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MLB free agent predictions: Will ace closer leave Mets?

Heading into Thanksgiving, Major League Baseball’s free agent market is still taking shape ahead of the annual winter meetings.

Outfielder Kyle Tucker is widely considered the best player available and could end up signing a deal north of $400 million. Other impact bats include Alex Bregman, Bo Bichette and Pete Alonso, while Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease, Zac Gallen and Ranger Suarez are among the top pitchers in the class.

USA TODAY Sports’ MLB team made our official winter predictions earlier in November and will stand by those picks, but here’s why one of us thought – and still thinks – the way we did about a couple of those things:

Orioles will sign a higher-end starter

Coming off back-to-back postseason trips a year ago, the Orioles drew widespread condemnation in the Old Line State for their winter inactivity. They proceeded to finish in last place, firing manager Brandon Hyde along the way and the Orioles Project now comes to a crossroads in 2026.

It was admittedly David Rubenstein’s first offseason as an owner so perhaps the boss could be forgiven if he splashes some cash to make an impact signing this winter.

The Orioles are expected to pursue some of the top starting pitchers on the market, namely lefty Framber Valdez and right-hander Dylan Cease, and a signing or two may signal that Baltimore is now open for business.

Edwin Diaz will leave the Mets

Six years after joining the team in a trade that this columnist foolishly said would go down as one of the worst in franchise history, Diaz is fourth on the Mets’ all-time saves list and has become something of a cultural icon across sports for his bullpen entry.

A free agent for the second time in four winters, Diaz opted out of the final two years of the record-breaking deal he signed to stay in Flushing late in 2022. He missed the entire 2023 season after a fluke injury in the World Baseball Classic, overcame rust in his 2024 return to get the Mets to the NLCS and then won his second NL Reliever of the Year award for the Mets in 2025.

But maybe it’s best for everybody to say goodbye?

There was consensus on Diaz’s last nine-figure contract but he’s three years older now and chasing another deal in the $85-105 million range. David Stearns would surely love to reinvest in multiple relievers as the Mets pick up the pieces following a disaster finish.

Diaz won’t be without high-level suitors as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays should both be in the market for a top reliever. Would the 31-year-old sign on if he wasn’t guaranteed the ninth inning?

MLB free agent predictions

Here’s what USA TODAY Sports’ MLB writers and editors predicted for the winter’s top free agents back on Nov. 9:

Kyle Tucker, OF, Cubs

Bob Nightengale: Blue Jays
Gabe Lacques: Yankees
Jesse Yomtov: Dodgers

Bo Bichette, SS, Blue Jays

Nightengale: Atlanta
Lacques: Blue Jays
Yomtov: Blue Jays

Alex Bregman, 3B, Red Sox

Nightengale: Red Sox
Lacques: Cubs
Yomtov: Red Sox

Framber Valdez, LHP, Astros

Nightengale: Blue Jays
Lacques: Giants
Yomtov: Orioles

Pete Alonso, 1B, Mets

Nightengale: Red Sox
Lacques: Mets
Yomtov: Mets

Cody Bellinger, OF/1B, Yankees

Nightengale: Yankees
Lacques: Diamondbacks
Yomtov: Giants

Kyle Schwarber, DH, Phillies

Nightengale: Phillies
Lacques: Phillies
Yomtov: Phillies

Dylan Cease, RHP, Padres

Nightengale: Atlanta
Lacques: Orioles
Yomtov: Giants

Zac Gallen, RHP, Diamondbacks

Nightengale: Mets
Lacques: Phillies
Yomtov: Mets

Edwin Diaz, RHP, Mets

Nightengale: Mets
Lacques: Dodgers
Yomtov: Blue Jays

Ranger Suarez, LHP, Phillies

Nightengale: Cubs
Lacques: Tigers
Yomtov: Cubs

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Saints’ Demario Davis, NFL wear their passions with My Cause My Cleats

Saints LB Demario Davis is participating in the NFL’s ‘My Cause My Cleats’ campaign to promote the philanthropic organization Stand Together.
The ‘My Cause My Cleats’ campaign involves over 1,800 NFL participants highlighting various social causes.

