Don’t mess with Texas’ defense. That’s one nasty, punishing, rock-solid unit, as Texas A&M learned.
Win will send Texas to SEC championship game to face Georgia.
Quinn Ewers’ turnover woes remain concerning.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Don’t mess with Texas’ defense.

That’s one nasty, punishing, rock-solid unit.

Texas delivered a statement Saturday night that will reverberate in every corner of this football-crazed state. The Longhorns run Texas, although Texas A&M made them sweat to establish that.

Texas’ defense refused to let this victory slip away, even after Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers nearly made a mess of this in the second half.

No. 3 Texas pushed around the rival it considers little brother in a 17-7 takedown of No. 19 Texas A&M at Kyle Field.

In a battle for the soul of Texas, 109,028 fans watched the Longhorns announce that they’re built for the SEC’s rigors.

Just as Texas A&M seemed ready to turn this into a one-possession game in the fourth quarter, Ethan Burke burst through the line to wreck the Aggies on fourth down.

Many have tried to conquer this Texas defense. Many have failed.

‘Defensively tonight, an absolutely dominant performance,’ Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said.

In delivering this result, the Longhorns quieted the “Texas ain’t beat anybody!” crowd, but the Longhorns’ offensive erosion after halftime means questions persist about whether Texas is balanced enough to win the national championship.

Arch Manning remains the most popular backup quarterback in America. He added to his buzz by running for a touchdown when Sarkisian inserted him for a fourth-down play, wanting to use Manning’s speed.

But, Sarkisian trusts Ewers most with Texas’ national championship hopes, even though he showed an unsteady hand, just as he did in a loss to Georgia.

UP AND DOWN: Winners and losers from college football’s Week 14

Win helps validate Texas and earns SEC championship game

Texas finally owns a win against an opponent that had a number next to its name in the CFP rankings, but the playoff committee didn’t wait for this validation.

Texas has enjoyed the No. 3 ranking for the past three weeks, because the selection committee would not deny what their eyes had seen. That is, the Longhorns (11-1) are solid – and elite on defense.

The Longhorns must wonder what the big deal was about the SEC, anyway.

Texas spent the season punishing its new conference foes – and that includes its former Big 12 rival that got a 12-year head start on it in the SEC.

‘The game is won upfront,’ Sarkisian said. ‘We don’t play flag football. We don’t play 7-on-7. You’ve got to be really good upfront, especially in this conference.’

Texas will face Georgia for the SEC championship in its debut season in a conference that supplied 13 of the past 18 national champions since Texas won its last national championship in the 2005 season.

The Aggies (8-4) only reach the SEC championship in their dreams. This year joins 2012 and 2020 for A&M as another close bid for Atlanta that came up short.

After Texas established its instate supremacy, the question shifts to: Can the Longhorns win a national championship?

The defense, at least, looks the part. Not so sure about that Texas offense.

Texas defense elite, but should Longhorns fret about Quinn Ewers?

Sarkisian built Texas into a physical program that plays punishing defense. The Longhorns put a beating on any Aggie with the ball in his hands. They’re ball hawks, too, and Michael Taaffe supplied Texas with its 25th takeaway of the season with an acrobatic interception of Marcel Reed.

Grade A beef abounds on the offensive line. The running lanes were bountiful for Texas ball carriers to enjoy, and Quintrevion Wisner rushed for 186 yards.

That leaves quarterback. Ewers couldn’t supply the final completion Texas needed last year in a CFP semifinal loss to Washington.

If Texas should fret about anything, it’s turnover woes.

Turnovers foiled Texas in a loss to Georgia, with Ewers contributing three, and his turnovers on back-to-back drives Saturday allowed the Aggies to climb back in the game after Texas had built a 17-0 halftime lead.

Sarkisian took up for his quarterback and credited his ‘gutty performance’ while playing on an injured ankle. Sarkisian described Ewers’ turnovers as ‘bad-luck plays,’ and, to his credit, Ewers provided several big completions and multiple long runs while Texas established a commanding lead.

As for the turnovers, Ewers threw a pick-six while under duress from a blitz. That revived an Aggies crowd that had fallen silent while Texas threatened to turn this into a blowout.

As Aggies fans waved their white towels and raised their voices, the stadium shook, and the tension mounted.

A Ewers fumble ended Texas’ next drive. Next, A&M blocked a punt, and, in a blink, the Aggies were in the red zone, on the verge of turning this into a one-possession game.

Burke had another idea. His tackle for loss extinguished the rally.

Shortly after that, Texas fans began chanting, ‘SEC! SEC! SEC!’

Texas belongs to the Longhorns. With one more victory, the SEC will be theirs, too.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.

“Miller time.”

It’s a nickname Keith Miller III wanted to be called.

His teammates, like Christian Gonzalez, would mess with Miller about it. They didn’t want to use it, they said.

“We all did anyway,” says Gonzalez, a second-year cornerback on the New England Patriots, “because we were like, ‘Okay, that is a pretty cool nickname.’ ”

Everyone just seemed to gravitate toward Miller. Gonzalez remembers him as the loudest person in the room, the one always smiling and cracking jokes.

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

“He’s just one of those guys that everybody had so much love for,” Gonzalez tells USA TODAY Sports.

The two former Texas high school teammates are captured in one of those moments on a cleat Gonzalez is wearing Sunday when the Patriots host the Indianapolis Colts.

“We used to do this little jumping celebration, it was like shooting-a-basketball kind of thing,” Gonzalez says. “It’s one of my favorite pictures of us.”

Gonzalez is participating in the NFL’s “My Cause My Cleats,” an initiative in which more than 1,400 current and former players as well as coaches and staff will spotlight during Weeks 13 and 14 an issue and organization that are important to them.

Mental health awareness, the cause Gonzalez chose, will be heavily represented. It’s one about which the American Academy of Pediatrics declared “a national state of emergency” a few years ago for children and adolescents.

It reached Gonzalez last spring when Miller died after struggling with his mental health.

“As a friend, you try your best to always stay in contact and when things happen, then you always feel like, ‘Oh, I should have done more. I should have done this,’ Gonzalez says. “But at the end of the day, you did as much as you could do.”

He is doing more through KyleCares, which supports high school and college students in New England by promoting “non-judgemental” and “empathetic’ environments to promote positive mental health.

