touchdown

The spectacular one-handed catch looked like the kind of play that could only be made with sudden adjustment. A reaction with no thought or practice required.

But that’s not how it went down for Rams star receiver Puka Nacua.

Nacua’s fourth-down touchdown catch against the Arizona Cardinals in the regular-season season finale had its roots in a conversation with quarterback Matthew Stafford.

“Just trusting the technique is something that actually me and Matthew talked about in the week before in a rep during practice,” Nacua said. “The angle departure that we were looking at.

“It’s crazy how some of those things come to life on Sundays.”

Stafford and Nacua were the NFL’s top connection this season.

Stafford, a favorite to win his first NFL most valuable player award, passed for a league-leading 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns.

Nacua is among the candidates for offensive player of the year.

The third-year pro caught a league-best 129 passes, 10 for touchdowns. Nacua amassed 1,718 yards receiving, second to only Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had 1,793 yards.

Nacua is expected to continue his outstanding play Saturday when the Rams play the Carolina Panthers in an NFC wild-card game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.

Star receiver Davante Adams, the NFL leader with 14 touchdown catches, is scheduled to return, but it will be no surprise if Stafford continues to rely on Nacua, who was voted to the Pro Bowl for the second time.

Nacua became the first Rams receiver to lead the league in catches since Cooper Kupp achieved the feat in 2021, when he claimed the so-called triple crown of receiving by finishing first in receptions, yards receiving and touchdown catches. Kupp was the NFL offensive player of the year.

Nacua said one of his goals this season was to improve “catching the ball more consistently.”

He had already made great strides in that regard.

Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua hauls in a one-handed touchdown pass during a win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

As a rookie in 2023, Nacua caught 105 passes on 160 targets but had a league-worst 13 drops, according to Profootballreference.com.

Last season, he caught 79 passes on 106 targets, with one drop. This season he was targeted 166 times and dropped four passes.

“I really do feel confident that I can catch any ball that comes my way,” he said.

Coach Sean McVay noted Nacua’s improvement.

“He’s always had great natural hands, but sometimes these guys that have those great hands, you can almost start to get up field before you end up looking the ball all the way in,” McVay said. “I think he’s been really consistent and that’s not exclusive to when the ball’s in his hands.”

Nacua started the season with a 10-catch, 130-yard performance in a season-opening victory over the Houston Texans. It was the first of six games he eclipsed 100 yards receiving.

Three came in December, after he caught six passes for 72 yards in a 31-28 loss to the Panthers on Nov. 30.

The next week, Nacua caught seven passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns against the Cardinals. He caught nine passes for 181 yards against the Detroit Lions, and 12 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns against the Seattle Seahawks.

“He brings a ton of energy to our team,” Stafford said during the run. “He plays the game the way we all want to with passion, energy and toughness.”

Saturday’s matchup will be Nacua’s fourth playoff game. He has 20 receptions for 322 yards and a touchdown in the postseason.

Adams’ return from a hamstring injury could open more windows for Nacua.

“It’ll be fun to continue to run the routes that I get to run, but then also I know that the defense is going to shift another way feeling the threat and the presence of Davante Adams,” Nacua said. “The threat that he provides in our offense and understanding that Matthew can look one way and always throw the ball the other way, that’s the threat every time.”

Etc.

Offensive lineman Kevin Dotson (ankle), who sat out the last two games, will remain out for Saturday’s game against the Panthers, McVay said. Receiver Jordan Whittington (knee) also is out, and tight end Terrance Ferguson (hamstring) and defensive back Josh Wallace (ankle) are questionable. … The Rams announced their end–of-year team awards. Stafford was MVP, Ferguson was top rookie, linebacker Nate Landman won sportsmanship, ethics and commitment to teammates, and offensive lineman Alaric Jackson won inspiration, sportsmanship, and courage.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Carson Beck scrambled for a three-yard touchdown with 18 seconds left, and Miami will head back home for a shot at its first national championship since 2001 after beating Mississippi 31-27 in an exhilarating College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday night.

The 10th-ranked Hurricanes (13-2) had their vaunted defense picked apart by the sixth-ranked Rebels (13-2) in a wild fourth quarter, falling into a 27-24 hole after Trinidad Chambliss threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Dae’Quan Wright with 3:13 left.

Beck, who won a national title as a backup at Georgia, kept the Hurricanes calm amid the storm, leading them down the field for the winning score — and a shot at a national title on their home field at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 19. Beck is 37-5 as a starter, including two seasons at Georgia.

The sixth-seeded Rebels lost their coach before the playoff, but not their cool.

If anything, Lane Kiffin’s decision to bolt for LSU seemed to harden Mississippi’s resolve, pushing the Rebels to the best season in school history — and within a game of their first national championship game.

Ole Miss kept Miami within reach when its offense labored and took a 19-17 lead on Lucas Carneiro’s fourth field goal, from 21 yards.

Malachi Toney, the hero of Miami’s opening CFP win over Texas A&M, turned a screen pass into a 36-yard touchdown that put Miami up 24-19.

Chambliss’ TD pass to Wright put the Rebels back on top, but the improbable run came to an end when the defense couldn’t hold the Hurricanes.

But what a run it was.

With Pete Golding calling the shots after being promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach, and most of the assistants sticking around, the Rebels blew out Tulane to open the playoff and took down mighty Georgia in the CFP quarterfinals.

They faced a different kind of storm in the Hurricanes.

Miami has rekindled memories of its 2001 national championship team behind a defense that went from porous to nearly impenetrable in its first season under coordinator Corey Hetherman.

The Hurricanes walled up early in the Fiesta Bowl, holding Mississippi to minus-one yard.

One play revved up the Rebels and their rowdy fans.

Kewan Lacy, the nation’s third-leading rusher, burst through a hole up the middle for a 73-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter — the longest run allowed by Miami’s defense since 2018.

The Hurricanes seemed content to grind away at the Rebels in small chunks offensively, setting up CharMar Brown’s four-yard touchdown run and a field goal.

Miami unlocked the deep game just before halftime, taking advantage of a busted coverage for a 52-yard touchdown pass from Beck to Keelan Marion.

UCLA has landed a transfer who could hasten Bob Chesney’s rebuilding efforts.

Wayne Knight verbally committed to following Chesney from James Madison to Westwood on Wednesday, giving the new Bruins coach a high-quality running back to pair with quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

Showing what he could do on a national stage last month, Knight ran for 110 yards in 17 carries against Oregon in the College Football Playoff. It was the fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season for Knight on the way to being selected a first team All-Sun Belt Conference player.

Combining excellent speed with the toughness needed to break tackles, the 5-foot-6, 189-pound Knight led the conference with 1,357 rushing yards. He also made 40 catches for 397 yards and averaged 22.3 yards on kickoff returns and 9.5 yards on punt returns. His 2,039 all-purpose yards were a school record, helping him become an Associated Press second team All-American all-purpose player after ranking third nationally with 145.6 all-purpose yards per game.