As much as Demario Davis is all-in for the monumental rebuilding task confronting the New Orleans Saints, the veteran linebacker carries on with another mission, too.

Davis sees football as a means to a larger purpose.

“I think it’s a responsibility of humanity to look out for your fellow man,” Davis, 36, told USA TODAY Sports. “I also believe that to sit in the seat that I’m in, to whom much is given, much is required.”

Davis explained the motivation behind his extensive track record for community service against the backdrop of the NFL’s annual My Cause My Cleats campaign. He’s one of more than 1,800 participants – players, coaches, staff, even on-air TV personalities – who will wear cleats or sneakers during Week 12 and Week 13 that highlight social issues and nonprofit organizations. The shoes will be auctioned, with proceeds donated to each individual’s selected cause.

When Davis lines up against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, his cleats will promote Stand Together, a philanthropic organization that assists a multitude of social causes and organizations committed to community service.

From Devoted Dreamers to Stand Together, Davis dreams big for impact

A 14th-year NFL veteran, Davis established a foundation with his wife, Tamela, shortly after his pro career began in 2012, that supports the development of youth through a wide array of programs. In 2020, Davis’ foundation aligned with Stand Together, which he said has been key to taking his vision for broader impact to a higher level.

“They’ve helped us realize that we can help the country,” Davis said, adding that Stand Together, based in Arlington, Virginia, works with more than 350 organizations in 600-plus communities nationwide.

Davis opened the Devoted Dreamers Academy in 2023, which supports youth with after-school enrichment programs, camps, conferences and the like, with a template that can be applied by other organizations. The academy’s name fits. Davis dreams big for impact.

“Someone took the time and invested in me,” said Davis, a devout Christian, alluding to the team chaplain at Arkansas State who helped him get back on track during a pivotal juncture in his life. “When you invest in other people, I realize how it can change the trajectory of their lives. To be somebody living out their dream, I want other people to live out their dreams as well.”

Over the years, Davis estimates that his foundation’s work – with a mission to provide spiritual, mental, academic, social and physical support – has touched more than 10,000 kids.

“Whatever the dreams are, they’re going to need the resources to do it,” said Davis, whose initial outreach included efforts in his home state of Mississippi. “We saw change that needed to happen in our communities and inside the school system and went to work at it in 2013, and now it’s been over a decade that we’ve been at that work.”

‘It’s the shoes, Homey!’ My Cause My Cleats’ purpose extends beyond football

It’s a noble purpose. Of course, Davis shares the spotlight with hundreds of others in the NFL universe who will highlight issues and organizations that they passionately care about. Given the level of participation, it is inspiring that My Cause My Cleats has routinely been one of the NFL’s most widely-supported community-service campaigns – complete with the elaborate creative art displayed on the cleats and sneakers.

To borrow an Air Jordan-influenced phrase from Spike Lee’s iconic character, Mars Blackmon: ‘It’s the shoes, Homey!’

Causes and organizations highlighted by other players include cancer prevention, mental health, social justice, military appreciation and disease awareness, among others.

“Although the cleats are on my feet, it’s not about me,” said Davis, who has reflected a cause with his cleats in each year since 2017.  “The work is so much bigger than me. I’m using the cleats to highlight something going on around the nation, because that’s what it’s about. It’s about purpose.”

A larger purpose that goes far beyond football.

Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on  X: @JarrettBell

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Obama wanted shutdown pain to be felt by Americans, while Trump kept focus on Washington, experts argue

President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama are polar opposites in many ways, but, as with anyone who has sat behind the Resolute Desk, they do share some similarities.

One thing both have in common is overseeing government shutdowns — one under Obama and two under Trump. And even in that sparse similarity, both men operated differently, particularly in the most recent, 43-day closure.

While both congressional battles were centered on Obamacare, Obama put his shutdown at the center of attention, while Trump kept it at more of an arm’s length.