Gonzalez has met with kids himself, and he’s collaborating on efforts to promote the organization’s message with its founders, Sue and Jim Johnson, who lost their 19-year-old son, Kyle, to suicide in 2018.

Gonzalez talked with USA TODAY Sports about it and how youth and adolescent athletes can take care of their mental health and find confidence to seek out help for it.

We feed off good competition, but we can always be good teammates

Gonzalez’s father, Hector, played basketball at Texas-El Paso in the early to mid-1990s, and then semiprofessionally in his native Colombia.

He was hard on his kids, his son remembers, but not too hard.

“He supported us, he pushed us,” Gonzalez says. ‘Just wanted us to be our best, whatever we chose.”

Gonzalez says his father and mother, Temple, who is from the Dallas area, where the family settled, never forced a sport on their kids. His older sisters, Melissa and Samantha, chose track and field, and were collegiate all-Americans at Division 1 schools (Melissa at Texas, Samantha at Miami).

“I learned so much from them, even though we played two different sports,’ Gonzalez says. “At the end of the day, there’s still a competitiveness you learn. Anything we did was competitive. We would play cards, and we would get into it. That’s just how our family is, and you even see it in my little sister (Lily); she’s only 12, just in seventh, grade. And whenever I’m back home and we’re playing games, she’s just as competitive as all of us. She always wants to win.”

There was something else about the family that helped give him an edge: It was everyone knowing when to pull back and offer support. It’s the way his relationship with Miller worked, too.

Gonzalez and Miller met in Little League football played against each from about the age of seven until 12. Facing off helped fuel a friendship.

They stayed in touch through different middle schools and two years of high school. Then Gonzalez transferred to The Colony (Texas) High and they became teammates.

“We were always together, always laughing,” he says.

He has learned through their personal tragedy that we can check on the ones we care about even in what seem like the best of times.

“It’s much easier said than done for somebody, if you’re feeling some type of way, to reach out,” he says. “But I think it’s as simple as talking to somebody, just seeing somebody in high school and middle school, asking how someone’s doing, and actually caring, not just asking about, ‘How’s your day’ because that’s what you’re supposed to do.

“Talk to somebody because you never know what somebody’s going through or what somebody’s thinking. … That person can be like, ‘Okay, I can talk to this person. I can rely on them. They’ll be there for me when I need something.’ So I think a small a thing as that kind of goes a very long way.”

COACH STEVE: A college coach’s tragedy teaches us to see kids’ mental health anxiety

There’s a stigma that goes along with mental health issues. But we can control whether or not it exists.

Kids face unprecedented challenges in the pressure they constantly feel to succeed. When they do well, and when they don’t do well, reminders are all around them in likes, posts and reposts.

According to data from 2013 to 2023 contained on the Centers for Disease Control’s most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 40% of high school students felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for at least two weeks in a row that they stopped doing their usual activities.

When Gonzalez met with students and athletes at North Attleboro (Massachusetts) High School in May — an event called “Be Kind to Your Mind” that was part of Mental Health Awareness Month — he saw how talking openly about how they feel can give kids strength.

“There’s still a stigma, definitely, in high school,” Gonzalez says. “It was a great opportunity, I hope, that can empower other high school kids and middle school kids to talk about it.”

Another of his conversations that day came with Jim Johnson, Kyle’s father, who told him about why he started his foundation.

According to KyleCares, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among 15 to 24 year olds.

Kyle Johnson’s family writes on their website that they feel “a strong responsibly to tell his story with candor and honestly. … He encouraged others who struggled with mental illness to seek help and recover; to never stop fighting the disease, and to never feel ashamed for having to admit they need assistance.”

COACH STEVE: Treating athletes’ mental health the same as physical health can save lives

Know that you are never alone

Gonzalez, 22, says he didn’t pay much attention to mental health when he was growing up. But when he was a senior in high school, he went on spring break and never went back. COVID took away his senior year events, too.

“Once I got to college and was on my own the first time it was kind of like, ‘OK, now this is when I’m kind of starting to think about it and understanding it,’” he says. “Being on your own and mental health comes with being a college athlete and being away, having so much pressure and doing all that. So that’s kind of when I started learning about it and paying attention to my mental health.”

The pandemic canceled his freshman season at Colorado, and he found himself at home and not playing football for the first time since he was five.

He had a lot of time to himself and to try and understand the way he was feeling. He also had his parents and sisters around him with whom he could talk.

“I’m a real big family guy, so I know not everybody has the family structure, the family life that I do,” he says. “I’ve been blessed that my parents are still together. Have two older sisters, a younger sister. I have a lot of people in my corner to be able to talk to. So I would just talk to them and spend time with them.”

The NFL also has a mental health clinician to talk to at team facilities at least 8-12 hours per week. Gonzalez also learned to lean on his teammates.

“You come to work with these guys every day, so you build relationships, and if you need to reach out and talk to them, there’s a lot of older guys on the team that have been through a lot more, have seen a lot more in life, so being able to reach out to them definitely helps if you need it,” he says.

If you feel you are struggling with your mental health, reach out to your family or your team. You can also reach out to counselor at your school or ask your parents about getting psychotherapy.

One of goals of KyleCares, and of Gonzalez, is to help you feel you can do all of this “without shame or hesitation.”

“Just from like a change of seven, eight months to a year, professional sports and college athletes (are) prioritizing mental health and actually speaking about it,” he says.

‘Find time for yourself’: Have a stress reducer that’s not your sport

Finding positive people — ones “that will look out for you just as much as you look out for yourself,” Gonzalez says — is also a way to help us succeed as athletes.

But we also need time for ourselves. Growing up playing football, Gonzalez says he made sure to spend moments — a couple of hours a day if you have it — talking with his family or engaging in a hobby outside of his sport.

“If you do your sport 24/7, all the time, I feel like you’re gonna burn out,” he says. “You gotta have a work and life balance.”

It’s advice sports medicine physician Jennifer King, the section chief of Pediatric Sports Medicine at Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu, gives to her patients.

“There’s always a risk of injury,” she tells USA TODAY Sports. “They’re not in their sport again. And then what is their stress reduction tactic at that point? We really try to encourage them to practice something, because if you try to do a stress reduction technique when you’re stressed for the first time, it’s not going to work. It’s gonna to make you more stressed.

