The Michigan Wolverines have hired Kyle Whittingham as their new head football coach after firing Sherrone Moore. Whittingham, who was the head coach at the University of Utah for 21 years, made his first major staff decision by keeping running backs coach Tony Alford.
Key Facts
Sherrone Moore was fired by the Michigan Wolverines just over two weeks after taking over as head coach.
Kyle Whittingham has been appointed as the new head coach with a five-year contract.
Whittingham previously coached the Utah Utes for 21 seasons, achieving a 177-88 record.
Tony Alford, the running backs coach, has been retained by Whittingham.
Alford previously coached at Ohio State and is considered one of the top running backs coaches in college football.
This season, running backs Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall both scored 10 touchdowns for Michigan.
Haynes rushed for 857 yards before a season-ending injury, and Marshall rushed for 932 yards.
The Atlanta Falcons are playing against the Los Angeles Rams in a Monday Night Football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Rams aim to improve their playoff chances, while the Falcons hope to disrupt their plans despite being out of playoff contention.
Key Facts
The game takes place on Monday, December 29, 2025, at 8:15 PM ET.
The TV channel for the game is ESPN, and it can be live-streamed on Fubo.
The Los Angeles Rams have a record of 11-4 this season.
The Rams are favorites to win, with strong offensive players like Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua.
The Rams' offense is highly ranked in scoring and passing.
The Atlanta Falcons have a record of 6-9 and are already out of playoff contention.
Bijan Robinson is a key player for the Falcons, leading in scrimmage yards.
Kirk Cousins is currently leading the Falcons' offense.
The Los Angeles Chargers will not play their starting quarterback, Justin Herbert, in their final regular-season game against the Denver Broncos. Herbert will rest due to a past injury and since the Chargers have already secured a playoff spot. This decision may help the Broncos, who are aiming for the top playoff seed.
Key Facts
The Chargers have a record of 11-5 and are resting quarterback Justin Herbert for the playoffs.
Herbert suffered a fracture in his left hand, which required surgery.
The Chargers will start backup QB Trey Lance against the Broncos.
The Broncos are 13-3 and are playing to secure the top seed in the AFC playoffs.
The Patriots could only secure the No. 1 seed if the Broncos lose and the Patriots win.
The Patriots, also 13-3, are facing the Miami Dolphins in their final game.
The current playoff picture has the Chargers as the No. 6 seed in the AFC.
The Buffalo Sabres will face the St. Louis Blues in an NHL game on December 29, 2025. The game will take place at the Enterprise Center, and fans can watch it on various TV channels and live stream services.
Key Facts
The Buffalo Sabres have a record of 19 wins, 14 losses, and 4 ties, with 42 points.
The St. Louis Blues have a record of 15 wins, 16 losses, and 8 ties, with 38 points.
The game will air at 8:00 PM ET on channels like FanDuel Sports Network Midwest and others.
Fans can stream the game live on Fubo, which offers a free trial.
Mattias Samuelsson is a key player for Buffalo, having recently scored a goal and two assists.
Pavel Buchnevich scored twice and Joel Hofer made 30 saves in a recent Blues game.
Tage Thompson leads the Sabres with 18 goals and 34 points.
St. Louis won the previous matchup against Buffalo with a score of 3-0 on November 6.
The Minnesota Timberwolves will play against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on Monday night. The game will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network and can be streamed on Fubo. Key players to watch include Anthony Edwards of the Timberwolves and Coby White of the Bulls.
Key Facts
The Bulls and the Timberwolves are set to play on Monday, December 29, 2025.
The game will start at 8:00 PM Eastern Time.
It will be shown on FanDuel Sports Network and available to stream on Fubo.
The Chicago Bulls recently lost to the Milwaukee Bucks, ending their five-game winning streak.
Key players for the Bulls include Coby White, averaging 20.5 points, and Josh Giddey with 19.5 points, 9.2 assists, and 9.1 rebounds per game.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are coming off a loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
Anthony Edwards leads the Timberwolves, averaging 29.3 points per game.
Zach Collins of the Bulls will not play due to a toe injury.
