Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia has changed his tune in the hours following his post directed toward the Heisman Trophy voters on Saturday night.

Pavia shared a photo on his Instagram story after the Heisman Trophy ceremony with a message that read “(Expletive)-ALL THE VOTERS, BUT…..FAMILY FOR LIFE.”

Pavia had issued an apology on Sunday, stating, “being a part of the Heisman ceremony last night as a finalist was such an honor. As a competitor, just like in everything I do, I wanted to win. ”

Pavia was one of four finalists for college football’s most prestigious individual award. He finished second in the voting behind Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Mendoza finished with 2,362 points and 643 first-place votes while Pavia was second with 1,435 points and 189 first-place votes.

The award has 930 voters, including 870 media members, 59 living Heisman winners and one overall fan vote.

Diego Pavia stats

Pavia completed 242 of 340 pass attempts for 3,192 yards, 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 12 games played. He also rushed for 826 yards and nine touchdowns on 152 carries.

When is Diego Pavia’s next game?

Pavia and Vanderbilt will take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Dec. 31.

The Dallas Cowboys had more to play for on ‘Sunday Night Football’ than the Minnesota Vikings did. As the night wore on, it sure seemed like the opposite was true.

The Vikings’ 34-26 win over the Cowboys on Dec. 14 served to crush Dallas’ playoff hopes.

After the Philadelphia Eagles’ win earlier in the day, the Cowboys needed a win to keep pace with the division leaders. Their only real route to the playoffs with three weeks left rested in winning the NFC East, and the Cowboys entered Week 15 just a game and a half back of the division lead.

The Vikings, meanwhile, entered the night already eliminated from playoff contention. All they could hope to do on ‘Sunday Night Football’ was play spoiler. And play spoiler they did, handing the Cowboys a seventh loss — and second prime-time loss in a row — to drop them below .500, pushing their playoff hopes to the brink.

Here’s how it all went down on Week 15’s ‘Sunday Night Football. USA TODAY Sports provided updates, highlights and more from the ‘Sunday Night Football’ matchup between the Cowboys and Vikings below.

Cowboys vs. Vikings SNF takeaways

• The Cowboys’ defense will cost them a playoff berth: Dallas’ offense is one of the best units in the NFL by EPA/play (0.116 is fifth-best), success rate (47.2% is sixth), scoring (29.3 points per game, fourth) and total yards (394.9 yards per game, first). It was bound to struggle a bit against a Vikings defense that ranked among the best in the league. But even as Dallas’ drives stalled on ‘Sunday Night Football,’ kicker Brandon Aubrey was largely able to get points on the board. Conversely, the Cowboys’ defense has consistently ranked among the worst units in the NFL — 0.140 EPA/play allowed (29th), 48.7% success rate allowed (30th), 378.6 average yards allowed (29th) and 29.7 points per game allowed (31st). It showed in a big way against the Vikings, as Minnesota was able to sustain drives time and again despite quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s underthrows, failure to connect with Justin Jefferson and a banged-up offensive line missing its best player (LT Christian Darrisaw). The result? A career-high 250 passing yards by McCarthy, plus three total touchdowns for the quarterback — two in the air and one on the ground. And a Cowboys loss to drop them back below .500, all but completely dooming them to another year without a playoff berth.
• Justin Jefferson is having a bad year: The Vikings’ star receiver was McCarthy’s most targeted pass-catcher on Dec. 14 (eight targets) and still finished the game with just two catches for 22 yards. He had one touchdown overturned by a pre-snap procedure penalty and was unable to haul in another would-be touchdown that hit him in both hands. The Week 15 ‘Sunday Night Football’ game felt like a microcosm of Jefferson’s season — full of flowery potential that ultimately withered into disappointment. A not-insignificant factor affecting the lack of catches despite Jefferson’s high target count has been McCarthy’s struggles. There were more than a few throws that the second-year — de facto rookie — quarterback could have placed better on Dec. 14, including that would-be touchdown that hit Jefferson in the hands. But some of these throws — again, like that would-be touchdown that instead fell incomplete — are the kinds of throws that we’ve gotten used to seeing Jefferson catching, bailing his quarterback out of bad incompletions by sheer force of will and raw talent. Instead, the star receiver has struggled to connect with McCarthy in their first year together, with that non-touchdown just one bullet point in a list of misfires this year. And yet, Jefferson is still in a good position to finish the season with more than 1,000 yards in the sixth straight season to begin his career. Despite the struggles, he’s still a special player.
• Brandon Aubrey had one of the worst games of his career: The usually unflappable Cowboys kicker missed two of his career-high six field goal attempts against the Vikings. Both misses gave Minnesota a field-position advantage that it took advantage of both times, scoring a field goal on a short field the first time and putting together a 51-yard touchdown drive on a shorter field the second. In two previous career games with five field goal attempts — his previous career high — Aubrey was a perfect 5-for-5 both times.

Cowboys playoff chances

Dallas has less than a 1% chance to reach the postseason in 2025, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. Dallas’ loss on ‘Sunday Night Football’ really hurt their playoff chances, and the Eagles’ win earlier today only further diminished the Cowboys’ playoff hopes.

