The Miami Dolphins will host the first NFL regular-season game in Spain in 2025, the NFL announced Friday.

The game will take place at the Bernabeu Stadium, the iconic home of the soccer club Real Madrid.

The date and opponent will be announced in the spring. The same applies for ticket information. Fans interested can register for information around the 2025 NFL Madrid game at nfl.com/madrid.

It has long been known the Dolphins would play overseas again in 2025, but the site was not revealed until now.

One of the Dolphins’ home games will be shifted to Madrid. The NFL will choose from among New England, Buffalo, the New York Jets, Baltimore, Cincinnati, the Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans, Tampa Bay and Washington.

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“We are thrilled to play the NFL’s inaugural game in Spain, a country of rich history, tradition and passion and home to a vibrant Dolphins fanbase,” said Miami Dolphins Vice Chairman, President and CEO Tom Garfinkel. “There is a hunger for football in this market, and we are proud to join with the NFL in growing the game internationally while engaging with old and new fans alike. With the unique synergy between Miami and Madrid, we believe this is only the beginning for us in this incredible region and we look forward to bringing the excitement and community of Dolphins football to Spain in 2025 and beyond.”

The Milwaukee Brewers clubhouse was deathly quiet, tears streaming down players’ faces, hugs exchanged, knowing this defeat meant much more than the end of a season.

It was the end of 54-year era where a community fell in love with its broadcaster, and he loved this humble, blue-collar city right back.

The Brewers were three outs away from winning the wild-card series and advancing onto Philadelphia, only for New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso to hit a soul-crushing, three-run, ninth-inning homer in the winner-take-all game, ending their 2024 season.

No words were needed.

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They know what it meant.

“That’s why the game was as emotional as it was,’’ Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich said. “We knew that likely was the last one having Bob being part of it.’’

It indeed was Uecker’s final game, and the last time they ever saw him, with Uecker passing away Thursday morning at the age of 90.

“It was a prevalent thought between those close to him,’’ Brewers manager Pat Murphy told USA TODAY Sports. “Seeing him console others while he knew it was probably his last game, was indicative of who he was. …

“He was in so much pain.’’

Uecker, who would have turned 91 in 10 days, was battling through small cell lung cancer since early 2023, and the pain was becoming insufferable. Yet, he shared his pain with precious few people, not wanting any sympathy or the spotlight to be taken off his beloved Brewers.

“He didn’t want to talk about it,’’ Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said. “He was extremely private about it. A very few number of people knew about it. There were days he’d undergo radiation treatment and come to the ballpark that afternoon and do the game.’’

This night, Uecker quietly walked through the clubhouse, shaking hands, exchanging hugs, and then finding closer Devin Williams, who had given up the game-winning homer. It’s unknown what he said, but he managed to make Williams smile.

It was Yelich, Willy Adames, Murphy and Brewers GM Matt Arnold who were crying when he walked out of the door.

Attanasio waited outside the clubhouse for Uecker for 1 ½ hours, maybe two hours, not wanting to interfere with his interaction with players. He knew it likely would be Uecker’s last time to be with the players who adored him.

“I knew where he was at,’’ Attanasio said. “They were all so close to each other. I wanted the players to have their moment. I knew it was important to him. There were a lot of emotions.’’

The small group remained together in the Brewers’ clubhouse until 5 in the morning, talking about the game, the season, their future, but mostly, Uecker.

He meant that much to the organization, and when the news came Thursday morning that he died, it wasn’t a surprise, but the pain still seared through the organization.

“He was at peace with dying for awhile,’’ Attanasio said, who last saw him in November at his home. “He really was the heart of Milwaukee baseball.’’

Uecker loved Milwaukee, and oh, did they ever love him back.

‘JUUUUUUST A BIT OUTSIDE!’ 6 iconic Bob Uecker scenes as ‘Major League’ announcer Harry Doyle

He was born in Milwaukee, raised in Milwaukee, and never considered leaving.

“He had every opportunity to leave the city, leave the state,’’ said Attanasio, remembering hearing the stories of George Steinbrenner trying to hire him away when he owned the New York Yankees. “He could have left for an acting career. He could have left for a comedy career. He was a Wisconsin name. He was true blue to Wisconsin.

“He was one of us.’’

Really, he might have been Milwaukee’s greatest ambassador — with no one more beloved — whose personality will forever be entrenched in Brewers franchise history.

