A quarter of the 2026 World Cup’s can be secured over the next three days.

In Europe, nine of UEFA’s 16 total World Cup spots can be secured during games played Nov. 16-18. In Concacaf, the three host nations — Canada, Mexico and the United States — are automatic qualifiers, but three others spots are up for grabs with seven squads still in contention.

So far, 30 nations have punched tickets to next summer’s 48-team tournament.

Here’s what to know about where qualifying stands for the 2026 World Cup, including which nations could secure berths next:

Who has qualified for World Cup 2026?

The 2026 World Cup will include 48 teams, a huge jump up from the 32 that participated in Qatar 2022. As November’s qualifiers play out, 30 nations have qualified.

Here is a complete list of every country to qualify for the 2026 World Cup:

Host nations: Canada, Mexico, United States
Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
Concacaf: None yet
Europe: England, France, Croatia
Oceania: New Zealand
South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay

World Cup qualifying: Who could clinch a 2026 spot next?

Qualification is nearing its conclusion (the World Cup draw is Dec. 5, after all). Each confederation’s schedule and process mean each continent wraps up at different points – for example, spots in Africa, Asia and South America already have been claimed.

Austria: Austria — which hasn’t qualified for a World Cup since 1998 — can qualify if it avoids defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Nov. 18.
Belgium: The Red Devils can qualify for their fourth consecutive World Cup with a win over Liechtenstein on Nov. 18. Belgium also can qualify with a draw or loss to Liechtenstein, and if Wales draws with North Macedonia. If Belgium draws with Liechtenstein and Wales or North Macedonia also win, Belgium’s goal differential works in its favor (plus-6 over North Macedonia; plus-11 over Wales).
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosnia and Herzegovina — which last qualified for the World Cup in 2014 — needs to defeat Austria on Nov. 18.
Costa Rica: Costa Rica — which has qualified for five of the last six World Cups — needs to defeat Honduras and hope Haiti does not win against Nicaragua.
Curaçao: Curaçao needs to get a result on the road against Jamaica on Nov. 18 to qualify for its first World Cup.
Denmark: Denmark can qualify for its third consecutive World Cup by getting a result against Scotland on Nov. 18.
Germany: The four-time World Cup winners can qualify by avoiding defeat against Slovakia in Leipzig, Germany, on Nov. 17. Die Mannschaft are level on points with Slovakia heading into the group finale, but own the goal differential tiebreaker. Slovakia did defeat Germany, 2-0, when the two squads met in for a World Cup qualifier in September.
Haiti: Haiti — which hasn’t qualified for a World Cup since 1974 — can do so with a win over Nicaragua and if Honduras does not get a win over Costa Rica. Haiti can also qualify if they defeat Nicaragua by a margin that moves the Haitians ahead of Honduras on goal differential.
Honduras: Honduras needs a result against Costa Rica, and for Haiti to not get a win over Nicaragua. If Honduras defeats Costa Rica and Haiti wins against Nicaragua, then Haiti needs to overcome Honduras’ plus-two goal differential. Honduras has qualified for three World Cups in its history (1982, 2010 and 2014).
Hungary: Hungary — which hasn’t qualified for a World Cup since 1986 — can qualify with a win on Nov. 16 over the Republic of Ireland coupled with Portugal losing to Armenia. If Portugal draws with Armenia, Hungary can qualify by defeating Ireland by four or more goals.
Italy: The Azzurri — four-time World Cup winners — trail group leaders Norway by three points and by a hefty 17-goal difference. The Italians need to defeat Norway by nine or more goals at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milano, Italy, on Nov. 16. It appears the UEFA playoff might be Italy’s best shot at avoiding missing a third consecutive World Cup.
Jamaica: The Reggae Boyz haven’t qualified for a World Cup since 1998, and have a Nov. 18 showdown with Curaçao for Concacaf Group B bragging rights. Jamaica needs to win that game to qualify.
Kosovo: Kosovo needs to defeat Switzerland on Nov. 18, and also overcome a goal differential of 11 in order to qualify for its first World Cup as an independent nation.
Netherlands: The Oranje — which knocked the USMNT out of the 2022 World Cup during the Round of 16 — need to not lose against Lithuania on Nov. 17. It also can qualify if Malta gets a result against Poland, or if Poland defeats Malta but the Netherlands can retain its goal differential over Poland (plus-13 entering Nov. 17 games). The Netherlands failed to qualify for the 2002 and 2018 tournaments. In between, however, they were runners-up in 2010 and the third-place finisher in 2014.
North Macedonia: North Macedonia – which has never qualified for the World Cup as an independent nation – needs to defeat Wales and hope Liechtenstein wins against Belgium on Nov. 18 (it should be noted that Liechtenstein has seven losses in seven World Cup qualifiers so far). If Belgium draws with Liechtenstein, there is a scenario in which North Macedonia qualifies if it can overcome Belgium’s plus-6 goal differential.
Norway: It appears one of the game’s biggest stars — Erling Haaland — finally will play in his first World Cup. Norway is on the verge of its first World Cup berth since 1998 after beating Estonia a 4-1 in Oslo on Nov. 13. Norway sits atop UEFA Group I, three points ahead of Italy in second place and 17 goals better off of its Nov. 16 opponent.
Panama: Panama can qualify for just its second-ever World Cup (it qualified in 2018) with a win over El Salvador and if Guatemala gets a result against Suriname. If Panama draws with El Salvador, then it needs Suriname to lose to Guatemala. There’s a scenario in which Panama can qualify even if Suriname win, so long as Panama overcomes Suriname’s plus-three goal differential.
Poland: Poland needs to defeat Malta on Nov. 17 and hope Lithuania defeats the Netherlands, while also overturning the Netherlands’ huge goal difference advantage (plus-13). Poland has qualified for the previous two World Cups, and four of the last six tournaments.
Portugal: Portugal remains on the precipice of getting Cristiano Ronaldo to a record sixth World Cup, though it faltered in its first opportunity to clinch, losing to Ireland 2-0 on Nov. 13. Portugal still sits atop UEFA Group F and next faces Armenia on Nov. 16. A win gets Portugal in. Without a win, things get complicated for Portugal. Portugal can qualify if Hungary-Republic of Ireland ends in a draw. If Portugal draws against Armenia, it then needs Hungary to not defeat Ireland by four or more goal (or by a margin of three goals while outscoring Portugal on the final matchday by three or more goals). Another scenario has Portugal qualifying even with a loss to Armenia, but only if Ireland defeats Hungary by a margin that does not better Portugal’s goal difference or match Portugal’s combined goal difference and number of goals scored.
Republic of Ireland: The Republic of Ireland faces a slim shot at World Cup qualification. It needs to defeat Hungary on Nov. 16 by four or more goals and hope Armenia can defeat Portugal. If Ireland defeats Hungary, it also needs to better Portugal’s overall goal difference, or match Portugal’s combined goal difference and number of goals scored.
Slovakia: Slovakia hasn’t qualified for a World Cup since 2010, and needs a win over Germany to secure a spot in next summer’s tournament. The loser of the Germany-Slovakia game will need to qualify via UEFA’s playoff in March 2026. The runners-up from each of UEFA’s 12 groups qualify for the playoff, as well as the four best Nations League group winners that have not already qualified for the World Cup. Albania and Czechia already have qualified for that playoff tournament, which will determine UEFA’s final four World Cup bids.
Scotland: Scotland can qualify for its first World Cup since 1998 with a win over Denmark at Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland, on Nov. 18.
Spain: Spain are vying to qualify for its 13th consecutive World Cup. Spain prevailed 4-0 against Georgia on Nov. 15, and can secure a spot in next summer’s tournament with a result over Türkiye on Nov. 18. The reigning European champions haven’t gotten past the Round of 16 in the previous two World Cups.
Suriname: Suriname — which has never qualified for a World Cup — can do so by getting a result against Guatemala and if El Salvador gets a result against Panama. If Suriname defeats Guatemala and Panama defeats El Salavdor, then goal difference must remain in Suriname’s favor. If Suriname and Panama both lose, then goal differential also must remain in Suriname’s favor.
Switzerland: In order to reach their sixth consecutive World Cup, Switzerland needs a result against Kosovo on Nov. 18, or not lose its plus-11 goal differential edge over Kosovo.
Türkiye: Türkiye can qualify for the World Cup with a win over Spain on Nov. 18 by more than 14 goals. Türkiye hasn’t qualified for the World Cup since its third-place finish in the 2002 World Cup.
Wales: Wales — which made its first World Cup appearance in 64 years at the 2022 tournament in Qatar — needs to defeat North Macedonia and hope Liechtenstein defeats Belgium. If Belgium draws with Liechtenstein, there is a scenario in which Wales qualifies if it can overcome Belgium’s plus-11 goal differential.

