Sounds like a 2025 problem
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
Happy (almost) holidays!
And welcome to our last regular newsletter of 2024. We’ll be in your inbox with one last present tomorrow, previewing a stacked Christmas Day slate before we’re off until the first Friday of 2025. Miss you already.
— Penn State women’s volleyball head coach (HC) Katie Schumacher-Cawley, after becoming the first woman HC to win the NCAA Division 1 volleyball title, all while battling breast cancer. Incredible doesn’t even begin to cover it.
NFL
🏈 It’s a beaut, Clark
The GIST: The 16th NFL Sunday of the season has us feeling like Buffalo Bills quarterback (QB) Josh Allen as we single-handedly tackle our last-minute holiday shopping — and the league’s complicated postseason picture.
American Football Conference (AFC): Five teams have clinched the seven available postseason berths for the conference — the Kansas City Chiefs, Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, and Baltimore Ravens. But no seeding has been locked in just yet, making these last two weeks absolutely pivotal.
- That said, KC controls their own destiny, meaning the top spot — and the coveted first-round bye that comes with it — is theirs with a Christmas Day dub.
National Football Conference (NFC): The NFC looked at the AFC and said “hold my hot chocolate” because their postseason picture is even more chaotic. Three teams are officially playoff-bound — the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, and Philadelphia Eagles — and all three have a shot at the No. 1 seed.
- Looking to join them are the Green Bay Packers, who play tonight at 8:15 p.m. ET and could punch their ticket with a win against the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football.
Postseason push will be marred by injury for many squads: Amid an already challenging 2024, Texans star wide receiver Tank Dell has returned home after being hospitalized for a “significant knee injury” suffered in Houston’s 27–19 Saturday loss to KC.
- And the Texans aren’t the only squad down a pivotal player: Eagles QB Jalen Hurts’ status for next week is in question after the Birds’ signal caller sustained a concussion in the third quarter of yesterday’s 36–33 loss to the Washington Commanders. Oof.
College Football Playoff
🎓🏈 First (round) down
The GIST: After a weekend full of first-round blowouts in the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP), the upcoming quarter-finals (which include the top four teams who automatically received byes) should be more exciting.
- These bowl games have familiar names, but they mean even more this year. Here’s what to expect when the fun kicks off next week.
🎉 Fiesta Bowl: No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 3 Boise State — December 31st at 7:30 p.m. ET: This game features a few of the country’s best running backs (RB): Boise State junior and Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty and Penn State’s explosive duo of juniors Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, who helped the Nittany Lions to a first-round rout of No. 11 SMU. But who will run away with this one?
🍑 Peach Bowl: No. 5 Texas vs. No. 4 Arizona State — January 1st at 1 p.m. ET: Arizona State All-American RB Cam Skattebo is just 75 yards shy of breaking the program’s single-season rushing record, while Texas’ defense ranks eighth in the country in yards allowed per carry (3.1) — clamps that were on full display in their Saturday victory over No. 12 Clemson.
🌹 Rose Bowl: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Oregon — January 1st at 5 p.m. ET: These teams met back on October 12th, where top-ranked Oregon escaped with a narrow 32–31 win. But the Buckeyes offense looks rematch ready after throttling No. 9 Tennessee 42–17 on Saturday. Can they dethrone the undefeated Ducks this time around?
🍭 Sugar Bowl: No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia — January 1st at 8:45 p.m. ET: Notre Dame is red-hot, posting 11 straight wins, including topping Indiana to open the CFP on Friday. Meanwhile, Georgia, aiming for its third national title in four years, will need to overcome the loss of senior QB Carson Beck, who’s out with an injury.
🎓🏐 Penn State women’s volleyball defeats Louisville to bring home their eighth national championship
As you read, the Nittany Lions took down Louisville in four sets yesterday to win their first NCAA title in ten years. Graduate student Jess Mruzik closed out her collegiate career with 29 kills, deservedly winning Most Outstanding Player and a spot on the All-Championship team along with two of her teammates. What a way to go out.