“To say ‘one of a kind’ is somehow an understatement,’’ Murphy said. “He’s not a hero, but a legend, and you know what they say about legends:

“They never die.’’

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Not many people expected the Los Angeles Rams to be in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs when they started the season 1-4.

The Rams’ postseason expectations decreased further when they were pummeled at home by the Philadelphia Eagles 37-20 in Week 12 to drop to 5-6. But, in hindsight, the beatdown was the turning point in the Rams’ season.

‘I think when you have humbling experiences with the right kinds of people, those are where the real growth (opportunities) exist,’ Rams coach Sean McVay said. ‘I think we had a lot of guys that really, as a team, you can look inward and you can say, ‘Is this really what we want to be about? Where are the things that we can adjust and adapt from a coaching perspective? Where’s the sense of urgency that’s going to be required for coaches and players to be able to execute the way that we want and what kind of work needs to be put in throughout the course of the week? What do we need to do? How do we want to act, interact, and respond accordingly with how we move forward?’

‘That humbling night … I think a lot of the scars that we’ve had as a team have been what led us to the point that we’re at.”

Scars administered by the Eagles included Saquon Barkley running for a career-best and franchise-record 255 yards, the ninth-most yards in a game in NFL history. Fans inside SoFi Stadium were affectionately chanting “MVP” for the running back.

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The Rams have won six of their seven games since that humbling experience, including an emotional win – amid the Los Angeles wildfires – in Arizona in the wild card round against the Minnesota Vikings.

“I think that was one of those nights that because we have the right people, the response was in alignment with what we want,” McVay said. “I also think there is a respect and an understanding of what’s going to be required if we want to continue to earn some more time.”

Now, the Rams travel to Philadelphia for the divisional round to meet the same opponent that spawned the turning point of their season.

“It’s huge. I know you see it now, not every game is going to be the same,” Rams safety Quentin Lake told USA TODAY Sports. “We’re going into another enemy territory. …That’s an offense that has high firepower. They got a great running back, offense, offensive line, quarterback and skill players. It’s going to be a good challenge for us. But, you know, this (wild card) game gave us a lot of confidence.”

The Rams also have other reasons to be confident heading to Philadelphia.

They have a Super Bowl-winning head coach who’s coming off his eighth postseason victory at just 38 years old. The defense matched an NFL playoff record with nine sacks versus Minnesota. Matthew Stafford is 5-1 in the postseason as the Rams’ quarterback and fresh off his sixth consecutive playoff game with at least 200 passing yards and two touchdowns (tied for the fourth-longest streak in postseason history).

And, most importantly, they want to perform well for a city that’s still reeling from the tragic wildfires.

“We’re motivated for our team and the work that we put in, but we’re definitely motivated by the situation that is going on around here and the people that are leaning on us to give them a little bit of joy come the weekend,” Stafford said. “Hopefully, we can do that again.’

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

A youth movement takes hold among college football coaches, and Marcus Freeman is the handsome face of this millennial moment.
If Notre Dame beats Ohio State, Marcus Freeman would become the youngest coach to win a national championship since Danny Ford, with 1981 Clemson.
Chicago Bears turn an eye toward Marcus Freeman, per report, but staying at Notre Dame seems pretty enticing.

You’ve probably heard it’s a tough time to coach college football. Never mind that coaching salaries soar into the eight figures for guys who’ve never won a national championship or that exorbitant buyouts protect some failing coaches. Yes, indeedy, the echo chamber says coaching college football is a fool’s errand nowadays.

Players possess more power, freedom and compensation than ever before, and coaches are left with less roster control. That’s unbearable for some coaches who can’t stomach operating without unchecked omnipotence.

And then here’s Marcus Freeman, standing in contrast to all that coaching doom and gloom. Notre Dame’s 39-year-old coach sprints along the career fast track while shepherding this blue blood to power. He’s at the vanguard of a youth movement taking over college football sidelines.

If Freeman’s Fighting Irish beat Ohio State on Monday in Atlanta, he’d become the youngest coach to win a national championship since Danny Ford, at age 33, led 1981 Clemson to a national title.

In this millennium, Urban Meyer was 42 when he won his first national championship at Florida, and Bob Stoops turned 40 a few months before capturing his lone national championship at Oklahoma.

