John Cena had several feuds during his long WWE career, but some stand out more than others.
Most of John Cena’s best rivalries came during his meteoric rise and when he became the face of wrestling.
Notable rivals include AJ Styles, Kurt Angle and CM Punk.

More than 23 years is enough time to develop heated rivals in wrestling, and John Cena had plenty of them in WWE.

As the face of WWE for decades, Cena got to the top of the wrestling world thanks to the epic showdowns he had with other big-time stars. Whether it was the promos, matches or the stakes, some feuds stood out above the rest. They often helped raise the legacy of both Cena and his rival as they each brought the best out of each other, and those heated rivalries helped produce some of wrestling’s top moments in recent memory.

Of course, not all of them were top-tier quality, but there were rivalries that transcended the sport and helped shape what wrestling is today. Now, as Cena is set to end his WWE career, it’s time to look back on the best feuds that helped define his illustrious career.

10. Shawn Michaels

After some brief encounters early in his career, Cena entered a fantastic duel with Michaels in 2007. As they headed toward the WrestleMania 23 main event, they surprisingly won the World Tag Team Championship, but generated great heat while holding the titles. It culminated in an epic clash at WrestleMania, with prime Cena taking on Michaels, who had plenty of talent still left in his legendary career. The match delivered and Cena successfully defended his title in a thriller.

It wouldn’t be their most memorable bout. Less than a month later, they fought at a Monday Night Raw in London in a match that lasted nearly an hour. Regarded as one of the best bouts in Monday night history, Michaels won to even the score and cap off what was a sensational start of 2007 between the two.

9. Big Show

There are some Cena rivalries that reignited again and again, including his battles with the Big Show.

Cena’s rise in WWE is thanks to the Big Show, as the two feuded up to WrestleMania 20 in 2003, which included a hilarious rap battle between the two. At WrestleMania 20, the two started the event in a match for the United States Championship. It started with a bang and was capped off with the shot of Cena picking up the 500-pound Big Show for the Attitude Adjustment to win his first title in WWE and put him on the trajectory to stardom.

The two tangled several times afterward and even were tag team partners on occasion. Notable matches include the triple threat World Heavyweight title match at WrestleMania 25 and the monthslong battle that took place in 2009 after Big Show sent Cena through a light fixture with a chokeslam at Backlash. In 2012, the two met again with The Authority storyline.

Cena got in the ring with the Big Show for more than a decade, with their last match in 2015, a testament to their longevity.

8. JBL

In order for Cena to be WWE’s top guy, he needed to be the top champion. That happened with a fantastic battle with John Bradshaw Layfield in 2005. It was a sign of the times; JBL was the veteran, heel champion while Cena was the up-and-coming beloved star. The passion they displayed as Cena sought JBL’s title and the champion tried to silence the newbie was captivating and was main event worthy. They faced off at WrestleMania 21 for the title and Cena ended JBL’s nine-month reign to win the WWE Championship, his first world title.

It continued when they met again at Judgment Day in an ‘I Quit’ match, which produced the famous image of a bloodied-Cena. It showed Cena’s toughness as he retained the gold. The two would meet again in 2008 when they had another string of vicious battles.

JBL was the perfect person to turn Cena into a main event name. Cena likely would have become a superstar anyways, but the feud and match cemented Cena’s status and worthiness. JBL also gave Cena the great nickname of ‘Big Match John.’

7. Brock Lesnar

Cena and Lesnar came into WWE together, and their paths crossed several times as the two each rose to become major forces in the company. They first met on SmackDown in 2002 as rookies and battled throughout the next 23 years. With each meeting, the stage got bigger as their stardom grew. After last meeting in 2004, they faced off again in 2012 when Lesnar returned to WWE. At Extreme Rules, ‘Super Cena’ overcame the domination from Lesnar and defeated him in a bloody battle for his first win in the rivalry. They met again in 2014 when Lesnar’s domination continued, and it was capped off in their final meeting at WrestlePalooza 2025.

On paper, it wasn’t much of a rivalry because of Lesnar’s dominance. But it was an important one for both of their careers given they got to the top at similar times and met when they were big names. Cena was one of the few opponents to feel like they had a chance against Lesnar.

6. Kurt Angle

Why not go back to the very beginning? Cena introduced himself in a big way in his WWE debut against Angle, when he famously uttered ‘ruthless aggression’ before attacking the Olympic gold medalist. While Angle won, Cena let the wrestling world know this was no ordinary wrestler.

As Cena climbed his way to the top of WWE, it felt like Angle was always there. Angle challenged for the United States Championship; Cena beat him to get the WWE title match at WrestleMania 21; and after Cena won the championship, Angle eventually fought him for it. Then there was the first blood match in January 2006, when a bloodied Cena put Angle in the STF. The established star tested Cena at several key moments on his way to the top.

5. AJ Styles

It’s a shame we had to wait until 2016 to see these two icons lock up. But when they did, boy did they make up for it.

