Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham to lead Michigan in 2026

The head coach of Nebraska’s postseason opponent will have a new home in 2026. Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham has been named the next head football coach of the Michigan Wolverines.

The head coach of Nebraska’s postseason opponent will have a new home in 2026. Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham has been named the next head football coach of the Michigan Wolverines.

Whittingham was already scheduled to step down as Utah head coach following the Las Vegas Bowl. He will no longer coach in the bowl game and will head to Michigan immediately. He has been the Utes‘ head coach since December 2004 and a member of the Utes’ coaching staff since 1994.

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He departs Utah with a head coaching record of 177-88. Whittingham earned three national Coach of the Year awards and finished with a winning record in 18 of his 21 years as head coach. He also had tremendous postseason success, with an 11-6 record in bowl games.

Nebraska will face Utah in the SRS Distribution Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 31, from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT and can be seen on ESPN.

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This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham to lead Michigan in 2026

Source: Utah News

Utah football’s Kyle Whittingham bows out of Las Vegas Bowl after Michigan hiring

Utah football’s Kyle Whittingham bows out of Las Vegas Bowl after Michigan hiring appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Utah football’s Kyle Whittingham bows out of Las Vegas Bowl after Michigan hiring appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Utah football is officially entering a new era, and the transition will begin before the Utes take the field in the Las Vegas Bowl. Longtime head coach Kyle Whittingham will not coach Utah against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, choosing instead to immediately begin his tenure as Michigan’s next head coach following his surprise hiring.

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The news was reported by ESPN insider Pete Thamel, who explained the urgency behind Whittingham’s decision.

“Kyle Whittingham is informing the Utah team that he will not be coaching in the Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska, per me and Dan Wetzel. It is paramount for Michigan that he get to Orlando to meet with his new team and the players’ family members to get going on his new job,” Thamel posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Whittingham, 66, is expected to arrive in Orlando on Saturday, Dec. 27, as Michigan prepares for its Citrus Bowl matchup against Texas. With Michigan’s roster in flux following the firing of Sherrone Moore earlier this month, Whittingham’s early presence is viewed as critical for stabilizing the program.

Michigan has also made it official on hiring Whittingham, in a post on X, formerly Twitter. ” Official: Welcome to Michigan, Coach Whittingham!”

Whittingham brings a 177-88 career record to Ann Arbor and becomes just the second Michigan head coach since Bo Schembechler without prior ties to the program.

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His task will be significant, as Michigan works to rebuild trust and stability following multiple offseason controversies. Michigan’s AD Warde Manuel reinforced the program’s confidence in its new leader.

“Kyle Whittingham is a well-respected and highly successful head coach who is widely recognized as a leader of exceptional character and principled leadership,” said Manuel in an official statement.

Utah, meanwhile, is positioned for continuity. Defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley was named the Utes’ next head coach, creating a smoother transition. Scalley is expected to lead Utah against Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31, giving players a glimpse of the program’s future leadership.

While Whittingham’s absence will be felt on the sideline, both programs appear aligned in prioritizing long-term stability. For Utah, the bowl game becomes a bridge to the next chapter. For Michigan, Whittingham’s early arrival signals an aggressive reset — one that could shape the Wolverines well beyond the postseason.

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Related: Kyle Whittingham, Utah Utes AD release statements on coach’s exit

Related: Kyle Whittingham breaks silence on Michigan Wolverines hiring

Source: Utah News

Morgan Scalley, Kyle Whittingham’s Utah successor, to coach bowl game

With Kyle Whittingham taking over at Michigan immediately, Utah defensive coordinator and head-coach-in-waiting Morgan Scalley will coach the No. 15 Utes in the Las Vegas Bowl on Wednesday against …

With Kyle Whittingham taking over at Michigan immediately, Utah defensive coordinator and head-coach-in-waiting Morgan Scalley will coach the No. 15 Utes in the Las Vegas Bowl on Wednesday against …

Source: Utah News

Michigan reportedly has its top target for next head football coach

Michigan appears to be close to hiring its next head football coach. The Wolverines are targeting former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham to take over for the fired Sherrone Moore, according to a report …

Michigan appears to be close to hiring its next head football coach.

