The Cincinnati Bengals star receiver has returned from a one-game suspension that came after he spit on Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback, Jalen Ramsey, in Week 11. Chase and Ramsey were involved in an on-field altercation, which saw the Steelers’ defender earn an ejection from the contest.

While Chase wasn’t initially punished, he received a suspension from the league just one day later.

Now as the Bengals get ready to play on a short week, Chase took to social media and sent a message to his team, fans, the Bengals organization, the Steelers organization and the NFL community.

Here is his apology, in its entirety:

‘Please know I am speaking from my heart when I say I take full responsibility for my actions during last Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh.

What I did was wrong. The circumstances don’t matter. My passion for the game is no excuse. There’s zero place in our sport – or in life – for that level of disrespect.

I want to personally apologize to everyone within the Pittsburgh Steelers organization. I let my emotions in the moment get the better of me. I can only hope and trust you know none of it represents who I am – not as a competitor, teammate, or person.

I also want to apologize to my coaches, teammates, and organization for not meeting my own standards as a leader of this team.

This has been a tough season with some incredibly hard losses. We’ve all been frustrated. But instead of stepping up with calm, class, and leadership, I let you down. My having to sit out yesterday’s game makes my actions even more inexcusable. I won’t let it happen again.

Finally, I want to apologize to my fans.

I do not take anyone who wears my jersey for granted. I do not take my position as a role model lightly. As someone who strives to lead with character and authenticity, I should have taken immediate accountability for what happened.

I am committed to earning back your respect – not just with words, but with my actions, day after day, on and off the field.

I promise to keep learning from this and to set a higher standard for myself moving forward.

With respect,

Ja’Marr Chase’

The Bengals will now look to turn the page as they try to turn their season around on Thanksgiving against the Baltimore Ravens.

Joe Burrow is set to make his return and start at quarterback and now he’ll get Chase back in the fold too.

Week 12 of the 2025 fantasy football season was another banner week for the script writers.

With ‘Monday Night Football’ pending, two of the top four quarterbacks are Jameis Winston and Cam Ward. Winston has 10.5 more fantasy points than the QB6 (Caleb Williams). The gap between Jahmyr Gibbs and the overall RB2 (24.4 half-PPR points) would be enough to rank as the RB3 on the week. Meanwhile, Jonathan Taylor, Kyren Williams and Saquon Barkley all failed to record double-digit fantasy points. At wideout, the season’s overall WR1, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, finds himself in line to finish as the weekly WR1 for the first time this season. Additionally, after another monster performance, Cowboys’ George Pickens ranks as the WR2 in total points. Finally, for the third time since Week 7, a tight end facing the Bengals finds himself inside the top two at the position. In fact, Hunter Henry has outscored the next closest tight end by 8.1 fantasy points.

Here’s a look at Week 13 fantasy football rankings. Toggle between standard, half PPR (point per reception) and full PPR to see where players rank in your league’s format. Scroll to the bottom to view the complete rankings.

Our team at USA TODAY Sports has you covered with plenty of content to help with your Week 13 waiver wire and roster decisions. Looking for up-to-date player news? We’ve got it. Don’t forget to check out the rest of our content:

Waiver wire and trades: 8 players to add | 6 players to drop | 8 buy low, sell high candidates

Please note: These rankings will change significantly as the week goes on. Check back on Sunday morning for final updates.

(The risers and sleepers sections will focus on players available in at least half of Yahoo leagues. All snap and target data from PFF.)

Week 13 fantasy football quarterback rankings: Risers and sleepers

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (49% rostered) – After a rough start to the season, Lawrence has rebounded nicely as a fantasy contributor. Failing to reach 12 fantasy points in three of his first four outings, the 26-year-old has eclipsed 16 in six of his last seven. He’ll be a top streamer against a Titans defense that’s allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks since Week 7.
Titans QB Cam Ward (7%) – After failing to surpass 13 fantasy points in any of his first seven starts, Ward has now done so in three of his last four games. For the first time all season, the rookie showcased a ceiling in Week 12, dropping 23.9 fantasy points on a tough Seahawks defense. Ward will be an intriguing deep league streaming option against a Jaguars defense that’s ceding the fifth-most fantasy points to the position in 2025.
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders (6%) – Sanders was far from electric in his first career start, but he showed enough to make him an interesting dart throw in Week 13. The Browns will be going up against the 49ers, who have given up the third-most fantasy points to signal-callers since Week 5 (with their MNF matchup pending).
Other QB streaming options to consider – Falcons QB Kirk Cousins (8%), Jets QB Tyrod Taylor (3%).