Freeman and Ohio State coach Ryan Day, 45, combine for an age of 84 years. That’s the youngest coaching pairing for a national championship game since the Bowl Championship Series began pitting No. 1 vs. No. 2 in a title matchup beginning in the 1998 season.

Freeman and Day manage strong relationships with players even in this transactional age of the sport.

So, it’s a bad time to coach college ball, huh? Maybe, it’s only excruciating for those with a foot stuck in a past that’s never returning.

Marcus Freeman to Ryan Day, College Football Playoff serves youth

Coaches in their 30s and 40s seized this moment, and the trend stretches beyond Freeman and Day.

As college football’s old guard retreats, enters retirement, or cashes buyout checks on the unemployment line, the next generation takes their place.

When this College Football Playoff began last month, the average age of the 12 coaches from the qualifying teams was 45½ years old.

At 63, Indiana’s Curt Cignetti checked in with the most trips around the sun. Arizona State’s pup Kenny Dillingham, 34, is the youngest of four playoff-qualifying coaches in their 30s.

Book your tee times, boomers, or take your spot on the “College GameDay,’ because millennials claimed this era as their own.

And Freeman proved the landscape allows for a coach at a school with resources and tradition to advance from unproven newbie to hot commodity at warp speed.

Stay at Notre Dame, or eye the NFL’s Chicago Bears?

Freeman might enjoy the opportunity to call his next shot. The Chicago Bears, just zip on I-90 away from Notre Dame, would like to interview Freeman for their coaching vacancy, the NFL Network reported Sunday.

Notre Dame recently awarded Freeman a contract extension through the 2030 season, and, although his salary at a private university is not public record, he’s widely believed to rank among the nation’s top-paid coaches.

Freeman recently downplayed the NFL rumors.

“I don’t think we have anything to worry about,” he told ESPN.

Freeman’s certainly got nothing to worry about. He’s holding nothing but trump cards.

Staying at Notre Dame or jumping to the NFL offers a win-win situation. Reviving the Bears, though, would be a tougher challenge than keeping Notre Dame humming. Ask any of the several coaches who unsuccessfully followed Lovie Smith how easy it is to win in Chicago. Freeman ought to think long and hard before walking away from Notre Dame.

In South Bend, Freeman could continue as the popular coach who made Notre Dame, long one of college football’s most polarizing programs, more likable to the general public. Freeman’s movie star looks probably have something to do with that, but so, too, does his composed demeanor that contrasts from Brian Kelly, his red-faced predecessor.

No matter what Kelly insinuated after he left Notre Dame for LSU, coaching the Irish ranks as a premier job, and the university adjusted to college football’s evolution.

While Notre Dame won’t threaten for “Portal King” status, several transfers – from quarterback Riley Leonard to kicker Mitch Jeter to strip-sacking defensive lineman RJ Oben – contributed to this journey. Freeman helped galvanize a new Notre Dame, one fit for NIL and high-impact transfers.

In hiring Freeman, “I saw almost an advantage in having somebody who wasn’t set in their ways as a head coach,” former Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick told NBC Sports, “because the world was shifting, and you’ve got to be able to shift with it.”

Swarbrick gambled on a first-time coach, and, as recently as September, the jury remained out on Freeman. Notre Dame and Freeman hit an inflection point after the Irish shockingly lost on their home field to Northern Illinois in Week 2. Combine that result with his 2022 losses to Marshall and a bad Stanford team, and Freeman owned three defeats to opponents that had little business beating the Irish.

Freeman and his Irish stuck the landing after that rocky start, and they validated this run with an Orange Bowl victory against Penn State.

A day before that College Football Playoff semifinal game, Penn State coach James Franklin, 52, joked about Freeman’s youth and impressive hairline before complimenting his coaching skills. Whatever Franklin’s intentions, Freeman used those wisecracks as fuel. In his third full season, he’s advanced to a grand stage that eludes Penn State’s veteran coach.

With one more victory, Freeman would cement his place as the handsome face of college football’s millennial moment.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.

Never let the moment overcome the plan. Seems simple enough. 

Until the moment is Michigan, and the world is caving one late November afternoon when another loss delivers another reason for change. 

“You’ve got to be grounded in your process,” Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork said. “You can’t be shaken.”

Even when you’ve spent nine months preparing for and evangelizing about what will be, and the next thing you know, Florida loses by 24 at home in the season opener — and bitter rival Miami is strutting out of The Swamp, mocking that unshakeable plan.