Knight, who will be a redshirt senior next season in his final year of college eligibility, becomes the seventh player from James Madison to accompany Chesney to UCLA, joining wide receiver Landon Ellis, defensive back DJ Barksdale, tight end Josh Phifer, edge rusher Aiden Gobaira, right guard Riley Robell and offensive lineman JD Rayner.

UCLA also has received verbal commitments from Michigan wide receiver Semaj Morgan, Florida wide receiver Aidan Mizell, San Jose State wide receiver Leland Smith, Iowa State running back Dylan Lee, Boise State offensive tackle Hall Schmidt, Virginia Tech defensive back Dante Lovett, Iowa State defensive back Ta’Shawn James and California edge rusher Ryan McCulloch.

But no incoming player can match the production of Knight, whose highlights included a career-high 211 rushing yards — including a 73-yard touchdown — against Troy in the Sun Belt championship game, earning him most valuable player honors for the Dukes’ 31-14 victory.

Knight will join a group of running backs that includes senior Jaivian Thomas (294 yards rushing and one touchdown in 2025), redshirt senior Anthony Woods (294 yards rushing in 2025) and redshirt freshman Karson Cox (nine yards in two carries during his only appearance as a true freshman).

With Knight on board, the Bruins presumably have their starting running back in Year 1 under their new coach.

Jim Harbaugh listed descriptions of his players as he looked back on the injury-filled route to the postseason the Chargers took to facing the New England Patriots in the AFC wild-card round on Sunday.

Harbaugh, heading into his second postseason as Chargers head coach, coined his team as gladiators, warriors and competitors — grappling the attention off the reporter’s question about what he’d learned from the regular-season strife and onto his roster.

“They’re mighty men,” Harbaugh said Wednesday afternoon.

Harbaugh continued: “It just reconfirms everything that I’ve always thought and want for our team is: ‘Competitors welcome.’ Competitors and playmakers, and we’ve got them. … That bodes really well for our team.”

There’s no doubt who the mightiest of the bunch may be for the Chargers (11-6) in 2025.

Justin Herbert’s 16-game stretch — playing the final five of which with a fractured left hand before sitting out last week — has turned heads with his 3,727 passing yards and 26 passing touchdowns despite playing behind a fractured offensive line because of injuries to starting tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt.

“He’s had a tremendous season — very MVP caliber in every way,” Harbaugh said. “He’s either leading us to victory — willing us to victory. He’s doing anything and everything he can for this team, and does it at the level only reserved for the very best in the game to do.”

Herbert has lined up behind the most offensive line combinations in the NFL this season (25), while the Chargers are tied for the second-most sacks allowed per game (3.5) across the regular season.

Hit after hit — for which he’s taken the most in the NFL — Herbert rose to his feet. The 27-year-old will try to avoid another hit, in the form of defeat, on Sunday while still in search for his first-career playoff victory.

It’s been nearly a full year since last year’s wild-card defeat to the Houston Texans when Herbert turned in arguably the worst performance of his career, including a career-high four interceptions as the Chargers fell 32-12.

“A lot of teams aren’t playing this week,” said Herbert who took snaps behind center during the midweek for the first time since fracturing his hand during Week 13. “So for us to be able to have a chance, it’s all we can ask for.”

The Patriots (14-3) have their own signal-caller who has created traction across the league for his sophomore-season improvement. Drake Maye has tossed 4,394 passing yards, 31 touchdowns and just eight interceptions, a marked advancement from a season ago where the North Carolina alumnus struggled as the Patriots finished with a 4-13 record overall.

In came Mike Vrabel for former New England coach Jerod Mayo, and the odds shifted in the Patriots’ and Maye’s favor. Herbert said the Patriots are “hardly ever out of position,” adding that Maye’s week-by-week statistics are something that has led the Chargers quarterback to build respect for his foe.

“It’s a sign of players that play by the rules and listen to great coaches,” Herbert said. “[The Patriots] play together and they communicate really well and they’re a really good defense.”

On the availability front, running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) did not practice Wednesday and worked off to the side with a trainer during the media-watching period.

Harbaugh said that his rookie running back — who missed part of the season because of a left ankle fracture suffered in Week 5 — was “doing everything he can to get back in there” ahead of Sunday’s postseason clash.

Two-time All-American wide receiver and prominent Outdoors Channel host Jordan Shipley is in critical condition after an accident on his ranch in Texas, his family said in a statement.

Shipley, 40, was described as stable after remaining hospitalized Tuesday night in Austin. The statement said a machine that he was operating near his hometown of Burnet caught fire. The former Texas great suffered “severe burns on his body.”

Shipley abruptly retired in 2012 after three NFL seasons primarily because of persistent concussion issues and chronic knee problems. He quickly transitioned to television shows that showcased his passion for deer hunting, co-hosting “The Bucks of Tecomate” and “Tecomate Whitetail Nation.”

“It was not hard at all,” Shipley said at the time of retiring at 27. “Only because I never saw myself as a football player first. Don’t get me wrong, I worked my tail off for football and I loved it but never saw that as my whole identity because I had such a big background in outdoors. Really, with this opportunity I had I was actually pretty excited about moving forward.”

Although he enjoyed a strong rookie season with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010 with 52 receptions for 600 yards and three touchdowns, he is best remembered as a record-setting player at Texas.

Shipley starred as a receiver and a kick returner from 2006 to 2009, setting program single-season records in 2009 with 116 receptions and 1,489 yards. He also remains the career leader for receptions with 248 and ranks second in career receiving yards with 3,191, behind Roy Williams. Shipley also returned four punts or kickoffs for touchdowns.

After being drafted in the third round by the Bengals, he became one of the most popular players with Cincinnati fans, and his No. 11 jersey was worn by thousands. After a debilitating knee injury early in the 2011 season, he was never the same player, and he had short stints with Tampa Bay and Jacksonville before retiring.

According to his family, Jordan was operating a machine at his ranch when it caught fire. He managed to free himself from the machine, but “not before sustaining severe burns on his body in the process.” Jordan was airlifted to the hospital in Austin.

“He was able to get to one of his workers on the ranch, who drove him to a local hospital. He was then care-flighted to Austin, where he remains in critical but stable condition,” the statement said.

Shipley’s younger brother, former Texas wide receiver Jaxon Shipley, 33, asked for prayers in a statement on Instagram: “Please pray for full healing and no infections or other issues on his road to recovery. I don’t want to get into all the details, other than his life was spared today by the grace of God and the sheer will to live. I believe prayer is effective so I’m asking anyone and everyone to lift Jordan up in prayer.”

Tyler Higbee has played in 12 NFL playoff games during his 10-year career, so the veteran tight end knows, better than perhaps any other Rams player, what lies ahead.

Higbee was part of two teams that advanced to the Super Bowl.

“Don’t listen to the outside noise,” Higbee said when asked to describe the formula for a Super Bowl run. “You don’t look at the ifs, the what-could-be’s. You just come in, work, and take it a day at time. … Keep peaking week after week.”