Week 13 fantasy football running back rankings: Risers and sleepers

Saints RB Devin Neal (3%) – Veteran Alvin Kamara suffered an MCL sprain in Week 12, which puts Neal in line for a featured role this week. The rookie played 86% of snaps after Kamara went down on Sunday. Neal’s first start will come against a Dolphins defense that’s allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to running backs this season.
Commanders RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. (16%) – Prior to the Commanders’ Week 12 bye, Rodriguez appeared to have taken over the lead role in the backfield. The 26-year-old led all Washington backs in snaps (30), routes (9), and opportunities (16). The Broncos are no cakewalk, but they have allowed eight running backs to reach double-digit half-PPR points through 11 games.
Falcons RB Tyler Allgeier (44%) – Allgeier’s usage has been all over the place this season, but the one constant has been his usage in wins. In Atlanta’s four victories, the 25-year-old has averaged 14.3 touches and 10 half-PPR points. Luckily, Allgeier gets a Week 13 matchup with the Jets, and the Falcons are currently favored to win.
Other RB streaming options to consider – Giants RB Devin Singletary (25%), Bhayshul Tuten (48%), Broncos RB Jaleel McLaughlin (1%), Dolphins RB Ollie Gordon II (8%), Cardinals RB Michael Carter (6%)

Week 13 fantasy football wide receiver rankings: Risers and sleepers

Packers WRs Jayden Reed (36%) and Christian Watson (48%) – It wasn’t too long ago that Jayden Reed was a highly sought-after fantasy asset. Over the final nine weeks of his rookie season, Reed ranked as the overall WR9 despite missing a game to injury. The 25-year-old could return for a mouthwatering Thanksgiving matchup versus the Lions, and Green Bay has one of the friendliest playoff schedules in fantasy. On the other side is Christian Watson, who has seen his role increase since returning from injury. In Week 12, Watson led the team in snaps (49), routes (22), targets (7), and receiving (49 yards). Both could be high-upside flex plays against a Detroit defense that’s ceded the fifth-most fantasy points to receivers since Week 5.
Jaguars WR Parker Washington (40%) – Since Travis Hunter’s injury coming out of the Week 8 bye, Washington ranks as the WR12 in fantasy points while accumulating at least seven targets in three of the four contests. The 23-year-old’s seven red zone targets is tied for fourth-most at the position during that stretch. In Week 12, Washington tied for the team lead in snaps (52), routes (32), and targets (6). Washington will be a WR3 against a Titans secondary that’s surrendered the third-most fantasy points to wideouts since Week 7.
Titans WR Chimere Dike (14%) – With Calvin Ridley out for the year and rookie Elic Ayomanor banged up, Dike has had to step up as the team’s de facto WR1 a number of times this season, and he’s performed admirably. After totaling 18.9 half-PPR points in Week 12, Dike has now garnered at least 12.9 in three of his last five games. He was the team’s clear WR1 against Seattle, leading the way in routes (47) and targets (7).
Texans WR Jayden Higgins (22%) – Higgins is starting to emerge from the pack as Houston’s WR2. After failing to play more than 44% of snaps in any of his first four outings, the rookie has seen a snap share of at least 56% in six of his last seven games. Higgins’ usage has risen as well, as he’s amassed at least seven targets in four of his last five games. He’ll be on the streaming radar this week against a Colts team that’s allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to the position since Week 2.
Other WR streaming options to consider – Bears WR Luther Burden III (11%), Cardinals WR Greg Dortch (9%), Buccaneers WR Tez Johnson (28%), Jets WR John Metchie III (1%), Texans WR Christian Kirk (14%), Bengals WR Andrei Iosivas (20%)

Week 13 fantasy football tight end rankings: Risers and sleepers

Bears TE Colston Loveland (43%) – With MNF pending, Loveland currently ranks as the TE2 on the week. The rookie has totaled at least 49 yards in four straight games, and he has scored three times during that stretch. While the Eagles are the second-toughest matchups for tight ends in 2025, Loevland is still worth grabbing given the lack of depth at the position.
Jaguars TE Brenton Strange (13%) – In his first game back from injury, Strange didn’t miss a beat, finishing third among Jacksonville skill position players in snaps (44), routes (25), and targets (5). The 24-year-old caught all five of his targets for a team-leading 93 receiving yards, which were second-most at the position in Week 12.
Dolphins TE Darren Waller (20%) – In his three fully healthy games this season, Waller averaged 13.6 half-PPR points, a number that was topped by only three tight ends during that stretch. With the veteran set to return to practice, he’s worth adding in all leagues where he happens to be available.

