NEW YORK -- Jon Jones looked exceptional as ever Saturday, knocking out Stipe Miocic with a spinning back kick in the third round of their heavyweight championship fight at UFC 309 inside Madison Square Garden.

And now, with that matter settled, the fight world will eagerly await its heavyweight title unification bout.

Jones (28-1) dominated Miocic (20-5) en route to the TKO victory at 4:29 of the round. The matchup was originally scheduled to take place in November 2023, but Jones pulled out with a torn pectoral muscle. Leading up to Saturday, much of the prefight talk was about whether Jones would face interim champion Tom Aspinall if he won.

After defeating Miocic, Jones made it clear he is open to the challenge.

"I've decided maybe I will not retire," Jones said, adding that he'll have conversations with UFC CEO Dana White and chief business officer Hunter Campbell. "We'll negotiate. If everything goes right, maybe we'll give you guys what you want to see."

Miocic, 42, who elected to wait an entire year for Jones' return, announced his retirement in the Octagon following the loss. The former two-time champion hadn't fought since 2021 before facing Jones on Saturday.

Even taking Miocic's layoff into account, Saturday was more about how good Jones looked rather than how rusty Miocic might have been. A near-consensus pick for greatest fighter of all time, Jones showcased all his tools in his first knockout win since December 2018. He took Miocic down in the opening round and tormented him with nasty elbows from top position. He hurt him with front kicks to the body in the second and third rounds and nearly dropped him with a jab.

The final shot was a spinning back kick to Miocic's midsection that sent him to his knees. It was a brutal climax to a one-sided fight. According to UFC Stats, Miocic landed 42 strikes -- none of which was particularly memorable -- to 104 by Jones. Jones' defense was superb all night, and he made Miocic pay with counterpunches and knees in the clinch.

"He's really, really good," Jones said of Miocic. "He's tough, durable. I hit him with some decent shots, and he kept coming forward. Everyone knows Stipe isn't the biggest heavyweight. He comes lean, in great shape. I watched him have wars with Daniel Cormier and a lot of guys, and they were rock 'em, sock 'em. He doesn't react much to getting hit in the face, so our plan was to get him in the body."

Aspinall (15-3) was in New York for UFC 309 and sat cageside for the main event. The 31-year-old English champion has been a wrecking ball in the heavyweight division in recent years, recording first-round finishes in seven of his nine UFC appearances. He won the UFC's interim title in November 2023 and made a rare defense of it against Curtis Blaydes in July.

Before Saturday, Jones had shown zero interest in facing Aspinall, even going as far as to call him a "nobody." Jones had said he'd rather vacate the heavyweight title than face Aspinall in the Octagon. Whether that was a negotiation tactic or Jones simply had a change of heart, it now appears a unification bout is very much on the table.

With the victory, Jones extended his UFC record to 16 title fight wins.

Georgia entered Week 12 in an unusual place. Coming off an emphatic loss to Ole Miss, the Bulldogs were scuffling, looking for answers, and if the season had ended on Tuesday with the College Football Playoff committee's most recent rankings, they'd have been on the outside looking in.

We had become accustomed to Georgia's dominance at all turns. The close games were more a product of boredom than any actual defect, and the losses, rare as they were, were offered as little more than tribute to Nick Saban, the man who had sent Kirby Smart to lead Georgia to the promised land.

But in 2024, even amid the wins, things have just felt ... off.

There has been the familiar parade of players landing in legal hot water away from the field. There has been the rising frustration with offensive coordinator Mike Bobo. There's the gut-wrenching losses to bitter rivals that seem destined to doom the Bulldogs to second-class status. If this were pro wrestling, the first notes of "Jesus, Take the Wheel" would begin playing and Mark Richt would emerge from the tunnel, revealing he had been in charge all along.

On Saturday, however, we got our reminder that this isn't the Georgia of old, even if it's not quite the Georgia of 2021 and 2022 either. In a game that felt almost algorithmically engineered to prove the Dawgs had addressed each of their most blatant faults, Carson Beck and crew devoured Tennessee 31-17 and reasserted dominion over college football -- if not officially in the standings, then certainly in the hearts and minds of every team that might have the misfortune of drawing the Dawgs in the playoff.

Beck, who had thrown 12 interceptions in his past six games, was nearly flawless Saturday. He threw for 346 yards and totaled three touchdowns, but more importantly, he looked supremely confident with each fastball he delivered downfield.

The offensive line, which handed out party favors to Ole Miss pass rushers en route to he backfield last week, held its own against one of the most ferocious defensive fronts in the country. Beck wasn't sacked, and Tennessee managed just two tackles for loss in the game.

The ground game, scrambling for answers and without injured starter Trevor Etienne, turned to Nate Frazier and, in so many critical moments, Beck to provide the spark. They delivered a pair of rushing touchdowns as proof of life for a backfield that had so often looked dormant.

So it is, too, that Georgia has life in the crowded SEC.

