Aaron Rodgers is aware that his turbulent run with the New York Jets could be coming to a close.

But ahead of the Week 18 finale against the Miami Dolphins, the quarterback said Wednesday that no matter what his future holds, he will view his time with the organization fondly.

‘Gratitude, honestly,’ the four-time NFL MVP said when asked how he viewed this portion of his 20-year career. ‘It’s been the best two years of my life. And that’s a perspective adjustment that happened at some point during the rehab process last year. Just the excitement of falling back in love with the game, getting to know these guys in here, getting to know the great men and women who work here, it’s been a lot of fun.

‘Obviously, on the field has been short of expectations, no doubt. But this game is more than just that.’

After his highly anticipated debut season with the Jets in 2023 was cut short by a torn Achilles suffered four snaps into the opener, Rodgers has experienced plenty of disappointment in his follow-up campaign. The Jets fired coach Robert Saleh after a 2-3 start, and despite the organization trading for Rodgers’ close friend Davante Adams, New York continued its slide and extended the NFL’s longest active playoff drought to 14 seasons.

All things Jets: Latest New York Jets news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

With the team cleaning house with the firing of general manager Joe Douglas in November, Rodgers has acknowledged that his future is very much in flux. Though he earlier stated he prefers to remain with the franchise, he has acknowledged the possibility that the team will want to move on from the 41-year-old, who does not have any guaranteed money on his contract for 2025. Multiple reports indicated that the Jets are likely to part ways with Rodgers at some point this offseason.

Rodgers also reiterated he was unsure whether he would return to play at all next season or choose to retire. After making a joke about how he wouldn’t go on another darkness retreat, Rodgers said he needed a respite from the physical toll that the last two seasons have taken on him.

‘I need a break, mentally,’ said Rodgers, who added he expected to have clarity on his future before free agency begins in March. ‘I don’t want to make a decision until I’ve been able to rest physically and mentally. … I just need a break mentally to refresh and put my feet in the sand and see where I’m at.’

Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said the possibility of coaching Rodgers’ final NFL game provided some solid motivation for Sunday.

‘To even be a small part of his story, it’s an honor,’ Ulbrich said. ‘If it happens to be his last game, let’s take him out on the right note.’

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An deadly terrorist attack in New Orleans early on New Year’s Day had an impact on the College Football Playoff schedule. The Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame was to be played Wednesday as the fourth and final quarterfinal. The game has been postponed to Thursday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the rest of the bowl schedule continues on. There was already one game on the Thursday slate, but it’s a well-established name on the New Year’s calendar. Furthermore, the winner will pick up its 10th victory of the campaign, still a notable achievement in the sport even if it doesn’t occur in a playoff setting.

Here’s what you need to know about the contest and its participants.

Sugar Bowl – No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 7 Notre Dame

Time/TV/location: 4 p.m. ET, ESPN, New Orleans.

Why watch: The round of eight concludes with this heavyweight showdown of storied programs. In a first round of dominant performances, the Fighting Irish might have turned in the most impressive of the lot shutting down the high-powered Indiana passing game. The talented back seven led by DB Xavier Watts and LB Jack Kiser now turns its attention to Bulldogs QB Gunner Stockton, who will make his starting debut with the highest of stakes. He will bring an element of mobility to the offense that starter Carson Beck did not, but he might still need to lean on RBs Trevor Etienne and Nate Frazier to limit his risk. Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard is an even more dangerous dual threat, and RB Jeremiyah Love can break off big runs as well. The Georgia front seven has a lot of versatility, but LB Jalon Walker is often a major component of the game plan.

Why it could disappoint: It might turn into a punting duel if the defenses take charge. It might also be challenging for either squad to overcome a multi-score deficit if there are early miscues.

WHO WINS?: Expert picks for the Sugar Bowl between Georgia-Notre Dame

Gator Bowl – Duke vs. No. 15 Mississippi

Time/TV/location: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Jacksonville, Fla.

Why watch: One of the SEC’s numerous ranked squads takes on a challenger from the ACC, which so far has had a miserable postseason league-wide. It’s an attractive pairing from a record standpoint, but the Rebels will have a distinct personnel advantage. Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart will be off to the NFL but will suit up one last time for the Rebels, and he should have WRs Cayden Lee and Jordan Watkins available. Blue Devils’ QB Malik Murphy and RB Star Thomas are both transferring out, which will leave the Duke offense in the hands of little-used backup QB Henry Belin IV.

Why it could disappoint: Ole Miss was going to be favored regardless, and Duke’s personnel departures make this an even bigger mismatch. The Rebels haven’t always been the most focused bunch this season, and the Blue Devils must hope that will be the case once again.

The United States has never won back-to-back titles at the world junior hockey championship or returned to the final the year after winning.

The defending champion Americans (3-0-1-0) will try to take the first step toward changing that Thursday in Ottawa when they face Switzerland in the quarterfinal matchup. By beating Canada on New Year’s Eve, the Americans won Group A and will face a Swiss team that went 1-3 in the preliminary round and was outscored 15-10.

The game is win or go home. The four quarterfinal winners will be reseeded for Saturday’s semifinals. The medal games are Sunday.

Here’s what to know about the United States-Switzerland game and the quarterfinal schedule for the world junior hockey championship:

What time is USA vs. Switzerland world juniors quarterfinal?

The game will be played at 2:30 p.m. ET Thursday at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa.

How to watch USA vs. Switzerland world juniors quarterfinal?

The game will air on NHL Network in the United States and on TSN in Canada.

USA vs. Switzerland players to watch

United States: The USA’s top line features Boston College teammates Ryan Leonard (Washington Capitals draft pick), Gabe Perreault (New York Rangers) and James Hagens, the front-runner for the top pick in the 2025 NHL draft. Boston University defenseman Cole Hutson (Capitals) is the USA’s top scorer with eight points. He’s the brother of Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson. University of Minnesota winger Brodie Ziemer (Buffalo Sabres) has a team-best three goals. Michigan State goalie Trey Augustine (Detroit Red Wings) had 38 saves in the win against Canada.

Switzerland: Forward Leo Braillard has three goals. Goalie Christian Kirsch is a San Jose Sharks 2024 draft pick. Defenseman Leon Muggli (three assists) was drafted in the second round by the Capitals.

