JMU decided to insert themselves into the game during the first half by throwing snowballs at Troy’s Evan Crenshaw, who was forced to punt the ball from the end zone with 4:23 left in the first quarter. Crenshaw shanked the punt, just reaching the 34-yard line. The snowballs may have served as a distraction for Crenshaw, but no penalty was called. 

After expressing their concerns from the sidelines, James Madison’s athletic director, Matt Roan, had to ask the fans to stop.

“Officials and game management will throw a penalty,” Roan was seen saying on a microphone to the crowd. “Please stop throwing snow.”

A message also appeared on the video scoreboard that read: “Please be aware that the throwing of snowballs will result in immediate ejection from the game.”

James Madison managed to capitalize on the field position, kicking a field goal to take a 3-0 lead over Troy on a six-play, 11-yard drive.

Michael Jordan took the witness stand in the NASCAR antitrust trial Friday, Nov. 5.

His appearance lasted about an hour. While it is unlikely to be remembered as the most riveting 60 minutes of the case in federal court, it was at times both amusing and instructive, with Jordan providing some lighthearted moments but serious when addressing issues related to the case.

It was Jordan, the legendary basketball player, along with his co-owners of 23XI Racing and the owner of Front Row Motorsports that sued NASCAR. According to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports, Jordan said of filing the lawsuit, “As a fan of the sport, it needed to be looked at from a whole different perspective. That’s why we’re here.”

“Look, we saw the economics wasn’t really beneficial to the teams,” Jordan testified, according to the Associated Press. ‘The revenue split was far less than any business I’ve ever been a part of. We didn’t think we’d ever get to what basketball was getting, but we wanted to move in that direction,’ he said

The proceedings on Friday completed the first week of the trial, which is expected to last two weeks, according to the Associated Press.

Jordan cracks joke during testimony

Jordan probably needed no introduction, but that’s not how it works in court.

“My name is Michael Jeffrey Jordan, and I grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina,’ he said by way of introduction, according to The Athletic.

Danielle Williams, an attorney representing 23XI Racing, asked Jordan to run through his career, according to The Athletic, which reported that Jordan mentioned his time with the Chicago Bulls but not his two years with the Washington Wizards.

According to The Athletic, that led to the following exchange:

“Did you play for any other teams?” Williams asked.

“I try to forget, but I did,” Jordan cracked.

Facts, figures and feelings

Jordan owns 60 percent of 23XI Racing and said he has invested approximately $35 to $40 million that includes $28 million for a charter, according to The Athletic. The charter has expired because in 2024 the racing team refused to sign the latest agreement with NASCAR.

Jordan did not suggest he wants to destroy NASCAR.

“The thing I’m hoping for is you create more of a partnership between two entities,” he said, according to The Athletic. “If that’s the case, it becomes a more valuable business. If you can ever compromise on the things that matter, you can grow your business.”

But Jordan addressed the decision to file the lawsuit.

“Someone had to step forward and challenge the entity to understand that it is a real concern from our aspect,” Jordan testified, according to Adam Stern of the Sports Business Journal.

‘Just getting started’

Five years later, the team has three Cup Series cars and has contended with the most successful teams in NASCAR.

The team’s top drivers, Tyler Reddick and Wallace, have won 10 races for 23XI. Reddick has won seven and made the final four of the 2024 playoffs. Both Reddick and Wallace made the playoffs this season but were eliminated in the round of 12.

‘As far as I’m concerned, we’re just getting started,’ Jordan said in October in a statement to USA TODAY Sports.

But with the case looming, 23XI Racing guaranteed its employees pay through 2026 to assuage any concerns.

Jordan’s love for NASCAR

Before he became a basketball star, Jordan was an avid NASCAR fan. According to the Associated Press, Jordan began attending races at 11 or 12 with his family – in their home state of North Carolina but also at the Darlington Raceway in South Carolina and Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama.

“We called it a weekend vacation,” Jordan said, according to the Associated Press.

Initially, Jordan said his favorite driver, like his father, was Richard Petty. But eventually he changed allegiances to Cale Yarborough.

“The original No. 11; Sorry, Denny,” Jordan testified as Hamlin watched from the gallery, according to the AP.

