Christmas brings playoff gifts for multiple teams as Week 17 gets ready to kick off.

The Philadelphia Eagles became the first NFC East team to win the division in back-to-back seasons in 21 years. The Seattle Seahawks’ thrilling win over the Los Angeles Rams clinched their playoff spot as they control their own destiny in the conference.  

The playoff-bound New England Patriots and Denver Broncos are in a race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. But the Jacksonville Jaguars are lurking.

We’re in the penultimate week of the regular season with still a lot left to be decided. Who is in best position for a trip to Santa Clara for Super Bowl 60? Here’s an early look at some predictions and picks to win the AFC, NFC and which team will hoist the Lombardi Trophy in February.

AFC standings ahead of Week 17

Denver Broncos (12-3)
New England Patriots (12-3)
Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4)
Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)
Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)
Buffalo Bills (11-4)
Houston Texans (10-5)

AFC Championship prediction: Bills survive against Patriots

Josh Allen’s the fourth player in NFL history with at least 3,000 passing yards and 25 touchdown passes in six of his first eight career seasons, per NFL Research. The Bills are too reliant on Allen, but I predict he’ll have plenty of assistance against the Patriots in an all-AFC East championship game.

Running back James Cook produces over 130 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown. Buffalo’s defense gets just enough stops as the Bills upset the Patriots in Foxborough again.

It’ll mark Buffalo’s first Super Bowl appearance since the 1993 season.

NFC standings ahead of Week 17

Seattle Seahawks (12-3)
Chicago Bears (11-4)
Philadelphia Eagles (10-5)
Carolina Panthers (8-7)
 Los Angeles Rams (11-4)
San Francisco 49ers (10-4)
Green Bay Packers (9-5-1)

NFC Championship prediction: Eagles hang on against Rams (again)

The Eagles are starting to play better football. I believe the Eagles finally find their groove during win-or-go-home situations in the postseason.

Philadelphia’s offense has struggled to establish an identity and they haven’t been consistent this season. But I predict they return to form with running back Saquon Barkley leading the way.

Barkley ran all over the Rams in two meetings last season, but he was limited to 55 yards from scrimmage in a Week 3 win over Los Angeles.

The Eagles have won four straight games, including the playoffs, against the Rams dating back to 2023. The Rams’ explosive offense will keep this game close, but Philly’s overall talent on both sides of the ball prevails.

Super Bowl 60 prediction

Losers of four Super Bowls in a row in the early 90s, the Bills have a painful Super Bowl history. Unfortunately for Buffalo, Feb. 8 will add to the franchise’s Super Bowl misery.

The Eagles have back-to-back standout performances to complete their title defense and win their second-straight Super Bowl.

Philadelphia’s opportunistic defense forces two takeaways and the team scores 14 points off the turnovers.

Super Bowl 60 odds breakdown

According to the current betting odds at BetMGM, the Los Angeles Rams have the best odds of winning Super Bowl 60 at +425.

NFL playoff schedule

Wild card round: Saturday, Jan. 10 to Monday, Jan. 12, 2026
Divisional round: Saturday, Jan. 17 to Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026
Conference championship: Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026
Super Bowl: Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

The Rainbow Warriors got their Christmas miracle.

Quarterback Micah Alejado and Hawai’i beat the California Golden Bears 35-31 to win the 2025 Hawai’i Bowl on Dec. 24.

Alejado completed 32 of his 46 passes for 274 and three touchdowns for the Rainbow Warriors. He also finished with five carries for 33 yards, including a 12-yard run.

Despite his success throughout the game, Hawaii had to lean on backup quarterback Luke Weaver, who threw the game-winning touchdown – a 22-yard strike to Nick Cenacle – in the final seconds of the game. Alejado had to sit out a play after his helmet came off on the previous play.

Cenacle finished the game with eight catches for 59 yards and the touchdown, while Pofele Ashlock led Hawai’i with 14 receptions for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

Freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele led Cal’s offense, completing 28 of 39 passes for 343 yards and a touchdown in the loss. The quarterback also rushed for 15 yards and a touchdown on four carries.

Cal had two 100-yard receivers in the contest with Jacob De Jesus grabbing nine catches for 137 yards and a touchdown, and Trond Grizzell tallying eight receptions for 105 yards.

