Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes underwent surgery to repair a torn left ACL.
The injury occurred during a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, which eliminated the Chiefs from playoff contention.
Dr. Dan Cooper, a Dallas-based orthopedic surgeon, performed the procedure.
Mahomes is expected to begin rehabilitation immediately and has about nine months to recover for the start of the 2026 season.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes underwent surgery to repair his torn left ACL on Dec. 15 in Dallas, Texas, the team said.

Dr. Dan Cooper, an orthopedic surgeon based in Dallas, performed the surgery. Cooper specializes in knee and shoulder injuries for the Carrell Clinic, based in Texas.

Mahomes suffered the injury on Dec. 14 as the Chiefs lost to the Los Angeles Chargers at home, which knocked them out of playoff contention. The two-time MVP was tackled from behind by Chargers defensive end Da’Shawn Hand. Mahomes immediately reached for his left knee after being rolled up from behind as Kansas City’s medical staff immediately tended to him.

He eventually walked off under his own power but Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters that the initial prognosis did not ‘look good.’

Gardner Minshew replaced Mahomes and purports to be Kansas City’s starter for the final three games of the season.

All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th and Monday newsletter. Check out the latest edition: Recapping the carnage of Week 15.

Playing in nearby Cary, N.C., NC State clawed back from a 2-0 deficit and tied the score at 2-2 with three minutes left in regulation to force overtime. But the Huskies managed to get the winner in dramatic fashion, scoring a few minutes into the first overtime period.

‘We told them it was going to be hard… there are going to be twists and turns. To give up a goal with three minutes to go and put their heads back up and go out there again, it’s incredible,’ Washington coach Jamie Clark told ESPN afterward.

Clark admitted he didn’t know who scored the winner, which was under review for a possible offside. When ESPN told him it was Huskies center back Harrison Bertos, Clark exclaimed, ‘Harry? Oh, we live be the Bertos, we die by the Bertos! That was our saying all year!’

Washington knocked out five of the tournament’s 16 national seeds during its run to the title.

Here’s how it happened:

College Cup final score

College Cup final live updates

Washington 3, NC State 2

GOAL! The Huskies win their first national title two minutes into overtime. A loose ball in the box is turned in by Harrison Bertos. Video review. Will it stand? They’re checking a possible offside call.

It stands. Washington wins it.

End of regulation: Washington 2, NC State 2

And we’re going to overtime. Two 10-minute periods, golden goal. If we’re still tied after that, we go to PKs.

Washington 2, NC State 2, 87′

GOAL! With less that four minutes left, Taig Healy guides one into the corner. Washington goalie Jadon Bowton gets a fingertip to it but can’t keep it out. Cary, NC is going bananas.

Washington 2, NC State 1, 72′

NC State pushing hard for an equalizer. Huskies goalkeeper Jadon Bowton has been called into action for a few key saves. Buckle up, it’s going to get wild. It’s one-way traffic right now. Crowd is into it.

Washington 2, NC State 1, 66′

GOAL! NC State gets one back. There’s been a ton of traffic in the Washington box and Donavan Phillip is able to turn the ball into the net after a deflection off a defender. Goal was reviewed, but stands. Game on.

Washington 2, NC State 0, 61′

GOAL! Washington doubles its lead. Richie Aman gets to the endline and gets a cross in and Joe Dale gets in front of his defender to tap the ball into the net. It’ll be an all-out Wolfpack attack from here on out.

Washington 1, NC State 0, 55′

The partisan North Carolina crowd is trying to will the Wolfpack to an equalizer, but so far the Washington defense has done its job. A few shots from the Huskies serve as a warning.

HALFTIME: Washington 1, NC State 0

Both teams have had chances, but Zach Ramsey’s goal is the difference at the break. The Huskies are 12-0-0 this season when scoring first.

Washington 1, NC State 0, 44′

GOAL! A long ball is misplayed in the back by the Wolfpack and NC State goalie Logan Erb rushes out to clean up, but his clearance falls to Washington’s Zach Ramsey who chips the ball into the empty net for the opening goal.

Washington 0, NC State 0, 40′

Yellow card for Washington’s Osato Enabulele for a nasty tackle. NC State’s Riley Moloney lucky to avoid serious injury there.

Washington 0, NC State 0, 25′

Still scoreless midway through the first half. Wolfpack have come close a few times.