World Cup qualifiers: How many spots for each region?

Here is a complete breakdown of how FIFA divided all 48 berths at the 2026 World Cup:

Host nations (3): Canada, Mexico and the United States all qualified as soon as they were picked to host the tournament.
Asia (8): Eight Asian countries have qualified. The Asian Football Confederation will place one team in the intercontinental playoff, with Iraq and the United Arab Emirates facing off for that last-chance ticket in a two-legged tie on Nov. 13 and Nov. 18.
Africa (9): African qualifying sorted 54 countries into nine groups of six (though Eritrea withdrew from Group E before play began). The nine group winners have qualified, while the four best runners-up — Cameroon, DR Congo, Gabon and Nigeria — convene for a dramatic playoff in Morocco in November. Gabon faces Nigeria and Cameroon plays DR Congo on Nov. 13. The winners of those games play on Nov. 16 for a spot in the intercontinental playoff.
Concacaf (3): The region’s third round — featuring three groups of four — began play on Thursday, Sept. 4. Group winners qualify directly, while the two best runners-up will enter the intercontinental playoff.
Europe (16): UEFA qualifying features 54 teams broken up into 12 groups. Group winners qualify for the World Cup, while the second-place finishers (along with the top four teams from the UEFA Nations League who didn’t win their qualifying groups) will enter a playoff for Europe’s final four berths that is set for March 2026.
Oceania (1): New Zealand has already claimed Oceania’s only guaranteed berth at the 2026 World Cup, while New Caledonia is headed to the intercontinental playoff.
South America (6): CONMEBOL’s marathon qualifying tournament has concluded, with six teams getting places at the World Cup. A seventh (Bolivia) claimed the region’s spot in the intercontinental playoff.
Intercontinental playoff (2): New Caledonia and Bolivia have locked in spots in what will be a six-team tournament scheduled for March 2026. The tournament will be held in Mexico.

