Sports Desk

Championship leader Lando Norris was fastest in a second practice session at the Las Vegas Grand Prix interrupted and then curtailed by a loose manhole cover.

The McLaren driver was 0.029 seconds ahead of Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc third, 0.161secs off the pace.

But the interruptions to the session meant a number of top drivers did not get runs on the soft tyre during the session, including Norris’ team-mate and title rival Oscar Piastri, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.

The manhole cover will likely mean a long night for race officials.

The problem emerged at Turn 17, the final corner, about 20 minutes before the end of the session.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Jalen Suggs scored a season-high 23 points and had seven assists, and the Orlando Magic rolled to a 129-101 win over the Clippers on Thursday night.

James Harden had 31 points and eight assists for the Clippers. Ivica Zubac, the only other Clipper in double figures, had 14 points and 19 rebounds.

The injury-riddled Clippers, playing the fourth game of a seven-game trip, lost for the ninth time in 10 games.

The Clippers played a second consecutive game without Derrick Jones Jr. (knee) and Jordan Miller (hamstring) and a ninth in a row without Kawhi Leonard (ankle and foot). The Magic played a fourth consecutive game without Paolo Banchero (groin).

Franz Wagner scored 20 points and Tristan da Silva contributed 17 points and eight rebounds for the Magic, who have won five of six. Anthony Black came off the Orlando bench to finish with 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Clippers center Ivica Zubac goes up for a shoot between Magic guard Tyus Jones (2) and center Wendell Carter Jr., right, during the first half Thursday.

(Phelan M. Ebenhack / Associated Press)

Suggs scored 20 points in the first half and finished with five three-pointers. He did not play in the final quarter.

Orlando made 18 of 34 three-point shots (52.9%). Suggs made one to put the Magic up 61-49 at halftime.

The lead reached 26 when Desmond Bane, Wendell Carter Jr. and Black combined for four three-pointers in the first 2:21 of the fourth quarter.

Up next

Clippers: Visit Charlotte on Saturday. Magic: Host New York on Saturday.

Mitchell Starc takes the wicket of Zak Crawley, who’s caught behind by Usman Khawaja at first slip, for a duck as England fall to 0-1 at the end of the first over of the innings on day one of the first Ashes Test in Perth.

FOLLOW LIVE: The Ashes first Test – day one

Available to UK users only.

The former head of UCLA’s football name, image and likeness collective on Thursday denied any impropriety related to a report that revealed efforts by the school’s athletic department to funnel NIL donations through his non-profit charity.

The story published by the muckraking college football website foiaball.com showed email communications from UCLA athletic department officials directing payments intended for Bruins for Life, the onetime NIL collective of the school’s football program, through Shelter 37 Inc., a tax-exempt charity that purports to empower home ownership and help local youth through a variety of activities.

Donating through Shelter 37 would provide a tax deduction not available to those giving directly to Bruins for Life — a standard practice in the NIL sphere — but it also raised questions about a potential conflict of interest and the control of funds given James Washington ran Bruins for Life until recently and remains the president of Shelter 37.

The story also questioned Shelter 37’s charitable endeavors and suggested that UCLA athletic department officials encouraged the evasion of Internal Revenue Service guidance regarding so-called donor-advised funds, directing money to Shelter 37 that couldn’t go to other firms taking a more conservative approach with regard to NIL rules.

Emails obtained by foiaball.com through a public records request showed nearly a half million dollars of donations intended for Bruins for Life going through Shelter 37, with school officials requesting that anyone who sent their money through the latter organization to specify that it be earmarked for football NIL.

Washington said there was nothing untoward about an arrangement that was approved by UCLA and involved full transparency.

“There’s nothing that’s happening between Shelter 37 and UCLA and Bruins for Life that’s in the closet,” Washington, a former UCLA safety who went on to win two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys, told The Times. “Everything has been discussed, every move, every act that I’ve taken toward the NIL, every step — bookkeeping and everything — has been handled and handed over to UCLA.”

In a statement, a UCLA athletic department spokesperson said that “UCLA athletics operates with integrity and transparency, in a manner that is consistent with industry best practices. Our development team educates potential donors on a range of giving opportunities, including avenues to support our student-athletes.”

In what Washington described as an unrelated move confirmed by an athletic department official, UCLA recently shifted its football NIL operations to new leadership, allowing Bruins for Life to pivot into an alumni club for football. Washington said the Bruins for Life website was temporarily inactive as part of that transition and that it would still have an NIL component providing community outreach opportunities for football players.

Alongside longtime UCLA donor John Manuck, James had spearheaded the fundraising efforts of Bruins for Life when it debuted in October 2024 as the new NIL arm of UCLA football.

“It’s really exciting,” UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said at the time, “because it’s going to support our football student-athletes in a real positive way.”

The foiaball.com story contended that the Bruins for Life website stated that it was not a 501(c)(3) organization, meaning that any donations it accepted were not tax deductible. The website directed those wishing to donate to Shelter 37, a 501(c)(3) organization that said it could receive tax-deductible contributions.

The story reported that Shelter 37’s 2024 IRS 990 tax form, published by ProPublica, showed a revenue jump to $4.8 million in 2024, up from $800,000 the previous year. The document stated that $3.6 million had been raised for the Bruins for Life NIL program but only $200 for scholarships for at-risk youth.

Washington said that latter number was misleading because Shelter 37 was not a scholarship-based organization, even though it assisted at-risk children through a variety of community services. The Times reviewed one Shelter 37 tax document reporting nearly a combined seven figures spent on scholarships, education programs and housing.

“This is when people are not fact-checking,” Washington said, “and they’re just putting stuff out there and they’re just trying to make the story bigger than what it needs to be.”

Over the years, Washington said, Shelter 37 has held many community-based events such as turkey drives, football camps for inner-city kids and “I’m going to college” days in which the organization paid for buses to transport students to football games at the Rose Bowl.

The foiaball.com story contended that Shelter 37 was used as a workaround for donor-advised funds that were in limbo. One UCLA athletic department employee, informed of a denial of one donor-advised fund, forwarded the message to other internal fundraisers, along with a message saying, “Just as an FYI. Here is info for Shelter 37 for DAF gifts.”