The Rams, seeded No. 5 in the NFC, begin the playoffs on Saturday against the No. 4 Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.

Higbee, who returned from injured reserve and starred in last Sunday’s season-finale victory over the Arizona Cardinals, figures to be a key player as the Rams attempt to avenge a Week 13 loss to the Panthers.

Higbee was scheduled to play limited snaps against the Cardinals, but with rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson a late scratch because of a hamstring issue, Higbee played 48 snaps and caught five passes for 91 yards and a touchdown in a 37-20 victory.

“I was just excited the ball found me,” he said. “Glad I could contribute to help us get a win.”

Coach Sean McVay was happy to have Higbee back.

“You could just see there’s a swag,” McVay said, “there’s a confidence.”

Higbee, 33, was a fourth-round draft pick in 2016 and has been an integral part of the offense ever since McVay was hired in 2017. Higbee and right tackle Rob Havenstein, an 11-year veteran who is on injured reserve, were members of McVay’s first team that have been on the roster for all seven playoff appearances under the ninth-year coach. Long snapper Jake McQuaide, a 15th-year pro who was part of McVay’s first four seasons, was signed at midseason.

Higbee has 386 career catches, 27 for touchdowns.

But Higbee’s value to the Rams goes beyond production.

“It’s just the human being too,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “The human being that celebrates for everybody.”

Midway through this season, the Rams evolved from an offense that primarily utilized one tight end to a scheme that utilizes as many as three at a time.

“Everybody has their own flavor,” Higbee said, “their own things that they’re great at.”

In 10 games, Higbee has 25 catches, three for touchdowns.

Colby Parkinson has 43 catches, eight for touchdowns, both career bests. Davis Allen has 24 catches, three for touchdowns, and Ferguson has 11 catches, three for touchdowns.

“We’re all very selfless,” Parkinson said. “No one is out there looking for individual success. We’re out there looking for team success.”

With Stafford at the controls, a receiver corps that includes stars Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, the running back duo of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, and four productive tight ends bolstering the offensive line, the Rams averaged a league-best 30.5 points and 394.6 yards per game.

“This is the deepest tight end room I’ve ever been a part of,” Higbee said. “We’ve got the guys to do it, and we’ve shown that we can do it and the offense can go while we do it.

“And that will just present more opportunities.”

Higbee has 31 postseason receptions for 302 yards and two touchdowns, including one against the Philadelphia Eagles in last season’s divisional-round defeat.

Higbee did not play in the 31-28 loss to the Panthers on Nov. 30 because of the ankle injury suffered two weeks before against the Seattle Seahawks. So he is looking forward to making an impact any way that he can on Saturday for a team stocked with players that he said play for each other.

“At this level,” he said, “the more you can get guys that want to play for each other rather than just their families and the name on their back, makes a tighter team and in my opinion makes for a better team.”

Matthew Stafford remains among the frontrunners for the NFL most valuable player award, though his status took a hit after a three-interception performance in a defeat by the Atlanta Falcons.

On Sunday, the Rams’ veteran quarterback gets a final shot at making his case when he plays against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium.

“Listen, I’m not too worried about it,” Stafford said when asked whether MVP talk enters his mind.

The balloting is in the hands of others.

“People are going to vote how they want to vote,” he said. “They’re going to say what they want to say.”

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The Rams look to end their two-game losing skid and head into the wild-card playoffs with a win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

So Stafford is focused on helping the Rams return to their winning ways.

“I’m just trying to put as good of a season together as I possibly can,” he said.

Stafford, 37, has enjoyed one of the best seasons of his 17-year career.

He has passed for a career-best and league-leading 42 touchdowns, with eight interceptions, while leading the Rams to an 11-5 record and third-place finish in the NFC West, the NFL’s toughest division this season.

His main competition seemingly is New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. The second-year pro has passed for 30 touchdowns, with eight interceptions, while leading the Patriots to a 13-3 record and the AFC East title.

The NFL MVP award is voted on by a panel of 50 journalists who regularly cover the NFL, and the panel is assembled by the Associated Press. Los Angeles Times reporters do not participate in voting for awards.

Maye will start Sunday when the Patriots play the Miami Dolphins. If the Patriots win and the Denver Broncos lose to the Chargers, the Patriots will earn the AFC’s No. 1 seed and a first-round playoff bye.

The Rams entered the weekend as the No. 6 seed in the NFC. With the San Francisco 49ers’ loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, the Rams will move up to No. 5 with a win over the Cardinals.

The Rams and Stafford were on a roll, and held the No. 1 seed in the NFC, until they lost 38-37 in overtime to the eventual NFC West champion Seahawks on Dec. 18 in Seattle. Stafford played well in that defeat, passing for 457 yards and three touchdowns.

But last Monday against the Falcons, Stafford had one interception returned for a touchdown and two more that also cost the Rams in a 27-24 defeat.

Stafford ranks among the top 10 in several NFL career passing categories. But he ranks this season’s statistical performance among his best.

“It’s up there with some of the better ones I’ve played,” he said. “The cool thing about that is I have such a great group around me. … I have great teammates. I try to do my best to get the best out of those guys and help them succeed and help those guys have great seasons and great games as best as I can.”

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford takes the field before a win over the Detroit Lions on Dec. 14.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Coach Sean McVay said Stafford was a coach on the field.

“Do you elevate the people you’re around and the situations you’re a part of? He certainly does that,” McVay said. “And I think that’s been reflected from guys having their best years around him. He deserves a ton of credit for that.”

During seven of his 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions, Stafford combined with Hall of Fame receiver Calvin Johnson. In 2021, after being traded to the Rams, he helped Cooper Kupp capture the so-called triple crown of receiving: Kupp led the NFL in catches, yards receiving and touchdown catches.

Two years ago, Rams receiver Puka Nacua burst onto the scene with a record-setting rookie season, and this season he is tied for the league lead with 119 catches. Veteran Davante Adams, who is in his first season with the Rams, leads the NFL with 14 touchdown catches.

“Every single time I go play, I feel like I try to help our guys and our coaches and everybody, put everybody in the best position to succeed,” Stafford said.

Stafford, who sat out all of training camp because of a back issue, was never a scrambler in the mold of Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen. But he continues to make plays out of the pocket and utilizes multiple arm angles to deliver passes.

“I still play with all the same feel and pocket movement and all that stuff that I used to,” he said. “It probably just doesn’t look the same.”

A few weeks ago, Stafford appeared on his way to his first NFL MVP award.

Now he is aiming to bounce back from his performance against the Falcons and help the Rams enter the playoffs with momentum.

“I would love to play perfect in every game, but I’m not a robot and it happens,” he said. “I’m proud of our team and I’m looking forward to another opportunity.”

ATLANTA — The Rams already knew they will be on the road for the playoffs, a difficult assignment for any team.

It’s trending toward becoming one especially tough for the Rams, who only a few weeks ago appeared to be the class of the NFC, if not the NFL.

Not anymore.

