Points were at a premium between Miami and Texas A&M, and it resulted in some College Football Playoff history.

In the first round matchup on Saturday, Dec. 20, the Hurricanes pulled out a 10-3 win over the Aggies. It not only was a low-scoring contest, but it was the least amount of points ever scored in a College Football Playoff game. There was just a combined 13 points between the Aggies and Hurricanes, beating the previous record of 30 points set in 2017 Sugar Bowl semifinal between Alabama (24) and Clemson (6).

Miami’s winning score of 10 points is also the lowest score for a winning team in College Football Playoff history, as it was the first time the winner of a playoff game won by scoring less than 20 points. The previous record was 23, set by Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal last season against Georgia.

On the other hand, Texas A&M failed to score a touchdown in a playoff game, becoming the sixth team to not get in the end zone in CFP history. The three points is tied for the second-lowest score in a playoff game along with Notre Dame in the 2018 Cotton Bowl semifinal. The lowest is when Ohio State in the 2016 Sugar Bowl and Michigan State in the 2015 Cotton Bowl were shutout.

Lowest combined points in College Football Playoff history

1. Texas A&M vs. Miami, 2025 first round: 13 (Miami 10, Texas A&M 3)
2. Alabama vs. Clemson, 2018 Sugar Bowl semifinal: 30 (Alabama 24, Clemson 6)
T-3. Alabama vs. Washington, 2016 Peach Bowl semifinal: 31 (Alabama 24, Washington 7)
T-3. Clemson vs. Ohio State, 2016 Fiesta Bowl semifinal: 31 (Clemson 31, Ohio State 0)
T-5. Alabama vs. Cincinnati, 2021 Cotton Bowl semifinal: 33 (Alabama 27, Cincinnati 6)
T-5. Clemson vs. Notre Dame, 2018 Cotton Bowl semifinal: 33 (Clemson 30, Notre Dame 3)
7. Alabama vs. Michigan State, 2015 Cotton Bowl semifinal: 38 (Alabama 38, Michigan State 0)
T-8. Alabama vs. Notre Dame, 2021 Rose Bowl semifinal: 45 (Alabama 31, Notre Dame 14)
T-8. Penn State vs. Boise State, 2024 Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal: 45 (Penn State 31, Boise State 14)
T-8. Georgia vs. Michigan, 2021 Orange Bowl semifinal: 45 (Georgia 34, Michigan 11)

Lowest points for winning team in College Football Playoff history

1. Miami: 10 (vs. Texas A&M, 2025 first round)
2. Notre Dame: 23 (vs. Georgia, 2025 Sugar Bowl quarterfinal)
T-3. Alabama: 24 (vs. Washington, 2016 Peach Bowl semifinal)
T-3. Alabama: 24 (vs. Washington, 2018 Sugar Bowl semifinal)
5. Alabama: 26 (vs. Georgia, 2018 national championship)
T-6. Alabama: 27 (vs. Cincinnati, 2021 Cotton Bowl semifinal)
T-6. Notre Dame: 27 (vs. Indiana, 2024 first round)
T-6. Michigan: 27 (vs. Alabama, 2024 Rose Bowl semifinal)
T-6. Notre Dame: 27 (vs. Penn State, 2025 Orange Bowl semifinal)
10. Ohio State: 28 (vs. Texas, 2025 Cotton Bowl semifinal)

Lowest points scored in College Football Playoff game history

T-1. Ohio State: 0 (vs. Clemson, 2016 Fiesta Bowl semifinal)
T-1. Michigan State: 0 (vs. Alabama, 2015 Cotton Bowl semifinal)
T-3. Texas A&M: 3, (vs. Miami, 2025 first round)
T-3. Notre Dame: 3 (vs. Clemson, 2018 Cotton Bowl semifinal)
T-5. Clemson: 6 (vs. Alabama, 2018 Sugar Bowl semifinal)
T-5. Cincinnati: 6 (vs. Alabama, 2021 Cotton Bowl semifinal)
T-7. TCU: 7 (vs. Georgia, 2023 national championship)
T-7. Washington: 7 (vs. Alabama, 2016 Peach Bowl semifinal)
T-9. SMU: 10 (vs. Penn State, 2024 first round)
T-9. Georgia: 10 (vs. Notre Dame, 2025 Sugar Bowl quarterfinal)

KANSAS CITY, MO ― On Thursday, No.1 Kentucky punched its ticket to the NCAA volleyball championship match by winning a five-set thriller against No. 3 Wisconsin that defied logic.