“I want you to have something else that you can go to, and you only need to practice it for a few minutes a day, and that can be your go to for whenever your stress levels start to get high, because I expect everyone to have some anxiety at some point, because it’s normal.”

Gonzalez mentioned playing video games or watching movies as tactics. Meditation apps such as Calm or Headspace, music and books can also work.

“Being able to find what brings you peace, I feel like that goes a very long way to help somebody get to the highest level,” Gonzalez says.

Gonzalez was a first-round draft pick in 2023 out of Oregon, where he transferred to after two seasons at Colorado, where he also played with Miller. Images of them from their high school days — and that celebration they had — are commemorated on two of the four sides of the cleats he is wearing Sunday.

So are the words “Kyle Cares” and “Mental Health Matters.”

“There’s a lot more people talking about it, but there’s also so much that it can grow and get even more attention,” Gonzalez says of mental health awareness.

One way is through the memory of his friend, who is mentioned by name on a side of a cleat, as is a message about the way he made everyone feel: “Miller Time 4L.’

It’s meaning?

“Miller Time for life,” Gonzalez says.

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 two high schoolers. His column is posted weekly. For his past columns, click here.

Add Florida and Florida State’s rivalry as the latest game to feature a fight in the final week of the college football season.

After the Gators dominated the Seminoles 31-11 on Saturday night in Doak Campbell Stadium, a fight between the teams broke out after a Florida player planted a Gators flag at midfield.

Here’s a look at the action, which involved a tense interaction between Gators coach Billy Napier and Seminoles coach Mike Norvell:

What happened in Florida-FSU fight?

A tense exchanged ensured after Florida players planted the flag on FSU’s midfield Seminole logo. The moment followed an earlier incidents Saturday, most notably when a Michigan player attempted to plant a Wolverines flag at midfield in Columbus, Ohio, after beating No. 2 Ohio State 13-10.

An NC State player also attempted to plant the flag against North Carolina on Saturday, which led to a skirmish. And an Arizona State player thrusted a pitchfork into midfield against Arizona, prompting another engagement.

The incident in Tallahassee led to pushing and shoving until being diffused as Napier and Norvell intervened. Norvell at one point grabbed the Florida flag and tossed it to the ground, after exchanging words with Napier.

“I told him what I thought,’ Norvell said. ‘They won the game. They have the right to celebrate, just like we have in the previous years. It was just the way that we operate. And that’s fine – you want to come and do that, that is absolutely a decision you can have within a team. I just told him what I thought.”

Florida players plant flag to end brutal FSU season

Frustrations have been at an all-time high for Florida State this season, thanks to a 2-10 season that marks one of their worst finishes in program history.

“I don’t need anything extra, but that’s not going to happen,’ Norvell told reporters afterward, after being asked whether it gave him additional motivation. ‘It’s not going to happen here and I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure we don’t experience that again.”

What Billy Napier said about Florida planting flag

It was Florida’s first win in the rivalry since 2021 and part of a strong finish to a season that started poorly. The Gators won three straight to end the regular season, including upsets of LSU and Ole Miss. Florida ran for 235 total yards with two touchdowns against FSU, as Napier defeated Florida State for the first time in his tenure.

Following the game, Napier said, ‘There would be consequences for all involved’ in the flag planting and apologized for the postgame incident.

‘It’s not who we want to be as a program, it’s embarrassing to me and it’s a distraction to a really well-played football game,’ Napier said. ‘… We shouldn’t have done that, and we won’t do that going forward, and there will be consequences for all involved.’

The WarGames have taken place, so who emerged the victors?

Held every year since 1987, WWE Survivor Series was held on Saturday and headlined by the match stipulation that has become synonymous with the event. There were two WarGames matches, including the highly-anticipated battle between the new Bloodline vs. old Bloodline, and the next chapter in the rivalry was established. Three championships were also on the line, and one did change hands in an emphatic way. It was the final main event premium live event of the year, and it helped set the stage of what could comes as 2025 and the road to WrestleMania approaches.

Men’s WarGames match: OG Bloodline vs. New Bloodline

Jey Uso and Tama Tonga started the war, and with The New Bloodline having the advantage in the match, Bronson Reed was the first one to come from the cage and he went straight to brutalizing Uso. It was stopped when Jimmy Uso came in and the Usos showed they haven’t missed a beat as one of the tag teams in WWE history. Jacob Fatu emerged from the cage and showed off what makes him such a terrorizing figure in wrestling. He got up from any move the Usos delivered, and he used his mixture of power and athleticism in a match that was made for him.

In the midst of the match, there was clear friction between CM Punk and Roman Reigns. Reigns had Sami Zayn go into the match instead of Punk, and when Reigns made his way out of the cage, Punk cut him off and clearly frustrated the ‘Tribal Chief.’

Once Solo Sikoa entered and The New Bloodline was all in, they terrorized everyone else in the rings before Reigns could enter. But Sikoa wouldn’t let it happen by locking the door. Reigns couldn’t get in, so he decided to climb the cage and wouldn’t let anyone stop him from entering the match. And he did it emphatically by leaping off the turnbuckle and taking out all of The New Bloodline. Everyone got back up on their feet, with Paul Heyman coming out to advise Punk and Reigns, and the match was officially on.

The first big moment when everyone was in the ring was Reigns inadvertently delivering a spear to Punk after Sikoa dodged the move. Shortly after, Fatu tried to take advantage of the offense but hurt his knee when he came off the turnbuckle.

Reed tried to steal the show by delivering a tsunami off the top of the cage onto Reigns, but there was clearly some teamwork; Punk grabbed Reigns and saved him from the attack while Reed went right through the table. Reigns recognized the move, and put his hand out for Punk to show they were in fact on the same team.

It was then a finisher flurry, which included the Usos going old school by bringing back the 1D on Fatu. Jimmy Uso then reached to the top of the cage and delivered an Uso splash onto Fatu in a classic WarGames spot.

With all of The New Bloodline down, Sikoa found himself standing alone with the entire OG Bloodline ready to attack like a pack of wolves. Sikoa got three super kicks from the Usos, a helluva kick by Zayn, a Go To Sleep from Punk and a spear from Reigns to brutally beat Sikoa, get the win and get the OG Bloodline on top.

Analysis: Another classic in The Bloodline is delivered.