What time does College Cup final start?

Date: Monday, Dec. 15
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Where: First Horizon Stadium (Cary, North Carolina)

NC State and Washington will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, Dec. 15 from First Horizon Stadium in Cary, North Carolina in the College Cup final.

What TV channel is College Cup final on today?

TV channel: ESPNU
Livestream: Fubo (free trial)

The College Cup final between Washington and NC State will be broadcast on ESPNU. Streaming options for the game include Fubo, which carries ESPNU and offers a free trial to new subscribers.

College Cup final predictions

Craig Meyer, USA TODAY Sports: NC State 2, Washington 1

The Wolfpack have been among the most balanced teams in the country all season, with a stout defense and one of the best goal-scorers in the country. That will be enough to get them by the Huskies in what should be a hard-fought, closely contested match.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

The NBA Cup championship game is set and Victor Wembanyama helped the San Antonio Spurs crash the party.

The Spurs set up a fascinating championship game for the NBA’s in-season tournament by upsetting the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Wemby and company will face the New York Knicks on Tuesday, Dec. 16 in Las Vegas with $530,933 awarded to each player on the winning team (players already received $53,093 for reaching last Friday’s NBA Cup semifinal round).

It’ll be a matchup featuring one of the Western Conference’s rising contenders and an entrenched Eastern Conference powerhouse trying to get over the hump and into the NBA Finals this year. The Spurs just successfully navigated through more than a month of their schedule without Wembanyama as he recovered from a calf injury, while the Knicks are playing their best basketball of the season under new coach Mike Brown.

Picks and predictions are split on a potential winner, with experts starting to weigh in now that Spurs vs. Knicks is the NBA Cup championship game. Here’s a breakdown of the current odds and USA TODAY Sports predictions for Tuesday’s game:

NBA Cup predictions: Spurs vs. Knicks picks

Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY Sports: Spurs 111, Knicks 106

‘This should be a fascinating matchup, and could sneakily be a surprise Finals preview — if not this season, perhaps in the future. Both teams are playing extremely well, but I’m going to give the Spurs a slight edge, assuming Victor Wembanyama will play more than he did during the semifinal upset over the Thunder, when he was on a tight minutes restriction. The Spurs are playing with confidence and swagger, and they’re finally healthy. Their speedy guards push tempo and are a matchup nightmare, but adding Wembanyama to the mix makes them a huge threat. And, defensively, Wembanyama changes the dynamic; he should complicate and foil Jalen Brunson’s attempts to get into the paint.’

Mark Giannotto, USA TODAY Sports: Knicks 125, Spurs 121

Last year’s NBA Cup served as validation of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s ascension to the top of the NBA, and it feels like the 2025 version of the league’s in-season tournament could potentially be about the rise of Victor Wembanyama to NBA superstardom. His return to the lineup helped push the Spurs past the Thunder in the semifinals, and his presence could be the deciding factor against a more battle-tested Knicks team. But New York has won nine of its past 10 games and its powerful starting five is especially dangerous in a winner-take-all scenario like this.

Jon Hoefling, USA TODAY Sports: Knicks 118, Spurs 110

While I do love the Spurs whenever Victor Wembanyama is on the floor, this is still one of the youngest teams in the NBA, and it’s hard to bet on a team so inexperienced in high-pressure situations. Furthermore, the Spurs are coming off arguably their biggest win of the season, and the biggest win of Wembanyama’s career, meaning they are probably due for a letdown in the championship – which isn’t that hard to predict considering how hot Jalen Brunson and the Knicks have been. New York has won nine of its last 10, and Brunson is averaging 37.5 in the NBA Cup knockout rounds.

NBA Cup odds for Spurs vs. Knicks

The New York Knicks are considered favorites over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup championship game.

Odds according to BetMGM as of December 15:

Spread: Knicks (-2.5)
Moneyline: Knicks (-140); Spurs (+115)
Over/under: 228.5

NBA Cup MVP odds

Odds according to BetMGM as of December 15:

Jalen Brunson (-115)
Victor Wembanyama (+325)
De’Aaron Fox (+475)
Karl-Anthony Towns (+3000)
Devin Vassell (+6600)
OG Anunoby (+10,000)
Mikal Bridges (+10,000)
Josh Hart (+10,000)

Close said she’s ‘hopeful’ freshman forward Sienna Betts will make her collegiate debut in UCLA’s matchup against Cal Poly on Tuesday at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. Betts, the younger sister of first-team All-American center Lauren Betts, has been sidelined for the first 10 games of the season with a lower leg injury suffered during a scrimmage against UC Riverside in October, delaying the five-star recruit’s highly anticipated debut.