USA TODAY Sports had full coverage of the lone bowl game on Christmas Eve. Here’s how the game between Cal and Hawai’i played out:

Hawaii vs. Cal: Hawaii Bowl highlights

Final: Hawaii 35, Cal 31

The Rainbow Warriors beat Cal with the late touchdown throw by Luke Weaver to Nick Cenacle with 10 seconds remaining in the game.

There was some pushing and shoving on the field after the game.

Hawaii leads Cal late

Hawaii backup quarterback Luke Weaver completed a 22-yard touchdown to Nick Cenacle with 10 seconds left in the game. PAT good. Hawaii leads Cal 35-31.

Starting quarterback Micah Alejado had to sit out the play after his helmet came off on the previous play.

Cal back in front

Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele scores on a 1-yard run to cap off a 10-play, 75-yard drive. PAT good. Cal leads Hawaii 31-28 with 1:57 left in the fourth quarter.

Hawaii takes first lead of game

Quarterback Micah Alejado helped lead Hawaii on a four-play, 59-yard drive to put the Rainbow Warriors ahead of the Golden Bears.

Alejado completed a 17-yard touchdown pass to Brandon White. Hawaii leads Cal 28-24 with 7:25 left in the fourth quarter.

Cal retakes lead against Hawaii

Kicker Chase Meyer made a 22-yard field goal attempt to give Cal the 24-21 lead with 8:56 left in the fourth quarter. The score capped off a 10-play, 67-yard drive.

Coach Nick Rolovich considered going for it on 4th-and-goal before deciding to call a timeout and settling for the field goal attempt.

Cal, Hawaii tied in fourth quarter

Micah Aleado returned to the game after an injury scare at the end of the third quarter and found Pofele Ashlock to score on a 3-yard touchdown for Hawaii.

Cal and Hawaii are tied at 21 with 13:50 left to play in regulation.

3Q: Cal 21, Hawaii 13

Quarterback Luke Weaver enters the game for the final play of the third quarter after Micah Alejado was slow to get off the field.

Alejado managed to walk off the field on his own and could return to the game in the fourth quarter.

Hawaii cuts into Cal’s lead

Kansei Matsuzawa capped off a 13-play, 61-yard drive with a 39-yard field goal. Cal leads Hawaii 21-13 with 5:58 left in the third quarter.

Halftime: Cal 21, Hawaii 10

Hawaii finished out the first half with some momentum after Kansei Matsuzawa managed to make a 29-yard filed goal attempted with 27 seconds left in the second quarter.

Matsuzawa missed a 50-yard field goal attempt earlier in the game. It was his first miss from 40+ yards this season, according to ESPN.

Hawaii quarterback Micah Alejado completed 17 of 28 passes for 131 yards and a passing touchdown in the first half. He also rushed for 16 yards on two carries.

Quarterback Jaron-Keawe finished the first half completing 14 of his 19 passes for 169 yards and a passing touchdown for Cal. He also rushed for 20 yards.

Hawaii scores for the first time

Quarterback Micah Alejado found Pofele Ashlock for the 67-yard touchdown. Kansei Matsuzawa’s PAT attempt was good.

Cal still holds a 21-7 lead with 3:57 left before halftime.

Cal continues to roll

Anthony League rushed up the middle for an eight-yard touchdown run. The play capped off an 8-play, 49-yard drive that took 3:13 off the clock in the second quarter.

Chase Meyer’s PAT attempt was good. Cal leads Hawaii 21-0 with 9:38 left in the first quarter.

Cal extends lead to start second quarter

Kendrick Raphael rushed for 19 yards up the middle to score for the Golden Bears on the first play of the second quarter. PAT was good. Meyer’s PAT attempt was good. Cal leads Hawaii 14-0 with 14:55 left before halftime.

1Q: Cal 7, Hawaii 0

Cal finished out the first score with the lead and a chance to score again. Cal finished out the opening quarter in the red zone on offense.

Hawaii was out-gained 141-47 in the quarter.

Cal scores first

Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele found receiver Jacob De Jesus for the wide-open 41-yard touchdown. Sagapolutele completed all five of his passes on the drive for 64 yards.

Chase Meyer’s PAT attempt was good. Cal leads Hawaii 7-0 with 7:01 left in the first quarter.

