SUN VALLEY, Idaho — Mikaela Shiffrin is no longer the only U.S. woman making herself at home on the podium.

The U.S. women last week wrapped up their most successful season in more than a decade. Five different women made World Cup podiums, while four women got medals at the world championships.

“It’s a pretty special time to be part of the women’s U.S. ski team, tech or speed. We just continue to build off each other,” Paula Moltzan, who was the bronze medalist in two World Cup races and also finished third in the giant slalom at the world championships, said after wrapping up the World Cup finals.

“Hopefully we’re able to carry that momentum into the first couple races of the season and then yeah, carry it into the Olympics.”

For the last four decades, the Americans have always had a dominant female skier. Sometimes the dominant female skier. Tamara McKinney. Picabo Street. Lindsey Vonn. Shiffrin. But it was often a two-woman show at the end of Vonn’s career — the first iteration — and, during her five-year hiatus, up to Shiffrin to carry the load.

No more.

When Lauren Macuga won the super-G in St. Anton, Austria, it was the first time a U.S. woman not named Shiffrin or Vonn had been atop a World Cup podium since 2013, when Alice McKennis won the downhill, also in St. Anton. Breezy’s Johnson’s gold in the downhill at the world championships was the first win in an individual event at worlds by someone other than Shiffrin or Vonn since Hilary Lindh, also in the downhill, in 1997.

And Vonn’s silver medal in the super-G at the World Cup finals made her the fifth different U.S. woman to make a World Cup podium this season, the most since there were seven in 2012-13.

In addition to Moltzan and Vonn’s World Cup success, Shiffrin had four wins and a third-place finish in slalom, despite missing two months after a crash at Killington, Vermont, left her with a deep gash in her obliques. Macuga, who is 22, had a downhill silver in addition to her super-G win. Johnson won a bronze medal in the downhill.

“We always hope that we get these new generations coming in,” said Vonn, who came out of retirement in November after having a partial knee replacement. “And I think we’ve been waiting a little while for someone like Lauren Macuga to come along, and it’s great to see that because she’s so young. She’s going to keep going for a long time and we really need that.

“We’ve got to see that new group coming up and I think we have that. Especially on the technical side, we really have a strong group,” Vonn added. “It’s great to see because it’s the kind of thing that we need to keep stimulating ski racing in the U.S.”

While ski racing is expensive — athletes spend five months traversing Europe and North America in the World Cup season, and preseason training camps are often in the southern hemisphere — that alone doesn’t explain the depth challenge the Americans have had.

Training together as a team but then competing against one another in races is a challenge that doesn’t suit all athletes. But this group has found a way to make it work.

It doesn’t mean they care any less or are any less competitive. They’ve simply found a way to maximize the benefits of being part of a team, feeding off one another rather than feeding on one another.

“Finding the balance between being a supportive teammate and a fierce competitor is hard,” Shiffrin said. “I just feel like this group of women has been able to strike that balance in a really unique way that’s different from anything I’ve ever experienced or been able to witness. And that’s pretty cool going into next season.”

The atmosphere is also helping the women who didn’t make the podium. Nina O’Brien had her best season with four top-10 finishes — one more than in her previous seasons combined. Jacqueline Wiles had two top-10 finishes in the downhill. AJ Hurt was in the top 20 in both of her individual events at the world championships, giant slalom (13) and slalom (19).

“It’s been so much fun,” O’Brien said. “Our team has been pushing each other and it feels like every race, somebody is shining, which is really cool.”

The U.S. women, coming in hot to the Olympic year.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

They’re making this more difficult than it is, which falls in line of late with just about all things college football.

So while we soak in the majesty of the three-week event that is March Madness, it’s time to reassess the postseason football clunker rolled out last season by the smartest men and women in college sports. 

Something, everyone, must be done about the College Football Playoff.

It’s time to introduce the CFP for Dummies plan.

“We’re only one year into the new playoff format,” said Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione. “I don’t know that you make drastic decisions based off one year.”

While I’m all about not being trapped as a prisoner of the moment, there’s something so reassuring about the simplicity of the NCAA basketball tournament that can’t be ignored.

Everyone has a chance to play in it, and the highest seeds get more favorable draws. That’s it, period.

Hence, the CFP for Dummies plan.

But as we move toward the new CFP contract in 2026, and a likely increase to at least 14 teams, they’re reinventing the wheel again. And by “they” I mean the Big Ten and SEC — the insatiable beasts running college sports.

They’ve got grievances, and they want to be heard.

They want more guaranteed admission to the CFP, and they’re not sure they like the idea of a selection committee — which doesn’t exactly use strength of schedule as the determining factor. 

They’re talking about turning Championship Week into play-in week, but each of the Power conferences have different ideas about how to pull it off.