USA vs. Switzerland team stats

Goals scored: United States 22, Switzerland 10

Goals against: United States 10, Switzerland 15

Power play: United States 27.8%, Switzerland 31.6%

Penalty kill: United States 81.3%, Switzerland 68.7%

Today’s world junior hockey schedule

All times p.m. ET

Germany vs. Kazakhstan (relegation game), 11 a.m.
No. 1 Sweden vs. No. 4 Latvia quarterfinal, noon, NHLN, TSN
No. 1 United States vs. No. 4 Switzerland quarterfinal, 2:30, NHLN, TSN3, TSN4, TSN5
No. 2 Finland vs. No. 3 Slovakia quarterfinal, 5, NHLN, TSN
No. 2 Czechia vs. No. 3 Canada quarterfinal, 7:30, NHLN, TSN

World juniors hockey scores

Dec. 26

Sweden 5, Slovakia 2
United States 10, Germany 4
Czechia 5, Switzerland 1
Canada 4, Finland 0

Dec. 27

Slovakia 2, Switzerland 1
Finland 3, Germany 1
Sweden 8, Kazakhstan 1
Latvia 3, Canada 2 (SO)

Dec. 28

Czechia 14, Kazakhstan 2
United States 5, Latvia 1

Dec. 29

Sweden 7, Switzerland 5
Finland 4, United States 3 (OT)
Czechia 4, Slovakia 2
Canada 3, Germany 0

Dec. 30

Slovakia 5, Kazakhstan 4 (OT)
Latvia 4, Germany 3 (OT)

Dec. 31

Switzerland 3, Kazakhstan 1 
Finland 3, Latvia 0
Sweden 4, Czechia 2
United States 4, Canada 1

World juniors hockey playoff round

All times Eastern

Jan. 2 (quarterfinals)

Sweden vs. Latvia, noon, NHLN, TSN
United States vs. Switzerland, 2:30, NHLN, TSN3, TSN4, TSN5
Finland vs. Slovakia, 5, NHLN, TSN
Czechia vs. Canada, 7:30, NHLN, TSN

Jan. 4

Semifinal 1 3:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN
Semifinal 2 7:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN

Jan. 5

Third-place game, 3:30, NHLN, TSN
Championship game, 7:30, NHLN, TSN

PASADENA, Calif. — Ohio State got its revenge for one of its two regular-season losses, and it’s now headed to the College Football Playoff semifinal. 

The eighth-seeded Buckeyes came out with a fast start and never looked back to take down No. 1 Oregon in dominant fashion with a 41-21 victory in the Rose Bowl. 

Wednesday’s matchup was billed as the top quarterfinal matchup in the playoff, as many expected it to be a back-and-forth affair with the picturesque backdrop of the California sunset bouncing off the San Gabriel mountains.

Instead, when most of the country finally got the game on their screens after the Peach Bowl went to overtime, the Buckeyes already established control and it was an Ohio State showcase for much of the first half that became too much for even one of the best teams in the country to overcome. 

The first play of the game foreshadowed how the night would go, with Will Howard connecting with Gee Scott Jr. for a 30-yard gain. Two plays later, star freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith bolted past the Oregon defense for a 45-yard score to give the Buckeyes a lead they’d never relinquish. 

Ohio State advances to the playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl against No. 5 Texas, which defeated Arizona State earlier Wednesday.

SIGN OF SUCCESS: Instant classic at Peach Bowl shows playoff’s potential

Smith was show in “The Granddaddy of Them All,” who has looked like anything but someone playing their first season of college football. He constantly made highlight-worthy catches past Oregon defenders. Smith already had a career-high 161 receiving yards at halftime, and he finished the night with a 187 receiving yards on seven catches and two touchdowns. His second score, a 43-yard reception that put Ohio State ahead 24-0, effectively put the game officially out of reach early in the second quarter.

The blowout win was in contrast to the regular-season meeting between the teams won by Oregon 32-31 when Ohio State ran out of time in field-goal range.

Big plays were what drove Ohio State to such a commanding lead in just the first half, with all four touchdowns going at least 42 yards. There was the opening 45-yard score, a 42-yard catch by Emeka Egbuka, the 43-yard one from Smith and TreVeyon Henderson breaking free for a 66-yard run.

While the Ohio State offense continued to find big play after big play, Oregon struggled to generate any momentum and couldn’t handle the speed or toughness of the Buckeyes. It went three-and-out on its first two possessions of the game and failed to score on the first five possessions of the night. Oregon didn’t get on the scoreboard until the final play of the first half, when it was already down by 34-points.

To Oregon’s credit, the Ducks didn’t fold completely. They scored on their final drive of the second quarter and opened the second half with a touchdown to cut their deficit to 19. But after Oregon forced a three-and-out, the Buckeyes regained control and another Henderson touchdown to push the lead back to 26 points to start the fourth quarter.

The 41 points by Ohio State is the most allowed by the Ducks this season, and the most it’s allowed since Dan Lanning’s debut game in 2022 when it lost to Georgia 49-3. Oregon’s first loss of the season also ensure there will be no undefeated national champion after Georgia and Michigan were perfect the past two seasons.

The win by the Buckeyes means all three quarterfinal winners in the College Football Playoff were teams that played a first-round game. Georgia and Notre Dame will play Thursday in the final quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl.

The College Football Playoff quarterfinal game at the 2025 Sugar Bowl has been postponed after 15 people were killed and about 30 people were injured early Wednesday morning in New Orleans when an armed man drove a pickup truck into a large crowd on Bourbon Street in a deadly attack.

Jeff Hundley, Sugar Bowl committee CEO, announced that the game will now be played on Thursday after consultation with officials from all parties involved. ‘All agree it’s in the best interest of everybody and public safety that we postpone the game,’ Hundley told reporters.

The CFP No. 2 seed Georgia and No. 7 seed Notre Dame were originally scheduled to kick off at 8:45 p.m. ET on Wednesday in the Sugar Bowl game. The two teams will now play at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday and the winner still advances to face No. 6 seed Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 9 as part of the CFP semifinals.

“There’s just too much stuff we don’t know. It’s just not worth it,” Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said during a news conference with state, city and law enforcement officials, addressing the decision to postpone the game.

The deadly incident in New Orleans happened around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to the city’s emergency responders, a little over 16 hours before Notre Dame and Georgia were previously scheduled to begin their quarterfinal matchup less than a mile away at the Caesars Superdome. The driver was driving at a high speed and within moments started firing on police officers from inside the vehicle, according to New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick.

USA TODAY confirmed with New Orleans police that the driver was fatally shot by police. The FBI said in an initial statement Wednesday that it was ‘working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism.’ The FBI identified the driver as 42-year-old U.S. citizen and Texas resident Shamsud Din Jabbar. Federal law enforcement officials stated that an ISIS flag, weapons and a potential IED were located in the subject’s vehicle. Other potential IEDs were also located in the French Quarter, according to the FBI, who also indicated it did not believe Jabbar acted alone.

Kirkpatrick said initially the Sugar Bowl game would be played as scheduled. Bill Cassidy, a Republican U.S. senator in Louisiana, also told CNN in an interview Wednesday that he was ‘extremely confident’ the Sugar Bowl game would be played.

