Michigan men’s basketball rolled its way to No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, throttling some of the best teams in the country on its way to a 14-0 start.

That immaculate record is no longer unblemished.

Behind 26 points from John Blackwell and 22 points from Nick Boyd, Wisconsin went on the road and knocked off the previously unbeaten No. 1 Wolverines 91-88 on Saturday, Jan. 10 at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

With the loss by coach Dusty May’s team, there are five remaining undefeated men’s teams at the Division I level — No. 2 Arizona, No. 3 Iowa State, No. 10 Vanderbilt, No. 11 Nebraska and, perhaps most surprisingly, Miami (Ohio).

Michigan led by as many as 14 points with 7:38 remaining in the first half, but that deficit was trimmed to one at halftime by a Badgers team that entered the day with a 10-5 record. Carried by 13 second-half points from Boyd, Wisconsin built a six-point lead early in the second half and held on for the win after Roddy Gayle Jr. missed a contested 3-pointer with two seconds remaining that would have tied the game.

Michigan made only one of its final nine shots.

The Badgers knocked down 15 of their 33 attempts from 3 (45.5%), including a 10-of-17 mark in the second half. Wisconsin had been 0-2 in road games and 0-5 in Quad 1 matchups heading into the day.

In their second season under May, and with a roster led by high-impact transfers Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr., the Wolverines hadn’t just been beating opponents, but obliterating them. Of Michigan’s first 14 wins, 10 of them came by at least 25 points, a group of blowouts that included victories against Gonzaga, Auburn, San Diego State, Villanova and USC.

Elliot Cadeau had a team-high 19 points in a losing effort for the Wolverines, who will embark on a West Coast road trip next week with games at Washington and Oregon.

On the day where he earned his first All-Pro honor, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford battled through injury and led two fourth-quarter touchdown drives to secure a 34-31 victory over the host Carolina Panthers.

Stafford started the game hot before he appeared to hurt the index finger of his throwing hand in the second quarter. Carolina made the most of some Rams miscues in the first half to keep pace with the NFC West runners-up; Los Angeles held just a 17-14 lead at halftime.

The teams traded field goals in the third quarter and Stafford threw his lone interception of the game to close the frame.

Carolina capitalized to take a 24-20 lead with a Chuba Hubbard touchdown on a short field. Los Angeles took the lead minutes later with a touchdown from Stafford to Kyren Williams.

The Rams looked set for a three-and-out on their next drive but Carolina’s Isaiah Simmons blocked the punt and gave the ball back to Hubbard, Bryce Young and company on a short field one again. Young found Jalen Coker to go ahead 31-27 with less than three minutes to go in the game.

But Stafford came through on the ensuing drive with a signature seven-play, 71-yard drive culminating in a pass to Colby Parkinson that the tight end took past the goal line for the game-winning score.

Stafford finished the game 24-for-42 passing for 304 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Los Angeles now awaits the results of Bears-Packers and Eagles-49ers to determine who they will play in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs.

Here’s how it all happened:

Rams vs. Panthers takeaways

Rams survive un-special teams: Los Angeles’ five losses in 2025 were by a total of 17 points, a a pair of them featured mistakes on special teams: a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown against Philadelphia and a punt return touchdown allowed against Seattle. This time, the Rams pulled through despite a late blocked punt thanks to Stafford’s magic.
Carolina and the Young guns: The 8-9 Panthers were double-digit underdogs at home. After the first quarter, things looked grim for Carolina. Bryce Young shook off an early interception and the Rams’ pass rush to put together one of the best performances of his career. Carolina can enter the offseason confident with how things went, even in a loss.
LA reset: Stafford looked to have played through a finger injury. Depending on how things go for the rest of wild-card weekend, Los Angeles could be back in Seattle for a third matchup between the two teams. The Seahawks and their ferocious defense took the weekend off after getting the No. 1 seed. Stafford needs to rest that hand ahead of what could be a dogfight to reach the NFC champonship game.

Panthers-Rams score update: Colby Parkinson secures epic TD catch

Los Angeles needed just two minutes to drive 71 yards on seven plays. Matthew Stafford found tight end Colby Parkinson on the right sideline on first-and-10 from the Panthers’ 19-yard line and Parkinson made the twisting catch into the end zone. Harrison Mevis’ kick is good and the Rams take the lead again with 38 seconds left.

