LSU Tigers football is reportedly set to land a coveted transfer on Monday to start Lane Kiffin’s tenure as head coach.

Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt will likely transfer to the Tigers and play in Baton Rouge next season, ESPN reported. Leavitt is one of the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal and reportedly visited Miami and Kentucky en route to his decision.

LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier graduated following the 2025 season and Michael Van Buren transferred to South Florida upon Kiffin’s arrival at LSU from Ole Miss. LSU was reportedly also targeting Washington’s Desmond Williams Jr. before he chose to stay with the Huskies.

Leavitt initially transferred from Michigan State to Arizona State following his freshman season in 2023. He became a star under Kenny Dillingham’s tutelage and had the Sun Devils in the College Football Playoff in 2024, only losing to the Texas Longhorns by eight points in the first round.

He only played in seven games in 2025, throwing for 1,628 yards and 10 touchdowns before he suffered a foot injury that required season-ending surgery.

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Upon Leavitt’s decision to enter the transfer portal, Dillingham had warm words for him.

“Big 12 champ, put his name on the map, smart/talented player! Going to succeed wherever he goes,” Dillingham wrote on X in December.

LSU had high expectations for the 2025 season. But the team was only able to muster seven wins. The team fired Brian Kelly in the middle of the year.

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Kiffin joined LSU after Ole Miss won its Egg Bowl rivalry game against Mississippi State. The Rebels made the College Football Playoff and got to the semifinals.

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Matthew Stafford suffered a sprained right index finger in the Rams’ wild-card victory over the Carolina Panthers, but he will be ready for Sunday’s divisional-round game against the Bears in Chicago, coach Sean McVay said Monday.

“He’s as tough as it gets and will be good to go,” McVay said during a videoconference with reporters.

Stafford injured his finger Saturday when his hand hit the helmet of a Panthers player during the Rams’ 34-31 victory in Charlotte, N.C. He played through the issue and passed for 304 yards and three touchdowns, including a game-winner to tight end Colby Parkinson with 38 seconds left.

In his postgame news conference, Stafford said he did not know what happened until he saw video that showed his finger bent backward.

“It wasn’t pleasant. It wasn’t great. We’ll see what it is,” said Stafford, who was not wearing a brace or splint. “Once the ball’s snapped, the adrenaline’s pretty good so we’ll hopefully just keep going.”

Stafford and the Rams are traveling to a cold-weather region, but Stafford has plenty of experience in those conditions, having played 12 seasons in the NFC North.

Temperatures in Chicago could be in the teens or lower when the Rams play the Bears, who defeated the Green Bay Packers, 31-27, Saturday at Soldier Field.

“Seems like it’s going to be pretty damn cold,” McVay said.

McVay said he was optimistic that offensive lineman Kevin Dotson, who has been sidelined for three games because of an ankle injury, would play against the Bears.

“We’re going to really push that thing and see how he feels with the optimism that there’s a good chance he makes it,” McVay said.

Tight end Terrance Ferguson (hamstring) and defensive back Josh Wallace (ankle) also could return after sitting out the last two games, McVay said. Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon reinjured his shoulder against the Panthers and will be placed on injured reserve.

While the Rams are preparing for Sunday’s game, defensive coordinator Chris Shula, offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur and passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase will interview virtually with NFL teams hiring head coaches.

According to reports, Shula will interview for the Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders head coaching jobs.

LaFleur will interview with the Cardinals and Raiders.

Scheelhaase will interview with the Cleveland Browns, Raiders and Baltimore Ravens.

“I’m not at all concerned about it being a distraction,” McVay said.

The New England Patriots defended home turf in the Wild Card Round, dominating the Los Angeles Chargers in a 16-3 victory to move on in the NFL Playoffs.

New England, winning its first playoff game since their 2018 Super Bowl-winning campaign, will await the victor of the No. 4 Houston Texans and No. 5 Pittsburgh Steelers Wild Card game on Monday night to see who they face in the Divisional Round next week.

This game saw its first touchdown in the fourth quarter, but that was because of how suffocating both defenses were in this contest. But it was clear the Patriots had every answer for Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ offense.

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Mike Vrabel’s squad shouldn’t have given up only three points, especially after Drake Maye was picked off on the Patriots’ second drive at his own 10-yard line. However, the Patriots’ defense was relentless all night, and the Chargers couldn’t adjust.

They stopped the Chargers on four plays to turn them over on downs, and ultimately got on the board first thanks to a 93-yard drive that resulted in a field goal.

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Los Angeles was knocking at the door again with a third-and-2 from New England’s three-yard line, but Kimani Vidal was stuffed. Cameron Dicker added a field goal to tie the game, and only another Patriots field goal was added to the score before halftime, a 6-3 lead for New England.

While the Chargers couldn’t get anything going on offense, their defense kept them in this game, at least for the first three quarters. Maye was strip-sacked by Odafe Oweh while in Chargers territory to keep it a three-point game in the third quarter.

But after another failed drive, a third Patriots field goal split the uprights to make it 9-3.

The dagger for the Patriots came after yet another Chargers punt, when Maye placed his pass perfectly for tight end Hunter Henry, the ex-Chargers star, for a 28-yard touchdown. The first six-pointer for either team seemingly ended all hopes for Los Angeles.

On the ensuing drive, Herbert was crushed by K’Lavon Chaisson, resulting in a fumble recovered by Christian Elliss, as the Gillette Stadium crowd went ballistic.

The Chargers tried to get some playoff heroics going, as they dinked and dunked their way down the field into Patriots territory. But on fourth-and-9 from New England’s 34-yard line, Milton Williams ended all hope when he delivered the Patriots’ sixth sack on Herbert to turn them over on downs again. 

In the box score, Maye went 17-of-29 through the air for 268 yards, with running back Rhamondre Stevenson being his top receiver with 75 yards on three catches. Kayshon Boutte also added 66 yards on four grabs, while Henry finished with 64 yards.

And Maye was also the Patriots’ leading rusher with 67 yards on the ground on nine carries, as he continuously picked his spots to gash the Chargers’ defense.

For Los Angeles, Herbert’s playoff woes continue, as he’s now 0-3 after this performance. He had just 159 yards passing and 57 yards rushing.

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