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Democrat flips Alaska governor's mansion after Trump-backed GOP infighting
Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins has won Alaska's gubernatorial election, defeating Trump-endorsed Republican Bernadette Wilson and flipping the governor's mansion.
The Associated Press called the race for Kreiss-Tomkins, a former state lawmaker, Friday evening local time. He is the first Democratic governor in Alaska since 1998.
Alaska's gubernatorial election became an unusual contest as Republicans battled among themselves over who should succeed Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who was barred from seeking a third consecutive term.
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Wilson, a conservative activist and former political operative, received President Donald Trump's endorsement during a campaign in which multiple Republicans competed for the governor's office.
Trump publicly criticized fellow Republicans Dave Bronson and Treg Taylor, accusing them of dividing conservative voters and potentially jeopardizing the party's hold on the governorship.
Bronson, a former Anchorage mayor, and Taylor, a former Alaska attorney general, remained part of the Republican field, creating a complicated general-election contest.
ALASKAN POLITICAL SCION HOPES TO HOLD ONTO STATE'S SINGLE HOUSE SEAT
Kreiss-Tomkins, a former state representative from Sitka, emerged as the Democratic contender, seeking to return his party to the governor's mansion after Dunleavy's two terms.
The election unfolded under Alaska's ranked-choice voting system, which allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference.
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If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the lowest-performing candidate is eliminated and those ballots are redistributed according to voters' next preferences. The process continues until a candidate secures a majority among continuing ballots.
The system has added an unusual dynamic to Alaska politics, allowing multiple candidates from the same party to compete in the general election without a traditional partisan runoff.
The contest also came as Alaska remained a reliably Republican state in presidential elections, despite occasionally electing Democrats and independents to statewide office.
Mike Evans ruled out, Trent Williams questionable as NFC-leading 49ers' injury concerns persist
The San Francisco 49ers will be without wide receiver Mike Evans for a third straight game Sunday after ruling him out against the Dallas Cowboys as he continues to deal with Achilles tendinitis.
Meanwhile, it remains unclear whether standout left tackle Trent Williams will suit up after injuring his shoulder in practice this week.
Injuries are an unavoidable part of the NFL, but few teams have dealt with them as consistently as the San Francisco 49ers have in recent seasons. Their injury report has become a weekly storyline.
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Evans and Williams were not the only concerns for San Francisco this week. Coach Kyle Shanahan said cornerbacks Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green were also on the injury report. Both missed practice Wednesday and Thursday after suffering injuries in last week’s game against Las Vegas, but they were limited participants Friday.
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw was also listed as questionable after hurting his knee at practice Thursday, while cornerback Nate Hobbs (adductor), defensive back Upton Stout (shoulder, neck) and defensive tackle C.J. West (knee) were also questionable.
At 38, Williams remains a 12-time Pro Bowler playing at a high level, making his availability significant for San Francisco. He left practice early Thursday and did not participate Friday, but Shanahan remained hopeful the veteran tackle would feel well enough to play Sunday.
Vederian Lowe would likely start if Williams is unable to go, but replacing the longtime standout would be a major challenge for the 49ers.
"The left tackle in general is always huge. Then a guy of Trent’s caliber is huge," Shanahan said. "Just the way he plays out there, down in and down out, what he means to the team, just his presence, the type of person he is, and just what he brings on game day. He’s a captain for a reason, and everyone knows Trent Williams is one of the best players in this league."
San Francisco will have more help at receiver this week with Deebo Samuel set to return after missing the past three games with a hamstring injury and Keenan Allen set to make his debut for the 49ers after being acquired earlier this week in a trade from Indianapolis.
But they will be missing Evans again after he left a Week 6 game against Washington early with the injury. He missed the next two games and has been unable to practice since then but is making progress. Shanahan said there’s a chance Evans could play next week in Mexico against Minnesota.
The 49ers enter Sunday’s game with an NFC-best 7-1 record.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Kentucky needs buzzer-beating three to survive Northern Arizona's upset bid at Rupp Arena
The Kentucky Wildcats have one of the most expensive rosters in college basketball. It didn't look like money well spent for 39 minutes and 58 seconds on Friday night.
Kentucky needed a last-second three-pointer from Alex Wilkins to beat winless Northern Arizona 78-77 at Rupp Arena. NAU, which entered the game as a 30.5-point underdog, had every opportunity to pull off a massive upset in the closing minute. The Lumberjacks had a 77-73 lead with just 22 seconds remaining.
