NEW YORK — At a time of the calendar year when college football typically commands sports fans’ attention, the men’s college basketball world won the night at Madison Square Garden with the Champions Classic.

The annual doubleheader clash between four of the sport’s biggest blue bloods — Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and Michigan State — once again served as the unofficial kickoff event of the college basketball season with some of the sport’s top talent under the same roof on a Tuesday night in November.

The first of those games came with a clash between Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans and Mark Pope’s Kentucky Wildcats, one that the 18th-ranked Spartans dominated in thanks to a big night from Jaxon Kohler and their ability to find their 3-point game.

Then, in the nightcap, Cameron Boozer helped No. 4 Duke defeat No. 23 Kansas, which was without star freshman Darryn Peterson.

With their wins, the Spartans improved their Champions Classic overall record to 6-9, while the Blue Devils moved to 9-6 in the event, which was back at ‘The World’s Most Famous Arena’ for the first time since 2019. Meanwhile, with their losses, Kentucky dropped to 6-9 and Kansas dropped to 9-6.

Here are a few takeaways from The Garden:

Cameron Boozer delivers in MSG debut

For many, the annual Champions Classic doubleheader not only serves as the ‘official’ start of the college basketball season, since some of the top programs in the country are all under one roof, but it also provides the first opportunity for fans to watch some of the top players in the country on the same floor.

One of those players is Boozer, the No. 3 recruit in the 2025 recruiting class and son of longtime NBA player Carlos Boozer. In his MSG debut, Boozer finished with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds.

‘I still don’t think he played incredible. That’s the thing that’s really exciting,’ Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said on Boozer’s debut at The Garden.

‘He made some key plays, like the rebound in the first half, the outlet to Isaiah. I thought he did a great job putting pressure on the defense. … This place is different. Playing MSG, it’s different. I thought he did a really good job handling that.’

Kansas kept Boozer quiet in the first half from a scoring standpoint, as he finished with just seven points on 2-of-6 field goal attempts in the opening 20 minutes. That still didn’t stop him from impacting the game with his play-making abilities. Case in point: his full-court pass near the end of the first half to Isaiah Evans.

Similar to Duke’s opening game against Texas in the Dick Vitale Invitational, Boozer found his stride in the second half. He added 11 points in the second half alone, including a tough finish at the basket that drew a foul after the ball went in.

Kansas coach Bill Self said he thought his team defended Boozer ‘pretty well.’

‘I thought we did some good things. I think these guys would probably agree with me, when we screwed up, it seemed like he made us pay when we screwed up,’ Self said. ‘If you miss a block out he’ll make you pay on the block out. If we screwed up, which we did a few times … He’ll make you pay out of that.’ 

He then pointed to Boozer’s passing ability as something that stood out to him as well. He finished with five assists on the night.

‘He does a lot of things well, but he’s a really good passer,’ Self said. ‘I felt pretty good about how our guys defended (him), even in 1-on-1 type situations. But when we screwed up, he took advantage of it.’

Boozer’s big night at The Garden helped Duke to its ninth consecutive win at ‘The World’s Most Famous Arena,’ and the program’s 10th in its last 11 trips to what is commonly referred to as ‘Cameron North,’ a nickname given out by its fanbase with Duke having played at least one game at Madison Square Garden in 25 of the last 28 seasons.

Jaxon Kohler puts together big night as Michigan State finds 3-point shooting identity

Kohler set the tone on offense for the Spartans with an early 3-pointer in the game’s opening minutes, a ‘confidence’ booster of a shot that served to be an early sign of what would come against Kentucky from the senior 6-foot-9 forward.

‘After last game, I didn’t make one three. In the moment, it pissed me off and motivated me, but the next day, it didn’t affect my confidence because I know that I put the work in and I know how many shots I put up,’ Kohler said after the game in the Spartans locker room. ‘… Confidence is the biggest thing.’

The veteran forward showed a strong presence on the floor throughout his 27 minutes of action, as he was able to impact the game by controlling the entire offensive end with layups, mid-range shots and 3-pointers. He’d finished the night with a season-high 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting, five rebounds and a block.

‘Jaxon’s gonna make plays,’ Michigan State guard Jeremey Fears Jr. said of Kohler. ‘I think he’s been a lot better passing out of the post … He’s hard to guard. He’s gonna fight off the rebounds. He’s gonna run the lane, he’s gonna match a catch and shoot. He’s gonna post up.

‘… I love that he’s on my team for sure.’

Kohler’s night punctuated Michigan State’s ability to find its 3-point shooting identity, a part of the Spartans’ game they aren’t known to win games with under Izzo. The Spartans’ identity in 31 seasons with Izzo, of course, has been their ability to win games by dominating the glass.

That isn’t to say Michigan State wasn’t able to gobble up rebounds. The Spartans out-rebounded Kentucky 42-28 on the night, including a 10-6 advantage on the offensive glass.

Even so, it was Michigan State did outside of its normal game that won the night.