The Wolverines are targeting former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham to take over for the fired Sherrone Moore, according to a report from ESPN.

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Whittingham announced earlier this month that he was stepping down as the head coach at Utah. The Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska on New Year’s Eve is set to be his final game leading the Utes program.

“The time is right to step down from my position as the head football coach at the University of Utah,” Kyle Whittingham said as part of a statement at the time.

Notably, Whittingham did not say that he was retiring from coaching, only that he was moving on from Utah.

The Utes are 10-2 this season, and Whittingham is 177-88 overall in 21 seasons leading the Utah program.

The 66-year-old was an assistant at Utah before taking over as the head coach ahead of the 2005 season. He has led the program ever since.

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According to ESPN, top Michigan officials are set to discuss Whittingham’s candidacy on Friday and a deal could come together in the near future.

Former Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore was fired and later arrested following a stunning series of events earlier this month.

“U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately,” Michigan said in a statement Dec. 10. “Following a University investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.”

He was also charged with home invasion in the third degree, stalking, and breaking and entering or entering without breaking after police say that he broke into the staff member’s house after being fired.

Read the original article on pennlive.com.

Source: Utah News

Michigan football targeting ex-Utah coach Kyle Whittingham

Legendary former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham has “emerged as the focus of the University of Michigan’s coaching search,” according to a new report.

Michigan football appears to be closing in on Kyle Whittingham as its next coach.

Whittingham, the legendary former Utah coach, has “emerged as the focus of the University of Michigan’s coaching search,” according to a new ESPN report.

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Three people close to the situation who were not at liberty to speak publicly confirmed with the Free Press that there is heavy interest in Whittingham from Michigan’s side. There is expected to be a briefing for the University’s higher ups later Friday morning.

He stepped down as the Utes‘ coach after this past year when he led Utah to a 10-2 record in his 21st full season.

Whittingham still has one game left to coach. Utah faces Nebraska in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31, with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. against Nebraska, about 30 minutes after U-M’s Citrus Bowl begins in Orlando, Florida.

TEARS AND TANTRUS: How Michigan’s culture melted under Sherrone Moore

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Kyle Whittingham coaching record

He went 177-88 overall in his time at Utah, his only head coaching gig at the college level. He coached the Utes in the Fiesta Bowl after the 2004 season when Urban Meyer left Utah for Florida.

It was an incredible two-decade plus run for Whittingham in Salt Lake City. He helped the Utes transition first from the Mountain West to the Pac-12 and then from the Pac-12 to the Big 12. His best teams were known for their physical style and controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides on the ball.

After a disappointing 5-7 season in 2024, Utah rebounded this year with an 10-2 impressive campaign, but Whittingham’s tenure came to an unceremonious ending.

Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham keeps an eye on the field in the final minutes of the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah on Sept. 3, 2015.

Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham keeps an eye on the field in the final minutes of the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah on Sept. 3, 2015.

Did Kyle Whittingham retire? Why he left Utah

It’s complicated.

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On the surface, Utah’s season was not nearly bad enough to move on from Whittingham. And he didn’t retire – at least not from coaching.

Whittingham, who announced he was stepping down at Utah last week with a year left on his contract, has expressed interest in Michigan’s position, the Free Press has learned. He told reporters Thursday that he’s “in the transfer portal.”

Whittingham led the Utes for more than two decades in three different conferences (Mountain West, Pac-12 and Big 12) and proved to be a consistent winner. He won the Mountain West once (2008) and the Pac-12 twice (2021-22)

He won seven or more games 17 times, eight games or more 15 times, nine games or more 12 times and had eight seasons of 10 wins or more and has an 11-6 record in bowl games.

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Whittingham has been on staff in Utah for nearly half his life, beginning in 1994 as defensive line coach before he became defensive coordinator in 1995 while coaching safeties or linebackers for the next decade.

Defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley will take over for Whittingham after the bowl game in a similar succession plan to what happened after Meyer left Utah.

Kyle Whittingham age

He is 66.

Despite rumors that Whittingham was going to retire after the 2025 season, he made it clear that was not the case and he was still interested in coaching when asked about if this was a retirement.

“Who knows?” he said to media in Salt Lake City. “I’m stepping down, step away and reevaluate things. … I’m a free agent, I’m in the transfer portal. It’s a different feel, but I’m at peace. And I did not want to be that guy who overstayed his welcome with people saying, ‘Hey, when’s this guy gonna leave?’ That was not my intention – ever. I hope I didn’t do that. I’m sure with some people I did do that. To me, the timing was right.”

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Why Michigan is looking for new coach

The reason Michigan is looking for a new coach in the first place, is another story entirely.Wh

Former Michigan coach Sherrone Moore is awaiting a probable cause hearing in January and wearing a GPS tether after his firing by athletic director Warde Manuel on Dec. 10 after the surfacing of “credible evidence” of an illicit relationship with a staffer and a subsequent arrest for allegedly breaking into her apartment and threatening to kill himself. That resulting in charges for third-degree felony home invasion, misdemeanor stalking and misdemeanor breaking and entering.

(The Free Press generally does not identify people described as domestic crime victims without their consent.)

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In football-related issues, Moore was the second of U-M’s past two coaches to find himself in hot water. First, Jim Harbaugh was suspended twice during a pair of NCAA investigations, the latter of which – involving Connor Stalions’ sign-stealing scheme – resulted in more than $30 million in fines for the program and numerous show-cause edicts for U-M coaches (including Moore).

In addition to the two-game suspension levied by the program for his role in the sign-stealing scandal, Moore was set to be suspended for the first game of the 2026 season. He was also suspended for the first game of the 2023 season as part of a program-issued punishment for recruiting violations during the coronavirus pandemic.

It’s unknown when the Whittingham news could take the next step, but according to ESPN, “Whittingham’s candidacy is expected to be shared with top Michigan officials on Friday,” and a deal could become official shortly after if it gets approved.

He is not expected to coach the team against Texas in the Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31. The team will be led by interim coach Biff Poggi.

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Once the hire is announced, Michigan’s players will have five days to enter the transfer portal, and 15 days after entering to select a new team, or return to the Wolverines. Also, the NCAA’s standard transfer-portal window runs from Jan. 2-16.

[ MUST LISTEN: Make “Hail Yes!” your go-to Wolverines podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (AppleSpotify) ]   

Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football targeting ex-Utah coach Kyle Whittingham

Source: Utah News

Utah basketball adds international shooting guard

Utah basketball is getting some immediate help, thanks to its coaching ties. Lucas Langarita, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Spain, is joining the Runnin’ Utes for the spring semester, the school …

Utah basketball is getting some immediate help, thanks to its coaching ties.

Lucas Langarita, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Spain, is joining the Runnin’ Utes for the spring semester, the school announced, and will be immediately eligible to play.

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“We’re excited to welcome Lucas to our program,” Utah coach Alex Jensen said in a statement. “He is a gifted young player who will be a positive addition to our team.”

The news was first reported by Eurohopes.

Langarita previously played for Utah assistant coach Martin Schiller for Casademont Zaragoza in the top Spanish professional league, Liga ACB, during the 2022-23 season.

The 20-year-old averaged 17.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists in U20 Eurobasket competition last summer in Greece.

That included shooting 41.5% from the floor and 32.7% from 3-point range.

Langarita’s addition will add some much-needed depth on Alex Jensen’s first roster at Utah, as well as provide another wing player who could factor into future plans beyond the 2025-26 season.

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While the Utes are led on the offense end by starting guards Terrence Brown and Don McHenry this season, there is a need for additional help beyond that.