Romina Boccia, director of budget and entitlement policy at the Cato Institute, told Fox News Digital that a major difference in the Obama and Trump administrations’ approaches to their respective shutdowns was that in 2013, Obama wanted the pain of shutdown to be felt by Americans, while Trump kept the focus centered on Washington, D.C.

‘During the Obama shutdown, it was more to make it extremely visible, shut down beloved functions — even if you didn’t have to — that affect average Americans,’ she said.

Boccia at the time worked for the conservative think-tank the Heritage Foundation and recalled the barricades that were swiftly erected around Washington, D.C.’s many national parks.

Those barricades, both concrete and human, spilled out beyond the nation’s capital and were placed around the hundreds of national parks across America as a stark reminder that the government was closed.

Boccia noted that a direct comparison of the two shutdowns would be difficult given the differing lengths, but that the Trump administration, at least early on, sought to inflict direct pain on congressional Democrats and the federal government.

That was carried out largely by the Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought, who ordered mass firings of furloughed workers and withheld or canceled billions in federal funding to blue cities and states.

‘It’s not that this wasn’t a shutdown, it’s just that the choices the administration made were an attempt to focus the impacts of the shutdown this round on the government itself,’ Brittany Madni, executive vice president of the Economic Policy Innovation Center, told Fox News Digital.

‘This was showmanship from President Obama,’ Madni continued. ‘And if you look at what happened over the last 40 something days, it was the exact same playbook by congressional Democrats.’

Madni argued that discussions and debate during the 2013 shutdown were centered largely in Washington, D.C. The latest closure saw some of that, but it also saw Trump continuing to work on trade deals, particularly during his high-profile visit to Asia, which was a point of contention for Democrats on the Hill.

‘He was doing his job,’ Madni said. ‘He was doing his job. Meanwhile, congressional Democrats, quite simply, were not.’

Still, there was a shared thread in both shutdowns: Obamacare.

In 2013, congressional Republicans wanted to dismantle Obama’s signature piece of legislation. Fast-forward, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., led his caucus to push extensions to enhanced Obamacare subsidies.

Boccia said that played a large part in why Obama was at the vanguard during his shutdown.

‘He was front and center in the media talking about the shutdown, and because it was over his legacy achievement,’ she said.

It was because his key legislative achievement was under fire that Obama took such a central role in the shutdown, Boccia argued, but for Trump, who tried during his first administration to gut and replace Obamacare, it wasn’t a priority.

‘The fact that it was over the Obamacare COVID credits, I think, made the president less necessary and perhaps interested in being the face of the shutdown,’ she said. ‘It was really a congressional battle.’

Madni disagreed that the latest shutdown wasn’t a direct bid by congressional Democrats to go after one of his legislative achievements.

Before the climactic failed vote in the Senate in late September that ushered in the longest shutdown in history, Democrats offered a counter-proposal that would have stripped several provisions from Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill,’ which has so far been the crowning legislative achievement of his second term.

‘It’s really important that everyone remembers the subsidy request was one request in a laundry list of radical, incredibly expensive ideas that added up to $1.5 trillion,’ Madni said. ‘Another item in that list was dismantling key portions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.’

‘If this was really about the subsidies, then the Democrats would have been willing at any point during the last 43 days to adjust their asks and just make it about subsidies,’ she continued. ‘Not once did they.’

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Trump admin disputes claim that Ukraine peace plan was Russia ‘wish list’

President Donald Trump’s administration is rejecting claims that its most recent plan for a peace deal in Ukraine was really a Russian ‘wish list.’

Confusion arose regarding the deal after lawmakers on Capitol Hill claimed they were told by White House officials that the deal was a proposal from the Russian side. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has since pushed back on that claim, however.

‘[Rubio] made it very clear to us that we are the recipients of a proposal that was delivered to one of our representatives,’ Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said at a press conference. ‘It is not our recommendation. It is not our peace plan. It is a proposal that was received, and as an intermediary, we have made arrangements to share it — and we did not release it. It was leaked.’

According to The Associated Press, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said that Rubio told him and his colleagues that it ‘was not the administration’s plan’ but a ‘wish list of the Russians.’