The war going on with The Bloodline had been leading to this night for months and it finally culminated with a major match that delivered in all phases. There were questions as to whether the addition of Reed and Punk would water-down the main event, but they actually provided much more substance into the bout and did their jobs in bringing the hype. The match showed the best within The Bloodline, from Fatu’s explosiveness, the Usos showing how good they are together and the star-power between Reigns and even Sikoa.

Having Sikoa take all the finishers was a powerful moment, showing how much the old Bloodline clearly dislikes the new man with the ula fala. It was questionable as to why Reigns didn’t decide to grab it considering the new group went down, but clearly there are future battles between the two self-proclaimed heads of the table. But we also can’t forgot the favor Heyman owes to CM Punk, which he reminded the world of leaving the ring.

While the match was great, lots of people are likely disappointed there was no surprise return of The Rock or someone else, or a turn on Reigns. It will leave a sour taste in some people, but it shouldn’t take away from the stellar main event match.

CM Punk angers The New Bloodline

In case you’re wondering if CM Punk is invested in the WarGames match, he let the whole world know he’s ready for a big battle. He made his entrance and went to stir the pot with his opponents.

The Bloodline gives their introductions

In ‘Sunday Night Football fashion,’ each member of The Bloodline recorded their own introduction ahead of their main event WarGames match, with some hilarious ‘schools’ each star comes from.

World Heavyweight Championship match: Gunther (c) vs. Damian Priest

Damian Preist had pointed out Gunther hasn’t been the same dominant superstar he was, and Priest went out to prove it early by taking an early advantage against the champion. The early stages consisted of Preist frustrating Gunther in sequence-after-sequence.

Clearly frustrated, Gunther decided enough was enough and went on the full assault on Priest. He mixed some of the brutal shots and his skilled technical game to put a strong grip on the match. Still, Priest was able to get out of it and matched Gunther’s game with some loud chops to the chest. 

Priest got Gunther into a triangle choke that Gunther was able to get off of, and the champion went right into the sleeper hold. When Priest got out of it, Gunther used the power bomb that had put away so many people before. However, Priest kicked out, something he continued to do each time Gunther tried to put him away.

After Priest ended up on the floor outside of the ring and Gunther was inside, Finn Balor came out and landed a stomp on Priest while the referee wasn’t looking.

Gunther took advantage by first delivering a punishing kick to the Balor before he brought Priest into the ring for a powerbomb and then finished it off with a sleeper hold. Priest was knocked out, and the referee ended the match with the champion as the victor.

Analysis: Damian Priest is becoming a big-time star as the weeks go, but he still has his past to deal with before he comes back into the title picture.

Priest did a great job of exposing the cracks in Gunther’s game and showing that he is capable of taking him down in the future. Yet Finn Balor is still creeping and taking any chance he can to ruin the career of his former friend of The Judgment Day. It’s gotten a bit boring, but clearly it needs to be settled at some point in the future.

While Gunther won’t be pleased that his win had to be by interference, but he’s still a solid choice to be world champion. With Priest likely to go back to focusing on Balor, it’s unclear who will be the next challenger, but Gunther needs to make sure he dominates after a shaky streak of performance.

Triple threat match for Intercontinental Championship: Bron Breakker (c) vs. Sheamus vs. Ludwig Kaiser

Even though it’s a triple threat match, Bron Breakker and Sheamus shared a common distaste for Ludwig Kaiser and Gunther’s right-hand man understood to get out of the way. Even when he tried to get in the match, the other two competitors ganged up on him.

Breakker appeared to be going for his signature running spear outside of the ring, but Kaiser caught him in the middle of it to stop it. Kaiser then did his own running knee to Sheamus on the steel steps for the brutal hit. Don’t worry, Breakker made sure to get involved with a vicious hit. He later jumped from the apron of the ring to the table to take out the challengers in another amazing display of athleticism. Sheamus was able to play some offense with some of his chops outside of the ring. Kaiser tried to use a shillelagh to stop the momentum, but it ended up being used on him.

It was then Sheamus and Breakker battling it out in the ring, and Sheamus avoided a spear and landed the Brogue kick. He was headed straight for a win, but Kaiser pulled the referee out of the ring before he could count to three. In disbelief, Sheamus tried to attack Kaiser but the shillelagh was used.

Kaiser was closing in on a victory before he forgot how explosive Breakker is. The champion landed a spear to take him out, and then hit another spear on Sheamus to get the pin and retain.

Analysis: When Sheamus is involved, just know it’s going to be a banger.

Each competitor got the chance to play toward their style, but Breakker remains on top and continues his rise on the main roster. It didn’t feel like Sheamus or Kaiser would be able to pull off a win, but the near pin Sheamus had got the whole crowd ready to crown another new champion.

It’s tough to see Sheamus fall just short of winning his first Intercontinental title, but stripping it away from Breakker quickly once more made no sense. It’s highly unlikely both stars are going to continue to chase Breakker for the championship, and it should be Sheamus that continues his pursuit of it.

United States Championship match: LA Knight (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

It was Shinsuke Nakamura’s first televised match in some time, yet the ‘King of Strong Style’ showcased the abilities that makes him such a talented performer. He presented a unique challenge to the champion, but LA Knight didn’t back down from it.

Neither star could really generate much momentum throughout the first half of the match because of so many counters. Understanding how quickly the tide was shifting, there were pinfall attempts to try and sneak a victory, only for them to be unsuccessful. LA Knight looked to be closing in on a victory, but the veteran Nakamura used the unique situation of the two rings to his advantage by dropping the champion’s head on the steel plate in between the rings.

The hit shook LA Knight, and Nakamura executed a Kinshasa to the back of his head to officially wrap it up. He got the pin and is the new United States Champion.

Analysis: The ‘King of Strong Style’ is back.

The first surprise of the night comes with the returning Nakamura reclaiming some hardware in his return to the ring. As much of a shock it is, you have to appreciate Nakamura is back to being a champion. He has been on the wrong end of so many moments throughout his WWE career, and it’s nice to see him get a big-time victory.

Nakamura’s new persona is still a mystery, but represents a whole new dark side that we haven’t seen much of during his time with WWE. It’s one thing for him to be frightening presence, but it’s a whole other thing for him to be a frightening champion. Now the mid-card division has to deal with a sinister presence.

