The Jameis Winston Experience was a two-week-long roller coaster, but the New York Giants are hoping for more of a smooth sail in the final weeks of 2025.

Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has missed each of New York’s last two games while in the NFL’s concussion protocol, and the Giants remained winless in games the rookie has not started. Will Dart play against the New England Patriots on ‘Monday Night Football’?

Dart suffered his head injury in a Week 10 loss to the Chicago Bears – resulting in his fourth concussion check since the Giants’ final preseason game. Team doctors diagnosed the rookie with a concussion, putting him in the NFL’s five-step concussion protocol that he had to clear before returning. The Mississippi product reached the penultimate step of the five-part protocol last week but was unable to clear the final hurdle before Week 12’s loss to the Detroit Lions.

That changed in Week 13, and Big Blue’s first-round pick will indeed make his highly anticipated return to action as the calendar turns to December.

Here’s what to know about Dart’s status for ‘Monday Night Football’:

Is Jaxson Dart playing today?

Yes. Dart will make his first start since Week 10. The Giants rookie’s eighth career start will be against the team that New York defeated in its last two Super Bowl appearances: the Patriots.

Dart will face off against a fellow young gunslinger in New England’s rising star and second-year quarterback Drake Maye. Maye is among betting favorites to win this year’s NFL MVP award, while Dart is second in BetMGM’s betting odds to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

The Giants quarterback may have been more of a shoo-in for the award if he hadn’t missed New York’s last two games while working his way through the NFL’s concussion protocol. Dart suffered his head injury in a Week 10 loss in Chicago, which was one of the final nails in the coffin for head coach Brian Daboll. The Giants fired him after the game.

New York is winless (0-5) in games in which Dart has not started behind center. Veterans Winston (0-2) and Russell Wilson (0-3) both struggled at times and were both unable to overcome late-game defensive collapses.

The Giants are already mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, but Dart’s return for the final stretch gives the team a bit of intrigue for the last six weeks of the season.

Jaxson Dart stats

Dart took over as the Giants’ starting quarterback in Week 4 after the team got off to an 0-3 start. He has since missed two games while dealing with a concussion he suffered in Week 10.

Here’s how the rookie’s stats look through seven career starts:

Completion rate: 128-of-204 (62.7%)
Passing yards: 1,417
Touchdowns: 10
Interceptions: 3
Passer rating: 93.5
Rushing: 57 attempts for 317 yards (5.6 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns

Giants QB depth chart

Jaxson Dart (active – concussion protocol)
Jameis Winston
Russell Wilson

Dart is active for his first game since Week 10’s loss to the Bears. Winston was elevated to the team’s backup quarterback spot after that game, and he started each of the Giants’ last two games against the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions.

Wilson, like Winston, was a veteran free agent New York signed in the offseason. After beginning the year as Big Blue’s starting quarterback, he struggled to run the offense and slid to the third spot on the Giants’ depth chart.

It might be time to strip the Colts of their contender status after Indianapolis lost for the third time in four weeks.
The Rams’ stunning loss was a setback in their NFC playoff positioning, but the defeat shouldn’t prompt many larger concerns.
Max Brosmer had a nightmare debut as an NFL starting QB for the Vikings, though it’s hardly all the undrafted rookie’s fault.

Sunday’s slate wrapping up Week 13 in the NFL essentially amounted to being fed Thanksgiving leftovers.

The league loaded up on captivating matchups for both the holiday itself and Black Friday. But that setup left the weekend a little light on marquee showdowns.

Still, while there might not have been much drama in specific games on Sunday, things appear to be setting up for a fascinating finish over the final five weeks of the regular season. The playoff picture shifted substantially in Week 13, and many divisions that once looked to have a runaway winner are getting unexpectedly close.

Here are the biggest winners from Sunday’s action:

NFL Week 13 winners

Carolina Panthers

Having upended the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field only to lose at home against the New Orleans Saints the following week, the Panthers had already established themselves as capable of almost anything on a week-to-week basis. But a stunning 31-28 triumph over the previously NFC-leading Los Angeles Rams put Carolina over the top as the NFL’s agents of chaos.