Rubio responded to this narrative with a post on social media, writing that the peace proposal ‘was authored by the U.S.’

‘It is offered as a strong framework for ongoing negotiations. It is based on input from the Russian side. But it is also based on previous and ongoing input from Ukraine,’ he added.

Rounds released another statement through his press office after Rubio’s response.

‘I appreciate Secretary Rubio briefing us earlier today on their efforts to bring about peace by relying on input from both Russia and Ukraine to arrive at a final deal,’ Rounds wrote.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Rubio traveled to Geneva on Sunday to meet with Ukrainian officials alongside Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, where they are expected to hash out Kyiv’s misgivings regarding the deal.

Trump himself lashed out at Ukraine over the peace talks in a Sunday statement.

‘UKRAINE ‘LEADERSHIP’ HAS EXPRESSED ZERO GRATITUDE FOR OUR EFFORTS, AND EUROPE CONTINUES TO BUY OIL FROM RUSSIA,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social.

While the current agreement has not been made public, a leaked draft has been reported to include terms that would halt the fighting in Ukraine while giving Russia concessions like control over Ukrainian territory that the Russian military does not yet control, as well as barring Ukraine from membership in NATO.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not reject the plan outright in an address last week, but he insisted on fair treatment while pledging to ‘work calmly’ with Washington and other partners in what he called ‘truly one of the most difficult moments in our history.’

Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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A November day of ugly. What did CFP selection committee expect?

The College Football Playoff selection committee’s lack of clear criteria is causing confusion.
Teams are running up scores in an attempt to impress the committee with the ‘eye test.’
Metrics like head-to-head results and strength of schedule appear to be inconsistently applied.

When there is no leadership, there are no rules. 

When there are no rules, there are no boundaries.

When there are no boundaries, well, Notre Dame scores 70 points on a team so devastated by injury, it’s using a former lacrosse player at quarterback. 

Or Vanderbilt plays star quarterback Diego Pavia during a 40-point rout of Kentucky, and keeps chucking it. 

Or Miami, having salted away a 10-point win over Virginia Tech, throws in the end zone in the final 90 seconds to make it 17.

All because no one knows what in the world the College Football Playoff selection committee wants. Or how it works. Or what it takes to earn one of the coveted seven at-large spots in the 12-team field. 

The committee chairman (whoever it is this week) says things like strength of schedule, game control, efficiency, net rate success and any of the many other nonsensical metric garbage it feeds the breathless looking for answers. 

When they know damn well this thing is about the eye test. And as confounding, its hand-in-hand buddy, the prisoner of the moment. 

It’s here where we introduce Oregon, the one team — more than any other — who’s resume has been built through the eye test and prisoner of the moment. Prior to Saturday, the Ducks had played one game of significance ― six weeks ago! ― and were embarrassed at home by Indiana. 

Not that getting embarrassed by Indiana is such a bad thing, but it most certainly still is a thing that can’t be ignored. Unless you’re one of 12 on the selection committee, which has ranked Oregon among the Top 10 since the first CFP poll earlier this month.

Why? We don’t know, but apparently it has something to do with a big road win at four-loss Iowa — which beat Michigan State on Saturday in Iowa City on a last-second field goal. 

The same Spartans that haven’t won a Big Ten game.

This brings us all the way to Oregon playing host to USC on Saturday, a game of two top-15 teams billed as “win or go home.” Or something like that. 

Why is USC in this spot, you ask? Well, USC beat Iowa, too, by three points in Los Angeles, and a week after Oregon won in Iowa City. 

Maybe the good folks at the CFP should start ranking Iowa in the top 15, by proxy. 

Anyway, I’m not done with USC just yet. The Trojans’ big win (outside of that juggernaut Iowa, of course) is Michigan. The same Michigan team whose entire existence this season is the inevitable Ohio State car wreck that may or may not be coming.

So the Wolverines have to be ranked, right? Forget about the loss to Oklahoma in September (in case those two are staring at each other in the final CFP poll), that was eons ago. Just like Notre Dame’s loss to Miami.

It’s not about head-to-head, dummy. It’s about whose losses are better, right Mr. Yurachek?