‘Congrats, guys. We couldn’t have played any worse,’ head coach Craig Skinner told his team in the huddle after Kentucky dropped the first set, 25-12, with a .056 hitting percentage.

The Wildcats, who will play Texas A&M for the national championship on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC), did not lead in a single major statistical category against the Badgers, but it didn’t matter. Kentucky clawed back and evened the match 1-1. The two teams traded blocks, kills and long rallies until late in the fourth set when two Badgers’ errors left the door open for the Wildcats. Kentucky, seemingly powered by Wisconsin’s mistakes, stormed out to a 6-1 lead in the fifth set. But, the Badgers weren’t done.

Fueled by massive nights from Mimi Colyer and Carter Booth, Wisconsin kept coming and pushed Kentucky to the brink. It took a colossal push from outside hitter Eva Hudson (29 kills on .455 hitting, seven digs), freshmen Kassie O’Brien and Trinity Ward, libero Molly Tuozzo (17 digs) and Brooklyn DeLeye (15 kills, 14 digs) to fight off the Badgers. Hudson slammed the door on Wisconsin’s title hopes with two final kills, but it was DeLeye’s defense in the fifth set (six digs) that made the difference.

‘The cool thing about this team, I thought we’d done it all, and I thought we found every possible way to win, and tonight was a different way,’ Skinner said after the Wildcats beat Wisconsin. ‘The way they played, the heart that they show is immeasurable. I keep telling them they’re transformational leaders in the way they go about it, what they’ve done for the sport.

‘ Proud of them. But the job isn’t finished.’

The Wildcats said they knew from the first practice in January that they would be playing for a national championship. Hudson revealed this week she didn’t think any growing (from the beginning of the season until now) was needed. She said she knows Kentucky is ready. In her opinion, it’s just a matter of soaking in the environment.

Deleye echoed Hudson’s sentiment about taking it all in. Yet, the junior did admit an underlying thought; none of the players on the Wildcats’ roster have been to a Final Four. Only Skinner has been to the national championship stage and won. He was an assistant on the 2020 team that brought a trophy back to Lexington.

Deleye shared that all year long, the Wildcats have been talking about their ‘why.’ She says there’s a lot of pressure that comes with volleyball, especially in the SEC tournament and NCAA tournament, where they earned wins over UCLA, Creighton and Wisconsin. Yet, Deleye and Hudson both agreed the Wildcats are just out there to have fun and ‘play with joy.’

‘In the last few games, have drawn smiley faces on our hands or somewhere where we can see it to remind us to play with joy,’ Hudson said. ‘Some of the best times in volleyball, and when we’re really playing well, is when we’re all playing with joy and bouncing off one another. Kind of have those reminders in those pressure situations, too, is a really good thing.’

Kentucky said in the midst of their joy and between sets, they look one another in the eyes. Everything is moving at such a fast pace that the Wildcats want to take the time to connect and say ‘I got you’ to each other to promote unity. They needed that same reminder deep in the match against Wisconsin when the season and a possible championship were on the line.

In a sequence that seemingly went unnoticed, DeLeye and Tuozzo took a brief moment to look at each other and nearly simultaneously make a ‘mask on’ gesture. However, Tuozzo later explained that it wasn’t a ‘mask’ she and Deleye were proverbially putting on. It was a helmet.

‘Helmet on, ready to dig,’ Tuozzo said matter-of-factly.

Deleye added when there’s an open hole or the block is not there, someone will typically step up into the seam, and ‘whatever happens happens.’ Kentucky will live with the results, knowing it put its ‘body on the line.’ With two losses this season and an impressive 28-match winning streak that also includes an October victory over the Aggies, Kentucky has maintained its composure throughout the NCAA tournament.

The Wildcats have taken multiple moments during the Final Four to talk about how their ‘accountability partners’ have helped them. Players on the roster have someone who can pick them up on days when they may struggle and remind them not to get caught up in what they aren’t doing. That collective support and belief in one another started at the beginning of the season and has translated into joy at the highest levels of volleyball, something that has even impressed Skinner, who is in his 21st year of coaching.

