The United States’ three-peat bid had a setback as it lost for the first time at the world junior hockey championship.

The USA was unable to handle Sweden’s speed or special teams in a tough second period and lost 6-3 on Wednesday, Dec. 31. As a result, Sweden won Group A and will face Latvia in Friday’s quarterfinal. The USA will have a tougher opponent in Finland or Czechia.

Coach Bob Motzko went with 17-year-old Brady Knowling in net and he looked good in allowing only one Sweden goal in the first period. The second period was a different story as Sweden capitalized on chances off the rush.

Eddie Genborg had two power play goals and Lucas Pettersson also scored twice, once while short-handed, for a 5-1 lead.

Notre Dame’s Nick Kempf replaced Knowling in net at the start of the third period and could end up being the USA goalie for the quarterfinal.

The USA got goals from Chase Reid, Will Zellers and Teddy Stiga to pull within 5-3. But potential top draft pick Ivan Stenberg scored on a two-man advantage for a 6-3 lead.

“We have to clean up the turnovers and that’s something we’ll focus on as we get set for our quarterfinal game,’ Motzko said.

The USA, which had beaten Germany, Switzerland and Slovakia earlier in the tournament, were playing without top defenseman Cole Hutson. He’s day-to-day after being hit by a puck and leaving the ice on a stretcher in the Switzerland game. Injured Max Plante also missed the game and is day-to-day.

Canada vs Finland

USA TODAY will also provide updates on Canada vs. Finland, which will determine the U.S. opponent and three quarterfinal matchups.

Canada restores two-goal lead

Cole Beaudoin scores his second of the game, tipping in a pass from Sam O’Reilly. Canada 6, Finland 4

Third period underway

5-4 Canada.

Canada-Finland score after two periods

Canada leads 5-4. If this holds up, Canada will win Group B and face Slovakia, Finland will finish third and face the USA. Czechia would face Switzerland.

Finland quickly responds

Roope Vesterinen takes advantage of a turnover to pull Finland within a goal. Canada 5, Finland 4

Canada goes up by two

Cole Beaudoin gives Canada a two-goal lead with less than three minutes left in the second period. Canada 5, Finland 3

Canada goes ahead

Zayne Parekh finds Tij Iginla with a long up-ice pass, and the forward scores on a breakaway. Canada 4, Finland 3

Canada-Finland score after one period

It’s 3-3. Brady Martin scored his second goal of the game to give Canada a 3-2 lead. But Finland’s Lasse Boelius tied it up. Canada’s Carter George and Finland’s Petteri Rimpinen are in net.

USA vs Sweden highlights

Up next for the USA

That’s not known yet. It will depend on the Finland-Canada score in the late game. If Canada wins, the USA will face Finland, its opponent from the 2025 final. If Finland wins, the USA will face Czechia. Canada was leading 2-1 after five minutes of the first period, though Finland just tied it up. We’ll keep you posted on that score.

Sweden will face Latvia.

Players of the game

USA’s Will Zellers and Sweden’s Lucas Pettersson.

Final score: Sweden 6, USA 3

The USA suffers its first loss of the tournament. Sweden improves to 4-0 and will face Latvia in Friday’s quarterfinal. The USA will face either Czechia or Finland.

USA pulls goalie

They have a two-man advantage with Sweden’s Sascha Boumedienne in the penalty box for delay of game. Penalty is killed.

Four minutes left

6-3 Sweden. 40-27 lead in shots by Sweden.

USA power play

Leo Sahlin Wallenius is called for interference. Sweden kills the penalty. Less than nine minutes left.

Sweden scores on power play

Sweden moves the puck around well, and Ivar Stenberg scores with one second left on the two-man advantage. USA kills off the rest of the second penalty. Sweden 6, USA 3

Sweden two-man advantage

AJ Spellacy is called for an illegal check to the head of Sweden’s Lucas Pettersson, who was shaken up on the play.

Team USA injury, penalty

Luke Osburn skates off the ice after being checked into the referee. He’s also called for delay of game for putting the puck over the glass. He’s able to serve the penalty.

USA strikes quickly on power play

Teddy Stiga scores on a deflection 16 seconds into the power play. LJ Mooney and Ryker Lee get the assists. Sweden 5, USA 3

USA power play

Lucas Pettersson is called for interference.

Third period underway

5-2 Sweden. If this holds up, the Swedes would win Group A and face Latvia.

USA goalie change

Nick Kempf is in net for the third period.

End of second: Sweden 5, USA 2

Not a good period by the USA and a great one by Sweden. The Swedes showed a lot of speed in that period and didn’t let up after the USA cut its deficit to 3-1. Eddie Genborg and Lucas Pettersson scored twice in the period. But the USA got a late goal and trail by three heading into the third period.

USA save

Brady Knowling stops Lucas Pettersson on a breakaway, preventing him from getting a hat trick.

USA responds with a goal

Will Zellers scores his fifth goal of the tournament. Sweden’s Love Harenstam stops James Hagens’ initial shot and Brodie Ziemer’s rebound but can’t stop Zellers. Sweden 5, USA 2

Sweden making it a rout

Sweden connects again on the power play. Eddie Genborg scores his second man-advantage goal of the game. Sweden 5, USA 1

Sweden power play

Logan Hensler is called for interference

Sweden scores short-handed

The USA turns over the puck and Lucas Pettersson skates down the ice and scores from almost the same as he did on the third goal. Sweden 4, USA 1

USA power play

Goalie Love Harenstam is called for embellishment. He falls exaggeratedly after Will Zellers makes light contact.