So Oregon rolls a decent USC team at home, and I’d be willing to bet a few matchsticks the one-loss Ducks will be ranked ahead of one-loss Ole Miss — despite Ole Miss’ win at top-10 Oklahoma, which beat Michigan, which lost to USC, which is now, apparently, the be-all, end-all for Oregon.

The problem for Ole Miss: It didn’t play this week, and other than Lane Kiffin’s self-made circus, is out-of-sight, out-of-mind for the committee. Unless it decides to start using the Kiffin kerfuffle against the Rebels, because a team with uncertainty at the top can’t be trusted.

Isn’t that right, selection committee?

The whole point of this selection committee exercise was to eliminate decades-old crutches used to pick the national champion, or the teams who play for the national championship.

Yet here we are, stuck in the past, with the same tired process shrouded in something called game control. And net YPP (yards per play). 

And any other nonsense they can shovel at us to avoid admitting there’s no leadership. No rules, no boundaries. 

And apparently, no need for the head-to-head metric. Or the one metric that should be used, but isn’t: Who have you beaten?

Oregon has beaten USC, which beat Michigan, which beat no one.

But buddy, that Ohio State game could change everything. 

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

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Klay Thompson rips Ja Morant after heated postgame confrontation

Klay Thompson did not hold back his thoughts about Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant following a heated postgame confrontation between the NBA stars.

‘With Ja, he’s a funny guy. He has a lot to say all the time, especially for a guy who rarely takes accountability. But you know what? That’s for another day,’ Thompson said.

Morant, who did not play in the Grizzlies’ 102-96 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, put his finger in Thompson’s face after the final whistle. Thompson swatted at Morant’s hand and the two had to be separated as they exchanged words.

Asked what Morant said, Thompson replied, ‘Nothing of intelligent depth.’

‘Just running his mouth. He’s been running his mouth for a long time and it’s funny to run your mouth when you’re on the bench,’ Thompson said. ‘It’s kind of the story of his career so far, just leaving us wanting more. You know, we all want to see him out there and do his best but he’s just been letting a lot of other stuff get in the way of that. We need that in the NBA, we need our best players to be out there.

‘When you’re a star it comes with a great responsibility. I hate to see that go to waste.’

Tensions between Thompson and the Grizzlies started after Memphis forward Santi Aldama appeared to deliberately trip top pick Cooper Flagg while Aldama was on the ground. Thompson confronted Aldama about his actions.

The bad feelings appeared to spill into Thompson’s run-in with Morant, who is currently out with an injury. Morant also appeared to take a dig at Thompson while crashing teammate Cam Spencer’s postgame interview.

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.

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‘It’s my locker room.’ Terry Smith makes case for Penn State job, players show support

Penn State football players are showing it on the field with their recent play, and now they’ve got signs just in case you weren’t paying attention: They want interim coach Terry Smith hired full-time.

Penn State blasted Nebraska 37-10 on Saturday night — a Nebraska team coached by Matt Rhule, the Penn State alum many had linked to the job vacated when James Franklin was fired Oct. 12.

Under Smith, the Nittany Lions (5-6) have won two straight after putting a major scare in second-ranked Indiana that required a last-minute masterpiece from Fernando Mendoza, capped by Omar Cooper Jr. defying gravity.

In his on-field postgame interview following Saturday’s win, Smith seemed to stake a claim for the job while players behind him held signs that read ‘Hire Terry Smith’ and fans chanted his name.

“The emotion is I love my guys. I love my locker room, and you see how hard my guys play,’ Smith said. ‘These guys play inspired football. They’re motivated. And we finished once again tonight… These guys listen to me. They trust me. And they’re going out there playing great football.

‘It’s my locker room.”

That’s some mic drop.

Smith has been at Penn State since 2014, joining the Nittany Lions’ staff shortly after Franklin was hired away from Vanderbilt.

Throughout his tenure, he has been Penn State’s defensive recruiting coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Since 2021, he has also been the associate head coach.

USA TODAY Sports trending reporter Craig Meyer contributed to this story.