Certainly SEC fans are too modest to say it, but the fact its, the league is pretty good this year. We entered Week 12 with a logjam of teams with a loss or two or three, but a résumé warranting real playoff consideration. The depth of talent threatened to overwhelm the conference, however, with the committee inserting four Big Ten teams in the top five and leaving Saban to lament to Pat McAfee that the committee can't "just look at the record," echoing Greg Sankey's long-held belief that wins are an overrated metric compared to things such as revenue, attendance or prevalence of cowbells.

But Saturday proved to be something of a palette cleanser for the SEC -- like the white bread that comes with Dreamland ribs. While a handful of teams took a mental health day -- Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M and Kentucky all played lower-tier competition and won by a combined 154 points -- the rest of the slate helped clarify something akin to a pecking order.

In Gainesville, the Billy Napier redemption tour continued, with DJ Lagway and Elijhah Badger leading the Florida charge on a 27-16 win over LSU. After the game, Napier celebrated the Gators' fifth win of the season by calling human resources at Zaxby's and letting them know he won't be able to start on Dec. 1 as previously promised, now needing just a win over either Ole Miss or (more likely) Florida State to secure a bowl.

LSU, meanwhile, is effectively cooked in the chase for the playoff after the loss, and it's possible Brian Kelly's anger management classes are no longer covered by his insurance.

After the game, Kelly lambasted the team asking of his players, "Do you want to fight or not?" It was not immediately clear if he meant in LSU's remaining games or in the parking lot out back as soon as his press conference was over. Either way, things are bleak in Baton Rouge. It's sad to see a situation where everyone felt like faaaamily devolve into something completely inauthentic.

If LSU is tumbling in the SEC standings, however, Saturday was South Carolina's time to shine against Missouri.

LaNorris Sellers threw for 353 yards and five touchdowns and continued to treat pass rushers like softballs bouncing off a fungo.

What started as a defensive tussle ended with four touchdowns -- two by each offense -- in the game's final 9:12. The Gamecocks took a 27-22 lead with 5:04 to play on Sellers' fourth TD pass of the game, only to see Brady Cook and Luther Burden III hook up on a gorgeous 37-yard bomb to regain the lead with just over a minute to go.

But South Carolina had an answer, marching 70 yards on six plays in just 47 seconds, culminating with a 15-yard touchdown run by Raheim "Rocket" Sanders to secure the win. That Shane Beamer didn't celebrate by head-butting a player still wearing his helmet really shows how far he has come as a coach this season.

So here's where things stand amid the rubble of another Saturday in the SEC: Texas and Texas A&M are atop the standings at 5-1, but they'll play each other in Week 14. Georgia, Tennessee, Ole Miss and Alabama all have two losses, but each have secured a win versus at least one of the other tied teams, leaving their fate to the SEC's arcane tie-breaker policies which involve opponent records, scoring differentials and a pie-eating contest between Lane Kiffin and Josh Heupel. And, of course, there's still South Carolina, looming on the fringes of the playoff debate at 7-3.

The case for the SEC's supremacy is clear. With seven teams playing such high-level football, all losses come with an asterisk and all wins feel epic. In that case, Georgia's two losses and occasionally confounding struggles will pale in comparison to the immense talent on the roster, and this win over Tennessee will be Exhibit A for why the road to the national championship still runs through Athens.

But the path toward the SEC's demise is also clear: Either the committee fails to reward depth or, more likely, in a fit of rage, Kelly uses a flamethrower he bought on the dark web to burn the entire conference to the ground.

Jump to:
Ducks hold off Badgers | Hunter's Heisman case
Big 12 drama | Klubnik delivers late
USC finds a spark | Irish roll
Tulane capsizes Navy | Lobos rally | Week 12 trends
Heisman five | Under the radar

Ducks D plays big

The College Football Playoff committee is going to have to take a hard look at Wisconsin this week. With a three-point loss to No. 1 Oregon, the Badgers now have a top-five résumé.

More importantly, the committee won't have to select a new No. 1, as Oregon's defense came up big in a grueling 16-13 win.

Dillon Gabriel finished with 218 passing yards and an interception, just the second time in 60 career starts that he threw a pick without also throwing a touchdown. Instead, the Ducks relied on tailback Jordan James to lead a second-half comeback after falling behind 13-6. James finished with 25 carries for 121 yards and a game-tying TD with 13:14 to go in the fourth quarter.

It was Matayo Uiagalelei who sealed the win, however. Wisconsin got the ball at its own 17 with 1:26 to play, but Jamaree Caldwell tipped a Braedyn Locke pass, and Uiagalelei caught the carom for the game-sealing INT. (Note to Florida State fans: It is possible for the words "Uiagalelei" and "interception" to appear in a sentence not involving a brutal loss.)

The win keeps Oregon undefeated and headed toward a Big Ten title game berth, but it's not without some red flags. Wisconsin held the Ducks to just 354 total yards -- a week after Oregon mustered just 363 against Maryland. That's the first time Oregon has had back-to-back games with fewer than 400 yards of offense since 2020.