Hawaii comes up empty on opening drive

Quarterback Micah Alejado completed four of five passes for 12 yards on the opening drive for Hawaii but the offense was unable to score.

Cal forced the Rainbow Warriors to punt, ending the drive after seven plays and just 13 yards gained.

What channel is Cal vs Hawaii on today?

TV Channel: ESPN
Livestream:Fubo (free trial)

Cal vs Hawai’i will broadcast nationally on ESPN for the Hawai’i Bowl. Chris Cotter and Max Browne will call the game from the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu, Hawai’i, with Harry Lyles Jr. reporting from the sidelines. Streaming options for the game include Watch ESPN and Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Cal vs Hawaii time today

Date: Wednesday, Dec. 24
Start time: 8 p.m. ET (3 p.m. Hawai’i-Aleutian standard time)

The Cal vs Hawai’i game starts at 8 p.m. ET (3 p.m. local time) from the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu, Hawai’i.

Stream Cal vs Hawai’i with Fubo (free trial)

Cal vs Hawaii predictions, picks, odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Monday, Dec. 22.

Spread: Hawai’i (-1.5)
Moneyline: Hawai’i (-115) | Cal (-105)
Over/under: 52.5

Prediction: Cal 29, Hawaii 27

This will be a real fun one to watch, as the Rainbow Warriors have been a great team to watch and can match-up well with the Golden Bears. However, the difference here will be Sagapolutele. Playing close to home, the Cal quarterback puts on in his home state to push Cal to a last-minute victory.

Cal vs. Hawaii injury report

Probable: Cal CB Hezekiah Masses (undisclosed)

Hawaii football jersey for Hawai’i Bowl

The Rainbow Warriors will wear black jerseys with the black helmets for the Hawai’i Bowl today.

It seems all is well between Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr following a Monday argument during a third quarter timeout in their eventual 120-97 win against the Orlando Magic.

Kerr, during a press conference Wednesday, took accountability for the dust up that led to Green briefly walking away from the bench to gain his composure alone in the locker room before returning shortly before the fourth quarter began, despite never taking off his warmups.

‘Monday night was not my finest hour and that was a time I needed to be calm in the huddle, and so I regret my actions in that exchange. I apologized to Dray. He apologized to me. We both apologized to the team.’

Green, a four-time champion in 13 seasons with the Warriors, said after Monday’s game to reporters that ‘tempers spilled over’.

‘I just thought it was best that I get out of there,’ Green said. ‘I don’t think it was a situation where it was going to get better, so it was best to remove myself.’

The cause of the argument Green said was basketball.

‘It’s what we do,’ he said. ‘We play basketball. It’s an emotional game. People lose their emotions sometimes, it happens. It is what it is. We’ve been at this now for a long time. Sometimes you’re with people for a long time there’s a level of comfort and it happens. We move forward.’

Reporters on Monday asked if it was something that would linger on, but Green dismissed it saying they would ‘move forward’.

‘We’ll move forward, we’re alright,’ Green said regarding his spat with Kerr.

The Warriors are currently have a .500 record after 30 games, sitting at the eighth spot in the Western Conference. They have a Christmas Day game Thursday against the Dallas Mavericks and their rookie sensation Cooper Flagg at Chase Center in San Francisco.

‘I think we’re headed in the right direction,’ Green said to reporters Monday. ‘No one’s happy about being 15-15. But I think we’re starting to figure out different things, rotations and who we are as a team so I think that’s all starting to come together and we’re looking a lot better.’

Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh defended quarterback Lamar Jackson and said the two have an ‘A-plus’ relationship after the Baltimore Sun published a story insinuating otherwise Dec. 24.

Harbaugh denied the claims made by the story while expressing he doesn’t ‘take too much credence in anonymous-type sources.’

‘I don’t know where its coming from,’ Harbaugh told reporters when asked about Preston’s story. ‘I’ve never see that ever. That’s not something that I’ve ever witnessed and I’m in every meeting.’

‘And to speculate on how I feel about it, I’ll tell you how I feel,’ Harbaugh added. ‘I’m pretty transparent. All the guys in the building will tell you if I have something they wanna talk to me about, I’m right up front. That would be wrong to say that. That’s not true.’

