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NBA postpones Lakers, Clippers games due to LA wildfires

The NBA on Friday postponed Saturday’s San Antonio Spurs-Los Angeles Lakers game in Los Angeles and the Charlotte Hornets-Los Angeles Clippers game in Inglewood, California, “due to the ongoing wildfires in the Los Angeles area,” the league announced in a news release.

“The NBA and the Clippers and Lakers organizations have been in communication with local officials in Los Angeles and Inglewood about the ongoing situation in the Los Angeles area and the game postponements ensure no resources will be diverted from the wildfire response efforts,” the league said.

The Lakers’ game scheduled for Thursday against Charlotte was also postponed.

The NBA and National Basketball Players Association announced they are donating $1 million to the American Red Cross, World Central Kitchen and other organizations “to support those affected by this disaster and are working with the Lakers and Clippers on ways to support longer term assistance and rebuilding efforts.”

“I was not prepared for what I saw,” Redick told reporters. “It’s complete devastation and destruction. I went through most of the village and it’s all gone. And I don’t think you can ever prepare yourself for something like that. Our home, our home is gone. And look, we were, we were renting for the year to try to figure out where we wanted to be long term. And everything we, we owned that was of any importance to us almost 20 years together as a couple and 10 years of parenting was in that house.’

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Deion Sanders says he will ‘intervene’ for son in NFL draft if needed

Colorado coach Deion Sanders issued another reminder that he will intervene if his quarterback son Shedeur is drafted by an NFL team he doesn’t like and said there are a “couple of teams that I won’t allow him to play for.”

Sanders said this on the Tamron Hall Show Friday as he promotes the new season of his “Coach Prime” documentary series after it debuted this week.

He did not say which teams he had in mind.

“Have you told him privately who you would like for him to play for?” Hall asked Sanders on the show.

“It’s not like that,” Sanders replied. “It’s not like who I would like for him to play for. It’s a couple of teams that I won’t allow him to play for. So it’s not like that. But this is my profession. I know what’s behind the curtain. We ain’t got to get back there for me to understand what’s behind the curtain and what’s not prominent for my son. I’m not doing it.”

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“And if he doesn’t listen to you?” Hall asked.

“Who?” Sanders replied, triggering an eruption of laughter from the studio audience. “Who? No, you must mean (NFL team) owners, not my son.”

Sanders made a similar warning about this previously, when he said that Shedeur could pull “an Eli” if he didn’t like the NFL team that drafted his son – a reference to when quarterback Eli Manning refused to play for the San Diego Chargers after being drafted by them in 2004.

This year, the Colorado quarterback is projected to be a top pick in the NFL draft in April.

The Tennessee Titans have the first pick, followed by the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants and New England Patriots. Shedeur Sanders said on his own podcast this week that he was “happy” with the draft order.

“Whatever happens happens,” he said. “I know at the end of the day God is gonna put me on the right team.”

Before he played in the Alamo Bowl against BYU on Dec. 28, a pair of Giants-colored cleats were photographed near Shedeur’s locker and shown on social media.

“He’s got some Tennessee cleats, too,” Sanders told Hall. “And some Raiders cleats. He got every color cleats.”

“You have said that if the right team does not pick him, that you will…” Hall said before Sanders finished her sentence.

“Intervene,” Sanders said.

He then stated his reason for it.

‘I’m not gonna let my son get down in no foolishness,’ he said.

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

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Politics

Biden admin slammed for ‘waiting’ to declare genocide in Sudan

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – The Biden Administration has been blasted by the incoming Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho., for ‘waiting’ until the outgoing President had only 13 days left in office before declaring rebel actions in Sudan, a country torn apart by 21 months of bitter war, to be ‘genocide.’

Earlier this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared that members of the Sudanese rebel group, the Rapid Support Forces or RSF, ‘have committed genocide in Sudan.’ 

In a statement, Blinken said, ‘The United States is committed to holding accountable those responsible for these atrocities. We are sanctioning RSF leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo Mousa, known as Hemedti, for his role in systematic atrocities committed against the Sudanese people.’

Blinken made his rulings, he stated, because ‘the RSF and RSF-aligned militias have continued to direct attacks against civilians, have systematically murdered men and boys—even infants—on an ethnic basis, and (have) deliberately targeted women and girls from certain ethnic groups for rape and other forms of brutal sexual violence.’

The Secretary continued, ‘Those same militias have targeted fleeing civilians, murdering innocent people escaping conflict, and prevented remaining civilians from accessing lifesaving supplies.’

Blinken added that the African nation is suffering through ‘a conflict of unmitigated brutality that has resulted in the world’s largest humanitarian catastrophe, leaving 638,000 Sudanese experiencing the worst famine in Sudan’s recent history, over 30 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, and tens of thousands dead.’

Risch has held out that the situation in Sudan has been catastrophic for well over a year, and called into question the timing of Blinken’s declaration. In a statement earlier this week, he wrote, ‘It has been nearly a year since I introduced a resolution calling the atrocities in Sudan what they are: a genocide. Additionally, I first called for Global Magnitsky sanctions to be imposed against the RSF and Hemedti 263 days ago – and yet these sanctions still have not been leveraged.’

Risch spoke to Fox News Digital, declaring, ‘The Biden Administration waited until it has less than two weeks in office to sanction RSF-affiliated companiesand Hemedti for their crimes and to call atrocities in Sudan a genocide.’

Risch said, ‘This neglect to address the crisis in Sudan weakened America’s influence in the region and the world years ago. If the Biden Administration backed its rhetoric with action, Sudan would be in a better position today, more lives would be saved, and the foreign proxies exacerbating this conflict would be kept at bay.’

