Notre Dame is on its way to making history after defeating Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday night to advance to its first national championship game since the 2012 season, with the hopes of winning its first title in nearly 40 years.
However, after the Fighting Irish’s victory, head coach Marcus Freeman was asked by ESPN reporter Molly McGrath how much the win meant as it relates to him becoming the first Black head coach to reach a title game.
Freeman, who fielded similar questions in the lead up to this game, refocused the conversation on his team and the significance of their win.
"You know, I’ve said this before, I don't ever want to take attention away from the team. It is an honor, and I hope all coaches – minorities, Black, Asian, White, it doesn't matter – great people continue to get opportunities to lead young men like this."
He continued, "But this ain’t about me, this is about us. And we’re going to celebrate what we’ve done because it’s something special."
Some on social media took issue with the question. Among those critics was NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre, who praised Freeman for his response.
"Terrible question but great response by Notre Dame head coach," Favre wrote in a post on X. "Sports should bring people together not separate."
Freeman has fielded similar questions about his race and the significance of his achievements since defeating Georgia in the Sugar Bowl last week. Each time, he has recentered the focus on the achievements of the program.
"You’re grateful to be a part of this opportunity, and you’re grateful anytime your name is mentioned with being the first, but you don’t want to take away from how we got to this point, and I’m talking about your team and everybody that put the work in to get your program to this point and those that have come before you," he said during a press conference early this week.
"Again, this isn’t about me. This isn’t about one person. It takes a team, it takes a program, and it takes a lot of people committing to something bigger than themselves to put your team in a position to be here. I understand that, and I'm very grateful for it," he continued.
Freeman added that his achievements creating more opportunities for the future generation of coaches is "great," but he added that "the attention on one person takes away what really gives your program a chance to get here."
The focus for Notre Dame will now be on Friday night’s Cotton Bowl Classic. Ohio State will take on Texas and the winner will advance to the College Football Playoff national championship game where they will face Notre Dame on Jan. 20.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr confirmed Thursday that his childhood home, which his parents purchased more than 50 years ago, has completely burned down as a result of the wildfires burning across Southern California.
Speaking to the media before a game against the Detroit Pistons, Kerr reacted to the devastation left behind by multiple wildfires that began earlier this week. His family home in Pacific Palisades, the area most affected by the fires, was lost in the deadly blazes.
"It’s been tough. My family’s fine, my mom’s in good hands, but her house is gone," a solemn Kerr said.
"The town looks like it’s just been completely wiped out – it’s surreal and devastating. But fortunately, almost everyone escaped," he added. "It’s hard to even fathom how Pacific Palisades rebuilds and how it becomes a thriving community again. It’s just shocking."
At least seven people have died as a result of multiple wildfires as thousands evacuated their homes. Around 10,000 structures from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena have burned down as strong winds continue to fuel the fires.
Kerr recalled, "1969 my parents bought that house and I was just there two weeks ago for dinner… we just celebrated my mom’s 90th birthday there this past summer."
The veteran NBA coach said while his family and friends are safe, the loss is "unfathomable."
"It’s not a loss of life, it's a loss of property and that’s an entirely different thing."
The largest fire burning in Pacific Palisades began on Tuesday. Officials said on Thursday evening that containment was at 6%.
A coalition of women’s advocacy organizations have called on President-elect Donald Trump to demand the NCAA change its policies regarding trans athletes in women’s sports.
Our Bodies, Our Sports, the first and only coalition of women’s advocacy organizations fighting for fairness in women’s sports in the country, issued a letter to the president-elect requesting that he use his influence to have the NCAA take action "to protect the rights and opportunities of collegiate female athletes," a press release read.
"We write now to ask you to also use your powerful voice to urge the NCAA to take action and clarify participation rules to protect the rights and opportunities of female athletes," the letter read, in part.
"The NCAA’s controversial and unscientific Transgender Student-Athlete Participation Policy continues to allow men to participate in women’s sports – taking away women’s opportunities to compete, roster spots on teams, medals, and safe and fair competition," the release read.
This letter to the president-elect comes ahead of the 2025 NCAA Convention, which takes place from Jan. 14-17 in Nashville, Tennessee. The week is filled with issues, forums, business sessions and award presentations.
