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Morning Edition

December 23, 2024

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There wasn’t much to contest in the first weekend of the expanded College Football Playoff. Every home team won, and convincingly. However, as we prepare for the quarterfinals on New Year’s Eve and Day featuring the top eight seeds, the debate over SMU’s inclusion in the tournament over Alabama has been reignited.

— Eric Fisher [[link removed]]

CFP Quarterfinal Set, But Questions Remain After SMU Blowout Loss [[link removed]]

Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

The College Football Playoff began with a quartet of convincing home victories [[link removed]], but that hasn’t done anything to quell the raging debate about who should have been in the expanded tournament format.

There was no ambiguity in the opening games of the new, 12-team CFP format as Ohio State, Texas, Penn State, and Notre Dame each prevailed in front of their home fans Friday night and Saturday by an average of more than 19 points. But it was SMU, the final Playoff team in somewhat disputed fashion [[link removed]], that once again became a fulcrum of CFP conversation.

The Mustangs were blown out by Penn State 38-10 at Beaver Stadium in front of an announced audience of 106,013, quickly leading many prominent analysts [[link removed]] and writers to suggest that a three-loss Alabama team should have received that last CFP slot. That sentiment was punctuated by Alabama football GM Courtney Morgan, who tersely tweeted [[link removed]] “Disgusting…” as the Nittany Lions jumped out to a 28-0 halftime lead.

SMU coach Rhett Lashlee, however, pushed back on such suggestions.

“We didn’t play well enough to say anything that isn’t going to be written,” Lashlee said. “It’ll be written, ‘Should we be in or did we belong?’ That’s fine. You’re welcome to write it. We didn’t play good today. But this is a quality team. We had a good team. We deserve to be here. We earned the right to be here. I’m disappointed that we didn’t play to the level that validates that.”

Upcoming Games

The CFP quarterfinals will feature the bracket’s top eight seeds in four battles of college football heavyweights. Those games will include:

Fiesta Bowl, Dec. 31: (6) Penn State–(3) Boise State Peach Bowl, Jan. 1: (5) Texas–(4) Arizona State Rose Bowl, Jan. 1: (8) Ohio State–(1) Oregon Sugar Bowl, Jan. 1: (7) Notre Dame–(2) Georgia

Those games, to all be shown on ESPN after a prior simulcasting deal with TNT [[link removed]], will set up an evening and subsequent full day of college football action that should also go a long way to restoring some college football’s traditional dominance on New Year’s Day. That stature had been largely abandoned in recent years as the prior, four-team CFP format typically involved games on other days in late December and early January.

“A lot of college coaches talking about this being a four-game season. It’s not,” said Penn State coach James Franklin. “It’s a one-game season. … How you value those reps, how you prepare, will give you an opportunity to play again. We’re in a one-game season, and we just extended our season one more game.”

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Patrick Mahomes Rises Above Injury, Schedule as Netflix Game Looms [[link removed]]

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been no fan of an unusually compressed stretch of three games in 11 days [[link removed]]. But Mahomes continues to grit it out while battling an ankle injury, benefiting the two-time defending Super Bowl champions that are closing in another top seed in the AFC playoffs, as well as multiple NFL rights holders.

Soon after complaining that the tight turnarounds on games—designed to enable a special Christmas Day doubleheader on Netflix [[link removed]]—was “not great for the body,” the two-time league MVP led Kansas City to a 27-19 over Houston on Saturday, leaving the 14-1 Chiefs on the verge on the top overall seed in the playoffs. One more Chiefs victory or a loss or tie by the Bills would clinch a postseason bye and home-field advantage as the Mahomes-led squad seeks a third-straight title [[link removed]] that would be unprecedented in the NFL’s Super Bowl era.

“I ask a lot from the guys around me,” Mahomes said. “I feel like if I’m going to ask them to play through pain and nicks and bruises, I’ve got to do it as well. That’s something that I pride myself on, being out there with my guys.”

Mahomes threw for 260 yards and one score while rushing for another in what coach Andy Reid described as the team’s most comprehensive game of the year. Just three of the Chiefs’ 14 wins this season have been by at least 10 points.

