Sports
UCLA proves it’s no one-hit wonder with rout of Michigan State
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The sheet of paper greeted every UCLA player as he stepped into his row and took his seat on the team plane.
On it, in large block letters, was printed six words and a challenge from their interim coach: “ARE YOU A ONE-HIT WONDER?”
A week after upsetting Penn State, the Bruins answered emphatically.
Hell, no!
These guys had another triumph in them. A big one.
In an encore that was every bit the success of its smash debut under a makeshift coaching staff, UCLA continued its stunning transformation from winless team to … Big Ten powerhouse? College Football Playoff contender? Sports comeback story of the year?
There seems no limit to what this team might be able to accomplish given the continued rise on display Saturday during a 38-13 victory over Michigan State at Spartan Stadium.
UCLA running back Jalen Berger celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against Michigan State.
(Raj Mehta / Getty Images)
UCLA’s offense, led by playcaller Jerry Neuheisel, rolled off 38 consecutive points after the Bruins (2-4 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) spotted the Spartans (3-3, 0-3) an early touchdown.
The Bruins’ defense, run by de facto defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle, forced a fumble, stopped the Spartans on all four fourth-down attempts and held them to 253 yards of offense. Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles was knocked out of the game early in the third quarter after spinning into a vicious hit from defensive tackle Keanu Williams.
Orchestrating it all was interim coach Tim Skipper, who has his team playing with a focus and vitality that were clearly missing under DeShaun Foster. The sheet of paper left on players’ seats was just one of the motivational messages he’s used to revive a once lifeless team.
“It was just a little reminder, that’s all it really was,” Skipper said. “It’s kind of like Santa Claus — you don’t know how the presents got there, but they got there.”
Skipper could now be considered a more attractive candidate for UCLA’s coaching vacancy than Michigan State’s Jonathan Smith, the Pasadena native whose name has appeared on many preliminary lists for the job. How is this the same team that started the season 0-4?
“In my mind,” Skipper said, “I’ve kind of blocked out everything until I’ve been sitting in this seat and I just see us getting better every single day, that’s my whole entire goal, just get better every single day, and that’s all I’m really worried about.”
Things were going so well for the Bruins that UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond came over to where a Times reporter was sitting in the press box late in the third quarter to discuss the changes he had made in the coaching staff that helped spark the team’s turnaround.
There’s no debating that this is a different team than the one that couldn’t win a game under Foster. UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava said players had rediscovered their joy.
“I think just getting back to childhood memories and when we used to play this, when we was younger, and just going out there and having fun with it,” Iamaleava said after passing for 180 yards and three touchdowns. “We were uptight the first four games, and I feel like we went out there and let our hair flow and we were playing for fun.”
Once struggling to reach double digits in points, UCLA’s offense is now humming. A new star emerged Saturday when running back Jalen Berger scored three touchdowns and ran for a season-high 89 yards against his former team, one score coming on a run and the other two on catches.
On a rare day in which he did not need to spark UCLA’s offense with his legs because his team rolled up 238 rushing yards, Iamaleava was nearly flawless with his arm. He completed 16 of 24 passes without an interception while running just six times for three yards.
The Bruins’ 24-7 halftime lead meant they had scored more points in a game and a half with Neuheisel calling plays (66) than they did in their previous four games combined (57).
“The plays coach Jerry has been putting us in have been great, just putting us in great positions to go out there and be successful,” Iamaleava said. “And then everything’s clicking right now. O-line is doing a great job getting our run game open. And then the receivers are doing a great job getting open on the field.”
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava celebrates with wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer during the first half Saturday against Michigan State.
(Raj Mehta / Getty Images)
Their attacking, disciplined defense forced another turnover and stifled Michigan State after allowing the Spartans to score a touchdown on their opening drive.
UCLA’s special teams chipped in as well, in a scene that seemed familiar to those who had watched the Bruins play Northwestern but somehow caught Michigan State by surprise. With the Bruins lined up to punt early in the second quarter, Cole Martin took the snap and ran for 20 yards and a first down. The play was nearly identical to his fake punt against the Wildcats two weeks earlier.
“Very similar,” Skipper said, “but it went the opposite way — same formation, different direction.”
UCLA converted the trickery into points after Iamaleava connected with Berger for a three-yard touchdown catch.