‘We’re really hopeful that we’re getting close,’ Close said after UCLA’s 80-59 win over Oregon on Dec. 7. ‘Sienna (Betts) is going to be a really big part of where we’re going. She is incredibly impactful for us. … We need her for us to go where we need to go and want to go, and we’re going to need her growth and productivity.’

If Betts does suit up on Tuesday vs. Cal Poly, expect her to be on a minutes restriction.

‘My hope is that she’s going to be able to get some minutes against Cal Poly,’ Close added. ‘As she progresses back, there are certain percentages she has to meet without symptoms to be able to work her way back. And so I would expect that she’ll be really mad at me when I take her off the court.’

Lauren Betts said she’s ‘super excited’ to play alongside her sister: ‘When she gets to be on the court with me for the first time, that’s going to be a really special moment.’

‘This has been a really up and down process for (Sienna),’ Lauren Betts told USA TODAY over the weekend at the Team USA training camp. ‘Obviously no one wants to be injured, especially going into your first year in college. So she’s been amazing. She’s been putting in a lot of hard work and I’m so excited for her.’

Lauren Betts said she’s been Betts’ biggest cheerleader throughout her recovery and has constantly reminded her ‘how valuable she is,’ even if her younger sister doesn’t listens to her much. ‘(Sienna) is very stubborn, and even though I’m the older one, she doesn’t really want to listen to me,’ Lauren Bets joked.

‘She’s very much needed on this team and she’s an amazing basketball player, and just because she’s out right now doesn’t mean that she’s left out and that she’s behind,’ said Lauren Betts, who is averaging 14.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks through 10 games. ‘She’s done the work. We see it every single day, and she continues to get shots up. They have to force her to get off the court.’

Betts, the No. 2 player in ESPN’s 2025 class, received offers from many schools, including South Carolina, Notre Dame, USC, UConn and Michigan, before ultimately choosing to team up with her sister at UCLA. In her senior season at Grandview High School in Aurora, Colorado, Betts averaged 23.5 points, 16.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 3.4 blocks. She was named the 2024-25 Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year for the third consecutive season.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

With another round of expansion expected in the Professional Women’s Hockey League, the league’s 2026 draft will be key to welcoming more talent.

For the PWHL, it’s a potentially generational draft. There will be strong players, like Finland’s Petra Nieminen, heading to the PWHL from international sources, but the bulk of that talent is coming from the NCAA.

The 2026 PWHL Draft class is headlined by senior national team members from top-ranked NCAA women’s hockey programs, such as Wisconsin and Minnesota. Here’s a look at the current top 10 NCAA women’s hockey prospects who will be high selections at the draft.

Top 10 PWHL Draft prospects playing NCAA hockey

1. Wisconsin defender Caroline Harvey

Harvey is arguably the best defender on the planet. Already a two-time World Championship Best Defender, back-to-back WCHA Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-American. Her mobility, physicality, and ability to control the pace of play with the puck are elite. Harvey currently sits seven points up, leading the NCAA in scoring with 41 points in 20 games. She’s a generational talent.

2. Minnesota right wing Abbey Murphy

She’s a pest, walking the line between physical and penalty, and above all, she’s one of the best goal scorers in the world. Murphy combines speed, a wicked shot, and an agitator mindset into a highly effective package. Murphy, a star for USA’s national team, projects as a top-10 scorer for years.

3. Wisconsin right wing/defender Laila Edwards

Edwards is a versatile and unique prospect who transitioned to defense from forward after being named the 2024 World Championship MVP as a forward. She will have one of the most potent shots in the PWHL, and her 6-foot-1 frame is a unique attribute among women’s hockey players. Edwards sees the ice well, and while she can score from anywhere with her shot, she’s also an adept playmaker.

4. Penn State center Tessa Janecke

Power and speed are Janecke’s calling cards. She’ll be a top-line player in the PWHL as a rookie, and she is a key member of USA’s national team, scoring the golden goal in overtime at the 2025 World Championship. Janecke combines a two-way presence and high-end compete level to form a style that should meld perfectly into the PWHL. She’s helped build Penn State from a program toiling in a weaker AHA conference to a nationally ranked contender.