Midway through second period

Score is 3-1 Sweden. Shots are 15-15.

Chase Reid scores for USA

The USA gets several chances late in the power play and the puck comes back to Chase Reid, who scores on a snap shot. Sweden 3, USA 1

USA power play

Eric Nilson is called for tripping. The USA scored its lone two power play goals of the tournament in the last game against Slovakia.

Sweden scores again

Sweden gets a second consecutive goal off the rush. Lucas Pettersson scores on a perfect shot from the right faceoff circle. Sweden 3, USA 0

Sweden adds to lead

Eddie Genborg takes a pass from Liam Danielsson and beats Brady Knowling, who nearly got over in time. The puck goes in and out so fast that it wasn’t called a goal right away. Sweden 2, USA 0

Sweden power play

Ryker Lee is called for goaltender interference.

Sweden saves

Love Harenstam has made a couple saves off his mask in this game.

Second period underway

1-0 Sweden.

End of first: Sweden 1, USA 0

USA had a few flurries and Ryker Lee was stopped in front after stealing a puck, but Sweden played pretty well defensively to keep the U.S. off the scoreboard. USA goalie Brady Knowling, 17, also played well. Sweden’s goal went in off a U.S. defenseman’s skate. Shots are 10-10.

Sweden scores first

Sweden’s Casper Juustovaara gets a good bounce when his pass through the crease goes in off USA defenseman Logan Hensler’s skate at 9:17. This is the second consecutive game in which the USA has allowed the first goal. Sweden 1, USA 0

Scoreless so far

USA hits the post. Shots are 3-3.

Game underway

Goalie matchup is USA’s Brady Knowling, a 17-year-old, vs. Sweden’s Love Harenstam.

What channel is USA vs. Sweden world juniors hockey game today?

TV channel: NHL Network

Livestream: Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers, or Sling TV.

Watch world junior championships on Fubo

What time is USA vs. Sweden world juniors hockey game today?

Date: Wednesday, Dec. 31

Time: 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. local time)

The game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. local time) at the Grand Casino Arena in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the home of the Minnesota Wild.

World juniors USA vs Sweden: How to watch, stream

Time: 6 p.m. ET on Wedneday, Dec. 31

Location: Grand Casino Arena (Saint Paul, Minnesota)

TV: NHL Network

Streaming: Fubo and certain levels of Sling TV carry NHL Network.

Today’s world juniors hockey schedule

All times p.m. ET

Dec. 31

Switzerland 3, Slovakia 2: Loris Wey and Mike Aeschlimann scored power-play goals after Tobias Tomik received a double minor for high sticking in the first period. Kevin Haas’ second period goal ended up being the game-winner as Slovakia scored twice in the last 13 minutes. Switzerland finishes third and Slovakia fourth in Group A. The Swiss will face the Canada-Finland loser and Slovakia will face the winner.
Czechia 4, Latvia 2: Vaclav Nestrasil had a goal and an assist as Czechia moved up to second in Group B. They would fall back to third if Finland beats Canada in the late game.
USA vs. Sweden, 6
Canada vs. Finland, 8:30

Brady Knowling starting for USA

The 17-year-old plays for the U.S. National Team Development Program.

USA, Sweden lineups

USA vs Sweden history

The USA and Sweden are meeting for the 38th time in the tournament. The Americans have won 19 times to Sweden’s 17, with two ties. The U.S. has won seven of the last 10 games and beat Sweden 6-2 in the 2024 gold-medal game.

Max Plante injury update

USA forward Plante will miss the Sweden game with an undisclosed injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

Cole Hutson injury update

Hutson, who has been out since the Switzerland game after he was hit in the head by a shot, has been ruled out of the Sweden game. He remains day-to-day.

USA players to watch

Will Zellers leads the USA with four goals and six points. He has the game-winning goal in the first three games. James Hagens (Bruins), AJ Spellacy (Blackhawks) and Brodie Ziemer (Sabres) have four points apiece.

Sweden players to watch

Blackhawks prospect Anton Frondell has three goals and five points. He was drafted No. 3 overall in 2025. Viggo Bjorck, eligible for the 2026 NHL draft, also has three goals. Ivar Stenberg, who’s challenging to be the top of the draft, has a goal and two assists.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day took over play calling duties for the first time since 2023 for the Buckeyes’ College Football Playoff quarterfinals matchup against Miami, and it didn’t go to plan in the first half.

Day took over the responsibility from offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, who has been pulling double duty in recent weeks after becoming the head coach at South Florida.

Day, of course, is far from inexperienced as a play-caller. He was Ohio State’s offensive coordinator in 2018 before he was promoted to head coach and called plays as head coach from 2019-23 before hiring Chip Kelly last season. The Buckeyes won the 2024-25 CFP national championship with Kelly leading the offense.

Ohio State was held scoreless in the first half against Miami at the Cotton Bowl, gaining 154 total yards, 67 of which came on the final drive of the second quarter before Jayden Fielding missed a 49-yard field goal attempt with a second left. The Buckeyes finally got on the board with a methodical drive in the second half to cut the score to 14-7.

The Buckeyes will certainly hope a few halftime adjustments can flip the script as they face a 14-0 deficit.

Who’s calling plays for Ohio State?

Day is calling plays against Miami in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31. Kelly called plays for the Buckeyes in 2024 before receivers coach Brian Hartline was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2025.

Hartline, who’s still coaching at Ohio State throughout the remainder of the CFP, was hired as the next head coach at USF after the regular season, prompting Day to take over as play caller.