Kentucky cut the deficit to two on a basket by Mason Williams, then had to intentionally foul Northern Arizona. Max Majerle, son of former Phoenix Suns All-Star Dan Majerle, missed the front end of the one-and-one, but a Kentucky player knocked the ball out of bounds in the scramble for the rebound.
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Once again, Kentucky had to foul. Northern Arizona got the ball in the hands of Chris Komin, an 82% free throw shooter last season. But like Majerle, Komin missed the front end of the one-and-one. The Wildcats grabbed the board with 7 seconds left, moved the ball into the frontcourt on a pass from Mason Williams to to Wilkins, and Wilkins hit the game-winner.
CBS Sports puts Kentucky’s roster in its $20 million-plus spending tier. The team it barely beat Friday had lost its first three games by an average of 24 points.
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When Northern Arizona went to the line with a chance to go up four, I wondered how far back I’d have to go to find a Kentucky loss as a 30-point favorite. I couldn’t find one. The Wildcats were favored by 25 when Evansville won at Rupp Arena in 2019 and by 26 when Gardner-Webb won there in 2007.
So how did Kentucky get that close to losing? The same problem I brought up before the Kansas game. The Wildcats had given up 80 points to James Madison, and I wondered whether they could get enough stops against the Jayhawks. Kansas scored 89 and won by 20.
Then Northern Arizona came into Rupp, having scored an average of 62 points in their two losses to New Mexico and No. 12 Arizona, and shot 13-for-26 from 3 en route to 77 points.
Kentucky shot 56.4% and turned the ball over just four times Friday. If you’d told me that before tipoff, I would’ve figured the walk-ons were getting a few minutes.
Grambling State comes to Rupp on Monday before Kentucky plays Indiana on Friday.
If the Tigers are still in it with 22 seconds left, at least I know where to find the Evansville and Gardner-Webb box scores.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones updates timeline for NFL's 18-game schedule, floats preseason reduction
The NFL expanded from a 16-game schedule to 17 games in 2021. Since then, speculation has persisted about whether the league will eventually add an 18th regular-season game.
Such a change would require negotiations over roster sizes, player salaries, the preseason schedule and the timing of the Super Bowl. The NFL Players Association would also have to approve the plan before it could move forward.
But Jerry Jones, one of the NFL’s most high-profile and outspoken owners, offered a timeline Friday for when the league could add another regular-season game. "I don’t think we’re far away from it," Jones told Dallas sports radio station 105.3 FM.
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Jones suggested the league could move to an expanded regular season as soon as 2027.
"I don’t know what is far away — next month, next year, maybe. Next year, maybe. That has to be negotiated with the players. But it’s in everybody’s best interest."
Interest in potentially adding another game to the schedule for each of the NFL’s 32 teams has been fueled by the league’s growing popularity and expanded international schedule. This season features a record nine games played outside the U.S.
A 10-game international slate has been approved for 2027.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has been a vocal supporter of many owners’ push for an 18-game schedule. Jones suggested the preseason could be shortened if the change becomes reality, with teams using the early weeks of the regular season to ramp up.
"You’d cut back on the preseason games, you’d have teams more developed in the first few games, the type of thing you were trying to get done in the preseason. It’s in everybody’s interest, and it certainly is in the players’ best interests, in my mind."
Jones’ comments suggest an ambitious timeline.
The NFL Players Association has expressed mixed feelings about expanding the regular season. In March, NFLPA executive director JC Tretter told The Athletic that the union was determined to "defend our players and their health."
"There are things that are not good for our players that we need to make sure we’re protecting them from," Tretter said. "And as of right now, those are all subjects of bargaining. The league can’t expand past 10 international games. The league’s at 17 games in the CBA. That is where we’re at, and we’re going to make sure we defend our players and their health and safety because our guys feel they know what this feels like."
Tretter, a former offensive lineman, spent eight seasons in the NFL and last played for the Cleveland Browns in 2021.
"I understand what it felt like when I played 16 (games) and then moved to 17," Tretter said.
"I understand the toll that takes on the body … I understand the same thing with international. I played an international game. I understand the timeline and how tough it is to recover, how tough it is to turn around and get on the flight on the way back and then get ready for the next week. That is not easy."
The Washington Commanders and New York Giants opened Week 10 of the 2026 season. The Commanders defeated the Giants 24-21.
NBA star Dejounte Murray requests trade after Pelicans clash, public frustration spills onto social media
The apparently strained relationship between Dejounte Murray and the New Orleans Pelicans took another turn Friday.
