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Completely satisfied Friday, everybody! Hope you’ve enjoyable plans for the primary weekend of 2025. The Warmth definitely don’t as Jimmy Butler reportedly informed the group he’d prefer to be traded late Thursday, although Miami nonetheless does not plan to acquiesce. Our NBA crew could have extra on this as we speak, however for now, listed here are some potential touchdown spots.

OK, now let’s get proper to it.

☘️ Good morning to all, however particularly to …

THE NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH

A soccer sport is 3,600 seconds lengthy.

And Notre Dame solely wanted 54 of them to not simply stun Georgia, however basically put the Bulldogs away. The Preventing Irish are into the Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinal after a 23-10 Sugar Bowl win, powered by an unimaginable surge on both aspect of halftime.

• Mitch Jeter nailed a 48-yard subject purpose with 43 seconds left within the first half.
• On the following play from scrimmage, RJ Oben strip-sacked Gunner Stockton, and Junior Tuihalamaka recovered. One play later, Riley Leonard threw a 13-yard landing to Beaux Collins. Notre Dame took a 13-3 lead into halftime.
• Jayden Harrison then returned the opening kickoff of the second half 98 yards for a landing. That is 17 factors in 54 seconds.

And that, mainly, was that. The Preventing Irish protection was wonderful, and Leonard supplied 80 yards on the bottom and 90 via the air. That is the script for Notre Dame to observe: a bodily protection that flies round and sufficient offense to creep up in direction of 20 factors. It is not fairly, however two video games away from a title, it has certain proved efficient.

So now, the semifinals are set, and we’ve got early Cotton Bowl (Ohio State vs. Texas) and Orange Bowl (Notre Dame vs. Penn State) previews in addition to skilled picks.

😁 Honorable mentions

🏈 And never such a very good morning for …

THE GEORGIA BULLDOGS

Georgia merely did not have sufficient offensively, not simply on this sport however on the season. And when your margin for error is so skinny, each mistake hurts a lot. One Stockton turnover was Notre Dame’s solely offensive landing. Georgia had two early alternatives for touchdowns, however Trevor Etienne had his first profession fumble to finish one drive, and inactive cornerback Parker Jones collided with a referee on the sideline — a private foul — to disrupt one other.

Subsequent is an offseason stuffed with questions for Kirby Good‘s program, and John Talty supplied the roadmap forward. Furthermore, with Georgia’s exit, only one SEC crew stays, and Shehan Jeyarajah says the convention not runs school soccer.

• Jeyarajah: “The Large Ten has handed the SEC — Tennessee followers confirmed up large and traveled to Ohio Stadium, however they have been handled to a 42-17 filleting by the hands of the Buckeyes. The rating really made it look nearer than it was. … The perfect crew in school soccer by far (Ohio State) performs within the Large Ten. The undefeated No. 1 crew did too. Penn State has unquestionably performed at the next degree than SEC runner-up Texas thus far. And by the way in which, we’re contemporary off a nationwide championship sport that featured two Large Ten groups within the ultimate (Michigan vs. Washington).”

Lastly, no matter you do, do not blame byes for quarterfinal outcomes, Tom Fornelli writes.

Not so honorable mentions

🏈 NFL Week 18 picks, situations, previews

Welcome to the ultimate week of the NFL common season. Whether or not your favourite crew’s season cannot finish quickly sufficient or its postseason journey cannot start quickly sufficient, there are enormous implications throughout the weekend slate. Eleven of the 16 video games have some kind of playoff implication, and the opposite 5 influence the hectic draft order standings.

Postseason-speaking, no sport is extra vital than Vikings-Lions. Each groups are 14-2, and the winner will earn the NFC North title and the NFC No. 1 seed, whereas the loser falls all the way in which to the No. 5 seed as a wild-card crew. It’s going to be the primary time a 14-win crew performs within the wild card spherical, and so they’ll should hit the highway to do it!

So who will get the win, the No. 1 seed, the bye and home-field benefit? Jordan Dajani’s picks are in, and he is rolling with …

• Dajani: “Ben Johnson‘s offense seems unimaginable, however this Lions protection is price worrying about. Detroit allowed 7.4 yards per play in December. That is essentially the most yards per play any crew has allowed within the month of December within the Tremendous Bowl period. The Lions ranked final or second-to-last in factors per sport (32.5), yards allowed per sport (428.5) and passing yards allowed per sport (321) final month. The decide: Vikings +3 | Projected rating: Vikings 40-33“

Within the AFC, the Broncos can lock up a playoff berth with a win over the Chiefs‘ backups, however do not simply dismiss Kansas Metropolis, John Breech says. If Denver loses, the Dolphins get in with a win over the Jets. If Denver and Miami lose, the Bengals get in with a win over the Steelers. If all three lose, the Broncos again into the playoffs in uninspiring style, however they’d definitely take it.

Listed here are all of our skilled picks:

Pete Prisco | Will Brinson | John Breech | Tyler Sullivan | Jordan Dajani

🏀 What remainder of the 2020s will appear like in NBA

We’re formally into the second half of the 2020s, and we’ve got a ton to sit up for throughout the sports activities world, each within the brief and lengthy phrases.