Week 13 fantasy football rankings: PPR, half-PPR and standard

The USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll is out with a new-look top five heading into a big week of holiday tournaments. But the top-ranked team has already had a taste of the fun.

Purdue retains the No. 1 spot after a successful trip to the Bahamas. The Boilermakers received 23 of 31 first-place votes to stay ahead of second-ranked Houston. The Cougars were picked first by two voters this week.

Arizona, with some of the most noteworthy wins in the first month of the campaign, moves up a couple of positions to No. 3. The Wildcats also claimed five first-place votes, thanks to a true road win at Connecticut last week in addition to earlier victories against Florida and UCLA. The last top vote this week goes to Duke, which holds the overall No. 4 position. Louisville moves up a spot to round out the top five as UConn slips two places to No. 7 behind still unscathed Michigan. Florida, Alabama and Gonzaga complete the top 10.

TOP 25: USA TODAY Sports men’s college basketball poll

Michigan State continues its upward trajectory, climbing six positions to No. 12 after a strong showing in the Champions Classic. Illinois heads in the opposite direction despite just a single loss to Alabama, tumbling six spots to No. 14. Kentucky also drops five places after its loss to Michigan State.

North Carolina State debuts in the poll at No. 22, and Auburn nudges back into the No. 25 slot. Wisconsin and Kansas are the week’s dropouts.

Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, and Georgia lead the NCAA Re-Rank 1-136.
Brigham Young has moved up to the No. 11 spot, replacing Utah.
SMU rose seven spots to No. 22 after a significant win against Louisville.

Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M and Georgia remain atop the USA TODAY Sports NCAA Re-Rank 1-136 heading into a crucial Thanksgiving weekend that will help determine the makeup of the College Football Playoff.

The first change in the new 1-136 doesn’t come until Brigham Young rises two spots to No. 11, replacing Utah. The Utes dropped three spots after barely winning a shootout against Kansas State.

The re-rank shakes things up in the ACC after another brutally disappointing weekend defined by Georgia Tech’s faceplant against Pittsburgh. The 42-28 loss drops the Yellow Jackets to No. 25, while the Panthers climb four spots to No. 24.

The highest-ranked ACC team remains No. 13 Miami, followed by No. 22 SMU. The Mustangs rise seven spots after beating Louisville 38-6.

The logjam continues among the top teams in the American and Sun Belt frontrunner James Madison. The Dukes barely escaped against Washington State and drop one spot to No. 23. That leaves JMU behind two American teams in No. 18 Tulane and No. 21 North Texas and just ahead of No. 27 Navy and No. 34 South Florida.

Mercifully, dismal seasons are coming to a close for some of the biggest busts in the Power Four. This list includes No. 53 Clemson, No. 73 Auburn, No. 78 Florida State, No. 91 North Carolina and No. 112 Syracuse.

UNC will miss a bowl game in Bill Belichick’s debut after losing 32-25 to Duke. Few teams have run off the rails quite like the Orange, who were once 3-1 after beating Clemson but have dropped seven games in a row by at least 17 points.

There will be a new Hart Trophy winner this year.

Last year’s winner was the Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, who picked up a rare MVP/Vezina Trophy double. Repeating as Hart Trophy winner is hard enough and no goalie has done it since Dominik Hasek in the 1990s.

Hellebuyck’s chances slipped away when he had arthroscopic knee surgery to deal with an issue that has been bothering him since training camp. He will miss four to six weeks. The U.S.-born goalie will be back in time for the Olympics in February, but he’ll miss valuable time to make an MVP case.