Hamlin, Jordan’s co-owner, drives the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. The name 23XI refers to Jordan’s famous jersey number and the Roman numeral for 11, Hamlin’s number. 

The draw for the the 2026 World Cup draw is complete and now everyone knows the groups for this summer’s event to be played in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

This World Cup is expanding with 48 countries participating after the previous quadrennial event in Qatar in 2022 had 32 teams. The field will feature perennial powers Brazil, Germany, Argentina and France. Italy has not yet qualified (more on that below). The event will feature newcomers and a return of some familiar countries that have been been missing recently.

The 48 teams will be split into 12 groups of four with each team playing one game against other three group members. The top two teams in the group will advance along with the eight third-place teams with the highest point totals. Those 32 teams will play knockout games until the winner is decided on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Not all groups have an equal balance of teams. The draw separates the 48 teams in four pots of 12. Pot 1 features the three host nations and the nine highest teams in FIFA rankings. The next 12 best-ranked teams are in pot 2 and followed by the next 12 in pots 3. Pot 4 has the six lowest-ranked qualified teams and then six spaces for teams still yet to qualify in the playoff round in March. This structure creates some difficult groups and some that should be smooth sailing for contenders. Which are the hardest and easiest? We rank them below.

Group I

Whichever group had Norway and goal-scoring machine Erling Haaland was always going to be one of the toughest groups, but putting them with France – the champions from 2018 and finalists from 2022 – and a strong Senegal team makes for big challenge that could knock one team of knockouts. Including Haaland, this group has a ton of star power with France’s Kylian Mbappé and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Senegal’s Sadio Mane.

Group L

The draw did no favors to England as it looks to finally end its World Cup drought. Croatia would have been a pot 1 team without the hosts occupying three spots. The Luka Modric-led group has been to a final in 2018 and semifinals in 2022. Ghana is a dangerous team with enough European quality to cause problems. Panama will need to play above its head to advance. Still, the English are so full of talent that it should get out of this group.

Group B

Group E

Germany has taken a step back from its golden days when it routinely advanced deep in the tournament. Unless manager Julian Nagelsmann can get things sorted, this is a challenging group with Ecuador finishing South American qualifying second in the table and Ivory Coast – the reigning African champions. Curacao will enjoy the experience of playing in their first tournament.

Group A

Group C

Brazil and Morocco might be the two best-matched teams from pots 1 and 2. Brazil – despite all its talent – has struggled through qualifying. Carlo Ancelotti is now firmly entrenched as the new manager, and he has six months to galvanize the group. Morocco is full of European players and made the semifinals in Qatar. It won’t catch anyone by surprise this time around. Scotland is a bit of a step behind those two after a memorable qualifying run. They could cause problems with their defense. Haiti shouldn’t pose much of a problem.

Group H

This is a top-heavy group with Spain and Uruguay, two teams that have combined to win multiple World Cups. Spain is off winning the Euros in 2024 and has depth to endure a long tournament. Uruguay should sail through and could win the group with a strong group of European players, notably Frederico Valverde and Ronald Araujo of Real Madrid and Barcelona, respectively. Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde have an uphill fight.

Group K

Portugal is still seeking its first World Cup and this will be Cristiano Ronaldo last run with the team. This group won the Nation’s League this past summer and is full of elite talent. There might be a test from Columbia, a rising group that has Bayern Munich’s Luis Diaz as one of its leaders. DR Congo would be a possible challenger to the top two if it wins its playoff with Uzbekistan unlikely to have enough firepower to make much of dent.

Group D

The United States last hosted in 1994 and rode a wave of emotion into the knockout rounds. Expect a similar advantage for a group that had some early bumps with new manager Mauricio Pochettino but has had a strong fall – albeit without some of the established stars. It’s a pretty friendly draw with Australia and Paraguay along with a playoff winner from Europe, though Turkey could present a challenge if it advances. Look for the U.S. to qualify and Paraguay and the playoff winner to be a threat.

Group J

Defending champion Argentina with Lionel Messi likely making his final World Cup appearance has the motivation to make a deep run again. They get a pretty easy group with Algeria and Austria fighting it out for second, and Jordan coming last. But crazy things happen at the World Cup. It’s worth remembering Argentina lost its opener in Qatar to Saudi Arabia.