Dak Prescott stats vs. Vikings

• 23-of-38 (60.5% completion rate)
• 294 passing yards
• 0 passing touchdowns
• 0 interceptions
• 84.8 passer rating
• 1 rushing attempts
• 2 rushing yards
• 0 rushing touchdowns

J.J. McCarthy stats vs. Cowboys

• 15-of-24 (62.5% completion rate)
• 250 passing yards
• 2 passing touchdowns
• 1 interceptions
• 108 passer rating
• 4 rushing attempts
• 15 rushing yards
• 1 rushing touchdown

Justin Jefferson stats vs. Cowboys

• 2 receptions (8 targets)
• 22 receiving yards
• 0 receiving touchdowns

CeeDee Lamb stats vs. Vikings

• 6 receptions (10 targets)
• 111 receiving yards
• 0 receiving touchdowns

George Pickens stats vs. Vikings

• 3 receptions (6 targets)
• 33 receiving yards
• 0 receiving touchdowns

Cowboys vs. Vikings highlights

Cowboys vs. Vikings final score: Vikings 34, Cowboys 26

Brandon Aubrey hits 41-yard field goal, Dallas fails to recover onside kick

The Cowboys needed two scores with time winding down, so they elected to kick a field goal on a second-and-10 play from the Vikings’ 23-yard line. Aubrey’s sixth field goal attempt was good to pull Dallas within eight points.

That made the score 34-26 Vikings. Aubrey’s ensuing onside kick attempt ended up in the Vikings’ possession, and quarterback J.J. McCarthy kneeled to end the game.

Cowboys vs. Vikings score update: Will Reichard puts Vikings up two scores

Minnesota’s kicker booted a 53-yard field goal through the uprights to put the Vikings ahead 11 points with just over a minute left. Reichard will likely finish the night 2-for-2 after his most recent make.

The Vikings’ lead is 34-23 with just over a minute left.

Cowboys vs. Vikings score update: Jalen Nailor extends Vikings’ lead with second TD

After Brandon Aubrey’s second missed field goal of the night, the Vikings drove 51 yards in five plays. They capped their possession off with Nailor’s second touchdown of the game and fourth of the season. Minnesota extended its lead to 31-23 with 9:12 left in the game.

Vikings 31, Cowboys 23

Cowboys vs. Vikings score update: C.J. Ham TD gives Vikings the lead

Minnesota’s fullback took an inside handoff from quarterback J.J. McCarthy before walking across the goal line untouched.

Ham’s first touchdown of the season and third career score gave the Vikings a 24-23 lead — after kicker Will Reichard’s extra point — with 1:12 left in the third quarter.

Vikings 24, Cowboys 23

Cowboys vs. Vikings score update: Brandon Aubrey hits another FG

The Cowboys’ offense once again stalled in Minnesota territory, and Aubrey once again knocked through a field goal to let his team come away with points.

With the kick, Dallas extended its lead to 23-17 with 4:50 left in the third quarter.

Cowboys vs. Vikings score update: Brandon Aubrey’s second FG reclaims Cowboys’ lead

The Vikings’ defense bent but didn’t break once again, stopping the Cowboys’ offense inside Minnesota’s own 10-yard line to start the second half.

Aubrey converted on his 26-yard field goal attempt to put the Cowboys back on top. Dallas holds a 20-17 lead with 11:09 left in the third quarter.

Cowboys 20, Vikings 17

Javonte Williams returns

The Cowboys’ lead running back had been out of the game since the Cowboys’ first drive, when he injured his shoulder.

Williams was back to begin the second half and recorded a carry on Dallas’ first drive.

Cowboys vs. Vikings score at halftime: Cowboys 17, Vikings 17

Dallas kicker Brandon Aubrey nailed a 37-yard field goal after missing a 51-yarder earlier to even the score as ‘Sunday Night Football’ headed into halftime.

The Cowboys will receive the kickoff to begin the second half.

Cowboys vs. Vikings score update: Vikings take their first lead on FG

Kicker Will Reichard knocked through a 29-yard field goal to give his team its first lead of the game after Minnesota’s drive stalled in the red zone. It’s 17-14 Vikings with 1:48 left in the first half.

Vikings 17, Cowboys 14

Justin Jefferson contract

• Length: Four years
• Value: $140 million
• AAV: $35 million

Jefferson signed a four-year, $140 million contract extension with the Vikings in 2024, including $110 million in guarantees. At the time, the deal made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

After former college teammate and current Cincinnati Bengals receiver inked a four-year, $161 million contract this past offseason, Jefferson is now the second-highest-paid receiver in the NFL by average annual value.

Who is the Minnesota Vikings head coach?

Kevin O’Connell is the Vikings’ head coach. The former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator took over as Minnesota’s head coach in 2022, shortly after helping the Rams win Super Bowl 56.

Cowboys coaching staff

Dallas opened the 2025 season with a new coaching staff after firing previous head coach Mike McCarthy.

• Head coach: Brian Schottenheimer
• Offensive coordinator: Klayton Adams
• Defensive coordinator: Matt Eberflus

Schottenheimer previously served as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator before being promoted to head coach in the offseason. Dallas hired Adams, the former Cardinals offensive line coach, to replace Schottenheimer as offensive coordinator. Eberflus served as the Chicago Bears’ head coach from 2022 until his firing after Thanksgiving last year.

Are the Minnesota Vikings eliminated from the playoffs?

Yes. The Vikings were eliminated from playoff contention before tonight’s kickoff.

Cowboys vs. Vikings score update: J.J. McCarthy evens the score

On a fourth-and-goal play from the 1-yard line, McCarthy faked a handoff to running back Jordan Mason, then literally danced into the end zone untouched.

It’s 14-14 with 9:28 left in the first half.

Cowboys 14, Vikings 14

Cowboys vs. Vikings score update: Malik Davis pushes the Cowboys ahead

Dallas ran two plays from the 1-yard line to begin the second quarter, and Davis hit pay dirt on the second try.

