Sports
Fiesta Bowl: Penn State-Boise State Preview, Props, Prediction
Oct 12, 2024; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) cuts through the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors defense for a touchdown during the first quarter at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-Imagn Images GLENDALE, Ariz. — The College Football Playoff quarterfinals kick off with a lone game on Tuesday, with No. 6 seed Penn State taking on No. 3 seed Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Stadium.
ODDS AND TRENDS
Despite being the higher seed, Penn State was a consensus 11.0-point favorite as of Tuesday morning. That includes at DraftKings and BetMGM, where the Nittany Lions have been backed by 62 percent of the spread-line money. Meanwhile, the line had moved to 12.0 at some sportsbooks such at BetRivers.
Penn State’s moneyline to win the game outright opened at -375 at BetMGM, but has moved to -450 with the public backing the Nittany Lions with 70 percent of the money.
“The Penn State faithful are backing the Nittany Lions heavily in the first quarterfinal game,” trading manager Seamus Magee said. “Boise State and Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty covering would be great for the book.”
PROP PICKS
–Ashton Jeanty Under 131.5 Rushing Yards (-115 at BetMGM): This has been the most popular player prop at the book, with the public wagering heavily on Boise State playing from behind and being forced out of a Jeanty-dominated game plan. The Heisman runner-up enters the game with 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground this season.
–Over 53.5 Total Points: The line opened at 54.5 points — the second fewest among the four quarterfinal games — but has shifted down a full point despite the public backing the Over with 79 percent of the total bets and 74 percent of the money.
FIESTA BOWL HISTORY ON LINE
The Broncos, who earned a bye into the matchup in Glendale by winning the Mountain West title, are 3-0 in the Fiesta Bowl.
Penn State (12-2), which advanced to the quarterfinals after beating visiting SMU 38-10 last week in the opening round, is 7-0 in the Fiesta Bowl.
“Our guys are very aware of our history here at Penn State,” coach James Franklin said after a practice this week in Phoenix. “We spend a lot of time in the offseason talking about those things, or former players come back and talk to our guys.”
Boise State (12-1) won its three Fiesta Bowls between 2007 and 2014, including a 43-42 classic in overtime over Adrian Peterson and Oklahoma in 2007.
The Broncos were underdogs in that game and in wins over TCU in 2010 and Arizona in 2014.
“We might not have what everybody else has, but we definitely have enough,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said. “We’re going to continue to push forward.”
THE NEWS
Boise State is the last non-Power 4 conference team to win the Fiesta Bowl.
“Boise State has been built on earning our right to play against one of the top football teams in the country like Penn State,” Danielson said. “I believe in our team … please count us out. People, media, count us out. I know how we are going to work, and I know we are going to work to play our absolute best.”
Franklin, an assistant coach at Washington State and Idaho State in 1998 and 1999, respectively, appreciates the Boise State program after coaching in the area.
“Boise State has the ingredients to succeed,” Franklin said. “It’s in the university. It’s in the community. It’s embedded there. And that’s why you’ve seen so many people be able to go there and have success.”
Franklin also praised Jeanty for what he means to Boise State being in the playoffs.
“I think it starts and ends with Jeanty,” Franklin said. “He can run away from you and score from a distance. Breaks a ton of tackles — 1,300 yards of his rushing yards are after contact, which is like a ridiculous stat.”
Jeanty, who finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting, has 344 carries for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns. He took home the Maxwell Award as the most outstanding player in the sport and was a unanimous All-American selection.
Jeanty is 132 yards from breaking the NCAA single-season rushing record set by Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State in 1988.
Danielson is similarly in awe of Penn State senior tight end Tyler Warren.
Warren, who has a team-best six TD receptions, leads the Nittany Lions in receptions (92) and receiving yards (1,095). Both of those marks are single-season Big Ten records for tight ends. He won the Mackey Award as the nation’s best tight end and finished seventh in the Heisman voting.
“Tyler Warren is elite,” Danielson said. “That’s not just my opinion; I’m very positive he’s going to be the first tight end taken off the board in the NFL draft because of that.
“He can do it all. He is extremely violent at the point of attack. He can catch every ball. He’s one of their top targets on all downs. And he can play wildcat and throw the ball. You talk about just an extremely gifted athlete, we’ve got to know where (Warren) is at all times.”
PREDICTION
Boise State’s lone loss this season came back on Sept. 7 by three points at top-ranked Oregon. The Broncos have reeled off 11 consecutive wins since, but only one against a ranked opponent — a 21-7 victory over then-No. 20 UNLV in the Mountain West championship. Penn State, a power team from a Power 4 conference, presents an obstacle Boise State has yet to encounter this season. The Nittany Lions should control the line of scrimmage on both sides, and how deep the Broncos remain competitive in the game depends on how long they can prevent falling behind by double digits. –Penn State 38, Boise State 20
–Field Level Media
Sports
Led by CJ McCollum, Hawks look to seize series lead vs. Knicks
Apr 20, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) and New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) are separated by referee Zach Zarba (15) during the third quarter of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images CJ McCollum is filling the exact role the Atlanta Hawks had in mind when they acquired him in January. The veteran is not only scoring plenty of points, but he’s also providing an experienced presence for a young team.