Group G

Belgium failed to get out its group last time. It would be a disaster for a squad with Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku and a healthy Romalu Lukaku to miss the knockouts with this easy setup. Egypt does have Mohamed Salah, who has been off form with Liverpool, and could threaten. Iran and New Zealand are a step or two behind the others and might fight for a third-place spot.

Group F

Netherlands – one of the biggest soccer powers not to win the World Cup – couldn’t have asked for a much better path out of the group. Japan is a dangerous team with its unique style of play, but Tunisia and the European playoff winner – likely Ukraine or Poland – should be manageable.

Miami and Notre Dame are both 10-2.

So why have the Fighting Irish consistently been above the Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff rankings?

Good question. One we haven’t really gotten a good answer from the CFP committee yet. Other than ‘eye test’ and ‘good losses.’

And who knows? Maybe both get left out of the CFP.

Despite lopsided wins the past two weeks, Notre Dame dropped to No. 10 in last week’s CFP rankings. Miami remained at No. 12, but because of the ACC’s wacky tiebreaker system, Duke (7-5) has a chance to play for the ACC championship Saturday, while Miami has to sit and wait until Sunday’s Selection Show at noon.

If BYU (No. 11 in the CFP) beats Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship game, it likely spells doom for the remaining at-large hopefuls. No. 9 Alabama could also grab a guaranteed CFP spot with a win over Georgia in the SEC Championship game. A lopsided Alabama loss may crack the door open for the Irish or Hurricanes.

It’ll be a nervy Sunday in South Bend and South Beach.

Making case for Notre Dame football in CFP

‘Cause for concern? Cautious optimism? Maybe both,’ writes South Bend Tribune columnist Tom Noie.

‘Welcome to Notre Dame’s uncertain future. Like that, what many figured was a lock ― Notre Dame one of the 12 teams to earn invitations to the 2025 College Football Playoff ― suddenly isn’t. There’s a chance Notre Dame might be left out… The committee likes Notre Dame. It’s always liked Notre Dame. You get the sense that it wants Notre Dame in the field.

‘We think Notre Dame deserves to be in the 12-team field. We think that Notre Dame is a handful of teams ― maybe no more than five ― with a legitimate chance to win a national championship. Notre Dame started 0-2, but Notre Dame got better. The defense went from dubious that night in South Florida to borderline dominant. Jeremiyah Love became the nation’s best running back. 

‘(Marcus) Freeman and his staff and his team believe they’re one of the 12 best teams in the country. They’re optimistic ― cautiously so in public, adamant in private ― that the selection committee will say the same. Even with that 0-2 start, Notre Dame got better, got confident and got rolling. It didn’t cling to what happened in Week 1. It went out and made it happen in Weeks 3 to 12.’

Notre Dame’s losses are considered ‘good losses’: to Texas A&M (No. 7 in CFP) and Miami. But if we’re giving credit to Notre Dame for losing to Miami, why aren’t we giving credit to Miami for beating Notre Dame?

Just weird.

Making a case for Miami in CFP

‘Putting Miami behind Notre Dame is the committee’s first head scratcher. Not a good look, or precedent. Not when the two have the same record (10-2) and a head-to-head result: Miami, 27-24,’ writes Tom D’Angelo of the Palm Beach Post.

‘Miami’s spot is more reflective of being the only team in the top 15 to lose twice to unranked teams (then and now) and beat two teams in the ACC with a winning record.’

The Hurricanes have won the past four games by an average score of 38-10, but can’t shake losses to Louisville and SMU in a three-week span before that.

The big albatross on Alabama’s resume is the season-opening 14-point loss to Florida State. Miami beat FSU, 28-22.

While Miami ranks highly in a lot of advanced metrics (ESPN has them No. 7 in FPI and No. 6 in its Game Control measurement), it sits at 14th in strength of resumé behind other bubble teams including BYU, Alabama, Vanderbilt, Texas and Notre Dame. The Hurricanes are also 44th in strength of schedule, close behind the No. 42 Irish but significantly farther behind fellow two-loss teams in Vandy (22), OU (12), Bama (11) and Texas (8).

But Notre Dame owns no wins against top-15 opponents. It feasted on a schedule that included last-place teams from three of the Power Four conferences.

