The drought is finally over for SMU football.

In what turned out to be an ugly second-half performance from their offense, the Mustangs fought off a second-half comeback from No. 20 Arizona to win the Holiday Bowl by a score of 24-19 on Friday, Jan. 2 inside Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

It’s the first bowl for the Mustangs since the 2012 Hawaii Bowl.

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After putting up 328 total yards of offense and 24 points in the first half — with 14 of them courtesy of running back T.J. Harden — the Wildcats defense made some second half adjustments and held SMU scoreless, allowing only 64 yards after halftime. 

Following a first half in which it committed five penalties for 50 yards, Arizona was able to get back into the game thanks to back-to-back interceptions from Jennings to begin the third quarter. The Wildcats could only cut the deficit to five points following Noah Fifita’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Barmore with 33 seconds remaining in the game.

Jennings completed 21-of-32 passes for 278 yards and three interceptions, while Fifita completed 28-of-43 passes for 265 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Both teams finish the season with a 9-4 overall record. 

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates from the game. Follow along for a recap:

Arizona vs SMU live score

This section will be updated.

Arizona vs SMU live updates

This section has been updated with new information

Final score: SMU 24, Arizona 19

SMU recovers onside kick, wins Holiday Bowl

SMU recovers the onside kick attempt from Arizona, and Kevin Jennings takes the knee to give the Mustangs the 24-19 win in the Holiday Bowl. A valiant second-half comeback from the Wildcats comes up short in San Diego.

Arizona scores TD

The Wildcats aren’t going away yet. Noah Fifita tosses one up to Cameron Barmore in the back of the end zone on third-and-10 for the 15-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 24-19. It’s the 29th touchdown pass of the season from Fifita.

Arizona will now look to recover the onside kick with 33 seconds remaining in the game.

SMU punts

SMU is forced to send out the punt unit as Kevin Jennings is two yards short of the first down. If Jennings had dived instead of slid forward on the field, he would have picked up the first down and the Mustangs could have let the clock run down.

Arizona will now look to drive down the field for a touchdown at its own 25-yard line with 2:43 left on the clock. The Wildcats have no timeouts remaining.

SMU intercepts Noah Fifita

SMU’s Alexander Kilgore comes up with a huge interception for the Mustangs defense, and that should be enough for SMU to put this game away … barring another turnover. It’s the first true mistake by Noah Fifita on the night.

The Mustangs are just over three minutes away from their first bowl win in over a decade.

Arizona intercepts Kevin Jennings

Just when it looks like SMU fixed its struggles on offense, Kevin Jennings throws his third interception of the second half. It looks like Jennings didn’t see Arizona’s Riley Wilson in his progressions, and because of that the Wildcats have a chance to cut this deficit further.

Arizona cuts deficit with TD pass

SMU nearly brings down Noah Fifita, but the Arizona quarterback dodges the tackle and throws a 10-yard touchdown pass to Tre Spivey on fourth-and-2 instead. The Wildcats are unsuccessful on the 2-point conversion.

The Mustangs now lead 24-12 with 8:40 remaining in the fourth quarter.

SMU punts

SMU’s second-half offensive struggles continue as the Mustangs go three-and-out for the third consecutive drive. Arizona’s offense heads back onto the field after 57 seconds of game time on the bench with a shot to bring the score closer.

End of third quarter: SMU 24, Arizona 6

Arizona turns ball over on downs

SMU’s defense bails Kevin Jennings out by forcing another turnover on downs on the final play of the third quarter. Given its field goal kicking troubles this season, Arizona elected to go for it on fourth-and-6 at the SMU 10-yard line, but Noah Fifita missed his target in the end zone.

The Mustangs take over at their own 10-yard line with a 24-6 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Arizona intercepts Kevin Jennings

The tables are beginning to turn in the second half, as Arizona picks up its second interception of the night off of Kevin Jennings after a brief game of hot potato as players from both teams fight for the ball in the air.

It’s back-to-back drives with a poor decision by Jennings. The Wildcats now start with short field position at SMU’s 44-yard line.

Noah Fifita throws 28-yard TD pass

Arizona is finally on the board thanks to a 28-yard touchdown pass from Noah Fifita to Javin Whatley near the back of the end zone. The Wildcats then try for the 2-point conversion, but it is unsuccessful.

It’s the first drive where the Wildcats were able to drive down the field without being called for a penalty …progress! The drive was 15 plays for 96 yards and took 7:31 off the game clock.

Arizona intercepts Kevin Jennings

Kevin Jennings’ first mistake of the game comes in the third quarter with an underthrown pass on the run intended for Jordan Hudson. The third-and-4 pass from Jennings is intercepted at the 4-yard line by Michael Dansby.

Arizona turns it over on downs

SMU’s defensive Terry Webb stuffs Arizona running back Quincy Craig on fourth-and-1 to force the second turnover on downs of the night for the Wildcats’ defense.

Self-inflicted penalties continue to hurt Arizona’s offense from getting into a rhythm. This time, it was a false start penalty on third-and-1 that held the Wildcats back from extending their drive.

End of first half: SMU 24, Arizona 0

The first half comes to a close on an 11-yard carry from Arizona running back Ismail Mahdi on first-and-10. SMU heads into the locker room with a commanding 24-0 lead after a full-out dominating first 30 minutes of action in the Holiday Bowl.