Jacob Patrick, who hails from Germany, has been a solid addition for Utah, though he’s missed the past two games due to injury. Obomate Abbey, a Finland native, is a freshman and is another depth piece for the Utes who averages 17.4 minutes per game.

Utah recently had guard Elijah “Choppa” Moore, a Syracuse transfer, exit the program, and Langarita’s addition should help as the team enters Big 12 play following the New Year, if he can up to speed.

The Utes also lost forward Babacar Faye to injury prior to the season starting.

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“After losing a key contributor to injury before the start of the season, our staff worked diligently across the globe to secure a significant mid-year addition,” Utah general manager Wes Wilcox said in a statement.

“While the timing and his transition from Europe to the NCAA are unique, we’re excited to welcome Lucas to our program as we head into Big 12 play.”

Source: Utah News

36 Hours in Park City, Utah

Utah Olympic Park offers tours of the ski-jumping, bobsledding and other competition and training facilities built for the 2002 Winter Olympics and still in use today. It is one of a handful of places …

9 a.m. Hit the (many) slopes

Ikon Pass holders will want to schuss ski-only Deer Valley, which has added 10 lifts and more than 100 trails in the past year (single-day ticket from $219 in advance online). The resort’s impeccably groomed cruisers are tempered by legit expert terrain like the Daly Chutes and Centennial’s steep glades. Epic Pass holders and snowboarders should head to Park City Mountain, which at 7,300 acres offers the most lift-served terrain in the United States (single-day ticket from $259 in advance online). The free, two-hour Silver to Slopes guided ski tour (10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.) visits on-mountain mining relics like closed-up shaft entrances (more than 1,000 miles of decommissioned mining tunnels lie under the ski area). Or book the Ski Utah Interconnect Tour, an all-day adventure for advanced skiers ($575 per person) that starts at Deer Valley and visits five other resorts via chairlifts and backcountry terrain.

12 p.m. Ski to town for lunch

Downtown’s High West Saloon (21 and up), owned by a local distillery, is immensely popular for après-ski — and nabbing a seat in this Western-themed restored livery stable can be a double-black-diamond challenge. Instead, ski there for lunch via Park City Mountain’s Quittin’ Time run (post-meal, ride the Town Lift, a block away, back up). Your consumption of High West’s bourbon may be more limited midday, but whiskey caramelized onion soup ($13) or a pretzel-crusted schnitzel ($35) will still warm your innards. At Deer Valley, click out of your skis at the mid-mountain, full-service Royal Street Cafe and refuel with the popular turkey chili, served in multiple restaurants across the resort ($18), or a buttermilk-battered fried chicken sandwich ($28).

3 p.m. Go high end or low end for après-ski

Deer Valley is known for catering to champagne and caviar tastes, and you can certainly find those slopeside at the hotel Montage Deer Valley’s Veuve Clicquot–focused Après Lounge in a luxe-level yurt. But then there’s the retro-vibed Sticky Wicket at the Silver Lake Lodge, where the knotty-pine walls are bedecked with ’80s-era ski memorabilia and revelers order a 64-ounce tabletop keg of one of eight Utah beers on draft ($48). When not advocating for better wages and benefits, Park City Mountain ski patrollers frequent the Corner Store Pub and Grill, which has been pouring pitchers (from $30) of beer for thirsty skiers since 1974. At the Canyon Villages base, head to the chic fireside lounge Après Pendry for cocktails.

4 p.m. Discover skiing’s most unusual lift

The Park City Museum in the heart of town (open until 5 p.m.) has both permanent and changing exhibitions ($15 admission). Learn about the Great Fire of 1898, which destroyed the town’s commercial district, and the intricacies of mining, among other historical exhibits. Be sure to sit in the “skier subway” car; this unusual conveyance opened in December 1964 at Park City Mountain (then called Treasure Mountain) and shuttled skiers for three miles through a dank mining tunnel to an elevator, which guests then rode 1,800 vertical feet to a chairlift above ground. The novelty quickly wore off, and the subway lasted only four years.