On the other hand, winning games while accumulating a frustratingly limited number of yards and relying on a power run game and a stout defense suggests Oregon has acclimated nicely into the Big Ten's way of life.

Hunter states Heisman case

Colorado is still coming, according to Deion Sanders, but according to the Big 12 standings, the Buffaloes are already there.

Coach Prime lamented a less-than-exceptional performance by his Buffs in a 49-24 win over Utah, and yet there's little other than platitudes in the aftermath. Colorado is tied for No. 1 in the Big 12, and if it wins out against Kansas and Oklahoma State, a date in the conference title game is assured.

Shedeur Sanders struggled early against the Utes' defense, but he ultimately finished with 340 yards passing and three touchdowns in Colorado's usual demoralizing fashion.

I swear every Colorado offensive play is Shedeur scrambling 40 yards in the backfield until the pass rushers collapse in exhaustion, heaves 60 yards downfield, watches as DB trips over own shoe laces.

(@ADavidHaleJoint) November 16, 2024

Meanwhile, after a season-ending injury to Brandon Rose, Utah turned to Isaac Wilson, who is actually just an AI-generated representation of what a Utah QB might be after feeding Rose, Nate Johnson, Bryson Barnes, Charlie Brewer and Jake Bentley into the algorithm. The important takeaway here, however, is he's not Cam Rising, so of course, Utah struggled. Wilson lost a fumble and threw three interceptions in the game, including one to Travis Hunter, who struck a Heisman pose afterward.

Hunter caught five passes for 55 yards, and after Coach Prime checked the rule book and learned his team was also allowed to run the ball, Hunter got a carry that also went for a 5-yard touchdown. On the downside, Hunter did allow his first TD of the season in coverage, a 40-yard dart to Dorian Singer in the third quarter.

With the win, Colorado moves to 8-2 -- just the second eight-win season for the program in the past 20 years, making it likely other teams will attempt to copy Sanders' program-building blueprint of bringing in a whole bunch of transfers, at least one of whom is the best player in the country.

BYU falls, Sun Devils rise

BYU's perfect season came to an end with a tackle at the 6-yard line on fourth down against Kansas, and thanks to Utah AD Mark Harlan, no one at Big 12 headquarters buzzed down to the officials to have them throw a random flag for excessive playing of "Carry On My Wayward Son."

Kansas walked off with a 17-13 win after recovering a muffed punt deep in BYU territory that the Jayhawks turned into the game-winning touchdown. BYU still had a chance to win, driving into the red zone but coming up empty on four tries inside the Kansas 15.

Devin Neal became the first player in Kansas history with 4,000 career rushing yards, racking up 52 yards and two TDs in the win Saturday.

Meanwhile, Arizona State remains alive to be the Big 12's Cinderella team, shocking Kansas State 24-14 behind a three-touchdown performance from QB Sam Leavitt.

Sun Devils' head coach Kenny Dillingham's reputation as a QB whisperer is going strong with Leavitt. After Dillingham helped shape Jordan Travis and resurrect Bo Nix, Leavitt has blossomed after transferring from Michigan State and has Arizona State riding high at 7-2.

The Sun Devils take on BYU next week, with the winner gaining the inside track on a trip to the Big 12 title game. BYU would clinch with a win and a loss by either Colorado or Iowa State, who toppled Cincinnati 34-17 behind a pair of Rocco Becht touchdowns.

The Cyclones (5-2) remain alive, too, along with Colorado (6-1) as the Big 12 works to adopt a full ACC coastal approach to this season.

Klubnik delivers late win

Pitt hosted Clemson on Saturday in a game that figured to settle any debate over who was the third-best team in the ACC, which is like RC Cola and Shasta getting into a slap fight over cola rankings.

The results often looked like two teams who didn't exactly warrant their space on the playoff periphery, too.

Clemson had third-and-21
Pitt penalty, offsides
Pitt penalty, offsides
Pitt penalty, offsides
Clemson throws incomplete on third-and-6.
Brilliant defensive design from the Panthers.

(@ADavidHaleJoint) November 16, 2024

Indeed, Pitt followed up that defensive series with one of the most mind-numbing offensive stretches possible. The officials missed a clear false start on second-and-goal, but Pitt was stuffed. Pitt called a timeout to avoid a delay of game, then was flagged for an illegal formation, then was flagged for a delay of game, then topped the whole thing off with a penalty for a false start before ultimately kicking a field goal.

Could those four points Pitt left on the field have helped?

The Panthers actually erased a 17-7 deficit in the fourth quarter to take a 20-17 lead, but on a second-and-3, Clemson QB Cade Klubnik took a QB sneak up the middle and scrambled virtually untouched for 50 yards and a score. Pitt's last-gasp drive stalled at the Tigers' 26, and Clemson held on for a 24-20 win that was marked by abysmal O-line play, missed opportunities and some astonishingly questionable officiating.

Afterward, Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi summed up the game by utilizing all seven of George Carlin's words you can't say on TV and also making up several new ones.