The letter also comes after a federal judge blocked the Biden administration’s attempt to redefine sex in Title IX as "gender identity," striking it down nationwide.
The ruling came in U.S. District Court Eastern District of Kentucky Northern Division in Cardona v. Tennessee on Tuesday.
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti celebrated the ruling with a post on X. "Another massive win for TN and the country!" the post read. "This morning, a federal court ruled in our favor and vacated the Biden admin's radical new Title IX rule nationwide.
"The court's order is resounding victory for the protection of girls' privacy in locker rooms and showers, and for the freedom to speak biologically-accurate pronouns."
The Supreme Court has previously rejected the Biden administration’s emergency request to enforce parts of a new rule that would have included protection from discrimination for transgender students under Title IX.
As for the NCAA’s current transgender participation policy, it allows trans athletes to play in a "sport-by-sport approach," which "preserves opportunity for transgender student-athletes while balancing fairness, inclusion and safety for all who compete." The governing body says its policy aligns with that of the "Olympic Movement."
Part of the NCAA’s policy requires transgender student-athletes to provide documentation that meets the 2010 NCAA policy, plus meet the sport standard for documented testosterone levels at three points in time: Prior to competition during regular season, prior to the first competition in an NCAA championship and prior to any competition in the "non-championship segment."
Our Bodies, Our Sports consists of the following member organizations: Independent Women’s Forum, Independent Council on Women’s Sports, Women’s Declaration International USA, Champion Women, International Consortium on Female Sport, Concerned Women for America, Women’s Liberation Front, Independent Women’s Law Center, Young Women for America, Independent Women’s Voice, and Independent Women’s Network.
"We stand together in honor of the generations of women who came before us and in defense of all the women and girls who will come next," the letter to Trump ends. "We ask for your help in demanding that the NCAA finally act to restore fairness and opportunity in collegiate sports and we thank you for standing with us."
Notre Dame is going to the first College Football Playoff National Championship game of the expanded format era after a comeback 27-24 win over Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday.
Fighting Irish kicker Mitch Jeter kicked the game-winning 41-yard field goal to cap off a back-and-forth battle between the two storied programs.
Notre Dame's comeback victory may have never materialized had quarterback Riley Leonard not summoned the fortitude to return to the game after an injury.
"He's a competitor and competitors find a way to win," Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said in a postgame interview on ESPN right after the game. "It's an honor to be a part of this with him."
Leonard had to leave the game in the second quarter, forcing in backup Steve Angeli. At that point, Notre Dame was already behind 10-0. But Angeli helped get the Irish back into it with a field goal drive to give Notre Dame its first points, as the Irish went into halftime down 10-3.
But Leonard returned to the game in the second half, and led a touchdown drive to tie the game. The two teams then traded score for score in a competitive second half.
Leonard had a chance to lead a go-ahead drive with two minutes remaining, but the Penn State defense came up with a big third-down sack to force a Notre Dame punt.
Then Allar, with a chance to lead a game-winning drive with less and possibly put himself into the conversation for the top quarterback taken in the NFL Draft, came back onto the field for the biggest moment of his career. And in that moment, he threw an interception to give the ball right back to Leonard and the Irish.
Leonard then came back on the field and led the final drive that put Jeter in position to seal the deal.
"I just trusted in Jesus," Leonard said in a postgame ESPN interview.
Notre Dame's storybook run continues after it came up with a historic win against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans just one day after a deadly terrorist attack killed 14 innocent people.
The Irish will meet the winner of the Cotton Bowl on Friday between Ohio State and Texas.
The Fighting Irish inserted a backup quarterback while trailing in the Orange Bowl Thursday.
Notre Dame starting quarterback Riley Leonard left the College Football Playoff semifinal late in the first half and was being evaluated by the Fighting Irish’s medical staff.
Leonard went into the medical tent on Notre Dame's sideline with about two minutes left in the half after a play in which he was hit by Penn State’s Zane Durant and Dvon J-Thomas.
It was not immediately clear what Leonard’s injury status was. He was replaced by Steve Angeli, and Notre Dame kicked a field goal on the final play of the half to cut Penn State’s lead to 10-3.
Leonard completed six of 11 passes for 63 yards and an interception before getting hurt.
Angeli, a Westfield, New Jersey, native, played high school football at Bergen Catholic High School. He made his first collegiate start in the 2023 Sun Bowl, throwing for 232 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-8 win over Oregon State.