Still, the presence of Mahomes was good news for NBC, which showed the game in an unusual Saturday night broadcast. It’s also a big relief for Netflix, which continues to harbor high expectations for its holiday showcase [[link removed]], which will begin with the Chiefs at the Steelers on Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET.

But while the star quarterback is expected to be there, there are several other pressing injury questions for the Chiefs with the short turnaround, as the statuses of defensive tackle Chris Jones, offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor, and linebacker Jack Cochrane are uncertain for the Steelers game.

“You’re not going to feel great,” Mahomes said of the upcoming game in Pittsburgh. “That’s just kind of what it is. You don’t make excuses in this league. … It’ll be rocking playing on Christmas, so everybody’s going to be watching.”

No Big Wait for Numbers

There will not be an extended wait to have a more specific sense of what Mahomes means by “everybody.”

Netflix plans to release initial audience figures for that game, as well as a subsequent one that day between the Ravens and Texans, by the early evening on Dec. 26. The streaming giant has already contracted to work with Nielsen on viewership measurement [[link removed]], and that should provide a much more reliable barometer on the game than the highly debated internal figures [[link removed]] released for last month’s Jake Paul-Mike Tyson boxing match.

The company claims it now has a better handle on the buffering issues [[link removed]] that marred that event.

Loud and Clear Rickey’s Lasting Legacy

Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY NETWORK

“When we considered new rules for the game in recent years, we had the era of Rickey Henderson in mind.”

—MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, remembering the Hall of Famer, who died Friday at 65 from pneumonia. The league’s all-time leader in stolen bases and runs scored, the electrifying Henderson was one of baseball’s most unique talents, and widely considered its best leadoff hitter and baserunner ever. That style of play was a direct influence on recent league rule changes such as larger bases and a pitch clock to promote more on-field action, in turn fueling attendance increases [[link removed]] the past two seasons. Newsletter writer Eric Fisher, who saw Henderson play at his peak, looks back on one of baseball’s most indelible figures [[link removed]].

One Big Fig Like Father, Like Son

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

15

The age of Charlie Woods, who hit his first hole-in-one Sunday at the PNC Championship. The ace took place on the par-3 fourth hole in Orlando, a 175-yard shot.

Charlie’s father Tiger, who has won a record 82 PGA Tour events and is second all-time with 15 majors, was his partner for the event, which primarily pairs major champions with family members.

The younger Woods did not seem to realize what he had done, his reaction trailing that of fans in the gallery. It’s worth watching the shot [[link removed]]—and his excitement upon realizing what he had done, as well as Tiger’s jubilation during the resulting celebration. The 15-year-old does not have any official endorsement deals, though retired wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald welcomed him as a brand partner of Greyson Clothiers [[link removed]] last year before deleting the post.

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Conversation Starters A week after RedZone showed commercials, Scott Hanson left “commercial free” out of his well-known intro to the show. Watch it here. [[link removed]] Jalen Hurts was fined for wearing mismatched Jordan cleats last Sunday. Jordan Brand will pay the $5,600 expense. Check out the shoes [[link removed]]. The Bucks unveiled their NBA Cup championship banner Saturday. Here’s what it looks like [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks Clemson-Texas Matchup Showcases Everything New in College Football [[link removed]]by Amanda Christovich [[link removed]]CFP format changes and the new conference landscape were on full ugdisplay. RFK Stadium Bill Passes in Overnight Stunner [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]]In a 1:15 a.m. vote, all 100 senators voted yes. Home Teams Sweep First On-Campus CFP Games [[link removed]]by David Rumsey [[link removed]]All underdogs lost to home teams in the newly expanded Playoff. Question of the Day

After watching the first round of the CFP, do you think Alabama should have been included over SMU?

Yes, Alabama was the better team. [[link removed]] No, the committee made the right call choosing SMU. [[link removed]]

Friday’s result: 28% of respondents said they’d watch CFP action on Saturday, 10% said they’d catch an NFL game, and 62% said both.

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The Nasdaq-100 Index® includes the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq. An investment cannot be made directly into an index. NCAA is a trademark of the National Collegiate Athletics Association. Invesco is not affiliated with the NCAA.

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