Harbaugh went on to explain he had ‘a great conversation’ with Jackson that morning as the 28-year-old quarterback focuses on returning from a back injury that knocked him out of the team’s ‘Sunday Night Football’ loss to the New England Patriots.

‘Our relationship is A-plus,’ Harbaugh said. ‘I love him. Always have, always will. I know he’s fighting like crazy to get back.’

Harbaugh and Jackson have worked together since the Ravens selected the Louisville product with the final pick of the first round in the 2018 NFL Draft. Across eight seasons, Jackson has led the Ravens to a 76-30 record in 106 starts and has twice won the NFL’s MVP award.

The 2025 NFL season has been a difficult one for the Ravens and Jackson, who has missed three games while dealing with a plethora of nagging injuries. The team enters Week 17 with a 7-8 record and would be eliminated from playoff contention with either a loss or a Pittsburgh Steelers win.

Harbaugh insists all is well between himself, Jackson and the Ravens despite the struggles and Preston’s reporting.

‘I don’t need anyone speaking for me,’ Harbaugh said. ‘Just ask me, and I’ll tell you what I think.’

The knockout will go down as the highlight of the fight.

But another lingering image from Anthony Joshua’s victory over Jake Paul by knockout is Paul repeatedly falling to the canvas, eliciting boos from the crowd at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Dec. 19.

In what appeared to be a deliberate tactic, an exhausted-looking Paul fell to the mat no fewer than six times during the heavyweight bout that ended in Round 6. Online, some commenters accused Paul of attempting MMA-style ‘takedowns,” and once Joshua fell onto Paul.

But none of it prevented Joshua from knocking out Paul in the sixth round – or from breaking Paul’s jaw in two places. But it triggered a debate that continues: Were the falls an ugly tactic that warranted a point deduction from Paul.

The referee, Chris Young, brought both fighters together after Paul fell for the fifth time in Round 5.

“Listen, these tactics have got to stop, OK?’’ Young said while looking at Paul. “…You’re going fight, fight. But within the rules, OK?’’

Young let the fight go without deducting a point, as he did in Round 6 after Paul fell yet again.

“Their fight went the way it went,’’ Young told USA TODAY Sports Wednesday Dec. 24. ‘Ugly fight, sloppy fight.’’

Young said he needed clearance from the Florida Athletic Commission before speaking any more about the fight.

What well-regarded referees say

Robert Byrd and Kenny Bayless are retired referees who have been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. They expressed compassion for Young, the 44-year-old referee from Florida who was officiating the high-profile boxing match livestreamed by Netflix.

“I think he did the best he could,’’ Byrd said. “Kenny or I at some point would have probably called time and said, ‘Look, you got to quit whatever it is that you’re doing here. That’s got to stop, period.’ And then if it didn’t stop, we would probably… have deducted a point for unsportsmanlike conduct.’’

Bayless said he didn’t have a problem with what Young did.

“I probably would’ve done basically the same thing because usually when fighters are going forward and falling like that is because usually their legs are starting to get weak,’’ he said. “And to me, with the amount of movement that Jake did from trying to stay away from Joshua caused his legs to get weak….

“There isn’t a whole lot that a referee he can do in a situation like that other than give him some light warnings and tell him to be mindful of what you’re doing.’’

Jack Reiss, a highly regarded referee who retired in 2024, defended Young.

“He was trying to survive,’’ Reiss said of Paul. “And Chris did a great job because he understood what was in front of him. You know what I mean? Jake was hurting and trying to survive. And when fighters are trying to survive, to fight, they’ll do anything to survive. Why would you penalize him on it?’’

‘It’s not a wrestling match’

The repeated falls were a topic of discussion this week when Jake Paul’s brother, Logan, invited his mother, Pam Stepnick, to his podcast.

It turned out Jake Paul’s mother was not a fan of the move.

 “I yelled, ‘Stop, it’s not a wrestling match,’“ Stepnick said, noting that was before hearing more about it.

Logan Paul bristled at accusations that his brother was attempting takedowns. Of the falls, Logan Paul said, “It’s a strategy that optically looks very bad but it’s conservation of energy…’’ He said he inquired about it while watching Jake Paul train for the fight.

Cassius Chaney, one of Paul’s sparring partners during training camp, confirmed to USA TODAY Sports that the falling is something Paul was working on leading up to the fight.