The Panthers were largely content to chip away at the Rams with a steady ground game, but breakthroughs came via the air on a pair of fourth downs in the second half: first on a 33-yard scoring shot from Bryce Young to Jalen Coker, and another on a 43-yard touchdown connection with rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan. What truly set Carolina apart from Los Angeles’ past challengers, however, was the defense’s playmaking streak. MVP front-runner Matthew Stafford was picked twice – with one takeaway returned by Mike Jackson for a touchdown – to double his interception total for the entire season, and his costly fumble on a sack while in field goal territory ended any chance at a rally.

Carolina still sits a half game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the NFC South lead with a less favorable setup down the stretch. But with two tilts against the four-time defending division champs in the coming weeks, the Panthers now have a legitimate shot at ending a seven-year playoff drought – so long as they skew closer to this extreme on their spectrum of possible performances. Given how low the ceiling has been in Carolina for years, that’s volatility that the franchise will gladly take.

NFC playoff pandemonium

In the next month or so, talk about the Kansas City Chiefs and other AFC powers might seem inescapable. But the bigger postseason entropy likely will be found in the other conference.

The Rams’ loss cratered the power structure that was starting to emerge in the NFC, with the Chicago Bears surging to the No. 1 seed while the Seattle Seahawks caught up to force another tie atop the NFC West. Three of the divisions feature only one game of separation between the leader and second-place team, and even the NFC East has renewed relevance with the Dallas Cowboys’ emergence coinciding with the Philadelphia Eagles’ stumbles. Seedings and berths truly seem like a toss-up, making for a highly entertaining – and consequential – final five weeks.

AFC South intrigue

The division has long been considered the NFL’s least enticing foursome – at least on a national stage – with the winner annually destined for a Saturday afternoon wild-card slot. This year, however, the race for the AFC South crown might be one of the more noteworthy stories down the stretch. The Indianapolis Colts once looked poised to wrap things up early, but their loss to the Houston Texans helped vault the Jacksonville Jaguars, who beat the Tennessee Titans, into first place. But this is still very much a logjam, with Indianapolis set to meet Jacksonville twice in the next four weeks before wrapping things up against Houston. Of course, barring some unexpected schedule flexing, don’t expect a prime-time spotlight for the chase.

Adonai Mitchell

The 2024 second-round pick was largely seen as a mere toss-in to the Sauce Gardner trade between the Colts and New York Jets, as Indianapolis made him a non-factor following his costly gaffes in a Week 4 loss to the Rams. On Sunday, however, Mitchell re-emerged for the rebooting Jets, notching a career-high 102 yards on eight catches to help power a 27-24 overtime win against the Atlanta Falcons. Missed opportunities for big plays downfield have dogged the receiver throughout his first two seasons in the pros, but he finally made good on his deep speed by hauling in a 52-yard heave from Tyrod Taylor, which was both New York’s longest play from scrimmage his season and Mitchell’s first career NFL touchdown. The Jets still need a suitable No. 2 next to Garrett Wilson for 2026, and it’s not clear yet whether Mitchell can hold down that role. But he’s making a strong case to Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand that he’s a piece worth developing.

Mike McDaniel

When the Miami Dolphins parted with general manager Chris Grier at midseason but opted to hang on to their embattled coach, they seemingly gave McDaniel a decent runway to turn things around. So far, he’s taken advantage of that opportunity. A 21-17 win over the New Orleans Saints might not seem like it would move the needle much on his tenure, with Miami only fending off a comeback bid in the final two minutes once Minkah Fitzpatrick ran back an interception on a potential game-tying two-point conversion attempt by New Orleans. But the Dolphins have now won three consecutive games and set themselves apart from the league’s bottom tier of teams. With a meeting against the Jets next weekend, McDaniel will have a shot at creeping closer to .500 before the schedule ramps up in the final four weeks.