Kevin Jennings completed 18-of-23 passes for 248 yards, while Noah Fifita completed 7-of-13 passes for 43 yards.

The Wildcats were unable to find a rhythm offensively in the first half, as they were held to just 132 total yards of offense. A reason behind that struggle can be pointed to the Wildcats’ self-inflicted wounds: four penalties for 45 yards.

SMU extends lead with field goal

SMU extends its lead to 24-0 just before halftime with a 24-yard field goal from Sam Keltner. It’s the first time that SMU has gotten into the red zone and not scored a touchdown on the night.

The Mustangs have created a total of 328 yards of offense compared to Arizona’s 111.

Arizona turns ball over on downs

Down three possessions and on SMU’s side of the field for the first time, Arizona elects to go for it on fourth-and-2. It, however, doesn’t work out for the Wildcats as Tyren Polley Jr. breaks up Noah Fifita’s pass attempt for a turnover on downs.

SMU gets the ball back at its own 35-yard line with 5:23 remaining until halftime.

SMU extends lead with TD

Stone Eby takes the inside handoff from Kevin Jennings, and it results in the 1-yard rushing touchdown to extend SMU’s lead to 21-0 over Arizona. It’s all Mustangs in this one, as SMU has now scored a touchdown on three of its first four drives.

The scoring drive was 16 plays for 94 yards and took 6:47 off the game clock. Something to monitor for SMU is T.J. Harden, who was brought to the sidelines after going down weirdly on a 2-yard carry to set up Eby’s score.

End of first quarter: SMU 14, Arizona 0

SMU continues to feed T.J. Harden and he picks up 13 yards for a new set of downs on the final play of the first quarter. The Mustangs head into the second quarter on their own 40-yard line with a 14-0 lead over Arizona.

The Wildcats struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the opening frame, as SMU’s defense held Arizona to just 71 total yards of offense, with all but four of those coming on the ground. Quarterback Noah Fifita was 3-of-7 passing for four yards.

Kevin Jennings has been excellent for SMU, as he went 9-of-12 passing for 187 yards in the first quarter.

T.J. Harden scores second TD of game

T.J. Harden bounces off the left side and pushes through defenders into the end zone to extend SMU’s lead in the Holiday Bowl to 14-0. It’s the second touchdown of the night for Harden.

Kevin Jennings added to his hot start with a pair of nice throws on SMU’s eight-play drive: a 31-yard pass up the left sideline to Jalen Cooper and a 21-yard pass to Yamir Knight on the RPO. He’s 8-of-10 passing for 165 yards to begin the night.

The drive itself was eight plays for 87 yards and took 3:12 off the game clock.

Yamir Knight makes ridiculous catch for SMU

Kevin Jennings airs one up on third-and-11, and Yamir Knight comes up with an impressive catch that ends with him making a spin in the air over an Arizona defender. The Mustangs end up punting the ball back to the Wildcats a few plays later.

Arizona punts

SMU cornerback Marcellus Barnes Jr. breaks up Noah Fifita’s throw on third down, and Arizona sends out the punt unit. The Wildcats were unable to recover from an ineligible man downfield penalty.

T.J. Harden scores SMU touchdown

T.J. Harden punches it in from the 1-yard line to give SMU the opening drive touchdown score. The big play of the drive came on the second play of the drive when Kevin Jennings was able to connect with Matthew Hibner for an 80-yard catch, the longest catch in Holiday Bowl history.

What a start for the Mustangs, who drove down the field for 83 yards in three plays and 56 seconds to take the early lead.

Arizona wins toss, SMU starts with ball

Arizona wins the coin toss and defers the opening kickoff to the second half. That means Kevin Jennings and the SMU offense will start with the ball first. We’re just about ready for kickoff in San Diego!

Pregame

Arizona takes field for Holiday Bowl

With kickoff just 30 minutes away in San Diego, Arizona takes the field for warmups at the Holiday Bowl. The Wildcats are looking for their first win in the Holiday Bowl since the 1998 season when they beat Nebraska 23-20.

SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings warming up for Holiday Bowl

SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings has taken the field to get ready for his start in the Holiday Bowl against Arizona. Jennings enters Friday’s bowl game with 3,363 passing yards and 26 touchdown passes on the season.

SMU arrives for Holiday Bowl

The Mustangs are on site for their Holiday Bowl matchup against Arizona. SMU is looking for its first bowl win since 2012, when it was still a member of Conference USA.

What time does Arizona vs SMU start?

• Date: Friday, Jan. 2
• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• Where: Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)

Arizona and SMU are set to kick off at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 2 in the Holiday Bowl inside Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

What TV channel is Arizona vs SMU on today?

• TV channel: Fox
• Streaming options: Fox Sports Go app | Fubo (free trial)

Fox will broadcast the Holiday Bowl between Arizona and SMU on Jan. 2. Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt will broadcast the game from the booth at Snapdragon Stadium, with Jenny Taft reporting from the sidelines.

Streaming options for the game include the Fox Sports app (with a TV login) and Fubo, which carries Fox and offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Stream the Holiday Bowl live with Fubo (free trial)

Arizona vs SMU predictions in Holiday Bowl

Here’s who experts within the USA TODAY Sports Network picked to win the Holiday Bowl:

• Matt Hayes: Arizona
• Jordan Mendoza: SMU
• Paul Myerberg: Arizona
• Erick Smith: Arizona
• Eddie Timanus: Arizona
• Blake Toppmeyer: SMU

Arizona vs SMU odds, spread for Holiday Bowl

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, Jan. 1

• Spread: Arizona -1.5
• Over/under: 51.5
• Moneyline: SMU (-105) | Arizona (-115)

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The final non-College Football Playoff bowl game has finally arrived.