“They wanted (Paul) to just go with the flow of the big man’s weight,’’ Chaney said, referring to Joshua. “They didn’t want him to fight the push down (from Joshua) because it would fatigue him quicker.’’

And in the end, the tactic did not spare Jake Paul one last fall, following the knockout punch.

Happy Holidays – the penultimate week of the 2025 NFL regular season is upon us. However you might not exactly enjoy what’s underneath the tree on Christmas – the Yuletide’s three streaming contests (Cowboys-Commanders, Lions-Vikings and Broncos-Chiefs) not exactly crackling with compelling subplots or playoff implications despite their intra-divisional pairings.

Saturday’s couplet is a bit more compelling, Texans-Chargers a rematch from last season’s playoffs and potentially a preview of what goes down next month. The Green Bay Packers host the Baltimore Ravens in the night game – both squads residing on the edge of wild-card contention, Baltimore requiring a win to simply survive mathematically into Sunday.

Sunday afternoon isn’t exactly loaded with must-see football, either, though several teams will be jockeying for seeding or trying to stay alive. Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett could set the single-season sack record against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who could clinch the AFC North crown … unless the Ravens do that for them by losing Saturday. Eagles-Bills and Bears-49ers look good on paper, the latter – which is the ‘Sunday Night Football’ offering – bound to have significant impact on who gets the NFC’s No. 1 seed, which comes with a first-round bye and home-field advantage.

Yet, believe it or not, the most important game of Week 17 might be the one in Sin City, where the Las Vegas Raiders will host the New York Giants – they share a league-worst 2-13 record – in the game that could determine who picks atop the 2026 draft.

The recently revitalized Atlanta Falcons host the LA Rams on Monday.

How does the docket unfold? USA TODAY Sports’ panel of NFL experts weighs in with their picks:

(Odds provided by BetMGM)

Week 17 picks, predictions, odds

Cowboys at Commanders
Lions at Vikings
Broncos at Chiefs
Texans at Chargers
Ravens at Packers
Seahawks at Panthers
Jaguars at Colts
Saints at Titans
Cardinals at Bengals
Steelers at Browns
Patriots at Jets
Buccaneers at Dolphins
Giants at Raiders
Eagles at Bills
Bears at 49ers
Rams at Falcons

In a sign of the times, the Bears received a commitment from James Nnaji, a 7-foot center from Nigeria who was selected in the 2023 NBA Draft. The 21-year-old will be eligible to play immediately for Scott Drew and will have four years of eligibility remaining, a Baylor spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The Bears is 9-2 this season.

He was the 31st overall pick — first in the second round — in the 2023 draft by the Detroit Pistons, who was then traded him to the Charlotte Hornets. In September 2024, his rights were traded to the New York Knicks as part of the blockbuster deal that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks.

Despite getting drafted, Nnaji never played in an NBA regular-season game, only playing for the Hornets in the 2023 Summer Classic and the Knicks’ 2025 Summer League team. For New York, he averaged 3.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in five games. He has been playing professionally in Spain for FC Barcelona. He and the team parted ways in August.

It’s certainly unusual to see an NBA draft pick play college basketball, but it’s the latest sign of the line of amateurism being blurred. With name, image and likeness running wild in college sports, the NCAA has changed eligibility guidelines to where athletes who have played professionally have been able to play collegiately.

It’s typically been done with international players, but it’s leaked to those who have played in the NBA G League, which has drawn the ire of coaches across the country.

Reactions to James Nnaji joining Baylor

As news of Nnaji’s commitment to Baylor spread on Dec. 24, it drew some pretty strong responses as people feel it’s ridiculous for a former NBA draft pick to join a college basketball team in the middle of the season.

Notable reactions include Connecticut coach Dan Hurley, who had a slight NSFW response. It’s also left some people confused as to what happens if Nnaji wants to play professionally, if he can get drafted again or would he still have his professional rights owned by the Knicks.

The 2025-26 college basketball season has started off with a bang for some, with some teams like Michigan, Arizona, Iowa State and plenty more asserting themselves as national championship candidates.

But not every team has had such a hot start, and there’s some real concern hovering around as conference play begins. Whether it was stumbling in a Feast Week tournament, losing high-caliber matchups or just looking discombobulated, all the preseason hype is out of the window. Those that had national title aspirations have turned into hoping to make the second weekend of the NCAA tournament, and those that felt like March Madness could have some success may be spending the rest of the regular season on the bubble.