NFL Week 13 losers

Los Angeles Rams

Since a Week 5 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Sean McVay’s crew had essentially gone unchallenged, never having trailed since the first quarter of Week 6. That made Sunday’s outcome all the more remarkable, as the Rams previously looked to be in a class of their own in the NFC.

With the uncharacteristic turnovers looming so large, it’s difficult to say any true weaknesses were exposed here for Los Angeles. The secondary experienced a bit of regression to the mean, with cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. allowing both of the fourth-down touchdowns and a total of five receptions for 110 yards after an extremely stellar stretch. And the defense as a whole looks a bit adrift without standout safety Quentin Lake, who could be back for the playoffs after landing on injured reserve with a dislocated left elbow.

The larger issue for Los Angeles is the missed opportunity. The Rams had a chance to maintain their advantage over the rest of the NFC’s top threats but instead ceded their spot at the front of the pack. And any further missteps could be costly, with Seattle ready to pounce for the division lead and the Eagles owning the head-to-head tiebreaker for seeding. With a Week 15 matchup with the desperate Detroit Lions looming before a potentially NFC West-shaping ‘Thursday Night Football’ tilt against the Seahawks in Week 16, this slip-up could end up being the difference between securing home-field advantage and having to hit the road for the entirety of the postseason.

Indianapolis Colts

Assign fault or extend qualifiers as you see fit. No matter how you arrive there, it’s getting exceedingly difficult to keep the Colts in the NFL’s contender class, with the team having lost three of its last four games after Sunday’s 20-16 setback against the Texans.

In a vacuum, Indianapolis being held to a season-low scoring output by a stifling Houston defense wouldn’t be cause for concern. But an offense that started out the season setting the league-wide high water mark for efficiency has shown serious signs of sputtering in recent weeks. As Daniel Jones plays on through a fractured fibula, the quarterback appears to be noticeably inhibited, particularly in his ability to extend plays or evade pressure. Coach Shane Steichen might not admit it, but that setup has taken a toll on an offensive approach that was becoming increasingly more risk-averse – and therefore unable to punish teams regularly through the air. Jones enjoyed some success in scattered instances working downfield, like with his 19-yard scoring strike to Alec Pierce or his 34-yard connection with Josh Downs. But Steichen’s play-calling and Jones’ limitations in extending plays have put Indianapolis in a spot where it barely threatens teams if Jonathan Taylor can’t lead the way. In the Colts’ three November losses, the back has been held to just 3.69 yards per carry.

The defense is also showing signs of unraveling. While Gardner appears to have avoided a worst-case scenario of a torn Achilles, his calf injury still could sideline him for a critical stretch. That’s a major blow to a unit that had shifted its coverage approach to a much heavier dose of man coverage since his arrival. Meanwhile, the pass rush still isn’t up to par, with the front lacking any juice beyond what coordinator Lou Anarumo can scheme up.

After a 7-1 start, Indianapolis finds itself having lost its grasp on the division lead. Worse yet, the schedule brings matchups with eight- or nine-win teams over the next four weeks before the season finale against the Texans. If the division falls through the Colts’ hands, Indianapolis could be hard-pressed to find a path forward in the near future after giving up its next two first-round picks in the Gardner deal.

Max Brosmer

The Minnesota Vikings’ undrafted rookie quarterback was forced into an impossibly unfair spot in having to make his first start against the Seattle Seahawks’ swarming defense, all while the offense around him continued to come undone. Brosmer hardly deserves to bear the brunt of the blame for the 26-0 rout, but his four interceptions also put to rest the notion that the unit could be saved merely by extracting J.J. McCarthy from behind center. Desperation set in quickly, with a fourth-down fling caught by Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV and returned 85 yards for a score serving as a harbinger for the hurting that would be inflicted in the shutout. Minnesota’s offensive outing was so inept that it essentially rendered any Sam Darnold revenge plot lines moot, as the signal-caller registered a season-low 128 yards on 14-of-26 passing but didn’t need to give his new team anything more. If McCarthy can clear concussion protocol in the next week or two, Minnesota has little choice but to turn back to him and continue gaining insight on whether a full reset is required.