‘Right now, as we move forward, (Hartline’s) coaching the receivers,’ Day told reporters in the days leading up to the game. ‘It’s a lot on his plate. It’s a lot to manage. So, we’re kind of taking it day-to-day right now as we move forward. Going into the game, it will be a group effort. … Everybody will be involved with the play calling. Ultimately, it’ll be my decision.’

Ohio State’s offensive struggles aren’t solely on the play-caller. The Buckeyes have been held to 10 points in their last six quarters, dating back to their 13-10 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten Conference Championship game — with Hartline calling plays.

Arch Manning left his best stuff of the season for the Citrus Bowl, and Texas football is sure happy he’s its quarterback for that.

The Texas quarterback took over in the fourth quarter to help the 14th-ranked Longhorns beat Bryce Underwood and No. 17 Michigan in the Citrus Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 31 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. 

The Longhorns’ 41-27 win gives Steve Sarkisian’s squad their second consecutive win over the Wolverines in the last two years, and a victory in their first Citrus Bowl appearance.

Stream Citrus Bowl live with Fubo (free trial)

Manning was fantastic in his first-ever bowl start, finishing with four total touchdowns. He completed 21-of-34 passes for 221 yards with two touchdowns. He also found a good amount of success on the ground with 155 rushing yards and two touchdowns — including an untouched 60-yard score in the fourth quarter— on nine carries. 

The Longhorns end the season with a 10-3 record, while the Wolverines drop to a 9-4 record. 

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates from the game. Follow along for a recap:

Texas vs Michigan live score

This section will be updated

Texas vs Michigan highlights

Final score: Texas 41, Michigan 27

Texas wins Citrus Bowl

Arch Manning and Texas come out with the 41-27 win in the Citrus Bowl against Michigan.

Texas extends lead with field goal

Texas pushes its lead to 14 points with a 51-yard field goal from Mason Shipley. The Longhorns have now outscored the Wolverines 24-10 in the second half alone.

Texas intercepts Bryce Underwood

Ty’Anthony Smith picks up back-to-back interceptions against Bryce Underwood in a matter of drives. It’s the third turnover of the night by the Wolverines.

Texas is just over four minutes away from winning the Citrus Bowl.

Arch Manning scores fourth TD of game

Arch Manning breaks off for a 60-yard rushing touchdown on the first play of the drive to give Texas a 38-27 lead over Michigan. What a fourth-quarter performance by Manning.

Texas intercepts Bryce Underwood

Texas comes up with its second interception of the night on an underthrown pass from Bryce Underwood. This time, it is Ty’Anthony Smith who intercepts Underwood to give the Longhorns the ball back at their own 30-yard line, following an unnecessary roughness penalty, with 5:15 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Arch Manning throws 30-yard TD pass

Arch Manning is in his bag right now, as he throws a dime to Kaliq Lockett on second-and-13 for the 30-yard touchdown pass. Texas reclaims the lead at 31-27 over Michigan with 6:54 left in the fourth quarter.

The scoring drive was nine plays for 75 yards and took 4:02 off the game clock.

Arch Manning picks up first down

Arch Manning!! The Texas quarterback evades Michigan’s blitz perfectly on fourth-and-2 and picks up the first down to extend the Longhorns’ drive with a 15-yard carry. It’s a big-time play by Manning, who is now at 95 rushing yards on the day.

Bryce Underwood TD stands after lengthy review

Michigan keeps Bryce Underwood’s 5-yard rushing touchdown after review to reclaim the lead at 27-24. Video appeared to show the ball coming out of Underwood’s hands before he hit the pylon, but the call was upheld after review. That could be an impactful call by the end of the game.

End of third quarter: Texas 24, Michigan 20

Michigan elects to let the clock run down to end the third quarter. The Wolverines’ decision buys them some extra time to think over their fourth-and-1 decision at the Texas 46-yard line.

Texas intercepts Bryce Underwood, Michigan

Bryce Underwood underthrows a pass to Donaven McCulley on second-and-17, and it falls into the hands of Texas defensive back Wardell Mack. It’s the first real mistake by Underwood on the afternoon, and could be a costly one as Arch Manning and Co. trot back onto the field.

Arch Manning runs for 23-yard TD

Arch Manning puts Texas up 24-20 in the third quarter with a 23-yard rushing touchdown up the middle of the field. It’s an impressive run by Manning, and a play that a member of the Manning clan isn’t known to make given the lack of mobility his uncles Peyton and Eli showed in the NFL. He is now at 72 rushing yards on six carries on the day.

The scoring drive was nine plays for 80 yards and took 3:05 off the game clock.

Michigan takes lead with FG

Dominic Zvada redeems himself for a missed field goal before halftime with a 31-yard field goal to begin the second half. Zvada’s kick ends a 12-play drive that went for 41 yards and took 5:13 off the game clock for the Wolverines.

Michigan was unable to come up with the touchdown on the drive despite multiple attempts into the end zone from Bryce Underwood. The Wolverines’ best chance for that came on third-and-2 when Underwood’s pass to Marlin Klein was broken up in the end zone at the last second by a Texas defender.

Michigan starts second half with good field position

Andrew Marsh returns the second half opening kickoff 43 yards to give Michigan a strong starting field position at its own 46-yard line.

End of first half: Michigan 17, Texas 17

Michigan misses field goal attempt

Texas’ miscommunication ends up not hurting the Longhorns, as Dominic Zvada misses the 45-yard field goal attempt as time expires in the first half of the Citrus Bowl. The Longhorns and Wolverines head into the locker room tied at 17.