‘The standard operating procedure for a big game like the Sugar Bowl, for a Saints game, for the Super Bowl is to go through the building, make sure there’s nothing there that’s wrong, and then to lock it down,’ Cassidy said. ‘The Sugar Bowl, the Superdome has been locked down. There is going to be no problem there.’

University of Georgia president Jere Morehead announced Wednesday one of the victims who was critically injured in the early morning act of violence was a Georgia student. Notre Dame said it was ‘working with law enforcement and others to determine the full scope and impact of the tragedy.’

Former senior U.S. counterterrorism official Javed Ali told USA TODAY things can evolve as the FBI investigation unfolds, including scenarios that could impact the Sugar Bowl.

Based on what the FBI and other authorities have made public to date, “This wasn’t just one person acting on their own, and however many other people are involved in this conspiracy, they’re on the loose right now,” said Ali, who is not involved in the investigation but has held senior U.S. intelligence positions across multiple agencies.

Many factors would have to go into whether the game should be held as scheduled, further postponed or even canceled, Ali said. “That’s going to have to be something to figure out from a risk management perspective,” he said.

When is the Sugar Bowl: Updated time, date, TV for Georgia vs. Notre Dame

The 2025 Sugar Bowl was postponed in the wake of Wednesday’s tragic events on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Here’s the latest information on when the CFP quarterfinal game between No. 2 seed Georgia and No. 7 seed Notre Dame is happening and how to watch:

Date: Thursday, January 2
Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Location: Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)

Josh Meyer contributed to this story. This article has been updated with new information and a new video.

The No. 8 seed Ohio State Buckeyes had revenge on their mind against the No. 1 seed Oregon Ducks heading into the Rose Bowl. 

The last time the two teams faced off in Week 7 of the regular season, Oregon narrowly defeated Ohio State 32-31, thanks to a late game blunder by Buckeyes QB Will Howard. The College Football Playoff quarterfinal on Wednesday was an entirely different story.

The Buckeyes blew out the Ducks 41-21 to advance to the CFP semifinal, where they will face No. 5 seed Texas. Ohio State jumped to a 34-0 lead over Oregon in the first half and weathered any attempts at a comeback from the Ducks.

‘We came out and we played angry and it showed. We jumped out to an early lead and it was hard for them to come back,’ Howard said postgame. ‘We got two more. We aren’t done yet.’

Howard completed 17 of 26 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 12.3 yards per play. Freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith, who finished with seven receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns, was named the offensive MVP. Running back TreVeyon Henderson had two scores of his own with eight carries for 94 yards and three receptions for 20 yards. Receiver Emeka Egbuka also had a touchdown with five receptions for 72 yards.

Ohio State dominated the line of scrimmage and Oregon’s run game was nonexistent as a result. Oregon registered minus-23 rushing yards the entire game, compared to 181 rushing yards from Ohio State. 

Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel completed 29 of 41 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns, both to receiver Traeshon Holden, who finished with seven receptions for 116 yards. Running back Jordan James had seven carries for 14 yards and two receptions for seven yards before he exited the game in the second quarter with an undisclosed injury. 

Here is how everything unfolded from Ohio State’s Rose Bowl victory.

Rose Bowl highlights: Watch Ohio State’s rout against Oregon

Rose Bowl defensive player of the game

Senior linebacker Cody Simon recorded two of Ohio State’s eight sacks against Dillon Gabriel and was named the Rose Bowl’s defensive player of the game. Simon had 11 tackles, 3 tackles for loss and one pass breakup.

Rose Bowl offensive player of the game

Ohio State’s dynamic freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith was named the offensive player of the game after hauling in seven catches for 187 yards and two touchdowns.

Oregon forced to punt

The Ducks picked up one first down, but a sack on third down by Ohio State’s Cody Simon forced Oregon into a fourth-and-long situation. Coach Dan Lanning chose to punt the ball away with time running out on the Ducks’ season.

Ohio State milking the clock

The Buckeyes ran the ball on four of six plays of the ensuing drive, including 21 yards on three carries by Quinshon Judkins. An incomplete pass on third-and-9 stopped the clock, though, and Oregon will get the ball back with 6:07 left to play.

Oregon score: Traeshon Holden 27-yard TD pass from Dillon Gabriel

The Ducks are back on the board with a record-tying touchdown pass by QB Dillon Gabriel.

After hooking up with Traeshon Holden for a 27-yard score, Gabriel ties Case Keenum for the most TD passes in FBS history with 155.

The key play of the drive was a fourth-down conversion on a Gabriel-to-Tez Johnson pass play on fourth-and-11. Gabriel is up to 289 yards passing and two TDs. Ohio State 41, Oregon 21

Ohio State punts after sack

An offensive holding pass called on Ohio State set them behind the sticks and the Buckeyes couldn’t recover. On third-and-11, Ohio State QB Will Howard was sacked for the first time of the night for a 5-yard loss, bringing the Buckeyes to fourth-and-16. Ohio State subsequently punted.

Oregon punts after sack 

The Ducks’ next drive stalled after Buckeyes safety Lathan Ransom sacked Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel for a 2-yard loss on Oregon’s 41-yard line. 

Ohio State score: TreVeyon Henderson 8-yard TD run

Ohio State is back in the driver’s seat, thanks to TreVeyon Henderson’s 8-yard touchdown run. Buckeyes QB Will Howard found receiver Jeremiah Smith twice on the drive – for 10-yard and 16-yard receptions – and a face mask penalty called on Oregon against RB Quinshon Judkins set the Buckeyes up on the goal line. 

Henderson is up to four carries for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Ohio State 41, Oregon 15

Oregon momentum stalls with three-and-out

Oregon’s offensive line surrendered back-to-back sacks, leading to a three-and-out of their own. Ohio State DE Jack Sawyer caught Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel for a 7-yard loss, followed by a sack from LB Cody Simon for a 6-yard loss. Facing fourth-and-23, Oregon punted the ball away on its own 12-yard line. 

Three-and-out for Ohio State 

Oregon’s offense is warming up, and so is the Ducks’ defense. Oregon forced Ohio State’s first three-and-out of the game after Buckeyes QB Will Howard failed to connect with WR Emeka Egbuka. Oregon gets the ball back with 7:15 left in the third quarter.

Oregon score: Noah Whittington 2-yard TD run

With the Ducks backed up on their own 13-yard-line, QB Dillon Gabriel scrambled on third-and-22 before connecting with receiver Justius Lowe on a 21-yard pass to set Oregon up with a manageable fourth-and-1. Gabriel kept the ball and rushed for one yard to move the sticks and keep their opening, second-half drive alive.

