ST. LOUIS — Heading into the 2026 U.S. figure skating championships, there existed the very real prospect that the United States would be selecting the greatest American skating team to ever compete at the Olympic Games. 

Coming out of the national championships, that potential was affirmed. Almost all of the top skaters did their jobs. The team is strong and deep, with medal favorites in four of the five events. The skaters aren’t just leaving the nationals, they are storming out of the place.

Now comes the hard part. In less than four weeks, the Milano Cortina Olympics begin. And there are some significant questions: Can Ilia Malinin continue to dominate the men’s competition and win a second consecutive American Olympic gold medal after Nathan Chen’s victory in 2022? 

Watch our exclusive conversation with Ilia Malinin in the debut episode of ourMilan Magic Olympics podcast. Subscribe and listen:Apple Podcasts |Spotify |Amazon

The answer is almost certainly yes. Then again, skating is a slippery sport and the pressure on the 21-year-old “Quad God” will be immense. Still, it’s Malinin’s event to lose.

Can the Americans do what they are expected to do and glide to a win in the team event, which kicks off the figure skating competition in Milan? It would be stunning if they did not.

Can ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates, seven-time national champions, finally win a medal in the event they have graced with their presence for years? The answer to that is yes, they almost certainly will, either gold or silver. 

And the women? The United States has selected its best women’s team in nearly a quarter century, since 2002. But gold, silver and even bronze are not guaranteed in a strong field of competitors from Japan and Russia. 

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If things go spectacularly well, the United States has a fighting chance to win four of the five gold medals that will be given out in Italy. The previous best performances for the Americans at the Olympics? Two golds each, all the way back at the 1956 and again at the 1960 Olympics (where there were only three Olympic figure skating events).

To be in this position, U.S. skaters had to come in on top of their game at the national championships, and by and large, they did.

“This past week has been American skating at its best,” U.S. Figure Skating CEO Matt Farrell said after everything ended Sunday afternoon. 

Nothing was more impressive than the way the top U.S. women skated. In the short program and again in the long, one after another performed flawlessly. They were talented and they were resilient. And they sent a message that the three-member U.S. women’s skating team truly is a team, not just a collection of individuals, which could play quite well in the pressure cooker of the Olympics.

With 26-year-old, three-time national champion Amber Glenn acting as the voice of reason for the group, and reigning world champion and two-time national champion Alysa Liu, 20, and 2023 national champion Isabeau Levito, 18, providing the laughs, they are setting themselves up for a very fun, even somewhat silly, six weeks. 

“I think we’re going to enjoy it together off the ice, on the ice, in practices, getting to the village together, trying on all the gear, it’s going to be a blast,” Liu said. 

Glenn quoted Liu on their camaraderie, a quality that can be rare even among national teammates in the competitive world of skating. “Something Alysa has been saying is, ‘Why is it so shocking that we’re being friendly, that we’re friends?’” 

Two-time Olympic medalist Nancy Kerrigan, speaking on the USA TODAY podcast Milan Magic, said the U.S. women’s prospects are better because of how close the trio is.

“Like, wow, look out everybody because they are fierce competitors,” Kerrigan said. “And I think some of it is just their camaraderie is incredible. They lift each other up.”

But nothing was more uplifting than the performance of 24-year-old Maxim Naumov, who lost his parents in the mid-air collision over Washington, D.C., nearly a year ago. After three consecutive fourth-place finishes at the nationals, he skated well enough under intense pressure to move up to third this year and make the U.S. Olympic team, instantly becoming the most emotional story of the Games. 

As excruciating as it is to think that he achieved the Olympic dream he and his parents shared without them, he said he knew exactly what they would be thinking:

“They’re saying, we’re proud of you, but the job’s not finished. We’re just getting started.”

Vic Schaefer is not a fan of Texas’ SEC schedule and the Longhorns coach made that abundantly clear after LSU handed his team their first loss of the season on Sunday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

‘They obviously have a vendetta against Texas because not only have we started in the league, and I get to play South Carolina twice last year, this year, I get LSU twice,’ Schaefer said.’I have to play South Carolina on the road this year, as well as LSU. I get them back-to-back in the same week. Now, make that make sense.