“I believe in what we’re doing and how we’re building it organically,” said Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin. “You can’t be timid in this job.”

Now here we are, Ohio State and Florida on opposite ends of the success spectrum in 2024, but strolling arm-in-arm in a fight that had to happen to regain a semblance of control in the dysfunctional world of hiring and firing coaches.

You either believe in your coach and the plan, or you don’t. If you do, fight with all you’ve got ― against all comers, no matter the criticism.

The Buckeyes will play Monday in the College Football Playoff national championship game. The Gators finished a strong close to the season with a wining record (and real momentum) for the first time since 2020.

But Bjork and Stricklin — friends for years as rival athletic directors at Ole Miss and Mississippi State, respectively — are in this stand together. Throwing tens of millions of walkaway cash at a coach who doesn’t work is one untenable thing.

But swaying with the masses, moving who and what you believe to go with the flow instead of fighting upstream, that’s a completely different animal. That’s giving in.

The days of universities paying Jimbo Fisher (Texas A&M) $76 million to not coach, or Gus Malzahn (Auburn) $21.5 million or Willie Taggart (Florida State) $18 million, or Ed Orgeron (LSU) $16.8 million or Scott Frost (Nebraska) $15 million, isn’t sustainable.   

So when Michigan beat Ohio State for the fourth consecutive season under coach Ryan Day, when Florida was embarrassed by Miami and had its worst September in decades under embattled coach Billy Napier, Bjork and Stricklin doubled down. 

It took Bjork less than 24 hours to publicly declare that Day wasn’t going anywhere. He then told USA TODAY Sports in December that, “No matter what happens (in the CFP), Ryan is our coach. Period.”

After the ugly September rolled into an uneasy October, Stricklin began November by publicly giving Napier a vote of confidence. It was a brilliant tactical move, making the statement before a game at SEC heavyweight Texas, where Florida would play with a third-string, walkon quarterback in place of injured starter DJ Lagway. 

In other words, he saw what was coming and knew the cacophony of “Fire Napier” would grow louder. So he cut it off immediately. 

When asked that week by USA TODAY Sports if he had a response to boosters who said they had procured the money to pay Napier’s $28 million buyout, Stricklin said matter of factly, “Tell them they can give that money to Florida Victorious.”

Florida Victorious is the university’s collective, and it should come as no surprise that after a strong showing in November – including wins over LSU and Mississippi – the money started pouring into Florida Victorious. 

At one point in late November and early December before signing day, Florida had flipped nine players from previous verbal commitments with other schools, and climbed from outside the top 50 to the top 10 of the 247Sports recruiting ranking composite.

Make no mistake, these are’t two fan bases that easily back down. There are some at Ohio State who still believe Day should be fired for losing four consecutive games to Michigan — even if the Buckeyes beat Notre Dame and win the national title. 

There are some at Florida who believe that no matter the players, no matter the talent, the problem is Napier and a dysfunctional operation on game day.

But you can bow to the vocal minority, to deep-pocket boosters, to criticism from all outside of your bubble. Or you can take a stand — in some instances, a significant chance — and make a statement. 

When Day stood in the middle of Ohio Stadium, a dazed look on his face while his players fought Michigan players at midfield after another excruciating loss, that was an inflection point. 

After Florida played its worst game of the season in a 13-point home loss to Texas A&M, after boos rained down on Napier as he exited the field – he later admitted, “I probably would’ve done the same thing, truth be known” – that was an inflection point. 

Those are defining moments where you buckle — or buckle down. Ohio State and Florida were but two instances in 2024. There will be more down the road. 

Mike Norvell at Florida State, Lincoln Riley at Southern California, Brent Venables at Oklahoma.

If you think Alabama boosters are going to suffer through another four-loss season with coach Kalen DeBoer, you’re not reading the room.

The question is, as an athletic director, can you control it? 

“I know Billy. I know who he is, what he stands for,” Stricklin said. “There’s a process and it works, and you can’t stray from it. You’ve got to be strong enough in your convictions.”

Or pay millions in walkaway money.

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

ASHBURN, Va. – By the time Zane Gonzalez “doinked” the Washington Commanders into the NFC divisional round Sunday night, the journeyman kicker had already gone viral on social media. 