On Monday night, the Rams for much of their game against the Atlanta Falcons, looked like a team on the road to nowhere. Or one more interested in limping through the end of the regular season before turning it on for the playoffs.

They overcame a 21-point deficit to tie the score, but Zane Gonzalez’s 51-yard field goal with 21 seconds left sent the Rams to a 27-24 defeat at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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Gary Klein breaks down what went wrong for the Rams in their 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.

It was the Rams’ second loss in a row, both coming on the road.

“Here we are again in a disappointing situation,” coach Sean McVay said.

The loss dropped the Rams to 11-5 going into Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium.

On Saturday, the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers will play for the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Rams are seeded No. 6. If the Seahawks defeat the 49ers, and the Rams beat the Cardinals, the Rams could move up to No. 5.

McVay said starters would play against the Cardinals rather than rest for the playoffs.

“They were going to play anyways,” McVay said. “We need to play better football.”

Way better.

Defensive lineman Kobie Turner said McVay told the team that if they play in the wild-card round like they did on Monday night, they were going to be sitting on their couches watching the rest of the postseason.

“It’s the reality of the situation,” Turner said, adding, “I back him. … That’s not where we want to be.”

The Rams have no choice about where they will begin their postseason as they attempt to earn a Super Bowl berth for the third time in McVay’s nine seasons.

They will not be at SoFi Stadium, where they have lost only once this season. The Rams’ other losses — to Philadelphia, Carolina, Seattle and Atlanta — came on the road.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford tries to avoid diving Atlanta Falcons linebacker Khalid Kareem during the second half of the Rams’ 27-24 loss Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

(Brynn Anderson / Associated Press)

Monday’s defeat by the Falcons (7-9), coming on the heels of their 38-37 overtime loss in Seattle on Dec. 18, gave the Rams consecutive road games defeats for the first time since the start of the 2024 season, when they lost their opener in overtime at Detroit and then got routed at Arizona.

Players could not explain Monday night’s first-half malaise.

“It’s a little embarrassing because we preach about the things we want to get done, and we know how good we can be,” offensive lineman Steve Avila said. “And today was probably the worst we’ve ever shown.”

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford moved past Ben Roethlisberger into sixth place on the NFL’s all-time passing yards list, but there was not much to be happy about on a night that had set up as a possible MVP-clinching stage.

Stafford completed 22 of 38 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns but had three passes intercepted, including one that was returned for a touchdown.

“I obviously didn’t play well enough,” he said. “That’s what it is.”

Rams coach Sean McVay speaks with quarterback Matthew Stafford in the fourth quarter Monday against the Falcons.

(Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)

The first half was a nightmare for Stafford, who went into the game with a league-leading 40 touchdown passes and only five interceptions.

The Falcons built a 21-0 halftime lead on Bijan Robinson’s touchdown catch, Jessie Bates III’s interception return for a touchdown and Robinson’s 93-yard touchdown run, which came one play after Xavier Watts got the first of his two interceptions.

Robinson finished with 195 yards rushing and also caught a touchdown pass.

If there was a bright spot for the Rams, it was special teams. Just over a week after McVay elevated Ben Kotwica to replace fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn, Jared Verse blocked a field-goal attempt and returned it 76 yards for a touchdown that cut the Falcons’ lead to 24-17 with less than a minute left in the third quarter.

The Rams’ chances for a comeback appeared to end when Watts intercepted another pass with just more than nine minutes left.

But Stafford’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Puka Nacua tied the score with 2:46 left.

Gonzalez’s field goal put the Falcons ahead by three.

Stafford got the ball one last time, but he missed a wide-open Xavier Smith on a route, and Tutu Atwell and Nacua could not come up with deep passes. With five seconds left, Stafford’s fourth-down pass to Nacua fell incomplete.

So instead of resting for the playoffs, starters will try to get the Rams back on track in the season finale.

“We don’t need rest right now,” Turner said. “We need momentum.”

Alabama understands that stopping Indiana’s powerful offense in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day starts with containing Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

“[Mendoza] is operating at a really high level,” Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said. “When you watch the tape and the challenge, really the cry for our guys [is] to have to operate at a really consistent level, and you’re going to have to take away those windows that he’s wanting to get the ball through.”

During top-seeded Indiana’s undefeated season, Mendoza threw for 2,980 yards and 33 touchdowns for a team that ranked eighth in total offense (472.8 yards per game). Despite his impressive numbers, ninth-seeded Alabama isn’t showing signs of being intimidated by Mendoza heading into the College Football Playoff quarterfinal showdown.

“He’s a man, just like me,” Alabama defensive lineman Tim Keenan III said. “He put himself in a position to achieve the accolades, so we need to make sure we do what we need to, to play our game.”

Added Alabama safety Keon Sabb: “Congrats to him for winning [the Heisman], but we’ll play our game.”

Alabama is planning to put pressure on Mendoza in an effort to force potential turnovers and limit Indiana’s attack, cornerback Zabien Brown said.

“I want to stop quarterbacks whether they’ve won the Heisman Trophy or not,” Wommack added.

What began as a blowout, ended as a down-to-the-wire finish Saturday, as the Houston Texans held off the Chargers with a 20-16 victory at SoFi Stadium.

The outcome rippled through the AFC, with the Denver Broncos clinching the AFC West, and the Indianapolis Colts eliminated from playoff contention. The Broncos are the first team other than Kansas City to win the division in the past decade.

The Chargers (11-5), who had won four in a row, made some uncharacteristic mistakes to fritter away scoring chances.

Justin Herbert, who otherwise had a tremendous and gutty game, was intercepted a yard away from the end zone in the first half.

Cameron Dicker, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, missed for the first time in his career inside of 40 yards and in the fourth quarter hooked an extra-point try, only the fourth PAT miss of his career.

Herbert completed 21 of 32 passes for 236 yards with a touchdown and interception.

Houston’s C.J. Stroud completed 16 of 28 for 244 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Texans (11-5), who got off to an 0-3 start this season, came into Saturday’s game riding a seven-game winning streak.

They played host to the Chargers in the first round of the playoffs last season and collected a 32-12 victory, intercepting Herbert four times.

On Saturday, Herbert kept the Chargers in the game, absorbing hits from every angle yet still throwing a one-yard touchdown pass to Oronde Gadsden II at the end of the third quarter and setting up another touchdown, a five-yard run by rookie Omarion Hampton, with 3:37 left in the fourth.

Dicker missed the extra point on the latter touchdown, meaning the Chargers couldn’t tie with a field goal and needed a touchdown.

At the end of the first half, Dicker missed a 32-yard field goal, and weird as that was, it encapsulated what kind of start it was for the Chargers.

They were flat and flat-footed from the beginning, surrendering a 75-yard touchdown pass on Houston’s first possession and a 43-yard touchdown pass on the second.

The Texans were up, 14-0, before the Chargers got their initial first down.

Herbert was sacked three times in the half, and on the first appeared to have hurt his surgically repaired left hand. At least he was wincing and favoring that hand as he walked off the field, but it didn’t sideline him.