After Bruins edge rusher Devin Aupiu forced a fumble from Chiles that defensive tackle Siale Taupaki recovered, the Bruins got the ball back at the Spartans’ 32-yard line. Iamaleava later found wide receiver Titus Mokiao-Atimalala cutting across the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown that extended UCLA’s lead to 24-7.
Every bounce went the Bruins’ way except for a Mateen Bhaghani field-goal attempt that ricocheted off the left upright late in the second quarter.
UCLA’s 24 consecutive points made its halftime advantage seem far greater, prompting Michigan State fans to serenade their team with boos heading into the locker room on what was shaping up as a not-so-festive homecoming.
“Best part really is just the togetherness we have in the locker room,” Martin said. “We came together. We’ve never altered. We’ve always stayed together. Nobody’s quit on one another. And that was really the best part for me, just knowing that whatever we go through, we’re going to have each other at the end of the day.”
A week after they shocked the college football world, the big story was the Bruins. Once more.
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The Seattle Seahawks locked down the top seed in the NFC playoffs and a strong path to the Super Bowl on Saturday night with a season finale win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Seattle also finished with their best regular season record in franchise history, clinching 14 wins for the first time ever.
The Seahawks held on to a 10-point victory despite outgaining the 49ers 363 yards to 173, and running 64 plays to San Francisco’s 42.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba #11 of the Seattle Seahawks fails to catch the ball against Ji’Ayir Brown #27 of the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL game on Jan. 3, 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. (Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire)
Seattle missed a field goal in the fourth quarter and turned the ball over on downs in the first quarter to waste two red zone drives, but dominated on defense to prevent those missed opportunities from coming back to haunt them.
The 49ers wasted their best drive of the night as well when quarterback Brock Purdy was intercepted at Seattle’s three-yard line in the fourth quarter facing a 10-point deficit, which seemingly secured the game for the Seahawks.
NFL WEEK 17 SCORES: AFC NORTH, NFC SOUTH UP FOR GRABS AS PLAYOFF PICTURE ALMOST COMPLETE
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, in his first season on the team, completed 20 passes on 26 attempts for 198 yards and helped set up the only touchdown of the entire game in the first quarter.
Darnold redeemed a disappointing Week-18 game for the Minnesota Vikings last season when he completed just 18 of 41 passes for 166 yards in a battle for the top seed against the Detroit Lions.
Darnold said “Learning from mistakes, and staying calm from the pocket,” made the difference in his performance Saturday compared to a year ago, in a postgame interview with ESPN.
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Jaxon Smith-Njigba #11 of the Seattle Seahawks carries the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the second quarter of a game at Levi’s Stadium on January 03, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had just 127 yards with the late interception, and took a big hit on his final pass of the night, then took a while to get back up. He was eventually able to walk off the field, and Seattle ran the clock out.
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When it’s Harvey Kitani versus David Rebibo in a high school basketball coaching matchup, you know it’s going to be a defensive grind. They demand defensive production, so Rolling Hills Prep and Harvard-Westlake went at it for 32 minutes on Saturday night at St. Francis.
It took four consecutive free throws by Joe Sterling in the final 21 seconds for Harvard-Westlake (17-2) to hold on for a 50-46 victory. About the only mistake Rolling Hills Prep (13-5) made was choosing to foul Sterling, well known as a clutch free-throw shooter. But the Huskies had no choice after a three by Aaron Heinze got them to within 48-46 with 2.6 seconds left.
Sterling finished with 16 points. Pierce Thompson had 14 points and Dominique Bentho added 11 points and 12 rebounds. Nick Welch Jr. had a big game for Rolling Hills Prep with 21 points on eight-for-14 shooting. Carter Fulton added 10 points.
Santa Margarita 72, Fairfax 41: The Eagles (19-2) opened a 21-2 lead after the first quarter and cruised to victory at St. Francis. Brayden Kyman scored 21 points, Kaiden Bailey had 17 and Drew Anderson had 15.
St. Pius X-St. Matthias 67, JSerra 62: Kayleb Kearse finished with 27 points in the victory. Jaden Bailes had 30 points for JSerra.
Sierra Canyon 77, Phoenix St. Mary’s 45: The Trailblazers (13-1) tuned up for the start of Mission League play with a rout in Arizona. Brandon McCoy scored 18 points and Brannon Martinsen had 17.