Representatives for the All-Star guard at Klutch Sports requested a trade, prompting the team to say it would evaluate potential opportunities. "Today, Dejounte Murray’s representatives informed us of his request to be traded," the Pelicans said in a statement. "We will evaluate potential trade opportunities that are in the best interest of our organization."
Murray, 30, was ruled out Friday night against the Memphis Grizzlies due to a left ankle sprain. Pelicans coach Jamahl Mosley said Murray was not at Smoothie King Center.
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"He’s not in the building, from what I’ve been told," Mosley said.
The Pelicans acquired Murray in a June 2024 trade with the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for two first-round picks, Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr. and E.J. Liddell.
David Griffin, then serving as the Pelicans’ executive vice president of basketball operations, viewed Murray as a defender and playmaker who could provide ball-handling help for Zion Williamson, but he never approached the play that had earned him All-Star honors in 2022.
DEJOUNTE MURRAY ACCUSES NEW ORLEANS PELICANS OF INSIDE 'SABOTAGE' IN DELETED SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS
Murray’s tenure with the Pelicans was dogged by injuries. He broke his hand in the 2024 season opener and then suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in January 2025.
Over the last three seasons, Murray has played just 54 games with New Orleans, averaging 16.6 points, 6.6 assists and 5.9 rebounds. The Pelicans have gone 1-8 with him in the lineup.
Murray's salary is reportedly $32.8 million this season. He has a player option for $30.8 million next season. He recently made his frustrations with the team clear through several critical social media posts.
After one social media reporter mentioned the Pelicans were 3-0 without him in the lineup, Murray wrote back: "From what’s going on INSIDE, this sounds like someone hit you to say this! THE ‘SABOTAGE’ IS REAL!"
The tweet was deleted shortly after.
The timing of Murray’s trade request drew some scrutiny, as it surfaced while the Pelicans were on a four-game losing streak. Nevertheless, Mosley said his focus remained on the players available to him and maintaining the team’s standards.
"How well we play is very important to me, and making sure that we keep up that standard," Mosley said. "That’s why it’s so glaring when we don’t, because I know what this team has shown during training camp, what it has shown during the preseason."
Mosley also said the Pelicans need to return to the style of play they showed earlier this season.
"The first couple games didn’t go on the win column, but the way we played, we did a lot of good things. … As the leader of this group, how we’ve been playing these last three games have not been a representation of this organization, the city, of the way we said we were going to play. That’s been my focus over this last day or so. How do we get back to that style of basketball that we know represents this organization the right way?"
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
ADF seeks to defend Washington girls' sports measure, argues state cannot fully represent female athletes
Alliance Defending Freedom filed a motion on behalf of Female Athletes United to defend Washington’s voter-approved girls sports initiative against an ACLU-backed lawsuit, arguing that the state cannot adequately represent the athletes’ interests.
The Nov. 13 motion asks King County Superior Court to allow Female Athletes United to join the case as a defendant to defend Initiative 638. The request seeks the court’s permission to participate; it is not an order granting intervention.
"We’re asking to be allowed to step in and help the state of Washington defend the validity of the law so that I-638 goes into effect on December 3rd, just like the voters in the state of Washington asked for," ADF attorney Hal Frampton told Fox News Digital.
The initiative would prohibit students who are biologically male from competing in school athletic competitions designated for female students. It also requires participants in girls’ competitions to provide verification of their biological sex from their personal healthcare provider as part of the sports physical process.
The lawsuit challenging it includes parents, TransFamilies and the Washington Education Association as plaintiffs. They argue the measure violates Washington’s constitution, including privacy and equal-rights protections, by excluding transgender girls and imposing sex-verification requirements on participants in girls’ sports that do not apply to boys’ sports.
Asked whether he trusted Washington Attorney General Nick Brown to defend the initiative, Frampton pointed to the athletes his organization represents.
"We trust female athletes to defend the law on behalf of the state of Washington," he said. "That’s why we’re seeking to intervene and make sure that their perspective is part of the, part of the picture and part of the process."
The motion argues that Washington’s previous defense of transgender participation in girls’ sports could prevent it from advancing all the arguments Female Athletes United wants the court to consider.
"While the State may defend its law as a permissible policy choice, FAU will argue not only that the Initiative is valid but that the U.S. Constitution, Title IX, and Title IX’s regulations require Washington to have female-only sports teams, as do pre-existing state laws," the motion states.
Those assertions are the organization’s legal arguments, which the motion asks the court to consider.