Texas punts following snap miscommunication

Texas center Cole Hutson snaps the ball while Arch Manning was looking to the sideline, resulting in a loss of 22 yards as the QB can only jump on it. That takes the Longhorns out of field goal range just before halftime and, even worse, gives Michigan a chance to get some points.’

Michigan, Texas trade stops

After five consecutive scoring drives, both teams exchange punts as their defenses get third-down stops. Bryce Underwood trots back out with the Wolverines offense at their own 11-yard line with 4:52 remaining until halftime in a tied 17-17 game.

Arch Manning throws TD pass to tie game

Arch Manning delivers a 17-yard pass to a wide-open Jack Endries in the end zone for his 25th touchdown pass of the season. It’s another well-constructed and poised drive by Manning, who is now 12-of-18 passing for 134 yards and a touchdown on the day.

Both teams have scored 21 points in the second half. Got a fun one brewing in Orlando!

Bryce Underwood throws TD pass

Bryce Underwood hits Andrew Marsh with a quick throw for a 4-yard touchdown pass to give Michigan the quick response to Texas’ touchdown score. It’s the fourth touchdown catch for Marsh on the season.

The Wolverines have now scored on each of their last three drives since starting the game with a punt. Underwood looks to be playing rather free and loose to begin this one, as he has two touchdown passes and 121 total yards of offense.

Texas ties game with Christian Clark TD

Texas responds to Michigan’s touchdown with a 3-yard rushing touchdown from Christian Clark, who is getting action with Quintrevion Wisner and CJ Baxter both opting out of the game. The scoring drive was 11 plays for 75 yards and took 4:32 off the game clock.

Arch Manning set Clark’s score with a pickup of 19 yards on a quarterback keeper on fourth-and-1. Texas ties the game at 10-10 with 13:43 remaining in the second quarter.

End of first quarter: Michigan 10, Texas 3

Arch Manning picks up three yards on a quarterback scramble for the final play of the first quarter. The Longhorns quarterback surpassed the 3,000 passing yard mark on the season two plays earlier with a 20-yard pass to Emmett Mosley V.

The Longhorns will start the second quarter with the ball on the Wolverines’ 27-yard line down 10-3.

Michigan takes lead on Bryce Underwood TD pass

It appears that Michigan had a touchdown called back, but after review, Bryce Underwood gives Michigan its first lead of the game with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Kendrick Bell. It’s an impressive catch by Bell in the end zone.

Michigan recovers fumble on Texas kickoff return

Michigan comes away with its first takeaway of the afternoon, and it comes on special teams as Cole Sullivan lands a big hit on Ryan Niblett to force the ball out of his hands on the kickoff return. The Wolverines take over deep in the Longhorns’ territory.

Michigan ties game with field goal

Dominic Zvada hits the 53-yard field goal attempt to tie the game at 3-3 with 4:01 remaining in the first quarter. The scoring drive was eight plays for 40 yards and took 3:49 off the game clock.

Michigan forces punt in response

Now Michigan forces a Texas three-and-out. The Longhorns put themselves into third-and-1 but go backwards, and Michigan will start on its own 25-yard line.

Promising Michigan drive ends in punt

Michigan gets a first down and gets into Texas territory, but the next series of downs ends in disaster with a false start, a tackle for a loss, and a sack. Michigan is forced to punt, and Texas returns the ball just past the 20-yard line where it will begin its next possession.

Texas hits field goal to take early lead

Texas puts together a nice drive to start the game, but it sputters in Michigan territory. Mason Shipley hits a field goal to make it a 3-0 Texas lead after the opening series.

Michigan wins coin toss, elects to defer

Texas will get the ball first, as Michigan wins the coin toss and elects to defer. Arch Manning will begin the game against the Michigan defense.

Pregame

Michigan, Texas take the field

Michigan and Texas are nearly underway, as both sides take the field.

Is Bryce Underwood playing today?

True freshman Bryce Underwood is getting the start of Michigan on Dec. 31.

The quarterback has had his ups and downs in his first season with Michigan, throwing for 2,229 yards, nine touchdowns and six interceptions. He has been stymied by elite defenses so far this year, so Texas will be an interesting litmus test for the young QB.

Sherrone Moore fired, revisited 

Michigan fired Sherrone Moore with cause on Dec. 10 after a university investigation found credible evidence that Moore was having an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.

The ex-Wolverines coach was then detained by police on Dec. 10 after the Pittsfield Township Police Department — with the reported help of the Saline Police Department — responded at 4:10 p.m. ET ‘for the purposes of investigating an alleged assault.’ He was then charged on Dec. 12 with felony third-degree home invasion, misdemeanor stalking-domestic relationship, and misdemeanor breaking and entering.

In court, prosecutor Kati Rezmierski alleged that Moore entered the home of a woman he had a relationship with, grabbed butter knives and scissors from a kitchen drawer and threatened to harm himself. The police report also stated Moore and the victim engaged in a verbal argument that escalated to Moore threatening self-harm.

He posted his $25,000 bond on Dec. 12, and is set to return to court on Jan. 22. 

Who’s coaching Michigan in Citrus Bowl? 

Associate head coach Biff Poggi will serve as the Wolverines’ interim head coach in the Citrus Bowl against Texas. It will be the third game this season that Poggi will serve as the interim head coach, as he coached Michigan in Week 3 and Week 4 while ex-Wolverines coach Sherrone Moore served a two-game, self-imposed suspension for his involvement in the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal. 

Is Arch Manning going to the NFL draft? 

No, Manning will not declare for the NFL draft following the Citrus Bowl, as he is set to return to the Longhorns for the 2026 college football season. 