USC finds a spark

After climbing to No. 11 in the AP poll in September, USC entered Week 12 losers of five of its past seven, with all five losses coming by a touchdown or less.

After opening the season 5-1, Nebraska entered Week 12 losers of three straight, two by a touchdown or less.

USC made a QB change, giving UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava the start. Nebraska made a change at offensive playcaller, with Dana Holgorsen emerging from his basement to see daylight for the first time in 11 months and recoiling in horror.

Both teams were in desperate straits, and they met at the Coliseum on Saturday to chase something approaching credibility like two pigeons fighting for half a discarded baloney sandwich.

The game didn't disappoint.

USC led 14-7, Nebraska charged back to take a 17-14 lead, USC scored to jump ahead by a point, then found the end zone again on a 2-yard Maiava TD run with 2:45 to play.

The game was in Holgorsen's hands from there.

After being fired despite what he had called "an impossible buyout" at Houston last year, Holgorsen had largely disappeared from the public eye, focusing instead on the finer things in life. But Saturday was like the montage scene in any '80s movie where the down-and-out character resolves to get his life together, showers, shaves and puts on a new suit, emerging like a conquering hero. Only Holgorsen didn't shower or shave and may have been wearing a Nebraska hoodie that Mike Riley left in a desk drawer 10 years ago after splilling some spaghetti on it.

Dana Holgorsen thinking about the damage Marcus Satterfield did on Faux Patrick Mahomes. #GBR pic.twitter.com/t819JpeyrU

Trent McGee (@stmcgee) November 16, 2024

But there was still a little Holgo magic left, and Dylan Raiola and the Huskers marched to the USC 14 with 5 seconds to play and a chance to tie the game.

But we know how this story ends. It always ends this way for the Huskers.

USC prevailed 28-20. Nebraska has now lost 38 one-possession games since the start of the 2017 season -- 10 more than any other Power 4 school. After getting to win No. 5 in each of the past two seasons, it has subsequently lost a combined eight straight, seven of them by one-possession.

Dante's ninth circle of hell is called "treachery." Then there are like 14 more he didn't write about, one of which involves being really into downloading bootleg Nickelback live shows, and then you finally reach something approaching where Nebraska fans are at right now.

Leonard, Irish roll

In 2014, Notre Dame and the ACC entered into a scheduling agreement in which the Irish promised five matchups per year against the conference in exchange for a home for their non-football programs. Since then, Notre Dame has effectively been Biff from "Back to the Future" to the ACC's McFly family. They roll into the house unannounced, raid the fridge and eat Wake Forest's leftover chicken and then take Georgia Tech's car without asking.

And so it was that the Irish throttled Virginia 35-14 on Saturday behind Riley Leonard's three touchdown throws. Jeremiyah Love ran for 137 and the defense picked off Anthony Colandrea three times. Notre Dame finishes 5-0 against the ACC, the sixth time in 11 years the Irish have gone undefeated against the conference in the regular season. Overall, Notre Dame is 50-9 in the regular season against the ACC since 2014, including a 9-0 record as a full member in 2020, and somewhere Jack Swarbrick is inviting his buddies to crash at John Swofford's beach house for the entire summer again.

Tulane capsizes Navy

The rigging was set, the masts were raised, ye old Navy set sail for a win. But before it had reached shore, the Green Wave climbed all aboard, and plundered its gold and its gin.

Yo ho, yo ho, to the league championship game they go.

If Tulane ain't the best on all seven seas, certainly it's tops on at least five. And before it was done, it had won 35 to none, keeping their playoff hopes still alive.

Yo ho, yo ho, to the league championship game they go.

He threw for two scores and ran for one more, Darian Mensah did everything right. The corners and pass blockers, put Navy in Davy Jones locker, now the Wave turn attention to the Army Black Knights.

Yo ho, yo ho, to the league championship game they go.

The steely men of fair Tulane, a right fine crew be they. They fight and they tussle, they're all brawn and muscle, and they'll earn their way back to the SEC one day.

Yo ho, yo ho, to the league championship game they go.

Lobos rally for win

A month into the season, Bronco Mendenhall's New Mexico team was 0-4 and appeared destined for a lost season amid a massive rebuild that included turning over more than half the scholarship roster this past offseason.

After Week 12, the Lobos are 5-6, and just secured their first win over a ranked foe in 21 years, toppling No. 18 Washington State 38-35.

New Mexico's Devon Dampier and Wazzu's John Mateer put on an absolute clinic at QB throughout the game.

Mateer accounted for 443 yards and five touchdowns, including a 37-yard bullet to Kyle Williams that gave Washington State a four-point lead with 3:12 to play. Dampier answered with 366 yards and three touchdowns of his own, including a 1-yard scamper with 21 seconds to play that secured the biggest win for New Mexico since toppling a ranked Utah team in 2003.

New Mexico now needs only a Week 14 win over Hawai'i to secure bowl eligibility.