Risch added, ‘This war must end. Further instability in Sudan will only breed terrorism and regional turmoil, threatening global security. The U.S. and our allies must seek to end the killing and atrocities, end the malign actions by proxies, manage migration pressures from mass displacement and protect strategic interests like the Red Sea corridor.’

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan, Thomas Perriello, said ‘Making an atrocity determination is an immense responsibility that the Secretary takes seriously.  Such determinations are based on a careful review of the facts and the law. It requires information not only of certain acts but also that those acts were done with the specific intent to destroy, in whole or in substantial part, a racial, ethnic, national, or religious group. Information demonstrating intent is often difficult to find and assess.’
 
‘Since the start of the conflict the United States has taken repeated action to promote accountability of the RSF for its atrocities conduct. The U.S. already had sanctioned five RSF leaders, including two of Hemedti’s brothers. We also determined in December 2023 that members of the RSF committed ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. So the designation of Hemedti and the genocide determination reflect a consistent effort to document and call out atrocities, acknowledge the suffering of victims and survivors, and pursue justice and accountability.’

In his declaration, Blinken announced new sanctions stating, ‘We are also sanctioning seven RSF-owned companies located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and one individual for their roles in procuring weapons for the RSF.’

The Treasury Department also sent out a statement, virtually simultaneously to the one from State, saying ‘the RSF’s ability to acquire military equipment and generate finances continue to fuel the conflict in Sudan.’ Treasury stated one particular company in the UAE, owned by a Sudanese national  ‘has provided money and weapons to the RSF.’  

Other UAE companies sanctioned this past week have been accused by the Treasury Department of handling financial transactions, of being ‘an essential part of the RSF’s efforts to finance its operations’, and of importing IT and security equipment .

One gold company in the UAE has been sanctioned because it has allegedly ‘purchased gold from Sudan, presumably for the benefit of the RSF, and subsequently transported it to Dubai.’ Additionally, Treasury claimed ‘the RSF’s procurement director and brother of RSF leader Hemedti maintained access to (the gold company’s) bank account in the UAE, which held millions of dollars.’

‘The United States continues to call for an end to this conflict that is putting innocent civilian lives in jeopardy,’ Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo stated. ‘The Treasury Department remains committed to using every tool available to hold accountable those responsible for violating the human rights of the Sudanese people.’

In response to Fox News Digital questions involving UAE registered companies an official from its foreign ministry fired back, stating. ‘The UAE’s primary focus in Sudan remains on addressing the catastrophic humanitarian crisis. We continue to call for an immediate cease-fire and a peaceful resolution to this man-made conflict. In this regard, the UAE has already made absolutely clear that it is not providing any support or supplies to either of two belligerent warring parties in Sudan.’

The official continued, ‘the UAE takes its role in protecting the integrity of the international financial system extremely seriously. We remain committed to combating financial crime globally, enhancing international cooperation and developing strategies to address emerging risks.’

Related Topics

Africa
State Department
Joe Biden
National Security
Senate on Foreign Policy

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Stocks

Week Ahead: NIFTY Steps Into Next Week With These Two Negative Technical Developments

The markets extended their decline over the past five sessions and ended the week on a negative note. While the week started on a bearish note, the Nifty violated a few key levels on higher and lower time frame charts. Along with the weak undercurrent, the trading range widened again as the Nifty moved in a 745-point range. The volatility spiked up, and India Vix surged 10.16% to 14.91 on a weekly basis. Following a thoroughly bearish undertone, the headline index closed with a net weekly loss of 573.25 points (-2.39%).

The week that has gone by has remained important from a technical perspective. The Nifty started the week by violating the 200-DMA placed at 23940 and has closed significantly below this crucial level. On the weekly charts, the Nifty has breached another critical level of 50-week MA, currently at 23659. In the process, the Nifty has dragged its resistance points lower; any technical rebound will find resistance at this point. It is important to note that the 50-week MA has been violated after three retests, and the breach of this level will have bearish considerations for the markets. Unless the Nifty crosses above this level again, it will stay vulnerable to a prolonged phase of weakness.

Monday is likely to see the Nifty beginning on a soft note; the levels of 23650 and 23880 are likely to act as resistance points. The supports come in at 23300 and 23050 levels.

The weekly RSI is 43.53; it has marked a new 14-period low, which is bearish. The RSI also shows a bearish divergence against the price. The weekly MACD is bearish and stays below the signal line. The widening Histogram hints at accelerated momentum on the downside.

The pattern analysis of the weekly chart shows Nifty completing a painful process of mean reversion by finding support at the 50-week MA in November. Since then, it has retested this level three times and has breached it by closing below this crucial level. The 50-week MA is placed at 23659; so long as the Index stays below this point, it remains vulnerable to an extended period of weakness in the near term.

Over the past week, the technical developments have created a strong resistance zone for the Nifty between 23650-24000 level. So long as the Index stays below this zone, it will likely trade with a weak undercurrent. Given the current technical setup, cutting down on leveraged exposures and keeping them at modest levels is extremely important. While initiating fresh exposures, staying in the stocks with strong or improving Relative Strength will be necessary as that would provide resilience to the investments. While staying highly selective, a highly cautious outlook is recommended for the coming week.

Sector Analysis for the coming week

In our look at Relative Rotation Graphs®, we compared various sectors against CNX500 (NIFTY 500 Index), which represents over 95% of the free float market cap of all the stocks listed.

Relative Rotation Graphs (RRG) show that Nifty Bank, Services Sector, Nifty Financial Services, and Nifty IT indices are inside the leading quadrant. Barring the Nifty IT index, all others are seen giving up on their relative momentum. The Nifty Midcap 100 has rolled inside the leading quadrant and may relatively outperform the broader markets.

