Sports
Dominant Rams makes themselves at home in Arizona with rout of Vikings
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Now that’s what you call making yourself right at home, even if it was nearly 400 miles away.
Because of safety concerns caused by wildfires in Southern California, the NFL moved the Rams’ NFC wild-card game against the Minnesota Vikings from SoFi Stadium to State Farm Stadium.
But the Rams — on a mission to win and also lift the spirits of their devastated hometown — did not flinch Monday night.
Matthew Stafford passed for two touchdowns and the Rams’ defense dominated in a 27-9 victory that advanced L.A. to a NFC divisional round game against the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
The Rams sacked Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold nine times. Cornerback Cobie Durant intercepted a pass, and rookie edge rusher Jared Verse returned a fumble for a touchdown as the Rams beat the Vikings for the second time this season and advanced to the divisional round for the first time since the 2021 season, when they won Super Bowl LVI.
Rams defensive tackle Kobie Turner sacks the Vikings’ Sam Darnold in the first quarter of their wild-card playoff game. The Rams finished with nine sacks.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
It was an exhilarating victory for a Rams team that left Los Angeles on Friday to escape the fires that have devastated the Southland and to prepare for a Vikings team whose only losses during a 14-3 season came against the top-seeded Detroit Lions twice and the Rams.
The Rams made every effort to give the stadium a familiar feel.
There was no giant Oculus videoboard suspended over the field, but the Rams logo was painted at midfield and the end zones were painted blue with yellow letters spelling out RAMS and LOS ANGELES. The digital ribbon boards that ringed the inside of the stadium also were in Rams colors, and the Rams brought their DJ, rock guitarist and mariachi band.
Busloads of fans made the trip, Mookie Betts and several teammates from the Dodgers World Series champions attended, and retired defensive lineman Aaron Donald showed up to comfort his former teammates and root them on.
For all practical purposes it was SoFi East.
Coach Sean McVay built up his team from the moment they lost the season finale against the Seattle Seahawks, a game in which he rested starters. A victory would have set up a wild-card game against the Washington Commanders or Green Bay Packers but the defeat put the Rams in a potential matchup against the powerful Lions or Vikings.
“We respect all, but we fear none,” McVay said after the game.
If the Rams needed any extra motivation, Lions coach Dan Campbell inadvertently provided it. After his team’s 31-9 victory over the Vikings, he told Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, “I’ll see you in two weeks.” A screenshot of that exchange was taped above a passageway in the Rams’ facility.
A few days later, McVay addressed his players while holding a paperweight emblazoned with “Built for this,” and he emphasized that theme after the Rams practiced Saturday in Tempe, Ariz.
The Rams looked the part against a Vikings team that still appeared to be in a funk after their embarrassing loss to the Lions.
The Rams’ Kyren Williams catches a five-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford against the Vikings in their wild-card playoff game.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The typically slow-starting Rams broke from tradition and scored early. They built a 10-0 first-quarter lead on Stafford’s touchdown pass to running back Kyren Williams. They extended it on Verse’s fumble return — exuberantly punctuating the play with a somersault into the end zone — and Stafford’s touchdown pass to tight end Davis Allen for a 24-3 halftime lead.
The Vikings never threatened to make it close.
Now the Rams must get ready to play the Eagles.
On Nov. 24, the Eagles stomped the Rams 37-20 at SoFi Stadium behind running back Saquon Barkley, who rushed for 255 yards, including touchdown runs of 72 and 70 yards.
Defeating the Eagles will be a difficult task, especially on the road.
The Rams showed Monday they are ready for the challenge.
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The Kentucky Wildcats basketball team may still make the NCAA Tournament, but Dick Vitale thinks this iconic program should be much better than their 19-12 record this season considering their whopping $22 million roster.
The legendary ESPN college basketball analyst didn’t hold back his feelings about the Wildcats as they played Florida during Saturday’s prime SEC matchup. After the Gators hit some free throws to extend their first-half lead to 26-19, Vitale started to lay into the Wildcats.
Head coach Mark Pope of the Kentucky Wildcats in a game between the Florida Gators and the Kentucky Wildcats on March 7, 2026, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY. (Jeff Moreland/Icon Sportswire)
“I’m going to say this right here, I’ve done several Kentucky games, win or lose, $22 million this team [which has been reported] in terms of the NIL for their players,” he said, per Awful Announcing. “I think in $22 million, they could have put together a better roster than they did. I really do.”