Arch Manning’s father, Cooper Manning, confirmed his son’s decision in a text message to ESPN’s Dave Wilson on Monday, Dec. 15.

‘Arch is playing football at Texas next year,’ the text to ESPN read.

Michigan-Texas series history 

Series record: Texas leads 2-0
Texas’ last win: 2024 (31-12)
Michigan’s last win: N/A

Wednesday’s Citrus Bowl is the third overall meeting between Michigan and Texas. The Longhorns took a 2-0 lead in the all-time series record with a 31-12 win over the Wolverines in Ann Arbor last season. 

What time does Texas vs Michigan start?

Date: Wednesday, Dec. 31
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Where: Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Fla.)

Texas and Michigan are set for a 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 31 in the Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

What TV channel is Texas vs Michigan on today?

TV channel: ABC
Streaming options: Fubo (free trial)

ABC will broadcast the Citrus Bowl between Texas and Michigan on Dec. 31. Mark Jones and Roddy Jones will broadcast the game from the booth at Camping World Stadium, with Alyssa Lang reporting from the sidelines

Streaming options for the game include Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Stream Citrus Bowl live with Fubo (free trial)

Texas vs Michigan predictions in Citrus Bowl

Here’s who experts within the USA TODAY Sports Network picked to win the Citrus Bowl:

Matt Hayes: Texas
Jordan Mendoza: Texas
Paul Myerberg: Texas
Erick Smith: Texas
Eddie Timanus: Texas
Blake Toppmeyer: Texas

Texas vs Michigan odds, spread for Citrus Bowl

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as Tuesday, Dec. 30

Spread: Texas -7
Over/under: 48.5
Moneyline: Texas (-300) | Michigan (+250)

Texas football opt-outs for Citrus Bowl vs Michigan

Here’s a look at the Texas opt-outs for the Citrus Bowl, according to Longhorn Wire:

NFL draft

LB Anthony Hill Jr.
DB Michael Taaffe
DB Malik Muhammad
DB Jaylon Guilbeau
EDGE Ethan Burke
LB/DE Trey Moore

Transfer portal

RB Quintrevion Wisner
RB CJ Baxter
WR DeAndre Moore
QB Trey Owens
WR Aaron Butler
CB Santana Wilson
OL Connor Stroh
DT Melvin Hills III
DB Derek Williams Jr.
LB Liona Lefau
RB Jerrick Gibson
K Will Stone

Michigan football opt-outs for Citrus Bowl vs Texas

Here’s a look at the Michigan opt-outs for the Citrus Bowl, according to Tony Garcia of the Detroit Free Press, part of USA TODAY Network:

EDGE Derrick Moore (NFL draft)
LB Jaishawn Barham (NFL draft)
OL Gio El-Hadi (NFL draft)

Note: The Wolverines will also be without Justice Haynes (season-ending injury) and Ernest Hausmann (personal matter) for the Citrus Bowl.

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LSU reeled in Lane Kiffin. Mostly, though, SEC schools hired unproven up-and-comers. Big Ten schools like Michigan and Penn State landed veteran winners.
Kyle Whittingham, Matt Campbell and Pat Fitzgerald have a lot of notches on the belt.
For SEC to claim victory in this hiring cycle, coaches like Jon Sumrall and Alex Golesh need to prove they’re up to the challenge.

The Big Ten is thriving so far this postseason. (OK, so maybe Southern Cal’s tackling isn’t thriving, but the rest of the B1G is doing just fine.)

With a couple of exceptions, the SEC is wilting.

And what of the coaching carousel? Did the Big Ten club the SEC there, too? You could make that case.

LSU scored the big fish by securing Lane Kiffin. Mostly, though, SEC schools hired promising but largely unproven up-and-comers, while Big Ten schools like Michigan and Penn State landed veteran winners with solid resumes.

On this edition of ‘SEC Football Unfiltered,’ a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams evalute which conference did it better in this hiring cycle.

They also debate which conference has the better complete roster of coaches. And they discuss which SEC schools would have been well-served by hiring Kyle Whittingham, who wound up at Michigan.

Coaching hires in the SEC

LSU: Lane Kiffin (Mississippi)
Auburn:Alex Golesh (South Florida)
Florida: Jon Sumrall (Tulane)
Arkansas:Ryan Silverfield (Memphis)
Kentucky:Will Stein (Oregon offensive coordinator)
Ole Miss: Pete Golding (promoted from defensive coordinator)

Overview: LSU made the splashiest hire of this coaching cycle, plundering Kiffin from a conference rival and luring him away from a playoff team. Elsewhere, three SEC schools hired coaches from the American Conference, while two schools went the coordinator route.

Coaching hires in the Big Ten

Michigan:Kyle Whittingham (Utah)
Penn State: Matt Campbell (Iowa State)
Michigan State: Pat Fitzgerald (formerly at Northwestern)
UCLA:Bob Chesney (James Madison)

Overview: This marks a sharp pivot from the SEC’s strategy of raiding the American. UCLA went the Group of Five route with Chesney, but the other three Big Ten schools making hires turned to veterans. Whittingham is the winningest coach in Utah history. Campbell is the winningest coach in Iowa State history. Fitzgerald is the winningest coach in Northwestern history.

Which conference hired better?

Advantage goes to the Big Ten. Bravo to LSU for securing Kiffin, but the rest of the SEC hired less proven coaches than Whittingham, Campbell or Fitzgerald. That doesn’t mean someone like Sumrall or Golesh won’t succeed, but any of the SEC’s hires not named Kiffin seems riskier than someone who’s as accomplished as Campbell.