Trudeau said there was not a "snowball's chance in hell" that would ever happen, but if it does, Trump says he recruited Wayne Gretzky to be its "governor."
"I was with Wayne Gretzky. I said, 'Wayne, would you like to be the governor of Canada?’ I can't imagine anybody doing better than Wayne," Trump said at Mar-a-Lago Thursday.
"Wayne was not too interested. But he probably would have liked statehood," Trump said. "He's a friend of mine. He's a great guy. He's the great one. We call him the great one, right? He's a great hockey player."
Gretzky attended a victory party for Trump's 2024 election win after Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris.
Gretzky's son-in-law, Dustin Johnson, plays on the LIV Golf tour, which has played tournaments at Trump's golf courses.
Trump said Canada should be a state during a news conference Tuesday in Palm Beach. On Monday, the president-elect said in a social media post "many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State."
"Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!" Trump exclaimed in his social media post.
Trudeau announced he intends to resign as party leader and prime minister after pressure from within his own Liberal Party increasingly grew amid heightened criticisms over his handling of the economy and threats levied by Trump. He said he will resign once the party selects a new leader.
Trudeau, who led the nation nearly a decade, has been grappling for months with significant drops in his approval ratings over mounting frustration relating to issues like the soaring cost of living and rising inflation.
Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser, Caitlin McFall and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
The game was moved "in the interest of public safety," the NFL said in a statement. "The decision was made in consultation with public officials, the participating clubs, and the NFLPA."
The game's time is still the same, kicking off at 8 p.m. ET.
The Rams had a scheduled off day Wednesday, though the Los Angeles Chargers, who share SoFi Stadium and head to Houston for a wild-card game Saturday, limited players’ time outside during practice due to poor air quality.
State Farm Stadium has played a similar role in the past. In 2003, the Dolphins and Chargers played in Glendale due to wildfires in San Diego. During the COVID season in 2020, the 49ers played three "home" games there.
Several active wildfires, including the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire, have devastated communities in the Los Angeles area, including Pacific Palisades and Altadena. The fires have burned nearly 30,000 acres during a Santa Ana wind event, with at least 130,000 people in the area under evacuation orders. At least five people have been killed in the fires, and more than 1,000 buildings have been destroyed.
This week's wildfires brought new attention to the issue of insurers no longer taking on new policies or declining to renew previous policies in California communities at high risk of wildfires. And prominent entertainment figures called out the moves.
The Los Angeles Times noted the city has not had at least one-tenth of an inch of rain since May 5.
Fox News' Eric Revell and Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
Junior quarterback Quinn Ewers will take the field Jan. 10 when his Texas Longhorns go head-to-head with the Ohio State Buckeyes in a College Football Playoff semifinal.
Entering this season, Ewers was widely projected as a first-round 2025 NFL Draft prospect.
Since the Longhorns' pursuit of a national championship remains alive, Ewers has yet to announce whether he will return to college football or enter the draft
Prior to Texas' quarterfinal matchup with Arizona State in last week's Peach Bowl, multiple reports surfaced that Ewers received offers of up to $6 million to enter the transfer portal.
Ewers has one year of college eligibility remaining, which opens the door to a potential transfer. Ewers' departure, whether it involves him making the leap to the NFL or another college program, would thrust the highly-touted Arch Manning into the Longhorns' starting quarterback role.
On Wednesday, Ewers fielded questions about his football future.
"Right now, I’m just not worried about all that stuff," he responded.
Ewers then made it clear he was focused on the high-stakes game against the Buckeyes.
"People can say all they want to say," he said. "I’m just focused on Friday at this point in time."
"First off, I think I’d be doing a disservice to my teammates about me even thinking about what’s next," Ewers added, before saying it would be "selfish" to make his personal future a priority considering Texas is in the midst of a playoff run.
"What’s right in front of us isn’t over yet. That’s another thing that God has helped me so much through is just being present in every single moment I’m in and not looking too far ahead because I’ll trip on what’s right in front of me. Again, that’s too selfish of thinking for me to even be thinking about what’s next for me."
Miami's Cam Ward and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders have been billed as the top two quarterbacks entering April's NFL Draft. If Ewers does opt to go pro, he could draw interest from multiple teams looking to add a young, talented signal-caller.