Oregon TE Terrance Ferguson had two catches on the drive – a 17-yard and 25-yard reception – to bring the Ducks to Ohio State’s 2-yard line. RB Noah Whittington punched the ball in the end zone to cap Oregon’s 11-play, 75-yard drive. The Ducks now trail the Buckeyes 34-15.

Halftime: Ohio State 34, Oregon 8

Ohio State has dominated all phases of the game through the first half. QB Will Howard completed 11 of 18 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 14.9 yards per play. Receiver Jeremiah Smith has five receptions for 161 yards and two touchdowns, while Emeka Egbuka has four receptions for 68 yards and one touchdown. Running back TreVeyon Henderson added two carries for 70 yards and one touchdown. 

Ohio State has recorded 390 total yards in the first half, compared to 139 total yards for Oregon.

Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel completed 15 of 23 passes for 126 yards and one touchdown. Receiver Traeshon Holden has four receptions for 67 yards and one touchdown. Running back Jordan James had seven carries for 14 yards and two receptions for seven yards before he exited the game in the second quarter with an undisclosed injury. Oregon has collectively rushed for only 13 yards through the first half. 

There have been no penalties or turnovers by either team in the matchup so far. 

Oregon score: Traeshon Holden 5-yard TD pass from Dillon Gabriel

The Ducks were able to get on the board before heading into the locker room at halftime. Instead of settling for a field goal on Ohio State’s 5-yard line with three seconds remaining in the half, Oregon went for a touchdown. QB Dillon Gabriel scrambled and prolonged the play at the goal line before finding receiver Traeshon Holden in the back of the end zone for Oregon’s first score of the night. Gabriel then connected with receiver Justius Lowe for a successful two-point conversion.

‘It’s great to get a score at the end of the half and build a little momentum as we carry this into halftime,’ Oregon coach Dan Lanning told ESPN as he was walking off the field. 

Oregon gets the ball in the second half. Ohio State 34, Oregon 8

Ohio State score: Jayden Fielding 36-yard field goal

Oregon slowed down the Ohio State offense, if only slightly. The Buckeyes settled for a field goal after their 10-play, 43-yard drive stalled in the red zone. Ohio State leads 34-0 with 2:59 remaining in the first half.  

Oregon has fourth three-and-out

Another drive, another three-and-out for the Ducks. Oregon’s RB Noah Whittington couldn’t get anything going on the ground and lost two-yards on a run attempt to open their sixth possession of the game. QB Dillon Gabriel couldn’t connect with Kenyon Sadiq and Traeshon Holden on the next plays, resulting in the Ducks’ fourth three-and-out of the game. 

Ohio State score: TreVeyon Henderson 66-yard TD run

Ohio State needed only one play to reach the end zone again. QB Will Howard handed the ball off to TreVeyon Henderson at the Buckeyes’ own 34-yard line and Henderson exploded for a 66-yard touchdown along the sideline. Ohio State now leads 31-0 with 8:47 remaining in the first half. Henderson has two carries for 70 yards on the day.

Another three-and-out for Oregon

The Ducks had no answer for the Buckeyes and surrendered another three-and-out, marking Oregon’s third of the game. In five total possessions in the Rose Bowl, the Ducks have punted four times and turned the ball over on downs once. 

Ohio State score: Jeremiah Smith 43-yard TD pass from Will Howard

Yes again.

The flood gates have opened and Ohio State extended its lead over Oregon. QB Will Howard found receiver Jeremiah Smith wide open for a 43-yard touchdown to go up 24-0 over the Ducks. The drive lasted all of 42 seconds. The Buckeyes had great field position after the Ducks failed to convert fourth down at their own 48-yard line.

Howard is up to 255 yards and three touchdowns on the day, averaging 18.2 yards per play. Smith has five receptions for 161 yards and two touchdowns.

Oregon turns ball over on downs 

Oregon turned over the ball on downs at their own 48-yard line. Trailing 17-0, Oregon attempted to convert a fourth-and-3 to keep their drive alive, but QB Dillon Gabriel’s pass intended for Terrance Ferguson was broken up. 

The Ducks have struggled to get anything going in the air or on the ground so far. Ohio State has held Oregon to only 60 total yards, compared to 238 for the Buckeyes. Gabriel has completed 8 of 12 passes for 47 yards and the team only has 13 rushing yards as a whole. 

Rose Bowl view from above

Check out this impressive view of the Rose Bowl Stadium before kickoff of the Ohio State-Oregon College Football Playoff quarterfinal.

Ohio State score: Jayden Fielding 46-yard field goal

The Buckeyes are rolling. QB Will Howard connected with receiver Jeremiah Smith for a 32-yard pass on third down to move the chains and set Ohio State up on Oregon’s 47-yard-line. Howard hit receiver Emeka Egbuka for a 15-yard completion, but the Buckeyes’ drive stalled. Ohio State settled for a 46-yard field goal from kicker Jayden Fielding to extend their lead to 17-0 with 14:50 remaining in the second quarter. 

End of first quarter: Ohio State 14, Oregon 0

The Buckeyes red-hot offense is moving the ball again as the first quarter comes to an end in Pasadena. Will Howard already has 212 yards passing and Jeremiah Smith already has 118 yards receiving. They connected again on a 32-yard pass pass during the most recent possession.

Oregon gets first first down, but has to punt again

Dillon Gabriel and the Ducks offense moved the ball much better in this possession, but it ended the same way: punting. Oregon got two first downs and even crossed into Ohio State territory, but stalled out at the Buckeyes 49. Ohio State resumes possession with a 14-0 lead and 3:38 left in the first quarter.

Ohio State score: Emeka Egbuka 46-yard TD from Will Howard

Will Howard and the Ohio State offense is on absolute fire to start this Rose Bowl. On the third play of the Buckeyes’ third possession, Howard hit Emeka Egbuka with a perfectly placed pass for a 46-yard touchdown. After the PAT, the Buckeyes have a 14-0 lead over undefeated Oregon. Howard is 6 for 9 for 165 yards and two touchdowns already.

Another three-and-out for Oregon

Ohio State’s defense is looking awfully stout early. Dillon Gabriel completed a first-down pass to Jordan James for just two yards, and then Gabriel threw two incompletions to bring out the punting unit. A 31-yard punt went out of bounds and gives Ohio State the ball at its own 47.

Ohio State’s offense stalls during second possession

Jeremiah Smith made a spectacular 29-yard catch on the first play and a 12-yard reception on the third play to give the Buckeyes a first-and-10 from the Oregon 36. But the Ducks’ defense stood its ground after that, forcing the Buckeyes to punt. Oregon will have the ball with 9:17 left in the first quarter.