‘Because they play with such joy, I want to coach more players like that. I want players that you don’t really have to coach body language and enthusiasm,’ Skinner said. ‘If you do, you’re spending all your effort on the wrong things. We can spend our energy on how do we put the pieces togetherand form a system to go around that.’

‘(It’s) trying to find those people that are driven internally, and have an enthusiasm, infectious enthusiasm for life. Those guys, being around them every day, I look forward to that.’

Since a win over rival Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl late last month, Ole Miss football has been swallowed by intrigue and speculation surrounding Lane Kiffin’s ultimate departure to rival LSU.

The Rebels emerged from that turmoil looking as good as ever.

Watch Ole Miss vs. Tulane in the CFP live with SlingTV

Behind 318 total yards and three touchdowns from quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, No. 6 seed Ole Miss blew past No. 11 seed Tulane 41-10 on Saturday, Dec. 20 in the first round of the College Football Playoff at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi.

The Rebels outscored the Green Wave 24-7 in the second half after taking a 17-3 lead into halftime, building a lead that grew as large as 41-3.

With the win, which came in its first game under newly hired head coach Pete Golding, Ole Miss will face off against No. 3 seed Georgia in the playoff quarterfinals in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.

The Rebels didn’t significantly outgain Tulane, with only a 497-421 advantage in total yards, but forced three turnovers off Green Wave quarterback Jake Retzlaff (one interception, two fumbles). Ole Miss converted those three takeaways into 17 points.

Kewan Lacy had 87 rushing yards and a touchdown off 15 carries for the Rebels, but left the game on two separate occasions while holding on to his shoulder.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates from the first-round College Football Playoff game between Ole Miss and Tulane. Here are the highlights.

Tulane vs Ole Miss score

Tulane vs Ole Miss updates

FINAL: Ole Miss 41, Tulane 10

Ole Miss rolls to the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff, where it will take on No. 3 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.

Jake Retzlaff pass gets Tulane first TD

Tulane won’t be leaving Oxford without a touchdown, as Jake Retzlaff connects with Justyn Reid for a 28-yard touchdown with four minutes remaining to trim Ole Miss’ lead to 41-10.

Trinidad Chambliss tacks on another TD for Ole Miss

On what may be his final play of the day, Trinidad Chambliss scrambles for an 8-yard touchdown run with 10:45 remaining to put Ole Miss up 41-3.

Chambliss has 318 total yards and three touchdowns.

Logan Diggs TD run puts Ole Miss up 31

The rout continues for Ole Miss, which cashes in on the Retzlaff fumble with an eight-play, 52-yard drive that Logan Diggs punctuates with a 3-yard touchdown run off a direct snap.

The Rebels are up 34-3 over Tulane with 14:55 remaining in regulation.

End of third quarter: Ole Miss 27, Tulane 3

Ole Miss has a first-and-goal at the Tulane 3-yard line as we head into the fourth quarter.

Jake Retzlaff fumble gives Ole Miss ball back

Jake Retzlaff overthrows a wide-open Anthony Brown-Stephens on what would have been a walk-in touchdown for Tulane. On the next play, that mistake is magnified, with Retzlaff having the ball ripped away from him on a run. Ole Miss pounces on it at its own 46-yard line, where the Rebels will take over with 3:31 left in the third quarter.

Ole Miss adds to lead with FG

The Rebels make good on the excellent starting field position, getting a 48-yard field goal from Lucas Carneiro to make its lead 27-3 with 4:57 remaining in the third quarter.

Tulane turns it over on downs

Ole Miss’ defense stands tall when it needs it the most, stopping Tulane quarterback sneaks on third-and-1 and fourth-and-1 from the Green Wave 47-yard line.

The Rebels will take over from there with 6:44 left in the third quarter.

Trinidad Chambliss TD pass pushes Ole Miss lead to 21

After some uneasy moments in the second quarter, Ole Miss is once again starting to pull away.

Following the Tulane punt, the Rebels move up the field with little resistance, going 80 yards in seven plays and 2:51 of game clock. Trinidad Chambliss finishes the drive off with a 13-yard pass to De’Zhaun Stribling to extend Ole Miss’ lead to 24-3 with 10:13 remaining in the third quarter.