The Spartans hit seven 3s in the first half to build a 44-27 halftime lead, with four of them coming before the first media timeout at the 13:15 mark of the half. That sharp shooting continued in the second half with four made triples in the final 20 minutes alone.

To emphasize how uncharacteristic of a night the Spartans had from beyond the arc, they entered the night with a 3-point shooting percentage (21.7%) that ranked 352nd in the country.

‘You know, I told my wife, I told my AD, I told my staff, we had three of the best days of practice. We went at it,’ Izzo said after the game. ‘We had two-a-days one day. I don’t know, that’s probably illegal now, I don’t know. But since there’s no laws and rules — right, since there is none, it doesn’t really matter, but we did.

‘I think when you get players to the point where they realize the work is beneficial for them and us, and that’s what wins like tonight will do. Maintaining that, there are 27, 26 games left, so don’t — as my buddy (former Alabama coach) Nick (Saban) says, don’t throw rat poison at me, but we deserve to feel good for a night because we weren’t great other than our shooting early.’

Kentucky unable to find a rhythm on offense

While Michigan State had an above-average night offensively, Kentucky did not.

‘We’re really disappointed, and we’ve got a lot of work to do,’ Pope said of Kentucky’s overall performance.

It didn’t start all that bad for the Wildcats. They traded early punches with the Spartans and even held a 17-14 lead at the first media timeout. The teams traded the lead seven times in the opening seven minutes.

It was out of the media timeout when things began to go downhill for Kentucky, which is expected to compete in the SEC in Pope’s second season. Down two starters in Jaland Lowe and Jayden Quaintance and continuing to find its identity after adding numerous players from the transfer portal, the Wildcats were unable to keep up with the Spartans’ hot shooting as they underwent multiple cold stretches.

A 27.6% field goal shooting percentage combined with seven 3-pointers given up to Michigan State had Kentucky down 44-27 at halftime.

‘We just played poor. It was poor, poor attention to detail on the defensive end,’ Pope said.

Pope’s squad would show some life early on in the second half, even making it a 10-point game at the 9:37 mark, which forced Izzo to call a timeout. The Wildcats wouldn’t be able to keep that offensive momentum, as they fell back into an offensive slump and Michigan State built its lead back up thanks to the efforts of Kohler and freshman guard Cam Ward.

The Wildcats ended the night hitting just two of their final 10 field goal attempts, one of which was a three from Jasper Johnson with 30 seconds remaining in the game. And if that wasn’t alarming enough, Kentucky finished with just 14 assists on 20 made field goals on the night, which was one more assist than Fears finished with by himself for Michigan State.

‘I’ve got to do a better job. My messaging is not resonating with the guys right now. That’s my responsibility,’ Pope said. ‘We’re not playing like our teams play, and that’s my communication issue, so that’s a place we’ve got to work.

Kansas shows depth with Darryn Peterson out

Kansas found itself a man down entering the night, with Peterson being ruled out due to an ongoing hamstring strain. That still didn’t deter Bill Self’s program from giving the Blue Devils — who are expected to make another run at the ACC title in the Men’s NCAA Tournament — a close game.

A reason the Jayhawks were close to picking up their signature early-season win was their ability to rely on their depth. Kansas is now 0-2 on the season against top-25 ranked opponents, with the other loss coming to No. 19 UNC in Chapel Hill in the first week of the season.

One player who stepped up in Peterson’s absence was Flory Bidunga, who is off to a strong second season after an underwhelming freshman campaign. The Jayhawks’ 6-foot-10 forward finished with 14 points, six rebounds and an assist on the night despite being in foul trouble.

‘He’s gotten a lot better,’ Self said on Bidunga’s development. ‘The thing about Flow (Bidunga) is, to me, is he could play really well and not score because he’s so active. He can change the game with activity. His offensive game has gotten better. And I thought he played big tonight and he played athletic.’

Champions Classic 2025 scores

Here’s a breakdown of the scores from the 15th edition of the Champions Classic on Nov. 18:

Game 1:No. 18 Michigan State 83, No. 13 Kentucky 66
Game 2:No. 4 Duke 78, No. 23 Kansas 66

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

The Los Angeles Angels and Baltimore Orioles swung a trade late on Tuesday, Nov. 18, exchanging a pair of former first round picks.

Baltimore is acquiring Taylor Ward from the Angels in exchange for pitcher Grayson Rodriguez, the teams announced.

Ward, 31, appeared in a career-high 157 games this past season and launched a career-high 36 home runs. The outfielder posted a .228/.317/.475 slash line. He was drafted by the Angels in the first round of the 2015 draft and made his debut with the team in 2018.

Rodriguez, 26, was the 11th overall pick in the 2018 draft. He’s been solid when healthy but has struggled with injuries. He has not appeared in an MLB game since July 31, 2024.

Rodriguez posted a 4.11 ERA in 43 starts with the Orioles over two seasons (2023 and 2024). He has 259 strikeouts in 238.2 innings and has gone 20-8.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

NEW YORK — Cameron Boozer scored a team-high 18 points and No. 4 Duke beat No. 23 Kansas 78-66 in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden in the first real test for the Blue Devils’ reworked and freshman-heavy roster.