With NBC’s cameras trained on him as the climax of the 23-20 Washington victory approached, footage of him adjusting his socks and moving his hands through his hair led to posts ranging from sarcastic to bewilderment to cruel. The truth, however, is that Gonzalez has dealt with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) since childhood. This was simply how OCD manifested itself in his pre-kick routine. 

“It’s kind of a little routine, going through it every time,” Gonzalez said two days before the Commanders’ NFC divisional-round matchup against the Detroit Lions. “For me, it’s just more of the same. 

“It just happened to be on a bigger stage, so there’s just a lot more attention on it and stuff like that, so it was just a little bit more highlighted now moving forward. But, for me, nothing would change. It would just all remain the same.”

Ever since Sunday, Gonzalez said he’s received a “tremendous amount of support” from the community, along with messages from scores of people who have shared their story about the condition that can entail repetitive behaviors or rituals that people perform in an attempt to manage thoughts that never seem to dissipate. 

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“I just wish more people would understand, like, it’s hard to describe the mindset that’s going on in the OCD,” he said. “So it’s like, whenever you’re having one of those situations come up, you truly – whatever it may be – you think the worst possible situation’s going to come of it. It could be the most unrealistic, crazy, unimaginable thing and people will be like, ‘You’re crazy for thinking that stuff.’ Which, I’m aware I’m crazy to think that stuff. But that tick just constantly is kneading at you. It’s never-ending. It’s always just there. It’s just one of those things you just kind of get used to and you can grow accustomed to.”

Gonzalez has been open about his experience with OCD for a few years, saying it’s something he’s learned to manage over the years. 

“There’s all sorts of people that walk through life dealing with struggles on a day-to-day (basis), and a lot of it’s at home that people don’t see,” the 29-year-old said.

For example, Gonzalez said, he spent Wednesday night resetting his alarm about 100 times to ensure it would go off in the morning.

“Sure, OK kind of gets on my wife’s nerves a little bit, but at times it’s just kind of how it goes,’ Gonzalez said.

As a kid, Gonzalez would misspell a word or write a letter wrong and spend the next three hours writing the same word over and over while ignoring the larger assignment. His father would have to take him on walks or outside to practice soccer. 

“I’ve definitely gotten better since I was a younger kid, but just now as a grown-up, I feel like I’m able to handle it a lot better,” he said. 

Gonzalez’s wife, Lizzy, made a pair of social media posts simultaneously highlighting her husband’s OCD while defending him from those who were being nasty about it all. She watches him during games, even while the action is elsewhere, so the hand-through-hair move doesn’t faze her – it’s something he does at the practice field.

“For us, it’s just funny that it’s just on such a big stage and how it all unfolded,” Gonzalez said. 

Even if Lizzy may take slightly more offense to the online trolls. 

“For me, I’ve missed some big kicks in my career, I’ve made some big kicks, so it’s just kind of even keel, keep going about it and keep on moving,” said Gonzalez, who kicked at Arizona Sate in college. “She’s getting better about handling it, I would say, for the most part.” 

Gonzalez can certainly take a joke, and his teammates have helped him make sure the rituals aren’t something he needs to be self-conscious about. In a special teams meeting this week, long-snapper Tyler Ott said, the specialist group of Ott, Gonzalez and punter Tress Way – who is the holder on field goals – received an award for their execution on the game-winner in Tampa Bay. 

“I think everybody in the locker room has something that they revert back to to get into the moment,” Ott said. “Obviously, he just got a little more attention for it.” 

Ott said he wouldn’t have known Gonzalez had OCD but has seen the hand move through the hair and the adjusting of the socks for months now. 

“He’s not sensitive about it,” Ott said. 

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said he’s never discussed Gonzalez’s condition with him, but he’s “super happy” that Gonzalez has been open about it in the days since he helped Washington advance. 

“If that is a chance for him to assist one other person, I think that takes just a lot of courage and tells you a lot about who he is, not just as a ball player,” Quinn said, “but as a man.” 

Gonzalez was a seventh-round draft pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2017 and was released and signed by the Arizona Cardinals the following season. He spent time with the Lions, Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers but prior to this season hadn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2021. 

Gonzalez has been on the Commanders’ active roster since Dec. 2 as the fill-in for Austin Seibert, who was the team’s primary kicker before hip and groin injuries sidelined him. Cade York started the season as the team’s kicker but was released after Week 1. Greg Joseph also kicked Week 15 with Seibert and Gonzalez injured. 