‘The league is hard enough as it is, but then to bless me, me and my group, with that, it really has a stench to it. … I’m really disappointed in the league for putting our kids in that position, but we play whoever’s in front of us.’

The Longhorns opened the SEC season with back-to-back home wins against No. 17 Ole Miss and unranked Auburn before traveling to Baton Rouge to play No. 12 LSU. Texas fell, 70-65, to head coach Kim Mulkey and the Tigers. Junior guard Mikaylah Williams had 20 points and was one of five players in double figures.

Longhorns forward Madison Booker had 24 points, while center Kyla Oldacre finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds. Senior guard Rori Harmon, who is usually nearly unstoppable when on the floor with Booker, tallied just two points in the contest and was benched during the fourth quarter.

‘They were tougher than us today. This was our worst performance of the year,’ Schaefer said.

Schaefer said playing in the SEC can be hard and asserted it’s ‘one monster after another.’ He says it’s what he signed up for, and he understands how tough it is after spending eight seasons as Mississippi State’s head coach. Still, he’s upset about the SEC schedule and revealed he’s waiting for someone from Texas to speak up about it.

‘Unless somebody from my university stands up and says, ‘Hey, what in the hell is going on here?’ nobody does anything, and that’s my frustration,’ Schaefer said.

‘It’s us against the world a lot of times, and we have to embrace that.’

Longtime Norwich City defender Rob Newman said Josh Sargent has gone from ‘hero to zero’ after his refusal to play in an FA Cup match against Walsall on Sunday, Jan. 11.

After Norwich won the game 5-1, head coach Philippe Clement said the American forward requested to sit out due to his desire to leave the club.

‘Josh sent me a message (Saturday) evening saying he would not be available because of transfer things in his head,’ Clement said.

The Athletic reported that Toronto FC has bid $18 million to land Sargent, who is pushing for the move to MLS.

But according to Clement, the Canaries have no intention of letting their star forward leave in January.

‘This is obviously not something we want and will have consequences,’ Clement said. ‘It is something we need to speak about inside the club, but the club has made it really clear to Josh and his agent that he will not be leaving during this transfer window.’

Sargent has scored double-digit league goals in the past three seasons, netting 56 times overall for the club since joining in 2021.

This season, the 25-year-old has scored seven times in the Championship.

Though Sargent has endeared himself to fans with his prolific form and his loyalty, rejecting a move to German side Wolfsburg over the summer, Newman said the forward is in danger of throwing away all of his goodwill.

‘You don’t do that, no matter how good a player you are, what an icon, a legend you are, you just don’t do that.

‘I’ve never met Josh Sargent, but anyone who has spoken to him says he’s the nicest guy in the world, so someone somewhere is advising him – and that is the worst piece of advice he will have received in his professional career.’

Minnesota’s Abbey Murphy was recently named to represent Team USA in Milan at the Winter Olympics.

The Minnesota forward showed the world why on Saturday with an incredible assist to teammate Bella Fanale to set up the Gophers’ second goal in 4-3 victory over Minnesota State.

Late in the first period, Murphy skated down the ice late and floated the puck in the air, through a Maverick defender’s legs and back to herself before dishing it to Fanale for a goal.

The play was described by the internet as sick, disgusting and just plain unfair.

Murphy has 50 total points in 22 games this season with 28 goals and 22 assists. The Gophers are 18-4 and on a six-game win streak.

Mississippi football and quarterback Trinidad Chambliss are still aiming for another year of eligibility, despite the NCAA denying their claim Jan. 9.

Chambliss’ lawyers plan to file suit against the NCAA in Mississippi state court for a preliminary injunction, per multiple reports. Chambliss’ attorney, Tom Mars, released a statement Jan. 11, noting Chambliss’ team anticipates filing the suit before the end of the week.

”We expect the lawsuit to be far more detailed and documented than other eligibility lawsuits that have been filed in the past year,’ Mars said in a statement. ‘Therefore, considerable work needs to be done before we’ll be prepared to seek an injunction that would allow Trinidad to play next season.’

Chambliss, a first-year Division I starter after transferring from Division II Ferris State, was hoping to receive a retroactive redshirt for the 2022 season, in which he didn’t appear in a game due to medical issues. He also redshirted in 2021, meaning he only appeared in games for three seasons from 2023-25.

Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said on social media the school would appeal the NCAA’s decision after Chambliss was denied the extra season.

The breakout star of the College Football Playoff, Chambliss passed for 362 yards and two touchdowns in Ole Miss’ upset win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. He threw for 277 yards and a touchdown in the Rebels’ narrow 31-27 defeat to Miami at the Fiesta Bowl.

Chambliss finished the 2025-26 season with 3,937 passing yards and 22 touchdowns to three interceptions, along with 527 rushing yards and eight scores. He was eighth in Heisman Trophy voting. Ole Miss has since added former Auburn 5-star quarterback Deuce Knight, who has four seasons of eligibility left, via the transfer portal.

Why was Trinidad Chambliss’ waiver denied by NCAA?

‘In November, Ole Miss filed a waiver request for football student-athlete Trinidad Chambliss, seeking to extend his five-year Division I eligibility clock, citing an incapacitating illness or injury,’ the NCAA wrote. ‘Approval requires schools to submit medical documentation provided by a treating physician at the time of a student’s incapacitating injury or illness, which was not provided. The documents provided by Ole Miss and the student’s prior school include a physician’s note from a December 2022 visit, which stated the student-athlete was “doing very well” since he was seen in August 2022. Additionally, the student-athlete’s prior school indicated it had no documentation on medical treatment, injury reports or medical conditions involving the student-athlete during that time frame and cited “developmental needs and our team’s competitive circumstances” as its reason the student-athlete did not play in the 2022-23 season. The waiver request was denied.

‘This decision aligns with consistent application of NCAA rules. So far this academic year, the NCAA has received 784 clock extension requests (438 in football). Of those, 25 cases cited an incapacitating injury (nine in football). The NCAA approved 15 of those (six in football), and all 15 provided medical documentation from the time of the injury. Conversely, all 10 that were denied (three in football) did not provide the required medical documentation.

‘To receive a clock extension, a student-athlete must have been denied two seasons of competition for reasons beyond the student’s or school’s control, and a “redshirt” year can be used only once. One of the rules being cited publicly (Bylaw 12.6.4.2.2) is not the correct rule for the type of waiver requested by the school. Ole Miss applied for the waiver in November, and the NCAA first provided a verbal denial Dec. 8.’

Injuries are always a fact of life for Americans Abroad, but players’ health becomes increasingly important as a World Cup approaches.

This week saw differing fortunes for a handful of players, with one major injury taking place and two other players coming back after spells on the sideline.

This week’s Five leads off with one particularly encouraging return after almost two years of injury hell.

Paredes back after injury nightmare

It has been an extremely rough 18 months for Kevin Paredes, but the Wolfsburg winger is finally back on the pitch.

Paredes made his first appearance of the season on Sunday, Jan. 11, coming on in the 77th minute as Wolfsburg was demolished 8-1 at the hands of Bayern Munich.

The Virginia native looked like a big part of the USMNT’s future during the 2023-24 campaign, as he made 28 Bundesliga appearances and scored three goals while still just 20 years old.

But Sunday’s game was just the third for Paredes since that season, as a foot injury limited him to only two appearances last season. After a setback in preseason, Paredes underwent surgery on the same troublesome foot in August.

Still only 22, time is on the winger’s side as he attempts to get his career back on track.

Pepi goes down — again

January has not been kind to Ricardo Pepi lately.

Last year, Pepi’s sensational season was ended by a severe knee injury in January. Twelve months later, the PSV striker once again suffered a serious injury that will keep him sidelined for a while.

This one was particularly gruesome, if not as damaging as last year’s. Pepi broke his forearm after scoring against Excelsior, a diagnosis that anyone with functioning eyes could have confirmed after seeing the state of his arm.

Pepi is set to miss two months, which is a major blow for PSV. The Texan has scored in five consecutive games and is the team’s only out-and-out striker.

When it comes to the U.S. men’s national team, Pepi seems to have dodged a bullet. With the U.S. not in action until late March, Pepi may not even miss a game if his recovery goes according to plan.

Richards returns for historic loss

The most important thing for Chris Richards is that he’s back on the field. But he wouldn’t have wanted to return like this.