“You get to settle it on the field, where head-to-head is always the No. 1 criteria,” Miami’s Mario Cristobal said.

Apparently not.

Palm Beach Post sports reporter David Rorabaugh contributed to this story.

Kennesaw State is one of the feel-good stories of the 2025 college football season. And the story got even better Friday night. Behind first-yer coach Jerry Mack the Owls had already made a seven-win jump this season. On Friday, they added a Conference USA Championship game win in just the program’s second year in FBS.

‘A team that was 2-10, to turn it around and win 10 football games in one year. What a difference a year makes,’ Mack said postgame. ‘Who does that? Where I’m from, they say, ‘Where you at?”

A goal-line stand. A kicker forcing a fumble. A safety. A last-minute touchdown to win.

The CUSA Championship game had a little bit of everything — except some big-time offense. Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State entered Friday’s game averaging a combined 59 points per game. We didn’t get anywhere close to that, in Kennesaw State’s 19-15 win in Jacksonville, Alabama.

Kennesaw State (10-3) bottled up Jax State running back Cam Cook, the nation’s leading rusher. But Gamecocks’ QB Caden Creel hurt the Owls with his legs, rushing for 112 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown with 4:40 in the fourth quarter to give Jax State (8-5) its first lead.

But then KSU QB Amari Odom engineered a game-winning drive that included a 4th-and-14 conversion and a 26-yard completion on 3rd-and-27 that set up another 4th-down conversion. With 50 seconds left, Odom hit Navelle Dean in the end zone for a touchdown  and the 19-15 win.

Here’s how it happened.

Kennesaw State vs Jax State football score

FINAL: Kennesaw State 19, Jacksonville 15

0:51 4Q: Kennesaw State 19, Jacksonville State 15

Kennesaw State gets into Jax State territory on its final drive and on 4th-and-14, KSU decides to go for it instead of attempting a 54-yard field goal potential tying field goal… and QB Amari Odom is flushed to his left and gets a massive first down pickup. Plus an unnecessary roughness, late hit penalty.

Odom then hits Navelle Dean for an 11-yard TOUCHDOWN. Really bold call from Jerry Mack on that 4th-and-14. Tip of the cap, sir.

2:00 4Q: Jacksonville State 15, Kennesaw State 12

Amari Odom hits Christian Moss down the middle on 3rd-and-27. He got 26 yards. 4th-and-1 when we come back from 2-minute timeout. Drama.

4:04 4Q: Jacksonville State 15, Kennesaw State 12

Caden Creel’s legs continue to drive Jax State forward. On 4th-and-2 at midfield, Creel runs for seven yards to keep drive alive. And then he breaks loose for a 19-yard touchdown run and the Gamecocks’ first lead of the game. Looks like Jax State got away with a false start on the touchdown play, no call.

On the 2-point conversion to take a three-point lead, Creel hits 6-8 receiver Deondre Johnson in the corner of the end zone. Smart. He’s tall. And makes a great grab.

8:20 4Q: Kennesaw State 12, Jacksonville State 7

Not a great sequence for Kennesaw State. Coleman Bennett loses two yards on first down. Then a 3-yard pass is followed up by a sack and loss of nine yards. Punt back to Jax State. Momentum is swinging.

10:20 4Q: Kennesaw State 12, Jacksonville State 7

TOUCHDOWN! Jax State’s best offense hasn’t been the nation’s leading rusher, but the legs of quarterback Caden Creel. Creel has 84 yards on 12 carries, but Cam Cook finally finds some room and walks into the end zone with a 1-yard score. Gamecocks turn the fumble into points. Needed that.

12:24 4Q: Kennesaw State 12, Jacksonville State 0

Oh my! On the free kick after the safety, Jax State kicker Garrett Rippa makes a big play, forcing a fumble on the return. Kennesaw State’s Davis Bryson had a good return going before the kicker came up with the goods. The ball was jarred loose on the hit, popped into the air and recovered by the Gamecocks. Just the break they needed.

12:33 4Q: Kennesaw State 12, Jacksonville State 0

SAFETY. Marcus Patterson tackles Cam Cook in the end zone for two points for the Owls. So the gamble to go on fourth down doesn’t come back to bite Kennesaw State. Cook, the nation’s leading rusher, has 35 yards on 14 carries.