After Styles made a thunderous entrance to WWE, it wasn’t long before these two got tangled up in a rivalry. Styles attacked Cena and they had their dream match at Money in the Bank, which Styles won. It started a trilogy of incredible matches, as the two brought out the best of each other every time they squared off. Styles won again at SummerSlam and Royal Rumble 2017 is where they capped it off in tremendous fashion. It was a thriller where Cena beat Styles, and it came with the prize of being a record-tying 16-time WWE champion.

Just for good measure, we got to see the veterans wrestle again at Crown Jewel in October, and they stole the show and turned back the clock to deliver one of the best matches of the year.

Two of wrestling’s greatest didn’t have the most heat in a rivalry, but their mutual respect and stellar matches makes this one of the best in Cena’s time.

4. The Rock

Two faces of a generation. Two wrestling stars that made it to Hollywood and dominated the box office. It was must-see TV seeing these two collide.

When The Rock came back to WWE in 2011, the megastars instantly became intertwined as the two greats generated great distaste for each other. They delivered epic promos against one another for a year to build up the ‘Once in a Lifetime’ match at WrestleMania 28, which became the most anticipated bout in WWE history. The Rock emerged victorious, but it didn’t end there. Cena was fixated on getting a rematch for an entire year, and it happened in 2012 at WrestleMania 29. The heat didn’t waver and they had another big-time showdown, with Cena winning and The Rock officially passing the torch to his foe.

Even though they only wrestled each other twice, it didn’t end there. In the wild main event of WrestleMania 40, Cena surprised and helped Cody Rhodes against The Bloodline, which brought out The Rock for another epic face-off.

The two then joined forces for a shocking heel turn, but that storyline never developed and left a stain on their history. But given they’re the two biggest household wrestling names in the 21st century, it never got as star-studded as this.

3. CM Punk

Cena and Punk couldn’t be any more different; Cena was the prototypical superhero and Punk was the obscure, rebellious star. That’s what made it perfect.

The two drew very emotional reactions anytime they squared off, starting with the rivalry of the year in 2011. It catapulted itself into WWE lore in June 2011 when Punk interfered with Cena’s match and delivered the infamous pipe bomb promo detailing his frustrations with Cena’s stardom while blurring the lines of reality and fantasy. Then they had their title match at Money in the Bank in Punk’s hometown of Chicago, which had one of the best environments for a WWE show ever, with cheering for Punk and hostility for Cena. Punk won the WWE title in what was, at the time, his final night in the company, leaving with the top prize. A week later, Punk returned with ‘Cult of Personality’ and reignited the heat.

There were more battles over the next two years, and they were able to bring it back in June, when both stars showed they hadn’t skipped a beat with Cena delivering his own pipe bomb and each continuing the disses. When you call your opponent your ‘wrestling soulmate,’ it’s a sign of one of the best rivalries a wrestler can have.

2. Randy Orton

Perhaps no one has more ring history with Cena than Orton, as the two entered WWE together and embarked on a career-long rivalry that contained several big moments on the grandest of stages.

Cena and Orton first met in 2005 to kick-start a 20-year feud as they rose to the top of the business. Orton brought such a fiery passion to every rivalry matchup, but it was the greatest when Cena was opposite him. The rivalry took off in 2007 as they chased the WWE title, highlighted by arguably their best match at SummerSlam. A few months later, Orton defeated Cena and Triple H for the championship at WrestleMania 24. They put on several great stipulation matches afterward and culminated the feud at Backlash, where the one-time prodigies got to meet as WWE legends and reignite the heat one more time.

What helped was their constant battles to be at the top of the company. In total, Cena and Orton were in the ring together 23 times for a WWE title. At non-Royal Rumble premium live events, they were in the same match 23 times, with 11 of them being one-on-one battles. All together, no one has faced Cena more than Orton, and it created one of the best rivalries in the sport.

1. Edge

Was it not obvious? It’s clear there was no greater Cena rival than the ‘Rated R Superstar.’ You could argue Edge helped make Cena who he is, and the same could go with Cena for Edge. Both are correct, as the two stars had several epic clashes to forge one of the greatest rivalries in wrestling history.

It all started with one of the most shocking moments of the 2000s, when Edge cashed in the first Money in the Bank contract on a bloodied Cena at New Year’s Revolution in 2006. It was a stunning moment that started a heated clash between the two that lasted for years to come. That year alone, they faced off 11 times for the title; they battled 20 times in their career for gold. It felt like there was genuine hate for each other every time they faced off or traded words, and the stakes felt like there was more than just a title on the line. They truly defined the role of baby face and heel perfectly.

What’s remarkable is how great this duel was in short time; it lasted less than five years, with their last match against each other coming in September 2010. It’s a shame we never got to see them face off once more to bring back the fiery passion that made so many people fans. Regardless, they set the bar for what a true rivalry should look like.

