The Atlanta Falcons defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 29-28 with a field goal on the final play.
Tampa Bay’s loss dropped them from first place in the NFC South, allowing the Carolina Panthers to take the top spot.
Several Falcons players, including Kyle Pitts and Kirk Cousins, had career-best or season-best performances.
Both teams wore throwback uniforms, with the Bucs in their ‘Creamsicle’ jerseys and the Falcons in their 1966 black jerseys.

Thursday night produced a fantastic-looking football game … and the quality of the contest was fairly gripping, too, by the end of the fourth quarter – keep reading, I’ll explain.

Big picture, the Atlanta Falcons converted a field goal on the night’s final play, overcoming a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 29-28 and knocking the Bucs out of first place in the NFC South. Losers of five of their past six since a Week 9 bye, the Buccaneers dropped all the way to ninth place in the conference – though their prospects of winning the division for a fifth straight season are hardly shattered.

It was a night with a range of winners and losers beyond the final result. They are as follows:

WINNERS

Kyle Pitts’ free agency outlook

Drafted fourth overall in 2021, the earliest a tight end had ever come off the board, Pitts hasn’t exactly lived up to those lofty expectations during his five NFL seasons – though the Falcons’ instability at quarterback during his tenure certainly hasn’t helped. But he had a career night Thursday, finishing with 11 receptions for 166 yards and three TDs, all career highs. Scheduled to reach free agency early next year, Pitts certainly showcased his talents anew on a national platform and might have rekindled visions of the type of impact player he could be in the right situation.

Bijan Robinson’s fantasy owners

The fantasy football playoffs have started in most leagues, and the Falcons tailback was probably a top-three pick in nearly all of them. And while a third-quarter fumble was a minor blemish, Robinson wound up with eight receptions, 175 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown – stats that should get the owners around the country who aren’t paying him a dime off to a good start.

Kirk Cousins

Atlanta’s 37-year-old quarterback had what was easily his best game of the season, passing for 373 yards and three TDs while orchestrating a 15-point fourth quarter and the game-winning field-goal drive in the final two minutes. Whether or not he’s a member of this organization in 2026, like Pitts, Cousins provided the kind of performance to the rest of the league that suggests he’s got a lot more good football left in him.

Spectacular throwback uniforms

The Bucs, who are celebrating their 50th season in the NFL, wore their “Creamsicle” jerseys for the first time this season. The Falcons, who are in the midst of their 60th NFL season, broke out the black jerseys and red helmets from their inaugural season in 1966. It was a pleasing visual aesthetic in the rare game when both teams were allowed to wear colored jerseys. Of further note, it was the first time these longtime rivals had ever met in a game with this particular combination of uniform eras. More, please.

Bucs’ pirate ship

While much of Raymond James Stadium was decked out in Florida Orange, aka “Creamsicle,” to capitalize on the throwback vibe, the pirate ship that rests in “Buccaneer Cove” behind the north end zone was not. Instead, it got a sweet holiday treatment, the masts adorned in Christmas lights.

Carolina Panthers

Sitting at 7-6, they backed into first place in the NFC South with Tampa Bay’s latest loss. Still, Thursday night’s outcome was basically incidental to the Panthers, who haven’t played since their 31-28 upset of the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 30. If Carolina, which plays the Bucs in Weeks 16 and 18, sweeps those two games, it wins the division regardless of any of those teams’ other results.

Zane Gonzalez

Atlanta’s third kicker of the season, his 43-yarder at the gun won the game. The last time Gonzalez kicked at Raymond James, as a member of the Washington Commanders in January, he also drilled a field goal on the final play – that one ending the Bucs’ 2024 season in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris

Atlanta’s general manager and head coach, respectively, seem to find themselves on increasingly warm seats given the Falcons were eliminated from playoff contention over the weekend for the eighth consecutive season. But give Morris, only in his second season on the job, credit for having his team ready to play on the road in a short week and effectively playing spoiler. Fontenot, who’s been in his role since 2021, could have a larger burden of proof to overcome given some of his unconventional personnel moves in recent years and ahead of owner Arthur Blank’s plans to re-evaluate the football operation after the season. But, for one night anyway, this group lived up to its estimable potential.

Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan

The Bucs basically had a full receiving corps for the first time this season on Thursday night. Evans, the likely future Hall of Famer, had a team-high six catches for 132 yards in his first game since Oct. 20, when he suffered a concussion and broken clavicle in a loss at Detroit. McMillan, who had 37 catches (8 for TDs) as a rookie last year made his 2025 debut after suffering a serious back injury in the preseason. He had two catches for 38 yards. The challenge moving forward could be finding a rhythm given Chris Godwin has only been back for a few weeks, while rookie Emeka Egbuka’s role is also bound to shift after he’s carried much of the receiving load up to this point.

LOSERS

Tampa Bay’s offensive line

LT Tristan Wirfs was back after missing Sunday’s loss to New Orleans, yet a battered group is still searching for the right combination − especially on a night when QB Baker Mayfield absorbed a season-high five sacks while the run game spent most of the night in neutral.

Sloppy Falcons

Atlanta committed 19 penalties (for 125 yards), the most in a game during their six-decade existence and the most by a team in a single game in the 2025 season.

Los Angeles Rams

Owners of the Falcons’ 2026 first-round pick, another loss by Atlanta would have improved LA’s chances of landing in the top five. Alas.

Baker, Bowles and the Bucs

Tampa Bay is in a tailspin that QB Baker Mayfield and coach Todd Bowles, who had an expletive-laden press conference after the game, can’t seem to stop. And while the team has most of its best players back in the fold, it’s playing its worst football at the worst time. Still, similar to the Panthers, Tampa Bay still controls its own fate – two wins over Carolina guaranteeing a fifth straight division championship.

When Myles Garrett continues his pursuit of the NFL’s single-season sack record on Sunday at Soldier Field, it will be nothing less than must-see TV for one notable observer.

Bruce Smith, the NFL’s all-time sack leader, will be watching from his home in Virginia Beach, Virginia, eager to witness what the Cleveland Browns megastar does next. Garrett, leading the NFL with a career-high 20 sacks, needs just three sacks to break the NFL record of 22 ½ sacks shared by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt.

If anyone can relate to Garrett’s spectacular run at history it is Smith, the Hall of Famer who bagged 200 career sacks. You know. Greatness knows greatness.

“It’s so impressive,” Smith told USA TODAY Sports. “I’ll make sure I’m in front of the TV to watch him play whenever I can, to see how teams are blocking him and see how he is reacting to the double-teams and all the different types of blocking schemes that teams are putting in their gameplans to try slowing him down.”

Smith was quick to identify the game-within-a-game as he expressed appreciation for the art of hunting quarterbacks. It’s one thing that Garrett, whose 30th birthday is Dec. 29, is the first player in NFL history to post at least 12 sacks in six consecutive seasons and can notch the longest streak of his career against the Bears with a sack in his eighth straight game. It’s another whole matter that week after week, Garrett draws double-team blocks on roughly 30% of passing downs. Add the high rate of chip blocks, as running backs and tight ends help before releasing into pass routes, and the extra help probably rises to the neighborhood of 70% in trying to account for the favorite to earn his second NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award.

“The only thing that kind of slows him down is when they double- and triple-team him or use chip blocks – and he has found a way to anticipate when they are coming,” Smith said.

Last weekend, when Garrett had a sack and three tackles-for-loss, it was considered a major win for the Tennessee Titans that he was limited to a 4.27% pass-rush win rate that matched his lowest of the season. Against a quarterback, Cam Ward, sacked more than anyone in the league. Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, though, pointed to the Titans’ running game (35 rushes, 184 yards, 5.3 per carry) as the essential weapon.

“It’s hard to get a sack when it’s a run play,” Schwartz told reporters at Browns headquarters. “And even though I keep beating on my same horse, beating on the same drum, whatever the expression is, Myles had those tackles for losses in the run game. You know, what’s the difference? I mean, it’s a little bit like the 65-yard run, give up a 65-yard pass – same result. Probably gets a little less attention, but defensively, a run is a strike to your physicality and mentality and things like that.”

Now the Bears are similarly motivated to avoid having Garrett (6-4, 272) achieve the record on their watch, a week after not allowing Micah Parsons a sack in a loss at Green Bay. Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams said that Parsons, who had five hurries and two quarterback hits, was the ideal preview for what’s coming with Garrett.

“You just have to make sure that every single snap, every single play, everything is not allowing them to wreck the game,” Williams told reporters. “That’s something he can do. That’s something he’s done his whole career.”