Filling in for the injured Williams, Davis scored the second touchdown of the season and third of his four-year career to put the Cowboys back on top. It’s 14-7 Dallas, eight seconds into the second quarter.

Cowboys 14, Vikings 7

Cowboys vs. Vikings score update: Jalen Nailor scores TD, suffers injury

Nailor was the beneficiary of a deep throw from quarterback J.J. McCarthy at the end of the Vikings’ third offensive drive. He hauled in the 20-yard pass for the touchdown, and kicker Will Reichard’s extra point evened the score.

Nailor remained on the ground and had to be attended to by Vikings trainers after the play. The game is tied at seven with 2:35 left in the first quarter.

Cowboys 7, Vikings 7

Javonte Williams injury update: Questionable to return (shoulder)

After scoring his touchdown, Williams underwent a medical evaluation with trainers on the Cowboys’ sideline.

The team has declared the running back questionable to return with a shoulder injury, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

What is Dak Prescott’s jersey patch?

Prescott is wearing a jersey patch honoring his 2022 selection as the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year.

The jersey patches were created by the NFL in 2017 to raise awareness of the award, which the league considers its most prestigious. The jersey patches are to be worn by any active player who has won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

Cowboys vs. Vikings score update: Javonte Williams scores first TD

The Cowboys take the lead on a one-yard rush from the veteran running back early in the first quarter. A fake field goal rush by kicker Brandon Aubrey on a fourth-and-4 situation a few plays earlier set up the rest of the touchdown drive. Dallas was able to put seven points on the board coming off of Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s interception on the second play of the game.

It’s 7-0 Cowboys with 8:23 left in the first quarter.

Cowboys 7, Vikings 0

What TV channel is the Cowboys vs Vikings game on?

• TV channel: NBC

NBC is the broadcast home of ‘Sunday Night Football.’ Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth will be on the call, with Melissa Stark providing updates from the sidelines.

What time is the Cowboys game on tonight?

• Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET | 7:20 p.m. CT

The Cowboys and Vikings are scheduled for an 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff, the customary start time for ‘SNF.’ The Vikings travel to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the tilt.

Cowboys vs Vikings stream

• Live stream: Peacock

NBC’s proprietary streaming service, Peacock, will carry the matchup.

Watch Cowboys vs. Vikings on Peacock

Cowboys vs Vikings picks, predictions

Here’s how USA TODAY Sports’ NFL experts feel this week’s game will go (hint: it’s a clean sweep for Dallas):

• Jarrett Bell: Cowboys, 30-23
• Nick Brinkerhoff: Cowboys, 30-23
• Chris Bumbaca: Cowboys, 26-23
• Nate Davis: Cowboys, 27-23
• Tyler Dragon: Cowboys, 28-20
• Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz: Cowboys, 23-20

Cowboys vs Vikings odds, moneyline, O/U

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Sunday at 9:11 a.m.

• Moneyline (ML): Dallas -275 (Bet $275 to win $100) | Minnesota +225 (Bet $100 to win $225)
• Against the spread (ATS): Dallas -5.5 (-110) | Minnesota +5.5 (-110)
• Over/Under (O/U): 48 (O: -105 | U: -115)

NFC East standings

The Cowboys enter tonight’s game in second place in the NFC East.

• Philadelphia Eagles (9-5)
• Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)
• Washington Commanders (4-10)
• New York Giants (2-12)

Cowboys inactives vs. Vikings

Dallas will be without startingtackle Tyler Guyton for a third straight week.

• WR Jalen Tolbert
• OT Tyler Guyton
• RB Jaydon Blue
• DT Jay Toia
• DT Perrion Winfrey

Vikings inactives vs. Cowboys

• LT Christian Darrisaw
• T Walter Rouse
• EDGE Chazz Chambliss
• DT Elijah Williams

Cowboys playoff picture

The Cowboys enter Week 15 with an estimated 7% chance to make the playoffs, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. With a win on ‘Sunday Night Football,’ those odds would improve to 10% and a loss would drop those chances down to just 1%.

NFL playoff picture: NFC bracket

1. Los Angeles Rams (11-3, NFC West leaders)*
2. Chicago Bears (10-4, NFC North leaders)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (9-5, NFC East leaders)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7, NFC South leaders)
5. Seattle Seahawks (11-3, wild card No. 1)
6. San Francisco 49ers (10-4, wild card No. 2)
7. Green Bay Packers (9-4-1, NFC North leaders)

* Clinched playoff berth

In the hunt: Detroit Lions (8-6), Carolina Panthers (7-7), Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1).

Eliminated: Minnesota Vikings (5-8); Atlanta Falcons (5-9); New Orleans Saints (4-10); Washington Commanders (4-10); Arizona Cardinals (3-11); New York Giants (2-12).

The No. 1-ranked Nebraska volleyball team had not been tested in months. Until Sunday.

No. 3-seeded Texas A&M did what 33 other teams could not ― defeat a proverbial giant. The Aggies did it in the biggest match of their program’s history, the NCAA tournament regional final, and punched a ticket to their first Final Four. The Aggies beat the top-seed Cornhuskers 3-2  (25-22, 25-22, 20-25, 35-37, 15-13) at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.

‘I’m not scared of them,’ Aggies head coach Jamie Morrison said before the match. ‘They’re a really good volleyball team, but we’ve talked the entire season and made an identity of making people uncomfortable, leaning in and imparting our will on the people that we’re playing.’

