATCHUP: ACC vs. American

Duke’s Mayo Bowl: North Carolina vs. West Virginia

DETAILS: Dec. 27, Charlotte, N.C., ESPN, 5:30 p.m.

MATCHUP: ACC vs. SEC

Holiday Bowl: Louisville vs. Southern California

DETAILS: Dec. 27, San Diego, Fox, 8 p.m.

MATCHUP: ACC vs. Pac-12

Texas Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Texas A&M

DETAILS: Dec. 27, Houston, ESPN, 9 p.m.

MATCHUP: Big 12 vs. SEC

Fenway Bowl: Boston College vs. SMU

DETAILS: Dec. 28, Boston, ESPN, 11 a.m.

MATCHUP: ACC vs. American

Pinstripe Bowl: Miami (Fla.) vs. Rutgers

DETAILS: Dec. 28, Bronx, N.Y., ESPN, 2:15 p.m.

MATCHUP: ACC vs. Big Ten

Pop-Tarts Bowl: North Carolina State vs. Kansas State

DETAILS: Dec. 28, Orlando, Fla., ESPN, 5:45 p.m.

MATCHUP: ACC vs. Big 12

Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Arizona

DETAILS: Dec. 28, San Antonio, ESPN, 9:15 p.m.

MATCHUP: Big 12 vs. Pac-12

Gator Bowl: Clemson vs. Kentucky

DETAILS: Dec. 29, Jacksonville, Fla., ESPN, noon

MATCHUP: ACC vs. SEC

Sun Bowl: Oregon State vs. Notre Dame

DETAILS: Dec. 29, El Paso, Texas, CBS, 2 p.m.

MATCHUP: ACC vs. Pac-12

Liberty Bowl: Iowa State vs. Memphis

DETAILS: Dec. 29, Memphis, Tenn. ESPN, 3:30 p.m.

MATCHUP: Big 12 vs. SEC

Cotton Bowl: Ohio State vs. Missouri

DETAILS: Dec. 29, Arlington, Texas, ESPN, 8 p.m.

MATCHUP: At-large vs. At-large

Peach Bowl: Penn State vs. Mississippi

DETAILS: Dec. 30, Atlanta, ESPN, noon

MATCHUP: At-large vs. At-large

Music City Bowl: Auburn vs. Maryland

DETAILS: Dec. 30, Nashville, Tenn., ABC, 2 p.m.

MATCHUP: Big Ten vs. SEC

Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Georgia

DETAILS: Dec. 30, Miami Gardens, Fla., ESPN, 4 p.m.

MATCHUP: ACC vs. Big Ten/SEC

Arizona Bowl: Toledo vs. Wyoming

DETAILS: Dec. 30, Tucson, Ariz., 4:30 p.m.

MATCHUP: MAC vs. Mountain West

ReliaQuest Bowl: Wisconsin vs. LSU

DETAILS: Jan. 1, Tampa, Fla., ESPN2, noon

MATCHUP: Big Ten vs. SEC

Citrus Bowl: Iowa vs. Tennessee

DETAILS: Jan. 1, Orlando, Fla., ABC, 1 p.m.

MATCHUP: Big Ten vs. SEC

Fiesta Bowl: Oregon vs. Liberty

DETAILS: Jan. 1, Glendale, Ariz., ESPN, 1 p.m.

MATCHUP: At-large vs. at-large

Rose Bowl: Michigan vs. Alabama

DETAILS: Jan. 1, Pasadena, Calif., ESPN, 5 p.m.

MATCHUP: College Football Playoff semifinal

Sugar Bowl: Washington vs. Texas

DETAILS: Jan. 1, New Orleans, ESPN, 8:45 p.m.

MATCHUP: College Football Playoff semifinal

College Football Playoff championship game

DETAILS: Jan. 8, Houston, ESPN, 8 p.m.

MATCHUP: College Football Playoff semifinal winners

It’s been a new era for Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, as he’s gone from NFL star to global celebrity, thanks to Taylor Swift.

Ever since Swift showed up alongside Donna Kelce during Kansas City’s Week 3 over the Chicago Bears, football and music fans have wondered how often the pop icon would be seen attending Chiefs games. She would show up to three more games, with the last being the Week 7 victory against the Los Angeles Chargers. Since then, Swift has been busy with her Eras Tour resuming in Argentina and Brazil, which included a visit from Kelce in Buenos Aires.

But with the Eras Tour done for the rest of 2023, Swift could be in attendance for the rest of Kansas City’s remaining schedule. Not only will it captivate audiences, but it could also give Kelce a boost in his stats.

Here is how much different his performance has been with Swift cheering him on, vs. when she isn’t around:

Travis Kelce stats with Taylor Swift in attendance

It’s been nothing but good karma for ‘the guy on the Chiefs’ when Swift is in the crowd.

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When Swift is in attendance for a Chiefs game, Kansas City is 4-0 while Kelce has 34 catches for 432 yards (108 yards per game) and two touchdowns. During those games, Kelce snags 12.2 yards per reception.