As for LA Knight, it’s a tough ending for a man that was bringing back relevance to the United States title. He made good with the time he had as champion after spending so long trying to get his first, but it ended rather abruptly after just three months with the gold. It won’t be surprising for him to chase the title back, or perhaps be next in line for a world title shot.

Women’s WarGames match: Team Liv vs. Team Rhea

It was Nia Jax and Bayley that started off the night, and the longtime foes wasted no time going after each other even though the match was far from over. Bayley took off her shoulder sleeve and used it as a weapon, only for Jax to turn it around and use it to her own advantage. 

Since Team Rhea has the advantage, the birthday girl Naomi was the first person out of the cage, and she brought a kendo stick into the fold. Then there was a toilet lid Naomi hilariously used on the WWE Women’s Champion. 

The tide changed as each competitor from each side came in, alongside new weapons to bring the mayhem. Liv Morgan was the final star to enter, and Rhea Ripley stood tall and awaited her rival. The Women’s World Champion looked frightened to enter, and she was headed back to the locker room, only to come out with a bat. By the time she got in, Morgan’s teammates helped her by holding her down while Morgan took a few swings at Ripley’s midsection.  

Once everyone got back on their feet, Iyo Sky and Tiffany Stratton climbed on top of the cage on opposite sides. Sky, with her signature trash can, did a backflip and took people out, while Stratton did her own flip on the other ring.

With the carnage there, Stratton reached into a trash can and revealed she had her Money in the Bank contract, looking to cash in on her teammates. She got distracted, and Sky used a fire extinguisher to stop the threat, while Raquel Rodriguez got handcuffed to the ropes. 

Jax had Bianca Belair and Naomi on the table ready to drop an Annihilat-her, but the two stars reversed it and sent the champion through the table. 

As expected, it came down to Morgan and Ripley, and Ripley ended it in dramatic fashion. She took Morgan up the turnbuckle, used the Riptide and sent the champion through the table and got the pin for the win.

Analysis: What a start to the night with another amazing showing in the women’s WarGames match. There wasn’t much storyline other than Morgan and Ripley, but every star got their chance to shine with dramatic, brutal spots.

Like she has done before, Sky stole the show with her leap off the top of the cage and she continuously showed why she is one of the best performers on the roster. It’s these showings that will start the campaign to make her a champion once more.

It was fitting for the match to end between Ripley and Morgan, and Ripley’s emphatic finish adds another element to the long-running rivalry. Expect a championship match in the coming months, perhaps as early as Saturday Night’s Main Event.

When is Survivor Series: WarGames 2024?

Survivor Series: WarGames 2024 is Saturday, Nov. 30 at 6 p.m. ET.

Where is Survivor Series: WarGames 2024?

Survivor Series: WarGames 2024 will take place at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada. It will be the first premium live event to take place in Vancouver since 1998.

How to watch Survivor Series: WarGames 2024: TV channel, streaming

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.

Is there a Survivor Series: WarGames 2024 preshow?

Yes. The preshow for Survivor Series: WarGames will begin at 4 p.m. ET and will air on Peacock, WWE’s YouTube and social media accounts.

Survivor Series: WarGames 2024 match card

Matches not in order

Men’s WarGames match: Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn and CM Punk vs. Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Jacob Fatu and Bronson Reed.
Women’s WarGames match: Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Nia Jax, Tiffany Stratton and Candice LeRae vs. Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, Naomi, Iyo Sky and Bayley.
World Heavyweight Championship match: Gunther (c) vs. Damian Priest.
Triple threat match for Intercontinental Championship: Bron Breakker (c) vs. Sheamus vs. Ludwig Kaiser.
United States Championship match: LA Knight (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura.

Jordan Mendoza Survivor Series: WarGames 2024 predictions

Men’s WarGames match: What more surprises are in store for the next chapter of The Bloodline? The formation of the OG Bloodline made it appear as if they’d cruise to victory, but the addition of CM Punk and return of Paul Heyman complicates things. However, OG Bloodline stands tall, but don’t be shocked if something happens afterward. Winner: OG Bloodline
Women’s WarGames match: It’s really Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. As much as Ripley will want to unleash a brutal assault against them, her focus costs her team as Team Live sneaks by with a victory. Winner: Team Liv.
Gunther (c) vs. Damian Priest: Damian Priest has been on a heater recently and this won’t be near the same matchup as the SummerSlam one. While he continues to reach superstar-levels, Gunther’s reign won’t end this quickly. Winner: Gunther.
Bron Breakker (c) vs. Sheamus vs. Ludwig Kaiser: This match has the opportunity to steal the show with the absolute talent each person possesses. Ludwig Kaiser would compliment Gunther if he were to win, but the chaos of a triple threat favors the champion. Winner: Bron Breakker.
LA Knight (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura: It’s been a mysterious return for Shinsuke Nakamura. The new personality is great, yet he hasn’t actually had a match in a long time. Nakamura does have the potential to take the title away, this is just too soon. Winner: LA Knight.

James H. Williams Survivor Series: WarGames 2024 predictions

Men’s WarGames match: It will be interesting to see how the OG Bloodline can come together and overcome the differences they’ve had in recent years. The New Bloodline has come together fairly well in recent months which should serve as an advantage. The additions of CM Punk and Bronson Reed make for interesting additions to the match but may not have a dramatic impact on the ending result. Winner: The New Bloodline
Women’s WarGames match: Rhea Ripley has the star power on her team but her downfall could be the desire to get her hands on Liv Morgan and not the match itself. Also, keep an eye out for Nia Jax to be dominant. Winner: Team Liv
Gunther (c) vs. Damian Priest: Gunther will continue to look strong and push toward WrestleMania as the champion despite a solid outing from Priest. Winner: Gunther
Bron Breakker (c) vs. Sheamus vs. Ludwig Kaiser: There’s an opportunity for Ludwig Kaiser to have a breakout performance and raise his stock as a promising star but it will be Breakker who retains the title. Winner: Bron Breakker
LA Knight (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura: LA Knight has held the championship since August but could see the reign end against the returning Nakamura. A loss for Knight could provide him with options to enter the heavyweight championship scene or give chase to Nakamura. Winner: Nakamura

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. Two 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.

Survivor Series history

Survivor Series is the second-longest running pay-per-view in WWE behind WrestleMania. The event first took place in 1987 at the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio. 