Shane Beamer felt confident during his in-game interview about South Carolina football’s performance against Texas A&M on Saturday, Nov. 15.

Following a defensive scoop-and-score that put South Carolina up 17-3 in the first quarter, Beamer — in an in-game interview with ESPN’s Taylor McGregor — offered a surprisingly candid response for a college football coach:

‘Just guys making plays,” Beamer said. “We’re not surprised. We beat this team by 24 points last year. Our guys didn’t come in here just to compete.”

However, it was the No. 3-ranked Aggies (No. 3 in College Football rankings) who got the last laugh over Beamer and the Gamecocks after the Aggies made an improbable 27-point comeback to defeat the Gamecocks 31-30 at Kyle Field in College Station.

Following the game, the Texas A&M football took a clip from the interview and quote-retweeted the video to the final score of the game on X (formerly Twitter).

‘We’re not surprised,’ Beamer says in the one-second clip.

Texas A&M trailed South Carolina 30-3 at halftime. Going into the game, SEC teams were 0-286 when trailing by 27 points or more since 2004. The Aggies scored 28 unanswered points, making it the program’s largest comeback ever.

The St. Louis Cardinals could trade multiple All-Stars in the their first offseason under new president Chaim Bloom and are likely to sell low on third baseman Nolan Arenado after actively trying to trade the eight-time All-Star for the past 12 months.

Starting pitcher Sonny Gray and utilityman Brendan Donovan are also expected to draw interest, and Bloom openly discussed the possibility of trading Gray, who is due $35 million in 2026.

“He signed here for a reason, and I think he’s been happy,’ Bloom said of Gray at MLB’s general manager meetings. ‘He’s also in a situation where he’s more open than he would have been in the past to thinking about different possibilities with where he’s at in his career and understanding our focus is more long term.”

Donovan was an All-Star last season and finished the year with a .287 average and 42 extra-base hits. Outfielder Lars Nootbaar, who made $2.95 million in 2025 is another player the Cardinals could trade for prospects.

Here’s what else Bloom said at the GM meetings:

Nolan Arenado trade finally coming?

The Cardinals have been trying to trade Arenado for a year now, with the 10-time Gold Glove winner using his no-trade clause to nix a deal with the Houston Astros last winter.

And finding a trade partner this offseason won’t be easy with Arenado coming worst year of his career, batting .237 with a .666 OPS with 12 home runs in 401 at-bats. He’s earning $42 million over the next two seasons – with $5 million being paid by the Colorado Rockies – and St. Louis will have to eat a significant portion of Arenado’s salary in any trade.

‘We are on the same page with Nolan,” Bloom said. “I believe he’s going to the Hall of Fame. One of the better players in the history of the game. We all feel like it’s best to find a different fit. So, obviously, we’ll work on that with him. If and when that will happen, I don’t know. But it’s something that he’s been a total pro about.”

Sonny Gray contract limiting trade partners?

Bloom said the Cardinals have ‘definitely been listening’ on Gray, a three-time All-Star at age 36. The right-hander had a 4.28 ERA in 32 starts last season, his second year with St. Louis.

“It’s not a surprise. I mean, he’s still one of the better pitchers in the league. We value him very highly,’ Bloom said. ‘Just with where we are and thinking long term, we’ve talked to him, and I think we all feel like there might be something that makes sense, but we’ll continue to explore that.”

Gray’s $35 million salary for 2026 – plus a $5 million buyout on his $30 million 2027 option – is steep for potential suitors.

TUSCALOOSA, AL – Somewhere in downtown Birmingham, less than an hour from this Mecca of college football and home office for the SEC, they have to be rethinking the decision of money over self-destruction. 

Of hoarding cash and building bank over preventing an unraveling on the field at the worst time of all.

And here’s the scary part: We’re only dealing with the beta version on this random, too-close-to-call November Saturday. 

The real thing — a nine-game slog of a conference schedule through a 16-team league where it’s life and death on every campus, every week — doesn’t begin until 2026. Until then, we’ll watch November crazy play out in the eight-game version. Just like it did in 2024.

With more potential for chaos on the horizon.

‘We know what we’re up against and what the stakes are if we lose,’ said Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer.

They’re not much different than last season, when Oklahoma and Texas officially joined the SEC and all 16 teams found their footing in the NIL-fueled world of player empowerment. There are no tiers in the conference, just which team does enough to win and which team eventually loses. Week after week.

What’s the difference between No. 11 Oklahoma shocking No. 4 Alabama, 23-21, on an unseasonably warm Saturday afternoon and damaging the TIde’s College Football Playoff seeding, and the Sooners beating Alabama in 2024 and ending their CFP hopes?

What’s the difference from South Carolina nearly beating Texas A&M in the noon window of games Saturday and damaging a rare season, and Florida beating Ole Miss in 2024 to eliminate the Rebels’ CFP hopes?

Different teams, different scenarios and one common theme: elite-level play all over the field, no matter who’s playing. Where home-field advantage means next to nothing, and want and will supersedes all. 

‘It’s a one-possession league,’ said Oklahoma offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle.

Now add eight more of these games, eight more chances for the unthinkable to unfold and affect the SEC’s postseason. Eight more opportunities where the difference between the best of the league and the worst could be as simple as an untimely turnover.

We laugh and make fun of the biggest, baddest conference of all, of how things are different here in the Ess Eee See, son. But you’re not watching Minnesota travel to Oregon and scare the bejeezus out of the Ducks. 

