Photo by Frank Dodson/LATimes The Boston Celtics weren’t supposed to be here. Ranked third, written off as a temporary placeholder in the East, and forced to navigate a long stretch without their franchise player: Boston has quietly flipped the script. At 23–12, the Celtics have done more than survive—they’ve competed at the toughest level, defended their identity, and won, leaning heavily into the best version of Jaylen Brown we’ve ever seen. On paper, this doesn’t look like

by Elias Meredith 1/4/26 Sportz Nation SATURDAY: 22 FLORIDA AT MISSOURI Photo by James Biggerstaff/Imagn Images Saturday night, the Florida Gators and the Missouri Tigers faced off to kick off SEC play. Junior guard Anthony Robinson II led Missouri to an upset win over their conference rival, dropping 19 points and 8 rebounds in the victory. A great bounce back game from a Missouri club who came off a 53-point loss to Illinois in their previous game. The game stayed close thr

Credit to NFL YouTube Page This is it; after a long season of ups and downs, the New England Patriots will wrap up an incredible regular season with a matchup against division foe the Miami Dolphins. The Patriots, who stand at a record of 13-3, are still in the hunt for the #1 seed in the AFC, while the 7-9 Dolphins will be looking to play spoiler to the party. There is still a lot at stake for both teams, so let's get right into the preview! Injury Report Credit to Kenneth R

by Zak Drapeau and Joseph McLaughlin 1/2/2025 Sportz Nation Steelers at Ravens (Sunday @ 8:20) Photo by Nick Wass/ Associated Press The final regular-season game of the 2025 season on Sunday Night Football will be a win-or-go-home match for the AFC North title between Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Two teams that couldn't be more different besides their historical greatness, the Ravens and Steelers, will battle in Baltimore after Pittsburgh won their other matchup of the year in W

21 VIRGINIA AT VIRGINIA TECH Photo by Ryan Hunt/Getty Images What a way to kick off ACC play! Blacksburg, Virginia on the campus of Virginia Tech University was the location of the first triple overtime game of the school's storied rivalry. The Virginia Tech Hokies snagged their conference opener against in-state rival Virginia, 95-85, in a triple overtime thriller. A game full of ties and lead changes was not always like that. The first half consisted of one tie and two lead

by Zak Drapeau 1/31/2025 Sportz Nation Here's a look at my list of my Top 24 Athletes of 2024 , with guys like Shohei Ohtani, Connor McDavid and a slew of Summer Olympians dominating the list. Without an Olympic event this year, this list will be compiled of mostly athletes in the big sporting leagues such as NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, various Soccer leagues and others. In the fourth year of doing this list, I am a bit biased toward the top sports leagues but will always give credi

by Zak Drapeau 12/30/2025 Sportz Nation Graphic by Bryan Logan/ clutchpoints.com/betting/miami-vs-ohio-state-prediction-odds-pick-for-cfp-quarterfinal-at-the-cotton-bowl Buckeyes-Hurricanes Preview The first matchup of Round 2 of these College Football Playoffs will be between the defending National Champion Buckeyes and the Miami Hurricanes at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. After the Hurricanes defeated the 3-seeded Texas A&M Aggies and the Buckeyes received a first-round

The 2025 NBA Draft had lofty league-wide expectations. Widely viewed as a stronger, deeper class than the 2024 group, it was headlined by blue-chip prospects like Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, and a wave of lottery talent expected to make an immediate impact. Two months into the regular season, that promise is beginning to materialize. While it’s still early—and patience is always required with younger players—we’ve already seen stark debuts from rookies performing way ahead of s

Credit: Donte Boyd/AP The NBA looks very different than it did even a decade ago. The league has become faster, younger, and far less patient, with teams prioritizing immediate impact over long-term development. As a result, the path to a stable NBA career has narrowed considerably. Undrafted hopefuls and Euro League standouts once had real opportunities to carve out lasting roles, but today, fewer of those players are sticking around long enough to do so. The margin for erro