The Nifty Pharma Index stays inside the weakening quadrant.

The Nifty Metal Index has rolled inside the lagging quadrant. Along with the Media, PSE, Energy, and Commodities, it is likely to underperform the broader markets relatively. The Infrastructure, Auto, FMCG, and Consumption Indices are in the lagging quadrant but are improving their relative momentum against the broader markets.

The Nifty Realty index is well placed inside the improving quadrant. The PSU Bank Index is also inside the improving quadrant, but it is seen paring its relative momentum against the broader markets.

Important Note: RRG™ charts show the relative strength and momentum of a group of stocks. In the above Chart, they show relative performance against NIFTY500 Index (Broader Markets) and should not be used directly as buy or sell signals.  

Milan Vaishnav, CMT, MSTA

Consulting Technical Analyst

www.EquityResearch.asia | www.ChartWizard.ae

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Business

Meta announces end of its DEI programs. Read the memo.

Meta on Friday told employees that its plans to end a number of internal programs designed to increase the company’s hiring of diverse candidates, the latest dramatic change ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s second White House term.

Janelle Gale, Meta’s vice president of people, made the announcement on the company’s Workplace internal communications forum.

Among the changes, Meta is ending the company’s “Diverse Slate Approach” of considering qualified candidates from underrepresented groups for its open roles. The company is also putting an end to its diversity supplier program and its equity and inclusion training programs. Gale also announced the disbanding of the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, team, and she said that Meta Chief Diversity Officer Maxine Williams will move into a new role focused on accessibility and engagement.

Several Meta employees responded to Gale’s post with comments criticizing the new policy.

“If you don’t stand by your principles when things get difficult, they aren’t values. They’re hobbies,” one employee posted in a comment that got reaction from more than 600 colleagues.

The DEI policy change follows a number of sweeping policy reversals by the social media company this month. Last week, Meta replaced global affairs head Nick Clegg with Joel Kaplan, a veteran at the company with longstanding ties to the Republican Party. On Tuesday, Zuckerberg announced a new speech policy that included bringing an end to the company’s third-party fact-checking program.

Axios was first to report the DEI changes at the social media company. Meta didn’t immediately provide a comment.

You can read Gale’s memo, which CNBC obtained, in full below:

Hi all,

I wanted to share some changes we’re making to our hiring, development, and procurement practices. Before getting into details, there is some important background to lay out:

The legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing. The Supreme Court of the United States has recently made decisions signaling a shift in how courts will approach DEI. It reaffirms long standing principles that discrimination should not be tolerated or promoted on the basis of inherent characteristics. The term “DEI” has also become charged, in part because it is understood by some as a practice that suggests preferential treatment of some groups over others.

At Meta, we have a principle of serving everyone. This can be achieved through cognitively diverse teams, with differences in knowledge, skills, political views, backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Such teams are better at innovating, solving complex problems and identifying new opportunities which ultimately helps us deliver on our ambition to build products that serve everyone. On top of that, we’ve always believed that no one should be given — or deprived — of opportunities because of protective characteristics, and that has not changed.

Given the shifting legal and policy landscape, we’re making the following changes:

On hiring, we will continue to source candidates from different backgrounds, but we will stop using the Diverse Slate Approach. This practice has always been subject to public debate and is currently being challenged. We believe there are other ways to build an industry leading workforce and leverage teams made up of world-class people from all types of backgrounds to build products that work for everyone.

We previously ended representation goals for women and ethnic minorities. Having goals can create the impression that decisions are being made based on race or gender. While this has never been our practice, we want to eliminate any impression of it.

We are sunsetting our supplier diversity effort within our broader supplier strategy. This effort focused on sourcing from diverse-owned businesses; going forward, we will focus our efforts on supporting small and medium sized businesses that power much of our economy. Opportunities will continue to be available to all qualified suppliers, including those who are part of the supplier diversity program.

Instead of equity and inclusion training programs, we will build programs that focus on how to apply fair and consistent practices that mitigate bias for all, no matter your background.

We will no longer have a team focused on DEI. Maxine Williams is taking on a new role at Meta focused on accessibility and engagement.

What remains the same are the principles we’ve used to guide our People Practices:

We serve everyone. We are committed to making our products accessible, beneficial and universally impactful for everyone.

We build the best teams with the most talented people. This means sourcing people from a range of candidate pools but never making hiring decisions based on protected characteristics, (e.g., race, gender, etc.). We will always evaluate people as individuals.

We drive consistency in employment practices to ensure fairness and objectivity for all. We do not provide preferential treatment, extra opportunities or unjustified credit to anyone based on protected characteristics. Nor will we devalue impact based on these characteristics.

We build connection and community. We support our employee communities, people who use our products and those in the communities. We operate our employee community groups (MRGs) continue to be open to all.

Meta has the privilege to serve billions of people every day. It is important to us that our products are accessible to all, and useful in promoting economic growth and opportunity around the world. We continue to be focused on serving everyone and building a multi-talented, industry-leading workforce from all walks of life.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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Tom Brady, Raiders desperate to win – everything else is negotiable

Don’t let the smile and self-deprecation fool you. Tom Brady is, was and always will be a cut-throat competitor, and no one should be surprised by his willingness to flout the conflicts of interest between his two jobs the first chance he got.

Brady did not become a part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders solely to bolster his investment portfolio. Nor did Mark Davis recruit the seven-time Super Bowl champion to sit quietly while the Raiders bumble from one season to the next. Brady and Davis want to win, and the surest way to do that is for Brady to play an active role in the Raiders’ front office.