While most premium live events typically have a championship match as the main event, Survivor Series has been known for having tag team matches headlining the event. Often five-on-five elimination tag team matches, there have been matches that include stars forming teams or brand matchups like Raw vs. SmackDown.

Survivor Series started using the WarGames matches in 2022 after it was first used in NXT. This year’s event will mark the fifth and sixth WarGames matches to take place in Survivor Series history.

The Bloodline reaches a new chapter

The OG Bloodline is back and ready to take on the new iteration as Roman Reigns tries to retake the title of Tribal Chief away from Solo Sikoa. Reigns was reunited with Jimmy Uso at Bad Blood, and after weeks of pleading, the duo finally got the other Uso, Jey, to rejoin the group. The original trio then added Sami Zayn, who was part of the group in late 2022 and was a successful member. 

The new Bloodline of Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and Jacob Fatu added the needed fifth member of the match in Bronson Reed. Needing another member, the OG Bloodline got the return of Paul Heyman a week before Survivor Series, who revealed CM Punk would be the fifth person on the team. 

Saturday night’s match may finally determine who is the real Tribal Chief, but the feud between the two sides is far from over and will likely continue into the new year.

Will The Rock return?

Is The Rock coming back?

After months away from WWE, The Rock appeared at the end of Bad Blood in October, eyeing down Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns. It is unclear why he was there, but it likely showed he is watching what is happening unfold between The Bloodline, and it’s only a matter of time before he gets involved. 

There have been no confirmed reports of The Rock returning, but don’t turn off the stream even after the final match ends. 

Shinsuke Nakamura debuted his new theme song

Roman Reigns and CM Punk still at odds

Paul Heyman returned to reunite with Roman Reigns and the OG Bloodline. With the family needing another partner for the WarGames match, Heyman reached out to an old friend in CM Punk to help bolster their chances against the New Bloodline.

Naomi will participate on birthday

Naomi will compete in the Women’s WarGames match tonight on her 37th birthday. She received social media shoutouts from fans and wrestlers, including her partner Bayley.

Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser ready for Survivor Series

The two superstars spoke with backstage correspondent Cathy Kelly before their respective championship matches at Survivor Series.

Vancouver wants WrestleMania

Vancouver serves as the host for Survivor Series tonight but the fans in the Canadian city would like to see WWE’s biggest event in their area next.

Women’s WarGames match will kick off Survivor Series

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After a decade in the wilderness, the Los Angeles Galaxy — Major League Soccer’s original super club — are finally back in the MLS Cup final.

The Galaxy advanced to their first MLS Cup since 2014 with a hard-fought 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders, who were one of the dominant teams in the league during the Galaxy’s title game drought. It was Dejan Joveljic who finally struck the back of the net for the Galaxy in the 85th minute, sneaking a shot past the Sounders’ veteran goalkeeper, Stefan Frei.

The Galaxy will host MLS Cup at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday, Dec. 7 (4 p.m. ET on FOX and Apple TV). Their opponent will be the New York Red Bulls, who are a surprise finalist after winning the Eastern Conference as a No. 7 seed.

The Red Bulls defeated Orlando City SC, 1-0, in the Eastern Conference final on a goal by Andres Reyes and third clean sheet during these MLS Cup Playoffs from goalkeeper Carlos Coronel.

MLS Cup will be held exactly 10 years to the day after the Galaxy’s last championship win, a 2-1 extra time win over the New England Revolution. Like the 2014 MLS Cup, the 2024 edition will be a matchup of O.G. MLS clubs that have been around since the league’s inaugural season in 1996.

LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders highlights

The LA Galaxy will play in their first MLS Cup since 2014 after a 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference final.

Dejan Joveljic finally nets breakthrough goal: Galaxy 1, Sounders 0

Dejan Joveljic might have just punched the Galaxy’s ticket to MLS Cup. His 85th minute goal snuck past Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei. Now, the Galaxy have five minutes (plus stoppage time), to maintain the lead the advance to the team’s first MLS Cup final in a decade.

Raúl Ruidíaz enters the game for Seattle: Galaxy 0, Sounders 0

Raúl Ruidíaz, the Sounders’ all-time leading goal-scorer, has been subbed into the game with 10 minutes to go (plus stoppage time … and maybe extra time). Pedro de la Vega, who was carrying a yellow card, was subbed out.

Nouhou earns yellow card: Galaxy 0, Sounders 0

Nouhou became the third Sounders player to see yellow with a foul in the 74th minute.

Riqui Puig and Albert Rusnák both down on field: Galaxy 0, Sounders 0

Key playmakers for each team were attended to by trainers in the 68th minute. The Sounders were forced to sub out Albert Rusnak for João Paulo. Riqui Puig, meanwhile, returned to the field for the Galaxy.

Cristian Roldan also shown a yellow card: Galaxy 0, Sounders 0

Cristian Roldan earned the Sounders’ second yellow card six minutes after Pedro de la Vega earned his. Roldan fouled Riqui Puig to earn the infraction.

First yellow card of match goes to Pedro de la Vega: Galaxy 0, Sounders 0

Pedro de la Vega’s foul on Edwin Cerrillo earned the Sounders designated player a yellow card, the first of the Western Conference final.

Marky Delgado immediately has chance on goal: Galaxy 0, Sounders 0

A mistake by Sounders defender Nouhou nearly cost Seattle dearly, as Marky Delgado made an immediate impact on the game and attempted a shot in the 47th minute. His kick sailed over the goal, but it was a positive sign for Galaxy coach Greg Vanney that he made the right call taking Marco Reus out for Delgado.

Galaxy make substitution to start second half

Marco Reus, a veteran of the German national team and longtime Borussia Dortmund star, has been subbed out of the game in favor of Marky Delgado.

It’s a like-for-like swap, positionally, as both players are midfielders.

Red Bulls celebrate their MLS Cup berth

It’s halftime in Los Angeles, so let’s check in on the New York Red Bulls and how they are celebrating their win in the Eastern Conference final.

It’s been 16 years since the New York Red Bulls last advanced to MLS Cup, so let them have their fun!

Halftime: Galaxy 0, Sounders 0

Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer has to be happy with the way his team has performed so far on the road at Dignity Healthy Sports Park deep in the heart of Carson, California.