A new home for donor-advised funds was needed after another NIL firm, Blue Print Sports, ceased its charitable operations in the wake of the IRS recommendation, its legal counsel citing “no path forward.” According to the documents reviewed by foiaball.com, a UCLA athletic department official sent an email to Washington not long after the IRS guidance was issued, informing him of a $15,000 donation through Bank of America that should be directed to Bruins for Life.

Washington said there was nothing illegal about accepting donor-advised funds and that every move made by his organizations was within the rules.

“Any dollar that was given to me, there’s a track record and we have a communication document that shows what came out and how it was received,” Washington said. “They [UCLA athletic officials] know exactly what came into accounts, they know exactly what came out because everything was disclosed and we were communicating and I was acting as a vessel during the time of the Wild, Wild West to try to help UCLA’s football program succeed in this new era of what we call the NIL.”

Germany completed a remarkable comeback to beat Argentina in a thrilling doubles decider and set up a Davis Cup semi-final against Spain.

Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz saved three match points in a final-set tie-break to overcome Horacio Zeballos and Andres Molteni 4-6 6-4 7-6 (12-10) in a gruelling contest lasting two hours and 31 minutes.

Argentina had put the first point on the board when world number 60 Tomas Etcheverry hit 23 aces to beat Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (9-7) in a high-quality encounter.

But world number three Alexander Zverev launched Germany’s recovery, beating world number 21 Francisco Cerundolo 6-4 7-6 (7-3) to force the deciding doubles.

Zverev, the only top 10 singles player competing in the Davis Cup this week, was not at his best but a brilliant tie-break performance kept Germany’s hopes of progressing to a second straight semi-final alive.

Those hopes were on their way to being extinguished when Zeballos and Molteni dominated the opening set of the doubles rubber.

But Krawietz and Puetz, who have three Grand Slam doubles titles between them, took the second set before a stalemate in the decider sent the match to a tie-break.

The Germans missed four match points, including three in a row, in an astonishing tie-break before clinching victory with the fifth.

“Incredible. There’s not many matches you play in your career like that,” said Puetz. “It feels better to win in the end but what a great match and a great Davis Cup tie.”

Not since their title-winning 1993 campaign have three-time champions Germany reached the final of the tournament.

Earlier on Thursday, Spain brushed aside the absence of Carlos Alcaraz to come from behind and beat the Czech Republic 2-1 and move one step closer to a first title in six years.

Spain will meet Germany in Bologna on Saturday with two-time defending champions Italy taking on Belgium in the first semi-final on Friday.

LA28, the committee behind the Olympic Games coming to Los Angeles, quietly added to its roster of directors some high-profile Republicans with ties to President Trump.

The 35-member volunteer board of directors now includes notable Republican political figures Kevin McCarthy, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, and Reince Priebus, who was Trump’s chief of staff during his first term. Before his role in the White House, Priebus served as the longtime chair of the Republican National Committee.

Diane Hendricks, a major GOP donor who has given millions to Trump’s campaigns, and Patrick Dumont, who owns the Dallas Mavericks and is the son-in-law of another major Trump donor, were also added to the board. Ken Moelis, an investment banker who worked with Trump in the 1990s and predicted the businessman would win the presidency in 2016, is also listed as a board member.

The Trump-adjacent inflow to the board of directors, first reported by Politico, is the latest sign of the president’s involvement in the major Los Angeles event.

It is not clear why the decision was made to expand the board of directors and how the individuals were selected. A spokesperson for LA28 did not immediately respond to The Times’ questions Thursday about the move.

Kevin McCarthy

(Associated Press)

Los Angeles business consultant Denita Willoughby and philanthropist Maria Hummer-Tuttle are also newly listed as board members.

“We are thrilled to welcome this accomplished group to the LA28 Board who will help create an unforgettable Games for athletes and fans alike,” Casey Wasserman, the chair of the 2028 L.A. Olympics organizing committee, wrote in a statement.

Wasserman could not immediately be reached by The Times for further comment.

Although past presidents have taken a largely ceremonial role in Olympics that have been held on U.S. soil, there are signs that Trump is seeking a more active role in the Games, which will occur in his final year as president.

In August, he signed an executive order naming him chair of a White House task force on the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. The president views the Games as “a premier opportunity to showcase American exceptionalism,” according to a White House statement. Trump, the administration said, “is taking every opportunity to showcase American greatness on the world stage.”

Trump at the time noted that he’d be willing to send the military back to Los Angeles to protect the Games. In June, he sent the National Guard and U.S. Marines to the city amid escalating immigration enforcement actions, prompting pushback from Mayor Karen Bass.

Wasserman attended the signing at the White House in August and thanked Trump for “leaning in” to planning for the Olympics, which he said is akin to hosting seven Super Bowls a day for 30 days.

“You’ve been supportive and helpful every step of the way,” Wasserman told the president at the time. “With the creation of this task force, we’ve unlocked the opportunity to level up our planning and deliver the largest and, yes, greatest Games for our nation, ever.”

South Korea’s Somi Lee shot a career-best eight-under-par 64 to open up a two-shot lead in the first round of the LPGA’s lucrative season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.

The 26-year-old made four birdies on the front nine and three more on the back nine – plus an eagle on the 17th – with the only blemish to her scorecard arriving with a bogey on the 18th.

“It’s an honour playing my first Tour Championship and I don’t think I was necessarily in a position to be nervous about anything,” Lee said.

“I thought to myself ‘whatever the score is or how I play, let’s just prepare for next year’s season’. I think that kind of alleviated the stress in today’s round to be able to get a better score.”

American Allisen Corpuz is at six under, while world number one and defending champion Jeeno Thitikul, who leads the Race to CME Globe rankings, is one of four players a stroke further back at five under.

Germany’s Esther Henseleit and Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom ended Thursday in a tie for seventh at four under and are the highest-placed Europeans in the 60-player field at Tiburon Golf Club in Florida, which contains 28 of the 29 winners from this season.

England’s Charley Hull, who won this tournament in 2016, knocked in five birdies but a double-bogey on the 10th checked her progress and she eventually signed for a three-under-par 69.

Her compatriot Lottie Woad is at two under, while world number two Nelly Korda recovered from consecutive bogeys on the second and third holes to finish one under as she chases her first win of the campaign.

The LPGA’s final event of the season carries a total purse of $11m (£8.4m).

The $4m (£3.1m) top prize is the largest winner’s cheque in women’s golf and the third biggest in all of golf behind the men’s Tour Championship ($10m/£7.6m) and The Players Championship ($4.5m/£3.4m).