Mateer, meanwhile, will remain college football's most interesting man. This was his fourth game with four passing TDs and one rushing score of the season -- the most by any QB since 2018, all while also doing battle with the Joker to keep the citizens of Gotham safe.

Week 12 vibe shifts

Each week, the Top 25 endures major shake-ups that transform the college football landscape. But there are more subtle changes every Saturday, too, and we capture those here.

Trending down: Noon kickoffs

Ohio State fans are frustrated with so many noon kickoffs this year, noting that only farmers and nerds wake up before 11 a.m. As it turned out Saturday, it was Northwestern who was still asleep at kickoff.

some tough moments for Northwestern pic.twitter.com/zARRjzD3B7

FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 16, 2024

Northwestern somehow held the ball for 32 minutes but managed just 251 yards, spending most of its time on offense working out the details of this year's team Secret Santa program. Thankfully, the game was played at Wrigley Field, and the Cubs' bullpen coughed up 31 points in the middle quarters, with Carnell Tate starring. He hauled in four catches for 52 yards and two touchdowns.

Northwestern is the sixth opponent this season Ohio State has held to single digits. Only Oregon has topped 20 against the Buckeyes.

Trending up: Narrow Texas wins

Quinn Ewers tossed two touchdown passes -- including a 1-yarder with 9:05 to play that effectively sealed a 20-10 win over Arkansas -- but he averaged just 5.5 yards per pass, and the Horns had just 315 yards of total offense, their second-lowest production in a game, trailing only the loss to Georgia.

Texas has now played three bowl-eligible teams this season, and the results have been pretty meh. The Horns were stampeded by Georgia, escaped Vanderbilt by 3 and now struggled offensively against Arkansas in a 10-point win.

The answer here is clear: more Arch Manning. Play him at receiver. Have him provide pre-drive inspiration by reenacting famous motivational scenes from movies such as "Braveheart" or "Weekend at Bernie's," have him challenge Bevo to a foot race at halftime. Whatever it takes to get more Arch on the field, Texas needs to make it happen.

Trending up: ACC irony

SMU held off Boston College 38-28 to move to 6-0 in ACC play, all but assuring the Mustangs of a trip to the ACC championship game in their first season in the league. Kevin Jennings threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns, and Brashard Smith ran for 120 yards and a score.

It's worth noting as SMU moves toward a conference title game appearance, that the only reason it's in the ACC is because NC State changed its vote to approve expansion last year. NC State, in its 72nd season in the ACC, has never played in the ACC championship game, though it has heard it's not that great anyway. Plus, it had plans, like catching up on the new season of "Only Murders in the Building." And maybe a Home Depot trip. And it's just nice to have a staycation after a busy football season. Really, don't worry about NC State. It's doing just fine, and it definitely didn't just DoorDash six pints of Jeni's ice cream.

Trending up: The smell at the Brown residence

Fran Brown on his postgame ritual following a loss:

-He doesn't shower- "I don't deserve soap - winners get washed."

-Watches tape beginning that night

-"My wife, I can't sleep in the bed if we lose, because I'm not going to get in the shower for that day. I'm just mad." pic.twitter.com/yL3lbxWo5X

Ashley Wenskoski (@AshleyWenskTV) November 11, 2024

LeQuint Allen ran for 109 yards and two touchdowns, Kyle McCord threw for 323 yards and a score, and both will be getting a nice gift basket from Fran Brown's wife this week after they lifted Syracuse to a 33-25 win over Cal.

"Enjoy your shower, alright, baby?" - Treavor Scales

"I'm about to get washed. WINNERS GET WASHED!" - Fran Brown https://t.co/vnQ7dICHhN pic.twitter.com/JxyeZHvd7H

Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 16, 2024

Brown will presumably wait to shower until the team returns to Syracuse, so everyone on the plane can still enjoy the smell of victory.

On the flip side, Cal lost its fifth one-possession game of the season -- one that would've had the Bears bowl eligible -- and Cal coach Justin Wilcox decided he's boycotting cutting his toe nails, he'll be blasting Smash Mouth's "I'm a Believer" cover on repeat at practice and he won't be throwing away that old tuna sandwich that has been in the office refrigerator until the Bears get win No. 6. Honestly, he had forgotten about the sandwich weeks ago, so this was really just a convenient excuse.

Trending down: Hot seats

Florida already announced Billy Napier would be back next year, and after Saturday's 49-35 win over West Virginia, Baylor decided Dave Aranda will also be back for 2024.

If Sam Pittman survives at Arkansas, too, it'll be a remarkable turn for coaches who entered the season on the hottest of seats, and will allow boosters to use all that money typically reserved for buyouts on something more useful, such as building a water slide on the moon.

Aranda now has Baylor set for a bowl game, too, after winning four straight. Baylor's offense, in particular, has been a revelation, topping 38 in each of the past four.

Meanwhile at Auburn, boosters have scheduled a meeting at their secret hideout behind the Jimmy John's, and are just going type in Bobby Petrino's cell number but won't press send until at least halftime of the Iron Bowl.