Jeremiah Smith Big Ten touchdown record

Jeremiah Smith’s touchdown gives him the most receiving touchdown by a freshman in Big Ten history with 14.

Oregon’s first possession: Three and out

Dillon Gabriel completed his first two passes for 10 yards, but the Ducks fell a yard short of a first down and were forced to punt during their first possession. Ohio State will get the ball back with 11:53 left in the first quarter.

Ohio State score: Jeremiah Smith 45-yard TD from Will Howard

The Buckeyes got on the board quickly, with Will Howard finding tight end Gee Scott Jr. for a 30-yard pass on the first play of the game, and then getting Jeremiah Smith a short pass that the freshman turned into a 45-yard score. The PAT was good. Ohio State 7, Oregon 0

Rose Bowl Grand Marshal

Tennis legend Billie Jean King is the 2025 Grand Marshal of the Rose Bowl. Her coin toss went Oregon’s way, and the Ducks deferred. Ohio State chose to get the ball to open the game.

Ohio State uniforms in Rose Bowl

The Buckeyes are wearing white jerseys with gray pants. They have their traditional gray helmets with a thick scarlet stripe, but roses are included within the stripe to pay homage to playing in the Rose Bowl.

Oregon uniforms in Rose Bowl

Oregon is wearing green jerseys with yellow lettering and white pants. They’ll go with silver helmets the include green ‘feather’ stripes.

What channel is Rose Bowl between Ohio State and Oregon?

Since the Chick fil-A Peach Bowl between Texas and Arizona State has gone to overtime, the broadcast for the Rose Bowl will begin on ESPN2. It will move to ESPN at the conclusion of the Peach Bowl.

When is Rose Bowl between Ohio State and Oregon?

The Rose Bowl CFP quarterfinal game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Oregon Ducks kicks off at 5 p.m. ET at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

How to watch Ohio State and Oregon in Rose Bowl

The Rose Bowl game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Oregon Ducks will be televised nationally on ESPN.

Live streaming is available on Fubo, which has a free trial.

Watch Penn State take on Boise State with a Fubo subscription

Ohio State vs. Oregon: Rose Bowl odds

The Ohio State Buckeyes are favorites to defeat the Oregon Ducks, according to BetMGM.

Odds as of Wednesday, Jan. 1

Spread: Ohio State (-2.5)
Moneyline: Ohio State (-135); Oregon (+115)
Over/under: 55.5

Predictions for Rose Bowl, Ohio State vs. Oregon:

USA TODAY: No. 1 Oregon over Ohio State

Paul Myerberg writes, ‘Oregon’s been here before, scoring a 32-31 win during the regular season, and can use the same blueprint to score a second victory against the Buckeyes. While the Buckeyes can shift this narrative with a strong game against Tennessee, these resemble two teams moving in different directions: Oregon up, Ohio State down. Beating the Ducks would demand a major uptick in production and explosiveness from an offense that has scuffled since late October.’

Cory Pappas, Sports Illustrated: Oregon 31, Ohio State 28

Pappas writes, ‘In their last meeting in October, it came down to the last play, and the same could be true this go around. Despite the game being a much closer proximity to Oregon, Ohio State fans will still travel and the crowd will likely be a 50/50 split. Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel has earned the trust of Ducks fans, and Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard and the Ohio State offense scored at will against Tennessee.’

FOX Sports: Ohio State 26, Oregon 25

FOX Sports believes the Buckeyes have a slight advantage, pointing at Ohio State’s 56.7% chance to win based on implied probability. That said, the Ducks have won each of the past two meetings against Ohio State.

Jaren Kawada, ClutchPoints: Oregon to win

Kawada writes, ‘The biggest discrepancies seem to favor Oregon. It is hard to see (Ohio State quarterback Will) Howard throwing for 300 yards against this secondary a second time, especially with (Oregon defensive end Jordan) Burch now in the lineup. Oregon should expect a bigger impact from the Buckeyes’ backfield, but Ohio State has not topped 180 rushing yards since losing star tackle Josh Simmons for the year in the first matchup.’

Bowl game picks  

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ expert picks for all of the college football bowl games. 

Ohio State vs. Oregon all-time record 

The Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes have faced each other 11 times in their history. Ohio State owns a 9-2 record in the series.

The Ducks beat the Buckeyes in the most recent matchup, 32-31, on Oct. 12, 2024

College Football Playoff bracket: Quarterfinals updated results, schedule

The CFP quarterfinal games are being played over the course of two days, with No. 6 seed Penn State kicking the action off on New Year’s Eve by beating No. 3 seed Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. The final three quarterfinal games will all take place on Wednesday, New Year’s Day.

All times Eastern

Tuesday, Dec. 31

Fiesta Bowl: No. 6 Penn State def. No. 3 Boise State, 31-14

Wednesday, Jan. 1

Peach Bowl: No. 5 Texas 39, No. 4 Arizona State 31 (OT)
Rose Bowl: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8 Ohio State, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 7 Notre Dame, postponed

Thursday, Jan. 2

Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 7 Notre Dame, 4 p.m. ET (ESPN)

College Football Playoff first round results

Friday, Dec. 20

No. 7 Notre Dame def. No. 10 Indiana, 27-17

Saturday, Dec. 21

No. 6 Penn State def. No. 11 SMU, 38-10
No. 5 Texas def. No. 12 Clemson, 38-24
No. 8 Ohio State def. No. 9 Tennessee, 42-17

When are the College Football Playoff semifinals?

The CFP semifinal games will be played on Jan. 9-10.

Thursday, Jan. 9

Orange Bowl: No. 6 Penn State vs. Sugar Bowl winner, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida

Friday, Jan. 10

Cotton Bowl: No. 5 Texas vs. Rose Bowl winner, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas

CFP national championship game schedule

Monday, Jan. 20

Game: Orange Bowl winner vs. Cotton Bowl winner
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN

CFP rankings 

Oregon (Big Ten champion, No. 1 seed)*
Georgia (SEC champion, No. 2 seed)*
Texas (No. 5 seed)
Penn State (No. 6 seed)
Notre Dame (No. 7 seed)
Ohio State (No. 8 seed)
Tennessee (No. 9 seed)
Indiana (No. 10 seed)
Boise State (MWC champion, No. 3 seed)*
SMU (No. 11 seed)
Alabama
Arizona State (Big 12 champion, No. 4 seed)*
Miami
Mississippi
South Carolina
Clemson (ACC champion, No. 12 seed)**

*first-round bye; **automatic bid

Ohio State’s Will Howard gets second chance

A quarterback’s lowlights are remembered as much as his highlights, depending on a game’s outcome, and that might influence perception of Howard. He threw two interceptions in Ohio State’s loss to Michigan. One set up the Wolverines at the 2-yard line for their lone touchdown. The other occurred inside the red zone and thwarted a Buckeyes scoring opportunity. Howard played at his worst in Ohio State’s biggest regular-season game.