Which conference has better roster of coaches?

Toppmeyer: The Big Ten has the better full roster of coaches. At the top, the SEC is just as good. I’d put an SEC five-pack of Kirby Smart, Kalen DeBoer, Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian and Josh Heupel up against the Big Ten’s Ryan Day, Curt Cignetti, Dan Lanning, Whittingham and Campbell.

In the middle of the conferences and in the lower-third, I give the nod to the Big Ten. Consider, Bret Bielema (Illinois) probably ranks somewhere in the No. 8 range of the Big Ten’s pecking order of coaches. Bielema beat South Carolina and Tennessee in bowl games in the past two seasons. He’s won 19 games with the Illini the past two years. That’s no small feat, and he’s just one example of the Big Ten’s solid collection of down-ballot coaches.

A few years from now, we might say the SEC’s coaches are as good or better than the Big Ten’s, but we can’t say that now. Too many unproven figures.

Adams: Toppmeyer is right. The Big Ten enjoys the edge.

The SEC remains strong at the top, but it can’t match the Big Ten’s quality in the middle or lower ranks. The Big Ten upgraded its roster of coaches in this hiring cycle. The SEC took ambitious shots on younger candidates. That might work, so we reserve the right to re-evaluate this in a couple of years. For now, I’d take the Big Ten’s coaching roster.

Later in the episode

∎ The hosts unpack the College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchups, including what’s at stake for Kalen DeBoer in Alabama-Indiana and whether Mississippi plays with house money in a rematch with Georgia.

Where to listen to SEC Football Unfiltered

Apple
Spotify
iHeart
Google

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

Texas quarterback Arch Manning ended his first season as the Longhorns’ full-time starter with a bang against Michigan on Wednesday, Dec. 31.

Manning led Texas to a 41-27 win over the Wolverines in the Citrus Bowl, scoring four total touchdowns with nearly 400 yards of offense in the high-scoring affair. The redshirt sophomore quarterback outplayed fellow former five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, who completed 23 of 40 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns to three interceptions in the loss.

Manning, the nephew of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, entered the season as one of the most hyped players in recent college football history due to his family ties and background as a five-star recruit. He struggled at first but ultimately ended the regular season with 2,942 passing yards and 24 touchdowns to seven interceptions, also rushing for 244 yards and eight scores.

Manning has already announced he’s returning to Texas in 2026, and will have huge expectations after the Longhorns failed to reach the College Football Playoff this season despite opening the year as the preseason No. 1 team in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll.

Here’s a look at Manning’s full stats against Michigan in Texas’ season-closing win over Michigan in the Citrus Bowl:

Arch Manning stats

Passing: 21-of-34 passing for 221 yards with two touchdowns
Rushing: Nine carries for 155 yards with two touchdowns (17.2 yards per carry)

Arch Manning highlights

Each of Manning’s four touchdowns were at least 15 yards, starting with a 17-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jack Endries in the second quarter.

Manning scored again late in the third quarter, taking it himself for a 23-yard touchdown run off the scramble, avoiding numerous defenders while breaking a few tackles.

He later threw a pinpoint pass to Kaliq Lockett in a one-on-one situation for a 30-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter to give Texas a 31-27 lead.

He also showed off his wheels when, immediately following an Underwood turnover, he outran the entire Michigan defense for a 60-yard score to put the game out of reach.

In all, Manning’s performance helped lift an undermanned Texas team to a win in the Citrus Bowl — and kickstart what could be an even more anticipated follow-up season in 2026.

You ready for some more Arch Manning Heisman hype? Here comes another round, after Manning picked apart Michigan in a bowl victory for Texas.
On its best day, Texas was a College Football Playoff team. It had too few best days and too many flops.
Bryce Underwood throws three interceptions as new Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham observes.

Can’t spell Citrus without U-T.

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

Steve Spurrier’s quip rings as true today as it did when he uncorked it in 1997 at the expense of Tennessee and Peyton Manning.

A different UT and another Manning finished a season at the Citrus Bowl. Say this much for the Mannings: They don’t lose these also-ran bowl games in Orlando.

You ready for some more Arch Manning Heisman hype? Here comes another round, after Manning picked apart Michigan in this 41-27 bowl victory for Texas.

Buckle up, Arch Manning fuels some fresh Heisman hype

Manning concluded his seesawing first season as Texas’ starter on a crescendo. He looks miles better than he did at the beginning of the season. Also, coach Steve Sarkisian gradually accepted he must embrace Manning’s best quality — his speed. He’d smoke his uncles in a foot race. Manning rushed for a career-high 155 yards against Michigan.

Heisman voters relish a dual-threat quarterback. Just saying.

With three pass rushers in Manning’s face and Texas trailing in the fourth quarter, he somehow wriggled out of trouble to move the chains on a pivotal fourth-down scramble. A few plays later, he tossed a go-ahead 30-yard touchdown strike.

Heisman moments! Just kidding. Manning will have to settle for a Citrus Bowl bow — for now, anyway.

Manning will put the NFL on hold to return to Texas in 2026. Buckle up for another offseason of Manning mania.

How did Texas fail to reach College Football Playoff? Good question

Let’s learn from our past mistakes and keep the hyperbole in check, shall we? In the span of several weeks this fall, Manning went from being the nation’s most ballyhooed quarterback with the famous surname to ‘a man synonymous with failure,’ if you believed the New York Times’ absurd narrative.

Manning is not some superhuman blend of Tim Tebow meets Joe Burrow with a dash of Cam Newton. He’s got talents of his own, though, and they were on full display against the Wolverines.