Imposing their will is putting it lightly. The Aggies had an answer for everything the Cornhuskers threw at them.

The Aggies went up 2-0 before Nebraska showed some fight, tying the match 2-2 behind huge pushes from Harper Murray and Rebekah Allick. Middle blocker Andi Jackson, who typically unravels opposing teams, was neutralized for most of the day with six kills and .045 hitting percentage.

After fighting through 10 fourth-set points, Nebraska forced a fifth set. Still, it was no match for the Aggies, who went on to win behind three players with double-digit kills. Kyndal Stowers led the Aggies with 25 kills and 16 digs plus two blocks. Logan Lednicky had 24 kills and six blocks.

‘We’re the grittiest team in the country by far,’ Lednicky said after the win.

‘I mean a lot of us are seniors. We’ve been doing this for a really long time,’ Lednicky added. ‘And I think all the newbies, too, they came in, ready to work, ready to grind, and we’re just such a special group of girls … It’s just amazing.’

Lednicky is one of nine seniors on Texas A&M’s roster. From the top down, Morrison’s team is loaded with talent that helped contribute to the Aggies’ massive upset. Ifenna Cos-Okpalla, one of the best middle blockers in the country, started a 10-0 run in the first set to help the Aggies capture the frame and the momentum for the match. She also had six kills on .600 hitting, two aces, six digs and eight blocks. Morgan Perkins, in tandem with Cos-Okpolla, added five kills on .333 hitting and nine blocks. Outside hitter Emily Hellmuth was also critical down the stretch with 13 kills, two aces and four blocks.

After the Aggies’ historic win against Nebraska, Morrison shared that he’s been building up the program for the last three seasons and the victory Sunday is a testament to the players and staff.

‘I’m so proud of these driven human beings,’ Morrison said. ‘This whole group of human beings that we have as a part of our game.’

The Aggies head coach also shared that his group of seniors meant ‘everything to him and that Texas A&M ‘was building something that’s gonna last.’

The last time the Cornhuskers dropped a set was September, and the last time they had been down two sets was Aug. 31 against Kentucky, which has already punched its ticket to the Final Four. The Huskers won 3-2 back then, but could not pull off the reverse sweep on Sunday.

Murray, who had a career high 25 kills on .255 hitting plus three aces and nine digs, didn’t have enough to get the Huskers out of trouble, even with help from Allick. The middle blocker, who was explosive in the fourth set, added 15 kills on .480 hitting plus four blocks.

After the match, Nebraska head coach Dani Busboom Kelly somberly reflected on the Cornhuskers’ undefeated season coming to an end.

‘We played with a ton of joy. I think we maxed out,’ Busboom Kelly said. ‘We didn’t make the Final Four. We’re not winning a national championship.’

Busboom Kelly, who is in her first season as head coach, was still proud of her team and its 33-1 record. They left it all on the floor.

‘We can look back and have no regrets,’ she said.

Wisconsin went into Texas and punched its ticket to the NCAA Division I women’s volleyball Final Four on Sunday night.

The Badgers avenged an earlier loss to the Longhorns, who swept them on Aug. 31, to advance to the Final Four for the third time since 2020. Wisconsin (24-4) is a No. 3 seed and the lowest ranked team to make to the semifinals at No. 10 in the country.

Mimi Colyer led the Badgers with 23 kills and five digs. Una Vajagic added 15 kills and Carter Booth 11. The Badgers will play Kentucky (9 p.m. ET, ESPN) in the national semifinals on Thursday at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

‘I just love this team; we fought so hard for each other,’ Colyer said. ‘It’s so much fun to come into an environment like this and pull it off.’

USA TODAY Sports had live coverage of the match. Here’s everything you need to know to know about the action.

SCORE: Wisconsin 3, Texas 1

Set 4 final: Wisconsin 25, Texas 19

The Badgers advance to the Final Four for the third time since 2020. Wisconsin (24-4) is a No. 3 seed and the lowest ranked team to make to the semifinals at No. 10 in the country.

Texas, a one seed, was ranked No. 3 in the nation and sees its season end.

Set 4: Wisconsin first to 15

Can the Badgers close this out and punch their ticket to the Final Four? They have been to Final Four six times and won their lone national title in 2021.

Wisconsin is hitting .318 in the fourth set.

Set 3 final: Texas 25, Wisconsin 19

Cari Spears now leads Texas with nine kills. The Longhorns are using a balanced attack and hit .400 in the third set to get back in the match.

Set 3: Texas first to 15

Torrey Stafford and Cari Spears have eight kills each as the Longhorns are fighting back. Texas is hitting .429 in the third set.

Set 2 final: Wisconsin 25, Texas 21

The Badgers hitting percentage is .315 compared to .246 by the Longhorns. Mimi Colyer got her 10th kill to seal the set. Charlie Fuerbringer has 32 assists in leading the Wisconsin offense.

Set 2: Wisconsin first 15

Wisconsin is enjoying a balanced offensive attack. Mimi Colyer has nine kills, Carter Booth seven and Grace Egan and Una Vajagic six apiece.

Set 1 final: Wisconsin 25, Texas 22

The Badgers went on a 7-0 run before the Longhorns fought back with a 5-0 run on their own. It wasn’t enough as Wisconsin prevailed led by six kills from Mimi Colyer.

Matthew McConaughey cheering for the Longhorn women

We are underway in Austin

The Badgers and Longhorns are set to faceoff for a Final Four bid.

What time is Wisconsin vs. Texas volleyball?