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Max Verstappen wins Las Vegas Grand Prix: F1 race results

Max Verstappen powered through the Las Vegas Grand Prix to claim the crown for the second time in his career.

Verstappen became the first driver to win the Formula 1 race twice, having won the inaugural event in 2023.

The Dutch-Belgian racer won by a 20-second margin, beating out Lando Norris and George Russell, who remained among the top three for most of the race alongside Verstappen.

However, hours after the race concluded FIA officials determined that Norris and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth, had excessive skid plank wear − resulting in both being disqualified and stripped of their points from the Vegas race.

Verstappen won for the second time in his last four races, and is now tied with Pisatri for second place in the season-long standings, just 24 points behind leader Norris with two races remaining.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli finished the race in fifth place after starting the race in 17th on Saturday. Lewis Hamilton finished 10th after starting 20th.

Russell is the only other driver to win the race, having won in 2024. Norris entered the race as the polesitter.

The trio celebrated in the back seat of a pink Cadillac that was driven around the course by actor Terry Crews.

Formula 1 had taken over Sin City for the race for the weekend, turning the Vegas Strip into the Las Vegas Strip Circuit – a 17-turn, 3.8-mile street course in the heart of the city.

McLaren’s Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri DQ’d

In a stunning overnight development, the top two drivers in the 2025 Formula 1 points standings were disqualified from Saturday’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.

McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were stripped of their places in the standings and the accompanying points when stewards determined five hours after the finish of the Nov. 22 race that they both had excessive skid plank wear.

The FIA said it strongly believed the breach was unintentional and there was no deliberate attempt to circumvent the rules.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates for the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix:

Las Vegas Grand Prix order of finish

Max Verstappen
*George Russell
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Charles Leclerc
Carlos Sainz
Isack Hadjar
Nico Hulkenberg
Lewis Hamilton
Esteban Ocon
Oliver Bearman
Fernando Alonso
Yuki Tsunoda
Pierre Gasly
Liam Lawson
Franco Colapinto
Alex Albon
Gabriel Bortoleto
Lance Stroll

McLaren drivers Lando Norris (2nd) and Oscar Piastri (4th) were disqualified for failing post-race inspections.

Las Vegas Grand Prix highlights

Max Verstappen wins Las Vegas Grand Prix

Max Verstappen earned the Las Vegas Grand Prix crown for a second time in his career. Lando Norris and George Russell finished second and third, respectively.

Lap 40: Russell, Norris continue to chase Verstappen

Max Verstappen, George Russell and Lando Norris continue to make up the top three to start the 40th lap. Verstappen has a six-second lead ahead of Norris. Russell appears to have overcome the steering troubles that plagued him early in the race.

Lap 29: Verstappen leads with Russell and Norris trailing

Max Verstappen continues to lead the race through the first 28 laps. George Russell and Lando Norris are just behind him.

Lance Stroll, Gabriel Bortoleto out

Both Lance Stroll and Gabriel Bortoleto were knocked out of the race early after a collision. Alex Albon later retired from the race as well.

Lap 14: George Russell deals with steering issue

Russell was having problems at Lap 14, complaining about a steering issue. It was the same issue he dealt with during qualifying. He was 1.9 seconds behind Verstappen, who was leading the race.

Lap 2: Max Verstappen leads early

Polesitter Lando Norris lost his early position, going wide at the first corner. Verstappen jumped ahead and led the race through the early portion of the second lap.

Las Vegas Grand Prix grid order

Lando Norris, McLaren (1:47.934)
Max Verstappen, Red Bull (1:48.257)
Carlos Sainz, Williams (1:48.296)
George Russell, Mercedes (1:48.803)
Oscar Piastri, McLaren (1:48.961)
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls (1:49.062)
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin (1:49.466)
Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls (1:49.554)
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari (1:49.872)
Pierre Gasly, Alpine (1:51.540)
Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber (1:52.781)
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin (1:52.850)
Esteban Ocon, Haas (1:52.987)
Oliver Bearman, Haas (1:53.094)
Franco Colapinto, Alpine (1:53.683)
Alex Albon, Williams (1:56.220)
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes (1:56.314)
Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber (1:56.674)
Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull (1:56.798)
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari (1:57.115)

Upcoming F1 races this season

Nov. 30: Qatar Grand Prix
Dec. 7: Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) Grand Prix

F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix betting odds 

Here are the favorites to win the Las Vegas Grand Prix, according to BETMGM.