Cena vs. Edge was one epic rivalry.

Dak Prescott and Jared Goff opened the week with dueling 300-yard games on ‘Thursday Night Football,’ Josh Allen was responsible for two fourth-quarter touchdowns in a comeback win, and Jalen Hurts and Justin Herbert closed things out with a game of ‘who wants to turn the ball over more?’ on ‘Monday Night Football.’

There were plenty of other notable performances and things to take away from Week 14’s action, and here’s how it all affected the Week 15 edition of quarterback power rankings:

NFL quarterback power rankings: Week 15

1. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

Last week: 2

Stafford has thrown at least one touchdown in each of his 13 starts this season, he’s thrown more than one touchdown in 11 of them, and he’s thrown three or more in seven starts – including in Week 14’s 45-17 win over the Cardinals. He’s also thrown only four interceptions all year.

2. Drake Maye, New England Patriots

Last week: 1

Maye and the Patriots were on a bye in Week 14, which allowed Stafford to re-capture the power rankings lead with his strong outing. But Maye is still in a two-man race for this year’s MVP award as he leads the league in completion rate (71.5%) and is second in passing yards (3,412).

3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Last week: 3

Allen had a near-perfect outing against the Bengals, completing 22 of his 28 pass attempts for 251 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 78 yards and a score. His efforts helped Buffalo pull off a big comeback win at home, bringing it a bit closer to the Patriots in the AFC East title race.

4. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

Last week: 5

Love threw for 234 yards with at least three touchdowns in a second straight game. With a spot at the top of the NFC North on the line, the Packers’ quarterback tore up the Bears’ defense with some more beautiful throws. It’s looking like 2025 will be another season of Love figuring out how to play his best football later in the year.

5. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Last week: 4

Mahomes’ stat line was littered with career lows on ‘Sunday Night Football.’ The Texans forced the Chiefs’ quarterback into the worst passer rating, completion rate and EPA per dropback of his career. Kansas City’s receivers and beat-up offensive line were big reasons for those poor box score numbers. Mahomes’ receivers dropped five passes on Dec. 7, and he faced pressure on 21 of his 42 dropbacks – though he took just two sacks.

6. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Last week: 10

Burrow’s two interceptions in the fourth quarter against the Bills – including one returned for a touchdown – should not overshadow the otherwise incredible day for the Bengals’ quarterback. He had a completion rate of 69.4% with 284 yards and four touchdowns in the cold and snow in his second game back from a turf toe injury.

7. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

Last week: 8

Darnold led the Seahawks to another road win in Week 15 to keep pace with the Rams at the top of the NFC West. Seattle’s quarterback threw three touchdown passes against the Falcons, marking his third game of the season with at least that many.

8. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Last week: 6

Prescott is the NFL’s new passing yards leader after throwing for 376 yards against the Lions. But he also threw two interceptions in the second half, fumbled once (though the Cowboys recovered) and lost 50 yards on five sacks taken – one of which almost resulted in a safety.

9. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

Last week: 7

Herbert’s ‘Monday Night Football’ performance was the dictionary definition of gutsy. Playing with a surgically repaired fracture in his left hand, the Chargers quarterback faced 26 defensive pressures behind a struggling offensive line and took seven sacks – most of any player in Week 14. He also led the Chargers with 66 rushing yards and led his team to a big win. Points are deducted from his power ranking score for his two turnovers and rough completion rate (46.2%), though the rough offensive line play was a significant factor there.

10. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

Last week: 12

Williams and the Bears may have lost a rough game to the Packers, but the second-year quarterback put some of the best throws of his career on tape in Week 14. There was a lot more to his performance than the game-ending interception that captured headlines.

11. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

Last week: 9

A quarterback with 300+ passing yards in a game rarely gets outshined by a teammate, but running back Jahmyr Gibbs’ 120 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns managed to do that. Goff is still among NFL leaders in completion rate (70.1% – 2nd), passing touchdowns (26 – tied for 2nd) and passing yards (3,334 – 5th).

12. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Last week: 11

Jackson and the Ravens lost a second straight game to a divisional rival in Week 14, and the Steelers replaced them atop the AFC North with their win in Baltimore. Notably, Jackson’s Week 14 outing was only his second of the season with a rushing touchdown and his third with more than 40 rushing yards.

13. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

Last week: 18

By passer rating, Lawrence’s last two games have been his best performances of the season. On film, Lawrence had one of the best games of his pro career in Week 14 with the kinds of ball placement and decisiveness that earned him his No. 1 overall pick status back in 2021. The Jaguars have also won four straight and five of their last six to take over the AFC South lead.

14. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Last week: 13

After a strong start to the season, Mayfield and the Bucs are trending downward at the wrong time. The veteran quarterback was an MVP candidate through the first six weeks. Since then, he ranks 37th (of 37 quarterbacks) in efficiency – Ben Baldwin’s rbsdm.com has Mayfield at -0.023 expected points added (EPA) + completion percentage over expected (CPOE). The Bucs’ signal-caller has been playing through a low-grade AC joint in his left (non-throwing) shoulder since Week 12.

15. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

Last week: 17

Stroud had three completions on 12 attempts in the second half of the Texans’ ‘Sunday Night Football’ win over the Chiefs. All of them were contained to two consecutive drives in the fourth quarter. That was largely due to the Chiefs’ heavy blitzing strategy out of halftime. Stroud faced 23 pressures in Week 14 – tied for third-most – and two of his three fourth-quarter completions saw him navigate around pressure to pick up a couple of first downs.

16. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

Last week: 16

Purdy did not move up or down after Week 14 after the 49ers’ bye week.

17. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos

Last week: 19

Nix moves up in the power rankings after a 212-yard performance against the Raiders that included a rushing touchdown and an 81.6% completion rate that led all starters in Week 14.

18. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

Last week: 20

Young moved up a couple of spots during the Panthers’ bye week due to one quarterback’s poor performance and one team’s change at the position due to injury.

19. Jaxson Dart, New York Giants

Last week: 21

Dart moved up a couple of spots during the Giants’ bye week due to one quarterback’s poor performance and one team’s change at the position due to injury.

20. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Last week: 14

Hurts entered Week 14 with just two interceptions on the season. He exited Week 14 with six. In a ‘Monday Night Football’ loss to the Chargers, the Eagles’ quarterback also managed to do something no player had done before: turn the ball over twice in one play.

21. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers

Last week: 28

Rodgers played his best game of the season in Week 14. In a matchup to decide which team would hold first place in the AFC North to begin Week 15, the veteran gunslinger threw for a season-high 284 yards with two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing) without taking any sacks. Pittsburgh leads its division with four weeks to play.

22. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints

Last week: 24

Shough has done nothing but play solid ball since taking over as the Saints’ starter. His latest outing included two rushing touchdowns that showed off his athleticism, and he also made some nice throws on a wet day in Tampa.

23. Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals

Last week: 22

Brissett has thrown for at least 250 yards in each of his eight starts. He’s also thrown two touchdowns in all but one of those starts – a 317-yard, one-touchdown outing against the Jaguars. Despite those numbers, the Cardinals have won just one of Brissett’s eight starts this year.

24. Tyrod Taylor, New York Jets

Last week: 23

Taylor completed one of four pass attempts for six yards and an interception before he left Week 14’s game with a groin injury.

25. Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns

Last week: 29

Sanders’ third career start was easily his best so far, despite the Browns’ loss. He threw for 364 yards and three touchdown passes (with another score rushing), marking his first 300-yard game and first multi-touchdown game in his pro career. It was enough to earn Sanders the starting job for the rest of the 2025 season.

26. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans

Last week: 26

Ward’s second career win was mainly a result of running back Tony Pollard’s 161 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He threw two touchdown passes for his first career multi-touchdown game, bringing his career total to nine touchdown passes.

27. J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings

Last week: 30

McCarthy and the Vikings’ offense feasted against the Commanders in Week 14. The second-year quarterback threw for 163 yards – second-most of his career – and three touchdown passes at home against Washington for his third career win.

28. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders

Last week: 32

Smith avoided throwing an interception for just the fourth time in a 2025 game, but he also left Week 14’s loss to the Broncos early with a shoulder injury.

29. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

Last week: 31

Tagovailoa matched Smith atop the NFL’s interceptions leaderboard with another pick in Week 14. He also threw a touchdown in the Dolphins’ win over the Jets.

30. Riley Leonard, Indianapolis Colts

Last week: N/A

Leonard is in position to make his first career NFL start in Week 15 if he can recover from a knee injury he suffered against the Jaguars in Week 14. The rookie sixth-rounder was 18-of-29 for 145 yards and an interception in his first meaningful NFL action. He also scored a rushing touchdown.

31. Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders

Last week: 25

In relief of second-year Jayden Daniels, who re-injured his elbow, Mariota went two-for-four for 30 yards and an interception.

32. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons

Last week: 27

Cousins completed only half of his 30 pass attempts for 162 yards and threw two interceptions at home against the Seahawks’ stingy defense.

The league stage of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League competition continues with the second day of Matchday 6 on Wednesday, Dec. 10.

The biggest match of the day features Real Madrid hosting Manchester City.

Real Madrid, the 15-time winners of the UEFA Champions League, are coming off a humbling 2-0 loss to middle-of-the-table Celta Vigo over the weekend and first-year coach Xabi Alonso is already on the hot seat after getting just one win over the club’s last five La Liga matches. Real Madrid has enjoyed better form in the Champions League, winning four of five league phase matches.

Manchester City is chasing table-toppers Arsenal in the Premier League, having won five of its last six league matches. Man City, however, is coming off a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at City of Manchester Stadium in its last Champions League match and currently sits in 12th place — six spots behind Real Madrid — in that competition’s table.