Trinidad Chambliss, Kewan Lacy return for Ole Miss

After forcing a Tulane punt on the opening drive of the second half, Ole Miss got another welcome development.

Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy have returned to the game for the Rebels after suffering injuries on the team’s final drive of the first half.

Ole Miss-Tulane halftime stats

Here’s a look at how Ole Miss and Tulane measure up statistically at halftime:

Total yards: Ole Miss 264, Tulane 206
Passing yards: Ole Miss 192, Tulane 125
Rushing yards: Tulane 81, Ole Miss 72
Yards per play: Ole Miss 8, Tulane 5.7
First downs: Ole Miss 15, Tulane 10
Penalties: Tulane 2-30, Ole Miss 1-5
Turnovers: Tulane 1, Ole Miss 1

Halftime: Ole Miss 17, Tulane 3

Tulane strip sack ends Ole Miss drive

Ole Miss was in position to build on its 14-point lead, but coughs up the ball. Austin Simmons, in for an injured Trinidad Chambliss, is sacked by Tulane’s Harvey Dyson III at the Tulane 15-yard line, with the Green Wave falling on the ball with 15 seconds remaining in the half.

The Rebels head into halftime with a 17-3 lead, with Tulane getting the ball to start the second half.

Trinidad Chambliss, Kewan Lacy injured for Ole Miss

Ole Miss’ final drive of the first half has been one of attrition, with arguably the two best and most important offensive players going down with injuries. Kewan Lacy left the game for the Rebels after a 7-yard catch from Trinidad Chambliss with 1:40 remaining. Lacy had been grabbing his shoulder on the turf and as he was leaving the field. Lacy was later shown by cameras heading to his team’s locker room.

Three plays later, Chambliss leaves the game after an 11-yard run down to the Tulane 32-yard line. The player who tackled Chambliss, Tulane defensive standout Chris Rodgers, also left the game with an injury. Austin Simmons, Ole Miss’ starter early in the season, replaces Chambliss, who was shown grabbing at his head after being brought down to the field.

Ole Miss FG pushes lead back to 14

The Rebels answer Tulane’s field goal with one of their own, getting a 42-yard Lucas Carneiro field goal to go up 17-3 with 3:38 remaining in the first half.

The scoring play was made possible by a successful conversion on fourth-and-3 from the Tulane 48-yard line earlier in the drive.

Tulane gets on board with FG

At the very least, there won’t be a shutout in Oxford today.

Tulane responds to the Chambliss touchdown effectively, with Patrick Durkin nailing a 39-yard field goal to punctuate a five-play, 61-yard drive and get the Green Wave within 11, 14-3, with 14:06 remaining in the second quarter.

The kick was made possible largely by a 57-yard pass from Jake Retzlaff to Shazz Preston that got Tulane to the Ole Miss 25-yard line.

End of first quarter: Ole Miss 14, Tulane 0

Ole Miss takes a 14-0 lead into the second quarter after a dominant opening 15 minutes, but Tulane’s moving the ball, with a second-and-2 at the Rebels’ 17-yard line.

Tulane turns it over on downs

Tulane, already facing a 14-0 deficit vs. Ole Miss, elects to go for it facing fourth-and-2 from the Rebels’ 37-yard line. Retzlaff appears to connect with receiver Omari Hayes beyond the line to gain, but he drops it, giving the Rebels the ball back.

Trinidad Chambliss TD doubles Ole Miss lead to 14-0

It’s only halfway through the first quarter and Ole Miss is already threatening to make this a blowout.

After forcing the Retzlaff interception, the Rebels’ offense again moves the ball effortlessly up the field, going 60 yards in just four plays, the first two of which went for a combined 56 yards. Trinidad Chambliss finishes it off with a 4-yard touchdown run, doubling Ole Miss’ lead to 14-0 with 7:26 remaining in the first quarter.

Jake Retzlaff INT ends Tulane scoring threat

For a moment, Tulane looked as though it would respond to Ole Miss’ opening-drive touchdown with one of its own, but those dreams are dashed in an instant, with Jake Retzlaff throwing an interception on a second-and-4 from the Rebels’ 23-yard line.

Ole Miss will take over from its own 40 after the Green Wave were whistled for a horse-collar tackle on the interception return.