But South Carolina, which had lost six of seven, rolled into College Station on Saturday and had a 27-point lead on the No. 3 team in the nation.

Or Oklahoma, which lost twice while starting quarterback Mateer was healing from a broken bone in his throwing hand, found a way to survive and advance in the biggest game of the season despite only 212 yards of offense.

Because that’s the SEC now. Survive the grind, and hope for the reward from the CFP selection committee.

‘We’re 8-2 now,’ said OU coach Brent Venables. ‘That’s what it means.’

It means a game next week against Missouri, and another after that against LSU ― and despite what the records say, either one of those teams can end Oklahoma’s CFP run. Two of Missouri’s three losses are one-possession games, as are two of LSU’s four losses.

The Big Ten, while it has won the past two national titles, is top heavy. Once you get past the first two or three teams, there’s a whole lot of Maryland and Michigan State. 

The difference between winning and advancing in the SEC is as gut-wrenching as Tennessee’s Max Gilbert — maybe the best kicker in the conference — missing a makeable field goal at the end of regulation, and the Vols then losing to Georgia in overtime.

Or officials on the field not close enough to get a clear view of Florida wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant’s potential fourth-quarter catch against Georgia, and official replay staying with the call on the field. The Gators were playing with an interim coach, and without numerous starters because of injury — and still could’ve beaten Georgia.  

Or that Texas should’ve lost at Kentucky in regulation before winning in overtime. Or that Arkansas fumbled at the Ole Miss 27 with less than two minutes to play while driving for the game-winning score.

That’s how close the SEC is from getting five teams in the CFP, or five teams with two or three losses — and the field opening up for the ACC and Big 12 (and Big Ten) based solely on record. 

Who in their right mind believes Georgia Tech or Virginia or Michigan or Notre Dame has played a similarly difficult schedule? 

“I don’t think anybody would want to play (Florida),” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “Regardless of their record.”

But here we are, and it’s only going to get worse next season when eight more of these prize fights are added to the system. Selfishly, we should be celebrating the move — more SEC games, better product, high-value entertainment. 

Like Vanderbilt nearly losing to another team with an interim coach that, prior to firing coach Hugh Freeze, couldn’t figure out how to cobble together first downs — much less efficiently use the best wide receiver tandem in the league. 

In its first game post-Freeze, the Auburn offense scored 38 points and wide receivers Cam Coleman and Eric Singleton Jr., combined to catch 21 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns. 

Arkansas, another team with an interim coach (see the win-or-walk trend?), lost Saturday by a single point to LSU (hello, interim). It was the Hogs’ fifth SEC loss by one possession this season, and their — ready for this? — 30th in six seasons under former coach Sam Pittman and interim Bob Petrino.

So you’re really going to be surprised that Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who had thrown one interception in 306 attempts, threw a pick-six. Or that two more Alabama turnovers — the Tide were third in the nation coming into the game with just six all season — led to 10 more Oklahoma points and a whole lot of four-quarter angst in the house Bear built and Saban flipped.

And SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and the university presidents want eight more of these white-knuckle rides potentially impacting a 12- or 16-team playoff? For what, more money?

More money, more chaos.  

Long after the celebrated on the turf at Bryant-Denny Stadium, after they took an impromptu team picture on Saban Field and after they sang ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ and ‘Dixieland Delight’ in the postgame locker room, Venables tried to explain the enormity of playing in the conference where you’re one play away every play.

He talked about guts and will and playing with an edge. All of those coach-isms players feed off.

And then he delivered reality.

‘They’re going to make plays, we’re going to make plays,’ he said. ‘Turnovers are a part of it, the struggle is part of it, having to overcome bad plays is part of it. The team that can figure it out is going to win.’

Enjoy it those wins and rare moments. It gets more difficult in 2026

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

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy became the fifth of the first six U.S. Olympians named to suffer an injury when he was hit in the face by a puck on Saturday, Nov. 15.

McAvoy left the game midway through the second period after being struck by Montreal Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson’s shot. He didn’t return to the game at Montreal’s Bell Centre.

The defenseman was bleeding and needed help getting off the ice.

Coach Marco Sturm said McAvoy was getting tested.

‘I know he’s trying to get the testing done, trying to get him home as soon as possible, hopefully tonight with us,’ Sturm told reporters after the game. ‘Other than that, hopefully he will be OK.’

Charlie McAvoy injury update

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that McAvoy was able to fly home with the team.

U.S. Olympians injury updates

McAvoy, who was unable to finish the 4 Nations Face-Off because of an injury suffered in Montreal, was one of the first six players named to Team USA.

Four others are currently out.

Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk had offseason hernia surgery. He’s expected to return to on-ice activities in two weeks.
Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk is recovering from October thumb surgery. He was on the ice on Friday and his original timeline has him out until at least Thanksgiving.
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes sat out Friday’s game with an undisclosed injury. He was hurt on Tuesday but returned to that game.
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews suffered a lower-body injury on Tuesday when checked by Boston’s Nikita Zadorov. He’s expected to miss a week.

Vegas’ Jack Eichel was the other player named earlier this year. The deadline for submitting rosters is Dec. 31.

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes, who’s in the mix to make the team, had surgery on his finger after an accident at a team dinner on Thursday. He’s out for eight weeks.