The Texas Longhorns play host to the Wisconsin Badgers in the NCAA Division I women’s volleyball Elite Eight on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT) at the Gregory Gym in Austin, Texas.

Wisconsin vs. Texas volleyball: TV, streaming

Date: Sunday, Dec. 14

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT)

Location: Gregory Gym (Austin, Texas)

TV: ESPN

Stream: Fubo, ESPN Unlimited

Watch NCAA volleyball tournament on Fubo

Wisconsin volleyball lineup

Texas volleyball starting lineup

AI-assisted summary
• The Buffalo Bills defeated the New England Patriots 35-31, keeping their AFC East title hopes alive.
• Buffalo overcame a 24-7 halftime deficit by scoring five consecutive touchdowns in the second half.
• Quarterback Josh Allen threw for 193 yards and two touchdowns in the comeback victory.
• Running back James Cook contributed 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns for the Bills.

FOXBOROUGH, MA – The Buffalo Bills are a second-half team. 

Contextualize it through any filter, and the statement holds up. A game. A season. Watch out for those Bills in the second half – they’re comin’.

It’s when quarterback Josh Allen, the reigning NFL MVP, shows why he’s the best player in the world. Since 2020, the Bills are 23-4 in December and January to finish out the regular season.

If the AFC East power dynamics have truly shifted, it did not officially occur Sunday, when the Bills spoiled the New England Patriots’ chance to win the division for the first time in six seasons with a 35-31 victory to prolong their own chance of turning five straight AFC East titles into six.  

The Bills entered Week 15 with a plus-95 point-differential in the second half, which was highest in the NFL. Buffalo overcame a 21-0 deficit in the first half, a 24-7 hole at halftime. It was 24-21 by the end of the third quarter. What started as a performance with three straight punts turned into five straight touchdown drives. 

‘Obviously, we want to start faster and we don’t want to continue to put ourselves in the holes we’re finding ourselves in, but being able to dig ourselves out and be battle tested coming down the stretch here,’ Allen said. ‘But yeah, would love to find ways earlier on in the game to get things going so we don’t have to put ourselves in that situation.’

Since the Patriots remained in first place, Allen pushed back on the notion the Bills are the ‘standard-bearer’ of the division.

‘Obviously, the last five-ish years we’ve found sustained success, but never been able to punch our ticket to the Super Bowl,’ Allen said. ‘At the end of the goal, that’s every team’s dream. Our goal is not just to win AFC Easts. You’ve got to get into the playoffs to give yourself a chance to win a Super Bowl. So, that’s what we’re trying to do.’

The weather was fitting for a potentially deciding game in the AFC East, with snow flurries falling around the greater Boston area for hours before kickoff and continuing throughout the game. Even more apropos was the back-and-forth game – the fourth quarter had three lead changes – that left the AFC playoff picture opaque.

It helps having No. 17 on your sideline.

“They have a good feel for when they are and when they’re not playing the way we need to play,’ head coach Sean McDermott said. ‘And I saw Josh as I was kind of bringing everybody up, and he looked at me. I just knew he was seeing it like I was. The entire team was on the same vibe.”

Winning close one-score games matters for teams that have designs on victories with more importance than a December contest on the road (if that’s what you want to boil this one down to), tight end Dawson Knox said. 

“No one in here blinked,” Knox said.

Coaches and players talk about riding the ups and downs of a game, a week, a season. The Bills don’t bother. No team can score 21 points in one drive. 

“It’s like such a chill vibe no matter what the score is,” wide receiver Khalil Shakir said.

The ‘vibe’ can be difficult to explain, Shakir said, but it is palpable on the sidelines.

“The fight in this team is unreal and unbelievable,” he said. “We play for one another. We play for our families.

“It’s a great feeling to know you’re not out of it.” 

Allen finished 19-for-28 for 193 yards and two passing touchdowns, both to Knox. 

‘I think it’s the love each man in that locker room has for each other, the willingness to put their body on the line in order to not let their teammates down. I think that’s the driving force,’ Allen said. ‘It’s the relationships in that room. And whether we are playing really good, whether we’re playing really bad, this team – we’re going to stick together, continue to fight and continue to try to find ways to win football games.’

He ran around like a madman. He limped. He puked. It was the quintessential ‘JA17’ experience. As Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said, ‘that’s why they pay him $60 million.’

‘I’m giving you a dissertation on a league MVP,’ Vrabel said. ‘Just watch all the games and know that it’s the same as it was last week.’

Allen showed his pinpoint accuracy as a thrower of the football by putting a pass into Khalil Shakir’s breadbasket for 37 yards. A holding call took back Allen’s third-down touchdown dash. No matter to No. 17, though. On third-and-goal from the 15-yard line, Allen stepped up and fired like a shortstop turning a double play to Knox in the back of the end zone for six points and the Bills’ first lead of the game. 

All Knox could do was chuckle in disbelief.

“That throw, man, it was on me in a second,” he explained. “It was like a 90-mile-an-hour fastball and he put it in the perfect place where the defender couldn’t get it. Just another thing that makes him the best player in the world.” 

Running back James Cook ran tough for 107 yards on 22 carries and a pair of touchdowns. No receiver had more than five catches for 65 yards (Shakir led Buffalo in both categories).

‘That is his superpower, that is who Josh Allen is,’ Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez said. ‘We talked about it all week. It is just props to them.’

Coach Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams secured a playoff spot for the third consecutive season following a 41-34 victory over the Detroit Lions at home on Sunday, Dec 14.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford led the way for the Rams, completing 24 of 38 passes for 368 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Stafford continues to prove himself as a true contender for the MVP award. Running back Kyren Williams contributed to the Rams’ offensive performance with 78 yards and two touchdowns.