Rams 34, Panthers 31

Panthers-Rams score update: Jalen Coker puts Panthers ahead late

Carolina’s back on top after the blocked punt. Facing third-and-3 from the Rams’ 7-yard line, Bryce Young found Jalen Coker in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. Ryan Fitzgerald knocked through the extra point to give the Panthers a critical four-point lead with 2:39 to go in the game.

Panthers 31, Rams 27

Panthers-Rams update: Isaiah Simmons makes huge play for Panthers

Carolina’s defense forced Los Angeles to punt late in the fourth quarter. But instead of getting the ball on their side of the 50, Panthers linebacker Isaiah Simmons blocked the punt to give the Panthers the ball at the Rams’ 30-yard line. They’re down three points with less than three minutes to go.

Panthers-Rams score update: Stafford finds Kyren Williams for score

Los Angeles answered the Panthers’ go-ahead touchdown with one of their own. Kyren Williams converted a critical fourth-and-1 in Carolina territory. Five plays later, he took a pass from Matthew Stafford in for a touchdown from 13 yards out. Harrison Mevis’ extra point is good and Los Angeles re-takes the lead with 8:47 to go in the fourth quarter.

Rams 27, Panthers 24

Panthers-Rams score update: Carolina takes lead

Carolina capitalized on Matthew Stafford’s interception and went 62 yards in just four plays to score the go-ahead touchdown. Chuba Hubbard notched his second touchdown of the game from three yards out and Ryan Fitzgerald’s extra point is good for the Panthers to take a four-point lead.

Panthers 24, Rams 20

Davante Adams clears concussion check

The Rams wide receiver took a massive helmet-to-helmet hit that left is tongue bloodied. He would undergo a concussion check and clear it, making his return to the field after.

Panthers-Rams score update: Rams pull ahead with field goal

Matthew Stafford couldn’t connect with Puka Nacua on third down from the Panthers’ 24-yard line. Rather than go for it, Los Angeles opted to take the go-ahead points. Harrison Mevis made a 42-yard field goal to put the Rams back ahead with just over four minutes to go in the third quarter. 

Rams 20, Panthers 17

Panthers-Rams score update: Carolina ties it up in third

The Panthers’ offense put together the longest drive of the game by going 59 yards on 13 plays in more than seven minutes of game time. Carolina couldn’t convert on 3rd and 7 from the Rams’ 32-yard line so the Panthers settled for a game-tying field goal attempt. Ryan Fitzgerald knocked it through from 46 yards out to tie the game with 7:29 left in the third quarter.

Rams 17, Panthers 17

Who is the Panthers’ backup QB?

Bryce Young is playing well in his playoff debut today after an early interception. If he goes down, the Panthers have three-time Pro Bowler Andy Dalton to take over in a pinch. 

Matthew Stafford stats today

The first-team All-Pro got off to a hot start to open the game before cooling off ahead of halftime. Here’s how things look at the break:

Completions: 10
Attempts: 17
Yards: 137
Yards per attempt: 8.1
Touchdowns: 1
Interceptions: 0
Rating: 104.3

Panthers-Rams score update: Bryce Young does it himself

Carolina forced another turnover on downs against the Los Angeles offense to get a chance to score before halftime. The Panthers’ offense did just that by driving 81 yards in just five plays. Young dropped back on third-and-10 from the Rams’ 16-yard line and got loose for a rushing touchdown. The extra point is good and the Panthers cut the deficit with less than a minute until halftime.

Rams 17, Panthers 14

Panthers-Rams update: Muffed punt gives Rams the ball back

Matthew Stafford missed Davante Adams on third down and the Rams settled for a punt. On the return, rookie running back Trevor Etienne fumbled the ball and Los Angeles takes over in Carolina territory with just under three minutes left in the first half.

Rams 17, Panthers 7

Who is the Thiccer Kicker?

Rams kicker Harrison Mevis – aptly nicknamed the ‘Thiccer Kicker’ for his stout, 6-foot, 245-pound frame – is in his first season of NFL action after spending time in the UFL in 2025. He spent time with the Panthers in 2024 during the offseason.

What happened to Isaiah Simmons?

