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College Football Playoff semifinals preview: Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl take center stage

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College Football Playoff semifinals preview: Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl take center stage

It’s been a fascinating year in college football

Deion Sanders took over the sport for a few months before his Colorado Buffaloes lost eight of their last nine games to end the season, the “Conference of Champions” became the conference of just two teams, and Florida State became the first undefeated Power 5 conference champion to be left out of the College Football Playoff. 

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders is shown prior to the game against UCLA at Rose Bowl Stadium, Oct. 28, 2023, in Pasadena, California. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

All of the storylines have led to the final edition of the four-team CFP, which has the potential to be the best semifinals in the 10-year history of the CFP. 

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Let’s take a look at the New Year’s Day matchups with the winners playing for the national championship in Houston on Jan. 8.

Rose Bowl – No. 1 Michigan vs No. 4 Alabama, 5 p.m. ET

It’s a matchup between two traditional powers at “The Granddaddy of Them All.” 

In what has the look of a classic, Michigan and Alabama will square off in the Rose Bowl with a 13-game and an 11-game winning streak on the line. 

Michigan is looking to bounce back from its performance in last year’s CFP after a tumultuous season. 

Rose Bowl Stadium is shown on Dec. 27, 2023, in Pasadena, California. (David McNew/Getty Images)

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Head coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended by the school for the first three games of the season before missing the final three games of the year after the Big Ten came down on him over allegations of sign-stealing.

With or without Harbaugh, the Wolverines have been perfect, and they’ve gotten it done on the defensive side of the football. 

Michigan has allowed the fewest points per game (9.5) while holding opponents to just 239.7 yards per game. 

After starting off the year with a very soft schedule, Michigan finished the year against two top-10 teams before shutting out No. 16 Iowa in the Big Ten title game.

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They need quarterback J.J. McCarthy to have one of his better games to beat a red-hot Alabama team

J.J. McCarthy of the Michigan Wolverines (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

In Michigan’s first seven games of the season. McCarthy threw for 14 touchdowns with an average of 10.6 yards per pass attempt, according to The Athletic. In the final six games, McCarthy threw just five touchdowns and averaged 7.7 yards per pass attempt.

The Crimson Tide come into the CFP winners of 11 consecutive games, a winning streak that can mostly be attributed to quarterback Jalen Milroe’s play. 

Since sitting out against South Florida in Week 3, Milroe has been spectacular, throwing for 2,269 yards, 18 passing touchdowns and just four interceptions. 

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Milroe’s ability to make plays with his legs – 12 rushing touchdowns – makes the Alabama offense dangerous for Michigan as they prepare for a quarterback rarely seen in the Big Ten.

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe (Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

“I don’t think we’ve seen a quarterback like this,” Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said, according to USA Today. 

The New Year’s Day matchup at the Rose Bowl will be one college football fans won’t want to miss.

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Sugar Bowl – No. 2 Washington vs No. 3 Texas, 8:45 p.m. ET 

Fans of the Longhorns can finally say that “Texas is back.” 

It’s been 13 years since Texas last played for a national championship, and Steve Sarkisian has his team on the doorstep of reaching the pinnacle of the sport. 

Texas entered the 2023 college football season as the villains of the Big 12 as they prepare to depart the conference for the SEC in 2024. After winning the program’s first conference championship since 2009, Texas has an opportunity for the ultimate exit. 

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“We have a chance to be legends,” senior linebacker David Gbenda said. “So why not go be great?”

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Quarterback Quinn Ewers of the Texas Longhorns (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

The Longhorns enter Monday’s game against Washington with an offense ranked in the top 10 in yards per game and a defense in the top 15 in points allowed per game.

The offense is led by quarterback Quinn Ewers, who has shown major improvements in his second season under Sarkisian. 

After missing two games due to injury, Ewers enters the CFP on a tear, throwing for 1,246 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions in the final four games of the year.

Ewers has thrown for 3,161 yards, 21 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2023, and the sophomore QB drastically improved his completion percentage, going from completing 58.1% of his passes in 2022 to 70.7% in 2023.

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The Texas defense has been elite at stopping the run, allowing just 80.3 rushing yards per game, fourth-best in the country. 

They’ll be facing a Washington team led by a Heisman Trophy finalist and an offense that can get up and down the field. 