Despite getting off to a two-touchdown lead, the Texans didn’t run away with the game.

Derwin James Jr. had an interception early in the second quarter to set up a field goal for the Chargers.

The Chargers got a field goal and moved into position for a touchdown in the second quarter when Herbert connected with Quentin Johnston for a 60-yard gain.

On the following play, however, Herbert attempted to hit Gadsden over the middle. The pass wasn’t perfectly timed, and glanced off the hands of the rookie tight end, who was near the goal line. Houston linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair made the interception at the one.

Minutes later, the Chargers would get another golden opportunity to score. Elijah Molden made an interception at the Houston 32, and his team made it into the red zone before Dicker’s failed attempt.

LANDOVER, Md. — Dak Prescott threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns, and the Dallas Cowboys blew most of an 18-point lead before squeezing past the Washington Commanders 30-23 Thursday.

Dallas (7-8-1) scored touchdowns on its first three possessions to go up 21-3. Although the Commanders (4-12) cut the gap to a touchdown on three different occasions, they couldn’t complete the comeback and absorbed their 10th loss in 11 games.

Both teams were previously eliminated from playoff contention, which severely lessened the significance of this matchup between longtime NFC East rivals.

Prescott completed 19 of 37 passes and helped Dallas convert all six of its fourth-down tries. His two TD passes gave him 30, tying Tony Romo’s franchise record of four seasons with at least 30 touchdown throws.

Prescott shrugged off six sacks, including three by Jer’Zhan Newton.

Playing without injured quarterbacks Jayden Daniels (elbow) and Marcus Mariota (quad, hand), Washington turned to 39-year-old journeyman Josh Johnson. Making his 10th career start and first since 2021, Johnson went 15 for 23 for 198 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt scored on runs of 10 and 72 yards for Washington. The latter touchdown got the Commanders to 24-17 in the third quarter, but Dallas restored its double-digit lead with a 52-yard field by Brandon Aubrey.

Aubrey added a 51-yarder to make it 30-20 with 3:59 remaining.

After Prescott threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Ferguson on the game’s opening drive, Johnson went 3 for 3 for 68 yards to get Washington to 7-3. The key play was a 41-yard completion to Deebo Samuel, Johnson’s longest since 2018. Samuel finished by running into Donovan Wilson, knocking the safety’s helmet off.

On their second possession, the Cowboys converted three fourth downs on a 17-play march that ended with a touchdown run by Javonte Williams. Prescott then made it three TDs in three drives with an 86-yard scoring pass to KaVontae Turpin.

Matthew Stafford was voted to the Pro Bowl this season, but the Rams veteran quarterback stopped concerning himself about the recognition more than a decade ago.

In 2011, the then third-year pro passed for more than 5,000 yards and 41 touchdowns for the Detroit Lions.

Stafford thought he had a chance to make the NFC roster, but Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Cam Newton got more votes.

“Wasn’t even close,” Stafford said, chuckling, on Wednesday. “So at that point, I kind of reserved myself to just go play, have fun and whatever happens, happens.

“But it is cool to be a part of it.”

Stafford, who also was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2023, is a leading contender for perhaps the NFL’s most prestigious award — most valuable player.

Stafford, 37, has passed for a league-leading 4,179 yards and 40 touchdowns, with five interceptions, while leading a Rams team that is 11-4 and currently seeded No. 6 in the NFC going into Monday night’s game against the Atlanta Falcons (6-9) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Rams are averaging 30.5 points and 396.7 yards per game, both tops in the NFL. They rank second in passing (270.5 yards per game) and fifth in rushing (126.3 yards per game).

In last Thursday’s 38-37 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Stafford passed for 457 yards and three touchdowns. Yet he was outdueled by fellow Pro Bowl pick Sam Darnold, who led a touchdown drive in overtime and capped it with a game-winning two-point conversion pass.

Stafford is preparing to face a Falcons defense that ranks 14th overall, but eighth against the pass, giving up 195.1 yards per game.

Asked if he was surprised that Stafford has only been voted to the Pro Bowl three times, Rams coach Sean McVay said yes, adding that there were “a lot of layers to the Pro Bowl stuff.”

“You talk to the real football people. … I think he’s seen as a guy that’s one of the best ever to do it,” McVay said. “I think that’s been very well acknowledged this year but I think it’s probably overdue.”

Stafford has “elevated” everybody around him since the Rams traded for him in 2021, McVay said.

“The best part about Matthew is, he’s got this great humility,” McVay said, adding, “What he cares about are the respect of his teammates, his coaches and the people he’s playing against. And I think when you talk to those who know, hes got great respect and admiration for the way that he competes, the way he goes about it and what type of player he is.”

Etc.

Receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) and offensive lineman Kevin Dotson (ankle) are making “good progress,” but McVay did not provide a definitive update on their status for the game against the Falcons. … The Rams opened the 21-day window for cornerback Roger McCreary (hip) to return from injured reserve. McVay said “most likely” that the Rams will open the 21-day window for safety Quentin Lake (elbow) next week to return from injured reserve. Lake is expected to be ready for the playoffs, or possibly for the final game against the Arizona Cardinals. … The Rams are off Thursday. They are expected to practice Friday at SoFi Stadium, and Saturday at their Woodland Hills facility.

Bob Chesney didn’t have to go far to secure his most important player.

He was already on campus.

Nico Iamaleava has agreed to return to UCLA for next season, giving the Bruins a top-level quarterback as part of their new coach’s bid for a quick turnaround from a 3-9 season under his predecessor and an interim coach.

Iamaleava announced his intentions on Instagram, posting a highlight video alongside a caption reading, “NO PLACE LIKE HOME. Back with my brothers. Same vision. Same goals. Same grind. Locked in. Time to work!”

The possible benefits go beyond improving Iamaleava’s NFL draft stock with a strong season. Another important plus could be the reputational boost associated with staying put after Iamaleava left Tennessee during spring practice in 2025 as part of an emotionally charged falling out with the Volunteers that sparked widespread criticism.

Remaining a Bruin will also allow the redshirt junior to spend at least one more season on the same team as his brother Madden, who will be a redshirt freshman quarterback after appearing at the end of one game last season.

None of UCLA’s struggles in 2025 could be blamed on its starting quarterback. Constantly under duress from a pass rush that met little resistance from his offensive line, Iamaleava was his team’s leading passer and rusher despite being sacked 27 times.

Iamaleava accounted for 17 of his team’s 24 touchdowns and led the Bruins with 10 plays of 20 yards or more, all coming on the ground. Although he wasn’t a prolific passer — his 255 yards through the air as part of a furious comeback against Nevada Las Vegas were a season high — Iamaleava’s ability to produce big plays with his arm and his legs presented a huge problem for opposing defenses.

Iamaleava’s passing accuracy enjoyed a slight uptick from his final season at Tennessee, where he helped the Volunteers reach the College Football Playoff. In his first season as a Bruin after returning home in part to be closer to his family in Long Beach, Iamaleava completed 64.4% of his passes for 1,928 yards and 13 touchdowns with seven interceptions.