Mets legend David Wright had some advice for free agent first baseman Pete Alonso, who has spent his entire career with the Mets.
"It’s a different feeling when you’re drafted, developed and playing for the team that gave you your first opportunity," Wright said at a press conference Wednesday,
"There’s a little more — maybe a lot more — pride when you put that jersey on every night. And I hope he remembers that and doesn’t lose sight of that. With that being said, I’ve never, ever faulted a player for maximizing his earning potential."
Since Alonso’s debut, only New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge has hit more home runs (232) than Alonso (226).
The star first baseman has also been durable in his career, including playing every game last season.
Alonso hit .240 while clubbing 34 home runs with 88 RBIs for the Mets last season, and he hit .273 with four home runs in 13 playoff games.
The first baseman market has dwindled after a lot of teams made moves to fill that spot.
The Yankees signed Paul Goldschmidt, the Houston Astros signed Christian Walker, the Washington Nationals traded for Nathaniel Lowe, the Arizona Diamondbacks traded for Josh Naylor and the Cleveland Guardians signed Carlos Santana.
Should Alonso and the Mets reunite, the first baseman is just 26 home runs shy of passing Darryl Strawberry and becoming the franchise’s career leader in home runs.
Kelly Stafford, the wife of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, is praying weather conditions calm down as the deadly wildfires in Los Angeles continue to rip through Southern California.
Kelly shared an aerial view of the devastating wildfires that burned through the coastal neighborhood of Pacific Palisades to her Instagram story Thursday.
In a follow-up post, Kelly shared her shock at the aftermath of the once-picturesque neighborhood devastated by wildfires.
"Watching this over and over because it doesn't seem real," she wrote in the post. "These fires still rage with firefighters working around the clock. praying for slower winds and safety."
Thousands of California residents have been displaced after being evacuated as fierce wildfires fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds tore through Southern California beginning Tuesday. At least five people are dead as the fires continued to burn more than 27,000 acres Thursday.
The NFL is monitoring the situation with the Rams scheduled to host the Minnesota Vikings in the wild-card round Monday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. If the stadium can’t be used, the game will be moved to a different venue.
"The NFL’s priority is the safety of the Los Angeles community," the league’s statement said. "We are grateful for the tireless efforts of the first responders. Our hearts are with Los Angeles and everyone affected by the fires."
State Farm Stadium, the home of the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale, will be the backup location for the wild-card game.
Just last month, all signs pointed to Carson Beck leaving Georgia in favor of the NFL, but the quarterback's time in the college football ranks may not be over.
Beck is expected to enter the transfer portal, On3 reported on Thursday. A player of Beck's caliber could draw a considerable amount of interest. If he does ultimately make the switch to another college football program, Beck is projected to be one of the highest-paid transfers in the sport's history.
Beck's latest decision comes less than two weeks after he declared for the 2025 NFL Draft.
He became Georgia's starting quarterback in 2023 and returned to Athens for the 2024 campaign, before suffering a season-ending elbow injury during Georgia's overtime win over Texas in the SEC Championship. Gunner Stockton stepped in for Beck earlier this month during Georgia's 23-10 loss to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal.
Beck was a highly touted prospect coming out of high school and was widely projected as a first round NFL Draft selection entering the 2024 season.
But he had an uneven season, finishing the campaign with 28 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. While Beck did throw for just under 3,500 yards on the year, he also threw three interceptions in three different games. If Beck does leave Georgia, he will finish his time in a Bulldogs uniform with 7,912 passing yards and 58 touchdowns.
Beck has one year of college eligibility remaining. ESPN, citing sources, reported that the Miami Hurricanes are the early favorite in the potential race to land Beck's services.
Beck's injury would likely prevent him from showcasing his throwing abilities in front of NFL general managers, coaches, scouts and teams' other key decision makers this spring. The expected inability to throw at a predraft workout as soon as March could have factored into Beck's decision to explore his options with other college programs via the portal.
Former college football star Tim Tebow posted an emotional message to his X account on Thursday, sending a prayer and thoughts to those in California who are battling wildfires.
"Like so many of you, I’ve been watching the news lately with a heavy heart. Last week, it was the tragedy in New Orleans. This week, it’s the wildfires in California. Quite honestly, in times like these, I don’t know what else to do but pray," Tebow wrote on X.