Williams went on to marvel at Garrett’s “deep bag of tricks,” which includes a so-called “Euro step” basketball move that begins with a stutter-step, speed rushes, power moves, alignment wrinkles and then some.

Smith’s assessment?

“He is rare,” he said, warming to the theme. “It’s the way he bends. He’s got the patented move where he gets off the line of scrimmage quicker than anybody, particularly for that size, when he gets in arm’s-length reach of an offensive lineman, he bends. He ducks under the stab of the offensive lineman, and he’s still able to get leverage. It virtually makes him unblockable.”

It’s striking to hear Smith’s description. In his heyday with the Buffalo Bills, when Smith was in the midst of seven consecutive double-digit sack seasons, the big-man agility that complemented his strength was a signature trait.

“I would slap the hands and create separation,” Smith said. “His is a variation. He dips under the lineman’s grab-and-stab move, and is able to turn the corner with leverage. Those are two distinct and different pass-rush moves, but extremely effective.”

It’s too bad that for all of Garrett’s impact, the Browns (3-10) are nowhere near the NFL’s playoff picture. He could become the first player from a team with a losing record to claim the top defensive honor since Miami’s Jason Taylor in 2006. The losing has certainly taken a toll. In February, Garrett publicly requested a trade, which the Browns never considered – yet moved to sign him to a four-year, $160 million contract extension that at the time was the biggest for a non-quarterback in league history and ties him up through 2030.

Hey, he’s already outplaying his contract, so to speak.

As Smith put it, “He is a stud.”

The connection traces to Garrett’s NFL entry. When the Browns prepared to draft Garrett from Texas A&M with the No. 1 pick overall in 2017, Smith visited him in his hometown of Dallas and watched film with him. A few months later, when Garrett went to his first training camp, then-Browns coach Hue Jackson invited Smith, who played 19 NFL seasons, to spend time in camp for a few days to work with the prized pick.

And look at him now. With 122 ½ career sacks, Garrett ranks 22nd on the NFL’s all-time list. He’s averaged 16 sacks per 17 games. At this rate, in the coming years there might be a different conversation about Garrett chasing a coveted sack record.

Think he’s got a shot at topping 200 to break the all-time record?

“There are a lot of factors that will eventually come in play,” said Smith, who set his milestone during his final season, with Washington, in 2003. “But if anybody’s got a chance to do it, it would be Myles Garrett.”

Which another way of saying that game surely recognizes game.

Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X: @JarrettBell

Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore is facing three criminal charges following his arrest hours after being relieved of his duties.

According to court documents released Dec. 12, Moore faces criminal allegations of felony third-degree home invasion, misdemeanor stalking-domestic relationship, and misdemeanor breaking and entering. Bond was set at $25,000.

Reached for comment by USA TODAY Sports after Friday’s court hearing a Michigan spokesman said the school had, ‘No additional comments at this time.’

Moore was taken into custody and booked into Washtenaw County Jail in Michigan at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 10, according to online courts records.

Police in Pittsfield Township, located just south of Ann Arbor where the University of Michigan is located, said in a statement that it responded to a location at 4:10 p.m. local time ‘for the purposes of investigating an alleged assault.’ The incident occurred approximately 30 minutes before Michigan announced it had fired Moore for cause. The Pittsfield Police Department said a suspect in the incident was taken into custody, but did not name the suspect at the time.

‘This incident does not appear to be random in nature, and there appears to be no ongoing threat to the community,’ the Pittsfield Township Police Department said in a statement on Wednesday, Dec. 10. ‘The suspect was lodged at the Washtenaw County Jail pending review of charges by the Washtenaw County Prosecutor. At this time, the investigation is ongoing.’

Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said a university investigation found ‘credible evidence’ that ‘Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.’

Moore, 39, had just finished his second full season leading Michigan football after taking over the program from former coach Jim Harbaugh, who left to return to the NFL as the Los Angeles Chargers coach. Moore was an assistant on Harbaugh’s staff and part of the program’s sign-stealing scandal. Moore served as interim head coach when Harbaugh was suspended for four games during Michigan’s 2023 national championship season.

Moore was also suspended for three games – two in 2025 and another slated be served in 2026 – for deleting text messages sent to former Michigan analyst Connor Stalions in the sign-stealing scandal. Moore went 18-8 as head coach and led Michigan to a 9-3 finish in 2025, ending the regular season with a No. 18 ranking in the College Football Playoff poll.

Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore was fired for an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.
This follows similar scandals involving the university’s president in 2021 and provost in 2020.
Moore’s alleged conduct apparently violates a university policy that was created in response to the 2020 provost scandal.

The University of Michigan has been down this road before.

In 2020, it was the university provost. In 2022, it was the university president. In 2025, it’s the head football coach.

All were accused of inappropriate behavior involving other people at the university. And now the university is using a law firm to investigate football coach Sherrone Moore – the same law firm that had helped it investigate university president Mark Schlissel just a few years earlier.

Moore was fired on Dec. 10, when athletic director Warde Manuel said “credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.” Manuel said Moore’s conduct “constitutes a clear violation of university policy.”

The three scandals are connected in various ways and involve some of the highest-ranking and highest-profile positions at one of the most prestigious schools in the Midwest. While it might imply problems with the leadership culture there, it also allegedly shows lines keep getting crossed even after the university responds with action.

How all the Michigan leadership scandals intertwine

The university didn’t say which policy Moore allegedly violated, but it appears to be Policy No. 201.97, which was implemented in response to the sexual harassment scandal involving former provost Martin Philbert, the second-highest administrator at the school.

That policy prohibits most supervisor-employee relationships and was put in place in 2021, shortly before Schlissel was fired in early 2022. Michigan fired Schlissel then after receiving information about an alleged sexual affair with a subordinate and determining that interactions with the subordinate “were inconsistent with promoting the dignity and reputation of the university.”

Nearly four years later, Michigan is back at it with Moore.

“This breach of trust by Coach Moore is painful for many in our community, first and foremost, the individuals directly involved in this situation,” interim university President Domenico Grasso said in a statement on Dec. 10. “Yet our swift and decisive action reflects the University’s staunch commitment to a campus culture of respect, integrity and accountability. All of the facts here must be known, so the University’s investigation will continue. I encourage anyone with information about this matter to confidentially contact UMconcerns@jenner.com.”

Michigan engages same law firm as last time

The latter email address belongs to the law firm of Jenner & Block, the same firm that the university engaged in December 2021 to investigate Schlissel.  That law firm’s website says it “helps educational institutions navigate large-scale matters that carry significant legal, political, and reputational risk.”

When the University of Michigan Board of Regents fired Schlissel on Jan. 15, 2022, it sent a letter to him noting his conduct was “egregious” in light of how he had committed to improve safety after the scandal involving provost Philbert. An investigation in 2020 had found that Philbert had sexually harassed multiple members of the university community, including university employees and graduate students who worked in his lab.

Schlissel sent a message to the university community about it on Aug. 3, 2020.

“The regents have been stressing with campus leadership the importance of diminishing sexual harassment and misconduct for many years,” Schlissel said in the message.

Michigan enacted policy in July 2021

The university looked into the Philbert case with a different law firm, WilmerHale. That firm recommended establishing a policy that became known as Policy No. 201.97, which forbids most supervisor-employee relationships.

It became effective in July 2021. But Schlissel apparently didn’t heed it, or at least the broader spirit of it. And neither apparently did Moore, according to the university.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

Sweet 16 action continues in the 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament with a slate of four games on Friday.

No. 1 seed Texas will kick off the day with a matchup against No. 4 Indiana. No. 1 overall seed Nebraska will end the night against No. 4 Kansas after opening the tournament with back-to-back sweeps. The Huskers (32-0) remain undefeated and have only dropped seven sets all year, with the last coming nearly a month ago on Nov. 14 against UCLA.

Speaking of sweeps, No. 1 Kentucky and No. 1 Pittsburgh punched their tickets to the Elite Eight on Thursday. The Wildcats ended Cal Poly’s Cinderella story in straight sets, while Pittsburgh brought out the brooms against Minnesota. Here’s what you need to know about Friday’s schedule and matchups:

SWEET 16 NCAA VOLLEYBALL RECAP: Kentucky, Pittsburgh sweep way to Elite Eight

Set 1: Texas 25, Indiana 20

Texas took the first set after two set points, with Abby Vander Wal landing the deciding point to take the frame. As a team, Texas hit .323 in the set, compared to .162 for Indiana with nine errors. The Hoosiers had several runs to close the game with the Longhorns, but Texas was too much. Torrey Stafford led all players with six kills on .750 hitting.