Aaron Rodgers

When the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Rodgers in June, it figured Pittsburgh would be able to scale back its ask of the 41-year-old by equipping him with abundant support. But a 26-7 home flop against the Buffalo Bills reinforced how badly almost every level of the operation – particularly on offense – has failed to do its part.

Pittsburgh managed just 166 total yards on Sunday, including the rushing attack mustering just 58 against a Bills defense that has been repeatedly gashed on the ground. The game was broken open at the start of the second half when Rodgers, while trying to buy time against the oncoming pass rush by maneuvering in the pocket, was pummeled by Joey Bosa, who forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Christian Benford. From there, the Steelers proved unable to climb out of a hole, as the bloodied four-time NFL MVP’s fractured wrist – and left tackle Broderick Jones’ absence – seemingly exacerbated the offense’s inability to get anything going in the downfield passing game.

Rodgers stood by Mike Tomlin after the loss, but it became clear that frustration is mounting, with the quarterback demanding that players – including himself – be held accountable. That’s a good start, but it seems unlikely the missing spark will be ignited simply by willpower given how this team has been built. If Pittsburgh falters next week against the rival Baltimore Ravens and surrenders further ground in the AFC North, the team – and Rodgers – will have to face some uncomfortable realities about where this season is headed.

The Curry brothers are reportedly reuniting.

The Golden State Warriors are planning to sign Seth Curry for the remainder of the 2025-26 NBA season, according to ESPN, pairing him with older brother Stephen Curry, the star of the team.

The move is meant to bring shooting to a roster that needs it badly. The Warriors are 11-10 and have struggled as of late, going 5-5 over their Past 10 games. Golden State ranks 22nd in offensive rating, generating 113 points per 100 possessions. The Warriors are tied for 14th in 3-point shooting percentage (35.9%), but Steph Curry remains out with a left quad strain that has sidelined him for the team’s last game, Saturday, Nov. 29, against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Steph Curry, 37, leads the Warriors with 27.9 points per game, which is tied for 12th in the NBA.

Seth Curry spent training camp with the Warriors and this will mark the first time the Curry brothers play for the same team. The Warriors waived Seth prior to the start of the season because of their salary cap situation.

Seth, 35, has bounced around the league, with stops with the Mavericks, 76ers, Nets, Hornets, Trail Blazers, Kings, Suns, Cavaliers and Grizzlies.

Steph is widely considered to be the greatest shooter of all-time and is the NBA’s all-time leader in 3-pointers, with 4,133 across his 17 seasons. Seth also excels from beyond the arc, shooting 43.3% from 3-point range in his career, which ranks seventh in league history.

The story of the men’s NCAA season so far has been the inverse of recent history. The Big Ten, which has not won a national championship since forming in 2013, is dominating thanks to some incredible recruiting classes buttressed by a wave of major junior players from Canada.

Hockey East, which has typically been one of the strongest conferences in the nation, is struggling. Perhaps it’s just a blip or maybe the parity in Hockey East is simply muddying the waters, but it’s odd to see the likes of Boston University and Boston College not at the top of the rankings.

Let’s not forget the NCHC, either. That conference has minted seven of the past 10 national champions and the likes of Denver and North Dakota are looking dangerous again.

There is still a lot of hockey left to play, however, so anything can happen. In the meantime, we go with the information we have on these first power rankings of the 2025-26 season.

College hockey power rankings

1. Michigan Wolverines (15-3-0)

The most entertaining team in the nation, the Wolverines have scored 92 goals so far – no other team has even hit 70. Led by the likes of NHL first-rounders Will Horcoff (Pittsburgh) and Michael Hage (Montreal), Michigan has blitzed the competition and played a pretty good schedule. Archrival Michigan State is up next and that will be a battle royale for state supremacy.