Whether he was scrambling out of the pocket or sprinting on designed quarterback runs, Iamaleava might have been hardest to stop when he planted his feet and took off. He led the team with 505 rushing yards and four touchdowns in 112 carries, including 128 yards and three touchdowns during a victory over then-No. 7 Penn State.

Equally important was the leadership of a player who unflinchingly met with the media after losses and challenged others. Amid the team’s 0-4 start, Iamaleava told teammates they could leave if they didn’t want to stay and help spark a turnaround. No one did, and the team went on to win its next three games.

Now Iamaleava is staying put, giving his coach a huge building block as part of his efforts to forge a sturdy foundation.

The fact quarterback Luke Fahey of Mission Viejo High signed with Ohio State is impressive enough. Then look at his 2025 statistics and you begin to realize he’s going to be next in line to continue Southern California’s success in developing top quarterbacks.

Over 11 games, he only had three passes intercepted while completing 71% of his passes. He threw for 3,199 yards and 25 touchdowns. He ran for six touchdowns. He had a school-record 569 yards passing against Los Alamitos. He made a clutch touchdown pass in the second half to beat eventual Southern Section Division 1 champion Santa Margarita 7-6 in the season opener.

He clearly performed at his best when the pressure was on and Mission Viejo needed him to lift up his teammates.

“He’s the best leader I’ve had in 25 years of coaching. He’s the total package,” coach Chad Johnson said.

Fahey has been selected The Times’ back of the year.

Before this season, he was sharing time at quarterback, showing incredible unselfishness while putting his trust in the process that everything would work out when it was his time to be the full-time starter. And it did.

“He’s always been real good,” Johnson said. “He was sharing reps and didn’t allow everyone to see his greatness and what he could be. Ohio State saw it. It’s going to be crazy what he can do at the next level.”

There’s one memory Johnson won’t soon forget. It was in the visiting locker room after a game at St. Paul. Fahey stayed behind as the last person to pick up trash to leave the locker room clean. Then he headed to the bus. Only the head coach saw it. The best player on the team doing work others ignored.

“Remarkable,” Johnson said.

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Chargers won Sunday, and now they wait.

After their 34-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, the Chargers can secure a spot in the postseason with a loss or tie by Houston or Indianapolis.

The Texans play host to Las Vegas in an afternoon game, and the Colts play host to San Francisco on Monday night.

It was the seventh win in eight games for the Chargers, who are on a season-long, four-game winning streak. Sunday marked the third time they have topped 30 points this season.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert turned in another gritty performance, throwing for two touchdowns and plunging over the goal line for a third.

A pivotal play by Herbert came on third-and-seven early in the fourth quarter, he kept the ball and scrambled for 34 yards. At the end of that run, his surgically repaired left hand collided with the helmet of his Cowboys tackler. The quarterback briefly writhed on the turf, but didn’t come out of the game.

Late in the game, as rookie Omarion Hampton ran for a touchdown, Herbert joined him in the end zone and exchanged high-fives with teammates, careful to protect his casted left hand.

Although the Cowboys came into Sunday’s game eliminated from postseason contention, they still had the NFL’s No. 1 offense and a potent passing attack led by Dak Prescott. He effectively neutralized the Chargers defense in the first half, with touchdown passes in the first and second quarters.

The Chargers close the regular season with a home game Saturday against Houston and a finale at Denver.

A look at the Los Angeles Times’ 24-player All-Star high school football team for the 2025 season:

OFFENSE

Quarterback: Luke Fahey, Mission Viejo, 6-0, 185, Sr. — The Ohio State commit had a sensational senior season, passing for 3,199 yards and 25 touchdowns with only three interceptions while completing 71% of his passes.

Running back: Jeremiah Watson, Murrieta Valley, 5-9, 180, Sr. — Injuries took a toll but he still finished with 1,429 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns.

Running back: Darnell Miller, Santee, 6-0, 170, Sr. — Miller led the state in running with 3,296 yards and 40 touchdowns for the City Section Division III champions.

Receiver: Madden Williams, St. John Bosco, Sr. — The Texas A&M commit caught 41 passes for 804 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Trinity League co-champions.

Receiver: Trent Mosley, Santa Margarita, Sr. — The USC commit was one of the most versatile offensive weapons, whether catching passes, playing quarterback out of a wildcat formation or getting the ball on a handoff in leading the Eagles to the Southern Section Division 1 title and CIF Open Division title.

Receiver: Jack Junker, Mission Viejo, 5-10, 182, Jr. — With 14 touchdown receptions and averaging nearly 20 yards per catch, Junker rose up to become one of the top receivers from the class of 2027.

Lineman: Blake Graham, Leuzinger, 6-3, 300, Sr. — The Cal Poly commit cleared the way for more than 2,600 yards rushing for a team that won the Bay League title.

Lineman: Cooper Javorsky, San Juan Hills, 6-4, 285, Sr. — The UCLA commit and future center is a relentless worker who showed up every game to give his best and deliver big blocks.

Lineman: Luke Kingman, Murrieta Valley, 6-5, 315, Sr. — The Idaho State commit used his strength and size to lead one of the best rushing attacks in the Southland.

Lineman: Braiden McKenna, Los Alamitos, 6-2, 290, Sr. — It was the Griffins’ offensive line that was key to a Southern Section Division 2 title, and McKenna, playing center, was the leader, helping produce two 1,000-yard rushers.

Lineman: Kodi Greene, Mater Dei, 6-5, 320, Sr. — The Washington commit was a two-year standout, using his size and strength to be a reliable blocker.

Kicker: Kyle Donahue, San Juan Hills, 5-11, 165, Sr. — A trained soccer player turned out to be the most accurate kicker in the Southland, making 12 of 13 field-goal attempts and 44 of 45 PATs.

Defense

Defensive line: Richard Wesley, Sierra Canyon, 6-5, 260, Sr. — The Texas commit was named Mission League player of the year and finished with 8.5 sacks for the 10-1 Trailblazers.

Defensive line: Max Meier, Loyola, 6-5, 240, Sr. — The Stanford commit recorded 19 tackles for losses, including 11.5 sacks.

Defensive line: Khary Wilder, Gardena Serra, 6-4, 260, Sr. — The Ohio State commit faced repeated double teams and still finished with 20 tackles for losses, including 10 sacks.

Linebacker: Isaiah Phelps, Oxnard Pacifica, 6-1, 200, Jr. Phelps led Pacifica to a Southern Section Division 3 championship, averaging nearly 15 tackles a game with his quickness and instincts.

Linebacker: De’Andre Kirkpatrick, Crenshaw, 6-3, 200, Jr. — Kirkpatrick was a difference-maker to get Crenshaw to the City Section Open Division final, disrupting offenses while making himself as a top recruit.

Linebacker: Matthew Muasau, St. John Bosco, 6-1, 230, Sr. — The UCLA commit showed everyone what fundamentally sound tackling looks like, finishing with five sacks and 64 tackles.