6:30 p.m. Dine on French fare in a historic train station

The menu at Le Depot Brasserie, opened last March by the James Beard-award-winning chef Galen Zamarra, offers well-crafted classic French dishes (including steak frites, $40) and a three-course cheese fondue dinner ($55 per person, reserve ahead). But the setting is uniquely Park City, in a former wood-shingled Union Pacific train depot from 1886 that has been beautifully restored, melding vintage stained-glass windows and artwork with traditional bistro elements like brass light fixtures and marble-topped tables. (Longtime Park City visitors will remember the building as the site of the late Robert Redford’s beloved Zoom restaurant for more than 20 years.) Le Depot also shares a pastry chef with the adjacent Union Patisserie, so leave space for decadent desserts like profiteroles with bourbon-caramel chocolate sauce ($18).

8 p.m. Bar-hop downtown

Within a few blocks along Main Street, a nationally registered historic district, you’ll find live music, boisterous bars and quieter spots for sipping cocktails. Check the schedule at the nearly 100-year-old Egyptian Theater, a beloved community landmark that hosts concerts, theater and comedy. A visit to the long-running No Name Saloon can be entertainment in itself: The first floor is adorned with a scrappy collection of vintage objects, like a snowmobile, a motorcycle and a chairlift; locals come for the burgers and Utah beers, heated rooftop patio and unpretentious character. A block north, Palomino, run by the acclaimed Riverhorse on Main restaurant next door, serves trendy cocktails as beautiful to look at as the bar’s chic interior; the tequila-based F.I.U, for example, comes topped with a large snowball-like bubble ($24).

Source: Utah News

These 9 Utah ties could be postseason-bound if their teams clinch NFL playoff spots this week

A look at Week 17 NFL playoff scenarios, as there are already 29 Utah ties whose teams have made the NFL postseason field.

With two weeks left in the regular season, 10 of the 14 NFL playoff spots are already clinched.

In Week 17, those final four spots could be filled.

And for nine Utah ties, that could mean making the postseason — in addition to the 29 Utah ties who already know they are playoff-bound.

Utah ties on NFL teams that could clinch playoff spots in Week 17

AFC

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Jaylen Warren, RB, Utah State, Snow College and East High

  • Miles Killebrew, S, Southern Utah (injured reserve)

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Houston Texans

  • Leki Fotu, DT, Utah and Herriman High

  • Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham High

  • Junior Tafuna, DT, Utah and Bingham High (practice squad)

NFC

Carolina Panthers

  • Brady Christensen, OT, BYU and Bountiful High (injured reserve)

Green Bay Packers

  • Zayne Anderson, S, BYU and Stansbury High

  • Chris Brooks, RB, BYU

  • Jordan Love, QB, Utah State

Note: In the AFC, the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens both are still mathematically eligible to make the playoffs, as are the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC.

None of those four teams, though, could clinch playoff spots in Week 17.

Jets Jaguars Football

Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd (0) enters the field for an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Jets 48-20. | Gary McCullough

Utah ties whose NFL teams have already clinched playoff spots

AFC

Denver Broncos

  • Garett Bolles, OT, Utah, Snow College and Westlake High

  • Jonah Elliss, OLB, Utah

  • Karene Reid, ILB, Utah and Timpview High (IR, designated to return)

  • Caleb Lohner, TE, Utah (practice squad)

  • Kyrese Rowan, WR, Utah State, Utah and Roy High (practice squad)

New England Patriots

  • Miles Battle, CB, Utah

  • Khyiris Tonga, DT, BYU and Granger High

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah

  • Tim Patrick, WR, Utah

  • Ja’Quinden Jackson, RB, Utah (practice squad)

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Andre James, C, Herriman High

  • Marcus Williams, S, Utah (practice squad)

  • Thomas Yassmin, TE, Utah (practice squad)