In those games, the Chiefs have won by an average of 14.8 points, and it’s probably the reason why head coach Andy Reid said Swift ‘can stay around all she wants.’

Here are the games Swift was in attendance for, along with Kelce’s stats that game:

Week 3 vs. Chicago Bears: Seven catches for 69 yards and one touchdown; win, 41-10Week 4 vs. New York Jets: Six catches for 60 yards; win, 23-20Week 6 vs. Denver Broncos: Nine catches for 124 yards; win, 19-8Week 7 vs. Los Angeles Chargers: 12 catches (season-high) for 179 yards (season-high) and a touchdown; win, 31-17

Travis Kelce stats without Taylor Swift in attendance

Without Swift, the Chiefs are still good, but they haven’t been perfect and there’s certainly a blank space left in Kelce’s results.

When Swift isn’t there and Kelce is playing, Kansas City is 4-2. Kelce has also had some of his statistically worse games without his lover there. His four lowest receiving yard games came with Swift out.

In the six games, Kelce has 36 catches for 300 yards (50 yards per game) and three touchdowns. That also adds up to 8.2 yards per reception.

Those games include when Kelce had season low three catches for 14 yards against the Miami Dolphins in Germany, and when he had a drop and his lone fumble on the season against the Philadelphia Eagles. Even after the loss to Philadelphia, Kelce said ‘I’m not playing my best football right now.’

Kelce also hasn’t topped 100 receiving yards in any of the games Swift wasn’t at. The games have also been closer, as the win against the Raiders is the only victory in which Chiefs won by more than one-score.

Will Taylor Swift be at the next Chiefs game?

Swift hasn’t been at a game in more than a month because of her Eras Tour, but since her next concert isn’t scheduled until Feb. 7, 2024 in Tokyo, the pop star can attend the rest of the regular season and some playoff games.

Kansas City’s next game is on ‘Sunday Night Football’ against the Green Bay Packers, so Swift could be in Lambeau Field to see her beau again. There hasn’t been confirmation as to whether Swift will or will not be there, and it’ll be something the NBC broadcast will monitor leading up to the game. It could also lead to Swift meeting with decorated Olympian Simone Biles — wife of Packers safety Jonathan Owens — in a moment that could break the internet.

Points, which had come easy for Kentucky this season, were at a premium Saturday against UNC Wilmington.

And the Wildcats, rarely careless with the ball, struggled with decision-making versus the spunky Seahawks of the Colonial Athletic Association.

Both those factors doomed Kentucky Saturday afternoon at Rupp Arena. 

After trailing 41-33 at halftime, Kentucky couldn’t muster a comeback in the final 20 minutes, falling at home for the first time this season in stunning fashion, 80-73.

The No. 12 Wildcats’ (6-2) mistakes were simply too much to overcome. Especially when the Seahawks (6-2) kept knocking down shots from the perimeter. UNC Wilmington sank 11 3-pointers, more than double Kentucky’s five.

But it wasn’t just 3-point shooting that killed the Cats in the seven-point loss.

Saturday was an uncharacteristically sloppy outing when juxtaposed against Kentucky’s sky-high standard this season.

The Wildcats entered Saturday committing just 8.1 turnovers per game, which ranked third in the country; they had nine by the 6:37 mark of the first half. Kentucky finished with 14 turnovers in the win.

Not only had Kentucky avoided giving the ball away through the first seven games, but it also exhibited crisp ball movement, averaging an SEC-best 20.9 assists a contest that was the sixth-highest in Division I. But the Wildcats dished out just 14 assists against the Seahawks.

Saturday marked the first time this season Kentucky failed to score at least 81 points. Reaching that figure in each of their first seven outings was the Wildcats’ longest streak to start a season since the 1970-71 team.

Kentucky, which made 40.7% (24 for 59) of its shots from the field Saturday, had four double-digit scorers, led by freshman guard Reed Sheppard’s 25 points. It marked the second consecutive game Sheppard topped the scoring chart for the Wildcats. He also pulled down a career- and team-high nine rebounds. Senior guard Antonio Reeves had 14 points Saturday before fouling out with 2:56 remaining. Senior forward Tre Mitchell and freshman wing Justin Edwards chipped in 11 points apiece.

Freshman forward Aaron Bradshaw, who made his college debut Saturday after being sidelined since earlier this year with a foot injury, had three points, two rebounds and a block in 13 minutes off the bench. Freshman guard D.J. Wagner, Bradshaw’s teammate at Camden High in New Jersey, sat out Saturday after injuring his ankle in Tuesday’s win over No. 8 Miami.

Trazarien White’s game-high 27 points paced the Seahawks. Next in line for the visitors were Donovan Newby with 15 points, followed by Shykeim Phillips (13) and Ky Jenkins (11). Kentucky won’t play again for another seven days, heading to Philadelphia to face Penn next Saturday. The contest will tip off at noon and air nationally on ESPN2. It will be held at the Wells Fargo Center, the home of the Flyers and 76ers.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.