Texas is the first to 15 in Set 1 against Indiana

The Longhorns reached 15 points behind a huge boost from outside hitter Torrey Stafford, who had five kills and two blocks.

Indiana vs. Texas is underway

The Indiana Hoosiers and Texas Longhorns are in the first set of the first match during Day 2 of the Sweet 16.

NCAA volleyball Sweet 16 continues Friday

Two No. 1 seeds play on Friday, with Texas playing Indiana in the opener. The top overall seed, Nebraska, puts its unbeaten streak on the line against No. 4 Kansas in the nightcap after opening the tournament with back-to-back sweeps.

When is NCAA women’s volleyball Sweet 16?

Date: Dec. 11 and Dec. 12
Time: Four matches each day, beginning at 1 p.m. ET Thursday and noon ET Friday. Match-by-match times below.

How to watch NCAA volleyball tournament

Streaming: ESPN+ ∣ Fubo (free trial)

The 2025 NCAA women’s volleyball tournament will air across the ESPN and ABC family of networks. Games can be streamed ESPN+, ESPN’s subscription streaming service, and Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

NCAA volleyball Sweet 16 schedule: Times, TV

All times Eastern

Thursday, Dec. 11

No. 3 Creighton 3, No. 2 Arizona State 1
No. 1 Kentucky 3, Cal Poly 0
No. 1 Pittsburgh 3, No. 4 Minnesota 0
No. 3 Purdue 3, No. 2 SMU 1

Friday, Dec. 12

No. 1 Texas vs. No. 4 Indiana, 12 p.m. | ESPN
No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 2 Stanford, 2:30 p.m. | ESPN
No. 3 Texas A&M vs. No. 2 Louisville, 7 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 4 Kansas, 9:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Saturday, Dec. 13

No. 3 Creighton vs. No. 1 Kentucky, 5 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 1 Pittsburgh vs. No. 3 Purdue, 7:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Sunday, Dec. 14

Regional final, TBD
Regional final, TBD

When is the NCAA volleyball Final Four in 2025?

Dates: Thursday, Dec. 18 and Sunday, Dec. 21

The two semifinal matches in the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament will take place on Thursday, Dec. 18 and will be broadcast on ESPN. The national championship game is Sunday, Dec. 21 on ABC.

NCAA volleyball second-round results

Lexington bracket

No. 1 Kentucky 3, No. 8 UCLA 1 (30-28, 25-16, 28-30, 25-17)
No. 3 Creighton 3, No. 6 Northern Iowa 1 (25-18, 23-25, 25-22, 25-21)
No. 2 Arizona State 3, Utah State 1 (25-15, 25-18, 22-25, 25-15)
Cal Poly 3, No. 4 USC 2 (25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25, 15-7)

Austin bracket

No. 4 Indiana 3, No. 5 Colorado 0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-23)
No. 3 Wisconsin 3, North Carolina 0 (25-14, 25-21, 27-25)
No. 1 Texas 1, No. 8 Penn State 0 (25-16, 25-9, 25-19)
No. 2 Stanford 3, Arizona 1 (25-16, 25-27, 25-17, 25-20)

Pittsburgh bracket

No. 3 Purdue 3, No. 6 Baylor 1 (25-16, 25-19, 23-25, 25-20)
No. 1 Pittsburgh 3, Michigan 0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-18)
No. 2 SMU 3, Florida 0 (25-11, 25-21, 26-24)
No. 4 Minnesota 3, No. 5 Iowa State 0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-14)

Lincoln bracket

No. 4 Kansas 3, No. 5 Miami 1 (25-17, 25-22, 22-25, 27-25)
No. 2 Louisville 3, Marquette 2 (21-25, 25-11, 23-25, 25-19, 15-12)
No. 1 Nebraska 3, Kansas State 0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-16)
No. 3 Texas A&M 3, No. 6 TCU 1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 29-27)

NCAA volleyball first-round results

Lexington bracket

No. 1 Kentucky 3, Wofford 0 (25-11, 25-19, 25-12)
No. 8 UCLA 3, Georgia Tech 2 (24-26, 25-19, 25-23, 25-18, 15-10)
Cal Poly 3, No. 5 BYU 2 (25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 25-20, 15-10)
No. 4 USC 3, Princeton 0, (25-19, 25-12, 25-13)
No. 3 Creighton 3, Northern Colorado 2 (12-25, 25-23,25-23,17-25, 8-15)
No. 6 Northern Iowa 3, Utah 2 (15-25, 21-25, 26-24, 25-20, 15-10)
Utah State 3, No. 7 Tennessee 2 (25-19, 25-15, 19-25, 25-18, 15-11)
No. 2 Arizona State 3, Coppin State 0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-12)

