Don’t let the smile and self-deprecation fool you. Tom Brady is, was and always will be a cut-throat competitor, and no one should be surprised by his willingness to flout the conflicts of interest between his two jobs the first chance he got.

Brady did not become a part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders solely to bolster his investment portfolio. Nor did Mark Davis recruit the seven-time Super Bowl champion to sit quietly while the Raiders bumble from one season to the next. Brady and Davis want to win, and the surest way to do that is for Brady to play an active role in the Raiders’ front office.

He’s going to be part of a “collaborative committee” that interviews head coaching candidates, Adam Schefter reported earlier this week, citing unnamed league sources. No doubt the prospective general managers, too.

If that conflicts with Brady’s day job as a Fox broadcaster, and it very much does, that’s not his problem. He’s going to exploit any advantage he can, optics be damned.

Neither Davis nor Brady have said anything publicly this week, and the statements the team released after coach Antonio Pierce was fired Tuesday and then after general manager Tom Telesco was dismissed Thursday were not attributed to anyone. Make no mistake, however. Brady’s fingerprints are all over this transition.

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

Even with the Raiders’ 4-13 record, there were arguments for keeping Pierce and Telesco for another season. Pierce, in his first full season, did a decent job with what little he had while Telesco had the foresight to draft Brock Bowers, one of the bright spots in the entire Raiders lineup.

But Davis, who tried to lure the future Hall of Famer to play for the Raiders after he left New England, has made it clear he prizes Brady’s opinion and plans to make use of his advice, and the housecleaning feels like a reset to allow the team to move forward with Brady’s own guys. That, or Las Vegas already has someone very specific in mind for one or both of the roles. Brady’s old teammate Mike Vrabel, perhaps? Or his longtime coach, Bill Belichick?

All of which would be fine. You can quibble with the way the Raiders handled the firings — the only thing colder than canning Pierce a day after allowing him to do a season-ending news conference was the way Telesco was strung along for four days before getting his walking papers — but it’s Davis’ and Brady’s team and they can make decisions however, and whenever, they want.

The problem is that Brady the part-owner will be interviewing candidates and trying to sell them on the Raiders at the same time Brady the broadcaster will be evaluating some of them during a nationally televised game. Will his praise, or criticism, be what he really thinks as Fox’s No. 1 analyst? Or will it be as a part-owner who is hoping to curry favor with one of the Raiders’ preferred candidates? Or to create a smoke screen that will make other teams think twice about someone the Raiders’ want?

These are no longer the hypotheticals that concerned other owners about Brady’s dual role as a broadcaster and owner. Fox will air the NFC playoff games, and Las Vegas has already asked permission to interview the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, and their defensive coordinator, Aaron Glenn.

Also among the handful of candidates the Raiders are reportedly pursuing is Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. The Chiefs are an AFC team, but guess which broadcaster has the Super Bowl this year? Yep, Fox!

These might not seem like significant conflicts, but that’s not the point. Part of the NFL’s success rests on fans being able to trust the product. It’s why the league is such a stickler about players and coaches gambling. (A hypocritical stickler, but a stickler nonetheless.) It’s why the league wigs out when the criticism of referees rises above typical fan grumbling.

To have the opinions of one of the NFL’s highest-profile analysts, and the motivations behind them, be open to question is a bad look. For all involved.

It also should probably make Fox question Brady’s commitment to the job he’s being paid $37.5 million a year to do, but that’s the network’s headache.

This should give Brady pause, but he’s never let moral conflicts get in the way of what he wants. This, remember, is a guy who served a four-game suspension for Deflategate. He’s always denied wrongdoing, but the destruction of his cell phone, and the timing of it, was awfully convenient. As the Patriots quarterback, he was the one who stood to benefit most from Belichick’s sign-stealing caper.

And Brady was happy to throw his support behind then-candidate Donald Trump when he thought it wouldn’t matter, only to clam up once it did.

Brady is accustomed to setting the bar in his profession. But even if he becomes a successful broadcaster, it won’t matter. Joe Theismann and Troy Aikman cornered that market long ago.

But if he can turn around the woeful Raiders, who’ve only made the playoffs twice since their last Super Bowl appearance in 2002 and run through coaches and GMs like single-use plastic? Now that would be an impressive accomplishment, something few other former stars have done.

So Brady will do what it takes, even if he has to bend a few norms along the way. As legendary Raiders owner Al Davis used to say, Just win, baby.