‘I thought that especially down the stretch, we just showed great poise,’ said Duke coach Jon Scheyer. ‘That’s what it’s all about.’

Guard Isaiah Evans added 16 points and several key makes from deep for the Blue Devils. Center Patrick Ngongba had 13 points and 7 rebounds while battling foul trouble.

Kansas was led by guard Tre White, who finished with 22 points and 9 rebounds.

The Jayhawks played without freshman star Darryn Peterson, who missed his second game in a row with a hamstring injury.

His absence denied a high-profile matchup against Boozer, one of four premier recruits in Duke’s signing class; another is his twin brother, Cayden, a backup point guard who had 7 points and 3 assists. The two are the sons of longtime NBA forward Carlos Boozer, who also played at Duke.

One of the top prospects in the most recent recruiting cycle, Peterson was the No. 3 pick in the USA TODAY Sports way-too-early 2026 NBA mock draft.

‘Peterson being out changes their team, of course,’ said Scheyer. ‘But you also know those other guys are going to stand up.’

While White was able to recoup a chunk of Peterson’s lost production, the Jayhawks struggled at times in combating Duke’s athleticism and depth. The Blue Devils had nine players log at least eight minutes of action, showing off the makings of a deeper bench than last year’s Final Four team.

‘I thought it was the epitome of our team a little bit, in that all nine guys scored and all nine guys made big contributions,’ Scheyer said.

But no player was bigger than Cameron Boozer, who scored 11 points and pulled down 6 rebounds in the second half.

‘I like to rise to the occasion,’ he said.

Boozer was able to handle the environment at MSG, Scheyer said, adding, ‘I still don’t think he played incredible. That’s the thing that’s really exciting.’

Down 24-18 with 8:24 left in the first half following an emphatic alley-oop to Kansas forward Flory Bidunga, the Blue Devils clamped down defensively and held the Jayhawks without a field goal for nearly five minutes to go ahead 30-28.

That lead would grow to 41-33 at halftime after Evans drilled a deep 3-pointer from the left wing with four seconds remaining. Kansas went into the locker room shooting 13 of 34 from the field and scored just five points in the final 5:32 of the half.

Kansas would keep pace coming out of the break before a 3-pointer from the corner by freshman Dame Sarr — an Italian import by way of the Spanish club FC Barcelona — gave the Blue Devils their first double-digit lead at 51-41 four minutes into the second half.

A cold stretch from the Blue Devils, who missed all but one of their next nine attempts, helped KU make the score 54-49 with just under 13 minutes left.

Cayden Boozer responded with a jumper and layup on Duke’s next two possessions to put the Blue Devils ahead 58-51 just over a minute later. That triggered a strong response from the Jayhawks, who began to attack Duke in the paint and cut the advantage to 63-59 on a Bidunga dunk with 6:29 to play.

But the Blue Devils would respond with a key 3-pointer from Evans as the shot clock expired with 3:49 left, pushing the lead to 72-64. That was part of a 9-0 run down the stretch to put the game away.

‘I think the room for us to grow is as big as any team in the country,’ Scheyer said. ‘We have a real team. We don’t just have five players. We have a real team.’

The U.S. men’s national team closed out the year with a bang on Tuesday, Nov. 18, hammering Uruguay, 5-1, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men stunned the South American power with four first-half goals, as Sebastian Berhalter, a brace from Alex Freeman and Diego Luna set the USMNT on its way.

After a stunning bicycle kick goal from Giorgian de Arrascaeta just before halftime, the USMNT added one more from substitute Tanner Tessmann. The Lyon man’s goal came just minutes after Rodrigo Bentancur was shown a straight red card for a studs-up challenge on Berhalter.

The USMNT closed out the year with wins in four of five games as it continues to build momentum toward the 2026 World Cup.

As a reminder, here’s the Pro Soccer Wire player rating scale:

1: Abysmal. Literally any member of our staff would have been able to play at this level.
6: Adequate. This is our base score.
10: Transcendent, era-defining performance. This is Carli Lloyd vs. Japan in the 2015 World Cup final.

GK: Matt Freese – 5.5

Perhaps the lone sour note of the night for the U.S., Freese made an error late in the first half to ruin the clean sheet. His attempt to claim a high ball in the box was fumbled, allowing Uruguay to gain possession and score. With 12 straight starts, it’s likely still his job to lose, but his grasp on the spot could have loosened a bit after this error.

RB: Alex Freeman – 9

It was a star-making performance from the young fullback. He did it all on the night. In the attack, he scored two goals. His first was a nice, measured header off a corner kick.

His second was a work of art as he knifed through several defenders and finished clinically. It was a moment of magic that you wouldn’t expect from a defender. Defensively, he didn’t have any noticeable mistakes. It was as good a performance as you’ll see from a full-back. He has certainly given Pochettino a lot to think about going forward.

