Good morning and happy Friday! Who’s ready for a monumental weekend of football? Carter Bahns here to preview college football’s conference championship games and an NFL slate loaded with playoff implications. We’ll also take a look ahead to this afternoon’s highly anticipated FIFA World Cup Draw and Saturday’s potentially historic UFC 323 event.
Oh, and the coaching carousel is still spinning. I know, I know, the sky is blue. But you won’t want to miss the latest updates.
Five things to know Friday
- Lions’ playoffs hopes get brighter while Cowboys’ hopes dim with a loss on ‘TNF.’ Thursday night’s game was crucial for playoff pathways. However, now the Cowboys face an uphill battle after being outplayed by the Lions. Detroit won, 44-30, highlighting Jahmyr Gibbs as the key player.
- Penn State’s search for a coach continues. Athletic Director Pat Kraft has now set his sights on Matt Campbell after multiple failed attempts.
- FIFA World Cup draw today. For the already-qualified 42 teams, today is critical.
- College football championship games kick off tonight. Key matchups, including No. 20 Tulane vs. No. 24 North Texas, could shape the playoff picture.
- Regular season playoff implications for the NFL. With five divisions separated by a game, this is possibly the most tightly contested playoff race in history.
Do not miss this
Will Merab Dvalishvili make history at UFC 323? No UFC champion has ever defended a bantamweight title 14 consecutive times, but that could change on Saturday when Merab Dvalishvili meets Petr Yan. “The Machine” previously triumphed over Yan in March 2023.
Week 14 NFL expert picks
Jordan Dajani and Jared Dubin predict the Jaguars will beat the Colts and Eagles will cover the spread.