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ front-runners in the Hart Trophy race a little more than a quarter of the way through the 2025-26 season:

5. Brad Marchand, Florida Panthers

Marchand has been the most important of the big three signings (also Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad) that general manager Bill Zito got done to keep the two-time Stanley Cup champions together. Marchand scored key goals in last year’s playoff run and his role has grown because of major injuries on the team. His line with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen has essentially been the top line, though Luostarinen is now out after a ‘barbecuing mishap.’ Marchand leads the Panthers in goals and points and put together an 11-game point streak while maintaining his feistiness.

4. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers got off to their traditional slow start and McDavid didn’t score a goal until the seventh game. But the three-time MVP has nine goals in his last 14 games and more than his share of assists to move into third in the scoring race with 33 points. He’s averaging 1.8 points per game in victories and leads NHL forwards in average ice time as the Oilers hope to push a third consecutive team to the Stanley Cup Final.

3. Connor Bedard, Chicago Blackhawks

The 2023 No. 1 overall pick got off to a slow start last season. Not so this season. He has two hat tricks and ranks fourth in the league with 31 points. He’s winning more than half of his faceoffs, a weak spot in his first two seasons. Bedard has the Blackhawks in the playoff hunt after two consecutive finishes in the bottom two.

2. Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks

If the Sharks make the playoffs this season after finishing last the past two seasons, Celebrini will play a big role. He’s second in the league in scoring with 34 points and he joined elite company by becoming the fourth teenager in NHL history to score 30 points in 20 games. He has had a hand in half of the Sharks’ goals.

1. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche are dominating the league, as is MacKinnon. He’s the league’s leading scorer with 37 points and tied for the league lead with 17 goals. Most of his points are at even strength and he leads the league in plus-minus rating. He’s also third in the league in shots. He and Celebrini will face each other on Tuesday.

Others to watch: Leo Carlsson, Ducks; Cale Makar, Avalanche; Dylan Larkin, Red Wings; Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights; David Pastrnak, Bruins.

Ray Priore, who had been a coach at the University of Pennsylvania for 38 years and led the Quakers for 11 seasons, is stepping down as head football coach. The school announced Priore’s decision on Monday, Nov. 24.

Priore went 58-42 at the Philadelphia school, going 37-32 in the Ivy League and winning two conference titles. In an interview with USA TODAY Sports last week for a story about college recruiting, Priore said he always thought his greater job was developing his players as individuals.

‘I’m a very, very rare person in this world from a coaching standpoint because I’ve been here for 38 years,’ he said. ‘Most coaches, you’re in, you’re out, and you very rarely see the result of what happens down the line. I think we’re very fortunate because I’ve been here (and) build the whole person.’

Behind the curtain: How college recruiting is like a dating game

Penn finished 6-4 (4-3 Ivy League) this season, getting blown out by Cornell and Yale and losing at the last second to Harvard. The team lost running back Malachi Hosley, the 2024 Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year, in a transfer to Georgia Tech.

‘Kid is one of the most talented young men that I’ve been around in my years of coaching,’ he told USA TODAY Sports last week. ‘When you lose a person like that, OK, while it’s a benefit to the team he’s going to, it’s devastating to the team you’re there. I’m happy for him because I think it’s, he’s at a level and perhaps the NIL situation is helping his family. And I think that that’s a good thing. Hurtful, from the standpoint it hurts us.

‘Recruiting is not only the kids you do in high school, it’s recruiting your kids to stay here. And not get entertained.’

Priore won Ivy League titles in his first two seasons as head coach (2015-16), but had five with six or more wins since then, including 8-2 in 2022. He spoke last week about how the ramped up world of NIL and the transfer portal has made recruiting, and selling the long-term benefits of an Ivy League education against short-term gain of Name Image and Likeness deals at other schools, much more of a challenge.

Ivy League schools don’t offer NIL deals or athletic scholarships. Financial aid is based on need.

‘Not everybody that you recruit is gonna turn into a star,’ Priore says. ‘They’ll have a role, but what is that role? You recruit 30 kids a year into a class, let’s say. How many of the 30 are you going to get right on? Probably a third of the 30 will be that top level all-league performing type thing. The middle 30 will be good football players, starters. And then the other third will be role players, whatever it may be.

‘So I think when kids look to come to place like Penn, they’re looking for the next 40 (years) as an investment, play good football, get the great education, and then make those relationships from there.’

Priore, a Long Island, New York, native began his career as a defensive backs coach in 1985 at the University of Albany, where he was also a player.