Kewan Lacy TD gets Ole Miss on the board

Ole Miss didn’t waste much time offering some reassurance it will be fine without Lane Kiffin — 59 seconds, to be exact.

After receiving the opening kickoff, the Rebels move right up the field, going 75 yards in just three plays, each of which went for at least 20 yards. It’s capped off by Kewan Lacy running right through the middle of the Tulane defense for a 20-yard touchdown, putting Ole Miss up 7-0.

Tulane vs Ole Miss last game

Saturday’s first-round College Football Playoff matchup between Tulane and Ole Miss will be the second time the two sides have faced off this season.

The Green Wave and Rebels previously played on Sept. 20, in what was Trinidad Chambliss’ second start of the season for Ole Miss. The Rebels had their way with Tulane, earning a 45-10 victory in which they outgained the Green Wave by a 548-282 margin.

Here are highlights from that game:

What channel is TNT on DIRECTV?

TNT, which is airing Saturday’s CFP matchup between Ole Miss and Tulane, is channel 245 on DIRECTV.

What time does Tulane vs Ole Miss start?

Date: Saturday, Dec. 20
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET ∣ 2:30 p.m. CT
Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (Oxford, Miss.)

Tulane vs. Ole Miss in the first round of the College Football Playoff will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CT) on Saturday, Dec. 20 from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi.

What TV channel is Tulane vs Ole Miss on today?

TV channel: TNT | truTV
Livestream: HBO Max, Sling TV

The first-round College Football Playoff game between Tulane and Ole Miss will be broadcast on TNT and truTV. Streaming options for the game include HBO Max and Sling TV, the latter of which carries TNT and truTV.

Tulane vs Ole Miss predictions

Craig Meyer, USA TODAY Sports: Ole Miss 37, Tulane 30

The Rebels are the bigger, deeper, more talented and more physically dominant team, as their 35-point win back in September showed. But given all the turmoil Ole Miss has been through over the past two months, and with Kiffin no longer on the sideline, something tells me the rematch will be much tighter. The Rebels will still pull out the win, but they’ll have to sweat it out a bit.

Miami football secured its ticket to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals with a game-winning interception from Bryce Fitzgerald in the waning seconds of the No. 10-seeded Hurricanes’ 10-3 win over No. 7 Texas A&M on Saturday, Dec. 20.

However, before Fitzgerald’s game-sealing interception, the Hurricanes lost a member of their defense after a scary head-to-head collision on the goal line between linebacker Mohamed Toure and Texas A&M running back Rueben Owens II.

Toure appeared to go stiff on the turf at Kyle Field and spent several moments down in the end zone being tended to by members of Miami’s medical staff. He eventually trotted off the field on his own power. The injury came after an attempt into the end zone by Reed and the Aggies to tie the game in the winding seconds of the fourth quarter.

Toure finished with eight total tackles — the third most by a Hurricane defender on the afternoon — and a broken-up pass in the upset win at Kyle Field.

With their 10-3 win over the seventh-seeded Aggies, the 10th-seeded Hurricanes picked up their first-ever CFP win and advanced to the next round of the playoffs against No. 2 Ohio State on Wednesday, Dec. 31 in the Cotton Bowl.

Here’s the latest on Toure’s injury:

Mohamed Toure injury update

Toure appeared to have sustained a head injury in Miami’s CFP first-round win over Texas A&M. Here’s a look at the play that resulted in Toure’s injury:

The 6-foot-2 linebacker took a hit to the head while trying to make a tackle on Owens. The force of Toure’s tackle resulted in a broken-up pass, as the ball came out of the running back’s hands. He was tended to by members of Miami’s medical staff for several moments on the field before heading off to the sidelines on his own power.

At the conclusion of the game, Toure looked as though he wanted to celebrate the win with his teammates on the field, but was instead held back by a member of Miami’s medical staff.

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The home teams were dominant in the first year of the College Football Playoff. This year? Not so much

No. 10 seed Miami used an opportunistic defense and got enough offense to pull out a 10-3 win at No. 7 Texas A&M. The victory by the Hurricanes came one day after Alabama rallied for a historic comeback defeat at Oklahoma.

Miami advances to the quarterfinals and a meeting with Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31.