He’s going to be part of a “collaborative committee” that interviews head coaching candidates, Adam Schefter reported earlier this week, citing unnamed league sources. No doubt the prospective general managers, too.

If that conflicts with Brady’s day job as a Fox broadcaster, and it very much does, that’s not his problem. He’s going to exploit any advantage he can, optics be damned.

Neither Davis nor Brady have said anything publicly this week, and the statements the team released after coach Antonio Pierce was fired Tuesday and then after general manager Tom Telesco was dismissed Thursday were not attributed to anyone. Make no mistake, however. Brady’s fingerprints are all over this transition.

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Even with the Raiders’ 4-13 record, there were arguments for keeping Pierce and Telesco for another season. Pierce, in his first full season, did a decent job with what little he had while Telesco had the foresight to draft Brock Bowers, one of the bright spots in the entire Raiders lineup.

But Davis, who tried to lure the future Hall of Famer to play for the Raiders after he left New England, has made it clear he prizes Brady’s opinion and plans to make use of his advice, and the housecleaning feels like a reset to allow the team to move forward with Brady’s own guys. That, or Las Vegas already has someone very specific in mind for one or both of the roles. Brady’s old teammate Mike Vrabel, perhaps? Or his longtime coach, Bill Belichick?

All of which would be fine. You can quibble with the way the Raiders handled the firings — the only thing colder than canning Pierce a day after allowing him to do a season-ending news conference was the way Telesco was strung along for four days before getting his walking papers — but it’s Davis’ and Brady’s team and they can make decisions however, and whenever, they want.

The problem is that Brady the part-owner will be interviewing candidates and trying to sell them on the Raiders at the same time Brady the broadcaster will be evaluating some of them during a nationally televised game. Will his praise, or criticism, be what he really thinks as Fox’s No. 1 analyst? Or will it be as a part-owner who is hoping to curry favor with one of the Raiders’ preferred candidates? Or to create a smoke screen that will make other teams think twice about someone the Raiders’ want?

These are no longer the hypotheticals that concerned other owners about Brady’s dual role as a broadcaster and owner. Fox will air the NFC playoff games, and Las Vegas has already asked permission to interview the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, and their defensive coordinator, Aaron Glenn.

Also among the handful of candidates the Raiders are reportedly pursuing is Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. The Chiefs are an AFC team, but guess which broadcaster has the Super Bowl this year? Yep, Fox!

These might not seem like significant conflicts, but that’s not the point. Part of the NFL’s success rests on fans being able to trust the product. It’s why the league is such a stickler about players and coaches gambling. (A hypocritical stickler, but a stickler nonetheless.) It’s why the league wigs out when the criticism of referees rises above typical fan grumbling.

To have the opinions of one of the NFL’s highest-profile analysts, and the motivations behind them, be open to question is a bad look. For all involved.

It also should probably make Fox question Brady’s commitment to the job he’s being paid $37.5 million a year to do, but that’s the network’s headache.

This should give Brady pause, but he’s never let moral conflicts get in the way of what he wants. This, remember, is a guy who served a four-game suspension for Deflategate. He’s always denied wrongdoing, but the destruction of his cell phone, and the timing of it, was awfully convenient. As the Patriots quarterback, he was the one who stood to benefit most from Belichick’s sign-stealing caper.

And Brady was happy to throw his support behind then-candidate Donald Trump when he thought it wouldn’t matter, only to clam up once it did.

Brady is accustomed to setting the bar in his profession. But even if he becomes a successful broadcaster, it won’t matter. Joe Theismann and Troy Aikman cornered that market long ago.

But if he can turn around the woeful Raiders, who’ve only made the playoffs twice since their last Super Bowl appearance in 2002 and run through coaches and GMs like single-use plastic? Now that would be an impressive accomplishment, something few other former stars have done.

So Brady will do what it takes, even if he has to bend a few norms along the way. As legendary Raiders owner Al Davis used to say, Just win, baby.

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

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Zion sits again as Pelicans suspend him for violation of team rules

The New Orleans Pelicans suspended forward Zion Williamson one game for a “violation of team policies,” executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin announced in a news release Friday.

Williamson will miss Friday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

“This one game suspension is a result of failing to meet our team standards,” Griffin said in a statement. “His dedication to this organization is of paramount significance to us and to him. He has taken accountability for his actions and reaffirmed that commitment to the team today. I’m confident he will continue to evolve positively on and off the floor.”

Williamson was late to the team’s flight to Philadelphia on Thursday, according to ESPN.

“I take full responsibility for this suspension,” Williamson said in a statement, “I’ve worked extremely hard in rehab to get healthy to deliver for this team. There is no excuse for being late to team activities. I have apologized to [Pelicans president] Mrs. [Gayle] Benson and my teammates and coaches and I also owe an apology to the fans. I can and will be better as a teammate and member of this organization.”

All things Pelicans: Latest New Orleans Pelicans news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Williamson, who is among the prominent players who could be traded before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, has played in just seven games this season due to a hamstring injury and just returned from a two-month absence Tuesday, scoring 22 points in a loss to Minnesota.

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Northwestern women’s basketball cancels Los Angeles trip due to wildfires

The UCLA and USC women’s basketball teams will not host Northwestern this upcoming week as a result of the multiple wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area.

There have been at least 11 reported deaths and 10,000 structures destroyed by the fires. While there has been no immediate threat to the campus by the fires, the Wildcats decided not to travel west for the two-game road trip.

The Wildcats were scheduled to play against the Bruins on Sunday, Jan. 12 and the Trojans on Wednesday, Jan. 15 in Big Ten Conference action. The conference is working with the programs to reschedule the games for a later date.