The Wildcats ended up losing by a score of 84-77, and Vitale continued about Kentucky near the end of their 12th loss of the season.
“I’ll tell you one thing, you don’t want to walk out of here thinking you got a moral victory,” Vitale said, referencing a hard-fought game against the No. 5-ranked Florida team. “Moral victories don’t count at this level of basketball. And you hear some of the people, ‘We played them close. We played them tough.’
“The bottom line is you’re Kentucky. You’re Kentucky. And you’ve got to leave here with a win, especially at home. There are no moral victories. Come on. I don’t want to hear that.”
Collin Chandler and Jasper Johnson of the Kentucky Wildcats celebrate in the first half against the Ole Miss Rebels at Rupp Arena on Jan. 24, 2026 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
The Wildcats were once the top program in the country under former Coach John Calipari, who left for Arkansas after being unable to make a long March Madness run in recent seasons, including a shocking first round upset to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats have been coached by Mark Pope since, and they made the Sweet 16 in last year’s tournament before losing to Tennessee.
Kentucky Jasper Johnson in action vs Michigan State at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY on Nov. 18, 2025. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated )
But this year, Kentucky is 10-8 in SEC play, and now face the No. 9 seed in the upcoming tournament this week. The winner of each conference earns a tournament berth, but the Wildcats know good seeding in the NCAA Tournament requires a strong run heading into Selection Sunday this upcoming weekend.
The Wildcats will start their SEC Tournament play on Wednesday against No. 16 LSU.
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The Chargers bolstered their efforts to protect quarterback Justin Herbert all while diversifying their offense by agreeing to a multiyear deal with veteran fullback Alec Ingold on Sunday, the team announced.
Ingold’s deal with the Chargers reportedly is for two years and $7.5 million.
Ingold will be no stranger to the Chargers’ plans on offense. He played the past four seasons in Miami under coach Mike McDaniel, the Chargers’ new offensive coordinator. Last year he caught eight passes for 52 yards and ran the ball twice in 17 games.
Ingold caught 47 passes for 372 yards and rushed for 34 yards in 20 carries in four seasons with the Dolphins. He also had two rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown.
Before his time in Miami, Ingold played three seasons with the Raiders.
The deal comes two days after the Chargers signed veteran center Tyler Biadasz to take over for the retiring Bradley Bozeman. They agreed to terms on a one-year deal with edge rusher Khalil Mack on Saturday.
With the free agency negotiation period set to begin Monday at 9 a.m. PDT, the Chargers remain in strong position to be significant players in the free-agent market. They rank among the top-five teams in salary cap space, per Overthecap.com.
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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and his fiancée, Sarah Jane Ramos, reportedly broke up with their wedding around the corner.
Prescott and Ramos’ relationship had been “rocky” in the weeks leading up to the breakup and things exploded between the two at their joint bachelor and bachelorette parties, TMZ Sports reported on Saturday.
Dak Prescott and Sarah Jane Ramos attend the Farrah Fawcett Foundation Tex-Mex Fiesta on Oct. 30, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Omar Vega/Getty Images for Farrah Fawcett Foundation)
Ramos shared pictures of her trip with her friends on Instagram on Friday.
“I truly believe you can get through anything in life as long as you have really great friends. I love these girls so much,” Ramos captioned the collage of snaps.
Prescott was not pictured in any of the 16 photos and videos posted to her social media account.
Sarah Jane Ramos and Dak Prescott pose for a photo before Dak Prescott’s Faith Fight Finish Foundation Gala on May 17, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images for Faith Fight Finish Foundation)
Ramos also posted photos of her bridal shower back on Feb. 23. There were no photos of Prescott in the carousel either.
“The most intimate and beautiful bridal shower of my dreams,” she added on Instagram. “So grateful for my aunts who hosted it and my girlfriends and family that came to celebrate. I love you all so much and can’t wait to marry the love of my life with all of you by my side.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Prescott’s representative for comment.
Prescott posted a series of photos on his Instagram of Ramos and his family on July 20, 2025. There’s only a September advertisement posted on his account since.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Sarah Jane Ramos pose on the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts on Feb. 5, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
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The NFL star and Ramos announced they were engaged on Oct. 18, 2024. The couple have two children together.
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