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

The New Orleans Pelicans suspended forward Zion Williamson one game for a “violation of team policies,” executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin announced in a news release Friday.

Williamson will miss Friday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

“This one game suspension is a result of failing to meet our team standards,” Griffin said in a statement. “His dedication to this organization is of paramount significance to us and to him. He has taken accountability for his actions and reaffirmed that commitment to the team today. I’m confident he will continue to evolve positively on and off the floor.”

Williamson was late to the team’s flight to Philadelphia on Thursday, according to ESPN.

“I take full responsibility for this suspension,” Williamson said in a statement, “I’ve worked extremely hard in rehab to get healthy to deliver for this team. There is no excuse for being late to team activities. I have apologized to [Pelicans president] Mrs. [Gayle] Benson and my teammates and coaches and I also owe an apology to the fans. I can and will be better as a teammate and member of this organization.”

All things Pelicans: Latest New Orleans Pelicans news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Williamson, who is among the prominent players who could be traded before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, has played in just seven games this season due to a hamstring injury and just returned from a two-month absence Tuesday, scoring 22 points in a loss to Minnesota.

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

The UCLA and USC women’s basketball teams will not host Northwestern this upcoming week as a result of the multiple wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area.

There have been at least 11 reported deaths and 10,000 structures destroyed by the fires. While there has been no immediate threat to the campus by the fires, the Wildcats decided not to travel west for the two-game road trip.

The Wildcats were scheduled to play against the Bruins on Sunday, Jan. 12 and the Trojans on Wednesday, Jan. 15 in Big Ten Conference action. The conference is working with the programs to reschedule the games for a later date.

UCLA (16-0, 5-0 Big Ten) has been the No. 1 ranked team in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll since Dec. 3. USC (15-1, 6-0 Big Ten) sits sixth in this week’s poll and was ranked as high as third earlier this season. Northwestern (7-9, 0-5 Big Ten) is unranked.

When is UCLA women’s basketball’s next game?

When is USC women’s basketball’s next game?

When is Northwestern women’s basketball’s next game?

With the postponement of their Los Angeles trip, Melannie Daley and the Wildcats will host Minnesota on Jan. 19 at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois at 3 p.m. ET.

Both spots in the College Football Playoff national championship have been secured.

No. 5 Texas and No. 8 Ohio State clashed in the CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal on Friday to determine who will meet No. 7 Notre Dame in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. At the end of a hard-fought four quarters, the Buckeyes emerged victorious and in position to win their first national championship in a decade.

Watch Ohio State vs. Texas in CFP semifinal live with Fubo (free trial)

In a game where freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was largely a non-factor vs. the Longhorns, multiple players stepped up in the Cotton Bowl. Quarterback Will Howard completed 24 of 33 passes for 289 yards and one touchdown to one interception, while running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins 15 rushes, 78 yards and two touchdowns from Judkins. Henderson also had a go-ahead 75-yard touchdown reception right before the end of the second quarter.

But perhaps no player had a bigger impact than Jack Sawyer, whose strip-sack and fumble recovery for touchdown all but iced the game for the Buckeyes after they allowed the Longhorns to go all the way down to the 1-yard line with a chance to tie the game late.

With that, follow along for scores, updates and highlights of Friday’s CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal between Ohio State and Texas:

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Ohio State vs Texas score updates

This section has been updated

Ohio State vs Texas Cotton Bowl updates

This section has been updated with new information

Final: Ohio State 28, Texas 14

Ohio State heading to the CFP championship

That’ll do it: The Buckeyes win the Cotton Bowl and will advance to the CFP championship game in Atlanta, where Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman await.

Caleb Downs INT ices Cotton Bowl

The game isn’t over quite yet, but a Caleb Downs interception of Quinn Ewers has essentially iced this game with less than two minutes to play.

Jack Sawyer scoop-and-score gives Ohio State two-score lead

When Ohio State needed it most, Jack Sawyer made a massive defensive play. He strip-sacks quarterback Quinn Ewers on fourth-and-goal from the Ohio State 8-yard line, then scoops the fumble and takes it 83 yards to the house to give Ohio State what appears to be an insurmountable lead with 2:13 left in this Cotton Bowl semifinal.