The Rams will turn their attention quickly to their upcoming Week 16 game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Both teams will enter the ‘Thursday Night Football’ game with identical 11-3 records. The winner will take sole possession of the NFC West and the top seed in the conference.

The Rams currently hold the top seed over Seattle based on head-to-head win percentage.

Who could the Rams play?

The Rams would have a first-round bye as the top seed in the NFC bracket and await the winner of a wild-card matchup.

Rams’ remaining schedule

Week 16: at Seattle Seahawks, Thursday, Dec. 18 at 8:15 p.m. ET (5:15 p.m. PT)

Week 18: vs. Arizona Cardinals, date and time TBD

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes injured his left knee late in the fourth quarter of his team’s Week 15 game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

The injury occurred as Mahomes was tackled from behind by Chargers defensive end Da’Shawn Hand. Mahomes immediately reached for his left knee after being rolled up from behind and remained down on the sideline as he received treatment from Kansas City’s medical staff.

Mahomes was eventually helped to his feet and hobbled over to the bench. He was taken to the blue medical tent for further treatment before being seen hobbling into the locker room with two Chiefs staffers holding him up by the shoulders.

Mahomes was replaced by veteran backup Gardner Minshew. The 29-year-old completed 3 of 5 passes for 22 yards in place of Mahomes but threw an interception to Derwin James with just 14 seconds remaining in regulation.

The pick sealed a 16-13 loss for the Chiefs and eliminated them from postseason contention.

Patrick Mahomes injury update

Kansas City’s announcement came after Andy Reid told reporters during his postgame news conference that Mahomes would have an MRI on his injured left knee by Monday. The 67-year-old sounded pessimistic when discussing the star quarterback’s injury.

‘It didn’t look good,’ Reid said when asked about Mahomes’ injury. ‘We’ll just see where it goes.’

Mahomes did not speak to the media after the game while receiving medical treatment. He did, however, address the torn ACL in a social media post a couple of hours after the game ended.

‘Don’t know why this had to happen,’ Mahomes wrote. ‘And not going to lie it’s hurts. But all we can do now is Trust in God and attack every single day over and over again.’

The Chiefs did not immediately provide an update about Mahomes’ status after he exited the game. Just two minutes remained in the fourth quarter when he left the field, and he did not return to action.

Chiefs QB depth chart

The Chiefs have just three quarterbacks in their organization, including Mahomes. They are as follows:

1. Patrick Mahomes
2. Gardner Minshew
3. Chris Oladokun (practice squad)

Minshew is expected to start in place of Mahomes for the rest of the season. Minshew has a career record of 17-29 in 46 career starts and has completed 63.3% of his career passes for 68 touchdowns and 34 interceptions.

This story will be updated.

INGLEWOOD, CA — The Los Angeles Rams’ pass offense has been clicking this season. But their big-time red zone threat went down with an injury Sunday.

Star wide receiver Davante Adams suffered a hamstring injury during the fourth quarter of the Rams’ 41-34 win over the Detroit Lions.

Adams was injured as he attempted to track a deep pass thrown by Matthew Stafford on third-and-3 with 12:42 on the clock in the fourth quarter. Adams stayed down on the turf for a few moments before he was helped off the field by the Rams’ medical staff. He was able to walk off the field and into the locker room under his own power.

The Rams deemed Adams questionable to return, but he never checked back into the game.

Adams produced four catches for 71 yards at the time of his injury. The veteran wideout leads the NFL with 14 receiving touchdowns this season. He was questionable going into Week 15 due to a nagging hamstring injury.

The 12-year receiver entered Week 15 with 56 catches, 718 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season.

Will Davante Adams play Week 16?

The Rams travel to Seattle on Thursday night for an NFC West showdown versus the Seattle Seahawks. Rams coach Sean McVay gave a pessimistic outlook for Adams’ availability against Seattle.

‘He was optimistic. He knows his body really well,’ McVay said of Adams. ‘We’ll see what that means. I can’t imagine that’s good for Thursday with just the short amount of time, but I certainly wouldn’t rule him out quite yet. But it didn’t look good.’

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

And then there were four.

No. 1 seeds Pitt and Kentucky and No. 3 seeds Texas A&M and Wisconsin advanced to the NCAA women’s volleyball Final Four which will be held at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

Pitt will play Texas A&M in the national semifinals after its five-set upset of Nebraska on Sunday afternoon. Kentucky will play Wisconsin, which shocked Texas on Sunday night.

Texas A&M (27-4) dominated at the net and outblocked the Nebraska 30-16. Kyndal Stowers has 25 kills and 16 digs, Logan Lednicky 24 kills and Emily Hellmuth 13 kills. Ifenna Cos-okpalla had three solo blocks and five block assists.

Nebraska was the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed and suffered its first defeat of the season.

The Badgers avenged an earlier loss to the Longhorns, who swept them on Aug. 31, to advance to the Final Four for the third time since 2020. Wisconsin (24-4) is a No. 3 seed and the lowest ranked team to make to the semifinals at No. 10 in the country.

The Final Four semifinal matches will take place on Thursday, Dec. 18 and will be broadcast on ESPN. The national championship game is Sunday, Dec. 21 on ABC.

SCORE: Wisconsin 3, Texas 1

Set 4 final: Wisconsin 25, Texas 19

The Badgers advance to the Final Four for the third time since 2020. Wisconsin (24-4) is a No. 3 seed and the lowest ranked team to make to the semifinals at No. 10 in the country.