Linebacker: Dash Fifita, Santa Margarita, 5-9, 195, Sr. — The Arizona commit filled the role perfectly of tackling machine on the best defense in the Southland for Division 1 champions.

Defensive back: CJ Lavender, Mater Dei, Sr. — The UCLA commit was a model of consistency, delivering big tackles and big plays every game a fiwhileishing with seven interceptions.

Defensive back: Pakipole Moala, Leuzinger, 6-0, 165, So. — Asked to cover each opponent’s top receiver, Moala showed he belonged, contributing three interceptions and 27 tackles in a breakout season.

Defensive back: Madden Riordan, Sierra Canyon, 5-11, 165, Sr. — The USC commit had four interceptions and prevented big plays with his intelligence, instincts and anticipation.

Defensive back: Jaden Walk-Green, Corona Centennial, 5-11, 180, Jr. — With 10 interceptions, including four returned for touchdowns while also kicking, punting and returning punts and kickoffs, he was the most versatile player in the Southland.

Punter: Jacob Kreinbring, Loyola, 6-0, 195, Sr. — Averaged 41.2 yards a punt, with 18 inside the 20 and also made a 46-yard field goal.

The Rams have lost four games this season, three resulting in part from special teams breakdowns.

In the aftermath of their defeat by the Seattle Seahawks, coach Sean McVay made a significant move.

Chase Blackburn, the Rams’ special teams coordinator for the last three seasons, has been fired, a team official said Saturday.

Assistant Ben Kotwica remains on the staff.

Earlier this month, Blackburn said, “The job of a special teams coach is to be able to adapt and overcome on all things.”

That proved a challenge for a team that features a high-powered offense, and an at-times dominating defense.

On Thursday night in Seattle, the Rams led by 16 points in the fourth quarter when they allowed Rashid Shaheed to return a punt 58 yards for a touchdown. The play sparked the Seahawks’ comeback that sent the Rams to a 38-37 overtime defeat.

The loss dropped the Rams’ record to 11-4, and knocked them out of the No. 1 seed in the NFC and first place in the NFC West.

The breakdown was the latest in a series of special teams issues that have plagued the Rams.

In September at Philadelphia, the Eagles blocked two field-goal attempts by Joshua Karty, returning the second for a winning touchdown on the final play of regulation.

Two weeks later, in a 26-23 overtime defeat by the San Francisco 49ers, Karty missed a long field-goal attempt and had an extra-point attempt blocked. Karty’s kickoff in overtime did not reach the landing zone, giving the 49ers the ball at the 40-yard line.

Before their Week 10 game against the 49ers, the Rams signed kicker Harrison Mevis to replace Karty and signed veteran snapper Jake McQuaide to replace Alex Ward.

The kicking game solidified. Mevis made all eight of his field-goal attempts, including three against the Seahawks, before he missed a 48-yard attempt with just over two minutes left in regulation.

The Rams, who clinched a playoff spot, play the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 29 in Atlanta and then conclude the regular season at home against the Arizona Cardinals.

SEATTLE — Short week, strange and bad trip.

The Rams were on the verge of enduring a quick turnaround, a distracting Puka Nacua controversy, and a flight delay but they could not hold onto the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold’s two-point conversion pass to tight end Eric Saubert sent the Rams to a 38-37 overtime defeat on Thursday night before 68,853 at Lumen Field.

After Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford connected with Nacua for a 41-yard touchdown pass, Darnold’s four-yard touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba pulled the Seahawks to within two points.

Darnold finished the Rams with the pass to Saubert.

The loss dropped the Rams record to 11-4, knocked them out of first place in the NFC West and put a major roadblock in their pursuit of home-field advantage for the playoffs.

The division race remains tight, with the Seahawks (12-3) now in first place and the San Francisco 49ers (10-4) still in the mix.

The Rams conclude the season with a Monday night game against the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta and a home game against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Seahawks finish with road games at Carolina and San Francisco.

The 49ers play the Colts at Indianapolis and then home games against the Chicago Bears and the Seahawks.

Stafford completed 29 of 49 passes for 457 yards and three touchdowns. Nacua caught 12 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns. Kam Curl, Josh Wallace and Kobie Turner forced turnovers for the Rams, but it wasn’t enough

The Rams, who clinched a playoff spot last Sunday with a victory over the Detroit Lions, played Thursday without injured star receiver Davante Adams.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford passes during the second half against the Seahawks on Thursday night.

(Lindsey Wasson / Associated Press)

Nacua, rookie Konata Mumpfield and Xavier Smith tried to make up the difference.

Nacua entered the game mired in controversy after making critical comments about referees and performing an antisemetic gesture during a livestream. The third-year receiver apologized in an Instagram post Thursday, and the Rams and NFL released statements denouncing the gesture.

“Coach has just echoed that he’s always in continuous support of me, disappointed in some of the actions that just distracted my teammates and that’s something that I know I’ll learn from,” said Nacua, who eclipsed 180 yards receiving for the third game in a row. “And I don’t want to be a distraction in any week, especially in a short week, so we had talked about that and he’s right there behind me.”

Turner, linebacker Nate Landman and defensive tackle Poona Ford had sacks for the Rams.

The Rams led 13-7 at halftime on Stafford’s short touchdown pass to rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson and the first two of Harrison Mevis’ three field goals.

Near the end of the second quarter, Curl forced former Rams receiver Cooper Kupp to fumble the ball out of the end zone for a touchback, preserving the lead.

Early in the third quarter, Kenneth Walker III scored on a long touchdown run for the Seahawks, but Mevis’ third field goal put the Rams back in front, 16-14.

On the ensuing possession, Wallace picked off a pass for his first career interception and returned it 56 yards to set up Blake Corum’s one-yard touchdown run for a 23-14 lead.

The Rams scored early in the fourth quarter when Nacua broke free for a 58-yard reception, and Nacua then scored on a short pass for a 30-14 lead. Turner’s first career interception on Seattle’s ensuing possession seemingly sealed the victory.

But Rashid Shaheed returned a punt 58 yards for a touchdown and Kupp caught a two-point conversion pass to pull the Seahawks to within eight points with about eight minutes left.

Darnold’s 26-yard touchdown pass to tight end A.J. Barner pulled the Seahawks even, and after it appeared that a two-point conversion pass failed, officials ruled that Darnold’s pass was behind the line of scrimmage when it tipped off Jared Verse and was recovered in the end zone by Zach Charbonnet for two points, tying the score.

The Rams had a chance to take the lead with just over two minutes left, but Mevis missed a 48-yard, field-goal attempt, his first miss of the season.

USC’s starting quarterback is returning for another season in 2026.

Jayden Maiava made it official Tuesday as the school announced that he had re-signed with the program for the upcoming season, his third with the Trojans.

Maiava led USC to a 9-3 record in his first full season as starter after taking over the job during the final month of the 2023 season. He threw for 3,431 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also added six scores on the ground.