Texas loss to Georgia delivers a punishing blow to Longhorns’ playoff hopes.
Texas’ season results didn’t live up to the roster investment.
Georgia sitting in great shape for College Football Playoff after big night from Gunner Stockton, Kirby Smart.

ATHENS, GA – The headline raised eyebrows and vaulted expectations.

Last spring, during one of the sleepiest portions of the sports calendar, veteran reporter Kirk Bohls of the Houston Chronicle uncorked a news bulletin that Texas’ roster was set to earn at least $35 million in NIL and revenue-share earnings. Aggregators feasted on that catnip. The story exploded.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian tried to shove the genie back in the bottle. He called the report a rumor and pushed back on the highest end of the Houston Chronicle’s payroll projection, but nobody denied Texas invested big bucks in a team that earned a preseason No. 1 ranking.

Um, so, what’s the return policy on that purchase?

Texas’ war chest paid for the most average team money could buy.

Texas paid for a Porsche. It got a Kia. Not a terrible set of wheels. Not a Porsche, though.

It paid for the third-best team in the state of Texas, a mid-tier squad within the nation’s deepest conference.

With two games left before conference championship weekend, five SEC teams remain in prime shape for a College Football Playoff bid. No. 10 Texas isn’t one of them after a 35-10 loss to No. 5 Georgia at Sanford Stadium.

We can’t officially call this result playoff extinction for Texas – a Black Friday win against Texas A&M would give the committee something to ponder – but, at best, the Longhorns will be a three-loss team on Selection Sunday hoping to become the first three-loss qualifier in playoff history. No matter what this roster cost, I don’t buy that playoff pitch.

National championship aspirations are long good. The sobering reality is Texas is most likely headed for some also-ran bowl against an opponent that didn’t spend so much for its squad.

And although this loss will be remembered as the one that pushed the pin to the edge of Texas’ playoff bubble, let the historians remember Texas blew it weeks ago when it lost to previously sputtering Florida in The Swamp.

Call this season for what it is: A flop.

Arch Manning plays decent, Gunner Stockton plays better

You can’t write a postmortem on the Longhorns’ season without the prerequisite mention that Texas’ quarterback with perhaps the most famous surname in football didn’t live up to the unattainable expectations. You also can’t write the story of Arch Manning’s season without noting he improved the longer the season went.

This result cannot be laid at the Manning’s feet, and in fact he played as well as anyone in a white jersey on this night.

He didn’t play nearly as well as Georgia’s Gunner Stockton, who passed for four touchdowns and ran for another.

Eleven of Stockton’s first 12 passes found their mark against a Texas secondary that keeps providing insufficient coverage, about like a tank top in a thunderstorm.

Kirby Smart continues mastery of Steve Sarkisian

Georgia didn’t too need much ground support. Why handoff with Stockton completing nearly 83% of his passes? And why punt when Stockton could twice move the chains on fourth downs during a critical second-half scoring drive? Stockton completed a play-action pass for the first conversion, then drew the Longhorns offsides on fourth-and-5 to move the chains again, before capping the drive with another touchdown pass.

If those fourth-down conversions weren’t gutsy enough, Kirby Smart doubled down by hitting Texas with a sneak-attack onside kick right after that score. Cash Jones grabbed the ball for Georgia’s first onside kick recovery in a dozen years.

For the third time in the past 13 months, Smart stole Steve Sarkisian’s lunch money.

Georgia enjoys enviable position. If the SEC championships teams were assigned today, the Bulldogs wouldn’t be in the game. That’s perhaps a blessing. A conference championship weekend breather plus perhaps a No. 5 playoff seed and first-round home game would be ideal positioning for a Georgia team that’s closer to being a national championship contender than a vulnerable bubble team.

As Georgia pulled away in the fourth quarter, and chants of ‘U-G-A! U-G-A!’ rang out from the crowd, you could almost hear the massive sigh of collective relief from the playoff selection committee.

The playoff bubble’s getting awfully crowded, but the committee’s job gets just a bit easier each time a two-loss team turns into a three-loss team. With this result, Texas made it easy for the committee to say no thanks. Texas’ big investment failed to return a playoff bid.

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.

LAKE PLACID, NY — There were plenty of shining moments at 2025 Skate America.

The second day of competition on Saturday, Nov. 15 was a loaded one, with every skater on the ice at the famous Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, home of the 1980 Winter Olympics and the ‘Miracle on Ice.’

With all four disciplines in action, Saturday showcased all the Olympic hopefuls, including those from the United States. It starts with with reigning world champion Alysa Liu, who had an excellent performance in the short program. The same could be said for the decorated ice dancing duo of Madison Chock and Evan Bates, showed out big time. Plus, the beloved Jason Brown showed promise in his first Grand Prix event of the season.

There are plenty of takeaways from day two of Skate America, and USA TODAY Sports has the scores and highlights from Lake Placid:

Alysa Liu maintains hot run

Even though the tears came out as she wrapped up her short program, Liu was completely OK with it. In her eyes, it actually felt good.

‘I don’t cry that much, so I feel like lucky to be able to cry over something,’ she said.

It was a performance worth crying over, as Liu delivered an emotional performance. The skater wants to feel connected to her music, and ‘Promise’ by Laufey executed it perfectly. The crowd felt it with a standing ovation, by far the loudest one of the women’s short program.

Liu received a 73.73, which put her in second place behind Japan’s Rinka Watanabe with a 74.35. The 20-year-old mentioned her loop could have been better, but she was overall happy with the skate.