12:40 4Q: Kennesaw State 10, Jacksonville State 0

Amari Odom tries a QB sneak on 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line and gets stuffed. Play is under review to see if he was pushed into the end zone before his forward progress was stopped. A massive play. If he’s in, KSU takes a three-score lead. But review upholds the call, short. It stays a two-score game. Jacksonville State ball in shadow of their own end zone.

End 3Q: Kennesaw State 10, Jacksonville State 0

Owls will begin the fourth quarter in Jax State territory and looking for a knockout blow.

4:31 3Q: Kennesaw State 10, Jacksonville State 0

A missed field goal from 35 yards out for Jax State. Gamecocks still scoreless. Worth a reminder: JSU is Conference USA’s top scoring offense (30.2 ppg).

9:57 3Q: Kennesaw State 10, Jacksonville State 0

Britton Williams hits a field goal from 38 yards out to extend the Owls’ lead. Amari Odom and Coleman Bennett did much of the heavy lifting on the first drive of the second half.

15:00 3Q: Kennesaw State 7, Jacksonville State 0

KSU WR Gabriel Benyard didn’t come out for the second half. He took a brutal hit late in the first half that drew a targeting call. His is the Owls’ leading receiver on the season.

HALFTIME: Kennesaw State 7, Jacksonville State 0

A scary hit from Trevor Woods, who lays out defenseless Kennesaw State receiver Gabriel Benyard and gets called for targeting. Just a brutal hit. Woods is ejected for the hit.

With time winding out in the half, KSU QB Amari Odom is called for intentional grounding with comes with a 10-second runoff and the half is over.

An unexpected defensive battle.

6:49 2Q: Kennesaw State 7, Jacksonville State 0

Jax State QB Caden Creel scrambles for 34 yards on 3rd-and-25 and gets the Gamecocks in business. But on 4th-and-1 from the KSU 9-yard line, Cam Cook is stopped for a four-yard loss. Turnover on downs.

13:03 2Q: Kennesaw State 7, Jacksonville State 0

Coleman Bennett punches it in from three yards out to break the deadlock. An 11-play, 80-yard drive led by Amari Odom gives us our first points of the night.

End 1Q: Jacksonville State 0, Kennesaw State 0

Owls are driving into JSU territory, will have a 2nd-and-9 from the Gamecocks’ 35-yard line.

2:36 1Q: Jacksonville State 0, Kennesaw State 0

INTERCEPTION! A 10-play, 61-yard drive ends with a pick in the end zone. JSU QB Caden Creel is intercepted by Milon Jones.

7:47 1Q: Jacksonville State 0, Kennesaw State 0

We’re trading punts. That’s two punts for each team. It’s a slow burn tonight in Jacksonville.

11:17 1Q: Jacksonville State 0, Kennesaw State 0

Owls pick up a first down before the Gamecocks tighten up and force a punt.

13:42 1Q: Jacksonville State 0, Kennesaw State 0

We’re underway, and the Owls force a three-and-out to get us started.

What time does Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State football start?

Date: Friday, Dec. 5
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Where: AmFirst Stadium (Jacksonville, Alabama)

Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 5 from AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama.

What TV channel is Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State on today?

TV channel: CBS Sports Network
Livestream: Fubo (free trial)

The C-USA championship game between Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

Streaming options for the game include Fubo, which carries CBSSN and offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Conference USA Championship game predictions

Kennesaw State 31, Jacksonville State 27: Although Jacksonville State got the better of the Owls in their first matchup, Jerry Mack has shown his mettle this season. Kennesaw State is able to get the upper hand in this one with Amari Odom bouncing back from his three-interception outing in the first go-round. Protecting the ball gives the Owls the edge, and they avenge their one conference loss this season and cap off a monumental turnaround. — Kevin Skiver
Jacksonville State 35, Kennesaw State 27: Despite losing coach Rich Rodriguez to West Virginia, Jacksonville State rolls to its second straight Conference USA championship behind a three-touchdown performance from running back Cam Cook to run his season total to 18. — Ehsan Kassim
Kennesaw State 35, Jacksonville State 30: This one feels like a toss-up, but I’ll side with Kennesaw State getting its revenge against Jacksonville State and winning its first Conference USA title in just its second year as a member of the Division I FBS level. To do that, though, the Owls will need to be able to contain Jacksonville State running back Cam Cook, who ran for 132 rushing yards and a touchdown in the first meeting. — John Leuzzi

Conference USA Championship game betting odds

Moneyline: Kennesaw State (-145)
Spread: Kennesaw State (-2.5)
Over/under: 60.5

Kennesaw State football schedule 2025

Here’s a look at Kennesaw State’s schedule in 2025, including past scores.