2. Wisconsin Badgers (10-2-2)

The Badgers may not have the same big names as some of their Big Ten cohorts, but they did recently sweep Michigan State, who had been the No. 1 team in the nation. So give Bucky his due. Forwards such as Christian Fitzgerald and Gavin Morrissey are pacing the offense, but keep an eye on sophomore defenseman Logan Hensler (Ottawa), as he is finding his scoring range in his second year.

3. Dartmouth Big Green (8-0-0)

The only undefeated team left in the nation, Dartmouth has done it with defense and goaltending. The Big Green have surrendered just nine goals total so far, with netminder Emmett Croteau (Montreal) boasting an absolutely ridiculous .970 save percentage through four starts. They’ve beaten Cornell once, but let’s see if this team can keep the party rolling when it plays the likes of Arizona State and Quinnipiac later in the campaign.

4. Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs (12-4-0)

A couple of splits with Omaha and Colorado College have dented UMD’s armor a bit, but this is still a top-notch squad. The Plante brothers, Max (Detroit) and Zam (Pittsburgh), are two of the top scorers in the nation and Max will be one to watch for Team USA at the world juniors at the end of December. In goal, Adam Gajan (Chicago) has become the No. 1 stopper we all thought he would become.

5. Michigan State Spartans (11-3-0)

When you’re on top, everyone takes a shot at you. Unfortunately for the Spartans, Wisconsin took a bunch of good shots, handing Michigan State two losses in a row. Nevertheless, this is still a top team thanks to scintillating freshman Porter Martone (Philadelphia) and senior Charlie Stramel (Minnesota), among others. Trey Augustine (Detroit) has been a titan in net, as per usual.

6. North Dakota Fighting Hawks (10-4-0)

An early loss to Minnesota doesn’t look as bad now that the Gophers are on the upswing and in general, North Dakota has taken care of business. Freshman defenseman Keaton Verhoeff has played so well that some believe he can challenge Gavin McKenna as the top prospects in the 2026 NHL draft, while fellow major junior import Cole Reschny (Calgary) has been everything the team could have hoped for.

7. Northeastern Huskies (9-4-0)

One of the most pleasant surprises of the season so far, the Huskies have been shining in a confusing Hockey East conference. Northeastern already has a sweep over Boston College and a non-conference win over powerhouse Denver. Junior goaltender Lawton Zacher has been fantastic between the pipes with a .943 save percentage, while Dylan Hryckowian has paced the offense.

8. Denver Pioneers (9-5-1)

Never doubt a David Carle-coached team. Even if the Pioneers have been streaky, this is a team that knows how to win it all. Having said that, Denver has lost two in a row after winning six straight, so I have to ding them a bit. Defenseman Eric Pohlkamp (San Jose) is leading the team in offense, while goaltender Quentin Miller (Montreal) has been solid in net.

9. Minnesota State Mavericks (10-2-4)

The kings of the CCHA tied Wisconsin twice early on and that’s looking impressive now. Minnesota State has ripped off six consecutive wins and has a pretty favorable schedule in the future. Senior goaltender Alex Tracy has played every game and has an admirable .936 save percentage to show for it. Luigi Benincasa leads the offense.

10. Penn State Nittany Lions (11-5-0)

Early success for the hotly anticipated Nittany Lions came to a crashing halt in recent weeks due to match-ups with Michigan, Michigan State and Minnesota. Not a death knell, but perhaps a wake-up call. Gavin McKenna, the top prospect in the 2026 NHL draft, has been one of the top-scoring freshmen in the country while Charlie Cerrato (Carolina) has been sizzling. Too bad they don’t play for another month.

The Los Angeles Chargers earned a 31-14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13, but it came at a cost.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert suffered an injury to his left hand early in the game. The 27-year-old was eventually able to return to the game while wearing a heavily padded glove on his non-throwing hand.

Herbert finished the day without issue, completing 15-of-20 passes for 151 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

However, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters following the game Herbert had suffered a fracture in his left hand that would require surgery. That brought into question the star quarterback’s status moving forward.

Here’s what to know about Herbert’s injury and how long it might keep him out of action.