The former first-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals signed with the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad in late November. He’d signed with the Cardinals after getting cut by the Green Bay Packers during training camp. Simmons was moved to the Panthers’ active roster after an injury to linebacker Trevin Wallace.

Panthers vs Rams score update: Harrison Mevis lengthens Rams lead

The ‘Thiccer Kicker’ notched a 46-yard field goal to put the Rams up by 10 points with the second quarter nearing five minutes remaining. The Panthers defense held on a short third down to force the kick.

Rams 17, Panthers 7

Panthers vs Rams score update: Chuba Hubbard finds end zone as Carolina answers

Carolina will not be shut out on home turf today. The Panthers’ offense took more than three minutes off the game clock with a 65-yard scoring drive powered by a crucial catch by Jalen Coker. Chuba Hubbard ran it in from one yard out. Ryan Fitzgerald knocked through the extra point to make it a seven-point game.

Rams 14, Panthers 7

Puka Nacua stats today

Nacua is putting on a show early vs. the Panthers: He has one touchdown across five catches and is credited with a carry and a touchdown. That’s good for 64 yards combined with two touchdowns.

Panthers vs Rams score update: Nacua finds end zone again

The Rams’ offense put together another scoring drive with a seven-play, 48-yard march to the end zone culminating in a five-yard score by Puka Nacua. Stafford threw a screen behind the line of scrimmage to Nacua and it’s counted as a 5-yard rush for the Rams’ star wideout. Harrison Mevis’ kick is good and the Rams have a two-score lead early in the second quarter.

Rams 14, Panthers 0

Ikem Ekwonu injury update: Panthers LT ruled out with knee injury

Bad news for the Panthers OL: Ekwonu, who went down midway through the first with a knee injury, has been ruled out for the game.

LA Rams record

The Rams finished the 2025 season with a 12-5 record, good for third place in the NFC West.

Ikem Ekwonu injury update: Panthers LT leaves game with apparent knee injury

The Carolina Panthers’ left tackle was flagged for a holding penalty on a second-down sack while trying to slow down Rams edge rusher Josaiah Stewart. Ekwonu went down on the play and immediately grabbed for his knee. Yosh Nijman is in the game in his place.

Panthers-Rams score update: Puka Nacua snags touchdown to open scoring

Los Angeles’ defense held strong on fourth down to force a turnover on downs. The Rams offense needed just four plays to score as Matthew Stafford found his top target, Puka Nacua, in the middle of the end zone for a touchdown. Harrison Mevis’ extra point is good and the Rams take an early lead on the road of the wild-card playoff opener.

Rams 7, Panthers 0

Panthers head coach

The Panthers head coach is Dave Canales, the former offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Canales is in his second season as head coach of the Panthers, and put together an overall record of 13-21.

What TV channel is the Panthers vs. Rams game?

TV channel: Fox

Saturday’s wild-card round game – the first game of the NFL playoffs – between the Panthers and Rams will be broadcast by Fox on Jan. 10. Joe Davis (play-by-play), former Panthers tight end Greg Olsen (game analyst) and Pam Oliver (sideline reporter) will be on the call for the postseason clash.

What time is the Rams at Panthers game?

Start time: 4:30 p.m. ET

The Panthers vs. Rams game will kick off at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 10.

Panthers vs. Rams live stream

Live stream: Fubo

Cord cutters can tune into the wild-card matchup with a subscription to Fubo, which also offers a free trial.

Watch NFL playoffs with Fubo (free trial)

Is Davante Adams playing today vs. Panthers?

Yes, Adams is officially active for Saturday’s game. He missed the final three games of the regular season after aggravating a hamstring injury in Week 15. The NFL’s leader in receiving touchdowns was a full participant in practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, setting him up for a return to action in the wild-card game.

Rams inactives today vs. Panthers

The Rams have announced their seven inactives for Saturday’s game against the Panthers. They are as follows:

QB Stetson Bennett IV (emergency QB)
OL Kevin Dotson
TE Terrance Ferguson
CB Derion Kendrick
CB Josh Wallace
WR Jordan Whittington
CB Darious Williams

Panthers inactives today vs. Rams

The Panthers have announced their five inactives for Saturday’s games. They are as follows:

LB Krys Barnes
DT Jared Harrison-Hunte
WR David Moore
DL LaBryan Ray
C Nick Samac

Panthers vs. Rams weather updates

The Panthers have shared several videos of their players warming up at Bank of America Stadium ahead of Saturday’s game. The clips show it isn’t yet raining but the skies are gray and wind is whipping in Charlotte.