"And so, Lord, we humbly ask You to bring rain to California. Protect our first responders and give them strength & courage. Comfort those who have lost loved ones, their homes, or their businesses. Make Your presence known among people who desperately need hope.
"And help us all to remember in times like these, that you are the same God today that you have always been – with us, and for us, always."
The wildfires have affected the sports world, with two games located at Crypto.com Arena this week being postponed. Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick also lost his house after his family evacuated.
The NFL has also issued a contingency plan for Monday night's Vikings-Rams playoff game, which is set to be played in Englewood but could move to Glendale, Ariz.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the last time it rained one-tenth of an inch in the city was back on May 5.
Five deaths have been reported due to the Eaton fire, which also burned down a clubhouse at a local golf course.
President Biden met with California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday, while Florida governor Ron DeSantis also offered help.
Newsom deployed the National Guard on Wednesday to help fight the fires as nearly 100 schools in the Los Angeles area were closed.
Former New York Giants punter Sean Landeta wasn't too pleased with one of his former teammates after he revealed what Landeta called a false and "embarrassing" locker room story from their time playing together.
During an interview with a Philadelphia radio station, Landeta was asked about former Eagles wide receiver Freddie Mitchell’s claim that Landeta, who played with the Eagles from 1999-2002, would groom his "under regions in the sauna" in front of other players.
The two-time Super Bowl champion remained calm but was clearly irked by the question.
"Now, my first thing is – you wanna call me during primetime radio in Philadelphia and talk to me about something like that? Are you kidding me," he said in response to 94 WIP host Spike Eskin.
"I like Freddie. Good teammate and all. But what he said was absolutely false. I totally deny being in the sauna with Jon Ritchie. That never happened.
"I’m disappointed in Mr. Mitchell. I’m going to have to speak to him about that."
But Landeta, who won both championships with the Giants, turned his attention back to the radio hosts.
"You call it having fun, but it's one guy embarrassing another guy talking about stuff. Believe me, I understand how that works. Very disappointed that he would say that, especially when it's not true."
Landeta went one step further to say the question was an attempt at a ratings grab.
"I would think with the Eagles having a playoff game coming up they wouldn’t be talking about guys in saunas," Landeta said.
Landeta spent the majority of his more than two-decade career in the NFL playing for the Giants. He also spent time with the Eagles, Rams and Buccaneers.
Comedian Shane Gillis revealed a heated conversation he had with legendary college football coach Nick Saban after the former suggested the latter’s Alabama Crimson Tide had cheated while he was there, on ESPN’s "College GameDay."
Gillis spoke on the "Talk of the Town" podcast, where he broke down what led to the situation where the comedian said Saban "spazzed on me."
First, Gillis told Saban’s "College GameDay" colleagues Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit that he thought Alabama had dominated college football because they had been paying players before it was legal to do so through NIL deals.
"After I said that, we had to go into the stadium to sit at the desk, and I got in there, and he [Saban] was like, ‘I heard what you said,’" Gillis said. "And I was like, ‘Holy s–t,’ and then McAfee and Herbstreit were like, ‘He’s just breaking your b---s, dude.’
"’He loves messing with guys. Like he’s literally just f---ing with you,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, alright. I’ll f--- with him back.'"
Gillis’ antics weren’t received well by Saban, as the comedian doubled down during his Dec. 20 appearance at the Notre Dame-Indiana College Football Playoff game.
"I was just joking around. I don’t think the SEC paid players ever," Gillis said on the broadcast. Is this not a fun show? Is this a serious show? Alabama Jones is looking very serious."
"Alabama Jones" referred to Saban, who was wearing a hat that resembled the one worn by Indiana Jones.
Saban had a retort to Gillis, and he was certainly being serious.
"I do believe in integrity. I always tried to run the program that way so players had a better chance to be successful in life," Saban said. "We make more money in the NFL than any other school, 61 players in the league. That was how we cheated. We developed players."
After the cameras were off, Gillis said that Saban was actually upset after McAfee and Herbstreit said to go talk to him.
"So, I went up to him after, he was like, ‘You think the SEC dominated cause we cheated? That’s bulls---.’ He spazzed on me," Gillis said.