Here’s everything you need to know for the Real Madrid-Manchester City match on Dec. 10:

How to watch Real Madrid vs. Manchester City

Date: Dec. 10
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Estadio Bernabéu (Madrid, Spain)
TV and streaming: Paramount+

Watch UEFA Champions League on Paramount+

Champions League schedule today

Here’s the full list of UEFA Champions League fixtures for Wednesday, Dec. 10 (all times ET):

All games available on Paramount+

Villarreal CF (Spain) vs. FC Copenhagen (Denmark), 12:45 p.m.
Qarabağ FK (Azerbaijan) vs. Ajax (Netherlands), 12:45 p.m.
Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) vs. Newcastle United (England), 3 p.m.
Real Madrid (Spain) vs. Manchester City (England), 3 p.m.
Benfica (Portugal) vs. Napoli (Italy), 3 p.m.
Club Brugge (Belgium) vs. Arsenal (England), 3 p.m.
Athletic Club (Spain) vs. Paris Saint-Germain (France), 3 p.m.
Juventus (Italy) vs. Pafos FC (Cyprus), 3 p.m.
Borussia Dortmund (Germany) vs. FK Bodø/Glimt (Norway), 3 p.m.

What is the upcoming Champions League schedule?

Matchday 7: Jan. 20-21
Matchday 8: Jan. 28
Knockout phase playoffs: Feb. 17-18 and Feb. 24-25
Round of 16: March 10-11 and March 17-18
Quarterfinals: April 7-8 and April 14-15
Semifinals: April 28-29 and May 5-6
Final: May 30 (Puskás Aréna, Budapest, Hungary)

The top eight finishers in the league phase earn a bye to the Round of 16. Teams that finish ninth through 24th will compete in the knockout phase playoffs.

UEFA Champions League odds

Odds to reach 2026 final (via BetMGM as of evening of Tuesday, Dec. 9)

Arsenal: +400
Bayern Munich: +450
Paris Saint-Germain: +650
Manchester City: +800
Real Madrid: +900
FC Barcelona: +900
Liverpool: +1100
Chelsea: +1600
Inter Milan: +2800
Atletico Madrid: +2800

Some of the 2026 NHL Draft’s top prospects will look to make their mark over the holidays at the 2026 World Junior Championship in Minnesota. 

Others will look to take on even bigger roles on their club team while teammates head to the annual under-20 tournament. 

There has been some shuffling around in the top 10 of the NHL draft rankings, but the top four remain the same. Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg holds onto the No. 1 spot, and Tynan Lawrence, Gavin McKenna and Keaton Verhoeff round out the top tier. 

Let’s look at how each player is performing a little more than two weeks before the world juniors begin on Dec. 26.

Top 10 NHL draft prospects

1. Frolunda (Sweden) left wing Ivar Stenberg

Poised to be a prominent member of the Swedish squad at the world juniors, Stenberg will look to make a statement at the U-20 event. It will be an opportunity to showcase his talent on the international stage and the first major opportunity for North American scouts to see him in person. Stenberg’s dual-threat offensive game and steady defensive game should be quite effective for Sweden.

2. Muskegon (USHL) center Tynan Lawrence

Lawrence will be the least affected player by the World Junior Championship. With a loaded Canadian roster, he really wasn’t considered for the team, and neither were other Canadian players in the United States Hockey League. Instead, Lawrence will be looking to continue building on his incredibly strong start with Muskegon. After starting the year injured, Lawrence has 13 points in seven games. If he can keep that up, he should stay near the top of draft boards. 

3. Penn State (NCAA) left wing Gavin McKenna

Although his start at Penn State has been a bit underwhelming compared to the sky-high expectations, McKenna will head to the world juniors. He was one of the best players on an underperforming Canadian squad last year, and he could look to use this year’s event as a jumping-off point for a big second half. His upside remains as high as anyone in the class, so getting back to that level will be vital. 

4. North Dakota (NCAA) defenseman Keaton Verhoeff

It came as no surprise to see Verhoeff invited to the Canadian world junior training camp. The versatile, skilled defender is poised to earn a role with the team barring injury. His do-it-all game should allow him to find a role with any teammate, giving the Canadian coaching staff flexibility on the back end. Verhoeff could assert himself as the top defender in the draft if he plays well at this tournament. 

5. Windsor (OHL) left wing Ethan Belchetz

Belchetz may not be heading to the world juniors, but with Windsor captain Liam Greentree going for Canada, the team will look to Belchetz to step up as a leader, since the Ontario Hockey League doesn’t pause for the tournament. The hulking left wing has shown much better mobility this season, allowing him to become a more effective and efficient driver of play. Belchetz could put up some big numbers for the Spitfires as the lead dog. 