Seattle has held the high-flying Galaxy — who scored an astonishing 15 goals in their previous three playoff games — scoreless. Sure, goalkeeper Stefan Frei and his last line of defense was pressed into action during a frantic few minutes during which the Galaxy seemed to be in total control. The Sounders managed that threat well, and ended the half putting the Galaxy on their back foot.

While the Galaxy enjoyed a 53% possession advantage, the Sounders had more shots on goal (three to the Galaxy’s two) and also had five corner kicks. The Sounders might be kicking themselves for not taking advantage of those, however, especially if Galaxy coach Greg Vanney can figure out how to get his ‘Killer Ps’ — Joseph Paintsil, Gabriel Pec and Riqui Puig — running free in open space.

Albert Rusnak free kick saved by John McCarthy: Galaxy 0, Sounders 0

In the 40th minute, Albert Rusnak — after a foul by the Galaxy’s Miki Yamane — attempted a shot on goal on a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box. It was a real threat to the Galaxy goal, but ‘keeper John McCarthy made a crucial save.

The ensuing corner kick by Rusnak eventually landed to the feet of Obed Vargas, whose shot on goal was saved by McCarthy.

Jordan Morris called offside on Seattle chance: Galaxy 0, Sounders 0

In the 35th minute, the Sounders’ speedy Jordan Morris ran a seam route through the Galaxy defense, collected the long pass and made a shot on goal that Galaxy ‘keeper John McCarthy made a save on.

Only problem, none of it mattered in the end as Morris was ruled offside by the assistant referee.

This sequence followed a seven-minute span in which the Sounders had three corner kicks, but none of Albert Rusnak’s kicks were a threat to the Galaxy defense.

Stefan Frei makes diving save: Galaxy 0, Sounders 0

Stefen Frei, the Sounders’ veteran goalkeeper, was pressed into action in the 19th minute. Frei made a diving save on a shot attempt by the Galaxy’s Dejan Joveljic.

The Galaxy have had the better of the goal-scoring opportunities so far at raucous Dignity Health Sports Park.

Sounders thwart counter attack: Galaxy 0, Sounders 0

After Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy halted a Sounders threat, the Galaxy were on the run against a retreating Sounders defensive position and managed a shot of their own, but Gabriel Pec’s shot was blocked and play calmed down after a frantic couple of minutes.

New York Red Bulls vs. Orlando City highlights

The New York Red Bulls advanced to their first MLS Cup since 2008 with a 1-0 win in the Eastern Conference final in Orlando.

LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders playoff history

The Galaxy hold a 3-1 edge over the Sounders in playoff matchups:

2015 knockout round: Seattle Sounders over LA Galaxy, 3-2
2014 conference final: LA Galaxy over Seattle Sounders, 2-2 on aggregate (Galaxy advance on away-goal tiebreaker)
2012 conference final: LA Galaxy over Seattle Sounders, 4-2 on aggregate
2010 conference semifinals: LA Galaxy over Seattle Sounders, 3-1 on aggregate

LA Galaxy trophy case

2014 MLS Cup
2012 MLS Cup
2011 MLS Cup
2011 Supporters’ Shield
2010 Supporters’ Shield
2005 MLS Cup
2005 U.S. Open Cup
2002 MLS Cup
2002 Supporters’ Shield
2001 U.S. Open Cup
2000 CONCACAF Champions Cup
1998 Supporters’ Shield

Seattle Sounders FC trophy case

2022 CONCACAF Champions League
2019 MLS Cup
2016 MLS Cup
2014 Supporters’ Shield
2014 U.S. Open Cup
2011 U.S. Open Cup
2010 U.S. Open Cup
2009 U.S. Open Cup

LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders starting lineups

Goal! Andrés Reyes scores header: New York Red Bulls 1, Orlando City 0

The second half is underway, and we didn’t have to wait long for some action. Andrés Reyes scored a header from the left side of the box after a corner kick to give the Red Bulls a 1-0 lead in the 47th minute. 

Emil Forsberg’s free-kick just wide: Orlando City 0, Red Bulls 0

The Red Bulls’ first early chance of the night, a free kick by Emil Forsberg, barely missed. 

Carlos Coronel blocks Facundo Torres shot: Orlando City 0, Red Bulls 0

One of the best chances of the night for Orlando City, an open shot by Facundo Torres, was blocked by New York Red Bull goalie Carlos Coronel in the 32nd minute. 

How to watch Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls playoff game on TV?

The Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls game will stream on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls starting lineups

Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls betting odds

According to BetMGM, here are the odds after regulation: Orlando City (-120), New York Red Bulls (+310), tie (+260). The over/under is set at 2.5 goals.

Orlando City SC key facts

Orlando City has reached the postseason in each of coach Óscar Pareja’s five seasons, but this is the club’s first appearance in the Eastern Conference final. The club hopes to win its second trophy in franchise history, after winning the 2022 U.S. Open Cup. Orlando City beat Atlanta United in the second round after advancing past Charlotte FC in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs.

New York Red Bulls key facts

The New York Red Bulls have reached the MLS Cup final only once (in 2008), and have reached the MLS Cup playoffs in 15 consecutive seasons. They have won three Supporters’ Shield titles, but the MLS Cup has eluded the franchise. After upsetting the defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew in Round 1, the Red Bulls took out their Hudson River Derby rival, New York City FC, in the conference semifinals.

How to watch L.A. Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders playoff game on TV?

The LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders game will stream on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

LA Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders betting odds

According to BetMGM, here are the odds after regulation: LA Galaxy (-115), Seattle Sounders (+280), tie (+260). The over/under is set at 2.5 goals.

LA Galaxy key facts

No club has hoisted more MLS Cup trophies than the Galaxy, who have won five league titles. Their last, however, was in 2014. The Galaxy have scored a record 15 goals in three playoff games, beating Minnesota 6-2 in the semifinals after cruising past Colorado in the first round.  

Seattle Sounders FC key facts

Seattle hopes to win its third MLS Cup title (2016 and 2019). It overcame a 10-game unbeaten streak against LAFC to beat the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference 2-1 in the conference semifinals last week. The Sounders owned the league’s top defense, allowing just 35 goals during the regular season.