UCLA (16-0, 5-0 Big Ten) has been the No. 1 ranked team in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll since Dec. 3. USC (15-1, 6-0 Big Ten) sits sixth in this week’s poll and was ranked as high as third earlier this season. Northwestern (7-9, 0-5 Big Ten) is unranked.

When is UCLA women’s basketball’s next game?

When is USC women’s basketball’s next game?

When is Northwestern women’s basketball’s next game?

With the postponement of their Los Angeles trip, Melannie Daley and the Wildcats will host Minnesota on Jan. 19 at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois at 3 p.m. ET.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Sports

Cotton Bowl updates: Ohio State-Texas CFP final score, highlights

Both spots in the College Football Playoff national championship have been secured.

No. 5 Texas and No. 8 Ohio State clashed in the CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal on Friday to determine who will meet No. 7 Notre Dame in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. At the end of a hard-fought four quarters, the Buckeyes emerged victorious and in position to win their first national championship in a decade.

Watch Ohio State vs. Texas in CFP semifinal live with Fubo (free trial)

In a game where freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was largely a non-factor vs. the Longhorns, multiple players stepped up in the Cotton Bowl. Quarterback Will Howard completed 24 of 33 passes for 289 yards and one touchdown to one interception, while running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins 15 rushes, 78 yards and two touchdowns from Judkins. Henderson also had a go-ahead 75-yard touchdown reception right before the end of the second quarter.

But perhaps no player had a bigger impact than Jack Sawyer, whose strip-sack and fumble recovery for touchdown all but iced the game for the Buckeyes after they allowed the Longhorns to go all the way down to the 1-yard line with a chance to tie the game late.

With that, follow along for scores, updates and highlights of Friday’s CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal between Ohio State and Texas:

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Ohio State vs Texas score updates

This section has been updated

Ohio State vs Texas Cotton Bowl updates

This section has been updated with new information

Final: Ohio State 28, Texas 14

Ohio State heading to the CFP championship

That’ll do it: The Buckeyes win the Cotton Bowl and will advance to the CFP championship game in Atlanta, where Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman await.

Caleb Downs INT ices Cotton Bowl

The game isn’t over quite yet, but a Caleb Downs interception of Quinn Ewers has essentially iced this game with less than two minutes to play.

Jack Sawyer scoop-and-score gives Ohio State two-score lead

When Ohio State needed it most, Jack Sawyer made a massive defensive play. He strip-sacks quarterback Quinn Ewers on fourth-and-goal from the Ohio State 8-yard line, then scoops the fumble and takes it 83 yards to the house to give Ohio State what appears to be an insurmountable lead with 2:13 left in this Cotton Bowl semifinal.

Ohio State retakes lead

The Buckeyes strike for the first time in the second half. Quinshon Judkins powers himself through the goal line from the 1-yard line to give Ohio State the 21-14 lead, with 7:02 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Big play of the drive came on fourth-and-2 at Texas’ 34-yard line when Will Howard picked up 18 yards on the quarterback keeper.

It is a 13-play drive for 88 yards for Ohio State and takes 7:45 off the game clock.

Will Howard makes big play for Ohio State

What a play! Facing a big fourth-and-2 at Texas’ 34-yard line, Will Howard keeps it and breaks off up the middle of the field for an 18-yard gain. Ohio State in the red zone for the first time in the second half.

Will Howard converts big third down

Ohio State makes a much-needed play on third-and-8, as Will Howard finds Carnell Tate for 18 yards on the run. The Buckeyes are knocking on the Longhorns’ side of the field for the first time in the second half.

Texas moving to start fourth quarter

The Longhorns face a third-and-5 to open up the fourth quarter after a 2-yard loss on a carry from Quintrevion Wisner on second down.

End of third quarter: Ohio State 14, Texas 14

Ohio State punts again

What a turn of events. Texas sends four rushers on Will Howard on third-and-15, and Longhorns’ linebacker Colin Simmons breaks up Howard’s pass intended for TreVeyon Henderson. Ohio State is forced to punt for the second consecutive drive.

All momentum right now is on Texas. Ohio State star freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is also nowhere to be found, as Howard has only thrown to him three times.

Texas ties game with touchdown

If it works, why change it? That seems to be the mindset for Texas and Steve Sarkisian, who dials up the same play call as he did at the end of the first half for a touchdown.

Facing a third-and-7, Quinn Ewers takes advantage of Ohio State leaving Jaydon Blue open along the left sideline of the field for a 26-yard touchdown pass on the wheel route. It is the second score of the night for the Longhorns running back.

A really good and balanced drive for Ewers: 5 of 7 passing for 58 yards and four third-down conversions. Texas evens the score at 14-14 with 3:12 remaining in the third quarter.

Quinn Ewers with impressive play

How did he do that? Just as the pocket collapsed and his knee went down to the ground, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers gets the ball out to Quintrevion Wisner for a 14-yard flip and catch. A great improvised play by Ewers, who avoids his fourth sack of the night.

Texas picks off Will Howard, punts

An untimely forced pass from Will Howard on first-and-10 at the Texas 48-yard line is intercepted by Texas’ David Gbenda. Howard tried to get Ohio State star freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith involved, after Smith had just one catch on two targets in the first quarter.

Texas, however, is unable to capitalize on the turnover, as it punts the ball back to Ohio State after four plays.

End of first half: Ohio State 14, Texas 7

Ohio State leads Texas at halftime

Thanks to a one-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, Ohio State takes a 14-7 lead into halftime at the 2025 Cotton Bowl against Texas.

Ohio State will start the second half with the ball.