Chaminade 70, Palos Verdes 44: Temi Olafisoye had 17 points for the 18-1 Eagles.
Thousand Oaks 53, Oak Park 46: The Lancers won their 16th consecutive game to stay unbeaten. Gabriel Chin had 14 points.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 67, Layton Christian (Utah) 64: NaVorro Bowman led the Knights (13-4) with 24 points. Josiah Nance added 16 points.
Bishop Montgomery 71, Palisades 68: Austin Kirksey had 24 points and Tarron Williams scored 22 points to help Bishop Montgomery improve to 15-2. Freshman Phillip Reed scored 24 points for Palisades.
Crespi 60, Modesto Christian 49: The Celts improved to 13-6.
St. John Bosco 62, Chandler (Ariz.) Basha 54: Christian Collins scored 31 points and Max Ellis had 22 for the Braves in a win in Arizona.
Mayfair 69, Cypress 56: Josiah Johnson’s 27 points helped Mayfair improve to 8-5.
Inglewood 98, Pasadena 97: Jason Crowe Jr. made the game-winning shot in overtime and finished with 51 points for Inglewood.
Girls basketball
Harvard-Westlake 51, Phoenix Desert Vista 39: Freshman Lucia Khamenia finished with 24 points for Harvard-Westlake.
Brentwood 59, Cardinal Newman 53: The Eagles improved to 9-4. Kelsey Sugar scored 24 points.
Saugus 57, Birmingham 52: Kayla Tanijiri had 16 points for Birmingham (13-3).
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Only one more week of the 2025 NFL regular season remains, as Week 17 brought about some more playoff implications and even 2026 NFL Draft key positions.
The biggest takeaway from the slate of Week 17 is that two divisions in the NFL — the AFC North and NFC South — will be determined by whoever wins key matchups in Week 18.
First, it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers getting upset by the Cleveland Browns at home, as Aaron Rodgers couldn’t find Marquez Valdes-Scantling on a controversial game-ending play in the end zone. That loss sets up the AFC North title game between the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, which is only possibly thanks to a road victory where Derrick Henry scored four touchdowns against the Green Bay Packers.
Then, despite both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers losing their respective matchups, the NFL tiebreakers make their Week 18 bout the NFC South title game.
Aaron Rodgers of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts during the second quarter of the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on Dec. 28, 2025, in Cleveland. (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
And while everyone was focused on the NFL playoff picture, the two-game 4 o’clock slate gave us the New York Giants against the Las Vegas Raiders, the winner of which owning the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
The Giants would’ve solidified the pick with a loss, but Jaxson Dart and the Giants’ offense blew out Geno Smith and the Raiders to relinquish the pick, which now belongs in Sin City.
NFL WEEK 16 SCORES: PLAYOFF PRESSURE LEADS TO THRILLING FINISHES ACROSS LEAGUE
Here’s how every NFL game played out:
THURSDAY, DEC. 25
– DALLAS COWBOYS 30, WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 23
– MINNESOTA VIKINGS 23, DETROIT LIONS 10
– DENVER BRONCOS 20, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 13
Dak Prescott (4) of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates after his team’s touchdown against the Washington Commanders in the second quarter of a game at Northwest Stadium on Dec. 25, 2025 in Landover, Maryland. (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
SATURDAY, DEC. 27
– HOUSTON TEXANS 20, LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 16
– BALTIMORE RAVENS 41, GREEN BAY PACKERS 24
SUNDAY, DEC. 28
– CINCINNATI BENGALS 37, ARIZONA CARDINALS 14
– CLEVELAND BROWNS 13, PITTSBURGH STEELERS 7
– NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 34, TENNESSEE TITANS 26
– JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 23, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 17
– MIAMI DOLPHINS 20, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 17
– NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 42, NEW YORK JETS 10
– SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 27, CAROLINA PANTHERS 10
– NEW YORK GIANTS 34, LAS VEGAS RAIDERS 10
– PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 13, BUFFALO BILLS 12
– SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS-CHICAGO BEARS (TBD)
Bundle FOX One and FOX Nation to stream the entire FOX Nation library, plus live FOX News, Sports, and Entertainment at our lowest price of the year. The offer ends on Jan. 4, 2026. (Fox One; Fox Nation)
MONDAY, DEC. 29
– LOS ANGELES RAMS-ATLANTA FALCONS (TBD)
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