Ohio State retakes lead

The Buckeyes strike for the first time in the second half. Quinshon Judkins powers himself through the goal line from the 1-yard line to give Ohio State the 21-14 lead, with 7:02 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Big play of the drive came on fourth-and-2 at Texas’ 34-yard line when Will Howard picked up 18 yards on the quarterback keeper.

It is a 13-play drive for 88 yards for Ohio State and takes 7:45 off the game clock.

Will Howard makes big play for Ohio State

What a play! Facing a big fourth-and-2 at Texas’ 34-yard line, Will Howard keeps it and breaks off up the middle of the field for an 18-yard gain. Ohio State in the red zone for the first time in the second half.

Will Howard converts big third down

Ohio State makes a much-needed play on third-and-8, as Will Howard finds Carnell Tate for 18 yards on the run. The Buckeyes are knocking on the Longhorns’ side of the field for the first time in the second half.

Texas moving to start fourth quarter

The Longhorns face a third-and-5 to open up the fourth quarter after a 2-yard loss on a carry from Quintrevion Wisner on second down.

End of third quarter: Ohio State 14, Texas 14

Ohio State punts again

What a turn of events. Texas sends four rushers on Will Howard on third-and-15, and Longhorns’ linebacker Colin Simmons breaks up Howard’s pass intended for TreVeyon Henderson. Ohio State is forced to punt for the second consecutive drive.

All momentum right now is on Texas. Ohio State star freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is also nowhere to be found, as Howard has only thrown to him three times.

Texas ties game with touchdown

If it works, why change it? That seems to be the mindset for Texas and Steve Sarkisian, who dials up the same play call as he did at the end of the first half for a touchdown.

Facing a third-and-7, Quinn Ewers takes advantage of Ohio State leaving Jaydon Blue open along the left sideline of the field for a 26-yard touchdown pass on the wheel route. It is the second score of the night for the Longhorns running back.

A really good and balanced drive for Ewers: 5 of 7 passing for 58 yards and four third-down conversions. Texas evens the score at 14-14 with 3:12 remaining in the third quarter.

Quinn Ewers with impressive play

How did he do that? Just as the pocket collapsed and his knee went down to the ground, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers gets the ball out to Quintrevion Wisner for a 14-yard flip and catch. A great improvised play by Ewers, who avoids his fourth sack of the night.

Texas picks off Will Howard, punts

An untimely forced pass from Will Howard on first-and-10 at the Texas 48-yard line is intercepted by Texas’ David Gbenda. Howard tried to get Ohio State star freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith involved, after Smith had just one catch on two targets in the first quarter.

Texas, however, is unable to capitalize on the turnover, as it punts the ball back to Ohio State after four plays.

End of first half: Ohio State 14, Texas 7

Ohio State leads Texas at halftime

Thanks to a one-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, Ohio State takes a 14-7 lead into halftime at the 2025 Cotton Bowl against Texas.

Ohio State will start the second half with the ball.

Here’s a breakdown of the stats from the first half:

Total offense: Ohio State 236, Texas 177
Total rushing yards: Texas 44, Ohio State 36
Total passing yards: Ohio State 200, Texas 133
First downs: Texas 10, Ohio State 9
Third down conversions: Ohio State 2 of 6, Texas 1 of 7

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard completed 14 of 19 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown in the first half. Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers completed 10 of 20 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.

Ohio State retakes lead

Ohio State quickly responds with a 75-yard touchdown on a screen pass from Will Howard to TreVeyon Henderson.

Quite the statement by the Buckeyes, who are 13 seconds away from walking into the locker room with a 14-7 lead. Ohio State gets the ball to start the second half as well.

Texas ties game with touchdown

Texas has life, and it’s a tied game!

On first-and-10 at the Ohio State 18-yard line, Quinn Ewers throws an absolute dot to running back Jaydon Blue for a wide-open, 18-yard touchdown. Great play call from Steve Sarkisian.

Arch Manning converts fourth down for Texas

After review, Quinn Ewers is short of the first down, giving Texas a fourth-and-1 at the Ohio State 49-yard line. Steve Sarkisian sends out Longhorns backup quarterback Arch Manning for the play, and he picks up the first down on an 8-yard quarterback keeper to the right side.

Manning nearly fumbled the ball, but officials ruled him down before the ball came out — disaster avoided for the Longhorns. First-and-10 at the Ohio State 42-yard line coming up for Texas, who trails 7-0 with 39 seconds remaining.