The Lakers confirmed that Joey and Jesse Buss, who both had been executives with the team, are no longer with the franchise.

The announcement was made Thursday in a move many figured would come later with changes to the Lakers’ basketball operations department after Mark Walter became the majority owner. The sale was at a $10-billion valuation and was approved by the NBA board of governors in October.

According to a person not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, everything with the Lakers is being evaluated and that included firing scouts on Thursday.

It was felt that starting the process now was the best course of action to take, according to one person who spoke on condition of anonymity, rather than wait.

Joey Buss was an alternate governor and vice president of research and development with the Lakers while Jesse was the team’s assistant general manager.

“We are extremely honored to have been part of this organization for the last 20 seasons,’ Joey and Jesse Buss said in a statement to ESPN, which first broke the story. “Thank you Laker Nation for embracing our family every step of the way. We wish things could be different with the way our time ended with the team. At times like this, we wish we could ask our Dad what he would think of it all.”

Their dad was Dr. Jerry Buss, who transformed the Lakers into a global franchise after buying the team, along with the Kings and the Forum, in 1979 for $67.5 million. Both Joey and Jesse worked alongside their sister, Jeanie Buss, who will continue to be the Lakers’ primary team governor for the foreseeable future.

Joey was team president and CEO of the Lakers’ G League team, the South Bay Lakers, and Jesse was the Lakers’ director of scouting. Each, along with their siblings, are still minority owners of the franchise.

The two were given a lot of credit for helping the Lakers find and develop Austin Reaves, Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Max Christie.

The Lakers didn’t have a comment about the Buss brothers no longer being with the team.

“Yeah, I found out this morning that it was going to happen,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said after practice. “But I don’t have any comment on personnel decisions as it relates to the organization.”

The Lakers signed general manager Rob Pelinka to a contract extension in April and extended Redick‘s contract in September.

The sale of the Lakers was finalized on Oct. 30.

Fresh off winning a World Series with the Dodgers, Walter, who had been a minority owner of the Lakers since he bought 27% of the franchise with Todd Boehly in 2021, promptly sat courtside for the next Lakers home game on Nov. 2. He looked on when the Lakers honored the world champion Dodgers at a home game on Nov. 5.

Walter was part of the group that purchased the Dodgers for $2 billion in 2012. Since then, the team has won three World Series titles in five appearances with 13 consecutive playoff berths.

The swift reorganization process with the Lakers differs from Walter’s history with L.A.’s other pro sports headliner. After Walter bought the Dodgers, general manager Ned Colletti stayed with the organization through the 2014 season.

In addition to becoming the highest-spending team in baseball under the new ownership group, the Dodgers also bolstered their analytics department, improved nutrition programs for major and minor league players, and expanded clubhouses with the latest physical therapy technologies.

The 28-year-old Benavidez, an American of Mexican heritage, has stopped 24 of his 30 opponents and is a former two-time super-middleweight champion.

Nicknamed the “Mexican Monster”, he promised a “war”.

“I’ve had my eye on Anthony Yarde for a long time. He has power and heart. No matter who he faces, it’s a good fight,” added the Phoenix-born Benavidez.

“I want to give people action-packed fights. This one is going to live up to the moment.”

Earlier, heated words between the camps of WBO welterweight world champion Brian Norman Jr and fellow American challenger Devin Haney – who meet on the undercard – led to security stepping in as Haney’s father, Bill, moved toward Norman’s father, Brian Sr.

In contrast, the headliners showed mutual respect, with Yarde and Benavidez sharing smiles and a warm embrace during their face-off.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS

BOYS

CITY SECTION

Animo Robinson 58, Animo Bunche 56

Bravo 71, Bell 49

Community Charter 42, Reseda 41

Diego Rivera 58, Belmont 10

Eagle Rock 58, South East 47

Esperanza College Prep 50, Aspire Ollin 43

Hawkins 50, Horace Mann UCLA Community 42

Huntington Park 87, Lakeview Charter 13

LA Hamilton 91, Larchmont Charter 20

LA Wilson 70, Roosevelt 51

Lincoln 69, RFK Community 56

Mendez 49, Santee 42

Monroe 80, VAAS 32

Orthopaedic 54 Foshay 46

Sherman Oaks CES 84, Manual Arts 41

Sotomayor 64, Camino Nuevo 49

Torres 46, Animo De La Hoya 39

Triumph Charter 75, Canoga Park 29

View Park 84, Alliance Ouchi 24

SOUTHERN SECTION

Acaciawood 78, Liberty Christian 35

ACE 66, Bethel Christian 36

AGBU 74, Laguna Blanca 25

Anaheim Canyon 62, St. Bernard 55

Arcadia 71, Bishop Amat 53

Artesia 62, Downey 58

Big Bear 79, Ramona 75

Bonita 75, Sage Hill 42

Brentwood 84, Simi Valley 54

Buckley 61, St. Genevieve 42

Cantwell-Sacred Heart 62, South El Monte 30

Canyon Country Canyon 62, Buena Park 34

Century 54, Samueli Academy 29

Chaffey 42, Cajon 40

Chino Hills 81, El Dorado 67

Citrus Hill 80, Twentynine Palms 36

Claremont 44, Irvine University 39

Compton 81, Compton Centennial 45

Corona 56, Valley View 40

Corona Santiago 75, Colony 63

Crossroads Christian 60, SJDLCS 50

Cypress 70, Cerritos 46

Damien 69, Sonora 56

de Toledo 64, Newbury Park Adventist 39

Dominguez 57, Northview 36

Edgewood 63, Bell Gardens 57

Estancia 64, Anaheim 38

Excelsior Charter 72, University Prep 63

Fairmont Prep 58, Tesoro 45

Flintridge Prep 61, Sequoyah School 26

Foothill Tech 94, Geffen Academy 63

Fountain Valley 77, La Palma Kennedy 61

Godinez 67, Oxford Academy 44

Grace 66, Del Sol 25

Hacienda Heights Wilson 61, Sunny Hills 54

Hawthorne 61, Animo City of Champions 40

Heritage 64, San Jacinto 47

Inglewood 86, Long Beach Cabrillo 38

Irvine 60, Garden Grove Santiago 36

JSerra 69, Leuzinger 52

Keppel 52, Temple City 41

Laguna Hills 76, Torrance 65

La Serna 48, Fullerton 37

Long Beach Wilson 96, Palmdale 62

Lucerne Valley 47, Hesperia Christian 42

Magnolia Science Academy 60, Vista Meridian 49

Mesa Grande Academy 79, Palm Valley 22

Monrovia 90, Ganesha 43

Montebello 67, Mesrobian 29

Moreno Valley 56, Citrus Valley 46

Newbury Park 72, Highland 54

Nogales 49, Mountain View 33

Norte Vista 83, Norco 53

Oaks Christian 67, Milken 41

Ontario 68, Bloomington 41

Ontario Christian 53, Riverside Poly 46

Orange Lutheran 69, La Habra 59

Orcutt Academy 55, Coastal Christian 42

Palm Springs 51, Arrowhead Christian 40

Paraclete 61, Lancaster 59

Placentia Valencia 51, Western 50

Portola 79, Savanna 39

Redlands East Valley 76 Paloma Valley 56

Riverside King 63, Troy 49

San Juan Hills 61, Costa Mesa 21

Santa Fe 52, Bolsa Grande 35

Shalhevet 46, Agoura 34

Sierra Canyon 67, Millikan 65

Southlands Christian 54, Azusa 42

South Pasadena 85, Bosco Tech 67

St. Margaret’s 55, Capistrano Valley Christian 45

St. Monica Academy 68, PACS 47

Sultana 55, Pacific 46

Summit 74, Temescal Canyon 43

Summit Leadership Academy 68, Bethel Christian 25

Tahquitz 53, Indio 36

Temecula Valley 85, Temecula Prep 45

Thacher 57, Carpinteria 29

Thousand Oaks 92, Ventura 53

Victor Valley 69, Maywood Academy 16

Village Christian 95, San Fernando Valley Academy 24

Vista del Lago 59, West Valley 43

Vistamar 61, Trinity Classical Academy 57

Walnut 61, Capistrano Valley 46

Westlake 55, Golden Valley 48

Westminster La Quinta 61, Katella 45

Whitney 64, United Christian Academy 28

Woodbridge 65, Villa Park 56

INTERSECTIONAL

Alemany 75, Chatsworth 56

Buchanan 69, Laguna Beach 27

Delphi Academy 41, Reseda 40

Glendora 51, La Costa Canyon 45

LA Marshall 54, Salesian 48

North Torrance 53, Narbonne 41

Oakwood 99, South Gate 23

Palos Verdes 86, Downtown Magnets 39

Santa Monica 66, LA University 33

Washington Prep 86, Gardena Serra 55

Victor Valley 69, Maywood Academy 16

GIRLS

CITY SECTION

Animo Robinson 50, Animo Bunche 18

Birmingham 68, Granada Hills Kennedy 61

Carson 40, Bell 21

Community Charter 44, Reseda 26

Franklin 47, Roybal 3

Hawkins 47, Horace Mann UCLA Community 8

LACES d. Iovine and Young Center, forfeit

Lakeview Charter 26, Huntington Park 11

LA Wilson 30, Roosevelt 7

MSAR 24, East Valley 11

Northridge Academy 89, Monroe 10

Orthopaedic 27, Foshay 21

Port of Los Angeles 51, Rancho Dominguez 44

Torres 47, Animo De La Hoya 17

Math & Science College Prep 44, Marquez 36

Venice 50, Gardena 10

West Adams 37, Contreras 21

SOUTHERN SECTION

Aliso Niguel 41, Trabuco Hills 39

Arroyo 37, Azusa 16

Arroyo Valley 35, Rim of the World 12

Ayala 40, Rancho Verde 22

Barstow 54, Pacific 28

Beckman 58, Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 50

Big Bear 27, Rancho Mirage 13

Bishop Diego 62, Santa Barbara 18

Bolsa Grande 49, NOVA Academy 17

Buena Park 56, San Dimas 30

Burbank 62, Pilibos 59

Calabasas 55, St. Mary’s Academy 7

California Military Institute 28, Redlands Adventist Academy 19

Colton 40, Norte Vista 22

Corona Santiago 53, Westminster 13

Crossroads 59, El Segundo 42

Diamond Ranch 34, Covina 28

Duarte 45, Larchmont Charter 30

El Rancho 46, Sierra Vista 43

Fillmore 63, Castaic 38

Flintridge Prep 61, Murrieta Valley 23

Fontana 42, Yucca Valley 25

Fullerton 59, Rancho Alamitos 34

Glendora 55, Hillcrest 39

Golden Valley 54, Inglewood 18

Great Oak 54, Liberty 29

Heritage 66, Paloma Valley 20

Holy Martyrs Armenian 42, Hart 31

Indian Springs 41, La Quinta 37

Irvine 38, Costa Mesa 37

JSerra 64, Torrance 23

Jurupa Hills 58, Cathedral City 5

Jurupa Valley 47, Bloomington 9

Keppel 46, Anaheim Canyon 41

Laguna Beach 45, Placentia Valencia 41

Linfield Christian 58, Elsinore 33

Los Altos 73, Temescal Canyon 42

Los Amigos 59, Garden Grove Santiago 9

Los Osos 73, Palm Desert 31

Lynwood 71, St. Anthony 56

Mayfair 36, Perris 18

Moorpark 67, Palmdale 21

Newbury Park 59, Simi Valley 19

Norco 34, La Sierra 26

Norwalk 48, San Gabriel 17

Notre Dame Academy 43, Vistamar 24

Palm Springs 53, Citrus Valley 45

Pasadena Poly 68, Flintridge Sacred Heart 25

Quartz Hill 60, Desert Christian 41

Ramona 49, San Jacinto 39

Rancho Cucamonga 51, Claremont 39

San Clemente 71, Tesoro 51

San Juan Hills 35, La Serna 30

Santa Maria 50, Carpinteria 41

Saugus 68, Santa Maria St. Joseph 64

South Hills 36, Schurr 30

Southlands Christian 58, Liberty Christian 5

St. Genevieve 56, Rosemead 34

St. Monica Academy 53, PACS 23

St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 65, Alhambra 14

Tahquitz 48, Santa Rosa Academy 16

Temecula Prep 43, Orange Vista 23

Temecula Valley 69, Escondido Charter 52

Temple City 48, Pasadena 42

University Prep 42, Excelsior Charter 12

Villa Park 64, Troy 30

West Covina 51, San Marino 24

Westlake 43, Louisville 41

Whitney 40, Cajon 33

YULA 56, Buckley 9

INTERSECTIONAL

Bakersfield Centennial 58, Lancaster 31

Silver Valley 78, Baker 7

The FA credited the Lionesses’ home success at Euro 2022 as key in “shaping government discussions and driving forward policy change”.