They’re still not sure about campus games, or if more are needed. And the seeding thing is an absolute mess. 

This isn’t rocket science. Simple is better.

Follow the lead of the NCAA tournament, and begin the 2026 season with a clear and unmistakeable path to the national championship. Here’s how it happens: 

SPRING POWER RANKINGS: Big Ten | SEC | ACC | Big 12

LOOKING AHEAD: Our way-too-early college football Top 25 for 2025

Commit to the selection committee

This begins and ends with clear and unambiguous metrics from disinterested sources. Translation: computer nerds!

The NCAA tournament uses NET, KenPom, BPI, KPI and – tada! – strength of record (see: record in relation to schedule difficulty) to decide selections for the 68-team field. I refuse to believe the highly qualified mathematicians running these programs can’t easily translate their formulas to college football.

The human committee will still have the ultimate say, and there will undoubtedly be questionable decisions (hello, Indiana). But at least there’s transparency.

Commit to a 20-team field

How did we jump all the way to 20, you ask? It’s less postseason games, in totality, than what the power conferences are currently discussing.

The need for new revenue streams has led the power conferences to the idea of play-in games. More games for television means more money from the CFP contract. 

More money from the CFP contract means less of a financial hit when universities begin spending as much as $20 million-23 million annually on de facto pay for play, beginning July 1.

By moving to 20 teams, championship week doesn’t change, and conference championships aren’t minimized because the winner of the four power conference championships receives a spot in the playoff. 

The other 16 teams are at-large selections, much like the NCAA tournament. But here’s the catch: just because you’re a power conference champion doesn’t mean you avoid a play-in game.

Commit to a basketball bracket

After championship weekend, the selection committee releases its field of 20, and the bottom eight teams will compete in play-in games at campus sites. The winners then move to the round of 16, where the CFP is seeded just like the NCAA tournament: No. 1 vs. No. 16, No .2 vs. No. 15, and so on.

The round of 16 is played on campus, and the seven remaining games – quarterfinals, semifinals and championship game – will be neutral sites through the bowl system.

If this system were in place for the 2024 season, the SEC would’ve had seven of the 20 teams, and the Big Ten five. The Big 12 and ACC would’ve had three teams each, and the final two spots would’ve been committed to Boise State and Notre Dame.

The play-in games: Illinois (20) at Miami (13), Missouri (19) at Mississippi (14), Iowa State (18) at South Carolina (15), and Brigham Young (17) at Clemson (16). The four winners move to spots 13-16 in the playoff, based on their end of season CFP ranking. 

It is here where I need to stress that the Big Ten and SEC are pushing a 14- or 16-team format for 2026 that includes four automatic qualifications for their respective conferences, and two each for the Big 12 and ACC.

In the CFP for Dummies plan, everyone increases their access. And, more to the point, their ability to earn.

Don’t believe it? Check out this empirical evidence of teams per conference (with current conference alignment) beginning with the first CFP after the Covid season. 

2023: SEC (7), Big Ten (6), ACC (3), Big 12 (2).

2022: Big Ten (7), SEC (6), Big 12 (3), ACC (2).

2021: Big 12 (6), Big Ten (5), SEC (4), ACC (4).   

A simple plan for a simple process. 

Welcome, everyone, to The CFP for Dummies plan.

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.

There’s no shortage of star power in the NCAA men’s tournament Final Four. But who could be the unsung hero that steps up to help his team win a national championship?

With all four No. 1 seeds in San Antonio, Texas, it’s hard to ignore the big names that will be taking the court. Duke’s Cooper Flagg, Florida’s Walter Clayton or Auburn’s Johni Broome could very well lead their teams toward cutting down the nets at the Alamodome on Monday. But playing against the best of the best, they can’t do it all on their own. More than likely, a role player will emerge and provide the critical lift toward success on the sport’s biggest stage.

Here is one player on each Final Four team that could be the key person for each squad to advance to the national championship game and perhaps win it all.

Thomas Haugh, Florida

Walter Clayton Jr. provided the heroics in the comeback win over Texas Tech, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the contributions from Thomas Haugh. The sophomore tied career-highs with 20 points and 11 rebounds in the win over the Red Raiders.

Haugh has become one of the best players coming off the bench in the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 9.4 prior to the tournament started, but he’s been in double figures in three of the last four games. At 6-foot-9-inches, Haugh is also keep to why Florida is one of the best rebounding teams in the country. He’s gotten at least three offensive rebounds in every tournament game this season, allowing the Gators to capitalize on second-chance opportunities.

He showed off his 3-point shooting skills when he went 4-for-6 from deep against Texas Tech, and if he stays hot, Auburn will have its hands full trying to guard all of Florida’s shot makers. He put up 16 points and nine rebounds in the first meeting against the Tigers earlier this season, and he could have another productive night against the SEC foe.