LCB: Mark McKenzie – 7

McKenzie has a solid showing defensively. While not as active as his center back partner, he really didn’t put a foot wrong defensively.

RCB: Auston Trusty – 7.5

Trusty seemed to be everywhere in the U.S. defensive area. He was credited with five clearances. Any time Uruguay tried to send service into their attacking area, he seemed to be there to put out the fire.

LB: John Tolkin – 6.5

A competent shift for the left back. He was clean on the ball and didn’t make many defensive mistakes. While he didn’t get as involved in the attack as his full-back counterpart, that really isn’t his role in the team.

CM: Aidan Morris – 7

While Morris didn’t have any spectacular moments like many of his teammates did, he was a force in the midfield. He was controlled and poised on the ball in possession, while being tenacious in the tackle when needed. He won possession for his side many times and helped set the tempo.

CM: Sebastian Berhalter – 8.5

A fantastic showing from the young midfielder who scored a banger for his first international goal. He continued to prove his value to the team on set pieces, setting up the second goal of the game with a corner kick. He remains a question mark in the run of play, but there’s no doubt that he’s an asset to the team with his dead ball abilities. If his name shows up on the final World Cup roster, his set piece prowess will be a huge reason why.

CM: Timothy Tillman – 7

Recorded an assist to Diego Luna to finish off the first half. He was once again tidy on the ball and able to pick out a forward pass. It’s unclear where he falls on the depth chart, but you can certainly add him to the list of capable midfielders for Pochettino to consider.

RW: Sergiño Dest – 7

Playing as an out-and-out attacker, Dest was his usual lively self. There aren’t many defenders in the world who want to see him coming at them one-on-one. He was credited with an assist and was a constant danger on the right flank. No matter the position, he has to be on the field to create chaos with his silky skills on the ball.

FW: Haji Wright – 6

It was a quiet night for the big striker with all the action happening around him. His hold-up play was hit or miss, while his off-the-ball runs were helping create gaps for his teammates to exploit. It wasn’t a bad night by any means, just an unspectacular one.

LW: Diego Luna – 7

It was one of the last chances for Luna to make his case for the World Cup squad, and he found the back of the net. His finish was clinical to wrap up a dream first half for the team. Other than the goal, he wasn’t overly influential in the attack. He was more of a passenger than a driving force, but a goal certainly won’t hurt his case for a roster spot come 2026.

Sub: Folarin Balogun – 5

Balogun had one or two chances to help score or create a goal after coming on, but failed to take advantage. It would be harsh to criticize him too much, considering he came into a lopsided match.

Sub: Gio Reyna – 7

Just minutes after coming off the bench, he set up Tessmann for a goal with a sublime pass from midfield. He continues to prove he’s one of the best players in the player pool.

Sub: Tanner Tessmann – 7

Scored his first international goal minutes after coming onto the field. It was a very nice headed finish after an even better run into the box. Coming off a very good performance on Saturday, he has to be creeping up the depth chart.

Sub: Brenden Aaronson – 5

Got a quick run out but didn’t have much influence on the match after coming on. His energy off the bench is an asset that could be utilized in the future.

Sub: Max Arfsten – 5

Didn’t have much to do other than see out the result. He wasn’t as adventurous going forward as he usually is, but that’s to be expecting considering the scenario he entered in.

Sub: Cristian Roldan – NR

A late sub who played two minutes.

The third College Football Playoff ranking release of the season had some certainty and some mystery when it was unveiled Tuesday, Nov. 18,

There were no surprises among the top three teams. Ohio State retains the No. 1 spot it has held since the initial rankings. Right behind the Buckeyes is No. 2 Indiana with the unbeaten conference rivals on a collision to play in the Big Ten title game.

Texas A&M, the other team in the Bowl Subdivision without a loss, held down its place at No. 3. But that wasn’t assured until the Aggies pulled off a historic comeback to beat South Carolina in Week 12.

The changes came after the leading trio. Georgia – fresh off an impressive defeat of Texas – improved one spot followed by a likewise gain by Big 12 leader Texas Tech.

The back half of the top 10 saw an overhaul with Alabama falling from No. 4 after Oklahoma took down the Crimson Tide last weekend. The Sooners gained three positions to slot in at No. 8 slot behind Oregon and Mississippi. Wins against Missouri and LSU should secure a first-round home game.

Alabama dropped to 10th and Notre Dame held on to the ninth spot. The Fighting Irish have games ahead against Syracuse and Stanford. The Crimson Tide occupy the last at-large spot and face Auburn in two weeks.

Sitting just on the outside of the field are No. 11 Brigham Young followed by Utah and Miami, the top ACC team.

There was also twist in the competition between the teams in Group of Five conferences. South Florida – the only team from those leagues ranked last week – fell from No. 24 after a loss to Navy. Moving into the rankings from the G5 is Tulane at No. 24. The highest-ranked champion from those conferences is guaranteed a spot in the field.

The ranking is the third of six releases by the committee. The next two be Tuesday after Week 13 and Week 14. The final release that will set the College Football Playoff field is on Sunday, Dec. 7.