Crystal Palace was on the wrong end of the biggest shock in FA Cup history – by league position anyhow – on Saturday, Jan. 10. Sixth-tier Macclesfield stunned Palace 2-1, knocking out the defending champion in the third round.

Richards played fairly well, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Eagles from losing to a team 117 places above them in the English pyramid.

Still, when Richards went off on a stretcher against Arsenal on Dec. 23, missing just four games seemed almost impossible to fathom. But that ended up being the absence for a player who will be crucial as Palace looks to right the ship in the weeks ahead.

Scally stars, Reyna peripheral

Joe Scally scored his first goal of the season on Sunday as Borussia Mönchengladbach hammered Augsburg 4-0 to kick off the second half of the season.

The defender turned in an excellent all-around display, earning a place on Kicker‘s team of the week.

Scally continues to be a fixture for Gladbach, which is up to 10th in the table after recovering from an awful 0W-3D-5L start.

Meanwhile, Gio Reyna only managed a five-minute cameo off the bench after he started three consecutive games prior to the Bundesliga’s winter break. According to ESPN Bundesliga commentator Derek Rae, Reyna looks to have a real fight on his hands for minutes.

Sargent sits, Norwich fumes

Josh Sargent may not be an American Abroad for much longer.

Amid reports of a bid from Toronto FC, the Norwich forward appears to be going on strike.

Sargent wasn’t in the squad for Norwich 5-1 FA Cup victory over Walsall on Sunday. According to Canaries coach Philippe Clement, that was at the striker’s request.

‘Josh sent me a message (Saturday) evening saying he would not be available because of transfer things in his head,’ Clement said.

But the coach made it clear that his side wouldn’t be pushed around so easily.

‘This is obviously not something we want and will have consequences. It is something we need to speak about inside the club, but the club has made it really clear to Josh and his agent that he will not be leaving during this transfer window.’

For a player already slipping out of the World Cup picture, a prolonged stand-off is the last thing he needs right now.

The New England Patriots defense put in a dominant performance against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Kyle Shanahan and Robert Saleh have helped the San Francisco 49ers navigate through a myriad of key injuries this season.
Nick Sirianni’s Philadelphia Eagles had a disappointing Super Bowl title defense this season.

Who says the NFL playoffs have to have a dull opening?

Sunday saw the Buffalo Bills prevail over the AFC South-champion Jacksonville Jaguars before the injury-riddled San Francisco 49ers outlasted the Philadelphia Eagles. To cap the night, the New England Patriots overwhelmed the Los Angeles Chargers, leaving only the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers to claim the last divisional-round spot on Monday.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from Sunday’s action:

Winners

Patriots defense

With New England hosting its first home playoff game in seven years, it was only appropriate that Mike Vrabel’s crew authored something of a throwback performance. The defense dictating terms hasn’t exactly been the Patriots’ calling card all season, but the unit coalesced and held the Chargers to just 207 total yards, a 1-for-10 mark on third downs and a 0-for-2 red-zone rate. And even though Milton Williams bloodied Vrabel, the coach probably won’t be bothered so long as the defensive tackle keeps turning in disruptive nights like this, as the marquee free-agent signing netted two sacks and helped stymie the Bolts’ rushing attack. Injuries to starting cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez (head) and Carlton Davis III (toe) bear watching for a group that will see the level of difficulty ratcheted up in the next round, but the bottom line was very encouraging for something of an unknown entity.

Drake Maye

No one will confuse his outing with that of fellow 2024 draft classmate Caleb Williams, whose scintillating fourth-quarter emergence powered the Bears’ rise over the Packers. But the Patriots quarterback also persevered through early challenges to find a late breakthrough. The second-year signal-caller completed 11 of his 14 attempts after halftime, including a beautiful 28-yard throw to tight end Hunter Henry for the game’s only touchdown. He also wisely took advantage of a weak spot in the Chargers defense by repeatedly scrambling for big gains, picking up 66 yards on the ground in total. It was hardly a spotless showing, but it was encouraging that Maye was able to keep his composure in his first postseason game.