There’s still plenty of time to change course, but which teams are in trouble? And how much should they be panicking? We’ll rank it from 1-5, with one being there’s no need to raise the alarm and five meaning the sky is falling.

Florida

It starts with the defending national champions, a team that has learned it may be tougher to keep the crown. Even with all the departures, the Gators had the look of a team that could make it back to the Final Four, but they haven’t been able to knock down shots. While close, they lost to all three ranked opponents they faced and dropped a Thanksgiving neutral site game to TCU. Even when it has beaten teams like Florida State, Miami and Providence, Florida didn’t look dominant.

Panic rating: 4. The Gators are in for some beatings if they can’t execute against the stiffer SEC competition. The recent emergence of Xaivian Lee has helped restore belief, but that will have to go around the rest of the team that can’t afford more off-nights. However, what doesn’t make it a doomsday scenario is the conference isn’t as top heavy as it was last season, and it’s anyone’s guess who can run the table.

St. John’s

So much for an encore for Rick Pitino, which has gone from starting the season at No. 6 to falling out of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. At 7-4, St John’s is another team that hasn’t been able to win the marquee games — an early loss to Alabama and a 1-2 showing in the Players Era Festival. Then there was the bad outing against a struggling Kentucky team that could have salvaged the nonconference slate. Guard play has been a major issue.

Panic rating: 5. The schedule was set for the Red Storm to stack some Quad 1 wins and it ends December with just one — and four losses. It will get easier in the Big East, but that’s the problem; there aren’t many opportunities to grab those precious victories while having to avoid those pesky Quad 2 and 3 losses. March likely is in the future, but the Red Storm really need to run through the Big East if they want to be considered a top four seed come Selection Sunday.

Kentucky

What a roller coaster it’s been in Lexington. Things got bad when Kentucky lost its fourth game to a ranked opponent, a complete blowout by Gonzaga that had Big Blue Nation booing its team to a dreadful 5-4 start. While it looked like a complete flop was in store, the Wildcats have calmed things down with a three-game win streak with victories over Indiana and St. John’s to have a 1-4 Quad 1 record.

Panic rating: 4. The win over St. John’s prevented this from being a five, giving optimism Kentucky can start clicking with Jayden Quaintance fully healed from injury. What helps is the SEC schedule is backloaded with a comfortable first three weeks to really find a rhythm. However, it has to take care of business early on, or it will be back in trouble once again when February starts, with a chance to be on the bubble.

UCLA

The Bruins were looking to jump up the Big Ten hierarchy with the addition of Donovan Dent, but it’s been a shaky start to the season. UCLA’s two big games against Arizona and Gonzaga ended in defeat and it fell completely flat against California. While it has nine wins, it hasn’t looked impressive in many of them with the patented Mick Cronin defense not looking sharp, resulting in close wins against even mid-majors.

Panic rating: 5. With a 1-4 Quad 1 record and no quality win against a projected tournament team, UCLA needs to tighten up and knock down those at the top of the Big Ten, which is easier said than done. The offense has been shooting the ball well, but it won’t matter if the defense doesn’t follow suit to put a complete game together. Not a great position teetering on the bubble.

Arkansas

John Calipari’s squad has shown flashes of greatness but hasn’t fully met the expectations just yet. Arkansas has held its own against top 10 teams in Michigan State, Duke and Houston, they just resulted in losses. It wasn’t all bad, with the Razorbacks getting a resounding win against Louisville and a strong second half against Texas Tech. It’s all come with freshman Darius Acuff Jr. playing exceptionally well.

Panic rating: 2. Despite a 2-3 Quad 1 start, there’s plenty to like about Arkansas’ chances when the calendar flips. The offense is more than capable of shooting teams out of the building and competing with elite squads. The Razorbacks don’t scream Final Four candidate, but they have the look of a team that can make it to the second weekend of the Big Dance again.

Alabama

Another year of Alabama having a premier offense that lights up the scoreboard; it just hasn’t been able to keep that up against great teams. The Crimson Tide had one of the most difficult starts and navigated it well with wins over St. John’s and Illinois with a loss to Purdue in between, but it looked really bad in the big matchups since with blowout losses to Gonzaga and Arizona.