5. Minnesota defender Nelli Laitinen

In a league lacking defensive talent, Laitinen, already a longtime veteran of Finland’s senior national team, will be a welcome addition to any PWHL blueline. She plays a more conservative game than some prospects but is an intelligent transitional player, making smart puck choices at the offensive blueline and strong outlets from her zone. She’s shown significant offensive growth this season.

6. Wisconsin right wing Lacey Eden

A scorer at the NCAA level, Eden has mastered her role as a two-way checking line forward for USA’s national team. She’s effective on the forecheck, using her speed and willingness to engage in puck battles along the wall. Offensively, Eden should factor into a PWHL second line next season, but when games get tight, she can shift to a checking-line role to help maintain a lead.

7. Wisconsin left wing Kirsten Simms

A final-three candidate for the Patty Kazmaier Award, Simms is a wizard with the puck. She uses heel-to-heel skating to keep the ice open in front of her but can pivot on a dime and makes opponents look silly with deceptive stickwork. Last year, she scored the tying goal for Wisconsin with 18 seconds remaining on a penalty shot and the winner only minutes into overtime to secure a national title for the Badgers.

8. Ohio State defender Emma Peschel

Peschel uses her 5-foot-10 frame effectively in all three zones. She’s quietly been one of the best defenders in NCAA hockey, contributing on both sides of the puck and using her mobility to take away time and space while defending. Peschel earned recognition by winning a spot in USA’s 30-player Olympic pool ahead of dozens of American PWHL defenders.

9. Minnesota defender Sydney Morrow

One of the best offensive defenders in NCAA hockey, Morrow is a threat to join the rush and loves to slide in from the blueline to find soft space as a shooting option. Unafraid to use her body, Morrow’s physicality will translate well to the hard-hitting PWHL. Morrow is scoring at a point per game this season with the Golden Gophers and does a lot of her damage at 5-on-5.

10. Princeton center Issy Wunder

Wunder is a power forward overlooked by Canada’s national program despite being one of the top scorers in NCAA women’s hockey the past two seasons. Wunder uses her 5-foot-11 frame and is equal parts playmaker and power forward, attributes that will lend well to the PWHL game. Has immense upside.

OK, so that first bowl game was a gutter ball. They won’t all be that way, right?

Well, we’ll try again Tuesday. College football bowl season rolls on with an all-Alabama matchup, fittingly taking place in the state capital. It’s a bit of a consolation prize for both participants, each of whom came up short in its respective conference championship game, but it should be a competitive contest between two schools with a lengthy, if not particularly recent, history.

There was even a trophy associated with it for a time, though there’s no word on whether it will be on hand. Here are the particulars.

Salute to Veterans Bowl

Matchup: Jacksonville State vs. Troy in Montgomery, Ala.

Time/TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN.

Why watch: These conference runners-up get a chance to close on a high note, and thankfully don’t have to travel far for this in-state postseason meeting. Jacksonville State fell 19-15 to Kennesaw State on its home field in the Conference USA final, while Troy was outscored 31-14 in the Sun Belt title game at playoff-bound James Madison. As a result, both teams arrive here with 8-5 records. This is the 64th meeting all-time between the schools, though they haven’t met since 2001 when Troy made the first move to the Bowl Subdivision level. In a nod to their origins as teachers’ colleges, the programs used to compete for the ‘Ol’ School Bell trophy, which Troy claimed for the last seven meetings before the series was discontinued. The Gamecocks, much more recently elevated to FBS, will look to get their high-powered ground attack with RB Cam Cook and QB Caden Creel back on track. Trojans QB Goose Crowder looks to shake off a rough passing night in the team’s loss to James Madison, but his status is uncertain after an injury in the game.

Why it could disappoint: Troy has been at this level a bit longer, so there might still be a bit of a talent gap. But hopefully the effort will be there on both sides as these programs renew acquaintances.

The San Antonio Spurs shocked the basketball world on Dec. 13, taking down the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Cup semifinals. Now, they are just one win away from earning the NBA Cup title and earning an additional $530,933 each.

Of course, that’s easier said than done, and their opponent in the championship game, the New York Knicks, are no push-over. The Spurs know they can’t take it easy against the Knicks; they’ll have to pull out all the stops once again in order to emerge victorious. But could that actually mean keeping their best player out of the starting lineup?