Texas has ball at two-minute timeout

The Longhorns’ defense picks Isaiah Bond up with a three-and-out, giving the ball back to Quinn Ewers and Co. at the two-minute timeout. Big play of the series for Texas came on third-and-10, when Barryn Sorrell and Anthony Hill Jr. recorded a combo sack on Ohio State quarterback Will Howard.

Texas’ Isaiah Bond drops ball for first down

Quinn Ewers throws a near perfect throw to wide receiver Isaiah Bond on third-and-5, but Bond drops the ball, as he attempted to jump in the air to make the catch. If Bond had made the catch, Texas would have extended its drive and close into Ohio State territory. Instead, the Longhorns punt the ball back to the Buckeyes.

Ohio State punts again

Self-inflicted penalties continue to set back Ohio State on offense, and ultimately force the Buckeyes to punt for the third consecutive drive.

Facing a third-and-18, Will Howard threw a 15-yard pass to Carnell Tate to the left sideline, but Tate was a few yards short of the first down.

ESPN’s telecast showed Ryan Day frustrated on the Buckeyes sideline at several parts of their last drive. Buckeyes’ penalties keeping Longhorns in the game, only down 7-0 with under seven minutes remaining in the second quarter.

Ohio State Will Howard has a contusion on his left (non-throwing) hand

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard has a giant knot on his non-throwing hand, as shown on ESPN’s telecast. ESPN’s Holly Rowe reported that Ohio State’s medical staff is not sure when it happened and that Howard is not complaining about it or receiving treatment.

Texas’ Matthew Golden heads to locker room

Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden heads to the locker room after a brief trip to the medical tent.

ESPN’s Laura Rutledge reported that Texas’ training staff was looking at his ankle on the sideline before heading to the locker room. Golden was hit with a facemask penalty on second-and-11 on Texas’ last drive.

Quinn Ewers sacked, Texas punts again

Ohio State once again sends six defensive players on third-and-11 at Quinn Ewers, and the Buckeyes immediately sack the Longhorns quarterback for a loss of 10 yards. The Buckeyes looked to have had an opportunity for their first turnover of the night, as Sonny Styles stripped the ball out of Ewers’ hand but the Longhorns recovered.

Ohio State will start at its 34-yard line with a first-and-10 after a 51-yard punt.

Texas recovers fumble on punt return

Texas avoids disaster on a punt return, as the ball bounces back into the hands of Silas Bolden after initially falling out. Longhorns will start at their own 25-yard line, trailing Ohio State 7-0 at the start of the second quarter.

End of first quarter: Ohio State 7, Texas 0

Ohio State sacks Quinn Ewers

Texas’ slow start continues, as the Longhorns are forced to punt on their second drive of the night.

Facing a third-and-12, Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles dials up the blitz and continues to attack Texas’ offensive line. Knowles’ call leads to a 4-yard sack on Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, the second of the night

Ohio State takes over at its 8-yard line after a 40-yard punt, leading 7-0 with 4:19 remaining in the first quarter.

Ohio State takes lead with touchdown

Quinshon Judkins bulldozes his way through the Texas defense into the end zone for the first points of the night. It is the 11th rushing touchdown of the season for the Buckeyes running back.

A great opening drive and start by Ryan Day and Ohio State: 10 plays for 64 yards and 2-for-2 on third downs conversions. Buckeyes lead 7-0 with 7:24 remaining in the first quarter.

Texas turns it over on downs

Steve Sarkisian’s decision to go for it on fourth-and-3 at the Ohio State 36-yard line comes to backfire on him, as Quinn Ewers’ pass intended for DeAndre Moore Jr. falls short.

A big early spot for Ohio State’s defense, who gives the ball to Will Howard and the Buckeyes’ offense for the first time tonight.

Matthew Golden with big catch for Texas

Stay hot Matthew Golden! The Longhorns wide receiver comes up with an impressive one-handed catch on the slant route to pick up the first down for Texas on third-and-2. 

Pregame

Ohio State wins coin toss

The Buckeyes win the coin toss and elect to defer the kickoff to the second half. It will be Quinn Ewers and Texas’ offense up first in the 2025 Cotton Bowl!

Matthew McConaughey in attendance at Cotton Bowl

After missing the Peach Bowl, Texas’ Minster of Culture Matthew McConaughey is back on the sidelines rooting on the Longhorns in their CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal.