Here’s a breakdown of the stats from the first half:

Total offense: Ohio State 236, Texas 177
Total rushing yards: Texas 44, Ohio State 36
Total passing yards: Ohio State 200, Texas 133
First downs: Texas 10, Ohio State 9
Third down conversions: Ohio State 2 of 6, Texas 1 of 7

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard completed 14 of 19 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown in the first half. Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers completed 10 of 20 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.

Ohio State retakes lead

Ohio State quickly responds with a 75-yard touchdown on a screen pass from Will Howard to TreVeyon Henderson.

Quite the statement by the Buckeyes, who are 13 seconds away from walking into the locker room with a 14-7 lead. Ohio State gets the ball to start the second half as well.

Texas ties game with touchdown

Texas has life, and it’s a tied game!

On first-and-10 at the Ohio State 18-yard line, Quinn Ewers throws an absolute dot to running back Jaydon Blue for a wide-open, 18-yard touchdown. Great play call from Steve Sarkisian.

Arch Manning converts fourth down for Texas

After review, Quinn Ewers is short of the first down, giving Texas a fourth-and-1 at the Ohio State 49-yard line. Steve Sarkisian sends out Longhorns backup quarterback Arch Manning for the play, and he picks up the first down on an 8-yard quarterback keeper to the right side.

Manning nearly fumbled the ball, but officials ruled him down before the ball came out — disaster avoided for the Longhorns. First-and-10 at the Ohio State 42-yard line coming up for Texas, who trails 7-0 with 39 seconds remaining.

Texas has ball at two-minute timeout

The Longhorns’ defense picks Isaiah Bond up with a three-and-out, giving the ball back to Quinn Ewers and Co. at the two-minute timeout. Big play of the series for Texas came on third-and-10, when Barryn Sorrell and Anthony Hill Jr. recorded a combo sack on Ohio State quarterback Will Howard.

Texas’ Isaiah Bond drops ball for first down

Quinn Ewers throws a near perfect throw to wide receiver Isaiah Bond on third-and-5, but Bond drops the ball, as he attempted to jump in the air to make the catch. If Bond had made the catch, Texas would have extended its drive and close into Ohio State territory. Instead, the Longhorns punt the ball back to the Buckeyes.

Ohio State punts again

Self-inflicted penalties continue to set back Ohio State on offense, and ultimately force the Buckeyes to punt for the third consecutive drive.

Facing a third-and-18, Will Howard threw a 15-yard pass to Carnell Tate to the left sideline, but Tate was a few yards short of the first down.

ESPN’s telecast showed Ryan Day frustrated on the Buckeyes sideline at several parts of their last drive. Buckeyes’ penalties keeping Longhorns in the game, only down 7-0 with under seven minutes remaining in the second quarter.

Ohio State Will Howard has a contusion on his left (non-throwing) hand

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard has a giant knot on his non-throwing hand, as shown on ESPN’s telecast. ESPN’s Holly Rowe reported that Ohio State’s medical staff is not sure when it happened and that Howard is not complaining about it or receiving treatment.

Texas’ Matthew Golden heads to locker room

Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden heads to the locker room after a brief trip to the medical tent.

ESPN’s Laura Rutledge reported that Texas’ training staff was looking at his ankle on the sideline before heading to the locker room. Golden was hit with a facemask penalty on second-and-11 on Texas’ last drive.

Quinn Ewers sacked, Texas punts again

Ohio State once again sends six defensive players on third-and-11 at Quinn Ewers, and the Buckeyes immediately sack the Longhorns quarterback for a loss of 10 yards. The Buckeyes looked to have had an opportunity for their first turnover of the night, as Sonny Styles stripped the ball out of Ewers’ hand but the Longhorns recovered.

Ohio State will start at its 34-yard line with a first-and-10 after a 51-yard punt.

Texas recovers fumble on punt return

Texas avoids disaster on a punt return, as the ball bounces back into the hands of Silas Bolden after initially falling out. Longhorns will start at their own 25-yard line, trailing Ohio State 7-0 at the start of the second quarter.

End of first quarter: Ohio State 7, Texas 0

Ohio State sacks Quinn Ewers

Texas’ slow start continues, as the Longhorns are forced to punt on their second drive of the night.

Facing a third-and-12, Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles dials up the blitz and continues to attack Texas’ offensive line. Knowles’ call leads to a 4-yard sack on Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, the second of the night

Ohio State takes over at its 8-yard line after a 40-yard punt, leading 7-0 with 4:19 remaining in the first quarter.

Ohio State takes lead with touchdown

Quinshon Judkins bulldozes his way through the Texas defense into the end zone for the first points of the night. It is the 11th rushing touchdown of the season for the Buckeyes running back.

A great opening drive and start by Ryan Day and Ohio State: 10 plays for 64 yards and 2-for-2 on third downs conversions. Buckeyes lead 7-0 with 7:24 remaining in the first quarter.

Texas turns it over on downs

Steve Sarkisian’s decision to go for it on fourth-and-3 at the Ohio State 36-yard line comes to backfire on him, as Quinn Ewers’ pass intended for DeAndre Moore Jr. falls short.

A big early spot for Ohio State’s defense, who gives the ball to Will Howard and the Buckeyes’ offense for the first time tonight.

Matthew Golden with big catch for Texas

Stay hot Matthew Golden! The Longhorns wide receiver comes up with an impressive one-handed catch on the slant route to pick up the first down for Texas on third-and-2. 

Pregame

Ohio State wins coin toss

The Buckeyes win the coin toss and elect to defer the kickoff to the second half. It will be Quinn Ewers and Texas’ offense up first in the 2025 Cotton Bowl!