Manning played well enough that it remains difficult to understand why Texas’ season ended here and not in the College Football Playoff.

What a waste, for Texas, of a talented roster backed by a well-funded war chest.

A Texas team good enough to beat Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt and Michigan should have reached the playoff and not lost three games, but the Longhorns were maddeningly inconsistent and not especially fundamentally sound.

In that way, Texas’ bowl performance reflected the regular season that preceded it.

Texas, the SEC’s most penalized team, attracted 12 flags in this one. Its wide receivers betrayed Manning by showing the holiday spirit hadn’t softened their hands of stone. Michigan enjoyed some success working against a reconstructed Texas defense affected by opt-outs.

And, still, Manning played well enough that a Texas season marred by a few bad games, including a crippling flop in The Swamp, ended in triumph.

On its best day, Texas could look like one of the nation’s 12-best teams. The Longhorns didn’t make the playoff for a few reasons. For one, this CFP format isn’t designed to produce the 12-best teams. Also, on any given Saturday, Texas was as likely to flop as it was to dazzle.

The same Texas team that looked miserable in a loss to Florida (which finished 4-8) and needed overtime to fend off Kentucky and Mississippi State beat four opponents that finished with at least nine wins.

Go figure.

Kyle Whittingham gets eyes on Bryce Underwood

Manning outplayed Michigan’s Bryce Underwood, himself a former five-star quarterback recruit.

If Underwood returns to Michigan, new coach Kyle Whittingham must engineer more consistency than the Wolverines got from the true freshman. Underwood interspersed brilliance with blunders. Texas intercepted him three times.

Not unlike Manning, Underwood requires more wide receiver help, too. He also needs to gain some of the polish Manning acquired throughout his first season as Texas’ starter.

Of course Manning would play well in Orlando. Uncle Peyton’s career included two triumphs in the Citrus Bowl, while Spurrier’s Gators played in more premier bowl games. Peyton came up just short of the Heisman Trophy in his final season at Tennessee.

Texas kept the UT in Citrus this season, but Arch isn’t done yet.

Manning for 2026 Heisman? That campaign begins now.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

The parents of Aidan Zingg, a 16-year-old motocross star who died June 28 during a race in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., submitted a wrongful death and survival lawsuit to the Superior Court of California in Riverside County for filing against the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and other entities involved in the race, according to an electronic confirmation generated by the court Tuesday, Dec. 30.

The parents alleged the fatal collision was preventable and resulted from careless race operations and defective safety equipment, according to a copy of the complaint reviewed by USA TODAY Sports.

After initially going down on the track, Aidan was conscious and alert as he made attempts to regain his feet, according to the complaint, which states no caution flags or warnings were raised by race operators as the race continued at Mammoth Mountain Motocross.

According to the complaint, Aidan’s jersey and equipment showed visible signs of being struck by at least one other rider, according to the complaint, which says the chest protector Zingg wore during the race was punctured.

Despite efforts to perform life-saving measures on Aidan, he was pronounced dead at Mammoth Hospital later that day, according to the complaint.

According to the electronic confirmation of the filing, the documents submitted to the court by the Zinggs’ attorney will be accepted, partially accepted or rejected by the Clerk of Court. The confirmation provides no timetable for the process to be completed.

A wrongful death lawsuit seeks compensation for surviving relatives based on the economic and emotional impact of the death. A survival action lawsuit seeks compensation for costs the deceased person may have incurred before death and compensation for the deceased person’s conscious pain and suffering from the time of injury to death. 

“Most of all, the Zingg family is seeking transparency and accountability wherever it is fair and just,” attorney Kevin Biniazan, representing the family, said in a statement provided to USA TODAY Sports. ‘If this legal action motivates safer operations of these races and equipment that these riders wear in a way that saves another family from enduring what the Zinggs have endured and will continue to endure, it will have been a success.” 

Is Motocross the deadliest sport for youth? An Investigation

Aidan is one of at least 158 children and teens who have died on dirt bikes and at motocross tracks since 2000, according to a USA TODAY Investigation. That makes it the deadliest sport for young people – roughly seven times greater than tackle football.

During the USA TODAY investigation, a spokesperson for the AMA said it has longstanding safety protocols for its sanctioned events and can’t control unaffiliated tracks.

But the lawsuit filed by Aidan’s parents, Robert and Shari, says Mike Burkeen, Deputy Director of Racing for the AMA, was present at Mammoth Motocross June 20-29 and “possessed the responsibility and authority to manage the racing activities to preserve the safety of riders.’’ The races were sanctioned by the AMA.

In addition to the AMA, other defendants named in the lawsuit include 2XP LLC, a California-based company that worked with the AMA to promote the annual amateur races; Alterra Mountain Company U.S. Inc., a hospitality company in Denver that owns Mammoth Mountain; and Revelyst Adventure Sports that does business as Fox Racing and manufactures motocross protective equipment, including the chest protector Aidan wore during the fatal crash,  according to the complaint.

The AMA and 2XP, according to the complaint, entered into a joint venture and agreement ‘to plan,organize, operate, promote, and oversee the motocross racing at Mammoth Motocross.”

The defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment USA TODAY Sports submitted by phone, text message and email.

Aidan Zingg’s death timeline, according to complaint

The day of the race, Aidan, a prodigy with Kawasaki’s prestigious Green Team program, was participating in the morning 250B class race, according to the complaint. The complaint says Aidan went down after rounding the corner at Turn 9, which was the furthest from the start line where most spectators were located, according to the complaint.