How long is Justin Herbert out?

‘My understanding is the plan is for Justin Herbert to play on Monday after surgery on his hand,’ Rapoport reports.

Rapoport’s reporting aligns with what Herbert told reporters during his postgame news conference Sunday. The 27-year-old quarterback said doctors were ‘very hopeful’ the injury would not cause him to miss any time.

‘I’m treating it as if I’m playing on Monday,’ Herbert said, per USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon. ‘I think they’re very hopeful for that. I think that’s just something that we’ll see tomorrow and we’ll get a feel for. But I think they were really hopeful. So that’s always a good thing.’

Harbaugh told reporters during a postgame news conference the quarterback had suffered a fracture in his left hand and would have a procedure to address the injury on Monday, Dec. 1.

Harbaugh didn’t provide a timetable for Herbert to return to action. The veteran coach also did not rule him out for Los Angeles’ ‘Monday Night Football’ game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14.

The Chargers (8-4) will enter Week 14 as the top wild-card team in the AFC. However, they are only a game ahead of the first team out of the AFC playoff picture – the Houston Texans (7-5) – so their standing could quickly change.

It isn’t clear whether that reality will impact Herbert’s timeline to return or if the Chargers will be content to see if their backup quarterbacks can carry them until Herbert is fully healthy.

Who is the Chargers backup QB?

Lance was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He spent the first two-plus seasons of his career with the 49ers, playing sparingly due to injuries before being traded to the Dallas Cowboys.

Lance has a 2-3 record across five career starts and has completed 56.1% of his passes for 1,144 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions. He has also added 288 yards and a touchdown on 69 career carries.

Chargers QB depth chart

The Chargers have three quarterbacks in their organization at present. Below is the pecking order within the unit:

Justin Herbert
Trey Lance
DJ Uiagalelei (practice squad)

Uiagalelei signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent following the 2025 NFL Draft. The 24-year-old played collegiately at Clemson, Oregon State and Florida State before showing well enough in the preseason to earn a practice squad spot with Los Angeles.

Michigan dominated good teams en route to winning the Player’s Era Festival.
The Big 12 had a successful Thanksgiving holiday thanks to Kansas, Iowa State and TCU.
Preseason favorite Florida and St. John’s have some growing pains in the early season.

It took Dusty May five seasons before he turned Florida Atlantic into a Final Four team.

At Michigan, it may just take two.

Over three days in Las Vegas, the Wolverines proved they are a national championship contender after a dominant showing in the Player’s Era Festival.

The showing came after Michigan had struggled in the first few weeks of the season with close wins against Wake Forest and TCU. There were questions about how the Wolverines would fare in the 18-team tournament loaded with ranked teams. Those doubts went away as fast as chips at a blackjack table.

Michigan blew out San Diego State and No. 25 Auburn by a combined 70 points to earn the spot in the championship game against No. 10 Gonzaga. The Bulldogs had also been impressive over two games in Sin City, making the matchup billed as a meeting of a possible Final Four opponents.

Instead, it looked like a No. 1 seed playing against No. 16. Michigan jumped out to a 20-5 lead in the first five minutes and never looked back in a 40-point over the Bulldogs, the biggest loss in the Mark Few tenure.

It’s hard to grasp how exceptional Michigan looked with its closest game the 30-point defeat of Auburn. 

Yaxel Lendeborg showed why he was the top transfer in the country with 52 points and 22 rebounds in the three games, and the 6-foot-9-inch forward just one piece of what is a long lineup that features 7-foot-3-inch Aday Mara and 6-foot-9-inch Morez Johnson Jr.

Is it early to declare a national championship favorite? Probably, with Selection Sunday more than three months away. But it’s hard to not laud Michigan after one of the most impressive three-day stretches you can have in November.

The Wolverines have sent a message to the rest of the country, and that’s why they lead the winners and losers of Feast Week.

Winners

Kansas

Kansas had a favorable road in the Player’s Era Festival and were set up to fail in the third-place game. Instead, Kansas proved it still is a contender with a perfect finish in Las Vegas.