Austin bracket

No. 1 Texas 3, Florida A&M 0 (25-11, 25- 8, 25-14)
No. 8 Penn State 3, South Florida 1 (25-23, 12-25, 25-21, 25-19)
No. 5 Colorado 3, American 0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-16)
No. 4 Indiana 3, Toledo 0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-17)
No. 3 Wisconsin 3, Eastern Illinois 0 (25-11, 25-6, 25-19)
North Carolina 3, No. 6 UTEP 1 (24-26, 25-11, 25-18, 25-21)
Arizona 3, No. 7 South Dakota State 1 (25-21, 22-25, 25-15, 25-15)
No. 2 Stanford 3, Utah Valley 1 (21-25, 25-21, 25-13, 25-14)

Pittsburgh bracket

No. 1 Pitt 3, UMBC 0 (25-10, 25-17, 25-13)
Michigan 3, No. 8 Xavier 0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-23)
No. 5 Iowa State 3, St. Thomas-Minnesota 2 (21-25, 25-13, 25-16, 21-25, 15-8)
No. 4 Minnesota 3, Fairfield 0 (25-12, 25-7, 25-13)
No. 3 Purdue 3, Wright State 0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-19)
No. 6 Baylor 3, Arkansas State 2 (23-25, 25-20, 30-28, 23-25, 15-10)
Florida 3, No. 7 Rice 0 (27-25, 25-23, 25-19)
No. 2 SMU 3, Central Arkansas 0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-13)

Lincoln bracket

No. 1 Nebraska 3, Long Island 0 (25-11, 25-15, 25-17)
Kansas State 3, San Diego 2 (21-25, 25-17, 26-28, 25-22, 15-12)
No. 5 Miami 3, Tulsa 1 (25-22, 13-25, 25-22, 25-20)
No. 4 Kansas 3, High Point 0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-18)
No. 3 Texas A&M 3, Campbell 0 (25-20, 25-10, 25-13)
No. 6 TCU 3, Stephen F. Austin 0 (25-8, 26-24, 25-20)
Marquette 3, Western Kentucky 0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-16)
No. 2 Louisville 3, Loyola (Illinois) 0 (25-17, 25-9, 25-12)

NCAA volleyball tournament champions

Penn State is the reigning NCAA volleyball champion, having defeated Louisville in four sets last year in the national title game. It was the Nittany Lions’ eighth volleyball championship since 1999.

Here’s a look at the past 10 NCAA volleyball champions:

2024: Penn State
2023: Texas
2022: Texas
2021: Wisconsin
2020: Kentucky
2019: Stanford
2018: Stanford
2017: Nebraska
2016: Stanford
2015: Nebraska

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Lindsey Vonn’s comeback might last a little longer than she initially planned.

To be clear, this is still going to be Vonn’s last season of ski racing. But after winning the World Cup downhill at St. Moritz on Friday, Vonn said she might have to rethink when her season is going to end.

‘I thought I was going to retire after the last race of the Olympics because I wasn’t sure I’d be competitive for a (season) title,’ Vonn said. ‘I think I might need to change my approach.’

The win in the season’s first downhill puts Vonn first in the rankings of that discipline and 16th in the overall standings. Vonn has won eight season titles in downhill, the last in 2016.

Part of Vonn’s motivation for ending her nearly six-year retirement was the Milano Cortina Olympics. Cortina is where she made her first World Cup podium, winning a bronze in the downhill in 2004, and 12 of her 83 wins have come there. Ending her career there, with the super-G on Feb. 12, would be fitting.

Vonn also plans to race the downhill Feb. 8 and team combined Feb. 10.

But there are six speed races after the Olympics, and it will be hard for Vonn to walk away if she’s in contention for a season title. Which she will be if she keeps skiing like she did Friday, winning by almost a full second.

‘Still a couple of mistakes but, in general, I was really happy with the way I skied,’ Vonn said afterward. ‘With the first (race) of the season going this well, I’m very excited about what’s to come.’