Conditions at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte were benign in the early afternoon. ESPN’s Sarah Barshop reported it was ‘a beautiful afternoon’ but noted there was rain coming around kickoff.

Queen City News’ chief meteorologist Tara Lane shared an update about the weather for Saturday’s game at 1 p.m. ET. She noted rain will be ‘heavy at times’ around kickoff and that there will be ‘possible lightning’ before and during the game.

Below is a look at the radar, courtesy of Lane:

Panthers vs. Rams predictions, picks

Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz: Rams, 30-16
Jarrett Bell: Rams, 31-17
Nick Brinkerhoff: Rams, 28-20
Chris Bumbaca: Rams, 28-21
Nate Davis: Rams, 27-17
Tyler Dragon: Rams, 27-20

Panthers vs. Rams odds, moneyline, O/U

Against the spread (ATS): Rams -10.5 (-110) | Panthers +10.5 (-110)
Moneyline (ML): Rams -625 (Bet $625 to win $100) | Panthers +450 (Bet $100 to win $450)
Over/Under (O/U): 46.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

Panthers schedule 2025

Rams schedule 2025

The Los Angeles Rams are heading to the divisional round of the 2025 NFL playoffs despite getting a scare from the Carolina Panthers to kickstart the league’s wild-card weekend.

The Rams earned a 34-31 victory after a back-and-forth fourth quarter that saw four lead changes. Matthew Stafford rebounded from a mid-game lull – which was exacerbated by the 37-year-old quarterback hitting his throwing hand hard on D.J. Wonnum’s arm’s – to throw a game-winning 19-yard touchdown to tight end Colby Parkinson.

Stafford’s late-game heroics helped the Rams, who were double-digit favorites, avoid a second shocking loss to the Panthers and avenge a Week 13 loss at Carolina’s hands. Now, Sean McVay’s squad will get ready to play in the divisional round of the playoffs.

While the Rams are through to the divisional round, they will have to wait until the remainder of the NFC’s wild-card games wrap up to know their opponent. The NFL uses a dynamic bracket that re-seeds each round, so the No. 1 overall seed Seattle Seahawks will face the lowest-remaining seed on the NFC side of the bracket at the end of the wild-card round.

Here’s what to know about Los Angeles’ potential divisional-round opponents and the scenarios that could lead the Rams to face each team.

Who will Rams play next?

The Rams’ next opponent won’t be determined until the final two NFC wild-card games are played. However, Los Angeles is guaranteed to face one of the following teams in the divisional round after beating the Panthers:

Seattle Seahawks
Chicago Bears
Philadelphia Eagles
San Francisco 49ers

Below is a look at the scenarios that would lead the Rams to face each potential opponent.

Seattle Seahawks

No. 2 Chicago Bears beat No. 7 Green Bay Packers AND
No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles beat No. 6 San Francisco 49ers

Chicago Bears

No. 2 Chicago Bears beat No. 7 Green Bay Packers AND
No. 6 San Francisco 49ers beat No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles

No. 7 Green Bay Packers beat No. 2 Chicago Bears AND
No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles beat No. 6 San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers

No. 7 Green Bay Packers beat No. 2 Chicago Bears AND
No. 6 San Francisco 49ers beat No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles

The only way the Rams can host a home game in the divisional round will be if they face the 49ers. Any other scenario would see Los Angeles hit the road despite its 12-5 regular-season record.

Updated NFL playoff bracket

AFC

No. 1 Denver Broncos (BYE)
No. 2 New England Patriots vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Chargers
No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars vs. No. 6 Buffalo Bills
No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers vs. No. 5 Houston Texans

NFC

No. 1 Seattle Seahawks (BYE)
No. 2 Chicago Bears vs. No. 7 Green Bay Packers
No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles vs. No. 6 San Francisco 49ers
No. 5 Los Angeles Rams (advanced to divisional round)

It’s beginning to look a lot like the NFL playoffs.