McCollum scored 32 points on Tuesday to spark Atlanta’s fourth-quarter comeback and 107-106 road win against the New York Knicks. The best-of-seven first-round series is tied 1-1 and shifts to Atlanta on Thursday for Game 3.
“I really liked CJ’s leadership as much as the shot making,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “CJ’s leadership was really good with the ball in his hands.”
The Knicks had been 40-1 in the postseason since the advent of the shot clock in 1954-55 when leading by 12 or more points after three quarters. The only loss was when Reggie Miller scored 25 points in the fourth for Indiana in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals.
“It’s something that we’ve talked about over the course of the last couple of months,” Snyder said. “It’s a different type of leadership in my mind than he’s had at other times, because he’s got to find a balance of communicating and talking to the guys but still not losing his aggressiveness scoring the basketball.”
The mild-mannered McCollum also stepped into an unfamiliar role as villain. The crowd at Madison Square Garden, turned their vitriol — formerly directed at ex-Hawk Trae Young — toward McCollum. He just shrugged it off.
“I ain’t no villain, I’m a nice guy with two kids and a wife,” McCollum said. “I think it’s admiration. Great passionate fans in a really hostile environment. It’s fun, it’s basketball, it’s the playoffs.”
The Knicks lost the game despite 29 points from Jalen Brunson. He scored 10 of the team’s 15 fourth-quarter points when New York shot just 5-for-22 from the floor.
“We got the ball in the right people’s hands down the stretch and we didn’t convert,” New York coach Mike Brown said.
Brunson has been outstanding in both games. He scored 28 in the series opener. But Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 25 in the first game, scored only 18 — and none in the fourth quarter in Game 2. Brown blamed 14 turnovers, which led to 18 Atlanta points, and shooting 63 percent (17-for-27) at the line.
“At the end of the day we’ve got to lock in at the free-throw line, and we’ve got to take care of the ball,” Brown said. “And in that fourth quarter you could tell they were playing with a level of desperation. They got three of four 50-50 balls in the fourth quarter, which is what we use to measure the level of aggression in a game. In that fourth quarter their aggression stepped up.”
The competition between the teams has been close all season. New York won the first playoff game 113-102, the most lopsided score this year. The Knicks won two of the three regular-season games by three points, while Atlanta had a two-point win.
“Atlanta did what they wanted to do. They came in here and took one from us at home,” Brown said. “In my opinion, you’ve got to be able to win on the road if you expect to get where you want to do. So, for us, we’ve got to go win on the road.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Florida coach Todd Golden shoots down NBA rumors
Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden looks on against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first half during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images Florida coach Todd Golden shot down reports linking him to a potential vacancy with the Golden State Warriors.
“I’m definitely planning on coaching the Gators,” he told reporters Wednesday when asked if he would be back in Gainesville next season.
Multiple reports this week suggested that the Warriors could target Golden if they decide to move on from Steve Kerr, whose contract is up after 12 seasons and four NBA championships.
Golden, 40, coached at the University of San Francisco from 2019-22 before taking over at Florida and winning the national championship in 2024-25.
He is 103-41 with the Gators, who lost in the second round of this season’s NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed.
Golden’s comments come one day after potential NBA lottery pick Thomas Haugh announced he was returning to Florida for his senior season in 2026-27. Two other starters from this year’s squad also are coming back in fellow forward Alex Condon and guard Boogie Fland. Starting center Rueben Chinyelu announced on Monday that he is maintaining his eligibility throughout the NBA draft process.
Golden has no NBA coaching experience, having served as an assistant at Columbia (2012-14), Auburn (2014-16) and San Francisco (2016-19) before compiling a 57-36 record in three seasons leading the Dons.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Brazil's Estevao (hamstring) in doubt for World Cup
Chelsea’s Estevao down injured in a match against Manchester United on April 18, 2026. Brazil forward Estevao’s participation in this summer’s FIFA World Cup reportedly is in jeopardy due to a hamstring injury sustained during Chelsea’s weekend loss to Manchester United.
The 18-year-old prodigy suffered a Grade 4 hamstring injury and is “highly unlikely” to be ready for the start of the North American tournament on June 11, The Athletic reported on Wednesday.
Estevao limped off with the injury in the 16th minute of Chelsea’s 1-0 loss on Saturday and was in tears in the locker room after the match, according to coach Liam Rosenior. He reportedly underwent an MRI on Monday afternoon.
Estevao has registered eight goals and four assists in 36 appearances during his first season with the Premier League side, including three goals in seven Champions League matches.
Internationally, Estevao has tallied four goals in his last four appearances with the Brazilian national team and has 11 career caps.
Brazil, currently ranked No. 6 in the world, is in Group C for the World Cup with Morocco, Haiti and Scotland. The five-time World Cup champions open play against Morocco on June 13 in East Rutherford, N.J.
–Field Level Media
Led by CJ McCollum, Hawks look to seize series lead vs. Knicks
Florida coach Todd Golden shoots down NBA rumors