Ohio State quarterback Lincoln Kienholz is thinking about entering the transfer portal on January 2 because he wants more playing time to improve his chances of reaching the NFL. Since Ohio State's main quarterback, Julian Sayin, is returning, Kienholz might transfer to another school where he can become a starting player.
Key Facts
Ohio State Buckeyes will play Miami Hurricanes in the Cotton Bowl for the College Football Playoffs.
Lincoln Kienholz is a backup quarterback for Ohio State.
He is considering entering the transfer portal to get more playing time.
The transfer portal opens on January 2, after the College Football Playoffs.
Kienholz's goal is to play in the NFL, which requires more playing time and visibility.
Ohio State's lead quarterback, Julian Sayin, plans to return next season.
Kienholz has discussed the transfer possibility with his coaches at Ohio State.
The Miami Heat will face the Denver Nuggets in an NBA game on Monday, December 29, 2025, looking to extend their winning streak. The game will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network and can be streamed on Fubo. Both teams played challenging games recently, with Miami coming off a victory over the Indiana Pacers and Denver losing to the Orlando Magic.
Key Facts
Miami Heat is on a two-game winning streak with a 17-15 record.
Denver Nuggets, with a 22-9 record, are on a seven-game road trip.
The Heat defeated the Indiana Pacers 142-116 in their last game.
The Nuggets lost their last game 127-126 to the Orlando Magic.
Key Heat players include Andrew Wiggins and Norman Powell; Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are injured.
Key Nuggets players include Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray; they played without three starters due to injuries.
The game will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network and Altitude Sports Overflow.
Fans can stream the game live on Fubo, which offers a free trial.
South Africa won a 3-2 match against Zimbabwe in the Africa Cup of Nations, securing their place in the knockout stages. Oswin Appollis scored a late penalty to ensure the team's victory. Zimbabwe did not qualify for the next round after this result.
Key Facts
South Africa beat Zimbabwe 3-2 in a football match held in Marrakesh.
Oswin Appollis scored the winning penalty for South Africa in the last 10 minutes.
South Africa secured second place in Group B, with Egypt finishing first.
South Africa's goal scorers were Tshepang Moremi, Lyle Foster, and Oswin Appollis.
Zimbabwe's goals included Tawanda Maswanhise's equalizer and an own goal by South Africa's Aubrey Modiba.
Zimbabwe's hopes of advancing ended with this loss.
South Africa will move to the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025.
Clemson University announced a coaching change after their football team, led by head coach Dabo Swinney, experienced a challenging 7-6 season. Offensive coordinator Garrett Riley will not return, and safeties coach Micky Conn is also leaving. The changes follow Clemson’s loss in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl and their overall lack of offensive success.
Key Facts
Clemson's football team finished the season with a 7-6 record.
The team lost the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl to Penn State.
Head coach Dabo Swinney decided not to keep offensive coordinator Garrett Riley.
Swinney expressed gratitude towards Riley for his past contributions.
Clemson's offense ranked 64th in total yards per game this season.
The team is also parting ways with safeties coach Micky Conn.
Clemson is looking for a new offensive coordinator, possibly from the NFL coaching cycle.
LeBron James and Luka Dončić led the Los Angeles Lakers to a 125–101 win. Russell Westbrook, playing against his former team, hit a career milestone by surpassing Magic Johnson in all-time NBA assists. LeBron James acknowledged Westbrook's achievement with a supportive response on social media.
Key Facts
The Los Angeles Lakers won against their opponents with a score of 125–101.
Luka Dončić scored 34 points, had seven assists, and five rebounds.
LeBron James scored 24 points, had five assists, and three rebounds.
Russell Westbrook surpassed Magic Johnson for seventh place on the NBA’s all-time assists list.
LeBron James showed respect to Westbrook’s achievement on social media.
Westbrook played for the Lakers for about a season and a half before moving to the Los Angeles Clippers.
During his time with the Lakers, Westbrook averaged 17.4 points per game.