‘If you ever can work at something you love to do, you never work a day in your life,’ Priore said. ‘And honestly, I say that adage to everybody, that was my college coach’s motto. Bob Ford in Albany, once upon a time, said that to us, as a little freshman. And it always stuck with me. If you like to golf and someone could pay you to golf, go golf. You like to cook (and) get paid to do it, what a great thing.’

According to Penn, a national search for the next head coach begins immediately.

The San Francisco 49ers voided the guaranteed money in wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s contract.
Aiyuk has not instructed the NFLPA to file a grievance, suggesting he may want to leave the team.
If released, Aiyuk would become a notable free agent in 2026 despite his injury and fractured relationship with the 49ers.

The 2026 NFL free agent class could be getting a notable and unexpected addition.

On Friday, The Athletic broke the news that the San Francisco 49ers had voided wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s contract guarantees and that the strained relationship between the two sides was likely to end in a split this offseason.

Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed Saturday that the 49ers in July voided the guaranteed money in the four-year, $120 million contract Aiyuk signed last August, though he added he was holding out hope that a reconciliation was possible.

‘I’ve been coaching over 20 years, and I’ve never been in a situation where a contract’s been voided,’ Shanahan said. ‘So it was extremely unusual to me.’

Shanahan declined to explain the reasoning for the move, saying only that Aiyuk missed meetings that happened while he continued to recover from the torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments he sustained last October. He said he believed Aiyuk could still return to action this season but acknowledged that the receiver had yet to be medically cleared.

‘I’m not getting much dialogue just personally between him and I and have been told that it’s week-to-week,’ Shanahan said. ‘So, each week I wait to see if he’s ready to come back for practice and haven’t got that answer yet.’

Aiyuk’s instruction to the NFL Players Association not to file a grievance on his behalf regarding the voided guarantees could be an indication that he’s seeking to fast-track a divorce from the team. Given how quickly things deteriorated between the star pass catcher and San Francisco, a parting of ways might be the most reasonable option.

If Aiyuk is released, he’d add intrigue to a free agency pool that looks light on difference-makers. It’s unclear exactly how teams would view a player coming off a major injury who also had a fractured relationship with his previous franchise, but Aiyuk led the 49ers in receiving yards in 2022 and ’23, posting a combined 2,357 in that span. At the time he signed his extension, Aiyuk became the sixth-highest-paid receiver in the NFL.

And in a league where players who can change the complexion of a passing attack command top dollar, Aiyuk should remain of great interest to several teams.

Here are seven possible landing spots for him in 2026 if he and the team part ways:

Washington Commanders

A potential reunion with Jayden Daniels, Aiyuk’s close friend and former teammate at Arizona State, surely drives this discourse. The receiver has previously stoked speculation of the two linking back up, and working with the talented young passer would clearly be a draw to a receiver in need of some career rehabilitation beyond the physical work he’s undergoing.

But Washington might also have the greatest incentive of any team to consider a partnership. General manager Adam Peters, who was part of the 49ers front office that drafted Aiyuk in 2020 and saw his rise, invested heavily in high-priced veterans this past offseason in an effort to push the Commanders over the top following their surprising run to the NFC championship game. The plan hardly panned out, as Washington has sunk to 3-8 as several problem areas of the roster have flared up. Chief among them is a receiving corps that offers essentially nothing outside of Terry McLaurin, who has played in just four games this season due to a nagging quad injury. Bringing aboard Aiyuk might be doubling down on that dubious strategy, but the Commanders clearly are hoping that a clean bill of health across the board can help the franchise return to its 2024 form.

Pittsburgh Steelers

They were at the forefront of trade talks regarding Aiyuk when the receiver and the 49ers appeared to be at an extension impasse in summer 2024, to the point that multiple reports indicated the Steelers had parameters of a trade in place with San Francisco had a contract not been reached. Of course, plenty has changed since then, with the team bringing aboard DK Metcalf and shipping out George Pickens to remake the receiving corps. And, of course, the offense pivoted to Aaron Rodgers, who has suggested this would be his final season but hasn’t made any firm public commitment as of yet.

If he recaptures his pre-injury form, Aiyuk could do plenty to help open up an aerial attack that operates almost exclusively in the underneath area, with Rodgers ranking 33rd among all quarterbacks with 5.9 average air yards per attempt, according to Next Gen Stats. But even Mike Tomlin’s willingness to put up with antics might have a limit in the post-Pickens world.