The NBA is chock stuffed with younger expertise, that means thrilling occasions forward. If solely we had a crystal ball that would inform us the way it will all play out. Sam Quinn tried his greatest, predicting NBA champions, MVPs, blockbuster trades and growth for the again half of the last decade.

Let’s begin with the right here and now. Who’s successful all of it this 12 months? We have had six champions within the final six years, and Sam says that pattern goes to proceed.

• Quinn: “The 2025 NBA champions would be the Cleveland Cavaliers. — Boston is definitely a viable decide, however I am leaning towards the current historical past of champions sporting down throughout their title defenses. That leaves the Cavaliers and Thunder as the 2 apparent favorites. I am leaning Cleveland very barely proper now. Donovan Mitchell has a bit extra playoff expertise than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Oklahoma Metropolis’s well being scares me a bit extra. The Thunder are most likely too affected person for a giant deadline improve. … I’ve written about my religion within the Cavaliers in additional depth right here.”

The NBA’s commerce drama typically supersedes on-court drama, and Sam accounted for that with greatest gamers to be traded between now and 2030. Subsequent 12 months, Sam says, be careful for a giant one. Actually large. Multi-time MVP large.

⚾ MLB free agent predictions, plus what remainder of the 2020s will appear like

MLB’s sizzling range has been diminished to a simmer, however issues are sure to warmth up within the new 12 months. R.J. Anderson predicted touchdown spots for the remaining prime free brokers, with Alex Bregman — this offseason’s No. 3 free agent in accordance with R.J.’s rankings — the very best accessible.

• Anderson: “He is been linked to a number of golf equipment all through the winter, together with the Yankees, Tigers and Pink Sox. … I predicted that Bregman would signal a six-year pact price $162 million again in November; he is reportedly since declined a six-year supply from the Astros price $156 million that implies he is aiming even increased. I am extra assured in Boston’s willingness to spend than Detroit’s, and that is an inexpensive determiner in the event you ask me. Prediction: Pink Sox“

You recognize who ought to be throughout these predictions? The Orioles and Mariners. Each groups ought to be contenders keen to spend, however Matt Snyder wonders if both even realizes the offseason is underway. It might be good to see them do one thing.

We even have longer-term predictions, together with greatest participant, greatest crew and largest adjustments to the game of the following half-decade.

📺 What we’re watching this weekend

Friday

⚽ Supercoppa Italiana semifinal: Juventus vs. AC Milan, 2 p.m. on CBS Sports activities Golazo Community/Paramount+
🏈 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl: North Texas vs. Texas State, 4 p.m. on ESPN
🏈 Duke’s Mayo Bowl: Minnesota vs. Virginia Tech, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Knicks at Thunder, 8 p.m. on NBA TV
🏀 No. 18 Michigan State at Ohio State (M), 8 p.m. on Fox
🏀 Creighton at No. 8 Marquette (M), 9 p.m. on FS1
🏀 Hawks at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. on NBA TV

Saturday

🏈 Bahamas Bowl introduced by Atlantis Resorts: Buffalo vs. Liberty, 11 a.m. on ESPN2
🏀 No. 6 Florida at No. 10 Kentucky (M), 11 a.m. on ESPN
🏀 Georgia at No. 24 Ole Miss (M), midday on SEC Community
🏀 North Carolina at Notre Dame (M), midday on CBS/Paramount+
🏀 No. 1 UCLA at Indiana (W), midday on Fox
🏒 Rangers at Capitals, 1 p.m. on ABC
🏀 No. 23 Arkansas at No. 1 Tennessee (M), 1 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 No. 25 Baylor at No. 3 Iowa State (M), 2 p.m. on CBS
🏀 No. 2 Duke at SMU (M), 2:15 p.m. on The CW Community
🏀 Missouri at No. 2 Auburn (M), 4 p.m. on SEC Community
🏀 San Diego State at Boise State (M), 4 p.m. on CBS
🏈 Browns at Ravens, 4:30 p.m. on ABC/ESPN
🏀 No. 12 Oklahoma at No. 4 Alabama (M), 6 p.m. on SEC Community
🏈 Bengals at Steelers, 8 p.m. on ABC/ESPN
🏀 Texas at No. 13 Texas A&M (M), 8 p.m. on SEC Community
🏀 Knicks at Bulls, 8 p.m. on NBA TV
🏀 Hawks at Clippers, 10:30 p.m. on NBA TV

Sunday

🏈 Panthers at Falcons, 1 p.m. on CBS
🏈 Commanders at Cowboys, 1 p.m. on Fox
🏈 Saints at Buccaneers, 1 p.m. on Fox
🏀 No. 3 Notre Dame at No. 17 North Carolina (W), 1 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 No. 2 South Carolina at Mississippi State (W), 2 p.m. on SEC Community
🏀 No. 9 Oklahoma at No. 15 Tennessee (W), 3 p.m. on ESPN
🏒 Rangers at Blackhawks, 3 p.m. on ABC
🏈 Chiefs at Broncos, 4:25 p.m. on CBS
🏈 Dolphins at Jets, 4:25 p.m. on Fox
🏀 No. 6 Maryland at No. 23 Iowa (W), 6 p.m. on BTN
🏈 Vikings at Lions, 8:20 p.m. on NBC