CFP rankings Top 25

Ohio State (10-0)
Indiana (11-0)
Texas A&M (10-0)
Georgia (9-1)
Texas Tech (10-1)
Mississippi (10-1)
Oregon (9-1)
Oklahoma (8-2)
Notre Dame (8-2)
Alabama (8-2)
Brigham Young (9-1)
Utah (8-2)
Miami (8-2)
Vanderbilt (8-2)
Southern California (8-2)
Georgia Tech (9-1)
Texas (7-3)
Michigan (8-2)
Virginia (9-2)
Tennessee (7-3)
Illinois (7-3)
Missouri (7-3)
Houston (8-2)
Tulane (8-2)
Arizona State (7-3)

How the College Football Playoff would look based on rankings

First round

No. 12 Tulane at No. 5 Texas Tech

No. 11 Miami at No. 6 Mississippi

No. 10 Alabama at No. 7 Oregon

No. 9 Notre Dame at No. 8 Oklahoma

Quarterfinals

No. 4 Georgia vs. Tulane-Texas Tech winner

No. 3 Texas A&M vs. Miami-Mississippi winner

No. 2 Indiana vs. Alabama-Oregon winner

No. 1 Ohio State vs. Notre Dame-Oklahoma winner

What is the College Football Playoff schedule?

The schedule for first-round games taking place on campus sites will see No. 5 hosting No. 12, No. 6 facing No. 11, No. 7 meeting No. 10 and No. 8 squaring off with No. 9.

Winners of those games will advance to the quarterfinals with the Cotton Bowl hosting its matchup on Dec. 31. The other three games of the round will be played Jan. 1 with the Orange Bowl starting the day followed by the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl. The Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl will host the semifinals on Jan. 8 and Jan. 9, respectively.

The championship game will be played on Jan. 19 in Miami Gardens, Florida, at Hard Rock Stadium.

Shedeur Sanders is expected to make his first NFL start for the Cleveland Browns after an injury to the starting quarterback.
Deion Sanders expressed fondness for the Browns’ injured starting quarterback, Dillon Gabriel.
The coach alluded to behind-the-scenes challenges his son has faced this season with the Browns.

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders said Nov. 18 that he didn’t know yet if he’d make it to Las Vegas to watch his son Shedeur’s first expected start as an NFL quarterback. But Sanders also said he likes quarterback Dillon Gabriel − Shedeur’s teammate with the Cleveland Browns − and knows what’s been going on ‘behind the curtains’ this season in Cleveland.

‘I think a lesser man would have crumbled,’ Deion Sanders said of his son at his weekly news conference in Boulder.

Shedeur Sanders, a rookie with the Browns, came off the bench in a 23-16 loss against Baltimore Nov. 16 after Gabriel, the starting quarterback, suffered a concussion. Gabriel is expected to miss the Brown’s Nov. 23 game, putting Shedeur in the spotlight against the Las Vegas Raiders.

“Haven’t made that decision as of yet,” Deion Sanders said Tuesday about going to Las Vegas. “I’m so focused on what we have at hand. I’m not thinking about that, although I just got off the phone with him a minute ago.”

Sanders’ Colorado team hosts Arizona State in a 8 p.m. game Nov. 22. His team is 3-7 this year and often practices on Sundays.

Deion Sanders said he’s fond of Dillon Gabriel

The father said he was “in tears” after learning in his office in Boulder that his son finally saw his first action in a regular-season game last Sunday. He said he predicted to Shedeur beforehand that he would play against the Ravens.

“I thought the Ravens would have played better early on to provoke him getting in,” Sanders said Tuesday. “I didn’t want him to get in by the injury because I’m fond of Dillon, and I want him to be successful as well. But I didn’t want that to happen.”

Deion Sanders alludes to issues ‘behind the curtains’

Shedeur Sanders came back from a fractured back that he suffered at Colorado in 2023 and entered the NFL draft in April as a projected first-round pick. But then he fell all the way to the fifth round and Cleveland, which also drafted Gabriel in the third round. Fans of Sanders have questioned why the Browns didn’t give him a better chance until Sunday, when he completed 4 of 16 passes for 47 yards with an interception against the Ravens.

“I was happy for him just getting the opportunity and running on that field because I know the fight behind the fight,” Deion Sanders said. “Yeah, if I could say that modestly. I know what’s been transpiring behind the curtains, and I’m just proud of him, because he’s not just saying the right things, he’s doing and living the right things. That’s just who he is.”

Deion Sanders said ‘a lesser man would have crumbled’

The father said he’s been providing advice to Shedeur and is even trying to “buy a house together” with him. He said he’s proud of him.

“Thank God that God prepared him for everything he’s dealing with,” Deion Sanders said. “I mean, I think a lesser man would have crumbled. But he’s been built for this, and who else is built for the adversity like he is? Like, going into the NFL? I don’t think it’s too many quarterbacks that have (been) built like that for the adverse situations and not having the best of things to happen around him.”