That strong performance led to questions of whether Maiava might declare for the NFL draft. Some prognosticators viewed Maiava as one of the better potential quarterback prospects in a draft especially thin on passers.

Instead, Maiava will run it back at USC, where the Trojans are set to return most of their dynamic 2025 offense in 2026 — the exception being their top two wideouts Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, who both declared for the draft. USC announced earlier this week that it had re-signed No. 1 running back Waymond Jordan and receivers Tanook Hines and Zacharyus Williams for the 2026 season.

Maiava’s return now turns the attention to five-star backup Husan Longstreet, who will have a decision to make about his future at USC. It’s unclear if Longstreet would be willing to wait another season behind Maiava.

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia finished second in Heisman Trophy voting to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

That, of course, is quite an accomplishment.

But Pavia apparently felt otherwise. After the results were announced Saturday in New York, the 23-year-old senior posted a photo of himself with his offensive linemen on his Instagram Stories and gave it a profane caption.

“F-ALL THE VOTERS,” Pavia wrote, followed by a thumbs-down emoji, “BUT ….. FAMILY FOR LIFE”

On Sunday night, Pavia posted a lengthy apology on X.

“Being a part of the Heisman ceremony last night as a finalist was such an honor,” he wrote. “As a competitor, just like in everything I do I wanted to win. To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful. I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the way I wanted to.

“I have much love and respect for the Heisman voters and the selection process, and I apologize for being disrespectful. It was a mistake, and I am sorry.”

Heisman Trophy finalists, from left to right, Notre Dame‘s Jeremiah Love, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin pose with the trophy before the award ceremony Dec. 13 in New York.

(Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / Associated Press)

Mendoza received 643 first-place votes and 2,362 overall points to Pavia’s 189 first-place votes and 1,435 points. Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love finished third in voting (46 first place, 719 points), and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin was fourth (eight first place, 432 points).

Indiana (13-0) is the top team in the College Football Playoff rankings and will play the Oklahoma-Alabama winner in the Rose Bowl. Mendoza has played a large role in the Hoosiers’ success. He completed 71.5% of his passes for 2,980 yards with a national-best 33 touchdown passes and six interceptions. In addition, Mendoza rushed for 240 yards and six touchdowns.

“Fernando Mendoza is an elite competitor and a deserving winner of the award,” Pavia wrote. “I have nothing but respect for his accomplishments as well as the success that Jeremiyah and Julian had this season.”

Pavia also put up huge numbers for Vanderbilt (10-2), which was No. 14 in the final CFP ranking and will play Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Jan. 1. He completed 71.2% of his passes for 3,192 yards with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions and rushed for 826 yards and nine touchdowns.

A former walk-on at New Mexico Military Institute, Pavia played two years at New Mexico State before transferring to Vanderbilt in 2024. Leading up to the Heisman ceremony, Pavia declared himself the best college football player of all time. He recently told Sports Illustrated, however, that his self-confidence should not be mistaken for arrogance.

“As an underdog paying to walk on to JUCO, you kind of have to be your own cheerleader,” Pavia said. “And it just never left my head, to be like ‘Oh I arrived, I don’t need to do that anymore.’”

Pavia reflected on his past in his apology post.

“I’ve been doubted my whole life. Every step of my journey I’ve had to break down doors and fight for myself, because Ive learned that nothing would be handed to me,” he wrote. “My family has always been in my corner, and my teammates, coaches and staff have my six. I love them — I am grateful for them. — and I wouldn’t want anything to distract from that. I look forward to competing in front of my family and with my team one more time in the ReliaQuest Bowl.”

In a high school football season full of surprises, the biggest was a Heisman Trophy winner guiding his alma mater to a state championship in California’s toughest division in his rookie season of coaching.

Who had Carson Palmer and Santa Margarita on their bingo card toppling Sierra Canyon, Orange Lutheran, Corona Centennial and Corcord De La Salle in a four-game postseason stretch that left the Eagles as Southern Section Division 1 and CIF Open Division state champions?

The final piece of the puzzle was solved with Santa Margarita’s 47-13 win over De La Salle on Saturday night at Saddleback College, the ninth consecutive season a Southern California team won California’s highest bowl game.

It’s been fruitless to think anyone was beating Santa Margarita (11-3) over the last month with a healthy Trent Mosley. Two weeks ago he dazzled Corona Centennial in the Division 1 final with 10 catches for 292 yards. On Saturday, even though De La Salle knew what he could do, Mosley still was unstoppable. In the first half, when Santa Margarita opened a 35-7 halftime lead, Mosley had eight catches for 134 yards and touchdowns from 34 and six yards and also ran seven yards for another touchdown. He finished with 11 receptions for 183 yards.

With his underrated speed, upper-body strength and skills to play multiple positions, Mosley has been the best player in California for weeks. Santa Margarita has been getting him the ball much more in the postseason, and opponents have had no answers for defending him.

“Mosley is incredible,” De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh said of the USC commit. “He does some special things on the football field.”

Said Mosley: “It feels great. We’ve worked hard. I wanted to come out and do my best. It’s sad to go but a what a great way to end it.”

Leki Holani of Santa Margarita was throwing down De La Salle running backs all night in the CIF state final.

(Craig Weston)

How Santa Margarita rose to the top with Palmer at the helm is an equally compelling tale. Palmer was hired with little coaching experience but his decision-making, judgment and connections from the NFL world became clear with the all-star coaching staff he put together, none more important than retaining defensive coordinator Steve Fifita, last season’s interim coach. With nine returning defensive starters and three defensive line transfers, the Eagles had no weaknesses on a defense that repeatedly neutralized the best offensive players game after game.

“It’s been an unreal year from start to finish,” Palmer said. “I could not be more proud of these guys, could not be more proud of our coaching staff and support system.”

Quarterbacks were pressured by a line that had Isaia Vandermade recording nine sacks in the postseason. The linebackers, led by Dash Fifita and Leki Holani, were able to move freely and make tackles with blockers preoccupied by the line. The secondary, led by sophomore star Ca’ron Williams, had the freedom to be aggressive knowing quarterbacks wouldn’t have much time to release the ball. Siua Holani closed the scoring with an interception return with 1:36 left in the fourth quarter.

De La Salle (12-1) thought it would have a chance to end Northern California’s losing streak. Santa Margarita had not seen the Spartans’ veer-option attack. Steve Fifita even had dreams about the veer watching so much film to prepare his players. But the Eagles were ready for quarterback option plays and power runs up the middle. And De La Salle didn’t help matters by committing four personal fouls in the first four minutes. The only touchdowns for De La Salle came on short runs by Jaden Jefferson after recovering Santa Margarita fumbles.

The reason Santa Margarita became so dominant over the last month was the improvement in the offense. Quarterback Trace Johnson became comfortable and injured players came back, including tight end Luke Gazzaniga, who had touchdown receptions from 20 and two yards Saturday. Johnson ended his brief stay at Santa Margarita after transferring from Florida by completing 17 of 20 passes for 247 yards and four touchdowns.