Sarina Wiegman’s winning side signed an open letter to then Conservative party leadership candidates Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, asking for “every young girl” to be able to play football at school.

The FA says 90% of schools now offer girls equal access to football through PE lessons at Key Stages 2 (aged 7-11) and 3 (aged 11-14).

“This was never about girls becoming the next Lionesses, it was about normalising girls playing football, just like boys do. It’s about equality,” said former England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright, who is an ambassador for Barclays Football.

After winning the Euros at Wembley in 2022, England reached the Women’s World Cup final the following year, losing to Spain. But they then beat Spain to retain their European crown in July.

“No girl should ever face barriers to playing football in school,” said Stacey Mullock, the head of development at the FA.

“That belief drove us to set ambitious targets and push for a cultural shift where girls have the same access and opportunities as boys.”

However, the FA said there is “more work to be done” for Key Stage 4 (aged 14-16), where “many teenage girls stop participating in team sports due to barriers like confidence, body image, and negative perceptions”.

The governing body also aims to increase the amount of schools offering equal opportunities through extra-curricular clubs from 83% to 90% by 2028.

LA28 hopes to sell more tickets for the 2028 Games than any other Olympic organizing committee in history, and the private group launched a fundraising campaign Thursday to help keep those tickets accessible to local fans.

The fundraising effort invites local sports teams, philanthropists and partners to fund ticket donations that will go to local organizations that will distribute tickets within their communities. The Rams are the inaugural partners, donating $5 million to the campaign.

“The 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games are for everyone,” LA28 president Casey Wasserman said in a statement. “This program is about making sure that the people who live, work and contribute to the spirit of Los Angeles can access the Games taking place in their hometown. We’re incredibly thankful to Stan Kroenke and the Rams for being the first to step up for the people of their city. This is true partnership in action, and we look forward to welcoming others for this meaningful initiative.”

Registration for tickets will open in January and single tickets will start at $28. Amid concerns about skyrocketing prices for sporting events, LA28 said it will not use dynamic pricing that is common for large sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup.

Tickets for the FIFA World Cup coming to Canada, Mexico and the United States next year will start at $60 for some group-stage matches and climb to $6,730, the international soccer governing body said this year. Excluding the opening or closing ceremonies, tickets for the Paris Games ranged between 24 euros (about $27) and 950 euros ($1,097).

Leading up to the Games, the Paris organizing committee set aside more than 1 million tickets at 24 euros each and ensured half of the tickets on sale to the general public would be 50 euros or less. Hoping to keep the Games relatively affordable to fans, Paris 2024 used an “adapted pricing policy” that aimed to use the 15% of the tickets offered at the highest rates to allow the millions of lower-priced tickets.

The Paris Games sold a record 12 million tickets for the Olympics and Paralympics, which helped the organizing committee blow past its initial ticketing and hospitality revenue estimate by $365 million.

LA28 organizers expect to make 14 million tickets available for the largest Olympics in history and the first Paralympics in L.A.

After fans register for the ticket lottery beginning in January, purchasing windows will open that spring. Fans living near Olympic venue cities will have access to presale opportunities.

The Olympics are spread across more than 40 venues, with most clustered in L.A., Long Beach, Inglewood and Carson. Southern California residents and those living in Oklahoma City where softball and canoe slalom events will take place who are selected for the presale window will have access to all tickets for all venues.

Tickets for the Paralympics will go on sale in 2027.

With Northern Ireland two games away from qualification for the 2026 World Cup, manager Michael O’Neill has told his players not to “waste this opportunity”.

It’s certainly not a straightforward path to North America as O’Neill’s side travel to Italy for their play-off semi-final on 26 March and, should they stun the Azzurri, they will then travel to either Wales of Bosnia-Herzegovina five days later for a winner-takes-all final.

Italy have not qualified for a World Cup since the 2014 edition in Brazil, with Northern Ireland absent from the big dance since 1986 when it was last held in Mexico – one of the three host nations next year alongside Canada and the USA.

Although O’Neill’s side has a young age profile, the Northern Ireland manager has no fears his side can rise to the challenge in the play-off and, despite defeats away by Germany and Slovakia in the group phase, feels his side showed enough on the road to suggest they can spring the surprise.

“It’s difficult to win away in international football and that is something this team still has to develop, but I take a lot of encouragement from the performances in Cologne and Slovakia where we were challenged and were missing key players in those games,” he said.

“We still gave a really good account of ourselves and were in the game in Germany for 70, 75 minutes. We were in the game in Slovakia right to the end and felt a little big aggrieved by the nature of that result.

“We have to make the game as difficult as possible for Italy and it will be difficult for them with the expectation they carry into the game.

“If we can add to that with how we play the game and the level of our performance, then who knows. We have an opportunity to go to a World Cup and we have to do everything possible to try to take it. What I will say to them [players] is ‘don’t waste the opportunity.'”

The women’s national soccer team will return to Carson in 2026 for the first time in nearly two years for its annual January training camp, U.S. Soccer will announce Thursday.

The 10-day camp will run from Jan. 17-27 and will conclude with two international matches. The first, on Jan. 24 against Paraguay, will be played at Dignity Health Sports Park and will include a tribute to two-time World Cup champion Christen Press, who announced her retirement this fall.

The venue and opponent for the second match on Jan. 27 has not been finalized.

“January camp is a vitally important part of our yearly schedule, especially with 2026 being a year that will host World Cup qualifying,” USWNT coach Emma Hayes said in a statement. “We don’t get many training days together during any given year, so there is a high value in getting a whole week of training as well as two matches.

“I was pleased with the progress we made as a team in 2025, but we still have a ways to go to get to where we want to be heading into the CONCACAF W Championship in the fall.”

Press, who was born and raised in Palos Verdes Estates, about 10 miles from Dignity Health Sports Park, scored 64 goals for the USWNT, ninth-most in team history. She helped the U.S. to back-to-back Women’s World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019 and played the final four years of her professional club career for her hometown Angel City FC.