Trending up: Big man TDs

Southern demolished Arkansas-Pine Bluff 31-9 on Saturday, and senior defensive tackle Willie Miles delivered a play for the ages in the process.

Miles, who according to Southern's media guide checks in at 5-foot-9 and a gentlemanly 350 pounds, picked up a loose ball after a DJ Stevenson fumble, and set his sights on the end zone. A Golden Lions lineman appeared to have him corralled at the 5, but Miles had ice water in his veins. He pulled loose from the tackle attempt, spun, gathered his balance, and sprinted for the end zone -- running through the back and around to the sideline where his teammate wisely opted against lifting him into the air "Dirty Dancing" style.

The Rumblin', Bumblin', and Stumblin' from Willie Miles.

Pure art. @WAFB @GeauxJags #Southern https://t.co/N4BBqnFlFx pic.twitter.com/5v9ReVZbc2

Kevin Batiste (@KBatisteJr) November 17, 2024

This was a fitting highlight in what was Miles' final home game at Southern.

Trending up: Air mail

At the Utah High School state championships Saturday, a fight for the football happened after a football was dropped from a helicopter hovering over the field.

This is for real, guys. The Utah High School Football State Championship games for lower classifications today had a chopper fly in and drop the game ball instead of a coin toss. One player from each team fighting for possession.#UTPreps @KSLSports @UHSAAinfo pic.twitter.com/tobccmy5kR

Sam Farnsworth (@Samsworth_TV) November 17, 2024

Though in the long run it did not actually replace the coin toss, it should be implemented as such immediately at all levels of football. However, some schools may not have easy access to a helicopter, so we would also accept wrestling a bear for possession of the football, a wing-eating contest, a breakdancing competition, a series of "Yo Mama" jokes or, if absolutely necessary and only for Ivy League games, a race to see which team can solve the equation from "Good Will Hunting" first.

Trending up: Classy coaches

A week ago, Kennesaw State fired its only coach in program history, Brian Bohannon. First, the school said he resigned. He denied it, and the school relented.

If he's angry at his former employer though, he's sure not taking it out on his players.

Kennesaw State fired Brian Bohannon this week.

He still came to the game to support his players.

pic.twitter.com/VEbrpdkVvG

HALL of GOATS (@GOATS_hall) November 17, 2024

Kennesaw State played one of its better games in Bohannon's absence on the sideline, falling to Sam Houston 23-17 in overtime. But what'll be remembered by most Owls fans is their former coach making a classy gesture in the aftermath of a brutal week. Either that or his moving van has been stuck in traffic on I-75 since Monday.

Heisman five

It's really a three-man race for the Heisman now, unless you want to count offensive Travis Hunter and defensive Travis Hunter as separate players, in which case he's going to need to buy another suit for the ceremony.

1. Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter

Hunter Week 12 touchdown count: 1 scored, 1 allowed.

He should be ashamed of himself, giving up a touchdown like that. It's the type of performance that would get one of Deion Sanders' kids docked three spots on his child ranking list.

2. Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty

Boise State fell behind San José State 14-0 before somebody remembered to wake Jeanty up and tell him to go smash things. He finished the Broncos' 42-21 win with 32 carries for 159 yards and three touchdowns, putting Jeanty now just 107 rushing yards shy of 2,000 on the season. Jeanty has also eclipsed 30 carries in five straight games, just the third player of the playoff era to do so.

3. Miami QB Cam Ward

The Hurricanes were off Saturday, giving Ward more time to stew over the loss to Georgia Tech. He has called Brent Key's house 23 times already this week to ask if his refrigerator is running.

4. Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel

Any chance of Gabriel making a real run at the Heisman probably evaporated Saturday in Madison, as he failed to throw a touchdown pass and the Ducks' offense struggled. Only a home game against Washington and the Big Ten title game remain before voting commences. The good news is, after 23 seasons of college football, Gabriel will still be a favorite to take home a lifetime achievement award.

5. Penn State TE Tyler Warren

In Saturday's 49-10 win over Purdue, Warren had eight catches for 127 yards and a touchdown and three carries for 63 yards and a score. All season, he has been Penn State's do-it-all guy, so long as "all" doesn't also include beating Ohio State. He's the first Big Ten non-QB to account for at least 10 touchdowns in a season -- at least one each passing, rushing and receiving -- since 2017, when another Nittany Lion, Saquon Barkley, did it.

Under-the-radar play of the week

Liberty's kicker was pretty, pretty ... pretty good in overtime of Saturday's 35-34 win over UMass.

Normally, UMass is an easy win, but this one seemed destined to go down like a dry scone. UMass jumped out to a 20-7 halftime lead, with the majority of Liberty's offense coming from pity points. Losing to UMass, of course, is one of the most humiliating things a man can experience along with trying on pants.

But the Flames pulled the old chat-and-cut in the second half, tying the game at 28 with 3:49 to play and forcing overtime. UMass scored first in OT, but kicker Jacob Lurie, who we assume doesn't respect wood, missed his PAT try. Liberty then matched the touchdown and sent Colin Karhu in to win the game with the extra point -- and to stare down the legend, Larry David.