Saban is well known for his six national titles during his time in Tuscaloosa, as the Crimson Tide became a college football powerhouse. He also led the LSU Tigers to the BCS National Champions Game after the 2003 regular season.
Witnesses at a state legislative hearing in Boise, Idaho, on Thursday gave accounts of the "horror" that some college women's volleyball players experienced during the 2024 season amid a national controversy involving a trans athlete.
The testimonies came during a hearing to discuss passing the Fairness in Women's Sports Act, which has been proposed by Idaho state representative Barbara Erhardt.
San Jose State University, whose volleyball team rostered player Blaire Fleiming, and the Mountain West Conference is facing a lawsuit from multiple women's volleyball players alleging the school withheld the fact that Fleming is a biological male from players. The lawsuit also alleged Fleming was given a roster spot and scholarship over female players who claim to have been emotionally and financially impacted by the experience.
Fleming led the Spartans all the way to the Mountain West Championship game amid the lawsuit. However, eight of San Jose State's matches were forfeited by opponents in the wake of the controversy, including a conference tournament semifinal match against Boise State.
Boise State forfeited three total matches against SJSU in 2024, and were praised by Erhardt and other speakers at the hearing for the decision.
One parent of a player in the conference gave her account of the situation on Thursday. She also condemned all the schools who did not forfeit to SJSU.
"I am an Idaho mom who experienced it first hand with a daughter who played in the Mountain West conference," said a woman named April Cheney.
"NCAA president Charlie Baker, Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez and all the Mountain West college presidents and athletic directors who did not boycott, you failed to protect women's sports. NCAA and Mountain West conference, I blame you for the season that took way a year of eligibility, forced forfeits to record as losses, and a conference championship that was a complete shame!"
Former NCAA swimmer and prominent conservative influencer Riley Gaines, who regularly organizes with other women's athletes who have been impacted by trans inclusion and is leading a lawsuit against the NCAA over the issue, revealed her account of what the players went through, based on discussions with them.
"They were emotionally blackmailed into believing they were the problem," Gaines said of the players, adding that Boise State was the only university that showed administrative support to players who wished to forfeit.
"The overwhelming majority of them did not want this brought upon them. No one asked for this, this is not a situation they wanted to be in," Gaines added. "These girls were terrified, they were terrified to stand tall, they were terrified to stand up for themselves, they were terrified of the things that would potentially come if they merely said ‘Men and women are different.’"
Marshi Smith, the co-founder of the legal advocacy group the Independent Council on Women's Sports, gave a testimony where she claimed that the female athletes who joined the lawsuit felt threatened by retaliation from their university if they spoke out against trans inclusion.
"What will they do to us for speaking up?" the players often asked, according to Smith.
Smith elaborated on these players' questions in a follow-up statement to Fox News Digital.
"They’re often terrified of losing scholarships or being kicked off their teams. At San Jose State, administrators exploited these fears by telling them to stay quiet because it’s Blaire Fleming’s story to tell, not their own," Smith said.
San Jose State has provided a statement to Fox News Digital in response to the statements at Thursday's hearing.
"All San Jose State University student-athletes are eligible to participate in their sports under NCAA and Mountain West Conference rules," the statement read.
Smith also alleges that volleyball players at the University of Nevada, Reno, were threatened with legal action if they refused to compete against San Jose State in a match that was scheduled for October, but was never played.
"At UNR, school administrators warned athletes they could face legal action if they refused to compete against SJSU’s team, which included a male starter," Smith said.
Nevada has not responded to Smith's allegations upon request for comment. The university has previously provided a statement saying the athletes were free to not play the game without discipline and that it was continuing with the match in order to adhere to state law that aims to prevent discrimination against transgenders.
After the players pleaded with their university to forfeit to SJSU weeks prior to the match, the university declined the request and put out a statement insisting it would play the match. But hen the players went public with their grievances over the situation, sparking weeks of controversy. Eventually, Nevada had to cancel the match on Oct. 25, just one day before it was scheduled to be played, because it didn't have enough players willing to play.
However, even with forfeits by Nevada, Boise State, Utah State, Southern Utah and Wyoming this season, dozens of other players were still forced to play against Fleming, some without even knowing of the nature of the player's birth sex.
Their first opponent of the season, Louisiana Tech, took the court against Fleming without knowing about the biological gender of the player.