The first 2,000 fans through the gates on Jan. 24 will receive a commemorative Christen Press bobblehead.

No venue has played host to more USWNT matches than Dignity Health Sports Park which, under various names, has been the site of 21 games for the U.S., dating to 2003, soon after the stadium opened. The U.S. went 20 games unbeaten at the venue (19 wins and one tie) before losing its most recent match there, a 2-0 upset to Mexico on Feb. 26, 2024, in the CONCACAF W Gold Cup, a tournament the U.S. would go on
win.

The USWNT was scheduled to hold its January training camp in Carson last year, but the deadly Southern California wildfires forced U.S. Soccer to move the camp to Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Presale tickets for the January matches will be available for purchase from 10 a.m. PST Friday through 8 a.m. PST Monday.

Tickets for both matches will go on sale to the public on Tuesday at 10 a.m. PST.

Northern Ireland manager Tanya Oxtoby is in advanced talks to become head coach at WSL 2 side Newcastle United.

Oxtoby, 43, has been in charge of Northern Ireland since 2023.

She managed Bristol City from 2018 to 2021 before becoming assistant coach to Emma Hayes at Chelsea for two seasons.

Oxtoby has also had spells as Scotland, Birmingham City, Perth Glory and Australia Under-20s assistant.

She began her managerial career at Nottingham Forest in 2012.

From Dylan Hernández: While the game didn’t provide any definitive answers about what LeBron James will do in his record-breaking 23rd season, it offered promising signs about what he won’t do.

He won’t disrupt what the Lakers are doing.

The point was made most emphatically by how he played in the 140-126 victory over the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena.

In the 30 minutes he played, James shot the ball only seven times, less than any other Lakers starter.

He didn’t have problems with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves remaining the team’s primary options.

He didn’t mind picking his spots.

He didn’t mind spending most of the game as a peripheral figure on the court.

“Just thought he played with the right spirit,” coach JJ Redick said. “Very unselfish all night. Willing passer. Didn’t force it. Took his drive and his shots when they were there.”

Continue reading here

‘The dude’s a machine’: Three takeaways from LeBron James’ return to the Lakers

RAMS

From Gary Klein: The Rams, Super Bowl contenders riding a five-game winning streak, will navigate at least the next four games of the season without three veteran starters.

The Rams on Wednesday placed safety Quentin Lake, tight end Tyler Higbee and right tackle Rob Havenstein on injured reserve.

Lake, who had surgery Tuesday for a dislocated left elbow, Higbee (ankle) and Havenstein (knee/ankle) must sit out at least four games before they are eligible to return. The earliest return would be a Dec. 18 game against the Seahawks in Seattle.

Continue reading here

From Ryan Kartje: Last month, in the span of a single half, USC’s top two running backs were lost to serious injuries. For Eli Sanders, the knee injury he suffered against Michigan prematurely ended his season. For Waymond Jordan, ankle surgery meant missing most of the Trojans’ critical stretch run.

For USC, it made for a particularly cruel one-two punch. Through the first six games, the Trojans duo had been a top-10 rushing attack in the nation, trending toward the best rushing season USC had seen in two decades. Then, in less than an hour’s time, a promising start had been derailed by injury.

“That could almost be a death sentence,” coach Lincoln Riley said Wednesday.

But with just two games left in the season, the Trojans rushing attack still is very much alive. And USC still is clinging to College Football Playoff hopes because of it.

Continue reading here

Hot coaching commodity Lane Kiffin has a tough decision 12 years after USC fired him

College Football Playoff rankings

DUCKS

Ian Moore scored the tiebreaking goal with 3:35 to play, and Lukas Dostal made 36 saves in the Ducks’ 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night.

Jansen Harkins. Radko Gudas and Ryan Strome also scored for the first-place Ducks, who have won nine of 12 after sweeping their season series with the Bruins.

The Bruins dominated long stretches of play and tied it with 12:21 left with Morgan Geekie’s second goal on a power play just seven seconds after Harkins took an awful cross-checking penalty.

Continue reading here

Ducks summary

NHL standings

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

1934 — Busher Jackson scores four third-period goals to power the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Eagles.

1960 — Jerry Norton of St. Louis intercepts four passes to send past the Washington Redskins 26-14.

1969 — Brazilian soccer legend Pelé scores his 1,000th goal.

1977 — Walter Payton rushes for an NFL record 275 yards, and the Chicago Bears edge the Minnesota Vikings 10-7.

1979 — Red Holzman of the New York Knicks wins his 500th game, a 130-125 overtime victory over Houston at Madison Square Garden. Holzman is the second coach, after Red Auerbach, to reach that mark.

1983 — Seattle’s Dave Krieg passes for 418 yards and three touchdowns, lifting the Seahawks to a 27-19 victory over the Denver Broncos.

1983 — Steve Bartkowski throws a 42-yard desperation pass that is deflected to Billy Johnson at the 5-yard line, and he then fights his way into the end zone to give the Atlanta Falcons a 28-24 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

1994 — Tisha Venturini scores twice and Angela Kelly, Sarah Dacey and Robin Confer add goals for North Carolina, which beats Notre Dame 5-0 for its ninth consecutive NCAA women’s soccer championship.

1997 — A.C. Green breaks the NBA record for consecutive games — his 907th straight appearance in the Dallas Mavericks’ 101-97 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Green surpasses Randy Smith’s mark of 906 set from 1972-83.

1999 — TCU’s LaDainian Tomlinson rushes for an NCAA Division I record 406 yards on 43 carries with six touchdowns in a 52-24 victory over UTEP.

2001 — Ball State beats No. 3 UCLA 91-73 in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational, one day after knocking off No. 4 Kansas in the opening round.

2010 — Mikel Leshoure of Illinois rushes for a school-record 330 yards and scores two touchdowns in the Fighting Illini’s 48-27 win over Northwestern at Chicago’s Wrigley Field. All offensive plays are run toward the same end zone because a brick wall, although heavily padded, is too close behind the other one.

2011 — Brittney Griner has 32 points and 14 rebounds while Baylor establishes itself as the clear No. 1 team with a 94-81 victory over No. 2 Notre Dame in the preseason WNIT championship game.

2011 — Landon Donovan scores in the 72nd minute on passes from Robbie Keane and David Beckham, and the Galaxy’s three superstars win their first MLS Cup together with a 1-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo.