New England Patriots

Nearly two years after Eliot Wolf vowed to ‘weaponize the offense,’ the Patriots’ receiving corps probably isn’t striking fear in its opponents, even if it’s made great strides. New England might not want to radically overhaul the approach that has helped Drake Maye become one of the league’s best downfield passers, but it surely stands to reason that the team would benefit from another perimeter threat capable of capitalizing on the quarterback’s penchant for working vertically.

The Patriots were another team that hotly pursued an Aiyuk trade in 2024, but the wide receiver stiff-armed them – as well as the Cleveland Browns – given his disinterest in playing for an organization in turmoil. Things have changed considerably for New England since then, to the point that Aiyuk might be a luxury. Mike Vrabel has fared well with one combustible veteran wide receiver in Stefon Diggs, but would he be willing to push some boundaries and bring aboard another pass catcher with baggage?

Tennessee Titans

They need weapons for Cam Ward, and they’ll probably end up with more cap space – currently projected at league-high $109 million, according to Over the Cap – than they can spend on worthwhile free agents. Why not take a flier on Aiyuk? Maybe he has the same objections to a turbulent Titans franchise that he did with the Patriots and Browns. But he’d likely see a good volume of targets, and Ward is the kind of electric playmaker who could help Aiyuk get his career back on track.

Las Vegas Raiders

Same question applies: Will the last year-and-a-half change Aiyuk’s outlook on joining an organization in flux? With Sunday’s debacle against the Cleveland Browns and Chip Kelly’s firing representing new lows for the freshly installed regime, the Raiders look directionless. Like the Titans, however, they have a pressing need for an outside receiver and plenty of cap space to allot to resolving the issue. Maybe it’s an option if Aiyuk ends up needing to do a short-term stint somewhere to elevate his standing in the league.

Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta’s embattled leadership needs to get Michael Penix Jr.’s development plan going after the second-year quarterback delivered uninspiring results before succumbing to a season-ending knee injury. Aiyuk would complement big-bodied go-to target Drake London nicely and also give Penix an asset for racking up yards after the catch. With so much uncertain about the team’s near future, Atlanta might have more incentive than other franchises for a go-for-broke move.

Buffalo Bills

This is rooted in more fantasy football thinking than reality. Brandon Beane’s pursuit of Jaylen Waddle at the trade deadline indicates a shift in the general manager’s thinking, with Buffalo no longer able to ignore the lack of downfield weaponry for Josh Allen. Aiyuk’s ability to pull away from defenders would certainly stand out in an otherwise stagnant receiving corps. But given that the Bills are intent on sending a message to Keon Coleman by benching the second-year receiver for two games for a missed meeting, this addition might be a non-starter. The financial factor is also tricky, with Buffalo currently projected to be $3 million over the cap for 2026.

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is at the center of coaching carousel speculation, with LSU and Florida as potential destinations.
Ole Miss has set a deadline for Kiffin to announce his decision after the Egg Bowl.

The playoff race is supposed to command top billing at this stage of the college football calendar, but even debates about Notre Dame’s resume can’t hold a candle to Lane Kiffin’s all-consuming hold over the coaching carousel.

I’m imagining the “College GameDay” cameras cutting to Kiffin on a boat, where ex-wife Layla has lined up hats for Mississippi, LSU and Florida. And then Kiffin casts a line into the array, hooks one of the hats and reels it in.

The cameras cut back to the “College GameDay” set, and Pat McAfee is shirtless, and Nick Saban is discussing the plight of multimillionaire coaches.

As we await “The Decision 2.0,” here’s what lingers on my mind after college football’s Week 13:

Who’s leading the Lane Kiffin sweepstakes?

Only Kiffin could say.

Three years ago, in the days leading up to the Egg Bowl, the tea leaves sure seemed to indicate Auburn was positioned to plunder Kiffin. Then, Kiffin reversed course and announced after losing to Mississippi State on Thanksgiving night that he intended to stay.

I’m not saying Kiffin will repeat that pledge this year. I’m only saying, with Kiffin, the only thing you can expect with confidence is he’ll command the spotlight and prolong the drama for as long as he can.

Everyone wants a prediction, even if they’re glorified guesses, so here goes: Without much conviction, I’ll say Kiffin to LSU.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.