Brown announced Nov. 12 that he had appointed outside law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner to defend I-638 on the state’s behalf. He said the arrangement would allow the initiative to be defended while his office continued its work protecting transgender rights.
"My personal views do not dictate what laws get defended or the strength of that defense," Brown said in his announcement.
Frampton said ADF was prepared to work with anyone defending the measure. Asked during the interview whether ADF had contacted the attorney general’s office, he answered, "Not that I’m aware."
"What I know is that we will mount a vigorous defense for Initiative 638 on behalf of female athletes and that we will do everything in our power, make every argument available to us to ensure that democracy prevails and that fairness and safety for women reign in Washington," he said.
The motion draws on accounts from athletes who describe competing against transgender athletes and, in some cases, considering leaving their school teams if the initiative is blocked.
The motion cites declarations from five Female Athletes United members: Soleil Hoefer, Charlie Garrett, Sierra Retzlaff, Elise Bierer and Ahnaleigh Wilson.
In a separate declaration, FAU board chair Kristine L. Brown describes the organization as a coalition of prospective, current and former female athletes, coaches, family members and other supporters. She says its work includes legal advocacy and protecting athletes’ privacy in locker rooms and other intimate spaces.
Brown says the organization does not engage in election campaigning, but individual members advocated for or voted for I-638. She identifies Washington athletes whose school sports opportunities the group seeks to protect.
Hoefer, who joined Frampton for the interview, said her experience in high school track helped motivate her advocacy.
"In my personal experience, I was made to run against a boy at state track, and my teammates had run against him the year prior," she said.
Her declaration says she graduated from Prosser High School in 2025 and now attends Walla Walla Community College on a soccer scholarship. She also points to her younger sister, who plays high school volleyball and basketball, as a reason she supports the initiative.
Hoefer said the election result carried personal significance.
"I think it’s a matter of the voters seeing that they didn’t need to vote red or blue. It was voting for women and for our safety and our protection in sports," she said.
Garrett, a Skyview High School runner, describes in her declaration walking off the starting line with teammate Retzlaff at a September meet involving a transgender runner from Camas High School.
Garrett says she later competed against the Camas athlete at postseason meets. According to her account, she finished third behind the athlete’s second-place finish at districts, and eighth behind the athlete’s seventh-place finish at regionals.
"Standing up for what I believe is right has been isolating and difficult," Garrett says in her declaration. "But it will all be worth it to protect girls from unfair competition and to protect girls’ safe spaces and opportunities."
She says she might run for a club instead of her school this spring if a court blocks the initiative.
Retzlaff makes a similar statement in her signed declaration, dated Nov. 13, saying she might choose club running over school competition next year if I-638 does not take effect.
"It would break my heart if a court blocked Initiative 638," Retzlaff says. "I have been fighting for it the last few months, and it has been one of the hardest things I have ever done."
Bierer, a Battle Ground High School runner, describes in her declaration walking off the starting line alone at districts rather than competing against the Camas athlete.
"When the starting gun went off for the varsity race, I walked off the line with tears in my eyes," her account says. "I was the only runner who did."
Bierer says she will not return to the cross-country team next year if she must continue racing against biologically male athletes.
Wilson, an Eastmont High School runner, describes in her declaration supporting I-638 through public advocacy and signature gathering. She says she traveled around Washington gathering signatures and asking adults to vote for it.
"If a court blocked Initiative 638, it would be devastating to me," Wilson says. "It would feel like my two and a half years of advocating for girls and the mental toll it has taken on me were a waste."
Several of the athletes also address the verification requirement challenged in the lawsuit. Hoefer, Garrett, Retzlaff and Wilson say in their declarations that they would be comfortable having their doctors verify their sex for athletic eligibility.
Frampton said the athletes’ future participation is central to ADF’s effort.
"We’ll have members of FAU who are going to be competing next season, next year, and are depending on I-638 to guarantee them fairness and safety in women’s sports," he said.
Joe Rogan says podcasters have no business at Trump press conferences alongside real journalists
Podcaster Joe Rogan on Friday blasted the idea that podcasters should be taken as seriously as journalists and participate in White House press briefings, declaring, "We talk s---!"
Rogan spoke with comedians Shane Gillis, Mark Normand, and Ari Shaffir, joking about how chaotic President Donald Trump’s recent press gaggles have been, especially given the nature of the format.
"There is a problem at these things," Rogan said. "Like, say if you have a question and you're talking to him. Someone else would just talk louder right next to you with a totally different question. It is f---ing annoying. And they don't care. It’s a bad podcast!"