Michigan State Spartans will compete against Michigan Tech Huskies in the Great Lakes Invitational championship game. The game will take place on Monday, December 29, 2025, at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and it will be broadcast on FOX and NBC.
Key Facts
Michigan State won last year's Great Lakes Invitational and is aiming for a second straight title.
The game will air at 7:00 PM Eastern Time on FOX and NBC.
Michigan State defeated Ferris State 5-2 in the semifinal, with Charlie Stramel scoring twice.
Michigan Tech won their semifinal against Miami (Ohio) 5-2, with Jack Anderson scoring a key goal.
Michigan Tech holds a slight historical edge over Michigan State with an 86-77-5 overall record in their matchups.
Porter Martone leads Michigan State with 11 goals this season.
Stiven Sardarian leads Michigan Tech with nine goals and 29 points.
Both teams are meeting again after Michigan Tech's shootout victory in 2023.
Stephen Bunting, a high-ranking darts player, revealed that his 13-year-old son has received online abuse after Bunting's defeat at the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship. Bunting expressed that the negative comments have been hurtful to his family and plans to spend more time with his son.
Key Facts
Stephen Bunting is ranked number four in the world in darts.
Bunting lost 4-3 in a close match to James Hurrell, ranked number 63, at the PDC World Darts Championship.
Bunting's 13-year-old son faced online abuse after the match.
Bunting spoke about the issue on social media, mentioning the impact on his family.
Bunting's defeat could affect his ranking and chances for automatic qualification in future tournaments.
His son often supports him at events, both in person and on social media.
ESPN BET has rebranded to theScore Bet and is offering a $100 bonus for users who win an initial $10 bet using the NEWSWEEK promo code. The promo is tied to a Monday Night Football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Atlanta Falcons. The Rams are preparing for the postseason, while the Falcons seek to maintain their winning streak.
Key Facts
ESPN BET has changed its name to theScore Bet.
Users can receive a $100 bonus if they win their first $10 bet using a promo code.
The promo code to use is "NEWSWEEK."
The offer coincides with a football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Atlanta Falcons.
The Rams are set to enter postseason play.
The Falcons are currently on a two-game winning streak.
Various betting options are available for the game.
Users must register and make a deposit to participate in the betting offer.
Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are set to play a high-stakes game in Week 18. The winner will earn a playoff spot, while the losing team's coach may face job uncertainty in 2026. Both team coaches, John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin, have not seen recent playoff success, adding pressure to this game.
Key Facts
The game is part of the NFL's last week of the regular season.
The Ravens, with a current record of 8-8, will play the Steelers, who have a 9-7 record.
The winner of the game will receive a spot in the playoffs as the AFC North champion.
There are high expectations for the Ravens, despite challenges, including quarterback Lamar Jackson's injuries.
Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh have both won Super Bowls but struggled in recent playoff games.
The possibility of job changes for the losing coach has been suggested for 2026.
The Ravens are slightly favored to win by 3 points, according to ESPN BET.
The first meeting between the teams this season was on December 7, with the Steelers winning 27-22.
The article discusses predictions for Premier League football games, featuring insights from BBC Sport's Chris Sutton and guest Tom A Smith, a musician and Sunderland fan. Sutton predicts results for all season matches, including games on December 30, 2025, and January 1, 2026. Smith shares excitement about Sunderland's season and cultural impact.
Key Facts
Chris Sutton predicts every Premier League game of the season and competitions against AI, BBC Sport readers, and guests.
For week 19, Sutton competes against Tom A Smith, a musician and Sunderland fan.
Smith's EP "Say What You Want" reached number 14 in the UK record store charts in November.
Sutton hopes Aston Villa coach Unai Emery will win against his former club, Arsenal, on December 30, 2025.
Sunderland, Smith's favorite team, is performing well this season and positively affecting the city.
Burnley has not won a game since October 26 and needs a win to move up from near the bottom of the league.
Newcastle is also seeking a win and is predicted by Sutton to achieve a rare away victory against Burnley.
AI predictions for the Premier League are made using Microsoft Copilot Chat.