Buffalo Bills

  • Cole Bishop, S, Utah

  • Jackson Hawes, TE, Highland High

  • Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State

  • Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah

  • Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah

NFC

Seattle Seahawks

  • Connor O’Toole, LB, Utah

  • Rashid Shaheed, WR, Weber State

Chicago Bears

  • Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah

  • Noah Sewell, LB, Orem High

  • Braxton Jones, OT, Southern Utah and Murray High (injured reserve)

  • Xavier Carlton, DL, Utah and Juan Diego High (practice squad, injured)

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Britain Covey, WR, Utah and Timpview High

  • Cameron Latu, TE, Olympus High

Los Angeles Rams

  • Puka Nacua, WR, BYU and Orem High

San Francisco 49ers

  • Jakob Robinson, CB, BYU, Utah State and Orem High (injured reserve)

  • Fred Warner, LB, BYU (injured reserve)

Cardinals Texans Football

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz, left, makes a touchdown catch in front of Arizona Cardinals safety Kitan Crawford (36) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Houston. | Ashley Landis

NFL playoff scenarios for Week 17

AFC

CLINCHED:

  • Buffalo Bills (11-4) — playoff berth

  • Denver Broncos (12-3) — playoff berth

  • Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4) — playoff berth

  • Los Angeles Chargers (11-4) — playoff berth

  • New England Patriots (12-3) — playoff berth

Denver Broncos (12-3)

Week 17 opponent: at Kansas City (6-9) — Thursday, 6:15 p.m. MST (Prime Video)

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Denver clinches AFC West division title and the AFC’s No. 1 seed, a first-round bye and home-field advantage with:

  1. Denver win AND LA Chargers loss or tie AND New England loss AND Buffalo loss or tie AND Jacksonville loss or tie

Denver clinches AFC West division title with:

  1. Denver win AND LA Chargers loss or tie OR

  2. Denver tie AND LA Chargers loss

Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4)

Week 17 opponent: at Indianapolis (8-7) — Sunday, 11 a.m. MST (Fox)

Jacksonville clinches AFC South division title with:

  1. Jacksonville win AND Houston loss or tie OR

  2. Jacksonville tie AND Houston loss

New England Patriots (12-3)

Week 17 opponent: at New York Jets (3-12) — Sunday, 11 a.m. MST (Fox)

New England clinches AFC East division title with:

  1. New England win AND Buffalo loss or tie OR

  2. New England tie AND Buffalo loss

Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)

Week 17 opponent: at Cleveland (3-12) — Sunday, 11 a.m. MST (CBS)

Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division title with:

  1. Pittsburgh win or tie OR

  2. Baltimore loss or tie

Houston Texans (10-5)

Week 17 opponent: at Los Angeles Chargers (11-4) — Saturday, 2:30 p.m. MST (NFL Network)

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Houston clinches playoff berth with:

  1. Houston win or tie OR

  2. Indianapolis loss or tie OR

  3. Houston clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over Indianapolis

*Note: Houston needs the following to happen to clinch a tie in strength of victory with Indianapolis: Baltimore win AND Buffalo win AND Kansas City win AND San Francisco win AND Atlanta loss AND Miami loss

NFC

CLINCHED:

  • Philadelphia Eagles (10-5) — NFC East

  • Chicago Bears (11-4) — playoff berth

  • Los Angeles Rams (11-4) — playoff berth

  • San Francisco 49ers (11-4) — playoff berth

  • Seattle Seahawks (12-3) — playoff berth

Seattle Seahawks (12-3)

Week 17 opponent: at Carolina (8-7) — Sunday, 11 a.m. MST (CBS)

Seattle clinches NFC West division title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed, a first-round bye and home-field advantage with:

  1. Seattle win AND LA Rams loss or tie AND San Francisco-Chicago tie

Seattle clinches NFC West division title with:

  1. Seattle win AND LA Rams loss or tie AND San Francisco loss or tie OR

  2. Seattle tie AND LA Rams loss AND San Francisco loss

Carolina Panthers (8-7)

Week 17 opponent: vs. Seattle (12-3) — Sunday, 11 a.m. MST (CBS)

Carolina clinches NFC South division title with:

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  1. Carolina win AND Tampa Bay loss or tie OR

  2. Carolina tie AND Tampa Bay loss

Chicago Bears (11-4)

Week 17 opponent: at San Francisco (11-4) — Sunday, 6:20 p.m. MST (NBC)

Chicago clinches NFC North division title with:

  1. Chicago win OR

  2. Green Bay loss OR

  3. Chicago tie AND Green Bay tie

Green Bay Packers (9-5-1)

Week 17 opponent: vs. Baltimore (7-8) — Saturday, 6 p.m. MST (Peacock)

Green Bay clinches playoff berth with:

  1. Green Bay win or tie OR

  2. Detroit loss or tie

Source: Utah News

A peek into the Utah Mammoth’s best Christmases — past and ‘present’

Here’s what a number of Utah Mammoth are doing for Christmas this year, in addition to some of their favorite memories growing up …

Like most companies (but unlike some pro sports leagues), the NHL takes a few days off surrounding Christmas. In the Utah Mammoth’s case, they have a couple of extra days, too, thanks to the way things are scheduled.

We asked the players what they’re doing over the break, in addition to some other holiday questions. Here’s what they said.

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What are you doing over the break?

Nate Schmidt is going back home to Minnesota, where he usually spends 24 hours at his parents’ house and another 24 at his wife’s parents’ house before heading back to his in-season home.

On his side of the family, some 30 cousins gather. If you know anything about Schmidt, you know he’s a fun, energetic guy — yet he says he’s the second-quietest in his immediate family.

It’s sure to be a fun but chaotic weekend in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Alexander Kerfoot’s family is visiting him in Utah. The group is going up to Park City to enjoy the holidays, and Barrett Hayton’s family is coming out, too.

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Kevin Stenlund is from Sweden so traveling all the way there and back over the course of a few days wouldn’t be practical, but he still has plans.

“Mostly, I spend it with teammates that don’t have family here,” he said. “Just convenient where I don’t have my family here.”

They usually do a home-cooked meal, but “nothing fancy,” he says.

Vítek Vaněček and his wife are looking forward to their first Christmas with their baby, Tobias. When asked what he wants for Christmas, Vaněček gave a gracious answer.

“Absolutely nothing,” he said. “I’m happy with my life, so I don’t think I need (anything).”

We asked head coach André Tourigny about his holiday plans ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche, but he was still in game mode.

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“I’m not there yet. I’m on December 23. It’s a pretty important day,” he said.

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?

The most popular answer to this question was hockey sticks — which may seem funny to the guys now, considering that the team pays for as many top-of-the-line sticks as they can possibly need (Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon once estimated that he uses about 400 per season).

Hayton remembers one Christmas when he received a Bauer Supreme NXG and went to the outdoor rink and used it all day long. Stenlund also fondly remembered getting sticks, but there wasn’t one that particularly stood out.

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Schmidt gave two answers: one for his childhood and the other as an adult. When he was young, it was a yellow GameBoy color with Pokemon Blue to go with it. Two years ago, he asked his wife for a Dyson vacuum — and he now uses it every day.

Kerfoot’s favorite gifts were usually sporting equipment. The one he recalled was a ping-pong table, shared amongst the four children in his family.

What’s the best gift you’ve ever given?

Kerfoot and his wife got a puppy while they were living in Toronto a number of years back. They named her Coconut, and she has accompanied them to both Arizona and Utah.

He and his siblings usually get each other board games, which they then play during their time together at Christmas.

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Hayton’s gift to his dad one year was a golf trip for the two of them.

“It was just him and I, which was nice, just to kind of get away,” he said. “I feel like we’re so busy and stuff that we don’t get a lot of time together, one on one, so that was special. A nice little getaway.”

Schmidt has yet to give his best gift ever: It’s coming this year.

Of course, he didn’t want to divulge exactly what it was in case the person sees this article before opening the present, but he did say it’s a particular piece of hunting equipment for an uncle of his.