6. Spokane (WHL) right wing Mathis Preston

The Spokane Chiefs are going through a bit of a trying season, heavily relying on their young players to carry the load. Preston often must drive the play and finish chances, which has affected his offensive numbers as he’s asked to do everything. With some of the top players of other teams off to the world juniors, Preston could have more room to operate and gain some confidence as he heads into the second half.

7. Djurgarden (Sweden) right wing Viggo Bjorck 

Another member of the Swedish team, Bjorck has the chance to be an incredibly fun player to watch at the U-20 tournament. Offensive creativity and skill often thrive at the world juniors, and Bjorck has it to burn. Scouts question his size at times, but his offensive production has always been impressive. Bjorck often takes his game to another level internationally as well, so it could be a sight to behold. 

8. Jukurit (Finland) defenseman Alberts Smits

Although he plays in Finland, Smits should be on the Latvian U-20 squad when the country announces its world junior roster. His fluidity and two-way impacts should make him one of their top defensemen at the tournament. Latvia always seems to have a player or two that stand out at this event each year. Smits could be that player this year. 

9. Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL) defenseman Xavier Villeneuve

There was some thought that Villeneuve would have a shot at making the Canadian roster with some open spots on the blueline, but he didn’t even get a camp invite. The high-octane offensive blueliner has been better defensively than he’s given credit for. Villenueve dictates play, something not many on the Canadian blueline can do. It could be interesting if he uses the snub as motivation going forward. 

10. Tappara (Finland) center Oliver Suvanto 

While not a lock to make the Finnish team at the World Junior Championship, Suvanto has had an unreal start to the season. He’s spent most of his campaign in Finland’s top pro league, and he’s looked quite comfortable and mature at both ends of the ice. Suvanto could be a really sneaky difference-making piece for a Finnish squad looking for some offensive punch.

It’s a little rich hearing Notre Dame cry about unfairness.

For the better part of a half-century, Notre Dame has insisted on playing by its own rules. It has its own TV deal. It has refused to join a conference, aligning with the ACC only so far as it’s convenient for the Irish. At the same time, Notre Dame has exacted carveouts in negotiations for the College Football Playoff and its predecessors so it can keep its place at the table.

And now that the Irish aren’t getting the special treatment they believe is their due, they’re throwing a tantrum.

“I’m not going to be overly dramatic,” Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua said Dec. 9.

Oh yeah? Starting when?

We’re going on Day 3 now of Bevacqua whining about Notre Dame being passed over for the CFP, claiming it’s a travesty that’s done damage to the playoff, college football, the ACC and the national GDP. OK, maybe not that last part, but the week isn’t over.

Bevacqua is incensed that the playoff committee had the audacity to rank Notre Dame in the top 10 throughout the season and then bypass the Irish when it came time to select the 12-team playoff bracket.

Upon finding themselves on the outside of the CFP, the Irish decided to sit out this bowl season entirely.

“We’re one of the best teams in the country. We’re one of those handful of teams that can absolutely win the national championship this year,” Bevacqua said. “What frustrates me, and I know what frustrates (Irish coach Marcus Freeman), is there’s just no good explanation.”

There is, though. Two of them, actually.

The first is that life isn’t always fair. The second is that actions have consequences. And Notre Dame has long been due a reminder of both.

Notre Dame made its CFP bed with early losses

While the CFP can be criticized for its selections — why wasn’t Alabama penalized for losing its conference title game like BYU was? – Notre Dame put itself in this position.

The CFP is not a come-one, come-all operation. There are 12 spots in the bracket and choices have to be made on who deserves to fill them. Those calculations were further complicated this year by Duke upsetting Virginia in the ACC title game, locking James Madison and Tulane into two of the five spots reserved for conference champions and effectively leaving one spot for Notre Dame and four other schools.

Though Notre Dame won its final 10 games to finish at 10-2, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation had the Irish beaten Miami in the season opener. Or held off Texas A&M in its next game, for that matter.

But they didn’t.

The larger issue, though, is that Notre Dame continues to live in the past. And expects others to, too.

Though the Irish have won 13 national titles, their last was in 1988. That’s almost 40 years ago. And since national champions began being decided on the field rather than in the polls, Notre Dame has made the national title game just once, last year when it got manhandled by Ohio State.

It has not had a Heisman Trophy winner since 1987. Running back Jeremiyah Love is the first Notre Dame player to even be finalist in more than a decade.

The Irish remain one of the biggest names in college football, but they are no longer the powerhouse around which the entire sport turns. If they want to be given deference, if they want to assure themselves of being in the CFP, they either need to win more games, and win them decisively, or join a conference.

Notre Dame doesn’t want to do that, of course, because that would mean either giving up its TV deal with NBC or having to share the money from it. God forbid anyone but Notre Dame should get something they don’t deserve. Instead, Notre Dame has chosen to go half-in and half-out, being part of the ACC except in the one sport in which the Irish really matter.