That wasn’t the case when the Buckeyes lost to Oregon. Howard threw for a season-high 326 yards, but the play most remembered most was his moment-too-late slide at the end of a scramble, while time expired. If he had slid a couple of steps sooner, the Buckeyes would have had an attempt at a long game-winning field goal.

‘The way that last (game against Oregon) ended doesn’t sit right with me,” Howard said. “It still doesn’t. It still bugs me. And I’m just thankful for the opportunity that we get another crack at them.’ — Blake Toppmeyer

College football bowl game schedule: Entire postseason lineup

College football bowl season began Dec. 14 and will run through Jan. 20 with the College Football Playoff championship game in Atlanta. Click here for the schedule of all upcoming bowls, including the College Football Playoff, and the results of already completed games.

College football 2024 season predictions 

The experts at USA TODAY Sports offered predictions for the 2024 season before it started, including which 12 teams would make the College Football Playoff.

Scooby Axson: Ohio State 
Jordan Mendoza: Oregon 
Paul Myerberg: Georgia 
Erick Smith: Georgia 
Eddie Timanus: Ohio State 
Dan Wolken: Ohio State 

Bowl seasons change: What to do about college football’s postseason?

The timing is good to think about changes. In 2026, when all the current agreements expire, the College Football Playoff is likely to expand to 14 teams. That will undoubtedly have a downstream impact on the bowls, of which there are currently 35 outside of those tied to the playoff.

The reality check here is bowl season, for all its problems, is inexorably linked to ESPN’s December programming schedule. In fact, ESPN owns and operates 17 of those games itself and has broadcast agreements with nearly all of the others. Good luck convincing college football’s most important business partner that bowl games are no longer worthwhile when they’re filling television windows over the holidays that generate more viewers than the NBA, college basketball or NHL regular-season games that would likely take their place. — Dan Wolken

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Quinn Ewers stepped up in overtime and helped No. 5 Texas pull out a thrilling 39-31 win against No. 4 Arizona State in the Peach Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

Ewers finished with 322 passing yards and four total touchdowns for the Longhorns, who led 14-0 early in the first quarter after a 75-yard punt return for a score by Silas Bolden but were held out of rhythm by the Sun Devils’ ball-control offense.

Arizona State held possession for nearly 38 minutes of regulation and ran 94 total plays for 495 yards, including 20 plays in the third quarter to the Longhorns’ five. Texas gained 375 yards on 60 plays and had just 53 rushing yards on 30 carries.

The Longhorns led 24-8 five minutes into the fourth quarter after Ewers scrambled for a short touchdown run.

The ASU gameplan eventually wore on Texas, however, helping the Sun Devils even the score at 24-24 after a 42-yard touchdown pass by running back Cam Skattebo with 6:31 left in the fourth quarter and a short Skattebo scoring run with five minutes remaining.

After a controversial non-call on a potential targeting penalty against Texas forced Arizona State to punt with just over a minute left, the Longhorns took possession at their 20-yard line and went 61 yards in eight plays to set up kicker Bert Auburn’s 38-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

But after he missed a longer attempt earlier in the fourth quarter, Auburn’s try doinked off the left upright to force extra frames.

The Sun Devils scored on another Skattebo touchdown run on their first overtime possession, with the drive extended on a key fourth-down conversion on a sneak from quarterback Sam Leavitt and his 16-yard run on third down to set up first-and-goal.

Texas’ overtime possession began with an incompletion, a run for no gain, a short gain on a completion on the left sideline and a false-start penalty. But needing 13 yards to convert on fourth down, Ewers laid a pass over the top of the Arizona State defense to Matthew Golden for a 28-yard touchdown to even the score at 31-31.

Starting on offense in the second frame, Ewers hit tight end Gunnar Helm for a 25-yard score on the first play and then found Golden for the two-point conversion to go ahead 39-31.

The Sun Devils’ second possession ended with Leavitt intercepted by Texas defensive back Andrew Mukuba, sealing the win.

The Longhorns will next face the winner of the Rose Bowl between Oregon and Ohio State.

Defensively, the Longhorns focused on slowing down Skattebo, who entered the playoff ranked fifth in the Bowl Subdivision in rushing yards per game.

Skattebo was held in check for the first half but began to churn out yardage and make his presence felt in the third quarter. He finished with 141 rushing yards on 29 carries, a team-high 86 receiving yards and three combined scores, putting together perhaps the most impressive individual performance of the postseason.

With the Sun Devils failing to contain the Longhorns’ pass rush, ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt had to constantly scramble and throw on the run and finished 23 of 43 for 209 yards, averaging just 4.9 yards per attempt.

Ewers hit on 19 of his 29 attempts for the Longhorns. Quintrevion Wisner ran for 45 yards on 18 carries with 40 receiving yards and Golden had a game-high 149 yards and a touchdown.

The loss ends a dream season for the Sun Devils, who won just three games last season but stormed to the Big 12 crown and earned a bye into the quarterfinals by beating Iowa State in the conference championship game.

Quinn Ewers stepped up in overtime and helped No. 5 Texas pull out a thrilling 39-31 win against No. 4 Arizona State in the Peach Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

Ewers finished with 322 passing yards and four total touchdowns for the Longhorns, who led 14-0 early in the first quarter after a 75-yard punt return for a score by Silas Bolden but were held out of rhythm by the Sun Devils’ ball-control offense.

Arizona State held possession for nearly 38 minutes of regulation and ran 94 total plays for 495 yards, including 20 plays in the third quarter to the Longhorns’ five. Texas gained 375 yards on 60 plays and had just 53 rushing yards on 30 carries.

The Longhorns led 24-8 five minutes into the fourth quarter after Ewers scrambled for a short touchdown run.

The ASU gameplan eventually wore on Texas, however, helping the Sun Devils even the score at 24-24 after a 42-yard touchdown pass by running back Cam Skattebo with 6:31 left in the fourth quarter and a short Skattebo scoring run with five minutes remaining.

After a controversial non-call on a potential targeting penalty against Texas forced Arizona State to punt with just over a minute left, the Longhorns took possession at their 20-yard line and went 61 yards in eight plays to set up kicker Bert Auburn’s 38-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

But after he missed a longer attempt earlier in the fourth quarter, Auburn’s try doinked off the left upright to force extra frames.

The Sun Devils scored on another Skattebo touchdown run on their first overtime possession, with the drive extended on a key fourth-down conversion on a sneak from quarterback Sam Leavitt and his 16-yard run on third down to set up first-and-goal.