Kyle Shanahan and Robert Saleh

There’s likely no better NFL award debate than the one for Coach of the Year, even if the MVP showdown might be more heated. And while there are plenty of legitimate choices, it’s difficult to argue that anyone overcame more than Shanahan, who weathered injury after injury to push the 49ers to the brink of home-field advantage in the NFC and now onto the divisional round. Of course, Shanahan’s ability to navigate major personnel losses on offenses was already apparent, with his attack ranking fourth in yards per game in 2024 despite a wave of injuries. He showcased his creativity again as San Francisco seized a fourth-quarter lead when receiver Jauan Jennings heaved a touchdown toss to running back Christian McCaffrey. But what put San Francisco over the top was the work that Saleh did to keep the defense together despite being without Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, among others. The group was by no means dominant against the Eagles, but it stepped up in key spots and overcame the complete lack of a pass rush to keep Philadelphia in check. It’s easy to see why so many franchises are eager to try to capture the Shanahan dynamic, and the ones with head-coaching vacancies this offseason would be wise to give an extensive look at a possible second chance for Saleh.

49ers’ surprise standouts

There were too many stellar performances from unlikely sources to single out any one key contributor from San Francisco. With top option Ricky Pearsall still sidelined, Demarcus Robinson paced the receiving corps with a game-high 111 receiving yards on six catches. Veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks, who only signed to the team’s practice squad in late November, played all 72 defensive snaps and had 10 tackles while also clinching the game with his fourth-down pass deflection. And the 49ers benefitted from stellar efforts from a number of less-heralded young defensive players, including rookie defensive backs Upton Stout and Marques Sigle.

NFC West

The division already stood alone in NFL history after becoming the first with three teams to clear 12 wins in the same season. Now, it has three representatives in the divisional round, thereby guaranteeing at least one berth in the NFC championship game. The foursome doesn’t command the same level of attention as some of its counterparts with more visible fan bases. But it’s readily evident that this group is without competition as the league’s most formidable collection of teams.

Quinyon Mitchell

Quite the weekend for the second-year Eagles cornerback. On Saturday, he was named an All-Pro after a regular-season run that saw him continue his ascent as one of the league’s top cover men. On Sunday, he nabbed two interceptions and forced a key fumble by Brock Purdy. As someone who isn’t often tested by quarterbacks due to how closely he sticks with receivers, Mitchell still has yet to record a regular-season interception, but he now has four in the postseason. Of course, the individual accomplishments are probably cold comfort for a hypercompetitive player who no doubt was disappointed to have his sterling campaign end so unceremoniously.

Josh Allen

The reigning MVP would have been subject to a lot of unfair narratives had the Bills come up short against the Jaguars. Instead, Allen will receive his proper due for a load-bearing performance that further differentiates the quarterback from even his most talented peers. In leading Buffalo to the franchise’s first road playoff win in 33 years, Allen was essentially flawless, completing 28 of 35 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown. He also frequently powered a ground game that couldn’t seem to get going against Jacksonville’s front. And he managed all this despite essentially becoming a one-man teaching hospital as he hurt his hand, took a blow to the head and wrenched his knee in the early going. After watching the quarterback shoulder a heavily disproportionate burden all season long, the offense pulled off an admirable role reversal when Allen was literally propelled by his teammates on a 10-yard tush push that set up the deciding score.

Tre’Davious White

The two-time cornerback was also a beloved figure in Buffalo for his myriad contributions in his initial seven-year run with the team. But the affinity for White among the Bills fan base should only grow after his outing Sunday. Other than allowing a 3-yard touchdown, White was without blemish in coverage and recorded a season-high three passes defensed, including the tip to safety Cole Bishop that secured the victory. His play helped set the tone for a surprising day from a shorthanded Buffalo defense that figured to be a vulnerability. It’s been some time since White, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in 2021 and a torn Achilles in 2023, has enjoyed this kind of showing. But his Buffalo return now will be remembered for more than his work to prepare first-round pick Maxwell Hairston, who missed the contest with an ankle injury suffered in the regular-season finale.