“He’s been great, in terms of, we’ve had a lot of turnover at that position,” special teams coordinator Larry Izzo said Thursday. “But he’s definitely stabilized the position and he’s come in and done his job, and so we’re really happy with him. 

“He has his process, and everyone is unique in terms of things like that. But yeah, try not to make too much a big deal about it. Obviously, he went out there and made the kick, and that’s all that counts.” 

With four kickers this year, having Way and Ott excel – the team cut long-snapper Cameron Cheeseman last season – has helped keep the transition smooth. Ott called it a “strange year” for the specialists between the injuries and roster moves, but that like the rest of the locker room, they’ve become a tight-knit unit by having one another over for dinner and a drink or grabbing a meal together on the road.

“Thankfully me and Tress have been a consistent duo that makes it easier operation-wise … we just set it up for the kickers as best as we can,” Ott said.

For Washington, Gonzalez is 8-for-10 (including playoffs) and made all three in the Commanders’ postseason victory, while being perfect on extra-point attempts (21 of 21). Earlier in the game against the Buccaneers, he made a season-long 52-yard field goal. 

“It’s just truly been awesome,” Gonzalez said of his time with the Commanders, “and I’m just incredibly grateful for the whole organization, honestly, as a whole. Everybody here is truly, truly amazing people. They got something special going, and I’m just happy to be a part of it and do my little part.” 

As regular readers of the Starting Five feature know, we tend to focus on Top 25 matchups when selecting which of the many college basketball games on the schedule to preview. We don’t call it the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll for nothing, after all. But generally speaking, such high-profile contests usually live up to their entertainment potential. Equally important, the winner is all but guaranteed a resume boost that will come in handy in a couple of months.

By coincidence, there are exactly five pairings of ranked opponents on the docket this weekend. That quintet of games is monopolized by just two conferences, however, but fret not if you’re a fan of a team from one of the other leagues. You’ll get your turn in this space soon enough. For now though, here’s where the action will be the hottest on this cold weekend.

No. 1 Auburn at No. 23 Georgia

TIME/TV: Saturday, 1 p.m. ET, SECN

Yes, the SEC once again leads the way with three of the ranked-on-ranked clashes. That might change as its teams continue to pick each other off. Georgia almost certainly needs a win here to retain its spot in the poll after running into a second-half buzzsaw at Tennessee Wednesday night. As for the Tigers, their first defense of their No. 1 spot in the coaches poll went well despite the absence of star forward Johni Broome. Auburn’s 22-point romp against the league’s other Bulldogs, Mississippi State, was facilitated by a solid outing from Chaney Johnson in his first start of the season in place of Broome, as well as the usual output from guard Chad Baker-Mazara. These Dogs, however, have won their first two conference games at home, including a takedown of Kentucky that helped get them ranked. They rely on a deep backcourt for a lot of their points but will need 6-11 forward Asa Newell to be a presence at both ends in the paint.

No. 5 Alabama at No. 9 Kentucky

TIME/TV: Saturday, noon ET, ESPN

The weekend’s top-10 showdown finds the Crimson Tide in need of a bounce-back performance following a home loss to Ole Miss. But getting such a result is easier said than done at Rupp Arena, where the Wildcats are unscathed this season. Kentucky won’t mind playing at Alabama’s high speed, though the Wildcats take nearly half their shots from beyond the arc and can struggle when they aren’t falling. When things go badly for the Tide, it’s usually because of turnovers. Both teams are guard heavy, but the battle on the boards between Alabama’s Grant Nelson and Kentucky’s Amari Williams will be worth watching.

No. 21 Mississippi at No. 18 Mississippi State

TIME/TV: Saturday, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN2

After winning its first two SEC contests, Mississippi State received a bit of a reality check against the league’s upper tier. The Bulldogs look to return to their winning ways on their home floor against their archrivals. But the Rebels, thanks to that huge road win in Tuscaloosa, enter the weekend as one of just two SEC squads yet to lose in conference play. Ole Miss has been riding the hot hand of wingman Malik Dia, a transfer from Belmont who took a while to find his game but has averaged 21 points in his last three outings. The Bulldogs need leading scorer Josh Hubbard to find the range quickly after a rough shooting night at Auburn.