Spurs center Victor Wembanyama played limited minutes during the semifinal victory over the Thunder. Now, head coach Mitch Johnson has expressed that the team is considering employing a similar strategy in the NBA Cup final.

‘It’ll be something that Victor and I will continue to talk through,’ Johnson said Monday, Dec. 15, according to ESPN. ‘It’s hard. He wants to play. He wants to start. He wants to finish. … We still have to think about what’s best for the team, unfortunately. That decision can’t be made in a vacuum, even though it’s a very impactful and influential decision.’

How did Wembanyama do in the semifinal game?

Wembanyama returned from a 12-game absence on Saturday to participate in the semifinal against Oklahoma City. Wembanyama came off the bench for the first time in his career. Still, the third-year pro played 21 minutes and racked up 15 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter. The rest of the Spurs compiled just 18 points combined in the fourth.

‘I trust in Mitch 100 percent. They had the perfect plan,’ Spurs guard Devin Vassell told ESPN. ‘I know they talked about it over and over, and we executed it. As soon as Vic came in, he had the impact that we needed.’

Despite the success, the Spurs might limit Wembanyama again, promoting his long-term health above winning the NBA Cup.

‘It’s going to be a mix of different opinions,’ Wembanyama said Monday, according to ESPN. ‘But I’m ready. Even I will have my own opinion [about what to do]. It will also be based on my thoughts and the thoughts of the staff. But basically, we’re going to discuss it.’

Will Wembanyama be limited to 21 minutes again?

Head coach Mitch Johnson says that the team cannot afford to be ‘uninentional’ with Wembanyama’s minutes right now. Having learned from Wembanyama’s past injury struggles, the team has already worked on finding a path for Wemby to play as many minutes as possible with as little stress on his body as possible as well.

Although Johnson never offered a plan for Wemby Monday, it stands to reason that his minutes will be dictated by the flow of the game. On Saturday, Wembanyama did not check-in until the start of the second quarter. He only played seven minutes in the first half, before tallying nearly 13.5 minutes in the second half. The Spurs were trailing by 11 before Wembanyama came in and were still trailing at the start of the third quarter. Should the Spurs struggle to keep pace with New York, it’s likely that Wembanyama’s minutes could increase as the game wears on.

Wembanyama’s on/off court splits

Wembanyama’s presence can be felt on the floor. This year, when Wembanyama is on the court, opponents are averaging 105.4 points per 100 possessions, compared to 120.6 when Wembanyama is on the bench.

The Spurs have managed a stellar 9-3 record without Wembanyama this year, but it’s obvious that the team would rather have the DPOY frontrunner manning the glass tomorrow.

Tyler Adams, a U.S. men’s national team midfield mainstay, sustained a knee injury Monday, Dec. 15 that could severely impact his availability heading into a World Cup year.

Adams, playing for Bournemouth in a Premier League match at Manchester United, got hurt in the second minute during a challenge with Matheus Cunha and exited the game.

After the contest ended in a 4-4 draw, Bournemouth coach Andoni Iraola said of Adams, ‘He’s the worst news from the game, definitely. The knee twisted, I think the MCL. We’ll have to check and see if it is a small sprain or bigger.

‘To lose a player like Tyler for us is massive, especially when you don’t have Lewis Cook (who is suspended). Alex (Scott) has to play in that holding midfield position, and he has done it really well, but it’s bad news for us because Tyler is massive for us.’

Adams, 26, was just days removed from being honored for scoring the Premier League’s goal of the month. He lobbed a shot from the center circle over the head of Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs and into the net in Bournemouth’s 3-2 road loss Nov. 29.

The tally was just Adams’ second in three seasons with Bournemouth and four seasons in the Premier League. He played for Leeds United in 2022-23.

Adams was the captain on the USMNT at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where the squad lost to the Netherlands in the round of 16. He has been in and out of the U.S. team in the current World Cup cycle due to injuries, but he is viewed as a near-lock to start in a holding midfield role if healthy next summer when the World Cup is played in North America.

The full U.S. team is next scheduled to assemble for friendlies against Belgium on March 28 and against Portugal on March 31, both in Atlanta. The USMNT kicks off World Cup play against Paraguay on June 12 at Inglewood, California.