Texas, a one seed, was ranked No. 3 in the nation and sees its season end.

Set 4: Wisconsin first to 15

Can the Badgers close this out and punch their ticket to the Final Four? They have been to Final Four six times and won their lone national title in 2021.

Wisconsin is hitting .318 in the fourth set.

Set 3 final: Texas 25, Wisconsin 19

Cari Spears now leads Texas with nine kills. The Longhorns are using a balanced attack and hit .400 in the third set to get back in the match.

Set 3: Texas first to 15

Torrey Stafford and Cari Spears have eight kills each as the Longhorns are fighting back. Texas is hitting .429 in the third set.

Set 2 final: Wisconsin 25, Texas 21

The Badgers hitting percentage is .315 compared to .246 by the Longhorns. Mimi Colyer got her 10th kill to seal the set. Charlie Fuerbringer has 32 assists in leading the Wisconsin offense.

Set 2: Wisconsin first 15

Wisconsin is enjoying a balanced offensive attack. Mimi Colyer has nine kills, Carter Booth seven and Grace Egan and Una Vajagic six apiece.

Torrey Stafford has six kills, three blocks and two digs to lead Texas.

Set 1 final: Wisconsin 25, Texas 22

The Badgers went on a 7-0 run before the Longhorns fought back with a 5-0 run on their own. It wasn’t enough as Wisconsin prevailed led by six kills from Mimi Colyer.

Matthew McConaughey cheering for the Longhorn women

We are underway in Austin

The Badgers and Longhorns are set to faceoff for a Final Four bid.

Wisconsin volleyball lineup

Texas volleyball lineup

SCORE: Texas A&M 3, Nebraska 2

Set 5 final: Texas A&M 15, Nebraska 13

The Aggies have pulled off the biggest upset of the season, knocking the No. 1 overall seeded Huskers out of the NCAA tournament. Kyndal Stowers had 24 kills for Texas A&M. The Aggies had 30 blocks to 16 by the Huskers.

Set 5: Texas A&M first to eight points

The teams are switching sides. The Aggies are up 8-6.

Set 4 final: Nebraska 37, Texas A&M 35

It took 10 set points but the Huskers have forced a fifth set. Harper Murray has career high in kills with 24 as the Huskers have forced a fifth set. There were 22 ties in the match.

Set 4: Texas A&M first to 15

The Aggies are 10 points from the biggest upset of the season. Texas A&M has 20 blocks compared to six from Nebraska.

Set 3: Nebraska 25, Texas A&M 20

The Huskers stayed alive and found some momentum by winning the third set. Harper Murray has 16 kills and Rebekah Allick seven kills. Nebraska hit .462 as a team in the set.

Set 3: Nebraska first to 15

The Huskers are being carried by Harper Murray, who has 14 kills.

Set 2 final: Texas A&M 25, Nebraska 22

Nebraska is struggling and could be eliminated after going 33-0 to start the season. The Huskers hit .211 in the second set.

The Aggies middle blockers are dominating. Kyndal Stowers has 10 kills and is hitting .474 and Emily Hellmuth eight kills for the Aggies.

Set 2: Texas A&M first to 15

The Aggies are smelling the biggest upset of the volleyball season. They have Nebraska back on their heels. Texas A&M is hitting .333 for the set and Nebraska .222.

Set 1 final: Texas A&M 25, Nebraska 22

Nebraska dropped its eighth set of the season and first since Nov. 14 against UCLA. Kyndal Stowers has six kills and Emily Hellmuth five kills for the Aggies.

Set 1: Nebraska first to 15

Nebraska was the first to 15 but the Aggies have fought back with a 10-0 run.

We are underway in Lincoln

Nebraska is looking for its 18th bid to the Final Four and first under head coach Dani Busboom Kelly. Texas A&M is looking for its first.

Nebraska starting lineup

Texas A&M arrivals

How to watch NCAA volleyball tournament

• Streaming: ESPN+ ∣ Fubo (free trial)

The 2025 NCAA women’s volleyball tournament will air across the ESPN and ABC family of networks. Games can be streamed on ESPN+, ESPN’s subscription streaming service, and Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

NCAA volleyball Final Four

All times eastern

• Semifinals: Thursday, Dec. 18
  • No. 1 Pitt vs. No. 3 Texas A&M, 6:30 p.m.
  • No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 3 Wisconsin, 9 p.m.
• National championship: 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 21 | ABC

NCAA volleyball regional final: Times, TV

All times Eastern

Saturday, Dec. 13

• No. 1 Kentucky 3, No. 3 Creighton 0
• No. 1 Pittsburgh 3, No. 3 Purdue 1

Sunday, Dec. 14

• No. 3 Texas A&M 3, No. 1 Nebraska 2
• No. 3 Wisconsin 3, No. 1 Texas 1

When is the NCAA volleyball Final Four in 2025?

• Dates: Thursday, Dec. 18 and Sunday, Dec. 21
• The two semifinal matches in the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament will take place on Thursday, Dec. 18 and will be broadcast on ESPN. The national championship game is Sunday, Dec. 21 on ABC.