AT&T Stadium packed for Cotton Bowl

We’re just a few minutes away from kickoff at the Cotton Bowl between Texas and Ohio State. AT&T Stadium looks rather packed and evenly split between the fan bases, despite the proximity to Texas’ campus and the winter weather that hit the Dallas-Forth Worth area throughout the week.

Did Quinn Ewers play at Ohio State?

‘I don’t regret any decision I’ve made on going,’ Ewers told reporters ahead of the Cotton Bowl. ‘… The reason I came back to Texas was one, to be closer to where I’m from, and just closer to the resources that I have and the relationships that I’ve built over time just being from Texas.’

Who would Ohio State or Texas play in CFP championship?

The winner of Friday’s Cotton Bowl between No. 5 Texas and No. 8 Ohio State will play No. 7 Notre Dame in the CFP championship game on Monday, Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Notre Dame upset No. 6 Penn State 27-24 in the Orange Bowl on Thursday night thanks to the leg of Irish kicker Mitch Jeter, who hit a 41-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. The Irish scored 27 unanswered points after being in an early 10-0 deficit to the Nittany Lions.

Ohio State arrives at Cotton Bowl

Will Howard and the Buckeyes have arrived at AT&T Stadium for Friday night’s CFP semifinal showdown with No. 5 Texas. Howard comes into Friday’s Cotton Bowl in search of his first career win against Texas, as he was 0-3 against the Longhorns during his career at Kansas State.

Ryan Wingo starting over Isaiah Bond in Texas’ Cotton Bowl depth chart

As noted by Inside Texas on X (formerly Twitter), Longhorns true freshman wide receiver Ryan Wingo was listed in front of Isaiah Bond at the X position in Texas’ depth chart that was handed out in the AT&T Stadium press box.

Wingo had two catches for 33 receiving yards in Texas’ Peach Bowl win over Arizona State.

Steve Sarkisian, Texas has arrived at Cotton Bowl

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian walks out of the tunnel at AT&T Stadium for his pregame on-the-field walk.

Fans have entered Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium

According to ESPN’s Paul Finebaum, the doors have opened for fans to enter AT&T Stadium for Friday’s CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal. Kickoff between Texas and Ohio State is less than two hours away!

Texas Cotton Bowl record

Texas is making its 23rd Cotton Bowl appearance on Friday, which ranks for the most Cotton Bowl appearances by one program, and first since 2003. The Longhorns are 11-10-1 all-time in the Cotton Bowl.

Here’s a look at past scores from the Longhorns’ last 10 Cotton Bowl appearances:

1972: Penn State 30, Texas 6
1973: Texas 17, Alabama 13
1974: Nebraska 19, Texas 3
1978: Notre Dame 38, Texas 10
1982: Texas 14, Alabama 12
1984: Georgia 10, Texas 9
1991: Miami 46, Texas 3
1999: Texas 38, Mississippi State 11
2000: Texas 27, Arkansas 7
2003: Texas 35, LSU 20

Ohio State Cotton Bowl record

Ohio State is making back-to-back appearances in the Cotton Bowl, as the Buckeyes appeared in the New Year’s Six bowl in the 2023 season vs. Missouri. The Buckeyes bring a 2-1 record at the Cotton Bowl into Friday’s CFP semifinal.

Here’s a game-by-game breakdown of how the Buckeyes have fared in past Cotton Bowls:

Jan. 1, 1987: Ohio State 28, Texas 12
Dec. 29, 2017: Ohio State 24, USC 7
Dec. 29, 2023: Missouri 14, Ohio State 3

Cotton Bowl traffic amid winter storm

The snow has appeared to calm down in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The Arlington Police Department made an announcement on X (formerly Twitter) encouraging those attending the Cotton Bowl to drive safe and watch out for ice. Kickoff is officially slated for 7:45 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium.

Ohio State vs Texas time today

Date: Friday, Jan. 10
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)

The Buckeyes and Longhorns will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 10 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in the College Football Playoff Cotton Bowl semifinal.

What channel is Ohio State vs Texas game on today?

TV channel: ESPN
Streaming options: ESPN app | Fubo (free trial)

ESPN will broadcast Friday’s College Football Playoff Cotton Bowl semifinal between Ohio State and Texas. Streaming options include the ESPN app (with a TV login), and Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will have the call from the booth at AT&T Stadium, with Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge both reporting from the sidelines.