Dylan Cardwell, Auburn

All eyes will be on whether Broome will be healthy enough for Auburn, but regardless of his status, there will be pressure on Cardwell to deliver for the Tigers.

Cardwell won’t wow anyone in points − averaging just 4.9 per game − but he is able to control the paint. He has contributed 27 rebounds in four tournament games, which is important with Florida one of the best rebounding teams in the country. The Gators are especially skilled on the offensive glass, so Cardwell will be critical to limiting second-chance points. He has excellent size and presence around the rim that could really stop the flow of opposing offenses by making sure other big men don’t get a rhythm. The fifth-year senior is a true leader on the court for the Tigers, and his toughness will set the tone for Auburn in the Final Four.

Auburn lost its lone meeting against Florida, but Cardwell was extremely productive in that game with a game-high 12 rebounds. If Cardwell can do that again, it sets up the offense for a potentially big night.

Khaman Maluach, Duke

Big-game experience is helpful, and Maluach played on the biggest stage at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The South Sudan native was a heralded international recruit and he’s lived up to the hype.

It took time for Malauach to get adjusted to the college game at the start of the season, but he’s blossomed into a solid post player, as if his 7-foot-2-inch frame wasn’t already helping him enough. In the tournament, Maluach has commanded the interior with 11.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. What’s even more impressive is his efficiency; he’s 20-for-23 (86.7%) from the field in the tournament with mostly dunks and other short-range baskets.

Duke is facing a top defense in Houston and will take any easy bucket it can get. Maluach can be the guy to throw down powerful slams for big momentum shifts, and he has an opportunity to own the boards against a team that doesn’t really have a premier rebounder. His effectiveness is tough to match, and the Cougars will have their hands dealing with his size and avoiding foul trouble.

Milos Uzan, Houston

Defense is what Houston is known for, but it’s somehow flown under the radar the Cougars are fifth in the country in 3-point shooting percentage. One of the biggest contributors to that is Uzan.

The junior guard is the best 3-point shooter for Houston at 44.5%, and it was on full display in the Sweet 16 matchup when he made a season-high six shots from behind the arc on nine attempts for a 22-point night. He didn’t make a 3-pointer in the Elite Eight against Tennessee in what was a quiet day for Uzan, but it wasn’t entirely needed given the Cougars dominated the Volunteers.

Houston will do its best to shut down Duke, but the Blue Devils are certainly going to find ways for the offense to score. That means the Cougars are going to need to find their own points, and they can do that with the three-ball from Uzan. If he’s able to replicate any of the big shots from the Purdue matchup, then Houston should like its chances of keeping up with the premier offense in the country.

Wednesday’s Washington Capitals-Carolina Hurricanes game is more than another chance for Alex Ovechkin to pull closer to Wayne Gretzky’s goal record.

It also is important to the NHL playoff standings.

The Hurricanes will clinch a playoff spot if they beat the visiting Capitals. Washington (105 points) can move 13 points ahead of Carolina (94) with a regulation victory and pull closer to a division title. The Capitals can also pass the idle Winnipeg Jets for best record in the league.

The Capitals will be playing their second road game in two nights after beating the Boston Bruins 4-3 Tuesday to end a three-game losing streak.

Ovechkin scored his 891st goal in that game and needs four more in the Capitals’ eight remaining games to break Gretzky’s record this season.

Here’s what to know about Wednesday’s game between the Capitals and Hurricanes:

When is Alex Ovechkin’s next game? Capitals vs. Hurricanes start time

The Capitals play the Hurricanes at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Where to watch Capitals vs. Hurricanes game

The game is being aired by TNT and truTV. The truTV broadcast will feature an OviCast. An isolated camera will be on Ovechkin for the duration of the game. The alternate telecast will display Ovechkin’s live stats, his historical numbers and on-ice audio from the NHL on TNT broadcast.

How to stream Capitals vs. Hurricanes game

The game can be streamed on Max and Sling. Max will have the OviCast.

Capitals vs. Hurricanes date, start time, where to watch

Game Day: Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Game Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Lenovo Center (Raleigh, North Carolina)
TV Channel: TBS, truTV
Live Stream: Sling TV – Watch Now!

Alex Ovechkin goals vs. Hurricanes

Ovechkin has 51 goals in 91 career regular-season games against the Hurricanes, including one in an earlier meeting this season. He has scored 31 goals at Lenovo Center.

Former NFL kicker Jay Feely is ‘seriously considering’ running for a United States Congress seat, according to a report from The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Feely, who spent 14 seasons suiting up for NFL teams, would seek to be the representative for Arizona’s 5th Congressional District. The kicker played for the Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals and Chicago Bears from 2001 to 2014.