Round of 16 volleyball results

Thursday, Dec. 11

• No. 3 Creighton 3, No. 2 Arizona State 1
• No. 1 Kentucky 3, Cal Poly 0
• No. 1 Pittsburgh 3, No. 4 Minnesota 0
• No. 3 Purdue 3, No. 2 SMU 1

Friday, Dec. 12

• No. 1 Texas 3, No. 4 Indiana 0 
• No. 3 Wisconsin 3, No. 2 Stanford 1 
• No. 3 Texas A&M 3, No. 2 Louisville 2
• No. 1 Nebraska 3, No. 4 Kansas 0

NCAA volleyball second-round results

Lexington bracket

• No. 1 Kentucky 3, No. 8 UCLA 1 (30-28, 25-16, 28-30, 25-17)
• No. 3 Creighton 3, No. 6 Northern Iowa 1 (25-18, 23-25, 25-22, 25-21)
• No. 2 Arizona State 3, Utah State 1 (25-15, 25-18, 22-25, 25-15)
• Cal Poly 3, No. 4 USC 2 (25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25, 15-7)

Austin bracket

• No. 4 Indiana 3, No. 5 Colorado 0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-23)
• No. 3 Wisconsin 3, North Carolina 0 (25-14, 25-21, 27-25)
• No. 1 Texas 1, No. 8 Penn State 0 (25-16, 25-9, 25-19)
• No. 2 Stanford 3, Arizona 1 (25-16, 25-27, 25-17, 25-20)

Pittsburgh bracket

• No. 3 Purdue 3, No. 6 Baylor 1 (25-16, 25-19, 23-25, 25-20)
• No. 1 Pittsburgh 3, Michigan 0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-18)
• No. 2 SMU 3, Florida 0 (25-11, 25-21, 26-24)
• No. 4 Minnesota 3, No. 5 Iowa State 0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-14)

Lincoln bracket

• No. 4 Kansas 3, No. 5 Miami 1 (25-17, 25-22, 22-25, 27-25)
• No. 2 Louisville 3, Marquette 2 (21-25, 25-11, 23-25, 25-19, 15-12)
• No. 1 Nebraska 3, Kansas State 0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-16)
• No. 3 Texas A&M 3, No. 6 TCU 1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 29-27)

NCAA volleyball first-round results

Lexington bracket

• No. 1 Kentucky 3, Wofford 0 (25-11, 25-19, 25-12)
• No. 8 UCLA 3, Georgia Tech 2 (24-26, 25-19, 25-23, 25-18, 15-10)
• Cal Poly 3, No. 5 BYU 2 (25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 25-20, 15-10)
• No. 4 USC 3, Princeton 0, (25-19, 25-12, 25-13)
• No. 3 Creighton 3, Northern Colorado 2 (12-25, 25-23,25-23,17-25, 8-15)
• No. 6 Northern Iowa 3, Utah 2 (15-25, 21-25, 26-24, 25-20, 15-10)
• Utah State 3, No. 7 Tennessee 2 (25-19, 25-15, 19-25, 25-18, 15-11)
• No. 2 Arizona State 3, Coppin State 0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-12)

Austin bracket

• No. 1 Texas 3, Florida A&M 0 (25-11, 25- 8, 25-14)
• No. 8 Penn State 3, South Florida 1 (25-23, 12-25, 25-21, 25-19)
• No. 5 Colorado 3, American 0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-16)
• No. 4 Indiana 3, Toledo 0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-17)
• No. 3 Wisconsin 3, Eastern Illinois 0 (25-11, 25-6, 25-19)
• North Carolina 3, No. 6 UTEP 1 (24-26, 25-11, 25-18, 25-21)
• Arizona 3, No. 7 South Dakota State 1 (25-21, 22-25, 25-15, 25-15)
• No. 2 Stanford 3, Utah Valley 1 (21-25, 25-21, 25-13, 25-14)

Pittsburgh bracket

• No. 1 Pitt 3, UMBC 0 (25-10, 25-17, 25-13)
• Michigan 3, No. 8 Xavier 0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-23)
• No. 5 Iowa State 3, St. Thomas-Minnesota 2 (21-25, 25-13, 25-16, 21-25, 15-8)
• No. 4 Minnesota 3, Fairfield 0 (25-12, 25-7, 25-13)
• No. 3 Purdue 3, Wright State 0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-19)
• No. 6 Baylor 3, Arkansas State 2 (23-25, 25-20, 30-28, 23-25, 15-10)
• Florida 3, No. 7 Rice 0 (27-25, 25-23, 25-19)
• No. 2 SMU 3, Central Arkansas 0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-13)

Lincoln bracket

• No. 1 Nebraska 3, Long Island 0 (25-11, 25-15, 25-17)
• Kansas State 3, San Diego 2 (21-25, 25-17, 26-28, 25-22, 15-12)
• No. 5 Miami 3, Tulsa 1 (25-22, 13-25, 25-22, 25-20)
• No. 4 Kansas 3, High Point 0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-18)
• No. 3 Texas A&M 3, Campbell 0 (25-20, 25-10, 25-13)
• No. 6 TCU 3, Stephen F. Austin 0 (25-8, 26-24, 25-20)
• Marquette 3, Western Kentucky 0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-16)
• No. 2 Louisville 3, Loyola (Illinois) 0 (25-17, 25-9, 25-12)

NCAA volleyball tournament champions

Penn State is the reigning NCAA volleyball champion, having defeated Louisville in four sets last year in the national title game. It was the Nittany Lions’ eighth volleyball championship since 1999.

Here’s a look at the past 10 NCAA volleyball champions:

• 2024: Penn State
• 2023: Texas
• 2022: Texas
• 2021: Wisconsin
• 2020: Kentucky
• 2019: Stanford
• 2018: Stanford
• 2017: Nebraska
• 2016: Stanford
• 2015: Nebraska

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