No. 15 Purdue at No. 14 Oregon

TIME/TV: Saturday, 3 p.m. ET, NBC

We now turn our attention to the bigger Big Ten, where the Boilermakers have won six in a row and look to complete a sweep of their first west-coast swing in the conference after handling Washington on Wednesday The Ducks should be rested after escaping their long trip to Penn State with a one-point win six days earlier. The inside-outside combo of Nate Bittle and Jackson Shelstad leads the way for Oregon. Looking to match plays with them will be the veteran Purdue tandem of Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith.

No. 20 Illinois at No. 12 Michigan State

TIME/TV: Sunday, noon ET, CBS

Our Sunday Big Ten offering in this space last week turned out to be something of a bust as Purdue routed Nebraska. We hope this one delivers the goods. The Spartans’ early-season tribulations during a tough non-conference slate now seem to be paying dividends as they have rattled off 10 consecutive wins. The Fighting Illini dug themselves an early hole in league play and now look to avoid a third Big Ten setback. Illinois’s decisive victory at Indiana on Tuesday night might be more indicative of the Hoosiers’ woes, but the Illini were nevertheless happy to have freshman sensation Kasparas Jakucionis back in the lineup after a two-game absence. Jaden Akins (14.2 ppg) is Michigan State’s only player averaging in double digits, but 10 Spartans log over 13 minutes per contest and all but one contribute at least 5.9 points a game.

ALLEN PARK, Mich. – Of all the feedback that Teddy Bridgewater has had since coming out of retirement last month to rejoin the Detroit Lions, there’s nothing quite like the reaction he’s had from his kids.

The kids would be the players at Miami Northwestern High School whom Bridgewater, 32, recently coached to a Class 3A state championship in his debut season at his alma mater.

Seeing their head coach back in the NFL – the Lions added the veteran as an emergency backup quarterback for their playoff run – adds another layer to the connection.

“They love it,” Bridgewater told USA TODAY Sports. “That’s good feedback. Especially now, where the kids I coached can go to college and tell the stories about how cool Teddy Bridgewater was. They can get some ‘cool points.’ ”

Sitting at a card table in the Lions locker room after practice, Bridgewater had just finished a FaceTime chat with one of his kids, DeAngelo Thompson, a defensive end who is an early enrollee at Syracuse. The exchange included a bit of show-and-tell.

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“I was just talking to him and he showed the camera to one of his teammates, who’s also an early enrollee, and he’s like, ‘Look, this is my coach right here!’ ” Bridgewater added.

No, it’s not every day that a high school coach doubles as an NFL quarterback. Even though he “retired” from the NFL after last season, he maintains that his plan all along was to return later this season because he was still capable of playing. So, he stayed in shape and kept his throwing arm sharp while coaching the kids. Detroit brought him back prior to Week 17.

Who does that?

“Just the guy you’re talking to,” Jared Goff, the Lions starting quarterback, chimed in from his corner locker. “He’s the first ever. Coach Teddy.”

It’s unknown whether Bridgewater is indeed the first, but he’s undoubtedly unique. No doubt, he’s the most interesting backup quarterback in the NFL playoffs. Weeks after finishing up with a state crown, the man voted as Florida’s Coach of the Year is chasing another championship. It’s another compelling chapter to Bridgewater’s unusual journey. He’s had stints with six NFL teams since the Minnesota Vikings drafted him in the first round from Louisville in 2014. He came back from a gruesome knee injury suffered in 2017 that threatened his career. In 2018, he filled in for an injured Drew Brees and won all five of his starts for the New Orleans Saints – when Lions coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn were members of Sean Payton’s staff.

Mention Campbell and Glenn, and Bridgewater perks up. They are essential reasons linked to his return at this critical time.

“Those are my dogs, man!” Bridgewater said. “Dan’s been a gangster since he had that tight end room with the Saints, and before that with all the other places he’s been. And those two guys, we all have the same mentor.”

That would be Bill Parcells, the Hall of Fame coach who lives in Florida. Bridgewater became connected to Parcells through Abram Elam, a close adviser who is also close to the coach he played for. Elam made the introduction when Bridgewater went through the draft process.

“If Parcells likes you, you might be a decent person,” Bridgewater said. “I always stayed in touch with him throughout my career. I’m happy to have a guy like him in my corner.