After handling unranked Notre Dame and Syracuse, it felt like the the Jayhawks would have a rough outing against No. 16 Tennessee, which just knocked off No. 2 Houston. The result seemed locked when the Volunteers had a 12-point lead in the second half. That’s when Kansas turned it on. Elmarko Jackson and Melvin Council Jr. combined for 27 second half points and shut down Tennessee for a massive 81-76 win. 

It can’t be overstated how much Kansas needed that win since it looked flat against North Carolina and Duke earlier in November. It felt like it was trending to another down year, but this game certainly gives Bill Self his mojo back, especially with standout freshman Darryn Peterson still sidelined. The Jayhawks can ride the momentum into big contests against Connecticut and North Carolina State in December. 

Iowa State

The Cyclones were denied the Player’s Era championship due to its unusual tiebreakers, but you can’t take away what was an exceptional week in Las Vegas for T.J. Otzelberger’s squad.

No. 13 Iowa State got a major test in the first game against No. 15 St. John’s, and proved to be tougher in the final minutes for a major one-point victory over the Red Storm. The win did come at a cost with star guard and leading scorer Tamin Lipsey being injured late and missing the rest of the tournament.

It wasn’t much of a problem. The Cyclones returned with a rout of Creighton, and took their frustrations out on missing out on the big prize in the Player’s Era Festival by putting a beat down on Syracuse in the second half of a 31-point victory. Iowa State remains undefeated and gets two early Quad 1 wins to make its case for being among the Big 12 favorites.

TCU

There’s a noticeable trend that the Big 12 had a great week, capped off by TCU’s performance at the Rady Children’s Invitational in San Diego.

The Horned Frogs have recovered from the season-opening loss against New Orleans. They nearly beat Michigan on Nov. 14, but got the job done last week with a key win over defending champion Florida on Thanksgiving Day. Against Wisconsin in the championship, the Horned Frogs kept a safe distance from the Badgers, never trailing despite 30 points from Badgers guard John Blackwell. 

Credit Jamie Dixon’s team for not letting the season get away, and the Horned Frogs become another team that makes the Big 12 a gauntlet of a conference.

Southern California

All aboard the Muss Bus? It wasn’t a loaded Maui Invitational, but it’s still impressive to win in Lahaina, and the Trojans are feeling the aloha spirit after winning the prestigious tournament.

USC powered past Boise State and Seton Hall in its first two games, and in the championship, the offense shined in a comfortable win over Arizona State. What’s even more impressive is the win over the Sun Devils came without leading scorer Rodney Rice. That’s when a guy that knows about winning the tournament in Chad Baker-Mazara stepped up. The Auburn transfer has transitioned well for USC and looked like the best player on the court with 23 points in the title game, earning tournament MVP.

Eric Musselman has been trying to bring some hype back to Los Angeles, and starting 7-0 will certainly help. The Trojans have the makings of an NCAA Tournament team, something it’s trying to get back to after two straight seasons missing out.

Michigan State

Michigan wasn’t the only team in the state to have a great week with No. 12 Michigan State picking up another ranked win to prove the Spartans still are a contender.

In the Fort Myers Tip-Off, the Spartans had a comfortable win over East Carolina, but the main attraction was the Thanksgiving matchup against No. 17 North Carolina. Both teams have impressed so far, and the winner would get another big boost. It was a back-and-forth first half, but Michigan State grabbed control before halftime and never let it go en route to a 16-point win over the Tar Heels.

That’s now three ranked wins in the first seven games for Tom Izzo, and it’s notable that two of those ranked victories were by double-digits. Michigan State is an experienced team and it shows, and it’s the first undefeated November for the Spartans since 2015-16, and this team is capable of winning 30 games again this season.

LOSERS

Florida

A 1-1 showing in the Rady’s Children Invitational is not what Florida had in mind. Instead of winning the four-team tournament, the Gators head back from the West Coast with more questions.