Many of the American crowd hoped to see Liu in first place − especially after how she did in Cup of China − but she has well-positioned herself to finish on top with a strong free skate.

Another name to watch is American Starr Andrews. Her Beyonce medley was outstanding and had her around the top three for much of the night. She currently sits in sixth with a score of 64.38.

Madison Chock, Evan Bates in a class of their own

While the ice dance still has the free dance to go, first place is all but wrapped up.

The couple of Chock and Bates dominated in the rhythm dance, putting up a whopping 84.77, more than seven points than the second place duo of Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha of Canada. They performed a Lenny Kravitz medley that rocked from start to finish. It only made sense they were the last competitors to take the ice, truly saving the best for the final part of the show.

It continues what is a dominant run, building off the first place finish at Cup of China three weeks ago. The three-time reigning world champions and four-time reigning U.S. title holders have accomplished nearly everything in the Grand Prix, and they are well positioned to win Skate America for the fifth time, which would tie the record set by Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto.

“We’re really looking to put our best feet forward and perform our best,” Chock said. “We learn and grow from competition to competition, and think we’re in a really good place heading into the next event.”

Jason Brown has promising showing

Everyone was excited to fall back in love with Brown. The question was whether it was going to come with a podium finish.

Brown just missed out on it, but there’s still plenty to be happy about for the 30-year-old in his first Grand Prix event of the season. While his iconic river dance brought the crowd out of their seats in night one of the competition, he was in fifth place in the men’s standings, needing a big showing in the free skate to make it to at least third.

While some other skaters had slip ups, Brown didn’t on Saturday night, delivering a crisp performance that again ended with a rousing ovation from the fans. As the end of the night neared, it felt like Brown could medal, but he finished fourth, just under six points behind third.

It’s not the showing Brown wanted, but the nerves are out. Skate America gave him a good start for the season as he will be one of several American vying to punch their ticket to the Winter Olympics.

‘I feel like my confidence has grown,’ Brown said.

Men’s Skate America 2025 results

Kevin Aymoz of France became the star of the weekend, and he ends it by winning his first Grand Prix event in Skate America. He finished second in the short program and second in free skate, but he didn’t falter while other skaters around him stumbled.

In second place was Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan with 251.09 points, and Kazuki Tomono finished in third with a score of 245.57. Tomono was the top scorer in the short program, but two hard falls proved to be too much for him to maintain his spot.

American and fan favorite Jason Brown just missed out on the podium despite a strong free skate. At fourth place, he was just under six points away from a third-place finish.

Men’s total, free skate standings

Kevin Aymoz, France: 253.53 (159.97 free skate)
Mikhail Shaidorov, Kazakhstan: 251.09 (161.42 free skate)
Kazuki Tomono, Japan: 245.57 (149.80 free skate)
Jason Brown, United States: 239.59 (156.90 free skate)
Daniel Grassl, Italy: 236.44 (152.76 free skate)
Vladimir Litvinstsev, Azerbaijan: 231.84 (155.97 free skate)
Nikolaj Memola, Italy: 231.02 (155.41 free skate)
Tatsuya Tsuboi, Japan: 228.03 (150.35 free skate)
Liam Kapeikis, United States: 214.29 (140.01 free skate)
Luc Economides, France: 201.36 (129.38 free skate)
Daiwei Dai, China: 190.90 (125.92 free skate)
Corey Circelli, Italy: 190.55 (128.56 free skate)

Kazuki Tomono free skate

It was a rough start for Tomono with two falls, and it turns out to be costly. He finishes the night with a 149.80 score and he misses out on the Skate America title.

Kevin Aymoz free skate

After an emotional short program, Aymoz comes back on the ice and delivers another great showing, capped off with a pose right in front of the judges. Aymoz earns a score of 159.97 to guarantee himself a spot on the podium.

Mikhail Shaidorov free skate

The third-place finisher in the short program from Kazakhstan, Shaidorov took two rough falls in his program. Still, he gets a great score of 161.42.

Daniel Grassl free skate

A few hiccups for Grassl in his free skate, and he gets a 152.76 from the judges.

Jason Brown free skate

The fan-favorite delivers an emotional showing that ends with another standing ovation for the skater. Brown gets a 156.90.

Tatsuya Tsuboi free skate

Tsuboi opens up the second half of the men’s free skate with a powerful program 150.35

Vladimir Litvintsev free skate

The skater from Azerbaijan starts off pretending to smoke a cigarette and executes a performance that ends with a Joker tribute that entertains the crowd. Litvintsev earns a 155.97 from the judges.

Nikolaj Memola free skate

Memola overcomes some early stumbles for a solid finish, getting a score of 155.41.

Liam Kapeikis free skate

Kapeikis has great execution, earning a 140.01 in the free skate.

Luc Economides free skate

The scores continue to go up with Economides nabbing a 129.38 score.

Daiwei Dai free skate

Dai gets a 125.92 on his free skate.

Corey Circelli free skate

Circelli opens the men’s free skate with a score of 128.56.