The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers are set to renew the NFL’s oldest rivalry in the wild-card round of the 2025playoffs, but the conditions will be far from favorable for either team. In fact, Soldier Field already looks like a snow globe ahead of the matchup under the lights.

Both teams will also have to battle Mother Nature in the contest, with cold weather and snow preparing to make an impact.

It will be a unique scene for Caleb Williams’ playoff debut and the Bears’ first home postseason contest since the 2018 season. While Chicago is hoping for some home cooking, it won’t be unfamiliar territory for Jordan Love and the Packers, who are used to playing on a frozen tundra of their own.

Here’s the latest weather update for the NFC wild-card matchup.

Bears vs. Packers weather updates

Snow is falling at Soldier Field ahead of the Bears-Packers matchup. It is beginning to accumulate on the field with an hour to go before kickoff.

The National Weather Service (NWS) is calling for snow showers throughout the night, with accumulations of around an inch.

Low temperatures are expected to be around 23 degrees with winds in the 15 to 20 mph range and gusts up to 35 mph.

Chicago weather forecast for Bears vs. Packers playoff game

Below is a full look at the details of Chicago’s forecast for Jan. 10:

Current temperature (7:30 p.m. ET): 32 degrees
Low temperature: 23 degrees
Chance of precipitation: 80%
Wind: 15 to 20 mph (gusts up to 35 mph)

The Ottawa Senators took the unusual step this week of denouncing internet rumors about goaltender Linus Ullmark’s leave of absence.

Captain Brady Tkachuk took it another step on Saturday, Jan. 10, in an expletive-filled media session in which he said, ‘It’s not true. It’s just a (expletive) story.’

General manager Steven Staios had put a statement on Jan. 8 about Ullmark, who went on leave on Dec. 28. It read in part:

“Linus is away from our team for personal reasons and he has the entire organization’s support. We asked that people respect his privacy, but clearly that request was not heard by the lowest forms of trolls and sick people who scour the internet. We are disgusted that outside forces are attempting to disrupt our hockey club. This statement will put an end to the ridiculous speculation that spread online.”

Tkachuk was asked about it on Saturday and said that it’s OK for people to critique the team’s on-ice performance but spreading rumors about players’ families is stepping over the line.

‘It’s embarrassing that it got to the point that it did and I can tell you for free that I’m not happy about it one bit,’ he said.

He added: ‘That’s just our society and life now that people can just say whatever they want and no repercussions and don’t really realize who it affects. It’s just crazy to bring up a crazy story like that and talk about people’s families and stuff like that. I honestly can’t really wrap my head around it.’

The Senators lost 8-2 to the Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 8. Tkachuk said the players weren’t using the rumors as an excuse and said he feels for Ullmark.

‘Nobody knows what he’s going through, but the fact that he has to even deal with this, even have to think about it,’ Tkachuk said. ‘All we care about for him is getting what he needs. We said from Day 1 that he has our support, the whole organization’s support. Now that he has to deal with this, it’s mind blowing.’

There are 13 games remaining in the 2025 NFL season, six of them set to be played this weekend in what projects to be a postseason as wide open as any in recent memory.

It will begin Saturday, when the sub-.500 Carolina Panthers host − that ain’t right − the Los Angeles Rams, followed by the Green Bay Packers visiting the Chicago Bears in what will be only the third postseason meeting in a rivalry that’s run for more than 100 years.

Sunday, the Buffalo Bills will try to win their first road playoff game in more than three decades against the Jaguars in Jacksonville. The Philadelphia Eagles then begin their title defense in earnest at home against the San Francisco 49ers. The Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots will face off Sunday night.

The wild-card round wraps Monday night in Pittsburgh, where Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers could potentially play his final game against the Houston Texans.

How do USA TODAY Sports’ panel of NFL experts foresee the postseason openers shaking out? And, as a bonus, which teams do they think will reach and, ultimately, win Super Bowl 60? Scroll on:

(Odds provided by BetMGM)

Wild-card round picks, predictions, odds

Rams at Panthers
Packers at Bears
Bills at Jaguars
49ers at Eagles
Chargers at Patriots
Texans at Steelers

The offensive gameplan for the Los Angeles Rams was clear at the start of Saturday’s NFC wild-card game against the Carolina Panthers – find a way to get Puka Nacua the football. It worked, as the Rams survived the Panthers’ upset bid with a 34-31 road victory to advance to the divisional round.