Ohio State vs Texas history

Series record: Texas leads 2-1
Ohio State’s last win: 2006 (24-7)
Texas’ last win: 2009 (24-21)

Friday’s meeting between Ohio State and Texas will be the fourth all-time meeting between both programs, and the first since the 2009 Fiesta Bowl. The Longhorns lead the all-time series against the Buckeyes 2-1.

Ohio State vs Texas predictions

Here’s a look at some predictions for Friday’s CFP semifinal between Ohio State and Texas:

Bill Rabinowitz, The Dispatch: Ohio State 35, Texas 28
Joey Kaufman, The Dispatch: Ohio State 27, Texas 21
Rob Oller, The Dispatch: Texas 27, Ohio State 21
Danny Davis, Austin American-Statesman: Texas wins
David Eckert, Austin American-Statesman: Ohio State 31, Texas 24
Caleb Yum, Austin American-Statesman: Ohio State 37, Texas 35

Ohio State vs Texas betting odds

Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Friday, Jan. 1

Spread: Ohio State -6
Over/under: 53.5
Moneyline: Ohio State (-250) | Texas (+195)

Ohio State vs Texas injury updates

This section will be updated.

Ohio State vs Texas weather update

According to forecasts from The Weather Channel, it is expected to be 36 degrees and cloudy at 7 p.m. ET on Friday in Arlington, Texas — which is certainly warmer than it has been in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in recent days. Snow showers in the area are expected to end at 3 a.m. ET.

However, the weather won’t have any impact on the game itself since AT&T Stadium is a full enclosed stadium.

Ohio State football schedule 2024

Here’s a look at Ohio State’s schedule in 2024, including past scores and results:

Saturday, Aug. 31: vs. Akron (W, 52-6)
Saturday, Sept. 7: vs. Western Michigan (W, 56-0)
Saturday, Sept. 14: BYE
Saturday, Sept. 21: vs. Marshall (W, 49-14)
Thursday, Sept. 26: at Michigan State* (W, 38-7)
Saturday, Oct. 5: vs. Iowa* (W, 35-7)
Saturday, Oct. 12: at No. 3 Oregon* (L, 32-31)
Saturday, Oct. 19: BYE
Saturday, Oct. 26: vs. Nebraska* (W, 21-17)
Saturday, Nov. 2: at No. 3 Penn State* (W, 20-13)
Saturday, Nov. 9: vs. Purdue* (W, 45-0)
Saturday, Nov. 16: at Northwestern* (W, 31-7)
Saturday, Nov. 23: vs. No. 5 Indiana (W, 38-15)
Saturday, Nov. 30: vs. Michigan* (L, 13-10)
Saturday, Dec. 21: vs. No. 8 Tennessee, CFP first-round (W, 42-17)**
Wednesday, Jan. 1: vs. No. 1 Oregon, CFP Rose Bowl quarterfinal (W, 41-21)**
Friday, Jan. 10: vs. No. 5 Texas (CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal)**
Record: 12-2, 7-2 Big Ten

* Denotes Big Ten game

** Denotes CFP ranking

Texas football schedule 2024

Here’s a look at Texas’ schedule in 2024, including past scores and results:

Saturday, Aug. 31: vs. Colorado State (W, 52-0)
Saturday, Sept. 7: at No. 10 Michigan (W, 31-12)
Saturday, Sept. 14: vs. UTSA (W, 56-7)
Saturday, Sept. 21: vs. Louisiana-Monroe Monroe (W, 51-3)
Saturday, Sept. 28: vs. Mississippi State * (W, 35-13)
Saturday, Oct. 5: BYE
Saturday, Oct. 12: vs. No. 18 Oklahoma * (W, 34-3)
Saturday, Oct. 19: vs. No. 5 Georgia * (L, 30-15)
Saturday, Oct. 26: at No. 25 Vanderbilt * (W, 27-24)
Saturday, Nov. 2: BYE
Saturday, Nov. 9: vs. Florida (W, 49-17)
Saturday, Nov. 16: at Arkansas * (W, 20-10)
Saturday, Nov. 23: vs. Kentucky * (W, 31-14)
Saturday, Nov. 30: at No. 20 Texas A&M * (W, 17-7)
Saturday Dec. 7: vs. No. 5 Georgia, SEC championship game (L, 22-19 OT)
Saturday, Dec. 21: vs. No. 12 Clemson, CFP first-round (W, 38-24) **
Saturday, Jan. 1: vs. No. 4 Arizona State, CFP quarterfinals (W, 39-31 2OT) **
Friday, Jan. 10: vs. No. 8 Ohio State (CFP semifinals) **