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

(This story was updated with new information.)

A law firm is suing former Colorado football player Shilo Sanders for over $164,000 in unpaid legal bills.
The unpaid fees are for services related to a personal injury lawsuit and his subsequent bankruptcy filing.
This new lawsuit is separate from his pending bankruptcy case, where he also faces a claim of violating bankruptcy law.

Former Colorado football standout Shilo Sanders is facing more legal trouble, this time from a law firm that says he owes the firm more than $164,000 in unpaid bills and interest.

The firm Barnes & Thornburg LLP filed a lawsuit Nov. 17 against Sanders, son of Colorado coach Deion Sanders. It seeks a judgment for what Shilo Sanders allegedly owes for services the firm provided to him related to his other legal issues — a personal injury lawsuit he faced in Dallas that eventually led him to file for bankruptcy in October 2023.

The firm “delivered the legal services and incurred the costs reflected in the Invoices between May 1, 2024 and August 26, 2024 based on the Agreement,” an employee for the firm said in a written declaration filed in federal court in Dallas. “Mr. Sanders, however, failed to pay the amounts reflected the Invoices presented to him, and has not tendered payment in response to Plaintiff’s efforts to obtain payment on the outstanding Invoices. The total of the Invoices that Mr. Sanders currently owes Plaintiff is $164,285.55, including $10,967.91 in interest for the services provided and costs incurred.”

How does this relate to Shilo Sanders’ bankruptcy case?

The new lawsuit is not part of Shilo Sanders’ pending bankruptcy case, but it was filed by a firm that provided legal services to him “in connection with his personal injury matter and his bankruptcy proceedings,’ according to the complaint obtained by USA TODAY Sports.

The complaint against Sanders says in August 2024 Sanders was informed the attorney responsible for his matters was moving to a new law firm and Sanders would remain responsible for any outstanding account balance with respect to those matters. Sanders then terminated Barnes & Thornburg’s representation and moved it to the new firm of that attorney, according to the complaint.

Dallas attorney Victor Vital represents Sanders and announced a move from Barnes & Thornburg to a new firm, Haynes Boone, in August 2024.

Vital didn’t return a message seeking comment.

How did Shilo Sanders end up in bankruptcy?

Shilo Sanders, 25, filed for bankruptcy in an effort to discharge more than $11 million debt — almost all of which is owed to one man, John Darjean, a former security guard at his school in Dallas. Darjean filed a personal injury lawsuit against Sanders in 2016, accusing Sanders of causing him permanent and severe injuries when he tried to confiscate his phone at school in 2015, when Shilo was 15.

Shilo Sanders claimed in pretrial proceedings that he acted in self-defense. But when the case went to trial in 2022, Shilo didn’t show up for it, leading to a default judgment against him of more than $11 million. When Darjean moved to collect on that judgment, Shilo filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in hopes of getting it discharged. But Darjean is fighting his attempt to discharge it. Last month, the trustee in the bankruptcy case also filed suit against Shilo, claiming Sanders violated bankruptcy law by making unauthorized transfers of approximately $250,000.

Sanders is the middle son of Deion Sanders and has pursued other interests since he was waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this year as an undrafted free agent. Last year, he helped lead Colorado to a 9-4 season. His younger brother Shedeur is set to make his first NFL start on Sunday as quarterback of the Cleveland Browns.

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

Kentucky and Michigan State are two of the most consistently successful programs in men’s college basketball, with a slew of conference titles and Final Four appearances to their name over the past 25 years (to say nothing of a pair of national championships, one for each program).

On Tuesday, as they do once every three years around this time in November, the Wildcats and Spartans squared off, with one of them looking much more the part of a top-20 team than their opponent.

Watch Kentucky vs. Michigan State basketball live with Fubo (free trial)

Behind 20 points from Jaxon Kohler and 13 assists from Jeremiah Fears Jr., No. 18 Michigan State rolled past No. 13 Kentucky 83-66 at the Champions Classic in Madison Square Garden in New York on Tuesday, Nov. 18.

Coach Tom Izzo’s team shot 50% from the field and 3-point range. After entering the night with just 13 made baskets from beyond the arc across their first three games this season, the Spartans drained 11 3s in the victory. Kentucky, meanwhile, shot just 35.1% overall and 23.3% from 3 (on 30 attempts). Otega Oweh led the way with 12 points for the Wildcats, who were playing without injured starters Jayden Quaintance and Jaland Lowe.

Michigan State’s win was keyed by an 18-2 run in the first half that turned a 3-point deficit into a 13-point advantage. The Spartans led by as many as 24 in the second half and led Kentucky for 34:19 of a possible 40 minutes.

USA TODAY Sports provided the live score, updates and highlights from Michigan State’s win. Here are the highlights:

Kentucky vs Michigan State live score

This section will be updated throughout the game.

Kentucky vs Michigan State live updates

This section will be updated throughout the game.