No. 20 Arizona (9-3) and SMU (8-4) meet in the 2026 Holiday Bowl inside Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 2. It’s the third trip to the Holiday Bowl for the Wildcats, while it’s the Mustangs second trip to the bowl game.

Stream the Holiday Bowl live with Fubo (free trial)

Led by quarterback Noah Fifita, Arizona heads into the Holiday Bowl playing some of its best football: The Wildcats have won each of their last five games after losing back-to-back conference games in the middle of October. On top of Fifita, who has thrown for nearly 3,000 yards and 26 touchdown passes this season, two other Arizona players to watch for are defensive backs Dalton Johnson and Treydan Stukes, who’ve combined for eight interceptions.

SMU heads into the Holiday Bowl looking to bounce back from a Week 14 loss to Cal. The Mustangs’ road loss not only kept them out of the ACC Championship game, but also was the first domino of CFP Selection Sunday chaos that allowed two Group of Five programs make the 12-team field with Duke’s win of the ACC.

USA TODAY Sports is bringing live updates, scores and highlights of the game. Follow along:

Arizona vs SMU live score

This section will be updated.

Arizona vs SMU live updates

This section has been updated with new information

Fourth quarter: SMU 24, Arizona 6

SMU punts

SMU’s second-half offensive struggles continue as the Mustangs go three-and-out for the third consecutive drive. Arizona’s offense heads back onto the field after 57 seconds of game time on the bench with a shot to bring the score closer.

End of third quarter: SMU 24, Arizona 6

Arizona turns ball over on downs

SMU’s defense bails Kevin Jennings out by forcing another turnover on downs on the final play of the third quarter. Given its field goal kicking troubles this season, Arizona elected to go for it on fourth-and-6 at the SMU 10-yard line, but Noah Fifita missed his target in the end zone.

The Mustangs take over at their own 10-yard line with a 24-6 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Arizona intercepts Kevin Jennings

The tables are beginning to turn in the second half, as Arizona picks up its second interception of the night off of Kevin Jennings after a brief game of hot potato as players from both teams fight for the ball in the air.

It’s back-to-back drives with a poor decision by Jennings. The Wildcats now start with short field position at SMU’s 44-yard line.

Noah Fifita throws 28-yard TD pass

Arizona is finally on the board thanks to a 28-yard touchdown pass from Noah Fifita to Javin Whatley near the back of the end zone. The Wildcats then try for the 2-point conversion, but it is unsuccessful.

It’s the first drive where the Wildcats were able to drive down the field without being called for a penalty …progress! The drive was 15 plays for 96 yards and took 7:31 off the game clock.

Arizona intercepts Kevin Jennings

Kevin Jennings’ first mistake of the game comes in the third quarter with an underthrown pass on the run intended for Jordan Hudson. The third-and-4 pass from Jennings is intercepted at the 4-yard line by Michael Dansby.

Arizona turns it over on downs

SMU’s defensive Terry Webb stuffs Arizona running back Quincy Craig on fourth-and-1 to force the second turnover on downs of the night for the Wildcats’ defense.

Self-inflicted penalties continue to hurt Arizona’s offense from getting into a rhythm. This time, it was a false start penalty on third-and-1 that held the Wildcats back from extending their drive.

End of first half: SMU 24, Arizona 0

The first half comes to a close on an 11-yard carry from Arizona running back Ismail Mahdi on first-and-10. SMU heads into the locker room with a commanding 24-0 lead after a full-out dominating first 30 minutes of action in the Holiday Bowl.

Kevin Jennings completed 18-of-23 passes for 248 yards, while Noah Fifita completed 7-of-13 passes for 43 yards.

The Wildcats were unable to find a rhythm offensively in the first half, as they were held to just 132 total yards of offense. A reason behind that struggle can be pointed to the Wildcats’ self-inflicted wounds: four penalties for 45 yards.

SMU extends lead with field goal

SMU extends its lead to 24-0 just before halftime with a 24-yard field goal from Sam Keltner. It’s the first time that SMU has gotten into the red zone and not scored a touchdown on the night.

The Mustangs have created a total of 328 yards of offense compared to Arizona’s 111.

Arizona turns ball over on downs

Down three possessions and on SMU’s side of the field for the first time, Arizona elects to go for it on fourth-and-2. It, however, doesn’t work out for the Wildcats as Tyren Polley Jr. breaks up Noah Fifita’s pass attempt for a turnover on downs.

SMU gets the ball back at its own 35-yard line with 5:23 remaining until halftime.

SMU extends lead with TD

Stone Eby takes the inside handoff from Kevin Jennings, and it results in the 1-yard rushing touchdown to extend SMU’s lead to 21-0 over Arizona. It’s all Mustangs in this one, as SMU has now scored a touchdown on three of its first four drives.

The scoring drive was 16 plays for 94 yards and took 6:47 off the game clock. Something to monitor for SMU is T.J. Harden, who was brought to the sidelines after going down weirdly on a 2-yard carry to set up Eby’s score.