The defensive struggle was scoreless at halftime. Amid windy conditions at Kyle Field, the first 30 minutes included a lost fumble and missed field goal by Texas A&M and two missed field goals by the Hurricanes.

The first drive of the second half produced points. Three completions by Carson Beck got Miami into Texas A&M territory. A 24-yard run by Mark Fletcher created a goal-to-go situation before the Hurricanes settled for a 21-yard kick from Carter Davis.

The Hurricane defense was stingy throughout. An interception of Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed on the next possession set up Miami in scoring range, but that threat was thwarted by another missed field goal by Davis.

The Aggies needed 52 minutes to register their first score. A methodical 16-play drive of 67 yards stalled at the Miami 17. Randy Bond split the uprights from 35 yards to tie the game at 3 with just more than eight minutes left in regulation. It was his 71st career field goal for Bond, tying the school record.

A minute later, the Texas A&M defense made its biggest play of the day with Dalton Brooks stripping Miami receiver Malachi Toney near midfield. Daymion Sanford pounced on the ball for first turnover by the Hurricanes. It was just the second lost fumble of the season by Miami.

But defensive lineman Reuben Bain sacked Reed on third down to force a punt.

On the first play of the ensuing play, Fletcher sprinted 56 yards to Texas 30. It was the longest run of Fletcher’s career.

Fletcher, who finished with 172 yards on 17 carries, then ripped off a 12-yard run to put Miami into field-goal range. But they didn’t need a field goal as Toney took a short pass from Beck and ran around the end for a 15-yard touchdown on third down for the game’s first touchdown with 1:44 left.

Texas A&M drove deep into Miami territory before an interception by Bryce Fitzgerald in the end zone fittingly ended the last threat by the Aggies. It was Fitzgerald’s second pick of Reed in the game.

Beck finished with modest numbers, completing 14 of 20 for 103 yards.

Texas A&M outgained the Hurricanes 326-278. Reed threw for 237 yards.

The NFC North race heats up in the depths of December when the Green Bay Packers travel to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears this Saturday.

The Bears (10-4) sit atop the NFC North in a season that’s been almost all about new head coach Ben Johnson. Johnson has taken a talented roster – and a supremely talented passer in Caleb Williams – and has turned them into a winner this season.

While it hasn’t always been pretty for Chicago, it’s not about how it looks as much as what the record looks like. The Bears are on track for their best finish since their 12-4 2018 season that ended bitterly in a wild-card round loss.

For the Packers, a tie against the Cowboys looms large as their Week 16 matchup vs. Chicago approaches. At 9-4-1, Green Bay will have to navigate the rest of the season and potential postseason run without Micah Parsons, who suffered an ACL injury in Week 15.

Saturday night’s all right for fighting – or playing some hard-nosed divisional football. USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates from the Week 16 matchup below. All times are Eastern.

What TV channel is the Bears vs Packers game tonight?

TV channel: Fox

The Bears-Packers matchup will be broadcast on Fox.

What time is the Bears vs Packers game tonight?

Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET

The Saturday night matchup between the Bears and Packers kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET. The Packers travel to Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois

Bears vs Packers live stream

Live stream:Fubo

Cord-cutters looking for Saturday night football can tune to Fubo. Fubo carries Fox, CBS, ABC, the NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action all season. Fubo also offers a free trial.

Watch Bears vs. Packers with Fubo (free trial)

Bears vs Packers picks, predictions

Here’s how the NFL experts at USA TODAY feel the Bears vs. Packers game will shake out:

Jarrett Bell: Bears, 29-26
Nick Brinkerhoff: Bears, 28-24
Chris Bumbaca: Packers, 32-29
Nate Davis: Bears, 23-20
Tyler Dragon: Packers, 25-21
Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz: Bears, 28-27

Bears vs. Packers odds, moneyline, O/U

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 3:23 p.m.

