The Las Vegas Raiders will be without their two best players in a game that will determine who gets the rights to the No. 1 overall pick next April.

The New York Giants will head west Sunday in a battle between two 2 and 13 teams — Big Blue currently owns the No. 1 pick but would forfeit it to the Raiders with a victory.

Raiders tight end Brock Bowers was placed on injured reserve earlier this week, ending his season. A few days later, defensive end Maxx Crosby was listed as out because of a nagging knee injury.

Crosby, who said earlier this week he did not “give a s—” about the No. 1 pick, then left the team facility because he disagreed with his status for the remainder of the year, according to Fox Sports NFL reporter Jay Glazer.

Glazer said the Raiders wanted to shut the star defensive end down for the team’s final two games of the regular season, but Crosby “vehemently disagreed” with the idea and left the facility. Crosby, a Pro Bowler in each of the past five seasons, has played in each of the Raiders’ 15 games this season and has recorded 10.0 sacks.

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“I don’t play for that. My job is to be the best defensive end in the world,” Crosby told reporters Tuesday.

“That’s what I focus on every day, and being a great leader, and being an influence, and being that guy on a consistent basis for my team. The front office, the coaches, they do that. But that’s got nothing to do with me. I’ve learned that lesson in the past, you can’t control everything. That’s not my job description, my job is to be the best in the world at what I do.”

The No. 1 overall pick would give the Raiders a chance to select the top quarterback in the class, as Geno Smith doesn’t appear to be the long-term answer. 

The Giants seem to have found their franchise quarterback in Jaxson Dart, which would likely prompt a trade back if they hold the pick.

The Giants and Raiders play at 4:05 p.m. ET on Sunday. 

Fox News’ Ryan Canfield contributed to this report.  

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Bill Plaschke writes, “If the Trojans truly want to return to greatness, being selected for the CFP is the goal. Not beating Notre Dame. Not even beating UCLA.” That’s 100% wrong.

As a USC alum (1965) and longtime fan, those are the only things that do matter. I have often said that if USC beats UCLA or Notre Dame, the coach deserves another season. To give up this grand tradition in pursuit of the arguably artificial and profit-driven CFP would be an unforgivable sin.

Noel Park
Rancho Palos Verdes

A USC national football championship without playing Notre Dame rings hollow — an asterisked title, a meal that never satisfies, a taste you can’t quite wash away. It may shine in the record books, but it will always feel unfinished to those who know what real college football tradition demands. Earth to Lincoln Riley: an undefeated season is still a loss without playing the Fighting Irish. What’s next? If UCLA becomes competitive, then there will be no crosstown game?

Jeff Black
Los Angeles

So the Fighting Irish own a series edge of 53-37, have won 3 in a row, 7 of the last 8, and 11 of the last 15 games. Yet Bill Plaschke now claims that Notre Dame is running away from the series and is afraid of “Ole SC.” To paraphrase the late, great Jim Healy, Plaschke is on the Leonard Tose highway!

Jerome M. Jackson
El Segundo

Notre Dame is the Burger King of college football — always having it their way. From backdoor deals with the corrupt [CFP] guaranteeing a playoff spot if they finish ranked in the top 12 to refusing to join a conference so that they can pocket all bowl game money, the Irish are treated like college football royalty. Glad USC told the Irish toddlers they can’t have ice cream for breakfast!

Mark S. Roth
Playa Vista

“USC and Notre Dame recognize how special our rivalry is to our fans …” A joint statement by the athletic directors of the two schools. Really? Fake news!

Wayne Muramatsu
Cerritos

No USC-Notre Dame football game! Who’s next to be cut from the Notre Dame football schedule, Navy? Oh wait, the Irish can’t afford to drop Navy. That might hurt their chance$ at a playoff berth.

Ted Bartscherer
Pasadena

Kyle Whittingham is the next head coach of the Michigan Wolverines football program with a reported deal coming weeks after the university fired Sherrone Moore for what officials described as an “inappropriate relationship” with a staffer. Moore was later arrested.

Whittingham and Michigan agreed to a five-year contract, ESPN reported Friday. 

He will take over for Biff Poggi, who was named the interim head coach after Moore was dismissed. Poggi made his case to take over the job in the last week.

Whittingham will be the fifth head coach since Lloyd Carr retired after the 2007 season.

Whittingham announced earlier this year he would step down as the head coach of the Utah Utes after 20 seasons. He expressed interest in continuing his coaching career and quickly became one of the handful of coaches who were possible Moore successors.

Whittingham, 66, served under Ron McBride and Urban Meyer at Utah. He had been with the program since 1994, when he first started out as a defensive line coach. Michigan will be the second head coaching stop for him. He is 177-88 all time.

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Michigan is considered one of the top football jobs in the country despite the scandals that have plagued the school in recent years. One of the biggest included a sign-stealing scandal that led to the suspension of Jim Harbaugh. Moore also served a suspension as part of an NCAA investigation.

Through it all, Michigan won the national championship behind J.J. McCarthy in 2023. The Wolverines were 15-0 that season, going undefeated for the first time since 1997 under Carr. The Wolverines won the national championship that year as well.

Whittingham will be called upon to right the ship that has been rocking for the last few weeks.

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The Wolverines will play in the Citrus Bowl Dec. 31 against the Texas Longhorns.

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