We are now just two days away from Michigan and Alabama playing in the Rose Bowl for a spot in the national championship.
The Wolverines announced on Saturday morning what they would be looking like when they take the field. There was some talk about Michigan wearing all-blue uniforms -- like they were during practice on Friday when the media was able to check in on practice for about 15 minutes.
But the Wolverines are going to be nostalgic and wear a very classic look when they take the field in Pasadena.
Michigan Football X account posted a video of all footage of the Wolverines playing in the Rose Bowl with that classic blue and maize pants.
Not only will the Wolverines be wearing the blue jerseys and maize pants, but the big Rose Bowl patches are back as well.
Check out the video below.
A classic look for the @rosebowlgame#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/b4aamGgs4n
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) December 30, 2023
Michigan and Alabama will take place at 5 p.m. ET airing on ESPN, on Monday, Jan. 1.
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders appeared to be frustrated with Kevin Stefanski when the head coach took him out for the final offensive drive of Saturday's preseason game. The Browns made a curious decision to put in Tyler Huntley to lead the offense in the final two minutes of their final preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams at Huntington Bank Field. Huntley, who has almost no chance of making the 53-man roster, engineered a six-play, 46-yard drive that ended in a game-winning field goal to give the Browns a 19-17 win. Following the game, Stefanski was asked about why Sanders approached him before Huntley went in. Stefanski claimed the rookie quarterback was just being a competitor, and there was nothing more to it than that, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Sanders told reporters he didn't know the Browns were benching him for the two-minute drill. "I didn't know I was out, Sanders said via video from ESPN's Daniel Oyefusi. "I was on a bike that was powering up... I was powering up for that two-minute drive. Because that's just a situation every quarterback dreams for... I thought I was in. So then (Stefanski) told me I wasn't in. I was like, 'Ok.'" Sanders left the game after leading the offense to five straight punts. He struggled in his second preseason appearance, going 3-of-6 passing for 14 yards. The fifth-round pick took six sacks for -50 yards. Sanders didn't want to leave on that low note. The Browns shouldn't have let him. Stefanski should have given Sanders the chance to run the two-minute offense and gain valuable experience instead of giving reps to a player who won't be on the roster by Tuesday afternoon.
The Green Bay Packers have completed their last preseason game before the start of the NFL regular season, doing so in dominant fashion against the Seattle Seahawks. With a final score of 20-7, the Packers got the final word after the two teams had several brutal fisticuffs on Thursday’s joint practice. The team had several players star in their roles during their final auditions before roster cuts on Tuesday, but while Saturday’s game was all Green Bay, several players also missed their chance to leave a lasting impression. Winner: Ty’Ron Hopper impresses with several splash Plays Any Green Bay Packers fans who watched Saturday afternoon’s preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks are now familiar with the name Ty’Ron Hopper. The second-year linebacker out of Missouri was all over the field, making several impressive plays. He finished with three tackles, a sack, and some good plays in coverage as well. Additionally, he had a forced fumble on a fourth-down play where Seahawks QB Jalen Milroe had achieved enough yardage to move the chains, but found himself unable to hold onto the ball. Hopper was not a name getting a lot of attention entering camp, but there’s no chance of him not making the roster following an excellent preseason. With starters Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper, and Isaiah McDuffie cemented as the top three ‘backers for the team, Hopper appears to firmly have his hands on the reins for the fourth spot. Winner: Kalen King makes his presence felt Kalen King may have been an outside shot to make the roster a few weeks ago, but it seems like many think the former Penn State star has done enough. King ran with some of the Green Bay starters on defense during the opening periods of the game and had several important contributions. None stands out more than his fumble recovery, which was one of four turnovers forced by the team on the afternoon. In addition to the fumble recovery, he had a strong tackle on Jalen Milroe as the Seattle quarterback scampered towards the end zone, which resulted in no gain. While the secondary remains an area of concern for the Pack, King looks like he may have done enough to ensure he is a part of it entering the season. Loser: Rookie Anthony Belton still has a lot to learn Rookie offensive tackle Anthony Belton has certainly had his struggles this preseason. Just a week after being called for five first-half penalties against the Indianapolis Colts, Belton continued to show up with some poor moments against Seattle. Although he was only called for one false start on Saturday afternoon, head coach Matt LaFleur was seen ripping into Belton during the late first half. Later, it was revealed that LaFleur was upset with Belton’s stance on a third–down play where the team was hoping to secure field goal position. Belton will likely not be counted on for many snaps on offense this upcoming season. He clearly has a way to go before he can develop into a reliable player. Loser: Sean Clifford fails to impress in third-string QB battle King certainly had a strong day, but for another Penn State alum, it was more of a struggle. Reserve quarterback Sean Clifford did not have his best outing in limited action. Clifford finished 6-9 passing, but managed only 19 yards. He had multiple inaccurate balls on some shorter throws that many would expect him to convert. Competing with Clifford for the last quarterback spot is Taylor Elgersma, who had a better day. He went 6-8 for 33 yards. Even though both QBs did not do much of note against Seattle, Elgersma has had a much better preseason overall. In fact, his QB rating was over double of that of Clifford’s entering the final preseason game. Saturday’s contest was a chance for Clifford to rebound, and he failed to take advantage of the opportunity. One other advantage that Elgersma has is that he is four years younger than Clifford. Despite Clifford being just a second-year pro, he is already 27 years old. Theoretically, Elgersma has more room to grow if he was kept around.