Notre Dame’s beef with ACC highlights program’s entitlement

Bevacqua was angry with the ACC for taking what he perceived as “shots” at Notre Dame on social media in the leadup to the CFP selection. But what does he expect? For the ACC not to do everything it can to champion one of its own out of deference to the Irish?

Apparently, yes.

“I don’t understand why you would go on a social media campaign to attack an important partner,” Bevacqua said.

Maybe because, when it comes to football, Notre Dame treats the ACC as more of a subordinate rather than a partner. Everyone else, too.

Bevacqua has acted like a toddler in need of a nap these last few days, stomping his feet and crying because he didn’t get what he wanted. A great example he’s setting for Notre Dame’s players, by the way. But the height of privilege is thinking you are owed something you did not earn and, by that measure, Notre Dame is at the very top.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

ORLANDO, FL — Agent Scott Boras believes that DH Kyle Schwarber’s five-year, $150 million contract will not only accelerate free-agent signings this winter, but will lead to longer-term contracts for sluggers over the age of 30.

Yes, in particular 31-year-old New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, who’s represented by Boras.

Alonso drove from his home in Tampa and met with several teams at the winter meetings in hopes of landing a contract for at least seven years, according to the New York Post.

The Mets have been reluctant to offer more than a three-year deal, but Boras insists that with Schwarber’s deal — paying him $30 million a year through the age of 37 — should prove that teams are open to signing sluggers to long-term deals.

The Phillies were one of four teams willing to give Schwarber at least a four-year deal, according to a person with direct knowledge of his negotiations, with the Baltimore Orioles, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds all making offers ranging from $120 million to $150 million.

“The evidence in the market is that these premium talents that have power,’ Boras said, “are in great demand. And the teams are willing to give more length to secure plot power in the marketplace. …

“Schwarber is obviously one of the best power hitters in the game, and all of these guys that are elite, whether they’re 29 or 30, they see a player who’s got five years length at 33, it’s obviously a fair quotient for the players that are younger to demand more years. …

“I think it really shows the demand for power. We just don’t have a lot of it, and it shows the impact that it has.’

And now that Schwarber is locked up, Boras says teams already are reaching out to him about Alonso, outfielder Cody Bellinger and third baseman Alex Bregman.

The Mets say they loved outfielder Brandon Nimmo, too, a crowd favorite, and traded him to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien.

They told everyone they still wanted to re-sign closer Edwin Diaz after signing Devin Williams to a three-year, $51 million contract, but refused to offer more than a three-year, $66 million deal for Diaz. They were outbid by the Los Angeles Dodgers’ three-year, $69 million contract.

“The Dodgers are the Goliath,’ Boras said, “they got something they really, really needed. Right now, in our industry, when a Goliath snaps his fingers, he seems to be getting what he wants.’’

The Mets are a Goliath, too, with the richest owner in baseball in Steve Cohen, but they’re certainly showing that popularity is not the top priority. If they can trade Nimmo and let Diaz walk, they can certainly let Alonso depart.

While the slow free-agent market is just starting to move, with the Toronto Blue Jays having a press conference Tuesday to introduce their new $210 million pitcher in Dylan Cease, Boras says he has not encountered one bit of hesitation from owners to spend because of the potential lockout next December.

“The owners just are not concerned,’ Boras said. “They should be more concerned about the ebbs and flows of talent, because that’s what operates success in this industry. The fact that they don’t have to pay players [during a lockout], it mitigates the primary concern. I don’t know of a collective bargaining agreement where an owner came out and said, ‘“’You know what, things are going to be so much worse that I’m concerned about the longevity of the contract I just agreed to prior to the new CBA.’ The only thing that even major market teams are concerned about are luxury taxes, and how that’s going to evolve.

“So, it’s usually that they believe that the outcome of the CBA is going to be more beneficial to them than the prior one. So that’s why you don’t see clubs hesitate to where they’re going to sacrifice a year or miss out on a talent that won’t be available for five or six years.’’

Why do athletic directors need to be on CFP committee? Answer: They don’t.
Alabama, Miami were fine playoff picks, but process became a farce.
Pick the 12 best teams for CFP bracket. Period.

Did the College Football Playoff committee get the bracket right? Well, that depends on your perspective and your rooting interests. The bubble got awfully crowded, so not everyone was going to come away happy.

Overall, Alabama and Miami seem like fair choices, but the course the committee charted to reach that destination became an exercise of the absurd.

On this edition of ‘SEC Football Unfiltered,’ a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams offer their biggest grievances with this bracket — and with this committee — and propose a different way to approach the playoff.

Here are four thoughts about how to improve the system:

∎ Is this season proof that playoff expansion is necessary? No. There’s an argument for 16 teams. It’s a worthy idea, but there’s also a case for staying at 12, with format alterations.

∎ Whether 12 or 16 teams, how should the bids be allocated? Get rid of automatic bids. Conferences have become so big that conference championships are no guarantee of pitting the league’s two best teams against one another. Also, with apology to the little guy, no conference should be guaranteed a bid. That includes the Group of Five. Pick the best teams, period. No automatic bids. All at-large selection.