Panic rating: 1. Despite the really bad outings in the losses, Alabama looks like it can really take command of the SEC. The Quad 1 opportunities left look more than manageable to build the resume, and the Crimson Tide have a great shot of not having any bad marks to hurt its chances of being able to play close to home in the tournament.

Illinois

After starting the season 4-0, Illinois has had some bumps against some ranked competition and has gone 4-3 since. The losses came against Alabama, Connecticut and upstart Nebraska. Brad Underwood’s team has victories against Texas Tech and Tennessee. 

Panic rating: 2. The mixed results recently have come with some major wins, and it really hinges on how Illinois does defensively. It’s a tough night when it can’t contain opponents, but it hasn’t been a glaring issue, rather coming in small waves. Illinois appears to have a good grip on itself and set itself up for a strong January. 

Tennessee

Just like Kentucky, times were tough when the Volunteers went on a three-game skid. What was confusing was it came off a tremendous win against Houston, as it was followed with a loss to Kansas, a really bad result at Syracuse and then a defeat from Illinois. It was salvaged when Tennessee dominated at home against Louisville.

Panic rating: 3. There should be some concern for the Volunteers cause it’s been exposed. It’s been heavily reliant on Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Nate Ament, and if the guards aren’t executing, the rest of the offense gets lost. The veteran Gillespie and five-star freshman Ament should find a consistent flow with more games together, but you can’t fully trust it yet.

Auburn

It was going to be impossible to replicate the success of last season, especially with Bruce Pearl leaving the program to his son, Steven. It didn’t help scheduling four teams that have or had a case to be No. 1 this season. The Tigers nearly beat Houston in November, but have looked bad against other premier teams in Michigan, Arizona and Purdue, losing to those three by an average of 29 points. A win over St. John’s in Las Vegas is the only good win on the resume, as victories against NC State and Oregon lost some luster.

Panic rating: 5. The recent losses have taken a ton of hope of what Steven Pearl could do in his first season in charge. Yes, the schedule was extremely difficult, but the Tigers looking non-competitive in most of those matchups is a troubling sign. To add insult to injury, leader Tahaad Pettiford was injured against Purdue, now his health is a big concern. Auburn is No. 43 in the NET rankings, a dangerous spot for a team that likely will be fighting for an at-large consideration.

NC State

The hype of Will Wade’s arrival to Raleigh has died down with NC State’s rather ordinary start to the season. It’s 5-4 since starting the season with four straight wins, and they have some bad outings against Texas and Seton Hall in Maui. The losses to Auburn and Kansas make sense, but the best win so far is against Boise State, and the Wolfpack have a 3-4 record against Quad 1 and 2 opponents.

Panic rating: 4. Wade will gladly tell you himself this rating should be a five after his ‘kindergarten’s over’ rant he laid out on his team, but it’s not to that level just yet. However, it can soon get there. While it doesn’t really own any impressive wins, there are prime chances in ACC play that NC State should be able to take. But if NC State doesn’t start with at least six or seven conference wins by the end of January, it will be in real trouble and be on the bubble.

Christmas came early for Atlanta-based real estate developer and avid golfer Michael Barnouin, who was recently gifted back his stolen cowhide wallet that he bought in Montana.

The culprit – a gull scavenger with white feathered arms, webbed feet and thin beak – often roamed in bunches near Pebble Beach Golf Links, a public golf course at Pebble Beach Resort in Monterey, California.

Barnouin, 30, was playing there for the first time earlier this year on Aug. 7 after finishing a residential renovation project in nearby Carmel.

‘One of my favorite things about taking trips down to Carmel is just throughout Monterey County, you have some of the best golf courses in the in the country,’ Barnouin said. ‘You’ve got Pebble Beach (Golf Links), you have Spyglass Hill, you’ve got Spanish Bay. I personally like Carmel Valley Ranch.’

Pebble Beach Golf Links also happens to be where basketball Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade hit his first-ever hole in one. Barnouin would’ve never considered any threat to his belongings, certainly not a herring gull seabird commonly referred to as a seagull.

‘I’m playing really well. I was having a great round. Hole 7 is the kind of famous par three, you know that Dwyane Wade hit that hole in one,’ Barnouin said. ‘Hole 8, it’s a it’s a long par 4 and you’ve got to kind of lay up and then you have this Bay that that you have to kind of smack it onto the green for your second shot over.’