Texas’ overtime possession began with an incompletion, a run for no gain, a short gain on a completion on the left sideline and a false-start penalty. But needing 13 yards to convert on fourth down, Ewers laid a pass over the top of the Arizona State defense to Matthew Golden for a 28-yard touchdown to even the score at 31-31.

Starting on offense in the second frame, Ewers hit tight end Gunnar Helm for a 25-yard score on the first play and then found Golden for the two-point conversion to go ahead 39-31.

The Sun Devils’ second possession ended with Leavitt intercepted by Texas defensive back Andrew Mukuba, sealing the win.

The Longhorns will next face the winner of the Rose Bowl between Oregon and Ohio State.

Defensively, the Longhorns focused on slowing down Skattebo, who entered the playoff ranked fifth in the Bowl Subdivision in rushing yards per game.

Skattebo was held in check for the first half but began to churn out yardage and make his presence felt in the third quarter. He finished with 141 rushing yards on 29 carries, a team-high 86 receiving yards and three combined scores, putting together perhaps the most impressive individual performance of the postseason.

With the Sun Devils failing to contain the Longhorns’ pass rush, ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt had to constantly scramble and throw on the run and finished 23 of 43 for 209 yards, averaging just 4.9 yards per attempt.

Ewers hit on 19 of his 29 attempts for the Longhorns. Quintrevion Wisner ran for 45 yards on 18 carries with 40 receiving yards and Golden had a game-high 149 yards and a touchdown.

The loss ends a dream season for the Sun Devils, who won just three games last season but stormed to the Big 12 crown and earned a bye into the quarterfinals by beating Iowa State in the conference championship game.

Cam Skattebo put Arizona State football on his back in the Peach Bowl, but his heroic efforts were not enough. 

The Texas Longhorns defeated the Sun Devils 39-31 in double overtime on Wednesday in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal in Atlanta. Things looked dire for Arizona State in the fourth quarter as the Sun Devils trailed by as many as 16 points and their star running back appeared to be struggling on the sidelines.

The ESPN broadcast showed Skattebo battling fatigue on the bench. The network reported that Skattebo was trying to get in more fluids and catch his breath after he was “vomiting profusely’ on the sidelines, leaving his health status for the remainder of the game up in the air.

Skattebo not only reentered the game, but he led a comeback to force overtime.

Despite looking visibly exhausted, Skattebo checked back into the game and helped the Sun Devils score 16 unanswered points. Skattebo connected with WR Malik McClain for a 42-yard touchdown pass to cut the Longhorns’ lead to 24-16 with 6:31 remaining in the game. Following Arizona State’s interception of Texas QB Quinn Ewers the next possession, Skattebo rushed for a two-yard touchdown and then successfully converted a two-point conversion to tie the game 24-24 with 5:00 minutes remaining in the game. The Peach Bowl eventually went to overtime following Texas’ missed field goal that would have won the game.

In overtime, Skattebo gave the Sun Devils the lead on a three-yard touchdown run, but Texas answered back with two straight touchdowns to take the lead 39-31. Arizona State was unable to score on their next OT possession to give Texas the win.

Skattebo finished the game with 30 carries for 143 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to one 42-yard passing touchdown for a touchdown and eight receptions for 99 receiving yards.

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“You have been called to this kingdom for such a time as this.” — Esther 4:13-14.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — He stood in the empty locker room at State Farm Stadium, trying to make sense of it all. The loss, the end of a unique season. The sudden finality. 

But Boise State coach Spencer Danielson couldn’t stop evangelizing.

It’s so much more than proving you belong after a closer than it looked 34-14 loss to Penn State in the College Football Playoff. This is about proving what you’re doing works — even if it doesn’t fit in a now cash-based sport quickly losing its soul.

“We’re different,’ Danielson said. ‘What we are doing here is not happening in college football.” 

Now he’s getting lathered up. Now, after inviting USA TODAY Sports to spend the weekend with his team to see their process of equal parts coaching, development, accountability, and yes, love, the unraveling of college football is coming into focus.

He can’t hold back anymore.    

“You’ve got coaches and programs and administrations that now have golden handcuffs. They’re beholden to the money,” Danielson said. “They’ve changed what they believe to win games. They don’t want to, but everyone else is doing it. So what choice do they have?”

He pauses and runs his hands through his neatly brushed hair. He’s 36, and has been a head coach for all of 13 months, but believes deeply that he has been called to this moment, with this program.

There’s a plan for everyone, he says. When it’s placed so plainly in front of you, there’s no alternative.  

“Once you do that, once you change what you believe as a coach and a person,” Danielson continues, “You can never go back. Because you’ll have to change everything.”

Making sense of where college football is headed

Someone has to say it, he says. Someone has to make sense of where college football is headed. 

It would’ve had a much greater impact had Boise State not fallen apart in the fourth quarter after closing to a three-point deficit. A much greater impact after SEC big spenders Alabama and South Carolina – whining for the last month about missing the CFP – were embarrassed in bowl games.

As it is, it’s hard to ignore what has happened in 13 short months since Danielson was first named interim coach and eventually head coach at Boise State. They’ve won back-to-back Mountain West Conference championships for the first time in school history, and returned to national relevance for the first time in a decade. They earned a top four seed in the College Football Playoff, and the first-round bye that goes with it. 

They had a Heisman Trophy runner-up in star tailback Ashton Jeanty, who came within 27 yards of Barry Sanders’ immortal single-season rushing record of 2,628 yards. Jeanty, like Boise State, proved he deserved to be on the big stage, too — rushing for 104 tough yards on 30 carries against the No. 6 rush defense in the nation.

Long after the game, Penn State coach James Franklin found Jeanty as he walked from the Broncos’ locker room. He reached out and grabbed Jeanty’s hand and held tight. 

“I love the way you play, man,” Franklin said. “I love what you’re about, and how you carry yourself. We need more like you in our game.” 

Ashton Jeanty part of different college football model

This is real and tangible, everyone. A direct reflection of investing emotionally and physically over financially, and laying out a clear path to success on and off the field. 

Or the exact opposite of the current model.

Make no mistake, this isn’t about refusing to pay players. Boise State found a way to pay Jeanty what it could through its collective — but only after Jeanty turned down a $1 million dollar-plus deal from multiple Power Four conference schools.

He told USA TODAY Sports in October that he left “a lot” of money on the table because he was invested in Boise State, “and they were invested in developing me, the player and the person.” 

There’s no disconnect here. Danielson, like about every other coach, believes players deserve their fair share. It’s just that money and free player movement has dismantled the longstanding ideal of developing players and young men.