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"It's a bad podcast," Rogan repeated. "If you hear a guy with a good question, let him go. Let him cook. Let him ask his f---ing question. And if you have a question later, raise your f---ing hand. And when he comes to you, ask your question. But if you're just yelling over the other guy's question, a louder, different question. That s---'s annoying."
Rogan contrasted this with David Sacks, chairman of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, recalling Sacks' complaint that the administration had lost the podcasters with recent policies and ought to have given them a front-row seat at news conferences.
"Like, hey, how about no?" Rogan responded. "How about real journalists? How about not have us do that? Also, we're not going! We're not going to the f---ing press conferences and sitting in the front row and asking questions to Karoline Leavitt."
"We're not going to go to the press conferences," he continued. "We're not press people. We talk s---. OK? And it's a sickness of our society that people take our opinions so importantly that it's so significant. It should not be. They do though, unfortunately. And it works, unfortunately."
Podcasters played a prominent role in the 2024 presidential election, with Rogan interviewing Trump and later endorsing him.
The 2024 campaign was nicknamed the "podcast election" as candidates sought to reach voters through podcasts and other alternative media platforms.
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Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was credited with opening up the briefing room to alternative media outlets during her tenure by creating a "new media seat."
The seat, located at the front of the room and just steps from the podium, allowed bloggers, social media influencers and others to ask questions of the White House press secretary during briefings.
NBA and NHL teams battle delays as nationwide FAA ground stop disrupts weekend sports travel
Millions of people across the nation are trying to figure out how to get from A to B in the wake of a nationwide FAA ground stop — only the second since 9/11 — and that includes some professional teams.
The ground stop has since been lifted, but it still caused some serious travel nightmares for several professional teams.
The travel interruption came on the eve of a full college football slate and as NFL teams prepare to travel for Sunday’s games.
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Additionally, both the NHL and NBA have had teams impacted by the stoppage.
There were nine games scheduled for Friday in the NBA and five for Saturday, with some running into issues.
According to the Associated Press, the Brooklyn Nets were trying to get from New Orleans to Memphis when their flight was halted. Coincidentally, the Memphis Grizzlies are also in New Orleans for a Friday night game against the Pelicans.
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The Grizzlies were one of a few teams scheduled to fly out on Friday night after their games. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls had planned to do the same, while the Detroit Pistons managed to fly to Miami earlier on Friday and made it there with no issues.
Meanwhile, in the NHL, there are just four teams in action on Friday, with two games on the schedule. None of them play on Saturday, but the other 28 teams in the league do.
Fortunately, most made it to their destinations before everything shut down, but the San Jose Sharks were not quite as lucky.
The team's flight to Utah for a Saturday night game against the Mammoth did not get out in time.
Fortunately for them, shortly after the ground stop was lifted, the Sharks were given clearance to head to Salt Lake City and were still scheduled to get there on Friday evening.
Of course, once flights start up again, there are likely to be delays. That means that while the ground stop has been lifted, more travel headaches could be ahead for teams across sports.
This is a developing story. OutKick will provide updates as more information becomes available.
Bruce Arians says Andrew Luck had a rare skill that even Peyton Manning and Tom Brady lacked
Andrew Luck’s NFL career was shorter than those of some of his contemporaries.
However, the former Colts signal caller left an impression, and according to Bruce Arians, Luck had a certain skillset that some of the best quarterbacks of all time did not even have.
And, no, it's not looking like a Civil War general... but he can do that too.
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The coaching great did an interview with NFL insider Jordan Schultz, and he talked about coaching Luck during the 2012 season.
Arians served as the Indianapolis Colts' offensive coordinator and then interim head coach, stepping in for Chuck Pagano, who stepped away from the team to undergo treatment for leukemia.
That season was Luck's rookie year, and Arians quickly realized something about his new QB out of Stanford.
"Andrew was like, 'I got it; let's roll,'" Arians recalled. "Andrew Luck had a photographic memory because he didn't take any notes. Peyton (Manning) had notebooks. Tom had a notebook on top of a notebook on top of a notebook."
Arians said that he asked Luck why he wasn't taking any notes, with Luck claiming that he didn't need to.
"He would literally spit it back verbatim," he said.
Arians also recalled that during that season, when the Colts became known for late, dramatic wins, Luck was ready to spring into action in situations the team had practiced.
Even before being called upon.
"Lo and behold, that exact scenario happened in our game that Sunday," Arians said. "And Andrew's not even waiting for me; he's already on the field."