The Huskies finished the year 13-0 for the first time in program history as they prepare to depart the Pac-12 for the Big Ten in 2024. 

Michael Penix Jr. led the top passing offense in the country (343.8 yards per game) while throwing for 4,218 yards, 33 touchdowns and nine interceptions. 

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Michael Penix Jr. of the Washington Huskies (Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images)

While the Washington offense slowed in the second half of the season, the Huskies found a way to win close games, winning their last four games by a combined 15 points. 

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Their receiving core is elite, led by two 1,000-yard wideouts in Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk. 

“It’s the touchdowns. It’s the moving of the chains in the big, big moments. There’s been so many we forget about a lot of [them] and you take it for granted the gaudy stats that he has,” Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer said of Odunze. “Just over and over again, think about how many times he’s come through when you really needed it. A lot of times you think about when you lose football games or you didn’t come through in the big moment. You remember those. I can’t remember Rome not coming through.”

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And while Washington is known for its passing attack, running back Dillon Johnson has come on strong in the second half, averaging 136.6 yards per game in the last five contests, including a 256-yard performance against USC

With a secondary allowing 263.2 passing yards per game (120th in the country), college football fans could be in for a high-scoring affair in New Orleans. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Longtime Blackhawks great and broadcaster Troy Murray dies at 63, team says

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Longtime Blackhawks great and broadcaster Troy Murray dies at 63, team says

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Former Chicago Blackhawks standout Troy Murray, who transitioned to the broadcast booth after his playing career, has died, the team announced Saturday. He was 63.

The Blackhawks said he died earlier in the day.

It’s unclear where Murray spent his final moments. Murray publicly disclosed his cancer diagnosis in August 2021. While he revealed he had been undergoing chemotherapy, details about the type of cancer he was fighting were kept private.

Murray, affectionately known as “Muzz,” continued to appear on Blackhawks broadcasts during his cancer battle, though his appearances eventually tapered off. He stepped away from the booth entirely ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season.

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Troy Murray is honored during Hockey Fights Cancer night during a game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the San Jose Sharks at United Center Nov. 28, 2021, in Chicago. (Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images)

For more than a decade, Murray starred at center for the Blackhawks. CEO Danny Wirtz said the loss of one of the franchise’s most respected leaders left the team “deeply heartbroken.”

“Troy was the epitome of a Blackhawk so far beyond his incredible playing career, with his presence felt in every corner of our organization over the last 45 years,” Wirtz said.

“During his long and hard battle with cancer, it was often said that Troy didn’t have any ‘give up’ in him,” Wirtz added. “While our front office won’t be the same without him, we will carry that spirit forward every day in his honor. We’ll miss you, Troy.”

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Troy Murray, a former player for the Chicago Blackhawks, is honored during the “One More Shift” campaign prior to a game against the Ottawa Senators at the United Center Feb. 21, 2018, in Chicago.  (Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images)

After 12 seasons with the Blackhawks, Murray finished his NHL career with the Colorado Avalanche, winning the 1996 Stanley Cup.

After spending the following season with the International Hockey League Chicago Wolves, Murray stayed in the city to begin his broadcasting career in 1998. Murray was also named the president of the Blackhawks alumni association.

“Troy Murray is remembered for not only his contributions on the ice, but for his professionalism and humility and dedication to the city of Chicago,” the team said in a release. “He leaves behind a lasting legacy within the Blackhawks family and the broader hockey world.”

Chicago Blackhawks radio announcers John Wiedeman and Troy Murray wear lavender ties in honor of Hockey Fights Cancer night during a game against the Vancouver Canucks Oct. 20, 2010, at the United Center in Chicago.   (Bill Smith/NHLI via Getty Images)

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From Calgary, Alberta, Murray topped 20 goals five times, but he also became known for his defensive play. In 1986, he became the Blackhawks’ first player to win the NHL’s Frank J. Selke Trophy, the award for the league’s top defensive forward.

Murray finished with 197 goals in 688 games over two stints with the Blackhawks and also played for the Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins. Overall, he had 230 goals in 915 career games.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Not done yet: Khalil Mack agrees to contract extension with Chargers

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Not done yet: Khalil Mack agrees to contract extension with Chargers

Khalil Mack will continue to be a nuisance for opposing quarterbacks for at least one more season.