Friday, Aug. 29: Wake Forest 10, Kennesaw State 9
Saturday, Sept. 6: Indiana 56, Kennesaw State 9
Saturday, Sept. 13: Kennesaw State 27, Merrimack 13
Saturday, Sept. 20: Kennesaw State 28, Arkansas State 21
Saturday, Sept. 27: Kennesaw State 24, Middle Tennessee 16*
BYE
Thursday, Oct. 9: Kennesaw State 35, Louisiana Tech 7*
BYE
Tuesday, Oct. 21: Kennesaw State 45, FIU 26*
Tuesday, Oct. 28: Kennesaw State 33, UTEP 20*
Saturday, Nov. 8: Kennesaw State 24, New Mexico State 21*
Saturday, Nov. 15: Jacksonville State 35, Kennesaw State 26
Saturday, Nov. 22: Kennesaw State 41, Montana State 34
Saturday, Nov. 29: Kennesaw State 48, Liberty 42 (OT)*
Friday, Dec. 5: Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State | CBS Sports Network**
* – denotes Conference-USA game
** – denotes Conference-USA championship game

Jacksonville State football schedule 2025

Here’s a look at Jacksonville State’s schedule in 2025, including past scores.

Thursday, Aug. 28: UCF 17, Jacksonville State 10
Saturday, Sept. 6: Jacksonville State 34, Liberty 24*
Saturday, Sept. 13: Georgia Southern 41, Jacksonville State 34
Saturday, Sept. 20: Jacksonville State 45, Murray State 10
Saturday, Sept. 27: Southern Miss 42, Jacksonville State 25
BYE
Thursday, Oct. 9: Jacksonville State 29, Sam Houston 27*
Wednesday, Oct. 15: Jacksonville State 38, Delaware 25*
BYE
Saturday, Nov. 8: Jacksonville State 30, UTEP 27*
Saturday, Nov. 15: Jacksonville State 35, Kennesaw State 26*
Saturday, Nov. 22: FIU 27, Jacksonville State 21*
Saturday, Nov. 29: Jacksonville State 37, Western Kentucky 34*
Friday, Dec. 5: Kennesaw State vs Jacksonville State | CBS Sports Network**
* – denotes Conference-USA game
** – denotes Conference-USA championship game

Our team of savvy editors independently handpicks all recommendations. If you purchase through our links, the USA Today Network may earn a commission. Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.

The draw for the the 2026 World Cup draw is complete and now everyone knows the groups for this summer’s event to be played in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

This World Cup is expanding with 48 countries participating after the previous quadrennial event in Qatar in 2022 had 32 teams. The field will feature perennial powers Brazil, Germany, Argentina and France. Italy has not yet qualified (more on that below). The event will feature newcomers and a return of some familiar countries that have been been missing recently.

The 48 teams will be split into 12 groups of four with each team playing one game against other three group members. The top two teams in the group will advance along with the eight third-place teams with the highest point totals. Those 32 teams will play knockout games until the winner is decided on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Not all groups have an equal balance of teams. The draw separates the 48 teams in four pots of 12. Pot 1 features the three host nations and the nine highest teams in FIFA rankings. The next 12 best-ranked teams are in pot 2 and followed by the next 12 in pots 3. Pot 4 has the six lowest-ranked qualified teams and then six spaces for teams still yet to qualify in the playoff round in March. This structure creates some difficult groups and some that should be smooth sailing for contenders. Which are the hardest and easiest? We rank them below.