Louisiana Tech head volleyball coach Amber McCray confirmed to Fox News Digital that her team did not know about the situation involving Fleming's natural birth sex, and they did not find out until the day after the match via rumors from parents.
LA Tech athletic director Ryan Ivey suggested that if they had known Fleming's natural birth sex, the team "would have sought "a different outcome," in emails obtained by Fox News Digital.
Then there are Fleming's own teammates, including former SJSU co-captain Brooke Slusser, who is leading the lawsuit against the Mountain West, and has also signed on to Gaines' lawsuit against the NCAA, citing her experience with Fleming.
Slusser has told Fox News Digital that the experience has been "traumatic."
"This season has been so traumatizing that I don't even have a proudest moment," Slusser said.
In Slusser's ongoing lawsuit against SJSU and the Mountain West, her plaintiff list also includes players Alyssa Sugai, Elle Patterson, Sia Liilii, Nicanora Clarke, Kaylie Ray, Macey Boggs, Sierra Grizzle, Jordan Sandy, Katelyn Van Kirk, Kiersten Van Kirk and former SJSU assistant volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose.
SJSU has also recently acknowledged a recent mass exodus of volleyball players who entered the transfer portal, as nearly every remaining player who is still eligible is now looking to leave the program.
"Student athletes have the ability to make decisions about their college athletic careers, and we have the utmost respect for that," a statement read.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick is reportedly among the thousands who lost homes to the raging Los Angeles wildfires.
Redick’s situation was revealed after news broke that the Lakers were postponing their game Thursday night against the Charlotte Hornets, ESPN reported.
Redick said Tuesday his family members evacuated the area.
"I just want to acknowledge and send thoughts and prayers to everyone in the Palisades right now," Redick said Tuesday, according to Sports Illustrated. "It’s where I live. My family and my wife’s family, my wife’s twin sister, they’ve evacuated.
"I know that a lot of people are freaking out right now, including my family. From the sound of things, with the winds coming tonight, I know a lot of people are scared."
The Lakers released a statement on the postponement of the Hornets game Thursday, saying their focus is on "what matters most today."
"We’re heartbroken for Los Angeles," the Lakers said in a statement Thursday night. "Our thoughts are with all those impacted by this unimaginable situation. And our gratitude is with the first responders and all of you who come together when we need each other the most."
It remains to be seen what the Lakers do about their game Saturday night against the San Antonio Spurs, who are also scheduled to play in Los Angeles Monday night.
The purple and gold are not the only Los Angeles professional sports team affected by the fires.
The Los Angeles Rams may play their wild-card game against the Minnesota Vikings at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, if the fires continue to affect the Inglewood area, where their home, SoFi Stadium, is located.
The Los Angeles Chargers, though not playing at SoFi Stadium for their NFL playoff game, limited players’ time outside during Wednesday’s practice due to poor air quality. They play the Houston Texans Saturday afternoon to kick off Wild Card Weekend.
The Chargers released a statement Wednesday night, pledging $200,000 in targeted funding to wildfire relief efforts in the area.
LA County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone announced Thursday the Eaton Fire, which claimed at least five lives, has been "significantly stopped."
LA City Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley told reporters the Palisades Fire, which remains 0% contained, is "one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles."
Other reports since indicate that the illness has subsided in recent days, but players are not out of the woods yet.
The Fighting Irish are riding high headed into Thursday's Orange Bowl after taking down the second-ranked Georgia Bulldogs in the quarterfinal last week.
Notre Dame earned the seventh seed in the bracket, which got them to host a home game against No. 10 Indiana. That was a rather easy victory, but Thursday may just be their toughest test yet.
Penn State held Boise State star running back Ashton Jeanty to just 104 rushing yards last week, his lowest of the season. That is not necessarily great news for the Irish, considering Riley Leonard had just 90 yards passing against the Bulldogs.
The Nittany Lions are the sixth seed in the bracket.
The Fighting Irish's season seemed to be dead in the water after losing at home to Northern Illinois in the second week of the season, but they have since rattled off a dozen consecutive wins to find themselves just one victory away from their second national title game in the last 15 years.
However, if they can get by what seemed to be a program-altering loss at the time, a bug seems to be just a minor speed bump.