2012 — Jack Taylor scores 138 points to shatter the NCAA scoring record in Division III Grinnell’s 179-104 victory over Faith Baptist Bible in Grinnell, Iowa.

2016 — Jimmie Johnson ties Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt with a record seven NASCAR championships when he defeats Carl Edwards, Joey Logano and defending champion Kyle Busch at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at [email protected]. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

On the drive up to the Rose Bowl’s front door, underneath the legendary glowing sign, toward the picturesque purple mountains, there stands the most impactful symbol of the school that plays there.

It is a statue of Jackie Robinson in a UCLA football uniform.

He is cradling the ball in his left hand and warding off impending tacklers with his right, a striking bronze symbol of a university’s resilience and strength. The most formidable figure in American sports history is standing where he grew up, where his team lives and where he forever will embody the epitome of the gutty Bruin.

Nobody represents the mission of UCLA more than Jackie Robinson.

UCLA fans cheer during the game against Penn State at the Rose Bowl on Oct. 4.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

Nothing is more disgusting than the thought of UCLA leaving him in the dust.

The Bruins are trying to flee the Rose Bowl, did you hear? They’re trying to break a long-term lease and leave Pasadena on the next thing smokin’. Oh yeah, they’re all but gone, it’s all there in lawsuits and court filings and mounds of legal stuff that mask the real message.

UCLA values a quick buck over enduring integrity, fast cash over deep tradition and dollars over die-hards.

The Bruins want to leave the most storied stadium in America, a place where they have played for 43 years, a living monument to Bruins icons, a tailgating paradise with a postcard backdrop … for the shiny toy that is SoFi Stadium, an amazing professional football palace that has no business being the permanent home of a college football team.

This is no knock on SoFi. It’s Super Bowl cool. But it’s an NFL stadium with NFL vibes. It doesn’t work for a struggling university program that would be a third tenant viewed as a last resort.

The Bruins don’t want to move there for tradition. When it comes to college football, SoFi has none. UCLA played there once in a bowl game that drew what appeared to be a handful of fans, the quaint gathering dwarfed by the space-age surroundings.

They don’t want to go there for the increased convenience. There is none. You can’t sell me that 14 fewer miles going south on the 405 on a Saturday afternoon would be noticeably quicker than a longer trek going east on the 134. Especially if there also are events happening at the SoFi-adjacent Forum and Intuit Dome.

They don’t want to go for the game-day experience. There is none. They would be sacrificing lush Brookside tailgating for scarce parking lot tailgating, robbing UCLA fans of their one guaranteed victory every game.

Yes, SoFi has much better seats and bathrooms and amenities but, no, the Bruins want to go for one reason only, and we’ve known what that is from the moment they admitted their athletic department was in financial ruin.

UCLA offensive coordinator Jerry Neuheisel walks back to the sidelines after a timeout during a game against Nebraska at the Rose Bowl on Nov. 8.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

This is all about the money. UCLA long ago agreed to a lousy deal with the Rose Bowl from the outset — the school apparently sign leases like it hires football coaches — and thus the Bruins don’t receive any cut of suite or sponsorship deals, and get just a fraction of merchandise and parking. Some estimate they can make a few multiples of their current revenue by moving to SoFi, and that’s certainly a legitimate motivation, but it’s also the easy way out.

You know how else they could make more money? Win more football games! Did anybody think of that?

Since Terry Donahue retired in 1995, the UCLA football program frequently has dumped a steaming pile of garbage on Pasadena’s prettiest doorstep, and the poor decisions by the athletic department finally are catching up to it.

They’ve had losing records in seven of the last 10 years. They’ve gone through five coaches and endured countless disappointments. Not surprisingly, increasingly fewer fans want to devote their Saturdays to cheering for a team that too often finds itself plopping into a Brookside bunker.

The Bruins’ five worst attendance figures have come in the last five seasons not interrupted by COVID-19. They’ve ranked around the bottom of Big Ten attendance, and the hole just keeps getting deeper.

They’re averaging 37,099 this season entering the Saturday night’s home finale against Washington, a pace which would set the record for the lowest UCLA season attendance at the Rose Bowl.

And all this is the Rose Bowl’s fault? Not since Roy “Wrong Way” Riegels has someone in the Arroyo Seco been so misguided.

The City of Pasadena and the Rose Bowl Operating Co. have lived up to their part of the lease, which still has 19 years remaining on it. Pasadena officials say taxpayers have invested more than $150 million in stadium renovations and they’re ready to write a check on an additional $130 million for improvements.

It shows. The Terry Donahue Pavilion is magnificent. The grounds are pristine. There are plans for a cool field club beyond the south end zone.

The Rose Bowl folks have done everything they agreed to do. That UCLA still is trying to walk out the front door smacks of an entitled, oafish spouse who demands their significant other improve themselves, then leaves anyway.

I’ve been covering UCLA games at the Rose Bowl for nearly 40 years, and I can confirm there’s no better place to watch college football in this country. It’s the Augusta National of football stadiums, a place where they should hold the national championship every year, with its breathtaking skyline and deep green surroundings and that crisp fall breeze that sneaks through the Arroyo Seco like an old friend reminding you of home.

UCLA tailback Derrick Williams celebrates with a cheerleader’s megaphone after defeating the USC 13-9 at the Rose Bowl on Dec. 2, 2006.

(Stephen Dunn / Getty Images)

No, it’s not on UCLA’s campus, but there’s no more room, that ship has sailed. And, no, UCLA doesn’t make an appropriate amount of money in the deal, but the school signed the lease, and those lost dollars can appear in other ways.

By playing at the Rose Bowl, the Bruins are paid in majestic beauty, timeless tradition and a sense of family that their alumni and fans can’t get anywhere else.

I was on the sidelines in the final seconds on that first Saturday in December 2006 for quite possibly UCLA’s greatest Rose Bowl moment. You remember. How could you forget?

The John David Booty drive, the Eric McNeal interception, the stunning 13-9 UCLA victory that denied USC a spot in the national championship game while giving the Bruins their only win over the Trojans in a 13-year span.

What stays with me from that afternoon is the deafening noise that seemed to fill every corner of Pasadena before morphing into arguably the loudest Eight Clap in Bruins history.

“U-C-L-A! Fight! Fight! Fight!”