End of first quarter: SMU 14, Arizona 0

SMU continues to feed T.J. Harden and he picks up 13 yards for a new set of downs on the final play of the first quarter. The Mustangs head into the second quarter on their own 40-yard line with a 14-0 lead over Arizona.

The Wildcats struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the opening frame, as SMU’s defense held Arizona to just 71 total yards of offense, with all but four of those coming on the ground. Quarterback Noah Fifita was 3-of-7 passing for four yards.

Kevin Jennings has been excellent for SMU, as he went 9-of-12 passing for 187 yards in the first quarter.

T.J. Harden scores second TD of game

T.J. Harden bounces off the left side and pushes through defenders into the end zone to extend SMU’s lead in the Holiday Bowl to 14-0. It’s the second touchdown of the night for Harden.

Kevin Jennings added to his hot start with a pair of nice throws on SMU’s eight-play drive: a 31-yard pass up the left sideline to Jalen Cooper and a 21-yard pass to Yamir Knight on the RPO. He’s 8-of-10 passing for 165 yards to begin the night.

The drive itself was eight plays for 87 yards and took 3:12 off the game clock.

Yamir Knight makes ridiculous catch for SMU

Kevin Jennings airs one up on third-and-11, and Yamir Knight comes up with an impressive catch that ends with him making a spin in the air over an Arizona defender. The Mustangs end up punting the ball back to the Wildcats a few plays later.

Arizona punts

SMU cornerback Marcellus Barnes Jr. breaks up Noah Fifita’s throw on third down, and Arizona sends out the punt unit. The Wildcats were unable to recover from an ineligible man downfield penalty.

T.J. Harden scores SMU touchdown

T.J. Harden punches it in from the 1-yard line to give SMU the opening drive touchdown score. The big play of the drive came on the second play of the drive when Kevin Jennings was able to connect with Matthew Hibner for an 80-yard catch, the longest catch in Holiday Bowl history.

What a start for the Mustangs, who drove down the field for 83 yards in three plays and 56 seconds to take the early lead.

Arizona wins toss, SMU starts with ball

Arizona wins the coin toss and defers the opening kickoff to the second half. That means Kevin Jennings and the SMU offense will start with the ball first. We’re just about ready for kickoff in San Diego!

Pregame

Arizona takes field for Holiday Bowl

With kickoff just 30 minutes away in San Diego, Arizona takes the field for warmups at the Holiday Bowl. The Wildcats are looking for their first win in the Holiday Bowl since the 1998 season when they beat Nebraska 23-20.

SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings warming up for Holiday Bowl

SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings has taken the field to get ready for his start in the Holiday Bowl against Arizona. Jennings enters Friday’s bowl game with 3,363 passing yards and 26 touchdown passes on the season.

SMU arrives for Holiday Bowl

The Mustangs are on site for their Holiday Bowl matchup against Arizona. SMU is looking for its first bowl win since 2012, when it was still a member of Conference USA.

What time does Arizona vs SMU start?

• Date: Friday, Jan. 2
• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• Where: Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)

Arizona and SMU are set to kick off at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 2 in the Holiday Bowl inside Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

What TV channel is Arizona vs SMU on today?

• TV channel: Fox
• Streaming options: Fox Sports Go app | Fubo (free trial)

Fox will broadcast the Holiday Bowl between Arizona and SMU on Jan. 2. Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt will broadcast the game from the booth at Snapdragon Stadium, with Jenny Taft reporting from the sidelines.

Streaming options for the game include the Fox Sports app (with a TV login) and Fubo, which carries Fox and offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Stream the Holiday Bowl live with Fubo (free trial)

Arizona vs SMU predictions in Holiday Bowl

Here’s who experts within the USA TODAY Sports Network picked to win the Holiday Bowl:

• Matt Hayes: Arizona
• Jordan Mendoza: SMU
• Paul Myerberg: Arizona
• Erick Smith: Arizona
• Eddie Timanus: Arizona
• Blake Toppmeyer: SMU

Arizona vs SMU odds, spread for Holiday Bowl

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, Jan. 1

• Spread: Arizona -1.5
• Over/under: 51.5
• Moneyline: SMU (-105) | Arizona (-115)

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

The U.S. Olympic men’s hockey roster is out and it’s mostly a reprise of the 4 Nations Face-Off team, with a few adjustments.

And when someone new is added, someone has to fall out. One of those was New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox.

The former Norris Trophy winner didn’t make the cut after Team USA added Stanley Cup-winning defenseman Seth Jones from the Florida Panthers.

“I thought my play this year was worthy of it and my track record as well, but it’s out of my hands at a certain point,’ Fox told reporters, according to The Athletic.

Here are the winners and losers from the USA’s announcement of its men’s hockey Olympic roster:

WINNERS

Seth Jones

Jones, then 19, had generated a little buzz in the 2014 selection process but didn’t make that team. He didn’t make the 4 Nations Face-Off, either, because he was with the struggling Blackhawks at the time. But a trade to the Panthers changed everything. He won a Stanley Cup in June and that led to the Olympic roster spot.’

‘You saw the impact that he had on the Florida team to win the Stanley Cup,’ USA coach Mike Sullivan said. ‘He’s a big, strong kid that skates extremely well. I think he has the ability to play on both sides of the puck and impact the game on both sides of the puck.’