Parker Washington

The 2023 sixth-round draft pick was long an afterthought in the Jaguars’ receiving corps … until he wasn’t. Washington proved to be a vital piece in the aerial attack taking off in the second half of the season, wrapping the final three weeks with 19 catches for 347 yards. In his playoff debut, he posted more than half of Jacksonville’s receiving yardage output with 107, and his 12 targets were more than double what any other player earned. There’s plenty for Jacksonville to sort through at wideout with Travis Hunter coming back next season, but Washington seems nearly essential to ensuring Trevor Lawrence doesn’t drop off from his late surge.

Losers

Justin Herbert

This was the logical endpoint for a campaign in which the Chargers offense was derailed by bookend offensive tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt being lost for the season. Still, there was a distinct sense of discomfort that came with watching Herbert be repeatedly pummeled yet again to the tune of six sacks. Herbert’s 3.24-second average time to throw marked the third-longest of his career, according to Next Gen Stats, in what was perhaps a response to his receivers’ complete inability to separate. Why, then, weren’t there more schemed looks to get Ladd McConkey involved after the wideout served as the lone bright spot in last year’s playoff drumming by the Texans? Herbert still deserves some blame for being repeatedly off the mark and out of sorts in what might go down as his most worrisome display in the postseason, where he’s now 0-3. There’s plenty for the passer and Jim Harbaugh to unpack this offseason – offensive coordinator Greg Roman might not be back, if Harbaugh’s refusal to endorse him Sunday night was any indication of the team’s plans – as this group can’t simply count on better health up front to turn things around.

Nick Sirianni

Amid questions about the future of coordinator Kevin Patullo, the Eagles’ offense frequently misfired Sunday night not due to issues of play-calling but execution. That should still be mighty concerning to Sirianni, a big-picture coach who couldn’t seem to push any of the right buttons in his team’s disappointing Super Bowl defense this season. He stood in sharp contrast to Shanahan as a figure who couldn’t rally his group to overcome setbacks – not having Lane Johnson took a massive toll – and band together amid turmoil. Running it back simply isn’t an option, especially with as many moving pieces as there could be in free agency. Instead, Sirianni will have to take a full-scale audit of what went wrong with the offense and how the team can chart a new course in 2026 – even if it means more upheaval for Jalen Hurts, who hasn’t enjoyed any sense of play-calling consistency in his career.

A.J. Brown

George Kittle

More than anything, the 49ers needed a fresh start on the injury front after a calamitous run of personnel setbacks throughout 2025. Now, not even that looks likely for 2026. Kittle was carted off with an apparent torn Achilles, blowing a hole in San Francisco’s game plan for the day and prompting some uncomfortable questions for next fall. The 32-year-old has carved out a rare place as one of the most respected and well-liked figures in the NFL, blending an affable and fun-loving personality with a distinct determination on the field. But after missing six games this season with hamstring and ankle injuries and posting his fewest receiving yards (628) since his rookie year, the seven-time Pro Bowler is going to be hard-pressed to return to his previous form after such a significant setback. Yet as his absence Sunday reinforced, replacing him in either the short or long term will be exceedingly difficult.

Liam Coen

Not every first-year head coach gets to have the Ben Johnson experience. Coen was the catalyst for a historic turnaround that included a nine-win boost and an AFC South title. But Sunday wasn’t his finest hour as a play-caller, as he got away from a run game that found substantial early success working to the outside against the Bills, who had been gashed on the ground throughout the season. Travis Etienne Jr. and Bhayshul Tuten combined for 118 yards on just 14 carries, but the game plan skewed too heavily toward Lawrence despite the quarterback’s uneven results. The outlook in Jacksonville is as bright as it has been in nearly a decade, but there was a heavy price to pay for failing to seize on an opportunity to control the game and limit the defense’s exposure to Allen.

Greg Newsome

When the Jaguars flipped Tyson Campbell to the Cleveland Browns for Newsome ahead of the trade deadline in a rare player-for-player swap, some saw the deal as essentially a wash for the two franchises. Months later, the move sure looks a lot more lopsided. Campbell largely acquitted himself well in Cleveland, while Newsome ended up surrendering more yards (642) than all but nine players, according to Next Gen Stats. The coverage breakdowns continued against the Bills, with Newsome in the fourth quarter funneling Brandin Cooks to non-existent safety help, allowing for a 36-yard gain that would lead to the game-winning score. Set to become a free agent in the spring, Newsome could be one of the more confounding players on the open market.