Michigan State vs Kentucky highlights

FINAL: Michigan State 83, Kentucky 66

The Spartans dominate for the game’s final 30 minutes, earning an 83-66 win against Kentucky in the Champions Classic. The big stars for coach Tom Izzo’s squad were Jaxon Kohler, who had a game-high 20 points, and Jeremiah Fears Jr., who had a game-high 13 assists and controlled the game from the tip to the final buzzer.

Michigan State pushes lead back to 20

Just when Kentucky started to make it a game, Michigan State reasserts itself, going on a 6-0 run to push its lead to 20, its largest advantage of the game, with 5:03 left. That should just about do it here.

Jaxon Kohler is up to 20 points for the Spartans.

Kentucky cuts Michigan State lead to 10

The Wildcats aren’t going quietly into the Midtown Manhattan night. On the heels of a 7-0 run, Kentucky has Michigan State’s lead down to 10 with 10:55 remaining after it had gotten as large as 19 in the second half.

Halftime: Michigan State 44, Kentucky 27

The Spartans dominate the first 20 minutes of play, going into halftime with a 17-point lead over Kentucky. Michigan State shoots 51.5% from the field and 53.8% from 3-point range. Kentucky, on the other hand, is shooting just 27.6% overall and 26.7% from 3 despite getting some good looks.

The Wildcats trailed Louisville by 20 in the second half last Tuesday before cutting the deficit down to four. We’ll see if they have a similar run in them tonight.

Michigan State stretches lead over Kentucky to double digits

Tom Izzo’s Spartans are still rolling offensively, shooting 55.2% from the field and 58.3% from 3-point range to take a 40-25 lead over Kentucky with 3:08 remaining in the first half. Jaxon Kohler leads the way with 12 points while making five of his six shots, including both of his 3s.

Michigan State continues 3-point tear vs Kentucky

After a hot start beyond the arc, Michigan State hasn’t really cooled down. The Spartans have made five of their nine 3-pointers thus far to take a 25-19 lead on Kentucky without about eight minutes left in the first half.

The Spartans had made just 13 total 3s in their first three games this season.

Collin Chandler gives Kentucky early lead vs Michigan State

Whew, what a start in the Big Apple. The Wildcats and Spartans are playing at a frenetic pace that likely favors Mark Pope’s squad given its strengths and tendencies. Kentucky has a 17-14 lead at the first media timeout of the firth half, with Collin Chandler leading the way with seven points and two rebounds.

Michigan State made four of its first five 3-pointers and has gotten eight points from Jaxon Kohler.

Michigan State basketball starters vs Kentucky

Here’s the starting five Michigan State is going with against Kentucky in the Champions Classic:

G Jeremy Fears Jr.
G Trey Fort
F Jaxon Kohler
F Coen Carr
C Carson Cooper

Kentucky basketball starters vs Michigan State

Here’s the lineup Kentucky will roll out against Michigan State in the Champions Classic:

G Otega Oweh
G Denzel Aberdeen
G Collin Chandler
F Brandon Garrison
F Mouhamed Dioubate

Jaland Lowe injury update

Kentucky point guard Jaland Lowe will miss the Wildcats’ Champions Classic game against Michigan State while he deals with a lingering shoulder injury, with coach Mark Pope passing along the news to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander Tuesday afternoon.

Kentucky vs Michigan State start time today

Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 18
Location: Madison Square Garden (New York)

What TV channel is Kentucky vs Michigan State basketball today?

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

Kentucky vs Michigan State predictions, picks, odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Tuesday, Nov. 18.

Spread: Kentucky (-4.5)
Over/under: 153.5
Moneyline: Kentucky -210 | Michigan State +170

Prediction: Kentucky 82, Michigan State 77

Even without two of their best players, the Wildcats should have enough firepower to outscore a Spartans offense that ranks outside the top 50 nationally in efficiency thus far.

Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo made an appearance at the White House on Tuesday, Nov. 18 with Donald Trump, coinciding with the U.S. president hosting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Washington D.C.

Ronaldo was among a number of notable guests at the black-tie dinner, a list that included Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Apple CEO Tim Cook.

‘My son is a big fan of Ronaldo,’ Trump said. ‘And Barron got to meet him and I think he respects his father a little bit more now that I’ve introduced you. Thank you for being here, it’s an honor.’

The feeling is mutual. Ronaldo recently expressed his admiration for Trump, saying that the American president is ‘one of the guys who can help change the world.’

The 40-year-old Ronaldo is set to represent Portugal in next summer’s World Cup in North America and – along with Lionel Messi – will become the first player in history to participate in six men’s World Cups. Portugal officially qualified for the tournament on Nov. 17 and Ronaldo has said 2026 will ‘definitely’ be his last appearance.

Ronaldo currently plays club soccer for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, and has become a prominent ambassador for the kingdom’s tourism authority since making a move from Manchester United in 2023.

Trump has taken a major interest in soccer since returning to the presidency, hosting multiple White House events with FIFA president Gianni Infantino and famously stayed on the stage for this summer’s Club World Cup Trophy presentation, much to the bewilderment of the players.