Clayton Keller and Tage Thompson

Keller was the big snub for the 4 Nations, and he ended up finishing last season with 90 points. Thompson was ready to be an injury replacement at that tournament and wasn’t needed. But both players went to the world championships and helped the USA win a rare gold there. Keller was captain of that team and Thompson scored the winning goal. They made the Olympic team as a result.

‘He’s 6-6 and can skate like the wind,’ Team USA general manager Bill Guerin said of Thompson. ‘He’s got an incredible shot, scoring ability. But he’s got versatility as well. He can play center. He can play wing. He can kill penalties. Obviously, he’s on the power play.’

The Hughes brothers

Quinn Hughes’ injury before the 4 Nations deprived the USA of its best defenseman for that tournament. It also deprived Jack Hughes of a chance to play alongside his brother. Both brothers had suffered injuries this season but are healthy and get to be on the big stage together. Luke Hughes, Jack’s Devils teammate, didn’t make the 2026 team, so an international tournament with three Hughes brothers will have to wait until the 2028 World Cup.

Familiarity on the team

By bringing back most of the players from the 4 Nations, the USA has built-in chemistry. That’s important in a short tournament. The USA lost to Canada in the 4 Nations final but were without Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy and didn’t have injured Matthew Tkachuk for the third period and overtime. Having a full healthy team could make a difference this time.

LOSERS

How healthy is this team?

The USA has had its share of injuries, even a fluke one. All of the first six players named to the U.S. team have been out at some point this season. Tkachuk is still working his way back from offseason hernia surgery. McAvoy missed time with a broken jaw. Jack Eichel returned on Friday. Auston Matthews has been out twice. But he answered questions about his health with a hat trick on Jan. 1. Among the other players named Friday, Jaccob Slavin has been limited to five games by injuries and J.T. Miller is out at the moment. But more than a month remains before the tournament.

Adam Fox

Fox’s exclusion generated a lot of headlines. His Rangers coach, Sullivan, is also the U.S. Olympic coach.

‘Adam and I have had a number of conversations around this and I will keep those conversations between Adam and I,’ Sullivan told reporters, noting that choosing the team was a ‘collaborative effort’ and there were difficult decisions to make.

Fox is an elite defenseman, though he struggled last season (along with the team) and he was on the ice during Connor McDavid’s overtime goal at the 4 Nations. Guerin said any perception that the play affected management’s decision was just perception.

‘If you think we made a decision on one play, then you must not think we’re very smart,’ Guerin said.

Fox just returned from an injury, scoring a goal, and will play in the Winter Classic. But the timing of Friday’s announcement puts some of the focus not him making the Olympic team.

Jason Robertson

The Stars forward got off to a slow start last season and didn’t make the 4 Nations. That’s not the case this season. He leads U.S. players with 48 points and his 24 goals trail only Matt Boldy. But he missed the cut.

Cole Caufield

The Canadiens forward is also off to a strong start and also didn’t make the team. His linemate, Nick Suzuki, made Team Canada’s roster.

As the New England Patriots contend for the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs in Week 18, two of their players are dealing with off-field situations.

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing felony strangulation or suffocation charge as well as misdemeanor assault and defensive lineman Christian Barmore is facing assault and battery charges.

Coach Mike Vrabel said Wednesday that the team was ‘aware of these allegations’ against both players and would let the legal processes play out.

Diggs spoke with reporters today and apologized for not speaking earlier.

‘Sorry I wasn’t available for those couple of days,’ he said. ‘It’s a different kind of time dealing with everything. It’s definitely an open case so I can’t be, I can’t even say anything about it.’

He added he’d be open to any football-related questions ahead of the Patriots’ season finale.

‘It’s a different time, a very emotional time,’ Diggs said. ‘I’m taken back by some things that’s been going on.’

Barmore similarly deflected questions related to his case in his first media availability this week.

‘We’re focused on Miami and playing football,’ he said when asked questions related to his case.

In statements on both situations, the Patriots did not comment beyond stating the franchise is aware of both cases and will cooperate fully with the league.

Here’s what the team said about Barmore:

‘The New England Patriots are aware of reports regarding a pending February arraignment involving Christian Barmore, which stems from an alleged domestic incident that occurred in August. ‘The Patriots were made aware at the time of the incident and informed the NFL in a timely manner. The matter remains part of an ongoing legal process. We will respect that process, continue to monitor the situation closely, as we have over the past few months, and cooperate fully with the league. We will have no further comment at this time.’

Here’s the team statement on Diggs:

‘Stefon has informed the organization that he categorically denies the allegations. We support Stefon. We will continue to gather information and will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary. Out of respect for all parties involved, and given that this is an ongoing legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.’

Vrabel said Wednesday he expects both players on the field against the Dolphins in Week 18.

‘I haven’t heard anything that would keep either player from the game,’ Vrabel said. ‘The NFL hasn’t told me anything. … I haven’t had a call with the NFL.’

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Before the Armed Forces Bowl between Rice football and Texas State kicked off at Amon G. Carter Stadium on Friday, Jan. 2, two parachutists did not make it onto the field in Fort Worth, Texas.

According to Keff Ciardello of the San Antonio Express-News, one parachutist landed outside of the stadium while the other, as shown in the video below, landed behind the end zone and onto the portion of the field that separates the stands from the field. No injuries resulted from the incident among those who were standing on the ground behind the end zone.

‘The parachutist immediately got up and off the field on his own power and no one on the ground was injured,’ a spokesperson for the Armed Forces Bowl told USA TODAY Sports.