Nacua had three catches, 40 yards and a touchdown on the Rams’ opening drive. On the Rams’ third series, the wideout caught a backwards pass from Matthew Stafford maneuvered around a couple of defenders and found the end zone to give Los Angeles a 14-0 advantage in the second quarter.

Nacua’s second score went down as a 5-yard rushing touchdown.

Nacua’s big first half could have been even more pronounced, but the receiver committed a critical drop that cost the Rams a potential touchdown before halftime. His final stat line was 10 receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown, to go with three carries for 14 yards and a touchdown.

The third-year wide receiver entered the postseason coming off another superb regular season. He tallied an NFL-high 129 catches for 1,715 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He was named an NFL first-team All-Pro for his efforts.

For the New York Jets, a franchise that’s two years away from being a year away – and this has somehow remained a perpetual state of affairs for the past 15 seasons, the NYJ last reaching the NFL playoffs in 2010 – Friday night’s Peach Bowl felt like an unmitigated disaster.

The Jets, who are still in search of a worthy successor to Hall of Famer Joe Namath nearly 50 years after he threw his final pass for the franchise, are scheduled to pick second overall in the 2026 draft. Their 3-14 record this season matched the Las Vegas Raiders in terms of ineptitude – though only the Jets managed to become the first team in league history to lose five consecutive games by at least 23 points apiece. Quite the exclamation mark − expletive mark? − to another sad-sack campaign, the latest without a postseason invite or even a New York Sack Exchange to at least seed optimism for the future.

But no matter. By virtue of playing a weaker schedule, the Silver and Black actually ‘earned’ the No. 1 pick by virtue of the league’s rules − and the right to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

The recently crowned Heisman Trophy winner had played like an NFL franchise quarterback facing Pop Warner competition throughout 2025. Then he thoroughly embarrassed the University of Alabama in the Rose Bowl before the Hoosiers routed Oregon 56-22 in Atlanta on Friday.

Yet while Mendoza continues to etch his 2025 season as one of the best in the history of college football while cementing himself as the prohibitive top pick of the 2026 draft, it had seemed like the Jets would be in line for a tantalizing consolation prize − namely Ducks quarterback Dante Moore, a prospect some evaluators believe might have more professional upside than Mendoza.

“Around the league, there’s a debate on who’s one or who’s two,” ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller told USA TODAY Sports. “Some people love Mendoza – pocket passer, super accurate, poised, never seems to get rattled. He’s more of a distributor – he allows his guys to go make plays. I think there’s a lot of people that see that and like it. He’s kind of Jared Goff-esque … or Kirk Cousins-plus.

“Dante, I think he’s a little more explosive, he’s a little more dynamic. … He’s really not quite as experienced. And so it’s more of an upside bet.”

But now? Doesn’t appear to be much room left for debate after Mendoza owned the Peach Bowl stage, while his team took down Oregon for the second time this season.

Meanwhile, Mendoza was once again surgical – repeatedly drilling the back shoulders of his receivers when he wasn’t layering touchdown passes to them. He finished with five touchdown passes … and three incompletions. (Between the Rose and Peach Bowls, Mendoza has eight TD throws and five incompletions – against defenses stacked with plenty of NFL-caliber talent.)

Said ESPN play-by-play man Sean McDonough at halftime, “I think the debate about who the number one quarterback is and who’s gonna be the number one pick in the draft has been answered.”

Responded analyst Greg McElroy, one of the many quarterbacks who couldn’t cut it with the Jets post-Namath: “I think it was established even before this. I mean, if you’re drafting Dante Moore, it’s on a projection. You’re getting a ready-made product right now in Fernando Mendoza.”

In fairness to Moore, he made some nice throws Friday, even if his 285-yard, two-TD night was ultimately full of empty calories. In further fairness to Moore, he’s 20 years old and has started 19 college games − the kind of relatively thin résumé that’s been predictive of failure for recent top-five QB selections like Mitchell Trubisky, Trey Lance and Anthony Richardson. Moore also looked like a deer in headlights at times. With the benefit of more time and nourished by more quality coaching, he certainly has the potential to be an excellent pro – though patience and quality coaching have been in fairly short supply with Gang Green since the Jets’ landmark Super Bowl 3 victory, famously/infamously guaranteed by Namath, to cap the 1968 season. (The Jets have never returned to the Super Sunday stage.)