The idea of earning has been replaced by giving. And while some programs are flourishing, more and more are struggling because they’ve gotten away from what made them unique in the first place.

Now we have players suing coaches and collectives for broken deals, and collectives refusing to pay players who don’t perform or refuse to play. 

Nick Saban, the greatest coach in the sport’s history, left Alabama after last season because he was sick of it. If he’s over it, what does it say about the rest of the sport?

More to the point, what does it say about Boise State and the program Danielson has built — that the Broncos were in a one possession game with mighty Penn State late in the third quarter of a playoff game, and nearly pulled the unthinkable again?

Or that after Penn State pulled away and won, Boise State stayed on the field together for 20 minutes, eventually running a lap around the stadium – every player – to thank their fans. That just doesn’t happen anywhere else.

Not long after that and during the post-game press conference, the reality of what was built against the strong headwinds of free-flowing NIL cash came into clear focus. There was star defensive lineman Ahmed Hassanein, who left a difficult home life in Cairo, Egypt, and eventually found his way to Boise State because his brother knew Danielson from their time together at Azusa Pacific College.

At halftime, with Boise State trailing 17-7, he stood in the middle of the locker room screaming, “This is ain’t no Cinderella story. We deserve to be here. This will not be my last game here.”

Now the end of his time at Boise State had set in, and it was crushing.

“Coach D,” Hassanein said, his voice halting through tears, “You saved my life. I want everyone to know that. You saved my life. I love you.”

Boise State culture is king

This journey began in November of 2023, when Boise State athletic director Jeremiah Dickey fired coach Andy Avalos and made Danielson the interim coach. 

Danielson walked into the team meeting room at Boise State, a hundred desperate faces hanging on his every word. The Broncos had five losses and a slim chance to reach the Mountain West championship game, and who in the world would blame both coaches and players for focusing on individual futures? 

“He said give me two weeks. That’s it, two weeks,” Jeanty said. “Grown men finish what they’ve started, and we don’t know where this thing will end.”

They’ve won 15 of 18 games since, including a three-point loss to Oregon in September, the loss to Penn State, and a loss to UCLA in a meaningless bowl game where Boise State played a quarterback who hadn’t thrown a college pass.

We’re nearly 13 months into it, and it hasn’t ended ― it’s growing despite the inherent financial disadvantages for Group of Five schools. Despite a program still in chase mode.

Because after all of those other power conference schools fail in the CFP and bowl games, they’re reloading with deep-pocket NIL collectives and the lure of playing in mega television games week after week.

They’re signing talent and changing what they do to make it fit, searching for some form of chemistry within the delicate dance of juggling individual NIL deals and personalities that may or may not be counterproductive.

By the time the season begins again in the fall of 2025, pay for play will likely have arrived in college football. The NCAA has agreed to a salary pool of an estimated $20 million per team — for those programs that can afford it. 

For those that can’t, there’s only one fallback position. And you can’t miss. 

“I still believe culture is king,” Dickey said. “As we professionalize our sport, I’m watching these other teams and how much money they have and the value of their franchises, they’re not always winning. It leads me back to culture, and our culture is Spencer.”

The right fit

This is how it works at the Group of Five level, when the travel budget is tight and larger conference comforts are a pipe dream for a critical conference game.

It’s mid-November in Laramie, Wyoming, and it’s cold and wet and there’s nothing fancy about it. Just a crummy Holiday Inn with no meeting space, and a team rolling in late because of travel delays.

Needless to say, Boise State wasn’t breaking routine.

The important Friday walk through, one last chance to get on the same page and zero in on the game plan, happened in the Holiday Inn parking lot. Ice on the ground, and  –get this – no lights. 

“Doesn’t matter. Just put the ball down, man,” said Boise State guard Ben Dooley. “Put the ball down and let us play.”     

There’s nothing pampered and sheltered about this program, or its players. Nothing that screams me over we.

You’re not going to find these guys on the Hot 100 recruiting board, or the best players available in the transfer portal. They just fit the mold of what Danielson is looking for, and are then developed into elite college players. Some into NFL talent. 

It’s players like Hassanein, who started playing football as a sophomore in high school and just needed an opportunity. Danielson, the Boise State defensive coordinator before being named head coach, signed him and developed him — and Hassanein had 23 sacks in the last two seasons, and will more than likely be a mid-round selection in the NFL draft.

It’s nose guard Herbert Gums, who had LSU, Arkansas and Missouri trying to sign him as a running back after a big junior season in high school, only to pull away after he gained weight to play defensive line. There was no better interior defensive lineman in the MWC this season, and he’ll be on someone’s NFL camp roster next summer. 

It’s quarterback Maddux Madsen, whose father named him after major league pitcher Greg Maddux — and it couldn’t be more fitting. Madsen is listed as 5-feet-10, 203 pounds, and he’s an inch shy and a suitcase short of those numbers.

He doesn’t have the strongest arm or the most dynamic ability (hello, Greg Maddux), and if he shaved an admittedly cheesy mustache, he’d look like the 15-year-old down the street who mows your lawn. But he’s a baby-faced assassin on the field: a tough and fearless gamer, and the perfect compliment to Jeanty.

He threw three interceptions against Penn State, matching his season total. He was inconsolable in the locker room afterward, a towel draped over his head and face. 

“We’re not here without you,” Jeanty told him. “We win and lose together.”

A light on the hill

An hour before kickoff, Danielson walked through the locker room and said he was going to pray on the field. Anyone who was interested was welcome. 

Some joined, some stayed in the locker room. 

It’s a controversial option within his program, and he knows it. He’s a believer, and he’d walk away tomorrow if he was told he couldn’t speak about his faith to those who wanted to hear it. 

Earlier this summer, Jeanty asked Danielson to officiate his baptism. Not long after that, a group of players showed up at Danielson’s office and asked the same. 

So they walked down two flights of stairs to the field access at Albertson’s Stadium, and walked across the street and into the Boise River. 

“He and I talk about that a lot,” Dickey said. “For so long, I tended to hide who I was in this industry. I’m not going to do that, and I don’t want him to do that. It’s not force-fed, he’s not loading up the bus and driving players to church. I told Spencer I’ve sold my soul long enough in life that I’m not going to operate in fear around something so important to me.”

They gathered together on the field minutes after the loss to Penn State. The confetti was flying and the Lions were celebrating and everything they worked so hard for was happening for someone else.

“You guys are so much more than this moment,” Danielson said. “Never settle for less. We’ve established a standard. We will be the light on the hill.”

An hour later, the locker room was clearing and the journey was officially over. For now.

The start of the new season with offseason workouts is days away. 

“Wipe those tears off your face,” cornerback Jeremiah Earby said aloud. “We’re going back to work.”

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