This isn’t the first time a parachuting execution went wrong this bowl season.

Texas State is currently leading Rice 34-7 in the fourth quarter of the Armed Forces Bowl at the time of this writing.

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Behind 161 total yards and three touchdowns from quarterback Blake Horvath, the No. 25-ranked Midshipmen rolled past Cincinnati 35-13 in the Liberty Bowl on Friday, Jan. 2 at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis.

Stream the Liberty Bowl live with Fubo (free trial)

The win capped off an 11-2 season for Navy, tying program record for victories in a season.

Eli Heidenreich had 126 total yards (64 receiving, 62 rushing) and a touchdown in the win, with Alex Tecza, Heidenreich’s teammate and fellow Pittsburgh native, adding a team-high 80 rushing yards and a touchdown. Defensively, the Midshipmen were led by linebacker Coleman Cauley, who had a team-high 10 tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown.

Playing without star quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who is in the transfer portal, Cincinnati managed just 239 yards and 4.1 yards per play. The Bearcats were whistled for nine penalties for 76 yards. After a 7-1 start, Cincinnati rose as high as No. 16 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, but dropped its final five games, four of which were decided by multiple scores. Cincinnati is now 1-12 in games after November under third-year coach Scott Satterfield, who is 15-22 at the school.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, scores and highlights of the game. Here are the highlights:

Navy vs Cincinnati score

This section will be updated throughout the game.

Navy vs Cincinnati updates

This section will be updated throughout the game.

FINAL: Navy 35, Cincinnati 13

Navy seals win over Cincinnati with pick six

Whatever hopes Cincinnati had of a comeback win have been extinguished. After getting pinned back at their own 2-yard line, the Bearcats turn the ball over, with Navy’s Coleman Cauley intercepting a Brady Lichtenberg short pass up the middle and returning it five yards for a touchdown.

The Midshipmen lead 35-13 with 2:54 left. Cauley has a team-high 10 tackles for Navy, including seven solo tackles.

Cyrus Allen TD catch gets Cincinnati within two scores

It’s not over at the Liberty Bowl, at least not yet. Cincinnati responds to Navy’s touchdown drive by getting up the field relatively quickly, going 75 yards in 3:08 and eight plays. The Bearcats hit paydirt, too, with Brady Lichtenberg hitting Cyrus Allen for a 4-yard touchdown pass with 6:52 remaining.

Cincinnati fails to get the two-point conversion, making the score 28-13. The touchdown catch was Allen’s 13th of the season, tying a program single-season record.

Alex Tecza TD pushes Navy lead to 21

The rout is officially on.

Navy pushes its lead over 28-7 over Cincinnati with 10 minutes remaining after a 3-yard Alex Tecza touchdown run punctuating a 14-play, 56-yard drive that eats 7:44 off the clock.

End of third quarter: Navy 21, Cincinnati 7

We’ve got only 15 minutes left in Memphis, with Navy leading by 14. The Midshipmen will have a third-and-1 at the Cincinnati 33 when the fourth quarter begins.

Cincinnati stopped on fourth down

Cincinnati gets excellent starting field position after a 22-yard Manny Covey punt return gets the Bearcats to the Navy 48-yard line, but Cincinnati is unable to capitalize. The Bearcats lined up for a fourth-and-1 from the Navy 39, but a false start penalty pushes them back five yards. On fourth-and-6, Samaj Jones finds a wide-open Noah Jennings across the middle. What would have been a big gain, however, is dropped, allowing the Midshipmen to take over at their own 43 with 2:44 left in the third quarter.

Navy fumbles ball back to Cincinnati

Two plays after Cincinnati coughed the ball up, it gets it right back. Blake Horvath fumbles a quarterback keeper up the middle on a first-and-10 from the Bearcats’ 38-yard line. Cincinnati’s Jonathan Thompson pounces on top of it, giving his team possession at its own 34 with nine minutes left in the third quarter.

Cincinnati fumble gives Navy the ball back

Cincinnati gets a 36-yard run from Manny Covey on its first play of its first drive of the second half. Two plays later, though, the Bearcats give the ball away, with an errant pitch on a trick play that Navy falls on top of at the Cincinnati 48-yard line.

Blake Horvath extends Navy lead with second TD pass

Navy gets the second half off to a strong start, doubling its lead with an eight-play, 75-yard drive that ends with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Blake Horvath to Eli Heidenreich, his fellow offensive star for the Midshipmen.

Navy originally mishandled the snap on the extra point, but Cincinnati was offsides. The Midshipmen make their second attempt, increasing their lead to 21-7 with 10:15 left in the third quarter.

Horvath has three total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in his final college game.

Halftime: Navy 14, Cincinnati 7

Navy will take a 14-7 lead over Cincinnati into the locker room after Blake Horvath’s touchdown pass late in the second quarter.

The Midshipmen will receive the opening kickoff of the second half and should have good starting field position after a personal foul penalty from Bearcats running back Manny Covey on the final play of the first half for slapping a Navy player in the back of his helmet. That will move the opening kickoff back 15 yards.

Blake Horvath TD puts Navy ahead of Cincinnati

For the second time in the past three possessions, a Navy drive ends in the end zone.

Blake Horvath finishes off a methodical 11-play, 80-yard drive with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Luke Hutchison over the middle to give the Midshipmen a 14-7 lead with 40 seconds left in the half.