Moneyline (ML): Green Bay -115 (Bet $115 to win $100) | Chicago -105 (Bet $105 to win $100)
Against the spread (ATS): Green Bay -1 (-105) | Chicago +1 (-115)
Over/Under (O/U): 46.5 (O: -118 | U: -110)

Packers inactives vs. Bears

S Evan Williams
OT Zach Tom
DL Quinton Bohanna
TE Josh Whyle
DL Nazir Stackhouse

Bears inactives vs. Packers

WR Rome Odunze
WR Luther Burden III
LB Ruben Hyppolite II
LB Amen Ogbongbemiga
DL Jonathan Ford
QB Case Keenum (emergency)

NFC North standings

The Bears enter Week 16 with a half-game lead in the NFC North over the Packers. This is what the standings look like:

Chicago Bears (10-4, 1-3 NFC North)
Green Bay Packers (9-4-1, 4-0)
Detroit Lions (8-6, 1-3)
Minnesota Vikings (6-8, 2-2)

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It’s been nearly two full years since Nick Saban roamed a sideline with a headset on, but that doesn’t mean the legendary college football coach isn’t above taking some shots at a former SEC rival.

During an appearance on Thursday, Dec. 18 on “The Pat McAfee Show,” the longtime Alabama coach and current ESPN college football analyst said he’d often complain to the SEC office about Texas A&M’s Kyle Field, claiming the stadium pipes in noise to an already loud, boisterous crowd inside a venue that seats more than 100,000 fans.

Two days later, with “College GameDay” broadcasting live outside the Aggies’ stadium in College Station, Texas ahead of their Dec. 20 game against Miami in the first round of the College Football Playoff, McAfee asked Saban about his comment earlier in the week.

The seven-time national champion didn’t exactly walk his words back.

“No, I think it’s real,” Saban said of the crowd noise while turning to the crowd of Texas A&M fans gathered behind them. “But, y’all still pipe in noise to make it difficult, I don’t give a [expletive] what you say.”

Saban followed that up with a compliment of the stadium, calling it “the hardest place to play in the SEC.” Kyle Field is widely regarded as one of the best home-field advantages in the sport. With a capacity of 102,733, it’s the fourth-largest stadium in the country, with the Aggies’ devoted fans, famously referred to as The 12th Man, regularly making their presence felt. 

After Texas A&M joined the SEC ahead of the 2012 season, Saban coached at Kyle Field six times, going 5-1 in those matchups. The lone loss, a 41-38 loss in 2021, is the one that has stayed with him the most, though.

“The momentum swings in this place are just unbelievable when you’re trying to coach against this crowd, and The 12th Man is real here, 100%,” Saban said.

Despite the praise Saban cushioned his accusations with, Aggies coach Mike Elko wasn’t going to let it go unaddressed. When the second-year Texas A&M coach joined the “GameDay” crew for a pregame interview, he took the opportunity to playfully fire back at Saban.

“We’ve always had the crowd noise,” Elko said. “We’ve always had the fan base. None of that is actually piped in. I want to make sure I throw that out there real quick, coach. What we needed to do was build a program that matched it, to play meaningful games in December in the playoffs. It’s a great moment for our program. It’s a great first step. We have to go out here today and take advantage of it.”

If Texas A&M is going to pull off a win against Miami in a windy, defensive-minded slugfest in the first round of the College Football Playoff, it will have to do so without one of its best offensive players.

Aggies running back Le’Veon Moss left his team’s game against the No. 10 Hurricanes on Saturday, Dec. 20 with an injury.

Moss had seven carries for 15 yards at the time of his injury.

A senior from Walker, Louisiana, Moss entered the day third on the team in rushing, with 70 carries for 389 yards (5.6 yards per carry) and six touchdowns.

Here’s the latest on Moss’ injury:

Le’Veon Moss injury update

With his team trailing Miami 3-0 in the third quarter, Moss limped off the field and went into the medical tent on the Texas A&M sideline at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas.

ESPN cameras later showed Moss being taken back to the locker room.

Moss had been the Aggies’ top option out of the backfield before suffering an ankle injury in an Oct. 11 victory against Florida, which sidelined him for Texas A&M’s final six regular-season games.

Having been out the past two months, Moss’ availability for the playoff game against was in question in the days and weeks leading into the matchup against the Hurricanes.

He was listed as a game-time decision on the final playoff availability report. He ended up starting and getting two carries on Texas A&M’s opening drive.

With Moss out, the Aggies will lean largely on Rueben Owens II and EJ Smith, as well as quarterback Marcel Reed. Owens, a former five-star recruit, became Texas A&M’s primary running back after Moss’ injury and finished the regular season as the team’s leading rusher, with 618 rushing yards and five touchdowns while averaging 5.5 yards per carry.