Group I

Whichever group had Norway and goal-scoring machine Erling Haaland was always going to be one of the toughest groups, but putting them with France – the champions from 2018 and finalists from 2022 – and a strong Senegal team makes for big challenge that could knock one team of knockouts. Including Haaland, this group has a ton of star power with France’s Kylian Mbappé and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Senegal’s Sadio Mane.

Group L

The draw did no favors to England as it looks to finally end its World Cup drought. Croatia would have been a pot 1 team without the hosts occupying three spots. The Luka Modric-led group has been to a final in 2018 and semifinals in 2022. Ghana is a dangerous team with enough European quality to cause problems. Panama will need to play above its head to advance. Still, the English are so full of talent that it should get out of this group.

Group B

Group E

Germany has taken a step back from its golden days when it routinely advanced deep in the tournament. Unless manager Julian Nagelsmann can get things sorted, this is a challenging group with Ecuador finishing South American qualifying second in the table and Ivory Coast – the reigning African champions. Curacao will enjoy the experience of playing in their first tournament.

Group A

Group C

Brazil and Morocco might be the two best-matched teams from pots 1 and 2. Brazil – despite all its talent – has struggled through qualifying. Carlo Ancelotti is now firmly entrenched as the new manager, and he has six months to galvanize the group. Morocco is full of European players and made the semifinals in Qatar. It won’t catch anyone by surprise this time around. Scotland is a bit of a step behind those two after a memorable qualifying run. They could cause problems with their defense. Haiti shouldn’t pose much of a problem.

Group H

This is a top-heavy group with Spain and Uruguay, two teams that have combined to win multiple World Cups. Spain is off winning the Euros in 2024 and has depth to endure a long tournament. Uruguay should sail through and could win the group with a strong group of European players, notably Frederico Valverde and Ronald Araujo of Real Madrid and Barcelona, respectively. Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde have an uphill fight.

Group K

Portugal is still seeking its first World Cup and this will be Cristiano Ronaldo last run with the team. This group won the Nation’s League this past summer and is full of elite talent. There might be a test from Columbia, a rising group that has Bayern Munich’s Luis Diaz as one of its leaders. DR Congo would be a possible challenger to the top two if it wins its playoff with Uzbekistan unlikely to have enough firepower to make much of dent.

Group D

The United States last hosted in 1994 and rode a wave of emotion into the knockout rounds. Expect a similar advantage for a group that had some early bumps with new manager Mauricio Pochettino but has had a strong fall – albeit without some of the established stars. It’s a pretty friendly draw with Australia and Paraguay along with a playoff winner from Europe, though Turkey could present a challenge if it advances. Look for the U.S. to qualify and Paraguay and the playoff winner to be a threat.

Group J

Defending champion Argentina with Lionel Messi likely making his final World Cup appearance has the motivation to make a deep run again. They get a pretty easy group with Algeria and Austria fighting it out for second, and Jordan coming last. But crazy things happen at the World Cup. It’s worth remembering Argentina lost its opener in Qatar to Saudi Arabia.

Group G

Belgium failed to get out its group last time. It would be a disaster for a squad with Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku and a healthy Romalu Lukaku to miss the knockouts with this easy setup. Egypt does have Mohamed Salah, who has been off form with Liverpool, and could threaten. Iran and New Zealand are a step or two behind the others and might fight for a third-place spot.

Group F

Netherlands – one of the biggest soccer powers not to win the World Cup – couldn’t have asked for a much better path out of the group. Japan is a dangerous team with its unique style of play, but Tunisia and the European playoff winner – likely Ukraine or Poland – should be manageable.

With an expanded 48-team tournament, the group stage might be watered down a bit from the World Cup’s previous 32-team field, but there are still banger matchups on the slate.

Here we’ve picked out 10 must-see group stage games for next summer’s World Cup:

Mexico vs. South Africa – June 11

This is the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, so of course we’ll all be watching. Mexico will be looking to start strong at the iconic Estadio Azteca after not advancing past the group stage at the 2022 World Cup. South Africa — which has never advanced past the group stage — will attempt to play spoiler. This is a rematch of the opening game of the 2010 World Cup, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

USMNT vs. Paraguay – June 12

The United States’ opening game at SoFi Stadium might be its toughest (unless Turkey gets through the UEFA playoff). The U.S. and Paraguay recently played a friendly, which the USMNT won 2-1. That ‘friendly’ also got heated, and multiple players on both sides got into a late-game kerfuffle.