∎ So, that means keeping the committee? Yes, but with changes to the construction of the committee. No sitting or former athletic director should be allowed on the committee. There’s nothing about being an AD that makes you an expert at ranking football teams. Also, athletic directors give off the appearance of bias, if not outright inserting bias. ADs have big jobs. CFP committee chairman Hunter Yurachek had to hire a football coach at Arkansas while being the front man of the selection process. That’s an inappropriate ask, and it’s unfair to fans to have someone juggle a coaching search and a selection process.

∎ So, who would be on the committee? Boot the ADs, and come up with a mix of former coaches and media members. Perhaps, include an analytics nerd, as well. If this sounds crazy, remember that for many, many years, the national championship was awarded based on AP (media) and coaches’ polls. So, removing ADs in favor of coaches and media to devise the CFP rankings aligns with the sport’s history.

Also in this episode

∎ The hosts discuss potential playoff upsets, and they predict the national champion, offering divergent choices.

Where to listen to SEC Football Unfiltered

Apple
Spotify
iHeart
Google

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. John Adams is the senior sports columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel. Subscribe to the SEC Football Unfiltered podcast, and check out the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.

A viral image led to speculation that Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders was wearing a thong during a game.
Shedeur Sanders clarified the image actually showed tape for a previous back injury.
Shilo Sanders, who is out of football, is now pursuing music, acting, and brand deals.

Shedeur and Shilo Sanders have gotten to the bottom of one of the biggest mysteries this week in the NFL.

Was Shedeur, the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback, wearing a thong under his uniform during a 31-29 loss against the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 7?

It kind of looked like it, according to a screen shot after one play. Shilo, his older brother, conducted a not-so-serious investigation about it and then posted the findings on YouTube.

“Let’s cut to the business, bro,” Shilo said to Shedeur by phone. “Did you wear a thong or not?”

“Come on bro,” Shedeur replied.

“What’s going on with you, bro?” Shilo persisted.

“You forget I have a back injury, right?” Shedeur said. “So I get my back taped. So it is crazy that I did look like that… That is funny, though.”

Shedeur suffered a fractured back during the 2023 season at Colorado.  Shilo and Shedeur are sons and former players of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders.  

What is Shilo Sanders doing now?

Shilo is out of football after being waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the season. In the video, he said he is moving from Tampa to Miami, where he said he is looking for a chef to cook for him and has been working on a rap album. He also said he was considering acting classes and has been doing YouTube videos and brand deals.

Shilo filed for bankruptcy in 2023 in a case that remains pending.  In general, he is entitled to earnings he made after the filing.

“In the future, I definitely want to build that up – the music and the acting, the modeling, all that,” he said.

Shilo modeled with his brother in Paris in January 2024.

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

There was a different energy when Victor Wembanyama entered the practice gym with a trio of injured San Antonio Spurs players earlier this week, coach Mitch Johnson told reporters before the team’s most recent win over the New Orleans Pelicans, and he made one promise regarding his 7-foot-5 center.

‘He’s going to be on that plane to LA, for sure. He better be,’ Johnson said.

Wembanyama is nearing a return to the court for the first time in almost a month as the Spurs (16-7) get set to face the Los Angeles Lakers (17-6) in an NBA Cup West quarterfinal game on Wednesday, Dec. 10. The third-year French star is making progress, joining his Spurs teammates on their current road trip and participating in multiple workouts in recent days.

San Antonio recently welcomed 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and big man Luke Kornet back to the lineup from injury. Will Wembanyama join them and play in the opening knockout round of the league’s in-season tournament?

Here’s the latest update on Wembanyama’s injury situation, as well as his game status when the Spurs play the Lakers in the 2025 NBA Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday:

Is Victor Wembanyama playing today?

No, Wembanyama will miss Wednesday’s contest. He was listed as out on the Spurs’ latest injury report on Tuesday, Dec. 9 ahead of their NBA Cup game against the Los Angeles Lakers. He has missed the team’s previous 11 games.

Victor Wembanyama injury update

Wembanyama joined the team in New Orleans after not traveling to start this current road trip and was a full participant in a practice on Sunday, according to the San Antonio Express-News. He then did a workout after the team’s morning shootaround on Monday and warmed up before the Spurs’ game against the Pelicans. Johnson noted, however, that the team would not place added importance on Wednesday’s game being part of the NBA Cup in terms of determining Wembanyama’s potental return.

Wembanyama appeared in just 46 games last season after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.

Victor Wembanyama stats

Wembanyama was off to a strong start in his third NBA season, leading the league in blocks again (3.6 per game) and ranking second in rebounds (12.9). The 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year is averaging a career-best 26.2 points while shooting better than 50% from the floor through 12 games of the 2025-26 season.