The pass came two plays after a successful fourth-and-1 conversion from the Cincinnati 36-yard line.

Marqavious Saboor ejected for targeting

As Navy tries to mount a go-ahead drive before halftime, we’ve got an ejection, with Cincinnati’s Marqavious Saboor booted for targeting after going head-first into Charles Robinson of the Midshipmen while bringing him down at the end of an 11-yard reception.

Cincinnati forces Navy punt

Cincinnati follows up its touchdown drive with a defensive stand, forcing a Navy punt on the ensuing possession. A 45-yard Midshipmen punt is returned 22 yards by Manny Covey to the Cincinnati 31-yard line, where the Bearcats will take over with 7:23 left in the first half.

Samaj Jones TD run ties it up between Cincinnati and Navy

Two teams that struggled to get a first down early in the game now can’t stop scoring.

Cincinnati responds to Navy’s touchdown with a scoring drive of its own, going 75 yards in 17 plays. Freshman quarterback Samaj Jones finishes it off, scrambling up the middle for 6-yard touchdown run, helped by a final push from his offensive line.

Cincinnati’s longest drive of the season was made possible by a pair of fourth-down conversions, including one from the Bearcats’ own 34-yard line.

We’ve got a tie game with 9:47 left in the second quarter.

End of first quarter: Navy 7, Cincinnati 0

Navy will take a 7-0 lead into the second quarter, though Cincinnati’s starting to find its rhythm offensively, with a third-and-4 at the Navy 42-yard line.

Blake Horvath TD run gives Navy lead over Cincinnati

At last, we have not just a first down, but points.

Navy finds its footing on its third drive of the game, going 63 yards in seven plays. It’s finished off by quarterback Blake Horvath, who plows into the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown run to give the Midshipmen a 7-0 lead with 3:19 left in the first quarter.

Cincinnati, Navy trade punts again

Four possessions, four three-and-outs.

Cincinnati and Navy have combined for 10 total yards between their first four drives as we remain scoreless in Memphis.

Cincinnati, Navy go three-and-out

In a downpour, neither Cincinnati nor Navy is able to get much of anything going on its respective first drives. The Bearcats fail to pick up a yard on the opening possession and punt, but the Midshipmen give it back after a three-and-out of their own.

Cincinnati’s got the ball back at its own 32-yard line after a 9-yard punt return.

Liberty Bowl weather

It’s a less-than-idyllic day in Memphis, with rain projected for much of Friday’s Liberty Bowl between Navy and Cincinnati. The temperature for the contest won’t be getting above 49 degrees.

College bowl games today

The Liberty Bowl is the second of four bowl games being played on Friday, Jan. 2, which marks the end of bowl season outside of the remaining College Football Playoff games and all-star exhibitions like the East-West Shrine Bowl and the Senior Bowl.

Here’s a list of today’s bowl games:

• Armed Forces Bowl: Texas State vs. Rice
• Liberty Bowl: No. 25 Navy vs. Cincinnati, 4:30 p.m. ET
• Holiday Bowl: No. 20 Arizona vs. SMU, 8 p.m. ET
• Duke’s Mayo Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State, 8 p.m. ET

Where is the Liberty Bowl being played?

The Liberty Bowl is being played at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, the longtime home of the event.

The game has been held in Memphis every year since 1965. It previously took place in Philadelphia from 1959-63 and Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1964.

What time does Navy vs Cincinnati start?

• Date: Friday, Jan. 2
• Time: 4:30 p.m. ET, 3:30 p.m. CT
• Where: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)

Navy and Cincinnati are set to kick off at 4:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. local time) on Friday, Jan. 2 in the Liberty Bowl inside Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis.

What TV channel is Navy vs Cincinnati on today?

• TV channel: ESPN
• Streaming options: Watch ESPN | Fubo (free trial)

ESPN will broadcast the Liberty Bowl between Navy and Cincinnati on Jan. 2. Mike Monaco and Kirk Morrison will call the game from the booth, with Dawn Davenport on the sidelines.

Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app (with a TV login) and Fubo, which carries ESPN and offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Stream the Liberty Bowl live with Fubo (free trial)

Navy vs Cincinnati predictions in Liberty Bowl

Here’s who experts within the USA TODAY Sports Network picked to win the Liberty Bowl:

Navy 34, Cincinnati 17: These are two teams heading in opposite directions, with the stronger finisher of the group (Navy) entering the matchup with something close to a full arsenal of its best players. Horvath will finish off his senior season with a fitting exclamation mark while a productive Cincinnati offense will struggle to move the ball as effectively without Sorsby. — Craig Meyer, USA TODAY

Navy vs Cincinnati odds, spread for Liberty Bowl

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Friday, Jan. 2

• Spread: Navy -7.5
• Over/under: 56.5
• Moneyline: Navy (-300) | Cincinnati (+240)

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The final non-College Football Playoff bowl game has finally arrived.

No. 20 Arizona (9-3) and SMU (8-4) meet in the 2026 Holiday Bowl inside Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 2. It’s the third trip to the Holiday Bowl for the Wildcats, while it’s the Mustangs second trip to the bowl game.

Stream the Holiday Bowl live with Fubo (free trial)

Led by quarterback Noah Fifita, Arizona heads into the Holiday Bowl playing some of its best football: The Wildcats have won each of their last five games after losing back-to-back conference games in the middle of October. On top of Fifita, who has thrown for nearly 3,000 yards and 26 touchdown passes this season, two other Arizona players to watch for are defensive backs Dalton Johnson and Treydan Stukes, who’ve combined for eight interceptions.