From there, the scoreboard flickered to the actual final score -- 35-34 Liberty -- which feels offensive. They could've at least lied to UMass. A lie is a gesture, it's a courtesy, it's a little respect. This was very disrespectful.

Under-the-radar game of the week

Louisville technically joined the ACC in 2014, but it wasn't until Saturday that the Cardinals truly hit the type of rock bottom misery the ACC foists upon all who approach it.

Louisville, which figured to win easily since it has many Cardinals, whereas Stanford is just one Cardinal, cruised early and led by two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. But Stanford scored on a 25-yard touchdown pass with 45 seconds left to tie the game at 35, forced a Louisville turnover on downs after the Cards ran seven plays in just 35 seconds and Stanford got the ball back with 10 seconds to play at its own 45. That should've meant overtime, but Louisville committed an unsportsmanlike penalty, setting up Stanford for a 57-yard field goal try. Quincy Riley then was flagged for being offsides, shaving another 5 yards off the kick, and Emmet Kenney delivered from 52 yards out for the win.

With one minute to play in the game, ESPN gave Louisville a 90% win probability. With 15 seconds left it was still a coin flip. And with no time left on the clock, it was a full-on #goacc for the ages.

DALLAS -- San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama missed Saturday night's 110-93 loss to the Dallas Mavericks with a right knee contusion.

Wembanyama was ruled out 90 minutes before tipoff.

Acting coach Mitch Johnson said Wembanyama is considered day-to-day.

Wembanyama suffered the injury with 6:41 remaining in Friday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers guarding Anthony Davis as he drove to the basket. Both players banged right knees during a collision that knocked Wembanyama to the floor and left Davis limping for several seconds.

Whistled for a foul on the play, Wembanyama immediately subbed out and headed to the locker room. Davis, meanwhile, stayed in the game and made one of two free throws. Both players closed out the game for their respective teams.

"A little beat up right now," Wembanyama said of his right knee after Friday's game. "I took a big hit. It's just a hit. I didn't twist nothing. This is not a big deal. So, if ever tomorrow it's like horrible, of course I'll be smart. But I should be alright."

Wembanyama appeared to be hobbled walking away from his postgame media availability. The Spurs initially listed him as questionable on their injury report before eventually ruling him out.

The No. 1 pick of the 2023 NBA draft, Wembanyama notched his 30th career game with 20 points and 10 rebounds in Friday's loss to the Lakers. Over his past four games, the 20-year-old phenom has connected on 24 3-pointers, which ranks as the most over a four-game span in Spurs history. Wembanyama needed to make four 3-pointers against the Mavericks on Saturday to set a franchise record for the most over a five-game span.

Wembanyama has averaged 22.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.7 blocks and 1.3 steals over San Antonio's first 13 games.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers criticized referees for calling a foul on Giannis Antetokounmpo against LaMelo Ball with 7.3 seconds left in the Bucks' 115-114 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.

With the Hornets trailing by one, Ball drove the right side of the lane and appeared to slip and fall. Replays didn't appear to show any contact, but Antetokounmpo was whistled for the foul. Ball made both free throws to give Charlotte the lead.

Antetokounmpo's jumper at the buzzer rimmed out and the Hornets escaped with the win.

"I thought the final play was the ref blowing a call," Rivers said. "This is back-to-back games now where on the final play there has been an incorrect call made."

The Bucks did not have a challenge left. If they had, the call would have been overturned on replay, crew chief Curtis Blair said afterward.

"During live play we called illegal leg-to-leg contact," Blair said. "During postgame review when we looked at the play there was no illegal contact on the play."

A similar scenario occurred earlier this week against the Detroit Pistons when Antetokounmpo was whistled for a phantom call with 1 second left in regulation and the score tied at 111.

But in that game, Pistons forward Ron Holland II missed two free throws and the game went into overtime with the Bucks prevailing 127-120 behind 59 points from Antetokounmpo.

"LaMelo Ball fell," Rivers said. "He just fell down. Nobody was near him. He slipped on his own. We come up with the ball and the game is over. So back-to-back games now we have had a call made against us that is incorrect. We were lucky in Detroit the kid missed two free throws. Tonight LaMelo Ball made the free throws."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

A transition take foul by Draymond Green on rookie Zach Edey that the Memphis Grizzlies took exception to after Friday's loss to the Golden State Warriors has been upgraded to a flagrant 1 following league review.

The foul occurred with 7:06 remaining in the third quarter of a 123-118 Golden State win.

Green lost the ball as he was driving around Jaren Jackson Jr. and fell into the paint at Edey's feet. Edey picked up the ball for a steal and immediately threw an outlet pass to start a Grizzlies fast break. Green's left elbow got tangled with Edey's right foot, and the Grizzlies center tripped over Green's sprawled out left leg.

"It definitely wasn't a basketball play," Edey said.