- And a historic tourney closed out in record fashion: The final broke the indoor attendance record with nearly 22K fans in the stands, while the semis spiked at 1.4M viewers with big demographic increases among young women.
⛳ Team Langer ekes out record sixth PNC Championship win
The annual event, featuring 20 Major champions partnered with a family member, went to a deciding playoff hole, where 47-time PGA Tour Champions winner Bernhard Langer and his son Jason notched an eagle to top Tiger Woods and his son, Charlie.
- It wasn’t a complete loss for the Woods family, though: Charlie knocked in his first career hole-in-one (one of two aces on the day). It's all grand, and it's all green.
🏒 Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews injured again
The Leafs captain didn’t play in his squad’s 6–3 Saturday loss to the NY Islanders after aggravating the upper body injury that caused him to miss nine games in November. Matthews is listed as questionable ahead of today’s 2 p.m. ET tilt against the Winnipeg Jets.
- Elsewhere, NY Rangers forward Matt Rempe is officially on the NHL’s naughty list: Rempe was slapped with an eight-game suspension yesterday and will forfeit $80K of his salary after Friday’s illegal hit. Talk about coal-ed.
🎓🏀 JuJu Watkins and No. 7 USC women’s basketball top Paige Bueckers and No. 4 UConn
Forget Santa’s sack, Watkins’ bag is deeper — the sophomore superstar dropped 25 points to lead the Trojans to a tight 72–70 Saturday win over the Huskies. Bueckers dropped a cool 22 points of her own, helping UConn erase an 18-point deficit, but breakout freshman Sarah Strong couldn’t connect on game-tying free throws down the stretch.
- Over on the men’s courts, three ranked squads suffered upset losses over the weekend. No. 4 Kentucky endured the biggest stunner, though — the Wildcats were absolutely crushed by unranked Ohio State in Saturday’s 85–65 L. Yikes.
🇨🇦🏒 World Juniors: Finland vs. Canada — December 26th at 7:30 p.m. ET — TSN
- It’s the holiday season, and that means one thing in the Great White North: It’s time…for some World Juniors hockey. After being knocked out of last year’s tourney in the quarter-finals, the red and white have redemption at the top of their Christmas list.
🏒 PWHL: Toronto Sceptres vs. Boston Fleet — December 27th at 7 p.m. ET — TSN
- Toronto handed Boston a 3–1 L to start the season, but these squads have been trending in very different directions lately, with the Sceptres on a four-game skid and the Fleet riding a two-game win streak.
🎓🏀 NCAA women’s basketball: No. 20 Michigan vs. No. 7 USC — December 29th at 10 p.m. ET — Big Ten Network
- College hoops is truly the gift that keeps on giving with a full slate of exciting matchups over the break — but if you only come out of your holiday stupor for one, make it this game, featuring the aforementioned Watkins and breakout Wolverines freshman Syla Swords.
Here’s what has GIST HQ buzzing:
⚾ Who to remember
All-time MLB stolen base leader Rickey Henderson, who passed away on Friday at the age of 65. The Hall of Famer left an indelible mark on the game with his blazing speed and dynamic style of play. RIP to one of the greats.
🏀 What to get the details on
A’ja Wilson’s Nike deal. ICYMI: the Las Vegas Aces star recently signed a six-year extension with Nike. A’mazing.
⚽ What to watch
“Celebrity Substitute,” in which NJ/NY Gotham FC stars Ali Krieger and Midge Purce face off against a group of talented kids, teaching teamwork and soccer fundamentals.
Question of the Day
In honor of our final newsletter of the year, we want to know: What are you most looking forward to in the final week of 2024?
Today’s email was brought to you by Lisa Minutillo, Rachel Fuenzalida, Lauren Tuiskula, Marga Sison, Megan Murray, and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Laura Pastore, Emily Ohman, Emma Leishman, Rachel Fuenzalida, and Lindsay Jost. Fact-checking and ops by Marga Sison. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.