MLS league winner odds

According to BetMGM, here are the odds for winning the league championship: Los Angeles Galaxy (+135), Orlando City SC (+175), Seattle Sounders FC (+400) and New York Red Bulls (+500).

When is MLS Cup 2024?

The winners of this weekend’s conference final games will play in MLS Cup on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. ET (on FOX and Apple TV).

Who will host MLS Cup final?

The Western Conference teams finished higher in the standings than the remaining Eastern Conference teams. So, the winner between L.A. Galaxy and Seattle will host either Orlando or New York Red Bulls in the MLS Cup final.

Which teams have won the most MLS Cups?

Los Angeles Galaxy: 5
D.C. United: 4
Columbus Crew: 3
Houston Dynamo: 2
Seattle Sounders FC: 2
Sporting Kansas City: 2
San Jose Earthquakes: 2

MLS CUP: Ranking every Major League Soccer championship game

MLS Cup: Results of every championship game since 1996

2023: Columbus Crew over Los Angeles FC (Lower.com Field), 2-1
2022: Los Angeles FC over Philadelphia Union (Banc of California Stadium), 3-3 (LAFC won penalty shootout, 3-0)
2021: New York City FC over Portland Timbers (Providence Park), 1-1 (NYCFC won penalty shootout, 4-2)
2020: Columbus Crew over Seattle Sounders FC (Mapfre Stadium), 3-0
2019: Seattle Sounders FC over Toronto FC (CenturyLink Field), 3-1
2018: Atlanta United over Portland Timbers (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), 2-0
2017: Toronto FC over Seattle Sounders FC (BMO Field), 2-0
2016: Seattle Sounders FC over Toronto FC (BMO Field), 0-0 (Sounders won penalty shootout, 5-4)
2015: Portland Timbers over Columbus Crew (Mapfre Stadium), 2-1
2014: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution (StubHub Center), 2-1 (extra time)
2013: Sporting Kansas City over Real Salt Lake (Sporting Park), 1-1 (SKC won penalty shootout, 7-6)
2012: Los Angeles Galaxy over Houston Dynamo (Home Depot Center), 3-1
2011: Los Angeles Galaxy over Houston Dynamo (Home Depot Center), 1-0
2010: Colorado Rapids over FC Dallas (BMO Field), 2-1 (extra time)
2009: Real Salt Lake over Los Angeles Galaxy (Qwest Field), 1-1 (RSL won penalty shootout, 5-4)
2008: Columbus Crew over New York Red Bulls (Home Depot Center), 3-1
2007: Houston Dynamo over New England Revolution (RFK Stadium), 2-1
2006: Houston Dynamo over New England Revolution (Pizza Hut Park), 1-1 (Dynamo won penalty shootout, 4-3)
2005: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution (Pizza Hut Park), 1-0 (extra time)
2004: D.C. United over Kansas City Wizards (Home Depot Center), 3-2
2003: San Jose Earthquakes over Chicago Fire (Home Depot Center), 4-2
2002: Los Angeles Galaxy over New England Revolution (Gillette Stadium), 1-0 (extra time)
2001: San Jose Earthquakes over Los Angeles Galaxy (Crew Stadium), 2-1 (extra time)
2000: Kansas City Wizards over Chicago Fire (RFK Stadium), 1-0
1999: D.C. United over Los Angeles Galaxy (Foxboro Stadium), 2-0
1998: Chicago Fire over D.C. United (Rose Bowl), 2-0
1997: D.C. United over Colorado Rapids (RFK Stadium), 2-1
1996: D.C. United over Los Angeles Galaxy (Foxboro Stadium), 3-2 (extra time)

When you beat your hated rivals, especially for the fourth straight season, you get to say and do what you want, within reason and without breaking the law.

Michigan running back Kalel Mullings took that to heart on Saturday. The Wolverines, who entered the game against Ohio State as nearly three-touchdown underdogs, stunned the second-ranked Buckeyes 13-10 in Columbus.

Mullings did his part in the win, rushing for 116 yards on 32 carries and a touchdown. Mullings was asked about the brawl on the Fox broadcast immediately after the game: ‘It was such a great game and you hate to see stuff like that. It’s bad for the sport, it’s bad for college football.’

Then Mullings had a message for his Ohio state counterparts, with perhaps the quote of the year.

‘But at the end of the day, some people got to learn how to lose,’ Mullings said. ‘You can’t be fighting and stuff just because you lost the game. We had 60 minutes, we had four quarters to do all that fighting. Now people want to talk and fight. That’s wrong. Classless in my opinion. People got to do better.’

What happened in fight between Ohio State, Michigan players?

After the game, fights broke out between the teams in the middle of the field. The scuffle appeared to start after Michigan players danced and planted a blue-and-maize flag on Ohio State’s logo at midfield.

Pushing ensued and punches were thrown between Ohio State and Michigan players. At one point, Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore was carrying the team flag before Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer ripped it out of his opponent’s hand and tossed it on the turf.

A visibly upset Sawyer said, ‘They’re not (expletive) planting a flag on our (expletive) field again.’

Police intervened and officers lined up to form a human wall at the 50-yard line as the fight escalated, according to Brandon Marcello of CBS Sports.

Videos shared across social media showed sheriff officers dispensing pepper spray toward players from both teams as they were trying to separate them. Multiple players from Michigan, including linebacker Jason Hewlett and running back Tavierre Dunlap, were captured rinsing their eyes out with Gatorade bottles as they winced in pain.

Stephanie Otey, a sports reporter with 97.1 The Fan, said she was struck with pepper spray during the melee and shared a video of her red, watery eyes in the aftermath: ‘Cops came out and started pepper spraying everywhere. I got nailed in the eyes. I don’t know where it came from, but there was a lot of chaos.’

Otey was filming as she was hit by the pepper spray and repeatedly screamed, ‘I can’t see.’

Ohio State coach Ryan Day: ‘We’re embarrassed’

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said he’s not certain of all the details that led to the fight, but he did say it stemmed from Michigan players ‘looking to put a flag on our field and our guys weren’t going to let that happen.’

‘I’ll find out exactly what happened, but it’s our field,’ Day said after the game. ‘Certainly we’re embarrassed with the fact we lost the game, but there are some prideful guys that weren’t just going to let that down.”

The Wolverines now await their bowl assignment, while Ohio State needs help getting into the Big Ten championship.

This story was updated with new information.

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