The corner was left unmanned by flaggers, who raise and wave flags to communicate cautions and dangers, including when a rider goes down, according to the complaint. The complaint described that decision to leave the turn unmanned as a, “particularly reckless decision.’’

No caution flags or warnings were raised by race operators when Aidan went down and, according to riders, he was conscious and attempted to regain his feet. He was found later face down on the racetrack.

The race had continued for approximately three more laps before it was stopped, according to the complaint, which says Aidan’s father became alarmed when he did not see his son lap the track with the other riders, according to the complaint.

Making his way to the back of the track, Aidan’s father saw his son on the track, according to the complaint, which says Aidan’s father and others “swarmed’’ to render aid, but Aidan was pronounced dead at Mammoth Hospital later in the day.

The complaint also cited design, construction, and maintenance or some combination thereof, in creating ‘a dangerous condition at Turn 9 because of a near hairpin turn coming out of a jump and into another.”

“The design, construction, and maintenance of Turn 9 increased the risk of riders crashing into each other while riding or crashing into a rider who had fallen on the track and created a heightened risk of injury by participating in Mammoth Motocross as compared to other motocross races or tracks,’’ according to the complaint.

The AMA and 2XP “coordinated and approved a crowded field of 29 riders’’ who competed in the 250B class race.

Aidan’s parents have demanded a jury trial and are seeking damages, including but not limited to, pain, suffering, and disfigurement and other losses or damages that the decedent sustained or incurred before death, according to the complaint.

The San Francisco Giants continue to make splashes during this offseason with new hires and signees.

In their most recent transaction, the Giants reportedly will sign 31-year-old right-hand pitcher Tyler Mahle on a one-year deal. He spent the 2025 season with the Texas Rangers.

The deal was first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle and confirmed by MLB.com, ESPN and NBC Sports Bay Area.

Mahle is expected to help the Giants address their shortcomings at pitcher after the club signed starting pitcher Adrian Houser and relief pitcher Jason Foley.

Entering his 10th MLB season, Mahle has battled some injuries in recent years, including undergoing Tommy John surgery that ended his 2023 season.

Mahle battled back from surgery in 2024, but a nagging injury to his right shoulder forced him to be sidelined again as the 2024 season wound down, and subsequently, he was shut down for the remainder of the year.

He persevered to bounce back in 2025, where he started 16 contests for the Rangers at the start of the season. Mahle put up a 6-4 record as a starter and produced a 2.18 ERA with 66 strikeouts in 86 innings pitched. He sat for months during the 2025 season, as his right shoulder — a rotator cuff strain– continued to give him problems.

Mahle has a career record of 39-46 in 144 games played, including 141 games as starting pitcher. He has a career win percentage at 45.9%. He’s struck out 753 batters in his career, compared to allowing 264 walks.

Tyler Mahle Highlights

In 2020, the National Links Trust signed a 50-year deal to oversee Washington D.C.’s three municipal golf courses. Just five years later, the Trump administration has officially ended that lease, claiming a breach of contract with the National Parks Service, which owns each the land that the courses are on.

According to reports, the deal was meant to propel projects to redesign and renovate the three courses, using money from donors and government funding. The Trump administration claims that these improvements have not been done in a timely enough manner, thusly breaking their agreement.

‘The Trump administration prides itself on getting the job done for the American people and partnering with others who share that same goal,’ the Interior Department said in a statement Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the National Links Trust is ‘devastated’ at this development, believing they’d always maintained a ‘productive and cooperative working relationship with the National Park Service.’

What does this mean for D.C.’s municipal golf courses?

In the short-term, not much. The National Links Trust has agreed to stay on for the time being in order to maintain operations at each of the three courses. However, all long-term projects, including the Rock Creek Park rehabilitation project, which is currently ongoing, will halt immediately.

Is Trump attempting to take over D.C.’s golf scene?

This decision has sparked controversy, with some media outlets believing Trump is attempting to take over the county’s public golf system. Just a few days ago, reports emerged that D.C.’s local golf officials and elected leaders would do anything in their power to prevent President Trump from gaining control of the system, even noting that the termination of the lease with the National Links Trust had been brewing since earlier in the fall when Trump’s administration sent the Trust a notice.

Since its inception, the National Links Trust has maintained that its mission is to maintain affordability and access for D.C.’s local golf scene. Charles Allen, a member of the D.C. council, has gone on record stating that he believes Trump’s decision to end the lease with the National Links Trust is an attempt to obtain the land ‘for the wealthy and well connected.’

Allen said, ‘These are historic, important public courses that have a rich history of affordability and access.’ He continued, ‘It concerns me to have the Trump administration terminate the lease for, let’s be honest, made-up reasons.’

How many golf courses does Trump own?

Trump owns more than a dozen courses around the world, including 11 in the United States. He’s also made his love for the East Potomac Golf Links — widely considered the best course in the D.C. Area — well-known, recently telling the Wall Street Journal ‘If we [renovate] them, we’ll do it really beautifully.’

Some sources indicate that Trump’s vision is to transform the East Potomac Golf Links into a ‘championship-level facility capable of holding professional tour events and international competition.’ Many critics believe that this decision would go against everything East Potomac has stood for, namely creating a space for affordable golf in a densely populated metropolitan area.

Will the National Links Trust take legal action against the Trump administration?

According to reports, The National Links Trust had ‘retained legal counsel from two prominent D.C.-area firms’ just a few days ago, weighing their legal options should their lease be terminated.

Well, that day has come.

However, they also noted that filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration would only be a last resort for the Trust. There is no news currently that the National Links Trust is looking to file any such suit.