Things seemed to be going well against TCU until Florida’s offense fell apart in the second half, leading to a head-scratching loss. The Gators were able to regroup for a win against Providence to avoid a disastrous time in San Diego.

It’s obviously hard to defend a national championship, but Florida came into this season looking like it would be well positioned to do so with a mix of key transfers joining some veteran pieces. But it hasn’t looked quite right since the season-opening loss to Arizona, and the Gators don’t look anywhere near as dominant as last season’s national championship-winning squad.

St. John’s 

Rick Pitino’s magic in New York looks like its fading, with the hype surrounding St. John’s coming to a screeching halt after a losing week in the Player’s Era Festival.

The Red Storm fell in a thriller to Iowa State in the opening contest. There wasn’t anything wrong with the loss, and they came back to beat Baylor in the second game, but the consolation round performance was troubling. After leading Auburn by nine points at halftime, the Tigers outscored St. John’s by 20 points in the second half to win. A team that could’ve contended for a Player’s Era crown instead went 1-2 in Las Vegas.

St. John’s is now 4-3 in the young season looks suspect on defense. It’s allow 76.4 points per game and gave up an astonishing 88 points against the SEC and Big 12 teams it has played this season. If it can’t defend against top-tier teams, there won’t be another big season for Pitino.

Oregon

The inaugural Player’s Era Festival champion didn’t get anywhere near an encore with a winless showing in the expanded field.

Oregon returned to Las Vegas and had double-digit losses to Auburn, San Diego State and Creighton. The Ducks returned two key pieces from last season’s tournament team, but they haven’t been able to put together solid performances. Jackson Shelstad struggled as he recovers from a broken hand, and big man Nate Bittle got hurt against San Diego State. The result led to sloppy performances throughout the week.

North Carolina State

There was a great opportunity for Will Wade to prove in Maui the Wolfpack were ready to get off to a fast start in his first season. Instead, NC State showed it still has some ways to go.

According to the rankings, NC State was the best team in the Maui Invitational, but ended up finishing in sixth place. The Wolfpack fell to Seton Hall before responding beat Boise State. In their final game, they allowed 102 points to Texas to head back to the mainland with a 1-2 record.

Defense is a glaring problem, but what is a real concern is Texas Tech transfer Darrion Williams hasn’t been the dominant player he can very easily be. It will go a long way if Williams can assert himself as one of the best players in the ACC, but at this point, the Wolfpack don’t look like they can be a heavy contender yet.

Boise State

It’s far too early in the season to be declared out of the at-large tournament discussion, but Boise State has a lot of ground to make up if it doesn’t the Mountain West’s automatic bid.

After the stunning season-opening loss to Division II Hawaii Pacific, the Maui Invitational provided for the Broncos to earn some quality wins, but they couldn’t capitalize in their first two games. They played Southern California close in the opener before not being able to keep up with NC State the following day. That left Boise State in the last=place game against Chaminade, another game against a Division II school that won’t count in the NET rankings.

What was a big moment for Boise State ended in a dud with no signature victory, and things are going to have to drastically change in Boise if the Broncos don’t want to miss the tournament again.

The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team will play its final match of 2025 on Monday, Dec. 1, in a rematch of Friday’s 3-0 victory over Italy.

Coach Emma Hayes has made a point of using a number of combinations and trying several strategic variations in preparation for moving forward in 2026.

The Americans were successful on all counts in a shutout of Italy three days ago as Olivia Moultrie and Catarina Macario scored goals to back a strong defensive effort.

The USWNT will look to close the calendar year with a fourth consecutive victory – and 12th overall – following recent wins over Italy, New Zealand and Portugal.

Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s match:

When is USWNT vs. Italy?

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on Monday, Dec. 1.

Where is USWNT vs. Italy being played?

The USWNT-Italy friendly will be played at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

How to watch USWNT vs. Italy

The match will be televised on TBS, with Spanish-language television broadcast available on Universo.

How to stream USWNT vs. Italy

The match will stream on Max and Peacock. Streaming is also available on Sling.