Matthew McConaughey in attendance at Cotton Bowl

After missing the Peach Bowl, Texas’ Minster of Culture Matthew McConaughey is back on the sidelines rooting on the Longhorns in their CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal.

AT&T Stadium packed for Cotton Bowl

We’re just a few minutes away from kickoff at the Cotton Bowl between Texas and Ohio State. AT&T Stadium looks rather packed and evenly split between the fan bases, despite the proximity to Texas’ campus and the winter weather that hit the Dallas-Forth Worth area throughout the week.

Did Quinn Ewers play at Ohio State?

‘I don’t regret any decision I’ve made on going,’ Ewers told reporters ahead of the Cotton Bowl. ‘… The reason I came back to Texas was one, to be closer to where I’m from, and just closer to the resources that I have and the relationships that I’ve built over time just being from Texas.’

Who would Ohio State or Texas play in CFP championship?

The winner of Friday’s Cotton Bowl between No. 5 Texas and No. 8 Ohio State will play No. 7 Notre Dame in the CFP championship game on Monday, Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Notre Dame upset No. 6 Penn State 27-24 in the Orange Bowl on Thursday night thanks to the leg of Irish kicker Mitch Jeter, who hit a 41-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. The Irish scored 27 unanswered points after being in an early 10-0 deficit to the Nittany Lions.

Ohio State arrives at Cotton Bowl

Will Howard and the Buckeyes have arrived at AT&T Stadium for Friday night’s CFP semifinal showdown with No. 5 Texas. Howard comes into Friday’s Cotton Bowl in search of his first career win against Texas, as he was 0-3 against the Longhorns during his career at Kansas State.

Ryan Wingo starting over Isaiah Bond in Texas’ Cotton Bowl depth chart

As noted by Inside Texas on X (formerly Twitter), Longhorns true freshman wide receiver Ryan Wingo was listed in front of Isaiah Bond at the X position in Texas’ depth chart that was handed out in the AT&T Stadium press box.

Wingo had two catches for 33 receiving yards in Texas’ Peach Bowl win over Arizona State.

Steve Sarkisian, Texas has arrived at Cotton Bowl

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian walks out of the tunnel at AT&T Stadium for his pregame on-the-field walk.

Fans have entered Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium

According to ESPN’s Paul Finebaum, the doors have opened for fans to enter AT&T Stadium for Friday’s CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal. Kickoff between Texas and Ohio State is less than two hours away!

Texas Cotton Bowl record

Texas is making its 23rd Cotton Bowl appearance on Friday, which ranks for the most Cotton Bowl appearances by one program, and first since 2003. The Longhorns are 11-10-1 all-time in the Cotton Bowl.

Here’s a look at past scores from the Longhorns’ last 10 Cotton Bowl appearances:

1972: Penn State 30, Texas 6
1973: Texas 17, Alabama 13
1974: Nebraska 19, Texas 3
1978: Notre Dame 38, Texas 10
1982: Texas 14, Alabama 12
1984: Georgia 10, Texas 9
1991: Miami 46, Texas 3
1999: Texas 38, Mississippi State 11
2000: Texas 27, Arkansas 7
2003: Texas 35, LSU 20

Ohio State Cotton Bowl record

Ohio State is making back-to-back appearances in the Cotton Bowl, as the Buckeyes appeared in the New Year’s Six bowl in the 2023 season vs. Missouri. The Buckeyes bring a 2-1 record at the Cotton Bowl into Friday’s CFP semifinal.

Here’s a game-by-game breakdown of how the Buckeyes have fared in past Cotton Bowls:

Jan. 1, 1987: Ohio State 28, Texas 12
Dec. 29, 2017: Ohio State 24, USC 7
Dec. 29, 2023: Missouri 14, Ohio State 3

Cotton Bowl traffic amid winter storm

The snow has appeared to calm down in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The Arlington Police Department made an announcement on X (formerly Twitter) encouraging those attending the Cotton Bowl to drive safe and watch out for ice. Kickoff is officially slated for 7:45 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium.

Ohio State vs Texas time today

Date: Friday, Jan. 10
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)

The Buckeyes and Longhorns will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 10 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in the College Football Playoff Cotton Bowl semifinal.

What channel is Ohio State vs Texas game on today?

TV channel: ESPN
Streaming options: ESPN app | Fubo (free trial)

ESPN will broadcast Friday’s College Football Playoff Cotton Bowl semifinal between Ohio State and Texas. Streaming options include the ESPN app (with a TV login), and Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will have the call from the booth at AT&T Stadium, with Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge both reporting from the sidelines.

Ohio State vs Texas history

Series record: Texas leads 2-1
Ohio State’s last win: 2006 (24-7)
Texas’ last win: 2009 (24-21)

Friday’s meeting between Ohio State and Texas will be the fourth all-time meeting between both programs, and the first since the 2009 Fiesta Bowl. The Longhorns lead the all-time series against the Buckeyes 2-1.

Ohio State vs Texas predictions

Here’s a look at some predictions for Friday’s CFP semifinal between Ohio State and Texas:

Bill Rabinowitz, The Dispatch: Ohio State 35, Texas 28
Joey Kaufman, The Dispatch: Ohio State 27, Texas 21
Rob Oller, The Dispatch: Texas 27, Ohio State 21
Danny Davis, Austin American-Statesman: Texas wins
David Eckert, Austin American-Statesman: Ohio State 31, Texas 24
Caleb Yum, Austin American-Statesman: Ohio State 37, Texas 35

Ohio State vs Texas betting odds

Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Friday, Jan. 1

Spread: Ohio State -6
Over/under: 53.5
Moneyline: Ohio State (-250) | Texas (+195)

Ohio State vs Texas injury updates

This section will be updated.