“I’m excited — really excited,” he said of the gift.

Source: Utah News

Michigan State Recruiting Trail Leads to 2027 Utah WR

Since being named head coach, Pat Fitzgerald has moved quickly to assemble his coaching staff. Fitzgerald brought in LeVar Woods from Iowa as special teams coor …

Since being named head coach, Pat Fitzgerald has moved quickly to assemble his coaching staff. Fitzgerald brought in LeVar Woods from Iowa as special teams coordinator and Nick Sheridan from Alabama as offensive coordinator.

While adding new faces, he has also retained several members of the previous staff, including Joe Rossi as defensive coordinator, Courtney Hawkins as wide receivers coach, and Brian Wozniak as tight ends coach.

Hawkins, who has served as Michigan State’s wide receivers coach since 2020 under Mel Tucker, has built a strong reputation as a developer at the position. During his tenure, he has coached Jalen Nailor, Jayden Reed, and Keon Coleman, all of whom went on to the NFL. He has also worked closely with Nick Marsh, a player with NFL potential as early as next season.

Recently, Fitzgerald and Hawkins have shifted some of their recruiting focus to the 2027 high school class. Michigan State has re-offered Charles Britton and Don Spillers, and now Brawley Tuitupou has joined that list.

Sep 7, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; A detailed view of Michigan State Spartans helmet on the field before the game against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Tuitupou is a 6-foot-4, 175-pound wide receiver from Utah. He is rated as a three-star athlete and ranks as the No. 945 overall prospect, No. 82 athlete nationally, and No. 17 player in Utah in the 2027 class. Tuitupou currently holds 16 offers, including from Florida, Duke, and Kansas.

Hawkins has taken the lead in recruiting Tuitupou and is listed as his primary recruiter, according to 247Sports.

Michigan State football’s new coach Pat Fitzgerald, center, holds up a jersey with MSU president Kevin Guskiewicz, left, and athletic director J Batt, right, during Fitzgerald’s introductory press conference on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at the Tom Izzo Football Building in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“We have been building one for a little while now. A little under a month, and it’s been great. Finally got it done with the offer! We had a great conversation.” Tiutupou told Jacob Cotsonika of Spartan Nation. “He talked about how he truly believes in me and sees my potential as not only a wide receiver, but also a safety and not just what I can do now but what I can become. He also took the time to explain how I fit into Michigan State’s system and what he expects from his players, which made me trust him a lot.”

That personal approach stood out to the Utah native.

“I think it’s very important,” Tuitupou said. “When deciding on the school I want to go to, I want to see how much effort they put in and how much they care—not just offering me a spot because of talent, but caring about me as a person and as an athlete.”

Despite the distance from Utah to Michigan, Tuitupou is familiar with the Michigan State program.

“Living out in Utah, I’ve still been able to see and be aware of Michigan State and the kind of program it is,” he said. “It’s a school you hear about nationally because of its history, the Big Ten competition, and the receivers that have come through there.”

Hawkins’ track record has also resonated.

“I know how respected he is as a developer of talent,” Tuitupou said. “He’s coached guys like Jayden Reed and Keon Coleman, who earned big roles in the NFL. Seeing that history makes me confident that if I were coached by him, I’d be pushed, developed, and given a real chance to reach my highest potential.”

Tuitupou added that a visit to East Lansing is likely in the future.

MSU football

Michigan State football players get ready to run out on the field for their game against Western Michigan (Aug. 29, 2025). | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans On SI

“Yes, there are plans to head out to East Lansing,” he said. “No for-sure date yet, but there will be one soon. Florida is the biggest school I’m eyeballing right now, with Duke and Kansas also up there.”

As Pat Fitzgerald continues to reshape Michigan State’s program, early recruiting efforts—especially at wide receiver—show a clear emphasis on development and relationships. With Courtney Hawkins leading the charge, the Spartans’ offer to Brawley Tuitupou signals an intent to stay aggressive nationally as they begin laying the groundwork for future recruiting classes.

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Source: Utah News