Nathan Aspinall, a seeded player in the PDC World Championship, was defeated by Kevin Doets from the Netherlands. Meanwhile, 20-year-old Charlie Manby progressed to the last 16 after winning his match against Ricky Evans.
Key Facts
Nathan Aspinall, who was the 15th seed, lost 4-3 to Kevin Doets at the PDC World Championship.
Aspinall previously reached the semi-finals in 2019 and 2020 and was making his only past-third-round appearance since 2020.
Charlie Manby, participating for the first time, defeated Ricky Evans 4-2, advancing to the last 16.
Manby is a bricklayer from Huddersfield and secured a minimum prize of £60,000.
In the next round, Manby will face Gian van Veen from the Netherlands.
Justin Hood, another first-time participant, defeated Ryan Meikle 4-1 and won at least £60,000.
Hood moved to a provisional 63rd ranking and expressed future personal goals of opening a Chinese restaurant.
The third round also featured matches with Josh Rock against Callan Rydz and defending champion Luke Littler against Rob Cross.
A promotional offer is available for new users using the Underdog bonus code "NEWSWEEK" when signing up for fantasy sports betting on the Rams vs. Falcons NFL game. The bonus gives players extra chances to make fantasy picks for this Monday Night Football game. This offer allows players to explore different player performance options and engage more deeply with the game.
Key Facts
The Underdog bonus code "NEWSWEEK" is for new users only.
It applies to the NFL game between the Rams and Falcons.
New users receive bonus entries after signing up and making their first entry.
Bonus entries allow users to make extra picks on player performance.
The Rams are competing for better playoff positions in the NFC.
The offer is specifically for fantasy sports pick'em contests.
To use the bonus, users need to create an account, make a deposit, and place an entry.
Newsweek offers a promotion for the Sleeper fantasy sports app using the code "NEWSWEEKXL," giving new users a chance to earn bonuses. Participants can choose between a $20 instant bonus or up to $100 in bonus credits by making a deposit. The promotion is tied to the NFL game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Atlanta Falcons.
Key Facts
Newsweek provides a promo code "NEWSWEEKXL" for the Sleeper app.
New users can choose between a $20 instant bonus or a $100 deposit match bonus.
The promotion is centered around the Rams vs. Falcons NFL game.
The Rams have secured a playoff spot but will be a No. 5 or No. 6 seed.
The Falcons are not in the playoff race but have a two-game winning streak.
Users can bet on player performances such as Matthew Stafford and Kirk Cousins.
The app allows different betting strategies, including max or flex entries.
Newsweek may earn affiliate commissions from sign-ups through article links.
New players can sign up for a betting account with a special promo code to get bonuses for making fantasy sports picks during the Rams-Falcons game. The offer includes a $10 bonus and a 50% deposit match that could add up to another $200 in bonuses. Players can use these bonuses to make picks on various player performances.
Key Facts
New players using the promo code NEWSWEEK can receive up to $210 in bonuses for the Rams-Falcons game.
The offer includes a $10 bonus and a 50% deposit match for up to $200.
Players can make fantasy picks on different player stat performances, such as yardage and touchdowns.
The Rams are working to improve their playoff position, while the Falcons aim to extend a winning streak.
To set up an account, users enter personal information and deposit funds to receive bonus offers.
Newsweek may earn commissions from sign-ups through the article's links.
The promo allows new users to combine their bonuses for use during the game.
The article discusses the use of a Kalshi promo code for making predictions on NFL games, specifically focusing on a matchup between the Rams and Falcons. It explains how to register and use the promo code to receive a bonus and outlines potential trades in sports prediction markets.
Key Facts
Kalshi offers a promo code "NEWSWEEK" for making predictions on NFL games.
New customers can receive a $10 bonus after making $100 in trades.
The Rams have a 75% chance to win against the Falcons on Monday night.
Contracts for the Rams can be bought for 75 cents, with a $1 payout if they win.
Additional markets include point spread, total points, and player performance contracts.
Monday night's game ends Week 17 of the NFL season, with predictions also available for the champion.
Prediction markets also cover topics like politics, culture, and crypto.
Registration requires personal details and verification of identity to participate.
