The weeks following the college football regular season provide players plenty of time to weigh their NFL draft options against their desire to compete in a bowl game.

In Utah’s case, offensive tackles Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, as well as defensive end Logan Fano, decided it was in their best interests to forego the Utes’ Las Vegas Bowl matchup against Nebraska and declare for the 2026 NFL Draft instead.

Utah quarterback Devon Dampier, meanwhile, was looking forward to one last ride with his 2025 teammates before calling it a season.

“I chose to finish out this season with my team,” Dampier said during a media availability session Thursday. “I’m gonna play in the game. But some people, it’s a lot higher stakes; got a couple first rounders and things like that.”

‘We know those guys love us. They let it be known every day since they’ve been here, so we still support those guys and they support us.”

Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham presumed Thursday that the Fano brothers and Lomu would be the only bowl game opt-outs on Utah’s side, along with a few walk-ons. Some Utes who announced their transfer portal intentions continued to practice with the team as well.

Dampier confirmed his availability for the Las Vegas Bowl after a historic regular season under center, becoming the first Utes signal-caller to throw for over 2,000 yards and rush for over 600 yards in a single season since Alex Smith accomplished the feat in 2004. Dampier had 2,180 passing yards, a career-high 22 passing touchdowns and only five interceptions after throwing 12 picks last season. He also had 687 rushing yards and seven touchdowns going into Utah’s postseason game.

While his intentions for Dec. 31 were made clear, Dampier’s status for next season remained somewhat cloudy. He did hint at making an announcement alongside fellow quarterback Byrd Ficklin, though it was postponed after Ficklin’s return to the Utes was leaked Dec. 11.

“Y’all going to see,” Dampier said when asked if he was coming back for the 2026 campaign. “It’s great. I’m very happy to be here.”

“[Ficklin and I] were trying to do something special, but his [return] got a little leaked out before we could get to it. But it’s coming.”

Dampier said during a radio show appearance earlier in December that he was “big on staying” and had “no intentions to leave” the Utes. He also said over the airwaves that he anticipates being named a captain for the 2026 squad, and that he does play a role in recruiting.

Dampier discussed Kyle Whittingham’s impending departure from the program and the future outlook with Morgan Scalley set to take over during his media availability session.

On Kyle Whittingham’s decision to step down as head coach

“That’s a legend. I got a lot of respect for him. I think he’s transformed this program. He’s made it perfect for [Morgan] Scalley to step in. I’m still excited to still be at Ute.”

On Morgan Scalley taking over as head coach

“I’m very confident in Scalley. When I came here on my visit, that was someone I talked to. He let me know the rundown for when his time comes. He had his full belief in me and in my talent, so I’m perfectly fine where I’m at.”

On sending Whittingham off with a win

“It means a lot to me. I could try to speak for everybody on the team, but for me, especially, that’s a coach that believed in me to come in here after being at New Mexico, and just had a full trust in me, in the offense, to do what we do. And that’s just huge respect from him, and just what he’s done for this program. This is one only programs in college football where you know what Utes do, you know how they play and you know the mentality. So for him to leave that up, I got to finish well for him.”

On whether the program is in better hands than it would be if an outsider was hired

“Most definitely. I think just what’s already set here, what’s known here; Scalley has been under Whitt. I think Whitt’s done a great job of allowing him to demonstrate what a good head coach looks like and I know Scalley is gonna step into it and do what he does.”

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Fleets of drones and suspected UFOs have been spotted hovering over a Wyoming power plant for more than a year, while a local sheriff’s department is still searching for clues.

Officials with the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office recorded scores of beaming, drone-like objects circling around the Red Desert and Jim Bridger Power Plant in Rock Springs over the last 13 months — though they didn’t specify how many, the Cowboy State Daily reported.

Sheriff John Grossnickle was one of the first to witness the spectacles, and last saw the mind-boggling formation on Dec. 12, his spokesperson Jason Mower told the outlet.

The fleets periodically congregate over the power plant in coordinated formations, Mower claimed.

The sheriff’s office hasn’t been able to recover any of the suspected UFOs, telling the outlet they’re too high to shoot down.

The law enforcement outpost’s exhaustive efforts to get to the truth haven’t yielded any results, even after Grossnickle enlisted help from Wyoming US Rep. Harriet Hageman — who Mower claimed saw the formation during a trip to the power plant.

Hageman could not be reached for comment.

“We’ve worked with everybody. We’ve done everything we can to figure out what they are, and nobody wants to give us any answers,” Mower said, according to the outlet.

At first, spooked locals bombarded the sheriff’s office with calls about the confounding aerial formations. Now, though, Mower said that people seem to have accepted it as “the new normal.”

Mower noted that the objects, which he interchangeably referred to as “drones” and “unidentified flying objects,” have yet to pose a danger to the public or cause any damage to the power plant itself.

“It’s like this phenomenon that continues to happen, but it’s not causing any, you know, issues that we have to deal with — other than the presence of them,” he told the outlet.

The spokesperson promised the sheriff’s office would “certainly act accordingly” if the drones pose an imminent harm.

Meanwhile, Niobrara County Sheriff Randy Starkey told the Cowboy State Daily that residents of his community also reported mystery drone sightings over Lance Creek — more than 300 miles from the Jim Bridger Power Plant — starting in late October 2024 and ending in early March.

Starkey said he’s “just glad they’re gone,” according to the outlet.

Drone sightings captured the nation’s attention last year when they were causing hysteria in sightings over New Jersey.

Just days into his second term, President Trump had to clarify that the drones were authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration to quell worries that they posed a national security threat.

Still, the public wasn’t convinced, but the mystery slowly faded as the sightings plummeted.

In October, though, an anonymous source with an unnamed military contractor told The Post that their company was responsible for the hysteria.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, grocery, pharmacy, liquor and convenience stores in California will not be able to provide any single-use thin plastic bags or even “reusable” plastic film bags.

The updated law stems from Senate Bill 270, which was first introduced in 2014. It previously allowed the use of reusable bags — which were made of a thicker plastic.

Senate Bill 1053 now “eliminates the distribution of thicker film plastic bags.”

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As opposed to “single use” bags, thicker plastic bags could be reused up to 125 times, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Recycled paper bags may be offered to shoppers in the Golden State, but they must be “sold for not less than 10 cents.” People on specific food programs may be available to get these for free.

The bill’s text says the bags must “contain a minimum of 50% post-consumer recycled materials” to be counted as a paper bag beginning Jan. 1, 2028.

The legislation hopes to “support sustainable and thriving communities and natural environments that are not littered with plastic waste.”

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In 2022, California Attorney General Rob Bonta launched an investigation into plastic carry-out bags that claimed to be recyclable.

Officials investigated seven manufacturers to see if the bags were actually accepted and processed by recycling facilities in California.

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A statewide survey of 69 recycling and processing facilities showed that only two claimed to accept plastic carry-out bags, but it could not be confirmed if they were actually recyclable, according to the AG’s press release.

Nate Rose of the California Grocers Association told SF Gate the change will not have a very big impact on shoppers or stores.

“We don’t expect a lot of hiccups for either grocers or shoppers,” Rose said.