In the decades since, they’ve picked passers like Richard Todd, Ken O’Brien, Chad Pennington, Mark Sanchez, Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson in the first round. All have been saddled with outsized expectations, few have had the benefit of a strong supporting cast, none have flourished for more than a handful of seasons.

Moore could be set up for a similar fate if the Jets, desperate behind center yet again more than a year after the failed Aaron Rodgers experiment, tab him. ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith even advised Moore to remain at Oregon in 2026 rather than play for the Jets, whom SAS deemed a “football atrocity.”

“That’s the Dante Moore dilemma,” said Miller. “It’s do you go for the sure thing of being a top-five pick, or do you go back to school and risk having a Garrett Nussmeier-type of year, where your stock kinda falls off?

“Who’s to say (the Jets) don’t have the number one pick next year? The Jets are always in the top five. If you’re running from the Jets, you just need to come out and say you don’t want to play for them.”

As well as Moore played in 2025, two of his worst games came in the losses to Indiana − an opponent sporting a talented, opportunistic defense, if not one as remotely good and complex as the ones Moore will eventually see in the NFL. He didn’t distinguish himself against Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl, either.

Meanwhile, Mendoza, 22, couldn’t have looked more composed or efficient in the biggest game of his life – at least until the South Florida native faces the University of Miami for the national championship on Jan. 19. Big (6-foot-5, 225 pounds), accurate, intelligent and perhaps underrated athletically, Mendoza appears like precisely the guy the Jets need – a winner unlikely to be derailed by the Big Apple’s scrutiny and distractions.

Yet, un-Raider-y as the clean-cut Mendoza presents, he’ll likely be avoiding the distractions of Sin City instead while trying to elevate that once-great franchise from the ashes – and with minority owner Tom Brady to monitor his professional growth and development.

As for the Jets?

Maybe they try to package some of their midseason bounty of high-end draft picks, acquired after trading Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, to move up for Mendoza. Maybe they make a run at a veteran like Mac Jones or Cousins (a Mendoza facsimile without the wheels) and target Texas’ Arch Manning or Ohio State’s Julian Sayin in 2027. Maybe Moore “Ducks” the Jets entirely and winds up in an environment preferable to a “football atrocity” – you know, like in Cleveland or Arizona.

But it sure feels like Moore’s best play personally is to enter this draft, given the likelihood he’ll be close to a surefire top-five pick, rather than chance a regression ahead of what’s shaping up as a stacked 2027 crop. Better to take the Caleb Williams path and join an organization that might foster initial misgivings – while realizing circumstances in the NFL change on a dime, for the league’s worst franchises and its best (slot Williams’ Chicago Bears wherever you choose).

Regardless – somehow, some way – sure seems like the Jets now find themselves two years away from being two years away.

‘Do your job’ is something of a mantra for this Indiana football program.
Curt Cignetti even smiles after Indiana’s 56-22 thrashing of Oregon in Peach Bowl.
If Indiana beats Miami in national championship game, job will be complete.

ATLANTA – To call this a rise from the ashes, something would’ve had to have been burned down first. Indiana football was never here. Not before Curt Cignetti arrived.

He’s the man with the plan. The coach with the swagger. The master blender of transfers. The developer of a Heisman Trophy winner.

In the time B.C. — before Cignetti — Indiana needed four seasons to amass 15 wins.

A.C., they’re 15-0.

If you saw Cignetti standing on the sideline, grim-faced, you might think he was observing a funeral. No, he’s just watching his Hoosiers bury another opponent.

When it was finished, this 56-22 body slam of Oregon in a College Football Playoff semifinal, Cignetti even cracked a smile. Do you believe in miracles?!

All it took was a 34-point beatdown to coax out a grin out of everyone’s favorite meme.

“You see (him smile) every now and then. It’s rare,” Indiana wide receiver Elijah Sarratt said, as he smiled next to the Peach Bowl trophy inside the locker room.