* Denotes Big Ten game

** Denotes CFP ranking

College Football Playoff news

Here’s a few pregame reads surrounding the College Football Playoffs:

Ohio State, you’re the College Football Playoff favorite now. Deal with it.
SEC and its Dear Leader should accept reality: League no longer rules college football
How Nick Saban went from Darth Vader at Alabama to college football’s favorite uncle with ESPN
James Franklin or Marcus Freeman will be first Black head coach in FBS championship
Big Ten, SEC headline college football bowl season’s winners and losers

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas quarterback Arch Manning entered the Cotton Bowl on Friday on fourth-and-1 in the second quarter against Ohio State on Friday, and the crowd went wild.

The familiar last name helps.

Is Arch Manning part of the Manning lineage of successful NFL quarterbacks? Here’s everything to know about his family relations:

How is Arch Manning related to Peyton Manning?

Peyton Manning is Arch Manning’s uncle; Cooper Manning, Arch’s father, is Peyton’s older brother.

Peyton Manning, a two-time Super Bowl winner, is considered one of the best college football and NFL quarterbacks ever after playing for the Tennessee Volunteers in college and Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos in the NFL.

How is Arch Manning related to Eli Manning?

Eli Manning is also Arch Manning’s uncle, as Eli is the younger brother of Cooper and Peyton. Eli Manning is also a two-time Super Bowl winner, having played his entire NFL career with the New York Giants after finishing his college career at Ole Miss.

Who is Arch Manning’s dad?

Arch Manning’s dad is Cooper Manning, who is the older brother to NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning.

Cooper Manning was the only player in his family — including father Archie Manning — to not play in the NFL. A highly recruited receiver out of high school who committed to Ole Miss, Cooper Manning was diagnosed with spinal stenosis, ending his playing career.

Who is Cooper Manning?

Cooper Manning is Arch Manning’s dad, and the older brother of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning.

Cooper never made it to the NFL, as he suffered a career-ending spine injury before he was able to take the field at Ole Miss. Unlike his brothers and his dad, Archie, who played primarily for the New Orleans Saints, he didn’t play quarterback, as he was a receiver in high school.

The Boston Bruins have lost six consecutive games and sometimes during slumps, reports emerge about locker room turmoil.

He said the ‘locker room was a disaster’ and that David Pastrnak was at the center of it and has ‘told the team he doesn’t want to be on a line with Brad Marchand.’

Marchand was having none of that.

‘It’s unfortunate,’ the Bruins captain told reporters. ‘I know that reporters have a job to do and that job is to report on the team and usually you try to be fact-based, but when it’s just blatant lies told in the media, that’s when there’s a problem.’

All things Bruins: Latest Boston Bruins news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

He accused Keefe of making stuff up and called the report ‘ridiculous’ and ’embarrassing.’

‘Pasta and I are best friends. We’ve have had an incredibly close relationship for a long time,’ Marchand said. ‘The only reason we don’t play together is so we can spread depth through the lineup.

‘There’s zero truth to him being a problem in the room. He’s one of the most loved guys in the room. There’s zero issues in the room at all, and the fact that they said he’s at the center of anything is a completely fabricated lie.’

The Bruins were expected to be among the top teams in the Atlantic Division but fired coach Jim Montgomery after a slow start. There was a bump under interim coach Joe Sacco, but the current slide has the team up in the wild-card race by only one point at the halfway point of the season.

Marchand admitted that the season hasn’t gone the way the team has wanted, ‘but I’m not going to let some random guy come in the media and just spit absolute nonsense.’

Pastrnak also called the report ‘100% false.’

‘We love each other,’ he told reporters. ‘I have a huge amount of respect for him.’

Marchand and Pastrnak said they laughed about the WEEI report.

‘We have a phenomenal relationship,’ Marchand said. ‘Our wives, our kids have great relationships, so we have no issues laughing about that and then putting this to bed.’

The former Alabama football coach on Friday learned he has been named to the College Football Hall of Fame’s 2025 class on ESPN’s episode of ‘College GameDay’ at the Cotton Bowl between Ohio State and Texas.

‘I didn’t know anything about it,’ the seven-time national championship coach jokingly said after he was told of his selection.