Brazil vs. Morocco – June 13

Morocco is a rising force in world soccer, placing fourth at the 2022 World Cup. Brazil is a five-time World Cup winner (most in men’s history), but it’s been 24 years since the Seleção last won the tournament. Coach Carlo Ancelotti will look to get Brazil on track after an unimpressive World Cup qualifying campaign. This is a tough opener for his team.

Netherlands vs. Japan – June 14

The Netherlands typically carries the title of ‘best team to never win the World Cup.’ Having reached the Round of 16 in the previous two World Cups, Japan is a formidable foe, and pulled off a stunner at the 2022 World Cup when it upset Germany in both squad’s opening game. The Oranje will aim to avoid such a fate.

Belgium vs. Egypt – June 15

What does Mohamed Salah have left? Can the generational talent push Egypt into the knockout rounds? Belgium followed up a third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup by not even getting out of the group in 2022. This World Cup figures to be the last for Belgium’s aging stars Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois.

France vs. Senegal – June 16

This matchup is noteworthy as it is a rematch of one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. In the opening game of the 2002 World Cup, Senegal shocked the world with a 1-0 win over France, who were the reigning World Cup champs. Didier Deschamps’ squad will strive to avoid a similar stunner.

England vs. Croatia – June 17

Croatia and England headline the 2026 World Cup’s unofficial ‘Group of Death.’ This is a brutal opening draw for England, which will be on the short list of tournament favorites. Croatia are the No. 10-ranked team in the world and have enjoyed success in the previous two World Cups, advancing to the final in 2018 and finishing third in 2022.

France vs. Norway – June 26

Hoo boy, drop whatever doing on June 26, because this could be the best game of the group stage. Behind the devastating goal-scoring prowess of Erling Haaland, Norway are back in the World Cup for the first time since 1988. France has made the final of the previous two World Cups, winning it in 2018.

Spain vs. Uruguay – June 26

In all likelihood, Group H will come down to this intriguing showdown of nations that have combined to win multiple World Cups. Spain won the 2024 Euros and features 18-year-old phenom Lamine Yamal. Uruguay had a disappointing 2022 World Cup and will have its sights set on a deep tournament run next summer.

Portugal vs. Colombia – June 27

Cristiano Ronaldo gets one last major tournament run (probably) with Portugal. Standing in the way of winning Group K is Colombia, which collected wins over reigning World Cup champs Argentina and Brazil in CONMEBOL qualifying.

The Penn State Nittany Lions finally have hired a football coach. And they got a good one despite the agonizing wait.

Iowa State coach Matt Campbell has been tapped to succeed James Franklin, according to a report from ESPN.

Campbell, 46, previously has been a candidate at other jobs but never left Ames, Iowa, where he coached for 10 seasons and became the winningest coach in school history with a 72-55 record, including 8-4 in 2025.

He will take over a Penn State program that’s been without a permanent coach for nearly two months as other candidates turned down the job or elected to stay at their current jobs, including BYU coach Kalani Sitake.

Franklin, who was fired on Oct. 12, got hired as coach at Virginia Tech, where he proceeded to pull in a recruiting class that ranked No. 23 nationally with 22 signees as of Dec. 5, according to 247Sports Composite recruiting rankings. By contrast, Penn State’s class ranked last in the Big Ten and had only had two signees as of Dec. 5 as it continued to search for a coach.

Hiring Campbell will stop that bleeding with the transfer portal opening on Jan. 2.

Campbell, a former player at Division III Mount Union, previously coached at Toledo, where he compiled a 35-15 record in five seasons from 2011 to 2015.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel is reporting Campbell will agree to an eight-year contract pending board approval.

Matt Campbell buyout: How much would he owe to leave?

He was under contract at Iowa State through 2032 after signing an amended contract in July 2025. He would owe Iowa State $2 million to break that contract early to leave for another head coaching job in a Power Four conference, according to the contract obtained by USA TODAY Sports. Penn State presumably would pick up that tab, as is customary in these situations. That buyout would be owed to Iowa State in lump sum within 90 days of terminating his contract there.

Campbell was making $5 million in guaranteed pay in 2025.

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