19 TEXAS TECH VS 3 DUKE Photo by Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo The Texas Tech Red Raiders were down as much as 17 in the second half to the third-ranked Duke Blue Devils, but the opponent or the stage did not phase them. Texas Texh would pull out a comeback win in Madison Square Garden, shocking the nation with an 82-81 victory over Duke. The first half started with Texas Tech firing on cylinders. The Red Raiders started the game on a 13-5 run, setting the tone early by scoring 10 of

by Zak Drapeau 12/20/2025 Sportz Nation So this will be my third time making this list since 2018 and truth be told there isn't too much change from my most recent list in 2022 with MMA Complete but there are a few. Since the dawn of one of the greatest sports on Earth, while not the first company to do so, the UFC became one of the biggest MMA promotions in the world when it started on November 12, 1993 and has been the #1 of it's kind for over two decades to date. While I'd

by Zak Drapeau 12/19/2025 Sportz Nation Right off the gate I have to say I don't think this fight will be like others Jake Paul has name attached to. Of all the opponents he's had and fights he's been in, Anthony Joshua not only gives him the biggest challenge but has the most to lose too. Graphic by Julian Catalfo/ theScore Jake Paul's previous 6 boxing fights have been against a 58-year old, (former Heavyweight Champion and Boxing great) a 39-year old well past his prime, 2

December has quietly turned into a highlight-reel month across the league. It feels like almost every night, the NBA has a game that delivers a posters that feels ripped straight from All-Star Weekend—LeBron James detonating on Luke Kornet, Devin Vassell soaring over OG Anunoby, and a steady stream of rim-rattling finishes that remind us why the NBA's Slam Dunk Contest feels so sour. The 2025-26 All-Star Weekend festivities may still be months away, but the truth is hard to i

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen 12/18/2025 Sportz Nation Start 'Em (Matt Hylen) Quarterbacks Photo credit to Brooke Sutton/Getty Images Justin Herbert at DAL Though Justin Herbert's second-half fantasy production has dropped, I think he is in for a huge week in Week 16. In what will be his last favorable matchup of the season, Herbert gets to end his fantasy must-start ability against the worst defense against QBs in the Dallas Cowboys. Herbert has overall QB1 potential this we

by Zak Drapeau, Matt Hylen, and Joseph McLaughlin 12/18/2025 Sportz Nation Quarterbacks (Zak Drapeau) Photo by Chris Szagola/ Associated Press Josh Allen at CLE Jalen Hurts at WAS Jacoby Brissett vs ATL Joe Burrow at MIA Justin Herbert at DAL Drake Maye at BAL Lamar Jackson vs NE Dak Prescott at LAC C.J. Stroud vs LV Baker Mayfield at CAR Jared Goff vs PIT Bo Nix vs JAX Jaxson Dart vs MIN Matthew Stafford at SEA Tyler Shough vs NYJ Jalen Hurts was very close to making his deb

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen 12/17/2025 Sportz Nation Zak Drapeau's Picks Photo by Nathan Ray Seebeck/ Imagn Images #2 Manel Kape vs Joshua Van (Flyweight Championship) In our last matchmaking I had Tatsuro Taira as the next challenger at 125 but now Manel Kape has moved into that spot with Pantoja injured. Kape has never faced someone outside of the Top-15 and now has won 7 of his last 8 with 3 knockouts in a row. _________________________________ #4 Brandon Royval vs (Winn

Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn-Images. How was the first round of the Postseason? If you win, you'll feel great and be gearing up for round two. If you lost, that is okay; you still have a lot to play for to avoid whatever cruel punishment your kind and generous fantasy league manager conjured up during the draft. Ideally, your team is healthy at this point in the season, but in case it is not, here are some names to look for to help you out. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy (M

With the NBA Emirates Cup finale approaching, the league’s award races have officially heated up. Players are competing with a different edge now, and the results are showing. Compared to the start of last month, the list looks almost unrecognizable, as injuries, availability, and rapid midseason surges have completely altered the conversation. Some candidates have fallen off, others have skyrocketed, and a few players have made serious pushes for first-time All-Star consider

by Elias Meredith 12/15/25 Sportz Nation SATURDAY: 13 ILLINOIS VS 23 NEBRASKA Photo by Ron Johnson/Imagn Images The 2025 Nebraska Cornhuskers looked to make history with an upset win over the Illinois Fighting Illini Saturday night. They would become the first team in Nebraska men’s basketball history to go 11-0 to start the season.  The Cornhuskers most impressive win of the season came in story book fashion. Senior guard JaMarques Lawrence drilled a game-winning three from

by Zak Drapeau 12/13/2025 Sportz Nation Honorable Mentions: Jack Della Maddelena, Mackenzie Dern and Nassourdine Imavov 10. Waldo Cortes-Acosta With a record of 3-1 in 2025 alone, Cortes-Acosta was not only the most active Heavyweight in the division but it wasn't even close. In a division that has been held up almost as much as Francis Ngannou's final days, "Salsa Boy" has said he will fight anyone and then he did. Starting the year with a win inside the Top-10 against Sergh