Ironically, Saban learning about his hall of fame induction comes one year to the day he announced his retirement from coaching. He is currently in his first season as an analyst on ‘College GameDay’ with Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Pat McAfee, Desmond Howard and Lee Corso.

‘Thank you so much. Anytime this happens is because you have a lot of great people in your organization. Lot of great players, lot of great coaches, lot of support staff and they made a great team. Happy drive the bus but we had a lot of great people on it,’ Saban said.

Saban began his coaching career at Toledo in 1990, where he led the Rockets to a 9-2 overall record. From there, Saban spent five seasons in East Lansing, Michigan at Michigan State before moving onto the Southeastern Conference and LSU.

In his four seasons at LSU from 2000 through 2004, Saban led the Tigers to a 48-16 overall record, 28-12 mark in SEC play, two conference championships, a 3-2 bowl record and the 2003 BCS championship.

After a two-year stint in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, Saban returned to the college ranks to take over at Alabama. Across his 17 seasons in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Saban built the Crimson Tide program to be the college football powerhouse and the preeminent program in the sport, as highlighted by his six national championships.

Saban’s seven national championships are the most ever in the history of college football, with his first title, of course, coming in 2003 when he was at LSU. His 201 wins at Alabama rank second all-time in program history, behind only Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant.

As noted by Davis on ‘College GameDay,’ the full College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 will be announced later next week.

College Football Hall of Fame 2025 ballot

Saban’s induction to the College Football Hall of Fame comes as a first-time ballot member. Other notable names on the ballot for the 2025 class include Urban Meyer, former coach at Utah, Florida and Ohio State; Pitt defensive lineman Aaron Donald; Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o; and Alabama running back Mark Ingram II.

Click here to view the full list of candidates (both coaches and players) that were named to the College Football Hall of Fame ballot this year.

This story has been updated to reflect Golden’s return.

ARLINGTON, Texas – Texas Longhorns wide receiver Matthew Golden left Friday’s Cotton Bowl matchup against Ohio State with a left ankle injury, according to the ESPN broadcast.

Golden returned to the game in the second half, catching a pivotal 27-yard pass to put the Longhorns in the red zone.

Golden originally went to the medical tent and returned for a few plays before being called for a 15-yard penalty. He then went back to the injury tent again.

The former Houston transfer has been one of the Longhorns’ best weapons this season. He entered the game with 56 receptions for 939 yards and seven touchdowns. He also made a tough one-handed 24-yard grab on Texas’ first drive of the game.

Here’s everything to know about Golden’s injury:

Matthew Golden injury update

Golden suffered an injury to his left ankle on Friday in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff at the Cotton Bowl, according to the ESPN broadcast.

Golden originally went into the injury tent before returning for a few plays. He apparently wasn’t ready for game action as he went back to the tent. Golden also picked up a 15-yard penalty when he returned to the field.

Golden returned in the second half.

What is Matthew Golden’s injury?

Golden injured his left ankle against Ohio State on Friday, according to the ESPN broadcast.

Major League Baseball has indefinitely banned two New York Yankee fans from all big league stadiums after they made extended contact with Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts during Game 4 of the 2024 World Series.

In a letter issued earlier this week to Austin Capobianco and John P. Hansen and obtained by USA TODAY Sports on Friday, MLB told the pair they “interfered with play by intentionally and forcefully grabbing a player. Your conduct posed a serious risk to the health and safety of the player and went far over the line of acceptable fan behavior. Based on your conduct, Major League Baseball (“MLB”) is banning you indefinitely from all MLB stadiums, offices, and other facilities.

“You are also hereby banned indefinitely from attending any events sponsored by or associated with MLB. Please be advised that if you are discovered at any MLB property or event, you will be removed from the premises and subject to arrest for trespass.”

The discipline, first reported by the New York Post, occurred in the bottom of the first inning of World Series Game 4, when a Gleyber Torres fly ball drifted toward the right field stands, an area with scant foul territory before field meets fan.

Betts leaped and made an impressive catch – the ball appeared to be in the stands and fan interference might not have been called had he not hauled in the ball – but the two men continued engaging the outfielder, as if trying to wrest the ball from his mitt.

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

Capobianco later told ESPN he expected to be back for Game 5, and that “I patrol that wall and they know that.” But the Yankees and MLB barred he and Hansen from attending Game 5.

The Dodgers clinched the World Series title with a comeback victory in Game 5.

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