The play was ruled a transition take foul at the time and was not reviewed.

Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins complimented Edey's game -- he finished with 14 points and nine rebounds -- before expressing disappointment that officials did not take a second look at the foul.

"Overall, thought he was really good," Jenkins said of Edey. "And very disappointing, there was that one play, we were about to start the break and he's been playing really hard to try to outlet, and Draymond grabs his leg and pulls him down and it doesn't get reviewed.

"So I know there's a code in this league, and I don't understand how that wasn't reviewed. Very disappointing."

A flagrant foul 1, if it had been called during the game, would have awarded the Grizzlies two free throws and possession.

Green has had a history of questionable fouls. He was suspended last season for hitting Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face.

This is Green's first flagrant foul this season.

ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk contributed to this report.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Kings guard De'Aaron Fox could tell he was hot in the first quarter of the 121-117 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.

He didn't miss a shot in the first 12 minutes. And as he continued to keep getting downhill, and also got a few of his 3-pointers falling, he knew he was in a zone.

Fox scored 49 points. This comes just one game -- and one night -- after scoring 60 points.

"I was a little tired coming in today, but I feel like when the game started, I was fine," Fox said. "I'm not going to say I'm not tired ... but I can't say this back-to-back has made me more tired than any other back-to-back."

He became the second Sacramento player to score at least 100 points in a two-game span, with the other being DeMarcus Cousins in 2016 when he scored 104. Fox is just the third player in NBA history to score at least 109 over two days, joining Kobe Bryant (2007) and Wilt Chamberlain (17 different times).

"Woah," Kings coach Mike Brown said when he heard that stat, a big grin spreading across his face. "The back-to-back, the overtime game, him playing 75 minutes last night ... for him to come with us missing three of our top six guys, that's what says OK, he's DeAaron Fox and he did his job. Wilt, Kobe, Foxy."

"Nobody can stop him from getting to his spots when he wants to," Brown continued. "He's feeling that. Not only is he feeling that, but he's showing that."

With the Kings missing DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk, Fox has been operating with a heavier workload.

Brown said he didn't have to have a conversation with Fox about picking up the slack. It was already understood.

"When you have guys of his caliber -- and I've been around the Stephs and the KDs and the Kobes and the LeBrons and the Tim Duncans ... they get to their spots when they want to," Brown said. "The biggest difference between those guys and the other pretty good players is that they do it consistently. So no, I didn't have to say anything to Fox. He knew ... he had to carry us."

Fox tried not to approach the game with the mindset of needing to make up for the scoring lost by those three players. But instead focusing on the scoring tactics he's been emphasizing all season long.

Fox scored at every level Saturday, shooting 16-of-30 from the floor, only three of which were 3's. He also shot 14-of-16 from the free throw line -- the two of which he missed he apologized for.

Against the Timberwolves the night prior, Fox went 22-of-35 from the field, with six made 3's and 10 made free throws.

"Being able to get downhill and touching the paint has worked wonders," Fox said. "Whenever you are able to do that, you're able to one, get to the rim, two, get to the free throw line and three, you're able to still create for teammates. I'm trying to have a point of emphasis on that."

Rafael Nadal has called time on his illustrious career, with Spain's appearance at the Davis Cup finals in Malaga his final appearance.

The 38-year-old has won 22 Grand Slam titles, including four at the US Open and two apiece at Wimbledon and the Australian Open.

But it was on the clay of Paris where he felt most at home, claiming the French Open crown on 14 occasions.

Along the way, he became the first player to win 100 matches at the French Open and only the second man, after Federer at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, to win 100 matches at the same major.

Can you match Nadal's outfits over the years to his French Open successes?

Seeking a response to a jarring defeat against the All Blacks seven days prior, Ireland's victory against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium on Friday served to answer some questions while presenting a few more.

Andy Farrell called it "three or four games in one" and, as such, there was good, bad and ugly in the host's performance.

Having taken the lead in the second minute, Ireland were never behind but, after failure to score in the second half, ended the contest against 14 men clinging on to a slender 22-19 advantage.

The game had seemed in hand at half-time, yet come the final whistle the overriding emotion in Dublin was one of relief.

Without consecutive losses since the opening two fixtures of the 2021 Six Nations, Ireland's response to setbacks has so often been emphatic.

Whether it be overcoming a first Test defeat to win the series in New Zealand in 2022, putting their World Cup 2023 heartache behind them with a stirring away win in France to start the most recent Six Nations, or looking decidedly outplayed in the first Test against South Africa this summer only to turn the tables seven days later - Farrell's Ireland have proven masters at lifting themselves from the canvas.

But, beaten so decisively by the All Blacks last week when discipline was a massive issue and the attack misfired, rarely in recent times had it felt like there was so much to fix from one game to the next.

Prior to kick-off, Farrell said some of his players were "lucky" to get the opportunity to atone for their opening autumn performance. When asked after the nerve-shredding 82 minutes if he had got the desired response, he replied "in parts".