Arians said that Luck and that Kodak-like brain of his wound up executing to perfection and allowed the Colts to win with a late field goal.
Luck has since become the general manager of the Stanford Cardinals football program, while Arians went on to coach the Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning a Super Bowl with the latter.
In the same interview, Arians expressed his interest in returning to the NFL sidelines after dealing with some health issues.
"Now that I'm all healthy again, I've got the itch again, so we'll see," he said.
Which current three-loss team would be the most dangerous in this year's College Football Playoff?
It's November, which means we are rapidly approaching the end of the regular season in college football.
Two weeks from Saturday, the 2026 season will come to a bittersweet end, followed by conference championship weekend and then, finally, Selection Sunday for the College Football Playoff the very next day.
With that in mind, and reading the tea leaves from the first few CFP ranking reveals, it seems as though this year may be the year we finally see a three-loss team making an appearance in the Big Dance.
That sight will be much more commonplace after next year when the field expands to 24 teams, but a three-loss playoff team in the 12-team era is certainly unprecedented.
But who has the best shot of going on a run out of all of the three-loss teams logjammed in the middle of the CFP rankings?
To my eye, there are five teams sitting between 16 and 21 that have three losses as well as a legitimate shot at making the cut: Oregon, South Carolina, Ohio State, Ole Miss and LSU.
I realize there is a good chance more teams join this list, but as of right now, these seem to be the most likely candidates from the pool of three-loss teams.
I considered adding Missouri to the mix, but the Tigers have Georgia and Kentucky lurking these next two weeks, and 1-1 in that two-game stretch feels optimistic at best.
Plus, their best win is over a reeling Florida team, so I'm not sure they would have much of an argument unless they took down the Bulldogs this Saturday.
Ole Miss and LSU are both interesting cases.
The Rebels have arguably one of the best quarterbacks in college football in Trinidad Chambliss and a damn good running back in Kewan Lacy to boot.
Ole Miss also has a couple of really nice wins over LSU and the aforementioned Missouri.
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LSU is a bit more of a stretch.
As I mentioned, they lost head-to-head against the Rebels and really don't have a great win on their resume outside of a drubbing to open the season against Clemson.
Their offense is always dangerous thanks to the play calling combo of Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr., and they have one of the most expensive rosters in college football.
One thing both of these teams have going against them, though, are very recent blowout losses to superior conference teams.
The Tigers just got done getting dominated in the fourth quarter by a surging Alabama team, and the Rebels were completely manhandled by Georgia just six days ago.
The Bulldogs look like the best team in the country, so that may be excusable, but Ole Miss also has a loss to Florida on their resume in which they were completely outclassed for the majority of the second half.
Moving on to Ohio State and South Carolina, both of these teams are dealing with some high-profile injuries.
Ohio State lost its signal caller, Julian Sayin, for the remainder of the 2026 regular season and potentially beyond.
They haven't looked the same without him, and picked up their third loss at home against Oregon last Saturday.
You could make an argument South Carolina is one of the hottest teams in the country, with head coach Shane Beamer going from hot seat to en fuego.
The Gamecocks are riding a four-game winning streak into the end of the season, and have a seriously impressive victory over Tennessee to pad their case.
The loss of dynamic QB Lanorris Sellers and big-play wideout Nyck Harbor changes that calculus a bit, as it's unclear what the long-term outlook is for either of the South Carolina stars.
That leaves us with Oregon, who I believe is far and away the most dangerous three-loss team left standing.
The Ducks looked shaky early in the season, but look like a completely different team since firing their offensive coordinator in late October.
Dan Lanning's squad put up 41 points just last weekend against a very salty Ohio State defense and seem to be peaking at the right time with Dylan Raiola leading the charge under center.
They also have a much more forgiving final stretch (Michigan, at Michigan State, and Washington) while also having impressive wins against Ohio State and likely Group of 6 playoff representative Boise State.
They've been able to shake off the loss of their star quarterback Dante Moore, and this was a team that was being picked by many to win the whole thing back in August.
That talent hasn't gone anywhere, it's just taken a while to get off the starting blocks.
Do I think Oregon is a shoo-in to win the whole thing? No.
I'm not even sure if they'll be in the field come December.
But if they do manage to sneak into the CFP, they will be entering the tournament playing a blisteringly hot brand of offense that no one will want to see lining up on the other side of the field.
A three-loss team is almost guaranteed to find its way into the field of 12 this year, and if Oregon is that three-loss team, I wouldn't count them out from making a very deep run.