Ohio State vs Texas weather update

According to forecasts from The Weather Channel, it is expected to be 36 degrees and cloudy at 7 p.m. ET on Friday in Arlington, Texas — which is certainly warmer than it has been in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in recent days. Snow showers in the area are expected to end at 3 a.m. ET.

However, the weather won’t have any impact on the game itself since AT&T Stadium is a full enclosed stadium.

Ohio State football schedule 2024

Here’s a look at Ohio State’s schedule in 2024, including past scores and results:

Saturday, Aug. 31: vs. Akron (W, 52-6)
Saturday, Sept. 7: vs. Western Michigan (W, 56-0)
Saturday, Sept. 14: BYE
Saturday, Sept. 21: vs. Marshall (W, 49-14)
Thursday, Sept. 26: at Michigan State* (W, 38-7)
Saturday, Oct. 5: vs. Iowa* (W, 35-7)
Saturday, Oct. 12: at No. 3 Oregon* (L, 32-31)
Saturday, Oct. 19: BYE
Saturday, Oct. 26: vs. Nebraska* (W, 21-17)
Saturday, Nov. 2: at No. 3 Penn State* (W, 20-13)
Saturday, Nov. 9: vs. Purdue* (W, 45-0)
Saturday, Nov. 16: at Northwestern* (W, 31-7)
Saturday, Nov. 23: vs. No. 5 Indiana (W, 38-15)
Saturday, Nov. 30: vs. Michigan* (L, 13-10)
Saturday, Dec. 21: vs. No. 8 Tennessee, CFP first-round (W, 42-17)**
Wednesday, Jan. 1: vs. No. 1 Oregon, CFP Rose Bowl quarterfinal (W, 41-21)**
Friday, Jan. 10: vs. No. 5 Texas (CFP Cotton Bowl semifinal)**
Record: 12-2, 7-2 Big Ten

* Denotes Big Ten game

** Denotes CFP ranking

Texas football schedule 2024

Here’s a look at Texas’ schedule in 2024, including past scores and results:

Saturday, Aug. 31: vs. Colorado State (W, 52-0)
Saturday, Sept. 7: at No. 10 Michigan (W, 31-12)
Saturday, Sept. 14: vs. UTSA (W, 56-7)
Saturday, Sept. 21: vs. Louisiana-Monroe Monroe (W, 51-3)
Saturday, Sept. 28: vs. Mississippi State * (W, 35-13)
Saturday, Oct. 5: BYE
Saturday, Oct. 12: vs. No. 18 Oklahoma * (W, 34-3)
Saturday, Oct. 19: vs. No. 5 Georgia * (L, 30-15)
Saturday, Oct. 26: at No. 25 Vanderbilt * (W, 27-24)
Saturday, Nov. 2: BYE
Saturday, Nov. 9: vs. Florida (W, 49-17)
Saturday, Nov. 16: at Arkansas * (W, 20-10)
Saturday, Nov. 23: vs. Kentucky * (W, 31-14)
Saturday, Nov. 30: at No. 20 Texas A&M * (W, 17-7)
Saturday Dec. 7: vs. No. 5 Georgia, SEC championship game (L, 22-19 OT)
Saturday, Dec. 21: vs. No. 12 Clemson, CFP first-round (W, 38-24) **
Saturday, Jan. 1: vs. No. 4 Arizona State, CFP quarterfinals (W, 39-31 2OT) **
Friday, Jan. 10: vs. No. 8 Ohio State (CFP semifinals) **

* Denotes Big Ten game

** Denotes CFP ranking

College Football Playoff news

Here’s a few pregame reads surrounding the College Football Playoffs:

Ohio State, you’re the College Football Playoff favorite now. Deal with it.
SEC and its Dear Leader should accept reality: League no longer rules college football
How Nick Saban went from Darth Vader at Alabama to college football’s favorite uncle with ESPN
James Franklin or Marcus Freeman will be first Black head coach in FBS championship
Big Ten, SEC headline college football bowl season’s winners and losers

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Arch Manning family: How is Texas QB related to Peyton Manning?

ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas quarterback Arch Manning entered the Cotton Bowl on Friday on fourth-and-1 in the second quarter against Ohio State on Friday, and the crowd went wild.

The familiar last name helps.

Is Arch Manning part of the Manning lineage of successful NFL quarterbacks? Here’s everything to know about his family relations:

How is Arch Manning related to Peyton Manning?

Peyton Manning is Arch Manning’s uncle; Cooper Manning, Arch’s father, is Peyton’s older brother.

Peyton Manning, a two-time Super Bowl winner, is considered one of the best college football and NFL quarterbacks ever after playing for the Tennessee Volunteers in college and Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos in the NFL.

How is Arch Manning related to Eli Manning?

Eli Manning is also Arch Manning’s uncle, as Eli is the younger brother of Cooper and Peyton. Eli Manning is also a two-time Super Bowl winner, having played his entire NFL career with the New York Giants after finishing his college career at Ole Miss.

Who is Arch Manning’s dad?

Arch Manning’s dad is Cooper Manning, who is the older brother to NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning.

Cooper Manning was the only player in his family — including father Archie Manning — to not play in the NFL. A highly recruited receiver out of high school who committed to Ole Miss, Cooper Manning was diagnosed with spinal stenosis, ending his playing career.

Who is Cooper Manning?

Cooper Manning is Arch Manning’s dad, and the older brother of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning.

Cooper never made it to the NFL, as he suffered a career-ending spine injury before he was able to take the field at Ole Miss. Unlike his brothers and his dad, Archie, who played primarily for the New Orleans Saints, he didn’t play quarterback, as he was a receiver in high school.

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