As of Saturday, Nov. 22, at 8:40 p.m. ET

Verstappen: -750
Norris: -750
Russell: -155
Piastri: +110
Sainz: +350
Leclerc: +500
Antonelli: +1400
Hamilton: +1800
Alonso: +1800
Hadjar: +2500
Lawson: +2500
Gasly: +4000
Hulkenberg: +5000
Bearman: +8000
Albon: +10000
Stroll: +10000
Tsunoda: +20000
Ocon: +20000
Bortoleto: +25000
Colapinto: +50000

Where is the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix race track? 

The Las Vegas Grand Prix race takes place on the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, around South Las Vegas Boulevard … more commonly known as the Las Vegas Strip.

Beyoncé, Jay-Z arrive for Las Vegas Grand Prix

The couple was later seen watching the race from the Ferrari garage.

Previous F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix winners 

2023: Max Verstappen
2024: George Russell
2025: Max Verstappen

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Two UAB players stabbed in football facility, teammate in custody

Two University of Alabama-Birmingham football players suffered stab wounds on Saturday, Nov. 22, in an incident at the school’s Football Operations Center.

“We’re grateful to report that two players injured in an incident this morning at the Football Operations Building are in stable condition,’ a UAB spokesperson wrote in a statement to USA TODAY. ‘Our thoughts are with them and their families as they recover.

‘The suspect — another player — remains in custody, and an investigation is taking place. The team elected to play today’s game. UAB’s top priority remains the safety and well-being of all of our students. Given patient privacy and the ongoing investigation, we have no further comment at this time.”

UAB offensive lineman Daniel Mincey was taken into custody at 12:40 p.m. CT on Nov. 22 and charged with aggravated assault with attempt to murder, according to Jefferson County Jail records.

Mincey started his career at Kentucky before transferring to UAB prior to the season.

Following UAB’s final home game of the season — a 48-18 defeat against South Florida — interim coach Alex Mortensen spoke to assembled media about the attack.

“More than anything, I’m grateful that those two players are in stable condition, and we will make sure that they have the support that they need,” Mortensen said (via AL.com). “I hope you will join me in lifting them and their families in your thoughts and prayers, as our team is doing right now too.’

Mortensen said he could not reveal the players who were stabbed, whose names have not been released. He added that the team as a whole decided to play the Bulls following the attack.

“The team as a whole decided they wanted to play today, but we did have several players who understandably chose to sit out, and we certainly respect that decision,” he said.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

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MLS Cup Playoffs semifinals: How to watch Inter Miami at FC Cincinnati

The 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs heads into the semifinals as FC Cincinnati host Inter Miami CF on Sunday at TQL Stadium as they continue their quest to the title.

Inter Miami secured a spot in the Eastern Conference semifinals by winning two out of three games against Nashville SC in the first-round series. Reigning MLS MVP Lionel Messi continued to shine in the postseason, scoring five goals with one assist and is the favorite to win the award for a second year in a row.

FC Cincinnati has advanced in the MLS Cup Playoffs after winning the best-of-three series 2-1 in the first round against Columbus Crew. Brenner Souza secured his team’s place in the semifinals with two impressive goals in the second half of Game 3 against Columbus, earning Cincinnati a matchup against Inter Miami.

Now Inter Miami and FC Cincinnati head into a win-or-go-home Eastern Conference semifinal game, where the winner will secure a spot in the MLS Cup Final.

How to watch Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati

Inter Miami will travel to TQL Stadium to take on FC Cincinnati on Sunday, November 23.

Date: Sunday, November 23
Time: 5 p.m. ET
Stream: Apple TV
Location: TQL Stadium (Cincinnati, Ohio)

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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