This is the third time the Fighting Irish are in the playoffs, having lost in the semifinals in both 2018 and 2020.
Jeff Hardy is one of the most popular pro wrestlers of his generation.
Hardy’s death-defying stunts will live in the minds of fans for the rest of their lives. He performed in WWE in three separate stints between 1994 and 2021. He and his brother, Matt, became a beloved tag team and won several championships in his career. He was also a WWE champion and World Heavyweight champion during one of his runs.
The heights of Hardy’s career in WWE were derailed because of legal trouble and his battles with addiction. However, the North Carolina high-flyer said in an interview with WFAA-TV that he believes he could have been bigger than John Cena.
"The way I was living life in my 20s and 30s, if I was living life the way I’m living life now, oh my gosh, there’s no telling," he told the station on Tuesday. "I would probably be bigger than John Cena today. I was born with such a gift to be a pro wrestler. It just felt so natural, like I was totally created to do this thing.
"The cool thing is I’m still here, have life and feel good. As Matt had mentioned, we’re big ice baths, and that’s been crazy beneficial for me mentally and physically. I don’t put a number on it. I’ll just pretty much wrestle until I can’t wrestle anymore."
The 47-year-old is still one of the biggest acts in the industry. Aside from WWE, he has performed for TNA Wrestling, Ring of Honor and All Elite Wrestling.
The Hardys are the current tag-team champions for TNA Wrestling. They defeated The System and ABC in a triple-threat full metal mayhem match at Bound for Glory last year.
Pierce insinuated Monday, the day between Las Vegas' season finale and the team firing him, that a conversation was expected between owner Mark Davis and Telesco.
The news comes a day after reports circulated that Tom Brady, who purchased a 5% stake in the team last season, would have a big role in picking the team's next head coach. Apparently, he even reached out to Bill Belichick, who joined the University of North Carolina last month.
Telesco joined the decimated Raiders prior to this season, stuck with Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell as his quarterbacks after getting rid of Jimmy Garoppolo after a tumultuous campaign in 2023.
It was clear Telesco was hitting the reset button, and the team's 4-13 should not surprise anybody. But Telesco struck gold when he selected Georgia tight end Brock Bowers with the 13th pick. Bowers' 112 receptions this season are the most by a rookie in NFL history.
Prior to joining the Raiders, Telesco spent 11 seasons with the Chargers in San Diego and Los Angeles.
The Raiders are one of three teams looking for a new general manager, along with the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans. The Raiders hold the sixth selection in the NFL Draft behind the Titans, Browns, Giants, Patriots and Jaguars.
Olympic gold medalist Gary Hall Jr. was among the thousands of California residents displaced by the wildfires raging across the Los Angeles area this week, and like many, he lost all of his priceless possessions – including all 10 of his Olympic medals.
However, for Hall, he is grateful to have walked away with his life.
In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, Hall recalled the moment he first saw a "plume of smoke" coming from his backyard. He was on the phone with his daughter when disaster struck.
"I saw the flames erupt and houses start popping. There were explosions. I didn’t have a lot of time," he recalled in the interview. "Sunset Boulevard was a complete logjam. People abandoned cars and were running for their lives. Police were telling them to do that. My girlfriend was trapped in her car around smoke."
The wildfires spread quickly. Hall only had time to grab the essentials – his dog and a few personal items.
The home in Pacific Palisades that he was renting was burnt down, and with it all of his Olympic medals, including five gold, three silver and two bronze. He thought about them at the moment, but the seriousness of the situation did not allow him to grab them.
"I did think about the medals. I did not have time to get them," Hall told the outlet. "Everyone wants to know did the medals burn? Yeah, everything burnt. It’s something I can live without. I guess everything is just stuff. It’ll take some hard work to start over. What can you do?"
Hall described the scene as "worse than any apocalypse movie you’ve ever seen and 1000 times worse." More than losing his medals, Hall’s home, where he ran a business teaching kids to swim, is now completely gone.
"It’ll be a range of emotions, particularly when it’s time to go back to where the house stood. I’ll shift through the ash and see if the medals melted together. Will I be able to find anything worth saving? Probably not. I don’t know."
Thousands of California residents were evacuated as fierce wildfires fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds tore through Southern California this week. At least five people are dead as the fires continued to burn more than 27,000 acres on Thursday.