The New York Mets announced that Frankie Montas has been placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to Aug. 22) due to a UCL-related injury in his right elbow. Right-hander Huascar Brazoban has been called up from Triple-A to take Montas’ spot on the active roster. Manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that Montas’ UCL injury is “pretty significant,” via Mike Puma of the New York Post. Mendoza went on to confirm that Montas will not pitch again in 2025. It’s the latest setback in what was been a brutal inaugural season for Montas in Queens. The right-hander signed a $34M guarantee with the Mets during the winter but has produced just 38 2/3 innings of work for the team so far. A lat strain suffered at the outset of Spring Training left Montas to open the season on the injured list and he did not make his season debut until June 24. After throwing five scoreless innings in his first start of the year, Montas pitched to a ghastly 7.85 ERA over his next six starts with an 18.2% strikeout rate and a whopping seven home runs allowed. Those brutal results led the Mets to move Montas to the bullpen earlier this month, where he’s surrendered four runs (two earned) on four walks and six hits (including a home run) while striking out just three. Altogether, Montas has posted a 6.28 ERA and a 5.31 FIP during his time with the Mets with an 18.0% strikeout rate and a 7.9% walk rate. It’s a deeply disappointing outcome, and now it’s an open question when Montas will next be available to pitch. The Mets have made no announcements about the right-hander’s timeline for return, nor offered any indications about the severity of the injury. Of course, many fans will wonder about the possibility of Tommy John surgery, which is often required to repair a pitcher’s UCL once damaged. Such a procedure (or even a less invasive internal brace procedure) would likely cost Montas not only the remainder of this year but also the entire 2026 season. With that being said, some UCL injuries are possible to address via rehab. That’s a path that Braves hurler Grant Holmes opted to take earlier this month as he deals with a partial UCL tear, though even Holmes’s rehab process has brought his 2025 campaign to an abrupt end. While the details of Montas’ prognosis and timeline for return won’t be clear until the Mets make an announcement offering more information, the club will be without the right-hander for at least the immediate future. Given the fact that Montas’ performance was poor enough that he was bumped from the rotation earlier this month, perhaps that’s not too massive of a blow. Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga, David Peterson and Clay Holmes remain in the club’s rotation and have recently been joined by top prospect Nolan McLean. Brandon Waddell and Justin Hagenman remain in the minors already on the 40-man roster as potential depth options behind that group, and well-regarded prospect Brandon Sproat has a 4.24 ERA in 24 starts at Triple-A this year. Replacing Montas on the roster is Brazoban, who began his career in the majors with Miami back in 2022 but has served as an up-and-down relief arm for the Mets this year. It’s a role he’s performed quite well in, with a 3.83 ERA and 4.14 FIP across 51 2/3 innings of work spread between 3 starts and 41 relief outings. Brazoban figures to take up Montas' mantle as the club’s long reliever going forward.
Brooks Koepka has called out Bryson DeChambeau for avoiding a direct matchup at the LIV Golf Semifinals and described him as a “strange cat.” The five-time major winner did not hold back after DeChambeau chose not to face him head-to-head in the Miami Team Championship on Saturday, reigniting one of golf’s most talked-about rivalries. Koepka Labels DeChambeau “Strange Cat” The Semifinals format allowed team captains to set up matchups, giving fans the chance to see blockbuster pairings. Many expected Koepka, captain of Smash GC, to face DeChambeau, captain of Crushers GC. Koepka even placed himself as his team’s top singles player, seemingly anticipating that showdown. Instead, DeChambeau put his teammate Anirban Lahiri against Koepka, while he took on Talor Gooch. The Semifinals represented a chance to reignite the rivalry on the course for many fans. A head-to-head match between Koepka and DeChambeau could have provided a dramatic highlight in a team event that thrives on drama. Instead, the matchup was avoided, leaving Koepka openly questioning DeChambeau’s mindset. That decision frustrated Koepka, who later questioned DeChambeau’s choice and argued that DeChambeau had robbed fans of the battle they wanted to see. “I don’t know what the thinking was behind that,” Koepka said. “I’d probably say the people would want to see that. I don’t know what he is afraid of. It’s just kind of… he beats his own drum, so he is a strange cat.” Koepka and DeChambeau Continue Rivalry The rivalry between Koepka and DeChambeau has been one of golf’s biggest storylines over the past five years. It began on the PGA Tour, when the two frequently clashed over comments, mannerisms, and competitive tensions. Their back-and-forths often spilled into press conferences and social media, making them headline figures even off the course. The move to LIV Golf has not cooled things down, and this latest incident shows the rivalry is still very much alive. When asked if he had any strategy he wanted to discuss regarding Bryson putting himself in the second singles slot, DeChambeau said: “I’ve got my reasons and it ain’t personal though. I can tell you that, it’s not personal.” DeChambeau decision to choose Gooch instead of Koepka may have been tactical. Gooch has been one of LIV’s most consistent performers, and Crushers GC were looking to secure a spot in the final. Still, the optics of skipping a direct face-off with Koepka gave plenty of fuel to critics and added another layer to their long-running feud. Whether the two will face each other in future events remains to be seen, but the demand from fans is clear. Their rivalry has often brought out some of the most memorable moments in modern golf, and many believe a head-to-head showdown is overdue.
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