The potential move into politics is made possible by the departure of Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., who has held the seat since 2017 but is running for Arizona governor in 2026. Republicans have held the seat since 2011.

The 48-year-old Feely figures to make a final decision within the next three months, GOP strategist Brian Seitchik told The Arizona Republic on Feely’s behalf.

Feely has grown close with President Donald Trump as well, previously joining the president for golf at his clubs in Mar-a-Lago and Bedminster, New Jersey, praising Trump’s ‘earnest desires for our great country.’

According to Seitchik, Feely was ‘enthusiastically introduced’ to conservative members of Congress, including House Freedom Caucus founding member Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, when he visited in March.

One of Feely’s old teams, the Jets, are owned by businessman and GOP donor Woody Johnson, who went on to be the United Kingdom ambassador during the first Trump administration – adding another connection to Feely’s potential political future.

He previously entertained a role in politics, criticizing then-President Barack Obama in a 2009 television news segment, before electing to focus on family. Now, 16 years later, he might be diving into the political realm to represent a district that Seitchik said Feely has lived in with his wife and kids for more than 10 years.

Feely does carry some national name recognition. The kicker has worked as a commentator for CBS Sports in his post-playing days.

During the regular season, Feely serves as a game analyst. He worked alongside Philadelphia Phillies play-by-play announcer Tom McCarthy and former NFL offensive lineman Ross Tucker last season.

In the postseason, Feely joined CBS’s top broadcast team with Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson as a kicking analyst.

The district Feely is contemplating a run in covers most of Arizona’s East Valley, including parts of Gilbert, Chandler, Queen Creek and Apache Junction.

About 20% of active voters in the district are Democrats, 45% are Republicans and 35% are not affiliated with a political party, according to the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.

Colorado football safety Shilo Sanders hasn’t kept up on his payments for his 2023 Mercedes-Benz, leading the car company’s financial services arm to seek relief from the court where Sanders filed for bankruptcy in 2023 with more than $11 million in debt, according to court records filed Tuesday by Mercedes-Benz Financial Services.

The company said Sanders, son of Colorado coach Deion Sanders, was past due for $6,877 on his monthly payments from December through February. It also noted Sanders has an outstanding balance of $97,239 while the trade-in value for the car is less than that at $97,000.

As a result, the company wants the court’s permission to take possession of the car and for Sanders to provide the location of it.

Why Mercedes is making this move now

Sanders, an NFL draft prospect, filed for bankruptcy in October 2023, hoping to discharge more than $11 million in debt – almost all of it owed to one man, John Darjean, a security guard from his former school in Texas.

The Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing triggered an automatic stay or hold on debt collection efforts against him. But Mercedes-Benz Financial Services now is arguing it should be entitled to relief from this stay under these circumstances.

“The motor vehicle is depreciating in value, the contract is in default and the movant (Mercedes Benz Financial Services) is being prevented by the automatic stay from exercising its remedies to repossess and liquidate its collateral, the motor vehicle,” said the filing from Mercedes Benz Financial Services and its creditor attorney Doug Koktavy.

Records show Shilo Sanders, 25, agreed to buy the $135,000 car with installment payments in May 2023, several months before he filed for bankruptcy. He continued to make payments after filing for bankruptcy but recently defaulted, according to the company.

“Debtor (Sanders) indicated an intent to retain the motor vehicle and reaffirm the obligation,” the company’s filing stated. “Debtor has not accomplished this intention.”

Shilo Sanders’ debt stems from an incident 10 years ago

Shilo Sanders’ bankruptcy case stems from an incident in 2015, when Darjean said Shilo caused him severe and permanent injuries as he tried to confiscate his phone at school. Shilo was only 15 years old at the time and said he acted in self-defense and that Darjean was the aggressor. But Darjean sued Shilo for damages. And when the case finally went to trial in Dallas in 2022, Shilo didn’t show up, leading to a default judgment against him of $11.89 million.

Shilo then filed for bankruptcy, hoping for a “fresh start” free of that debt. In response, Darjean is still fighting to get what he is owed from that judgment and has filed two complaints that seek to prevent the debt from being discharged.

The filing by Mercedes-Benz this week comes as Shilo Sanders is preparing for the NFL draft later this month. It’s not clear if he will be drafted, but even if he’s not, he is expected to get a shot with an NFL team as an undrafted free agent.

If the debt isn’t discharged by the court, Darjean still could pursue debt collection against Shilo Sanders in the future. If it is discharged by the court, Darjean likely only will collect a small fraction of the judgment he’s owed from Shilo Sanders.

Sanders’ attorney didn’t return a message seeking comment.

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