When you try to explain how the Hoosiers got here, from Big Ten doormat to national powerhouse in just two years, you’ve got to start with the coach, but you’ve also got to include the quarterback.

Fernando Mendoza fired five touchdown passes and just three incompletions.

You also cannot ignore Indiana’s sturdiness in the trenches or its bundle of skill position talent or how it does not beat itself with mistakes and blunders, like those Oregon made.

So, what’s the best way to explain how Indiana is undefeated and one win away from becoming national champions, after having 100-to-1 odds in the preseason? Maybe, it boils down to three letters that have become this program’s mission.

“Our big thing we say is, DYJ. Do your job,” defensive lineman Mario Landino said. “As long as do your job, it’s going to be OK. We’ve got that posted around the facility and at away games, everywhere.”

Indiana football does its job vs. Oregon, from very first play to last

D’Angelo Ponds did his job. On the game’s very first play from scrimmage, Indiana’s star cornerback bolted in front of an Oregon receiver, picked off a pass and sprinted into the end zone for a touchdown.

“After that play, the whole sideline, we’re turnt. We know, we’re here,” defensive lineman Daniel Ndukwe said.

Eleven seconds into the game, the train horn that blasts inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium after touchdowns blared for the first of many, many times, because these Hoosiers just kept doing their job and kept racking up the touchdowns.

Eight of them, in sum.

Mendoza did his job while completing 17 of 20 passes. He sizzled on third downs.

When Sarratt saw Mendoza, a transfer from California, throwing before the season, he sensed this could be a special season.

“Seeing the way Fernando was spinning it in the offseason I knew we had a chance,” said Sarratt, who did his job with seven catches for 75 yards.

If you’ve got a quarterback, you’ve got a chance. The Hoosiers have a quarterback.

As Cignetti aptly put it, Mendoza played “incredible” and Sarratt was “on fire.”

Both can say they achieved the task of DYJ.

Dan Lanning on Hoosiers: ‘They’re complete.’

The offensive line did its job protecting Mendoza. He was sacked only once, and those maulers opened holes for Indiana’s underrated ground attack to punish Oregon to the tune of 185 yards.

That’s doing your job.

The defensive line’s job was to make life uncomfortable for quarterback Dante Moore. They didn’t just do their job. They aced it. Mark Cuban, give those fellas a bonus check! The Hoosiers had 10 tackles for loss, including three sacks. Landino recovered two Moore fumbles. How’s that for DYJ?

One of the nation’s least-penalized teams, Indiana got flagged just five times. It blocked a punt. It mounted a 3-0 turnover advantage.

That’s how you destroy a good team.

“We’re a smart team,’ Landino said. ‘We don’t make penalties. We’re trying not to make mistakes.’

They don’t beat themselves, while beating you up. They lead the nation in turnover margin. They’re physical, and they’re relentless. When they get up by a few scores, they don’t fall into that pesky trap of letting their foot off the gas. They keep the pedal down.

Take it from Oregon coach Dan Lanning: “They’re complete.”

Bingo.

Zoom out and view this through the big picture, and it’s still hard to believe Indiana, a program synonymous with failure throughout most of its existence, is headed to the national championship game.

Zoom in, and you’ll see a veteran, polished team that’s without weakness and plays with unflinching composure.

“To me, every game is the same,” Cignetti said. “You gotta win the line of scrimmage. You gotta be able to run the ball, stop the run, affect the quarterback, protect the quarterback. And, then, the turnover ratio, which was huge in this game.”

When it was finished, would they admit they accomplished the quest of DYJ?

“I think we took a step,” Landino said.

One more step, and the job will be complete.  

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 offensive gameplan for the Los Angeles Rams was clear at the start of Saturday’s NFC wild-card game against the Carolina Panthers – find a way to get Puka Nacua the football.

Nacua had three catches, 40 yards and a touchdown on the Rams’ opening drive. On the Rams’ third series, the wideout caught a backwards pass from Matthew Stafford maneuvered around a couple of defenders and found the end zone to give Los Angeles a 14-0 advantage in the second quarter.

Nacua’s second score went down as a 5-yard rushing touchdown.

The third-year wide receiver is coming off another superb regular season. He tallied an NFL-high 129 catches for 1,715 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He was named an NFL first-team All-Pro for his efforts.