The Rose Bowl was magical that day. Shame on UCLA for not believing it still can be.

There is some fierce competition for that crown but, statistically, the Gunners are right up there.

Nearly a third of the way through the campaign, they are conceding 0.45 goals per game. If they maintain that rate they will concede 17 goals over the 38 games.

Chelsea’s 2004-05 title-winning side hold the record at 15, with Arsenal’s vintage in 1998-99 conceding 17, but finishing trophyless.

The next tightest defence is the 2007-08 Manchester United side and Liverpool in 2018-19, who both conceded 22 goals.

There is a long way still to go for Arsenal, but if the backline of Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori – with keeper David Raya behind them – stay fit and solid, then they’ve got every chance of being talked about among this quartet.

That is a big if though, with fears Gabriel could be sidelined until January after being injured on Brazil duty, while Italy international Calafiori also has a problem that needs to be assessed.

The Gunners also have the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues this term, with the fewest goals conceded, fewest shots on target faced and most clean sheets.

They have allowed only 21 shots on target in the Premier League this season, including three across their last five matches. Their average of 1.9 shots on target faced per game is the lowest since Opta’s records began in 2003-04.

You have to go back to September and October 1987 for the last time Arsenal bettered this season’s record of four successive league games without letting in a goal.

That came under manager George Graham in an era that inspired the famous “1-0 to the Arsenal” chant to serenade a team with the kind of defensive resilience that Arteta’s men are replicating.

Sunderland’s strikes, from Dan Ballard and an injury-time Brian Brobbey equaliser, denied them the chance to beat Manchester United’s Premier League record of 14 consecutive clean sheets, achieved back in 2008-09.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are the record holders for clean sheets in the Premier League era across all competitions, having gone 11 straight games without conceding under Rafael Benitez in 2005-06.

Former Arsenal centre-back Martin Keown, who was part of the club’s 1998-99 side, wrote in his BBC Sport column: “We can see with our own eyes how good the defence is.

“The only thing missing from their CV is trophies.

“If they could be champions, they reach that elite level alongside these past title-winning teams.”

Last month, in the span of a single half, USC’s top two running backs were lost to serious injuries. For Eli Sanders, the knee injury he suffered against Michigan prematurely ended his season. For Waymond Jordan, ankle surgery meant missing most of the Trojans’ critical stretch run.

It made for a particularly cruel one-two punch. Through the first six games, the Trojans duo had been a top-10 rushing attack in the nation, trending toward the best rushing season USC had seen in two decades. Then, in less than an hour’s time, a promising start had been derailed by injury.

“That could almost be a death sentence,” coach Lincoln Riley said Wednesday.

But with just two games left in the season, the Trojans’ rushing attack still is very much alive. And USC still is clinging to College Football Playoff hopes because of it.

“It’s gone remarkably well,” Riley said of USC’s rushing attack since. “I don’t know that anyone could have predicted that to be completely honest.”

No one anticipated the arrival of redshirt freshman walk-on King Miller, who has been a season-saving revelation since being thrust into the role of the Trojans’ lead back. Miller is averaging 113 yards per game since Jordan and Sanders went down, which, extrapolated over the course of a full season, would tie Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson for best in the Big Ten. Miller also is one of just two Power Four running backs with more than 90 carries to average better than seven yards per rush.

His unexpected coronation, coming at the most critical point of USC’s season, is part of why the Trojans could be just two wins away from their first playoff bid. And if they have any hope of continuing that run, Miller will have to lead the rushing attack into its toughest battle yet Saturday at Autzen Stadium, where No. 7 Oregon has held opposing offenses to 90 yards rushing per game.

There was a brief glimmer of hope leading into this week that Jordan, who underwent tightrope surgery on his ankle five weeks ago, might be able to return for USC’s trip to Eugene. Jordan was listed as questionable on the injury report last Saturday and dressed for practice this week, both signs of progress. But Riley acknowledged Tuesday it was unlikely Jordan would be ready for the game, as he’s still getting comfortable cutting on his surgically repaired ankle.

“He’s getting closer,” Riley said. “But for a back, that’s not a great injury.”

There were a number of other injuries too that presumably should have led to USC’s undoing on the ground. In addition to their battered backfield, the Trojans have been without left tackle Elijah Paige for several games because of a knee injury and could be without him again Saturday. Center Kilian O’Connor missed three games because of his own knee issue, and guard Alani Noa was sidelined for most of the Nebraska win.

But the Trojans have yet to take a step back. The offensive line has shuffled positions with surprising success, and Miller has exceeded all expectations, earning a place in USC’s future plans.

“Just trying to learn to be confident in whatever I’m doing,” Miller said this week. “You’ve got to be confident no matter what it is.”

Miller may, however, have met his match this week with Oregon. While USC has remained near the top of the Big Ten, even after losing its top two backs, the Ducks have boasted arguably the best rushing attack in the nation. Only Navy averages more yards per carry than Oregon (6.33) or has more 20-plus-yard carries (28).

Two of Oregon’s trio of backs, senior Noah Whittington and freshman Dierre Hill Jr., are averaging better than eight yards per carry. The other, Mater Dei product Jordon Davison, is averaging seven yards as a freshman and has 12 touchdown runs.

The numbers aren’t exactly encouraging for the Trojans, who have been distressingly vulnerable against the run for long stretches of this season. USC is giving up more than 200 yards on the ground on average over its last four games, none of which came against offenses that rank among the top 25 nationally in rushing.

The best backfield USC faced during that stretch, Notre Dame, rolled over the Trojans for 306 yards. And the Irish are averaging 41 fewer yards per game on the ground than Oregon.

But in each of its three games since that Notre Dame nadir, the Trojans have come out looking like a totally different defense in the second half. None of their last three opponents — Iowa, Northwestern or Nebraska — managed more than a field goal after halftime.

USC won’t have the luxury of waiting that long this week, up against one of the few offenses in college football scoring at a more efficient clip. For the Trojans to keep their playoff hopes alive, it starts with dictating how things go on the ground.

So far that’s gone better than expected.

“We’ve had some big challenges,” Riley said. “We’ve been able to respond. It’ll obviously be important in games like this. Being able to run the football, being able to stop the run is always key, no matter who you’re playing, where you’re playing, what year it is.

“We’ve been clutch there. We’ve been able to do it. Hopefully we can get it done this time.”