Barnouin took his swing and got the ball over the water and eventually finished the hole. As he’s setting up for the ninth hole, people he’s playing with tell him that a seagull is in his cart.

Golf is a sport that requires concentration. Silence during one’s swing is a display of sportsmanship, so naturally Barnouin was ‘kind of frustrated’ when they were talking during his backswing.

‘I don’t care about the seagull in my golf cart,’ he said. ‘It can take whatever it wants.’

Little did he know that it was making off with his cowhide wallet.

‘When I turn around to go back to my cart, I notice a seagull is standing on the seat and it’s got something in its mouth. It was my wallet,’ said Barnouin. ‘And so stupidly I start to chase it and I’ve got my driver in my hand. I start to chase the seagull and it kind of goes down the fairway.’

He added: ‘I don’t think seagulls are that stupid either because this thing kept looking back at me as if I knew that I was chasing it and it knew that I wanted what was in its mouth.’

As the seagull had his wallet locked in its beak, flying around the bay, others quickly began to swarm it, assuming it was food. Seconds later, it was dropped.

Barnouin and other golf mates searched for the wallet, but cold temperatures near the water made them stop and finish the round of golf. Barnouin said he ‘played terrible the next two holes’ before getting it together. He searched the next day at low tide but to no avail, assuming the tides washed it away.

‘Welcome home wallet’

Barnouin never thought he would see his wallet again. He canceled his credit and debit cards.

Months later, he received some mail at one of his properties in Carmel from someone named Erik Bueno.

Bueno is a retired Southern California real estate agent who has spent the decade traveling. He said he owns a couple of rentals in Carmel, and when one of them is empty, he’ll go and stay a while.

‘This particular trip, I stayed six weeks and while I’m there I walk a lot and I go look for golf balls sometimes at low tide,’ Bueno said. ‘I would say I found his wallet maybe around the 20th of October then mailed it out.’

Bueno, 68, wrote a letter that read ‘I found your wallet with AMEX and VISA cards. No cash. Do you want me to mail or trash them?’ and signed off with his name and number.

‘He contacted me and then I took the wallet and a Ziploc bag of golf balls to his buddy’s house,’ Bueno told USA TODAY Sports.

‘I always walk a lot and I always look for golf balls for a couple of reasons. One, it’s great exercise,’ Bueno said. ‘Number two, I want to get the golf balls out of the ocean because it pollutes the ocean. The balls will rub and scratch, the fish will eat the plastic.’

He’ll also donate the balls to junior golf because he said that it’s ‘kind of expensive to play Pebble Beach.’

‘It’s an amazing golf course. So everyone that plays there, they’re usually playing with like excellent golf balls. So I tend to find a lot of Titleist Pro V ones. And then I donate them to junior golf and they love it.’

Bueno found 1,200 golf balls in three days, he said. He knows where to search because it’s the same spot many people get hung up at. The same eighth hole that Barnouin chased the seagull around before his wallet was dropped.

‘It’s the second shot on No. 8 that everybody dumps into the ocean and I didn’t find his ball, but I found his wallet right there on the ocean,’ Bueno said. ‘I think I had mailed the driver’s license and that’s one of the things I thought he wanted the most.’

Bueno certainly could understand where Barnouin was coming from because nearly 25 years ago the same experience happened to him.

‘I played Pebble Beach many times, but about 20 to 25 years ago I was playing with my dad and a seagull came down, took my wallet out of my golf cart,’ Bueno said. ‘But it dropped it right next to the cart. He didn’t fly away with it. My story was not as fun as Michael’s dumping in the ocean. But yeah, my wallet got snagged also.’

Barnouin was ‘absolutely ecstatic’ to get his wallet back and said he plans to play at Pebble Beach again, but next time he’ll be sticking to Apple Wallet, instead.

However, this is a core memory for Barnouin.

‘I don’t know if I birdied the hole eight, but I certainly parred because I remember I was not that upset going into the hole nine, but I did not think I’d get a seagull on hole nine,’ Barnouin said. ‘People are looking for albatross as birdies. I’m the only guy who’s ever gotten ‘seagull’ on Pebble Beach.’