Tuesday’s public appearance marked Ronaldo’s first in the U.S. in nearly a decade.

What has Cristiano Ronaldo said about Donald Trump?

In a recent interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo praised Trump and said that he wanted to meet the American president.

“He is one of the guys who can help to change the world. One of the most important guys is the U.S. president. If we can help each other to make this happen,’ Ronaldo said.

‘He is one of the guys I wish to meet to sit and have a nice talk. If it is here, or in the U.S., wherever he wants, I know he was here in Saudi with our boss MBS. I wish one day to meet him because he is one of the guys who can make things happen and I like people like that.”

Lane Kiffin has good optinos in Florida and LSU, but if he stays at Ole Miss, he can always leave later.
Does Lane Kiffin face a deadline to make his decision? That depends on who you ask.
As CFP bubble crowds, how many teams can SEC qualify? Shoot for six, but face reality of five.

In one hand, Kiffin holds a College Football Playoff contender at Mississippi. With one more win, the Rebels are positioned to host a first-round home game.

In another hand, there’s Florida, and still another LSU.

Ole Miss, according to multiple reports, has given Kiffin a deadline of next week to make up his mind on which hand he’s playing. Kiffin said in an appearance on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ that Ole Miss has not given him an ultimatum.

‘There has been no ultimatum,’ Kiffin said. ‘That’s absolutely not true.’

Even if the deadline is real, it’s unclear what moves Ole Miss could take if Kiffin doesn’t meet the timeline.

Drama, drama, drama.

On this edition of ‘SEC Football Unfiltered,’ a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams discuss the latest developments on the daily soap opera surrounding Kiffin.

They also weigh in on the SEC’s potential maximum number of playoff qualifiers, with seven teams from the conference still in contention.

What’s Lane Kiffin’s next move? Stay, or off to Florida or LSU?

Adams: Why mess with happiness? Why mess with success? If Kiffin wants to win a national championship, he can do that right where he’s at. Last year’s team was talented enough to be in the playoff and play into January, but it flopped in two games it had no business losing. This year’s team has one of the nation’s most exciting offenses.

Maybe, it’s still a little harder to build teams of this caliber at Ole Miss than it would be at places like LSU, but Kiffin has mastered a craft that works for the Rebels. The last time Kiffin left a job where he could have won a national title, he derailed his career. With his career back on track, maybe stay put this time.

Toppmeyer: We’re acting as if Kiffin has only three options: Ole Miss, Florida or LSU. Here’s a fourth: Stay at Ole Miss, coach the team in the playoff, and then if the program backslides next year, leave for whatever the best job is on the market, when accepting a new job doesn’t mean leaving a playoff team.

Because, more good jobs will open in 2026 and ’27.

TOPP THOUGHTS: Virginia Tech could win coaching carousel with James Franklin hire

This year, it’s Florida and LSU. Next year, who knows, maybe Texas and Alabama come open again. Maybe Michigan opens. I don’t know what’ll open next season. I only know that LSU and Florida won’t be the last two good jobs ever available, and Kiffin’s stock would remain hot after a playoff run this season.

Oh, and here’s a fifth option: Wait for the NFL to come calling. Kiffin holds three good hands, and if he retains his cards with Ole Miss, I’d bet more good cards would be on the way in 2026.

How many teams can SEC qualify for the CFP?

Commissioner Greg Sankey once mused about the SEC staging its own College Football Playoff. He didn’t follow through, but his conference has at least an outside shot of claiming half the spots in a 12-team playoff.

Not bad, eh? The bubble’s getting awfully crowded, so what’s the most realistic outcome for the SEC?

Realistic: Five playoff teams, with Texas A&M, Georgia, Ole Miss, Alabama and Oklahoma being the best bets. Vanderbilt and Texas remain in the mix but are longer shots to qualify.

Shoot for the moon: Six teams. If the aforementioned top five plus Vanderbilt all finish with 10-plus wins, could the committee squeeze them all in? Probably not, but maybe if some chaos ensues elsewhere.

Not happening: Seven teams. There won’t be enough room.

Week 13 picks against the spread!

Toppmeyer’s five-pack of picks (picks in bold):

∎ Missouri at Oklahoma (-8.5)

∎ Charlotte at Georgia (-44.5)

∎ Arkansas at Texas (-10.5)

∎ Coastal Carolina at South Carolina (-23.5)

∎ Miami (-17.5) at Virginia Tech

Season record: 27-33 (2-3 last week)

—-

Adams’ five-pack of picks (picks in bold):

∎ Arkansas at Texas (-10.5)

∎ Tennessee (-3.5) at Florida

∎ Western Kentucky at LSU (-22.5)

∎ Kentucky at Vanderbilt (-9.5)

∎ Akron at Bowling Green (-3.5)

Season record: 30-30 (1-4 last week)

Where to listen to SEC Football Unfiltered

Apple
Spotify
iHeart
Google

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. John Adams is the senior sports columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel. Subscribe to the SEC Football Unfiltered podcast, and check out the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.