The Chargers edge rusher agreed to a contract extension with the team Saturday, the team announced. The deal is for one season and $18 million guaranteed, according to multiple reports.

In 12 games last season, Mack, 35, had 5½ sacks and 32 tackles, playing a key role alongside Tuli Tuipulotu and Odafe Oweh in spearheading the Chargers’ pass rush and softening the blow of Joey Bosa’s exit from the unit.

Since joining the Chargers via a trade with the Chicago Bears in March 2022, Mack has recorded 36½ sacks and 195 tackles. The three-time All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowl selection missed five games with a left elbow injury early in the season, but he was still a force on defense for the Chargers — even when his sack totals were at their lowest mark since his 2014 rookie season.

Mack’s greatest season with the Chargers — and arguably his NFL career — came in 2023 when he had a franchise-record 17 sacks and finished tied for second in the league with four strip-sacks. During the Chargers’ Week 4 win over Las Vegas that season, he recorded six sacks.

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If Mack’s decision seems familiar, that’s because it is. Last year, he didn’t re-sign with the Chargers until just before the start of free agency as he mulled whether to return or retire. He was persuaded with a one-year, $18-million deal similar to the one he agreed to Saturday.

Mack is a proven Hall of Fame-caliber pass rusher, but he still hasn’t been part of a playoff win. He’s 0-6 in the playoffs and the Chargers’ disheartening loss to the New England Patriots in the wild-card playoffs probably gave him plenty of reasons to think about his future.

With Mack under contract, re-signing Oweh becomes a clear priority for Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz ahead of the free-agent negotiation period beginning Monday.

Oweh had a breakout season in the aftermath of his midseason trade from Baltimore and is considered one of the top defensive players set to be available in free agency. Oweh had 7½ sacks and 28 tackles in 12 games with the Chargers.

With Jesse Minter leaving L.A. to become the head coach of the Ravens, Mack will be working under new defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary next season. If Mack can stay healthy, he’ll likely continue to be a valuable contributor to the Chargers’ pass-rushing threat.

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Kyle Pitts blasts ‘fake emotion’ from NFL players who skipped Rondale Moore’s celebration of life

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Kyle Pitts blasts ‘fake emotion’ from NFL players who skipped Rondale Moore’s celebration of life

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This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Atlanta Falcons star Kyle Pitts called out the former teammates of Rondale Moore, who tragically died last month from a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound, after he said only a handful of them showed up to his celebration of life services on Friday. 

Moore, 25, was found dead in the garage of his Indiana home on Feb. 21. Police said at the time that the former NFL receiver died of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound. News of Moore’s death prompted an outpouring of support from around the league and from those who knew Moore. 

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (8) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Dec. 21, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

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But Pitts, who became close with Moore after he was traded to the Falcons in 2024, called out what he called the “fake emotion” that was displayed in the wake of Moore’s passing.

 

“Crazy how only about 6 maybe 7 of your teammates in the NFL showed up for you today smfh,” he wrote in a post shared to his Instagram Stories. “All that talk and fake emotion and nobody want to show up to lay you to rest.. Just at a loss of words. 

“Be woke on who your ‘brothers’ really are, who really rock with you all areas of life not just in front of cameras or the public,” he continued, adding “Folks just want to throw up a post and not mean it but we ball yb as Kur said, ‘it might hurt a little’ but we ball.” 

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rondale Moore (4) and Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham (55) in action during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field on Dec. 31, 2023.  (Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports)

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Moore was a standout football player in college for Purdue. The Arizona Cardinals selected him in the 2021 NFL Draft. He played three seasons in Arizona from 2021 to 2023. He was traded to the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 but suffered a season-ending injury.

He joined the Minnesota Vikings in March 2025 and suffered a season-ending injury in a preseason game. 

Pitts shared an emotional post about Moore on social media after learning of his death.

“This can’t be real dawg,” he wrote after sharing a carousel of photos on Instagram. “I’m really sitting here crying on even what to say or think bruh.”

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. (8) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Dec. 21, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

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“We literally was just on the phone yesterday morning. I’m so hurt dawg, I’d never thought I’d be making this type of post let alone it be about you! Rondale, you’re truly aqt peace now watching over us but I wish you didn’t leave us man. I love you dawg and 4 is going to live on forever.”

Fox News Digital’s Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

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