“Parcells is a real G, man,” Bridgewater added, using the slang term for ‘gangster.’ “I love him. Just how supportive he’s been. He’s always straight forward with you. He ain’t going to sugarcoat it.”

The same goes for Campbell and Glenn. Straight- shooters. Sure, Bridgewater incorporated elements of their methods as he embarked on his coaching career. But he also recognizes where to draw a line.

“Yeah, there are some things,” he said. “Yet at the same time, you’re not dealing with adults. So, the way they act toward us, I can’t really go around kids and act that way. They’re not as mature as this locker room.”

Just like he planned to return to the NFL this season for a playoff run, years ago he envisioned returning to coach at his alma mater. He said it fulfills a promise to his challenged community, where’s he’s also revered as the NFL player who routinely stayed connected. Bridgewater is the man who would pull up unannounced in a U-Haul truck and give away toys, clothes, food and other essentials. Coaching is another way of giving back.

“I was once in that locker room that I coach in,” said Bridgewater, who was raised by a single mother, Rose. “I know the level of maturity that I had when I was 14, 15, 16, 17. And I knew that I still needed to grow up a little bit. I had some great coaches, but if I had other extensive male figures in my life, I would’ve been even more mature. So, I approach them from that aspect. Because really, honestly, I’m trying to help these kids make it past Miami, make it outside the city.”

As much as the Lions have added a layer of insurance (Campbell hasn’t revealed whether Bridgewater will supplant Hendon Hooker as the No. 2 quarterback or remain as the emergency No. 3 option for the playoffs), there’s the added value of his presence in the locker room. Like with the kids, Bridgewater sees his purpose as an influence goes beyond football.

“Those kids have untapped potential,” Bridgewater said, “I’m placed in their life to help them tap into that source, to help them go far. It’s the same in his locker room. Not everyone is a superstar. Not everyone is a true pro. So, I still find myself tapping into some of these young guys, helping them find that stability in this league.”

He expresses an interest in third-year receiver Jameson Williams, who just produced his first 1,000-yard season – on the fewest receptions of any 1,000-yard receiver this season, Bridgewater noted in a recent social media post – but has already been suspended twice by the NFL for off-the-field issues. Bridgewater told Williams how he witnessed former Vikings teammate Stefon Diggs put in the work and master the details to rise from a fifth-round pick to become an All-Pro.

“It’s just so many things that you see in a Jameson Williams, who has all the potential in the world,” Bridgewater said.

His message to Williams: “Stef did it this way. You’re not Stef – it’s a different case with ever player – but if you do it this way, I promise you, you can have the same success and be a star in this league.”

No doubt, there are younger teammates willing to take heed to the vet’s advice. Rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold told Bridgewater that he wanted to “give him his flowers now” as a memory sticks from watching him star in college.

“I’ll never forget when he was playing at Louisville, he got his helmet knocked off and then he got up smiling,” Arnold recalled. “It’s kind of a testament to all the trials and tribulations he’s had. He just faces them with a clear head…

Arnold added: “Even with him just joining the locker room and having that old-school vibe and being a mentor, he’s a great guy to be around.”

For all of that, the competitive spirit still burns with Bridgewater. Sure, the top-seeded Lions brought him back as insurance, and if his impact is primarily in a supporting role behind the scenes, including practices, it would be substantial.

Yet winning clearly matters. That is apparent as he reflects on guiding the kids to the state crown with a 12-2 record.

“It was everything,” Bridgewater said. ‘You deal with so much hate that you’ve got to block out from people who watched you grow up. You deal with so many hidden agendas. So many people who want to see you fail. It’s a bunch of crabs in a bucket.”

He’s talking about doubters, people who questioned why he got the high school job in the first place and piled on with negativity after a couple of close, early-season losses.

“So, to have the type of success we had as a team, it’s the ultimate ‘F-you’ to everybody who had something negative to say or was hoping that things fell apart,” he said. “Now my kids get to walk around as champions. Like I told everybody, when you see those kids, address them as champs.”

Now the coach is positioned to make it a double crown, so to speak. He’s hoping this comeback ends in the winner’s circle of Super Bowl 59, in New Orleans of all places.

“New Orleans is my second home,” he said. “They love me down there. I did win five games for ‘em, you know.”

And maybe soon they can also address Bridgewater as a champ – in more ways than one. 

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Jarrett Bell on X, @JarrettBell