SMU heads into the Holiday Bowl looking to bounce back from a Week 14 loss to Cal. The Mustangs’ road loss not only kept them out of the ACC Championship game, but also was the first domino of CFP Selection Sunday chaos that allowed two Group of Five programs make the 12-team field with Duke’s win of the ACC.

USA TODAY Sports is bringing live updates, scores and highlights of the game. Follow along:

Arizona vs SMU live score

This section will be updated.

Arizona vs SMU live updates

This section has been updated with new information

Pregame

SMU arrives for Holiday Bowl

The Mustangs are on site for their Holiday Bowl matchup against Arizona. SMU is looking for its first bowl win since 2012, when it was still a member of Conference USA.

What time does Arizona vs SMU start?

• Date: Friday, Jan. 2
• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• Where: Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)

Arizona and SMU are set to kick off at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 2 in the Holiday Bowl inside Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

What TV channel is Arizona vs SMU on today?

• TV channel: Fox
• Streaming options: Fox Sports Go app | Fubo (free trial)

Fox will broadcast the Holiday Bowl between Arizona and SMU on Jan. 2. Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt will broadcast the game from the booth at Snapdragon Stadium, with Jenny Taft reporting from the sidelines.

Streaming options for the game include the Fox Sports app (with a TV login) and Fubo, which carries Fox and offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Stream the Holiday Bowl live with Fubo (free trial)

Arizona vs SMU predictions in Holiday Bowl

Here’s who experts within the USA TODAY Sports Network picked to win the Holiday Bowl:

• Matt Hayes: Arizona
• Jordan Mendoza: SMU
• Paul Myerberg: Arizona
• Erick Smith: Arizona
• Eddie Timanus: Arizona
• Blake Toppmeyer: SMU

Arizona vs SMU odds, spread for Holiday Bowl

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, Jan. 1

• Spread: Arizona -1.5
• Over/under: 51.5
• Moneyline: SMU (-105) | Arizona (-115)

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In a violent sport like football, players toil through pain.

While throwing for more than 3,500 yards and leading Tennessee to eight wins during the 2025 college football season, first-year transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar was dealing with something else entirely.

The Volunteers’ senior QB underwent surgery on Friday, Jan. 2 to remove a benign tumor on his arm, according to a report from Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.

The tumor, according to the report, was pressing up against his biceps tendon and labrum, causing weakness and pain in the arm. It’s expected to take eight weeks for Aguilar to recover from the procedure.

The tumor hadn’t previously been publicly disclosed, with Aguilar playing with it during the 2025 season.

In his first season at Tennessee, Aguilar led all SEC players with 3,565 passing yards, along with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also ran for 101 yards and four touchdowns. His passing yards were the third-most by a Vols quarterback in program history.

The 24-year-old Aguilar was part of what was effectively a trade during the spring of 2025. After transferring from Appalachian State, where he played from 2023-24, Aguilar transferred to UCLA, but left the school shortly after Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava joined the Bruins’ program in one of the more high-profile additions of the transfer portal cycle. Ultimately, he ended up at Tennessee, where he occupied the starting role that Iamaleava vacated.

While Aguilar has the opportunity to enter the 2026 NFL Draft, he could return to college based on the outcome of a lawsuit against the NCAA in federal court that was filed by Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia and others that could give Aguilar an extra season of eligibility. He has spent seven seasons in college, but only three of those were spent at NCAA member institutions. Aguilar’s first four years in college were at junior colleges.

Everyone loves the Pop-Tarts Bowl… literally.

According to ESPN PR, the third edition of the Pop-Tarts Bowl — which ended with BYU devouring Team Sprinkle’s Frosted Cherry and Frosted Cookies & Creme on the field following its win over Georgia Tech — drew in 8.7 million views, making it the most-watched non-College Football Playoff bowl game through Saturday, Dec. 27.

Known for its social media presence, here’s how the Pop-Tarts Bowl account reacted to the news:

The second most-watched non-CFP bowl game of this season was the game that preceded the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 27: the Pinstripe Bowl. In what turned out to be its best viewership on record, 7.6 million viewers tuned in to watch Terry Smith’s Penn State Nittany Lions defeat Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers inside Yankee Stadium in the snow and cold.

Rounding the top five for the most-watched non-CFP bowls are: the Gator Bowl between Missouri and Virginia (6.0 million views), the Rate Bowl between Minnesota and New Mexico (4.4 million) and the LA Bowl between Washington and Boise State (3.8 million).

The seventh-most-watched non-CFP bowl was the Texas Bowl between LSU and Houston, which could be connected to the fact that it was the first public appearance for new LSU coach Lane Kiffin since his introductory news conference. Kiffin, of course, left Ole Miss, which is now a win away from the CFP title game, for LSU and was brought on ESPN during the Tigers’ loss to the Cougars for an interview.

All of ESPN’s non-CFP bowl games are up 13% year-over-year and are averaging 2.7 million views per broadcast, according to ESPN. The numbers released by ESPN on Jan. 2 do not include TCU’s comeback overtime win in the Alamo Bowl over USC and the several non-CFP games on New Year’s Eve, including Arch Manning’s big day in Texas’ win over Michigan in the Citrus Bowl.

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