Men’s free skate order

Corey Circelli, Italy
Daiwei Dai, China
Luc Economides, France
Liam Kapeikis, United States
Nikolaj Memola, Italy
Vladimir Litvintsev, Azerbaijan
Tatsuya Tsuboi, Japan
Jason Brown, United States
Daniel Grassl, Italy
Mikhail Shaidorov, Kazakhstan
Kevin Aymoz, France
Kazuki Tomono, Japan

Women’s short program final standings

Rinka Watanabe, Japan: 74.35
Alysa Liu, United States: 73.73
Lara Naki Gutmann, Italy: 69.69
Anastasiia Gubanova, Georgia: 68.07
Chaeyeon Kim, Korea: 67.28
Starr Andrews, United States: 64.38
Haein Lee, Korea: 64.06
Wakaba Higuchi, Japan: 60.12
Lea Serna, France: 59.25
Ekaterina Kurakova, Poland: 56.05
Hana Yoshida, Japan: 57.22
Josephine Lee, United States: 54.24

Chaeyeon Kim short program

The final skater in the women’s short program gets herself in the top five with a 67.28.

Anastasiia Gubanova short program

The skater from Georgia has a solid showing. The judges give her a score of 68.07.

Alysa Liu short program

Liu delivers an emotional short program that gets the crowd on their feet. She gets a score of 73.73.

Hana Yoshida short program

Performing a ‘Kill Bill’ inspired routine, Yoshida slices through the ice. She receives a score of 57.22.

Lara Naki Gutmann short program

Gutmann delivered a beautiful performance and catapults up the standings with a score of 69.69.

Rinka Watanabe short program

Coming off a third place finish at Cup of China, Watanabe puts on another great routine. She gets a whopping 74.35, a season-best for Watanabe.

Haein Lee short program

Lee closes out the first group with a strong showing, earning a score of 64.06.

Ekaterina Kurakova short program

A passionate performance, Kurakova earns a season-best 56.05.

Wakaba Higuchi short program

The 2024 Skate America winner has a minor slip-up but still puts up a season-best score of 60.12.

Lea Serna short program

The French skater puts up a clean performance, gets a 59.25.

Starr Andrews short program

With a Beyonce medley, Andrews executes and gets emotional after her performance.

Andrews receives 64.38, a season-best.

Josephine Lee short program

Lee has two early stumbles, including one fall, but recovers to close out her performance.

She finishes with a score of 54.24.

Women’s short program order

Josephine Lee, United States
Starr Andrews, United States
Lea Serna, France
Wakaba Higuchi, Japan
Ekaterina Kurakova, Poland
Haein Lee, Korea
Rinka Watanabe, Japan
Lara Naki Gutmann, Italy
Hana Yoshida, Japan
Alysa Liu, United States
Anastasiia Gubanova, Georgia
Chaeyeon Kim, Korea

Pairs results

Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara (Japan): 215.99
Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava (Georgia): 195.73
Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Ethier (Canada): 182.87
Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe (United States): 180.02
Annika Hocke and Robert Kunkel (Germany): 176.56
Karina Akopova and Nikita Rakhmanin (Armenia): 170.98
Valentina Plazas and Maximiliano Fernandez (United States): 163.26
Olivia Flores and Luke Wang (United States): 161.44

Madison Chock, Evan Bates lead rhythm dance

The three-time reigning world champions shine on the ice to their Lenny Kravitz rhythm dance program. Chock and Bates received a score of 84.77 for a comfortable first place finish, with Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha of Canada scoring 77.42.

“We definitely made a lot of improvements,” Bates told USA TODAY Sports. “We felt good about it. There’s obviously a lot of room for growth and improvement as the season goes on with both programs, but we’re happy with just in two weeks, how much progress we can make.”

Rhythm dance results

Madison Chock and Evan Bates (United States): 84.77
Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha (Canada): 77.42
Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud (France): 76.72
Loicia Demougeot and Theo le Mercier (France): 73.47
Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko (United States): 72.74
Katerina Mrazkova and Daniel Mrazek (Czech Republic): 72.73
Oona Brown and Gage Brown (United States): 70.25
Phebe Bekker and James Hernandez (Great Britain): 66.81
Alicia Fabbri and Paul Ayer (Canada): 65.37
Celina Fradji and Jean-Hans Fourneaux (France): 56.21

Skate America schedule

Saturday, Nov. 15 (2 p.m. ET)

Rhythm dance 
Pairs’ free skate
Women’s short program 
Men’s free skate 

Sunday, Nov. 16 (2:15 p.m. ET)

Free dance 
Women’s free skate 

Stream Skate America on Peacock

How to watch Skate America: TV, streaming

Skate America will broadcast on E! Network on Saturday, Nov. 15. It will air on NBC on Sunday, Nov. 16.

All of Skate America will stream on Peacock.

Who is competing in 2025 Skate America?

Several of the international stars in Lake Placid are U.S. skaters who could compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics, including:

Alysa Liu
Jason Brown
Madison Chock and Evan Bates

Skate America US skater times

All times Eastern

Ice dance rhythm dance

Oona Brown and Gage Brown: 2:22 p.m.
Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko: 3:01 p.m.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates: 3:14 p.m.

Pairs’ free skate

Olivia Flores and Luke Wang: 3:46 p.m.
Valentina Plazas and Maximiliano Fernandez: 3:54 p.m.
Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe: 4:09 p.m.

Women’s short program

Josephine Lee: 6:25 p.m.
Starr Andrews: 6:31 p.m.
Alysa Liu: 7:28 p.m.

Men’s free skate

Liam Kapeikis: 8:35 p.m.
Jason Brown: 9:13 p.m.

Men’s short program results

From Friday, Nov. 14.

Kazuki Tomono (Japan): 95.77
Kevin Aymoz (France): 93.56
Mikhali Shaidorov (Kazakhstan): 89.67
Daniel Grassl (Italy): 83.68
Jason Brown (United States): 82.69
Tatsuya Tsuboi (Japan): 77.68
Vladimir Litvintsev (Azerbaijan): 75.87
Nikolaj Memola (Italy): 75.61
Liam Kapeikis (United States): 74.28
Luc Economides (France): 71.98
Daiwei Dai (China): 64.98
Corey Circelli (Italy): 61.99

The dark blue uniform design is inspired by LA at night and the architecture of SoFi Stadium.
The Rams have brought back a former design element requested by fans.
For the 2025 season, all teams in the AFC East and NFC West will wear ‘Rivalries’ uniforms once.

The clock will strike midnight … on Sunday afternoon for the Los Angeles Rams.

The NFC West co-leaders will become the latest team to sport their new ‘Rivalries’ uniforms when they take on the Seattle Seahawks with first place on the line at SoFi Stadium. The Rams and Nike dubbed the new alternate look ‘Midnight Mode,’ a theme meant to evoke LA at night along with Tinseltown’s civic duality − which is evidently steeped in hard work but also the perpetual limelight.

‘The Rivalries jersey embodies the intensity, grit and pride of what it means to be an Angeleno,’ said Kathryn Kai-ling Frederick, the club’s chief marketing officer, when the uniforms were first revealed in August.

‘Above all, the design was inspired by the energy and glow of the Rams House at night with a look that will both pop in the sunshine during the day and shine under the bright lights in primetime.’

What’s new about the Rams’ ‘Rivalries’ uniforms?

According to the team’s website, the ‘Midnight Mode’ look is meant to reflect ‘the team’s deep connection to Los Angeles, the city where so many work in the dark to earn the spotlight.’

The uniform predominantly sports a dark blue look deemed ‘matte Midnight’ with touches of the team’s customary royal blue, ‘which echoes the evening hue and energy at SoFi Stadium and pays homage to the hard work of so many across Los Angeles who grind around the clock to turn their dreams into a reality.’

It’s also meant to tie into their building, the ‘intricate detailing inspired by SoFi Stadium’s unique architecture and curvature, Royal & Sol accents designed to mirror the lighting system, detailing on the sleeves, pants, and number set inspired by SoFi Stadium’s monumental perforated semi-translucent roof.’

At the request of fans, a ram’s horn wrapped around the shoulder and sleeve has also been restored after the team moved away from that design element when the current uniforms debuted in 2020. ‘Rams House’ is stitched inside the collar with the ‘same font as the old Hollywood Park Racetrack which used to sit where SoFi Stadium now resides.’

The Rams, who can go crazily deep on the meaning of uniform details as well as any team, also assert, ‘Champions aren’t made under the lights − they’re forged in the dark. The midnight palette captures LA’s true spirit: the grind nobody sees, the work that earns the spotlight, the relentless pursuit that defines our city and our team.’

What are NFL ‘Rivalries’ uniforms by Nike?

Think of them as the football version of the sports apparel company’s NBA ‘City Edition’ uniforms or Major League Baseball’s ‘City Connect’ jerseys. Signaled during the NFL draft and unveiled in August, Nike has strived to create something that further strengthens NFL teams’ bonds to their unique civic environments. And, as “rivalries” would suggest, all of them will be worn in intra-divisional matchups.

‘The 2025 Rivalries uniforms will celebrate storied local traditions and unite fan communities with designs unique to select cities and teams,” Nike announced during the rollout.

‘The designs are rooted extensively in the legacies and inspirations true to each team, serving as authentic, competitive expressions of community pride while giving athletes and fans an opportunity to connect like never before.’

Which NFL teams have ‘Rivalries’ uniforms?

Eventually all of them. But for 2025, each team in the AFC East and NFC West is scheduled to wear its “Rivalries” unis one time this season. Two additional divisions will be added to the rotation in each of the next three seasons, and the “Rivalries” option then becomes part of a team’s closet for the following three years.

When will NFL teams wear ‘Rivalries’ uniforms in 2025?

 New York Jets: Dec. 7 vs. Miami Dolphins

 San Francisco 49ers: Jan. 4, 2026 vs. Seattle Seahawks

 Seattle Seahawks: Dec. 18 vs. Los Angeles Rams

Joyce Edwards and Raven Johnson both had double-doubles as the No. 2 South Carolina women’s basketball team defeated No. 8 USC, 69-52, on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Edwards had 17 points and 10 rebounds while Johnson added 14 points and 11 rebounds. Four of the Gamecocks five starters scored in double figures. Edwards lost a shoe late in the fourth quarter, but played on, almost making a layup while slipping around the court.

The game was even throughout the first half, as South Carolina went into the locker room with a 32-30 lead over the Trojans. The Gamecocks locked down on defense in the second half and outscored USC, 37-22, to win the top-10 matchup and improve to 4-1.

South Carolina held USC to 1-14 shooting from behind the 3-point arc. The Gamecocks also outrebounded USC, 56-32.

Kennedy Smith led the Trojans (2-1) with 12 points while Kara Dunn added 10.

‘We want these games to teach us where we need to be and where we need to get to,’ USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. ‘Credit South Carolina, they did a lot of things well … I saw things from our team I really liked. Not yet where we need to be but this game will help us get there.’